Are we deluded and blinded

Here you can chat about everything and anything related to ITFC and other football issues. This forum also hosts the now Internationally famous TB.com ITFC match previews which contain insightful pre-match thoughts, previous highlights, news links relating to Town, form guides and other bits and pieces. Feel free to discuss meet ups/travel plans in here as well.

Moderators: marko69, Bluemike, Charnwood

MasseyFerguson
Posts: 391
Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2018 10:50 pm

Re: Are we deluded and blinded

Post by MasseyFerguson » Tue Feb 25, 2020 7:35 pm

Bluemike wrote:
Tue Feb 25, 2020 4:54 pm
What I do know is this, change manager again and the whole sorry scenario starts again, and then again, and then again etc etc, he must be given time, this season isn't over yet but he needs next season too...... at the very least.
In spite of my earlier post I do agree with this.

User avatar
nicscreamer
Posts: 2137
Joined: Sun Sep 07, 2003 6:53 pm
Location: In front of my computer
Contact:

Re: Are we deluded and blinded

Post by nicscreamer » Tue Feb 25, 2020 10:06 pm

Bluemike wrote:
Tue Feb 25, 2020 4:54 pm
What I do know is this, change manager again and the whole sorry scenario starts again, and then again, and then again etc etc, he must be given time, this season isn't over yet but he needs next season too...... at the very least.
As disillusioned as i am , I agree. But it will be a kick in the nuts not getting promoted

Andym
Posts: 5355
Joined: Thu Aug 31, 2006 1:47 pm
Location: Mid Suffolk

Re: Are we deluded and blinded

Post by Andym » Tue Feb 25, 2020 10:36 pm

I have to be honest here. I think many if not most fans are deluded. We all want the best but many confuse hope with expectation.

I said before the season started that we would finish mid table. I always start by thinking "Who do we have that we must try to hang on to?" At the start of the season. I thought Judge, possibly Downes. That was all. That's why I've never understood this "best squad in the league" talk. I think many of our side would get in other league 1 sides. But to get promotion you hope you might have more than 2 who could make it at Championship level.

As it turns out, Downes had been excellent. Woolfy has been pretty good too. We will almost certainly lose thrm both in the summer. Judge had been a major disappointment - partly I suspect by personal circumstances, partly by being played out of position too often, and possibly by being overhyped.

Norwood was a gamble. Sometimes strikers step up s league, others are Sam Parkin. Norwood showed promise prior to his first op to be fair. Jackson has done much better than i expected. But neither are clinical finishers. Jackson needs space for the ball behind the defence. If a team defends deep (think second half saturdsy) he is less effective. Keane was clutching at straws, he's never scored regularly.

Having said that, i do feel the squad is capable of mire than it has achieved. I've said all season that the way to achieve promotion is to attack. Luton did it last season,so did Norwich. Both are failing this season because they didn't strengthen their defences in terms of players or tactics. We have looked good when.we have gone at teams. Quick movement of the ball and midfielders busting a gut to get in the box. It can leave you exposed (as on saturday) but youll win a lot more than you lose. As I said elsewhere, the difference between the 4-1 victory and last Saturday's 1-0 defeat was we didn't have the players in support when shots were blocked or Keane stumbled over the ball.

So. Many hoped players would be better than they were. And that the manager would be better than he is. As I say, optimism and wishful thinking rather than rational expectation.

A final thought before I hide in a bunker: if you can keep your expectations under control, the season becomes much more enjoyable.

mugen1
Posts: 417
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2007 2:29 pm

Re: Are we deluded and blinded

Post by mugen1 » Tue Feb 25, 2020 10:40 pm

Ricco wrote:
Tue Feb 25, 2020 3:33 pm
mugen1 wrote:
Tue Feb 25, 2020 2:30 pm
I'm tired of hearing how we have the best squad in the league or words to that effect.
It wasn't words to that effect and saying top 3/4 is actually a fairly objective opinion held by many exterior to the club. Many good squads over the years have failed and many poor or average have done remarkable things.

As you've alluded to yourself, there could be many reasons for underachieving, most of which have been discussed in this thread.
MasseyFerguson wrote:
Tue Feb 25, 2020 2:59 pm
PL has had three transfer windows to shape the squad the way he'd like. I get the whole financial restrictions thing but it is still wrong, in my opinion, to suggest that he hasn't had time.
It's true when relegated you shouldn't have to spend to strengthen like if you weren't, but I believe I'm right in saying that money has only passed hands on one of PL's transfers (KVY), the rest were loans or freebies.

Now if there is a fundamental mentality problem within the club, that can take time to remedy, if instead the main problem is the blinking owner, it doesn't matter who is at the helm of the team, it can be a near impossible task to get success, even more so in the long term.
Apologies Ricco, that wasn't aimed at you.

I've read or heard too many times that we have the best squad in the league. I argue that the table & some pretty toothless performances contradict that statement.

I was thrilled with what happened in the Burton game but completely bamboozled by why we can't replicate that in our very next game. Something, somewhere is clearly rather wrong :cry:

Blue Wilf
Posts: 980
Joined: Thu Sep 27, 2018 4:19 pm

Re: Are we deluded and blinded

Post by Blue Wilf » Wed Feb 26, 2020 10:18 am

For me, we have under performing players but are also too lightweight. The Championship (and now League 1) cries out for a big, strong attacker. We have not had one (with height and moderate skill), since Shefki. How many times over the last 10 years have opposing teams brought on a big striker and you just knew they would score - 9 times out of 10, thats exactly what has happened. We need to okay to win the league, not to be pretty and play 'the Ipswich way' at the moment. When we get up, then you can start to bring the fancy dans back - until then, its graft and muscle that wins every time...

User avatar
Bluemike
Global Moderator
Posts: 29562
Joined: Mon May 18, 2009 5:26 pm
Location: Ipswich

Re: Are we deluded and blinded

Post by Bluemike » Wed Feb 26, 2020 1:29 pm

Makes sense why the fans call for Freddie then :lol: :lol:

Blue Wilf
Posts: 980
Joined: Thu Sep 27, 2018 4:19 pm

Re: Are we deluded and blinded

Post by Blue Wilf » Wed Feb 26, 2020 10:59 pm

Yep - c'mon Freddie, you collossus! 😂

User avatar
ashfordblue
Posts: 2967
Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2003 7:52 pm
Location: Ashford Kent / was Felixstowe

Re: Are we deluded and blinded

Post by ashfordblue » Thu Feb 27, 2020 12:20 am

:roll: Will be interesting Sears & Keane up front, give it a go, but ffs do not go for one up front against Blackpool, play 4 4 2 if we play for a draw we will get caught out. so for a change lets go for it for all 90 minuets and take all 3 pts COYB

User avatar
JohnnyB
Posts: 1021
Joined: Sun Sep 16, 2018 8:05 am

Re: Are we deluded and blinded

Post by JohnnyB » Thu Feb 27, 2020 10:56 pm

There is plenty of skill in the squad and in that regard they are arguably as good as anyone in the division. But IMHO there is not enough brute force and tenacity. For example, when the detested budgies had PL as manager they had Grant Holt up front - what a bruiser and where would we be now if we had had a similar heavyweight, goal hungry striker banging them in all season?

Tangfastic
Posts: 4911
Joined: Sun Jan 04, 2015 11:52 am

Re: Are we deluded and blinded

Post by Tangfastic » Sat Feb 29, 2020 9:31 am

JohnnyB wrote:
Thu Feb 27, 2020 10:56 pm
There is plenty of skill in the squad and in that regard they are arguably as good as anyone in the division. But IMHO there is not enough brute force and tenacity. For example, when the detested budgies had PL as manager they had Grant Holt up front - what a bruiser and where would we be now if we had had a similar heavyweight, goal hungry striker banging them in all season?
I agree we don’t have enough physicality and that bit of mongrel in the side. We can play some nice stuff, but too often when teams tighten up and pressure us, we seem to wilt. The most depressing thing for me from the Oxford game was not that we conceded a goal, but how easy Oxford closed the game out. Keane might just as well not have been there when we lump balls up to him.
Easy to say now, but I wonder how much difference it would have made if we’d brought in a big nasty target man and a bite-yer-ankles type midfielder at the start of the season.

Post Reply