That Was The Week That Was

This week has been odd. On Sunday it was anger after an embarrassing performance in the local derby to euphoria after the mid-week victory in the quarter-finals of the League Cup. Now, at the zenith of this tumultuous week, this was the day that dragged Ipswich fans back to Earth. The fifth consecutive league defeat to Swansea City heaps the pressure back on Roy Keane and underlined our flaws to the watching public.

Regarding the Swansea result, what struck me first was the attendance (16, 978), which has been gradually declining. Granted the game was on Sky and the weather conditions were not brilliant (along with the pitiful Swansea turnout), but I think it offers conclusive proof that a majority of Town fans have lost patience with the incumbent manager. 

Nobody can blame Keane for the injuries and suspensions that have blighted the team, but we can blame him for the lack of quality replacements considering over £10 million have been pumped into the squad under his regime. Regarding the players performances, if the rumours about Brian Murphy drinking the night before the game were true, then he should have been dropped and fined. It’s completely unprofessional, just as bad as his lack of professionalism throughout the game.

Secondly, the defending was poor again. Who coaches the defence these days? Not forgetting that Roy Keane’s selections were once again a disappointment. Despite his impressive performance against West Brom, Jaime Peters was left out in the cold once again. The exclusion of Damien Delaney was also surprising, especially considering Tommy Smith’s inexperience, highlighted in a poor performance against Swansea. I also thought Shane O’Connor would have been a shoe-in considering Darren O’Dea’s poor form. The defence craved for a leader like McAuley, or somebody with experience like Delaney. 

Credit to Keane for actually starting Andros Townsend, but that move should have been made weeks ago considering the winger’s influence and creative quality, epitomised by his goal today. The attacking performance was average, Tamas Priskin was okay but his substitution, as well as Townsend’s was a bad decision in my opinion because both players looked the most threatening. 

I don’t think we played badly, the performance could have been better. But I did not expect much following Swansea’s good form in relation to our poor run of results, and had Andy D’Urso awarded the blatant penalty following the challenge on Carlos Edwards, the game could have changed. 

Yet our form has been worryingly bad and I am running out of good facets about Keane’s managerial reign over the past year and a half. Last season we were mediocre under his negative tactics and this has carried on to this season despite some encouraging summer additions. The fact is Keane cannot get a squad that bursts with potential playing good football. He needs to go if we lose against Preston.

BBC Broadcasts A "How Not To Defend" Lesson

I don’t think I have seen such an inept defensive performance by Ipswich Town for some time. We looked spineless, nervous and disorganised at the back, which culminated in Norwich’s highest scoring Old Farm victory. 

Norwich played well; I’m not taking anything from their win. They pressed us and knew we would make errors at the back, the amount of opportunities they had was shocking. I suspected we could lose this game, but never in the manner I had witnessed on Sunday. 

Yes we did have injuries, but any good manager should have players capable of filling in. Keane has spent £10 million on transfers during his time at the club and he was left with a decent squad. It looked like the decision to let David Wright go has bitten Keane on the arm.

The lack of passion was disgraceful. Only David Norris had played an “Old Farm Derby” match before, and I could tell he knew the importance of the game, but it seemed the other players were scared of the game’s meaning. I don’t know what Keane had told the players before the game, but our defence looked scared and rattled whenever Norwich pressed forwards.

It was embarrassing to see Darren O’Dea and Damien Delaney’s “defensive” performances. I have never seen a worse Ipswich performance than O’Dea’s for some time. He was completely at fault for the opening goal and was caught out of position too many times. When he was moved to centre-back, his marking was so relaxed that Norwich often had two free men when playing set pieces. 

It is easy to blame the referee for Delaney’s red card, or maybe even Grant Holt’s exaggerated falling, but Norwich would have beaten us even if we had eleven men. Personally I thought Delaney’s challenge was a booking, the full-backs looked likely to cover and there was minimal contact. It changed the game, but Keane and the team couldn’t adapt.

In midfield we looked unimaginative, one-dimensional and lacked creative spark going forwards. The relentless long-balls to Tamas Priskin lacked common sense, especially when it was just him up front. It was four vs. one for most of the time at the back.

I don’t know what happened to Carlos Edwards and Jack Colback in that game. Edwards was rarely threatening and his crossing was below average. His performance waned as the match wore on and I was really disappointed in him. But Jack Colback was just as bad, he looks a shadow of his former self this season and he didn’t see much of the ball.

When Scotland came off to be replaced I was expecting Shane O’Connor or Jack Livermore, maybe even Luciano Civelli to replace him. But not Colin Healey, a poor substitution that represents Keane’s bad judgement. Some of those players don’t look like they want to play for our club, as some Norwich fans have pointed out, it is starting to look reminiscent of Glen Roeder’s management in Norwich’s relegation season. 

I am also disappointed with a minority of our supporters who felt the need to rip up seats and fight one another. Whilst I understand the result and performance will have upset many, this type of behaviour does not do our club any favours. We have a good reputation in football and it’s people like those who tarnish it.

Personally, I find Roy Keane has to shoulder most of the blame for that performance. The poor tactics, bland and predictable playing style coupled with the surprising lack of passion and the poor substitutions have just done it for me. Never have I felt so distraught and humiliated watching my club in the company of others. I was intent on giving Keane time but I have never seen Ipswich struggle so badly. If Keane stays, I fear it will be successive under-achieving seasons.

A Guide To Winning "The Old Farm" Debate

I missed something last season. Two particular games that, for me, symbolised exactly what it was to be an Ipswich Town fan. Yes, the classic Ipswich-Norwich encounters or, as the national media dubs it, “The Old Farm Derby”.

Next weekend is the long-anticipated encounter at Carrow Road where Norwich will host Ipswich after the former’s brief stint in third tier football. Needless to say the home side have been in better form, three points ahead of Ipswich and four league positions higher.

I started watching Ipswich when I was eight years old; my immediate family were not football fans, although Ipswich runs through my extended family. As a Stowmarket lad I lived only 20 minutes from the ground, so naturally the Tractor Boys were an obvious choice. It was my granddad that took a big interest in football and it was through him that I took a liking to football and, eventually, interest in sports writing.

My record watching Ipswich has been relatively good, my fondest memory probably being the 3-1 Ipswich victory over Norwich three years ago when Danny Haynes scored twice, because it was one of a few times I went to see Ipswich play with my family, who enjoyed their day at Portman Road.

Over the years supporting my club I realised that there was one eternal argument between both sets of fans and that was which club was the better of the two? Naturally as an Ipswich fan I would say the Tractor Boys, but both sets of fans would usually pick their respective teams.

Looking at the argument from a Norwich perspective I can understand a couple of points. Firstly Norwich are likely to have more supporters, and this stems from simple demography. Norfolk have an estimate population of 850,000 people, while Suffolk have approximately 715,700, according to a 2008 census survey. Of both counties, Norfolk only have one professional football club, Norwich, whilst Suffolk has Ipswich, but also compete for Colchester fans further south.

Norwich have also had more success over the past decade, a Championship and a League One title is more prestigious than a 5^th place finish in the Premier League and UEFA Cup football. However, Norwich’s relegation to League One was the lowest point either club had been for decades.

But to win a debate against a Norwich fan you simply have to point to a few things:

Firstly we have won more trophies, and more prestigious trophies for that matter. Most football clubs would be proud to have a top division title, an FA Cup and a UEFA Cup in their trophy cabinet. Ipswich have also won three second tier league titles to match Norwich’s.

Secondly, Ipswich Town are historically a better side than Norwich when compared with a head-to-head record. Between the two sides, Ipswich have won 40 times to Norwich’s 34. Over the past decade, Ipswich still shade it, winning five compared to Norwich’s four and the honours split even in four draws.

Finally, Ipswich are the better Premier League side, standing at 31^st with 1206 points compared to Norwich’s 963 points and 36^th position in the table. These types of tables can be misleading though, Ipswich have played almost more than 300 top flight games than Norwich since the Premier League’s inception in 1992.

Also worth pointing out is the fact Ipswich Town have played more top level football than Norwich and have supplied the England national team with two of its finest managers, Sir Alf Ramsey who won the World Cup in 1966 and Sir Bobby Robson who took the country to the semi-finals of Italia 90.

Back to the present, and I am looking forward to the local derby, however I do suspect the game will be difficult for us and looking at form and aided with home advantage, Norwich are favourites. But Ipswich and Norwich fans will know that form rarely counts for nothing in these games, which makes supporting either side that bit more exciting. 

Who Turned Up To See Ipswich?

Football attendances have slowly decreased across the country following the aftermath of an international recession that has seen people cut back on their spending.

This is certainly the case at Ipswich Town. When Ipswich hosted Derby County three days ago in a crucial Championship encounter that pitted two of the division’s in-form teams against one another, only 17,572 people bothered to turn up.

Granted the game was an evening kick-off on a cold Tuesday night, but declining attendances has become a sad reality at Portman Road of late. The fact we lost the game 2-0 obviously did not make the effort and cost worthwhile.

Our bitter rivals up in Norfolk are constantly harping on about their attendances. The fact of the matter is, they have something to shout about. Norwich City are almost guaranteed a full house every time the team plays at Carrow Road. Their stadium capacity is 26,034 and they boast an average of 24,721, giving them the third highest average in the division.

So what is the reason for Ipswich’s declining attendances? This question could be answered several ways:

Firstly, our ticket prices are set very high. In fact, our most expensive tickets are the fourth highest in professional English football, higher than the likes of Manchester United and Liverpool.

This obviously has an adverse effect on our attendance, which averages at 19,957 people. This is disappointing because our stadium capacity is 30,300, one of the biggest grounds in the division.

Another reason could be our style of football. Ipswich Town have traditionally been seen as an attacking, fluid footballing side that entertains its fans. Under Roy Keane we have sacrificed this approach for a more direct style of football which includes time-wasting to retain leads. It could be argued that this tactical approach is utilised across contemporary football. However a majority of fans have been concerned about this drastic change.

Has it been getting results? Whilst Ipswich sit an impressive seventh in the table, Portman Road is not exactly become a fortress. In the league, we have played seven home games, winning four of them, drawing one and losing three. Whilst the Championship is a very unpredictable league, we have once again lacked consistency necessary to achieve promotion.

So how can we reverse this slump in attendances?  The answer certainly comes down to one major factor, the ticket prices. What the club charges to watch Ipswich is nothing short of criminal. The lowest ticket price for an adult to match an Ipswich game is £25, and that’s with pre-booking. The most expensive is £53.

As fans we have to ask whether it is worth that money watching our club. Personally I think it is ridiculous. To finish, here are Derby fans celebrating their goals, just have a game of spot the empty seats.  

So Far, So Good

I am rather impressed with Roy Keane this season. Ipswich Town look like a side capable of achieving a top six place and our defensive record is amongst the best in the division.

Admittedly I did have my concerns about Roy Keane in the past, and those who witnessed last season's embarrassing campaign will agree it was a bad season. However, our form has taken a dramatic turn-around 12 months on. Last season we had 11 points after 15 games, this season we have 24 points. We are also in the quarter finals of the League Cup, a decent achievement considering we are the only team outside the Premier League left in the competition. 

Winning games naturally makes supporters happy, notching another three points will make all the difference come May, and in this unpredictable division, we need as many points possible if we are going to judge this season as a success.

Roy's signings certainly seem to be making a positive impact, in comparison to last season’s poor transfer record. Roy had been criticised for his transfer record at Sunderland. For Ipswich though, Marton Fulop looks like our most talented goalkeeper since the days of Richard Wright and, at a push, Kelvin Davis. Fulop has four clean sheets and as a team we have the fifth best defensive record in the league. Defensively we have been boosted by the signings of former Cardiff utility man, Mark Kennedy and the loan signing of Darren O'Dea from Celtic. However their form has been punctuated by injuries. 

In fact it is Gareth McAuley, Tom Eastman and Tommy Smith who are the main reasons for our defensive record, and they have been at the club already. Whilst McAuley is no surprise, the other two youngsters have slowly strengthened their fledging reputations with a string of good performances. Along with Luke Hyam, Eastman has burst onto the Ipswich scene this season and has made several first team appearances giving Ipswich the youthful influence we have been famed for.

However, this season has not been all positive. Understandably, I find our lack of goals surprising. We have scored 19 goals in 15 games, whilst this is not a bad record; it does make us joint 14^th top scorers in the division. Put simply, if we want to maintain our good form, we need to hit the back of the net more.

Apart from the prolific Jason Scotland, the rest of our strikers do not look capable of scoring more than 15 goals this season. Tamas Priskin has been scoring more frequently this season but I feel he is still far too inconsistent to be considered a serious goal-threat.

Connor Wickham has been injured for many weeks, but has failed to find the net. In my opinion he is too young to be considered as a key striker, although he is undoubtedly a good talent. The English media have a habit of over-hyping any footballer that shows an inkling of potential. A recent Daily Mirror article highlights my point, tabloid papers line up to report on Wickham. The harsh reality is that he has only scored four goals in his fledging Ipswich career. Give the lad a break.

Overall we have made an encouraging start to the season and I trust Keane to pull us through what will be a difficult festive period.