Last Saturday the new Championship season started after the summer break and Town were at home to Fulham and recorded a home win! ITFC 2 Fulham 1.
Well, the summer break is over and Town have started the new season well with a home win over newly relegated Fulham. There have been several changes at Town during the summer holiday season, not least of which was Mick McCarthy and Terry Connor signing new contracts to stay with the Town for 3 years. On the playing front, some players have left (Scott Loach) and others come in! Normal sort of pre-season stuff!
I didn’t get to the match on Saturday (my son went with his friends) but have seen recorded TV highlights. Apparently it wasn’t a classic match but there were enough positive points for Town especially the result! Daryl Murphy scored the first goal with a fine effort and David McGoldrick scored the second. It is good to see McGoldrick back playing as he missed the end of last season with injury.
Now a long Championship season is ahead! There are plenty of teams looking for promotion places and this is a very competitive league even if the quality is not always the greatest. Town have made a good start and there is plenty of expectation of success and also the derby games against Norwich to look forward to!
Town end the season with a home win and find themselves in ninth place in the Championship.
First of all well played today to Town. Goals from Smith & Green won the game. It sort of sums up the season that the strikers didn’t get a goal! Specifically Frank Nouble…..anyway,never-mind, with goals from defenders and midfielders this gives the Town team better winning chances!
Play off and relegation places decided
All the issues were decided today and Birmingham just avoided relegation by drawing at Bolton and Doncaster were relegated after losing to champions Leicester. Also relegated are Barnsley and Yeovil. Reading slipped out of the playoffs as they drew against already promoted Burnley. The last promotion place will be contested for by Derby, QPR, Wigan and Brighton in the playoffs.
Once again the Championship shows what a strong league it is with clubs like Reading, Blackburn, Bolton and Ipswich missing out on promotion. It is not decided who is relegated from the Premiership but it could be Cardiff, Fulham and Norwich!
Future thoughts for Town
WELL DONE TOWN……finishing the season with a home win.
Town have had a reasonable season and Mick McCarthy has maintained progress forward with the club and team. All fans and the team had high hopes for this season and it was disappointing Town missed out on a playoff place at least. However, it is clear Town were better this season and this gives me hope for next season and if Town can keep a nucleus of current good players and strengthen with good new players(whether on loan or permanent signings), a play off place or better could be achieved next season?!
It is interesting to reflect on the season and I applaud manager Mick McCarthy for his honesty and effort which has seen Town make progress since he took over.
So thanks to Mick and the team. Have a good off season summer break and get back at it, to try again for promotion in the coming new season starting in August!
A defeat away against already promoted Burnley today, meant Town’s outside chance of the sixth play off place failed! Town slip to 10th place after poor results from their last 3 games (Watford, Bournemouth and Burnley…2 points from 9!).
In truth, as Steve Claridge said on BBC Football League show, Town’s defining moment was not in this game or the last 3, but came on Feb 14th, when David McGoldrick got injured and won’t play till next season.
Fair performance at Burnley
Town played reasonably well at Burnley today except for 2 issues. Firstly, they gifted Burnley such a soft goal and secondly they had chances but missed them! That is a recipe for disaster for any team!
Final game of the season..home vs Sheffield Wednesday
Now Town must play well in their last home game of the season and finish the season with a win. This would give all the team and fans encouragement from this season and hope for next season. COME ON YOU BLUES!
Saturday’s game away at Watford was a huge game. Tomorrow’s game at home against Bournemouth is ENORMOUS….
Town need to win tomorrow to stand any slim but realistic outside chance of getting the sixth play-off place. Bournemouth are hoping for a grandstand finish to their good season under young and good manager Eddie Howe.They have an outside hope of the sixth play-off place and are a good team who will give their all in the match against the Town. It is a big match and all to play for both teams.
Can Town win against Bournemouth?
DEFINITELY….. Town sure can win tomorrow if they play well and are ruthless. The whole Town squad need to be on form for every minute of the game. They must learn the lesson from Watford that switching off concentration for one or two moments can be costly and could lose the game.
Did you see Liverpool vs Norwich today? Liverpool were 2-0 up after 10 minutes and looking like they would cruise to a thumping win over Norwich. In fact though, Norwich battled back and only just lost 2-3 at the end. It was a passionate game for both teams, with both having lots to play for and it showed. Despite Liverpool’s early class showing they ended up digging in and all the Liverpool players were putting in loads of effort to block Norwich’s attacks and pressure. The Liverpool defence was shaky but ultimately they had done enough to win the game through the class of Sterling and Suarez. In the end the result was paramount for both teams with Liverpool extending their Premiership lead and Norwich edging closer to relegation.
Town vs Bournemouth a win for Town is essential
A draw for both teams isn’t good enough, neither for Town or Bournemouth, but Town need to stay calm and ruthless throughout. Bournemouth surprisingly lost their last game at home against Sheffield Wednesday on Good Friday. That was a shock, but it was in part that Bournemouth went all out to win and got caught twice on counter attacks that yielded 2 goals and the win for Wednesday. Make no mistake if Bournemouth do go behind against Town they will do the same and press forward to get back in the game and try to win it. If that happens Town need to stay ……. CALM and RUTHLESS. Whatever happens Town players need to work their socks off and stay…CALM and RUTHLESS.
Town cannot afford to have any lapses of concentration leading to bad defending as happened with Watford’s last 2 goals against Town on Saturday.
A win for Town against Bournemouth is vital
If it is a draw tomorrow, then Brighton will be my favourites to get the sixth play off place, but I want Town to win and keep fighting for that play off place. In these last three games, it doesn’t really matter about how good Town’s performances are. What really matters is getting winning results at this stage. As Mick McCarthy said, Town may have out performed Watford on Saturday but two dreadful lapses of concentration gifted the result to Watford.
Town to play their socks off and stay calm and ruthless
Whatever happens in these last three games Town will have had a great season!
WELL PLAYED TOWN!!
However I (like all Town fans) want Town to get that sixth play off place and to do so they must play their best game of the season tomorrow and rise to the challenge…..
Home support is crucial and the Town home fans will support you through thick and thin and remember TOWN PLAYERS: give it everything, yet stay CALM and be RUTHLESS and the Town team will WIN
ITFC 2 Bournemouth 2
Town and Bournemouth drew! As I stated above a point each is not good enough for either team but that is all they got!
I was at work, so I didn’t listen to radio commentary but I saw the highlights on the football league show. A goal from Anderson put Town ahead only for Bournemouth to equalise with a neat overhead shot from a defender! Then Paul Green scored for Town but in the 80th minute a free kick deflected badly off the defensive wall and past a stranded goalie Gurken for Bournemouth’s second goal. Both teams pressed for a winner but it never came.
Town never seem to make games easy or straightforward
On the football league show it was remarked that Town had let slip 30 points from winning positions this season!
Final two games left….slim play-off chance left for ITFC
If Town can win their last two games against newly promoted Burnley and Sheffield Wednesday there is a very, slim outside chance they could get the sixth place if teams like Reading, Brighton and Forest drop points. So with all these teams trying hard for that sixth play-off place and the bottom clubs like Blackpool, Barnsley and Yeovil fighting to pick up points to avoid relegation the end of season drama for all teams hopes could go right to the last game of the season to define who will get promotion and who will get relegated. It looks though like Yeovil will be relegated as they do depend on other results to go for them.
Burnley vs ITFC
Burnley secured promotion with a fine emphatic 2-0 win against a good Wigan team yesterday. so Leicester and Burnley gain automatic promotion to the Premiership and they both have been good throughout the season. Be nice if Town can show some spirit and win away at Turf Moor against Burnley, as it is the last chance for Town this season to get to that sixth play off place. Goodluck Town!
This is a HUGE game for Town. Championship results went in Town’s favour yesterday in the Easter holiday Good Friday games (Brighton drew and Reading lost). IF Town win today they will go into sixth place!
This is a big ask for Town, to win away against a good Watford team but the Town team know the importance of this game and the opportunity it is. Now this opportunity has come around, the Town team need to get ruthless and go hard for this win and play their socks off to get it!
The Easter weekend games are critical as Town’s next match is home against Bournemouth on Easter Monday (with only Easter Sunday to rest). There are only four more games left and they are all vital if Town are to get that sixth promotion play-off position.(remaining matches are Burnley away Sheffield Wednesday at home). GO TOWN…go and get that sixth play-off place…
The football cliche is to take one game at a time and that is important to do that and not think too far ahead just yet. The atmosphere at Watford should be good with many Town fans there. So goodluck Town against Watford this afternoon.
The Town team have been quietly getting better through the season and it is great they have done so and given themselves this chance of a play-off place. I will add my post match report after listening to Radio Suffolk commentary…COME ON YOU BLUES….
Watford 3 ITFC 1
Unfortunately a defeat at Watford despite playing quite well!
Cresswell and Wordsworth returned to the side. However Town went a goal down in the first half somewhat against the run of play. Town though levelled soon in the second half (goal from Wordsworth) and had a few chances (Luke Higham hit the bar) but gave 2 bad goals away in a few minutes to lose the game.
Mick McCarthy said afterwards it was a nearly the best game of the season but with poor defending the game was lost. Now the odds of the play off place is with Brighton.
So disappointment all round for the fans and the team but Town need to bounce back as all is not lost yet! I do feel Town need to win the last three games now.Simples!
A good home win for Town last Saturday against Doncaster.
Mings played in place of the injured Cresswell and overall had a good performance with one notable unfortunate play. Wordsworth was left on the bench with Anderson,Skuse and Higham in midfield.
Daryl Murphy scored Town’s opening goal but it was never comfortable for the Town team (and fans) with just a one goal lead. Mings gave away a penalty for a push on an attacker and Doncaster’s Chris Brown scored from the penalty to level the game.
Then in the 86th minute Chambers scored Town’s second and winning goal, to give Town the points in a hard fought game.
Town go to seventh place in the Championship table
This result keeps Town just 2 points away from the play-off sixth place.
Next for Town is away at Watford
This Easter Saturday Town play Watford away and this will be a tough game. Town need to win or draw to keep realistic play-off hopes alive!
It is great to have Town battling for the sixth play-off place and it would be good if the team can win enough remaining games to get the necessary points to make this happen. WELL DOE to the team and manager for a much better year than last year and goodluck to get that sixth play-off position. IF Town can do it then who knows what could happen in the play-offs! So if Town can play well to the end of the season they give themselves and all fans, a chance of promotion! GO TOWN…..
A very good away win for ITFC last night against Huddersfield. Well played Town to get the vital three points to keep the play off hopes alive!
Match analysis
A good first half from Town with an early goal from Anderson and another later from Murphy and Town led 2-0 at half-time.
In the second half Huddersfield had more possession trying to reduce the lead and get back in the match but the Town defence held firm. Wordsworth came on as a sub for Hunt and Mings came on for an injury to Cresswell. Richardson then came on for Williams and Town kept a clean sheat. Again well done to the team and away supporters!
Mick McCarthy post match against Huddersfield
PLAY OFF HOPES
Town are in eighth place in the table on 61 points but just 2 points behind Reading in sixth position. Several clubs are fighting for the sixth play off place. Just behind Town are Bournemouth who are on a great run of form. It is important Town play hard in all their remaining games as anything can happen in this league. Forest who looked certain of a play off place a month or so ago have fallen by the wayside and Reading are not looking too confident. Brighton are just above Town and they had a great away win over already promoted and Championship leaders Leicester!
The Championship is an exciting league with some teams playing hard to get promotion and a play off place and others fighting to avoid relegation and any team is capable of beating any other!
Next up : Town vs Doncaster Rovers Sat 120414
Town have a home game against Doncaster and this is a good opportunity for a win for Town but they must remain ruthless and hard working. Doncaster themselves are a hard working team who will not be easy to beat so Town must not be complacent! I hope Cresswell recovers from his injury and can return to the team for this one but Town have a good squad and should be good enough to win. Then who knows what may happen (can Town get the sixth play-off place!?).
The old cliche “play each game as it comes” and do not look more ahead than trying to win the next game holds true!
Again well done to the Town team and manager and goodluck for these final games. At least the fans can hope and dream of getting that play off place and getting a good end to the season!
A very disappointing result! Blackburn are below Town in the table but are a competent side but Town missed chances and that cost them dearly. It looked like if Town had scored through early chances in the first half then Blackburn could have given up. Instead Blackburn took their chances and finished the second half much the stronger team and deserved winners by the end.
Match analysis
Antony Wordsworth was back in the starting team along with Frank Nouble. It is hard to understand why manager Mick rested Wordsworth for the last game but started him for this one. Unfortunately he didn’t do enough in the game (mainly as he was forced to play more defensively). Williams though was his usual bright self.
A noticeable difference was seen with the first Blackburn goal from Jordan Rhodes who showed some skill with a good finish. He neatly controlled a through pass in the centre of the penalty area and shot well toward goal in one smooth movement which was too much for Dean Gurken. Gurken’s dive was too late and the ball went underneath him for the goal and I felt he could have done better with his attempted save but it was good skill from Town old boy Rhodes. This wasn’t exceptional but it was good enough to lift Blackburn who then attacked Town and then got the important second goal.
So a tale of two halves! Town were fine in the first half but poor in the second half. Why? Why was there no fightback from Town? They gave themselves too much to do and bowed out of the game with a whimper! That is not good enough team! Now the Town have to put this result behind them and concentrate on putting in a real shift of hard work and with some of the quality we know they have, in their remaining games.
Next up is Huddersfield away on Tuesday and this is a great opportunity to show what the Town Blues can do! Goodluck Town…COME ON YOU BLUES
Town went a goal behind early (5th minute) for the second time in a row. Forest played well and Gurken had to make some good saves. In the second half though the Forest keeper had to play well to stop Town scoring but Town equalised through a header from Murphy. In the end it could be said a draw was a fair result for both teams who each had chances to win the game but neither took them.
Town team
I was very surprised before the game to find Antony Wordsworth was not included in the team or squad!
He had started the last 2 games and done well but Skuse was back from injury and Paul Green came into the side. I really could not understand why Mick left Wordsworth out but manager Mick explained after the game he felt Cole Skuse deserved his team place coming back from injury. I feel this was a bit harsh that Wordsworth didn’t make the squad, with Mick saying he felt his chosen substitutes would make the best impact if needed. I hope Wordsworth reacts well to this as I feel Town are better when he plays in the side. I hope Wordsworth can impress Mick somehow and get a place back in the squad!
Match highlights video:
Apart from that a draw still keeps Town’s play-off hopes alive. Now there are only 7 games left and all to play for still. If Town get some wins they can get to the play offs but Wigan, Reading, Forest and Brighton will all be trying hard to beat Town to that sixth place position.
Sat 5 Apr 3:00pm
Blackburn Rovers
A
Tue 8 Apr 7:45pm
Huddersfield Town
A
Sat 12 Apr 3:07pm
Doncaster Rovers
H
Sat 19 Apr 3:00pm
Watford
A
Mon 21 Apr 3:00pm
AFC Bournemouth
H
Sat 26 Apr 12:15pm
Burnley
A
Sat 3 May 12:15pm
Sheffield Wednesday
H
Good news is that Jonny Williams has had his loan spell extended to the end of the season. He has been great for Town so far and has impressed me and many others.
The Town away games are tough (especially against Blackburn and Burnley) but they are all winnable.
Come on Town for a great end to the season and who knows what could happen if Town get to that sixth spot and get to the play-offs. If Town can maintain their current good form and play and be calm, confident and yet ruthless it good be a really great end to the season for Town!
COME ON TOWN! LET’S GO ALL THE WAY NOW!! Dare to dream but stay focussed and DO IT!
A GREAT win for Town last night! WELL PLAYED TOWN!
Pre match interview with Antony Wordsworth
Match analysis
The game started badly for Town with Derby scoring after 35 seconds! At that moment I feared the worst (knowing that Derby were very good last Saturday when they imposed themselves on Forest early in the game and I did not want them to do the same against Town).
Thankfully Town were not overwhelmed and more or less matched Derby for the rest of a competitive first half. Unfortunately Town did not make the Derby keeper work and had no real goal chances.
In the second half Jonny Williams proved a handful and scored with a great shot with twenty minutes left, much to the relief of the Town fans! Frank Nouble and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake came on for Hunt and Anderson and Town posed more of a threat (Ebanks-Blake hit the post). Then just before full time Christoph Berra scored with a header and Town held on for 5 minutes of injury time! GREAT JOY for Town players and fans! Luke Chambers took a nasty head knock and will need checking over.
So a good team/squad performance with lots of determination and the quality from Jonny Williams. Also the other Championship results were kind to Town with Reading, Wigan and Nottingham Forest all losing.
Post match interview with Town manager Mick McCarthy
Next game..ITFC vs Nottingham Forest
On Saturday Town play at home against Forest with another chance for the team and fans to do well and push for the sixth promotion play-off place.
