Yeovil vs ITFC Tuesday 11 03 14

Town are away at Yeovil tonight and need a good performance and really a win to keep any hopes of a play off position challenge alive.

Wigan are 2 points ahead of Town with 2 games in hand and are in a great run of form and are my choice to get a play off place unless Town can hit top form now and to the end of the season. I hope Town do hit form and put lots of effort into getting the necessary wins and points to get in to sixth place. We all know manager Mick would be content with a draw and an away point but even he must know that a draw tonight will not be enough for a serious play off challenge. Simply if Town do not win tonight the sixth position play off place will be out of reach and there will be no potential prize for them to play for the remaining games of the season. The season will fizzle to a somewhat disappointing end with Town in lower mid table….

Yeovil are at the wrong end of the table and fighting to avoid relegation and have all the motivation and commitment of a team trying to avoid relegation so it will be a hard game for Town if they are not alert and ruthless! Ishmael Miller is Yeovil’s main threat and is playing well.

Can Town beat Yeovil?

Certainly Town can beat Yeovil but they will need to play much better than they did against Middlesborogh (lost 0-2) last Saturday. Better individual and a better team performance/s is needed from Town.

So time for all the Town squad to knuckle down for a competitive game tonight and show the Town fans a good performance and some of their quality and ruthlessness and so prove to everyone (including themselves) that they want to compete for the play offs!

COME ON TOWN… GO TOWN…COME ON YOU BLUES..

Listening to Yeovil vs ITFC on Radio Suffolk

On 35 minutes Town get a succession of corners and go ahead with a goal from Christoph Berra! Well done Town!

Yeovil 0 ITFC 1

A good away win for Town! Well done Town team…This was a MUST WIN and Town won! Ebanks-Blake played for a while and overall it was a good result and good performances from Berra, Smith, Cresswell and Murphy and Williams came on and did well.

WELL DONE TOWN! Next up is a really tough game against Wigan…BRING IT ON!

This is what the team need, a chance to get in the play offs still, so still all to play for ITFC as the season comes to a close. Keep going Town and go for a good strong finish to the season!

GO TOWN!

Middlesborough 2 ITFC 0

Town lost away at Middlesborough today yet remain in ninth place in the league. This is disappointing though as Middlesborough hadn’t scored in several hours of play before today and this doesn’t help Town push on for the sixth promotion place.

Match analysis

I listened to the first half radio commentary with BBC Radio Suffolk and Paul Taylor had a good chance to score for Town but missed. Dean Gurken made a mistake and Danny Graham scored (he scored both goals).
It sounded like Cresswell and Chambers had much trouble from Friend and Town were toothless. How Town miss David McGoldrick who is still injured and likely to miss the rest of the season.

Here is the manager’s view:

Ipswich manager Mick McCarthy:

“We were second best, we got nothing and deserved nothing. We didn’t compete and that wasn’t like us.

“I actually think Middlesbrough played well and when they got the goal they got on top and didn’t let us play.

“We’ve not performed so I can’t take any silver lining from other results. To be in with any chance of getting into the play-offs, we need to be much better than that.”

That is Mick all over, brutally direct and honest! Nice one Mick!

All that remains is to hope the Town players can raise their games to do better in the last remaining matches (only 10 or so left now) and not let the season fizzle out in disappointment.

COME ON YOU BLUES!

Come on Town dig deep and put in a strong finish to the end of the season!

Today Town play at home against Birmingham City

This is a most important game for the Town. If Town can get a home win then Town can keep up a play-off place challenge but a loss will just add to a recent loss of form and lack of points through last month for Town. The games this month of March are so important if Town are to be challenging for the play-offs.

COME ON YOU BLUES……

Mick McCarthy’s pre match interview…

The game is about to start and as usual I am listening to commentary on BBC Radio Suffolk. I will be posting comment on the game after it is all over!

SO..COME ON TOWN…COME ON YOU BLUES….

HALFTIME: ITFC 1 Birmingham 0

Satisfactory so far for Town. A goal from Daryl Murphy with good play from Green and Nouble and the second half is just starting. So well done Town…keep it up for the next 45 minutes! GO TOWN….

FULLTIME: ITFC 1 Birmingham 0

WELL PLAYED TOWN!

A win for Town today-1-0 against Birmingham and good performances from Nouble, Taylor and all the squad! This is just what the team need to keep up a play-off challenge and let’s hope Town have a good remaining month in the next games. GO TOWN!

ITFC are now ninth in the table……(with 48 points).
IF Town have a good month it will be possible to get into sixth position and get into the play-offs.

Leicester 3 ITFC 0

Town take a hammering away at high flying Leicester and this is very disappointing but not surprising…

The big news ahead of the game for Town was that David McGoldrick would not play due to injury. So far I have not found out how he became injured and think it must have been a training injury? There was lots of talk on the radio about him not playing but I didn’t hear what happened to injure him! Manager Mick was then asked if he would get a loan striker in but his reply was very true that nowhere are there good players waiting to be loaned out at this point of the season. Teams are trying to avoid relegation or to get in the play-offs and will not be loaning out good strikers to help out other teams at this time! Also as Mick stated it is time for the other Town strikers and attacking players to step up and fill the gap left by McGoldrick.

Well I started listening to the match on Radio Suffolk but it sounded like Town weren’t in it and I went off to watch the TV and see England beat Ireland in the six nations rugby. I don’t think I missed much by not listening to the match commentary. I did watch the highlights on the football league show and saw Jay Tabb’s back pass go straight to a Leicester player who finished well to get the first goal. Then another defensive mess up and not clearing the ball gave David Nugent the chance for yet another goal against Town. At that stage it could have been a goal fest for Leicester but it was late in the second half until they got a third from Chris Wood and again with poor defending!

The highlights showed only 2 Town chances with Skuse having time to shoot from outside the box but not hitting the target and Tommy Smith going close with a header.

After match comment

Town now are slipping down the table with Blackburn, Wigan and others starting to hit form and challenge for the sixth play off position.

There aren’t many matches remaining now till the end of the season and Town players need to vastly improve if they are to challenge for that sixth position play off place.

It appears that my belief in the Town players is misplaced. Jay Tabb has not done as well as I expected and neither has Skuse or Edwards or Nouble. I am very disappointed!

As I have reported throughout the games this season Town need to be gritty and combative and ruthless as manager Mick McCarthy said way back at the Wigan away game, that they crumbled to a soft defeat when they had shown some good signs. I have seen glimmerings of character within the side during the season but it is just not enough!

The only player of real quality in the side has been David McGoldrick and now he is out, the other players are just not stepping up their game and team play. Why is this? Town had put themselves in a good position behind Reading but are not battling hard enough to go for the sixth play off place and the players who are given chances are not taking them! Meanwhile many other teams in the Championship are showing fight and determination eg Barnsley (as always battling against the bottom), Charlton, Yeovil and even Birmingham.

So next up is a home game next Saturday against Birmingham and that will be a tough game for Town but winnable. COME ON YOU TOWN PLAYERS..play for the team and the fans and the manager and finally for your own pride and put the effort in to at least try for a play off place!
LET’S BE HAVING YOU!

Barnsley 2 ITFC 2

WELL PLAYED TOWN!
Town showed lots of good qualities (good determination and character) to get this away draw after trailing 0-2 after 80 minutes. Town then scored 2 in the last 10 minutes of the game and could have scored more to win the game…

Match analysis

Even though Barnsley are near the bottom of the table again this season they are a good side (remember Jim O’Brien’s excellent goal for Barnsley in the 1-1 draw at Portman Road earlier this season?).

They played well in this game and went ahead with a good strike and finish from Chris O’Grady. I was dismayed when they scored again but all Town fans must applaud the Town team for battling back with late goals from Berra and McGoldrick. Stephen Hunt missed an open goal for Town (he’s done that before to….).

Manager Mick felt Town should have won the game but it is was important to get at least a point to keep the chase for the promotion place going (and Reading did us a favour by surprisingly losing). Town remain in seventh place and 3 points behind Reading who are sixth.

Town gave a debut to on loan midfielder Green (from Leeds) and there were good spells from Town with Nouble and Murphy playing well at times but it would be good to get some goals from Nouble…C’mon Frank!

WELL PLAYED ITFC…..

Next game..

The next game is a home game on Saturday 15th February 2014 15:00 against Blackpool. This will be tough but the Town could win it if they play well..so C’MON YOU BLUES…
GO TOWN!!!

ITFC vs Bolton

Today is a home game against Bolton and is a good chance for Town to get a home win.

Bolton have been in a poor run of form recently despite having a squad of potentially good players. It is hard to know why Bolton are struggling and it is important Town do not get complacent. Conversely Town have been showing much promise with hopes of maintaining good form this afternoon.

ITFC and teams news..

Yesterday was the closing day of transfer deadlines. Town have had two changes due to this with new loan signing Frazer Richardson as right back (from Middlesborough) arriving at Town.He was on the bench for the away draw at Leeds last Tuesday and is again on the bench today. Ryan Tunnicliffe has gone on to Fulham (an on loan deal from his parent club Man Utd) and it is a shame he has had to leave. Still the Town squad are growing in confidence and his departure gives all other squad members a chance to impress if given a chance. I have high hopes today for Stephen Hunt and Jay Tabb who start today and I feel if they do well Town will have a good chance for a win in this game.
Here is the Town line up:

22 Gerken
04 Chambers
03 Cresswell
08 Skuse
06 Berra
05 Smith
12 Hunt
18 Tabb
09 Murphy
10 McGoldrick
35 Nouble

Substitutes:
01 Loach 07 Edwards 11 Anderson 14 Wordsworth 15 Mings 24 Richardson 26 Taylor

Bolton have signed Town old boy Liam Trotter (from Millwall) and he is on the bench ready to come on for Bolton.

Again I’m listening to live match commentary from BBC Radio Suffolk with Brenner Woolley and Mick Mills. Bolton have just gone close to scoring after an even first 10 minutes…

COME ON YOU BLUES….COME ON TOWN!

I will post updates of how the game develops…..

Half-time..ITFC 0 Bolton 0

Not a classic match at all. The main problem for Town was Cole Skuse going off injured midway through the first half and Antony Wordsworth replacing him. The difficulty for Town is their midfielders now (Hunt,Tabb and Wordsworth) aren’t really balanced with Hunt and Tabb preferring to drift wide and not dominate in the centre. So with the injury to Skuse and with Higham out injured and Tunnicliffe no longer with Town, the midfield balance is disrupted and these 3 players now need to knuckle down to controlling the midfield area. This means especially keeping the Bolton midfield quiet and linking Town defence and attack.

This is a big ask for these three Town players but if Town are to play as a team today this has to happen. Otherwise Town will have to hope for some individual brilliance from any Town player to change the game to Town’s advantage. The second half has just started….

Town play better than Bolton in the second half and go a goal ahead from a penalty scored by David McGoldrick. When Bolton bring on Liam Trotter manager Mick McCarthy takes of Wordsworth and brings on Frazer Richardson just to mark Trotter and the game finishes as a very important win for Town & 3 points. Well played Town!

Post match comment…

ITFC 1 BOLTON 0

This was a good win today even though Bolton were not very good. Town stay in 7th place, four points behind Reading in 6th place and so are still in with a chance of getting into the play off positions.

The balance of the Town midfield has changed now with the injuries to Skuse and Higham but even so Town should be able to sort this problem area out with an understanding from the whole team and especially the remaining fit midfielders along with good tactical substitutions from manager Mick.

Town have a week to plan and train before their next game away next Saturday against Barnsley. Again this should be a winnable game for the Town so I am optimistic and I’m sure the Town players will be too!

COME ON YOU BLUES…

A draw tonight away at Leeds …Leeds 1 ITFC 1

Well played Town! An away draw is an alright result except that judging by the Radio Suffolk commentary overall Town were the better side.

However make no mistake, it is a good result to draw with Leeds away at Elland Road. The result keeps Town in seventh place and still in contention for a play off place. So well done ITFC!

Brief match details

Town had good chances in the first half and went a goal up when the Leeds keeper Paddy Kenny made a mistake from David McGoldrick’s long range shot. Then a soft penalty was awarded to Leeds and Ross McCormack scored to level the score. Not much else to say..a mention that Stephen Hunt didn’t play and was left on the bench while Jay Tabb had quite a good game. Paul Anderson played in place of Carlos Edwards and he was subbed off for Frank Nouble in 72 minute. New signing Richardson on the bench.

Town team details:
22 Gerken
04 Chambers
03 Cresswell
08 Skuse (Booked)
06 Berra
05 Smith
11 Anderson (Nouble – 72′ )
16 Tunnicliffe
10 McGoldrick
09 Murphy
18 Tabb

Substitutes: 01 Loach 12 Hunt 14 Wordsworth 15 Mings 24 Richardson 26 Taylor 35 Nouble

Next game..ITFC vs Bolton

So the next game is a home game against Bolton next Saturday. Again this will be a tough game against a good Bolton side who have underperformed this season. There is though, every reason to be optimistic that the Town team can win against Bolton and get the 3 points to keep up their play off position challenge.

COME ON YOU BLUES!

The first win of 2014 for ITFC…A home 2-0 win vs Reading

Well played Town! Great to win the first game of 2014 at home against a good Reading side!
Town now are in 7th place in the table now just below Reading in 6th place and it was a vital win for Town to maintain a realistic play off place challenge.

Match analysis

Town were without injured Luke Higham and Stephen Hunt was in with the midfield of Skuse Tunnicliffe and Edwards. The Town had chances in the first half but couldn’t take them and Reading were doing fine with the Town back four and keeper quite busy. Town were a bit fortunate to have a Reading penalty appeal turned down, but every team deserve a break now and again as we know these can go for or against during the season.

After halftime though Town started to play better and on the hour Daryl Murphy scored with a fine shot. Anderson replaced Edwards at half time and in fact he scored a fine goal right at the end of the game to seal a good win for Town. Jay Tabb came on around 66 minutes for Hunt and the Town had a decent second half with Mick Mills on Radio Suffolk giving his man of the match award to Christoph Berra. Well done Berra and great that the team managed a clean sheet. Mings came on in the 93rd minute for McGoldrick.

Going forward…

This result gives Town confidence and they have a tough game away at Leeds this next Tuesday night.
However manager Mick was rightly pleased with the result and performance and so was I!
Town can now concentrate on aiming to get results and points to gain a promotion play off place.
WELL PLAYED TOWN…now keep it up!

2-0 to THE SUPER BLUES…

Millwall vs ITFC

I’m listening to this match now on BBC Radio Suffolk and it is 0-0 at the moment but Liam Trotter has just missed a chance, and Town haven’t got going yet (in the words of commentator Mick Mills).

I hope things improve as Luke Higham has gone off injured and has been replaced by Jay Tabb. I will add more comment after the final whistle…

COME ON TOWN

Halftime: Millwall 1 ITFC 0

Sadly Town are down a goal and it was a Millwall cross that went straight in, catching Dean Gurken out.

Millwall have overall had the better of the first half but there isn’t much between the sides and I hope Town see this and come out full of energy, commitment and ruthlessness and can get the goals to win this game.

COME ON TOWN

Fulltime: Millwall 1 ITFC 0

The second half was little better for Town and Town “old boy” Lee Martin missed a good chance for Millwall.

Post match comment

Town just never got going and now are on a poor run of form after losing 3 games in a row.
By all accounts from the radio commentary no Town player did well. Again David McGoldrick was spoken of as the best Town player out of the team but even his performance was a long way from his best form.
Centre back Danny Shitu was singled out as Millwall’s man of the match who didn’t do anything special but was very solid and get Town quiet. This is frustrating as in other games he has been a weakness Town have exploited in previous games against Town.

Also frustrating is why some Town players are not playing to their full potential and from today the question mark hangs over Jay Tabb. What has happened to Jay? Is it a system/position thing? Was he out of position today and unable to make anything from it? For me Jay Tabb is not playing to his potential. It is hard to know exactly why things aren’t working for the team at the moment. Is it a lack of confidence or a lack of ability and ruthlessness? Quite probably it is a combination of all these factors. I think the team has had several changes over the last three games and the side hasn’t jelled together and just doesn’t have the determination and strength of character to dig deep enough into inner resolve when the game plan isn’t working. Thankfully it is definitely not beyond hope that the team and squad can get together as a unit for the remaining part of the season.

Next game up is ITFC vs Reading Saturday 25th January 2014 15:00

Now the game at home against Reading is a great chance for Town to BOUNCE back to form!

Obviously Reading are a good team so this will be a good test for Town but the whole squad must be desperate now to return to winning ways and so while it is a hard potential game for Town the squad have to view it as a good opportunity to bounce back to winning ways and put the smile back on their faces and on the fan’s faces. COME ON TOWN….and goodluck with the training and preparation for this coming home game against Reading.

Preston 3 ITFC 2

Town lost away at Preston tonight and crash ignominiously out of the FA Cup.

Preston 3 ITFC 2 …dreadful result for Town

Manager Mick McCarthy said he was livid after this game when the Town gave away three soft goals to lose a game they were comfortably in control of, as they had been leading, after scoring first.

Well, Mick, I am livid like you, and also, so should be any other passionate ITFC supporter. I listened to the game on the radio and heard Mick also say he was livid with the officials but he would not explain that and I don’t know what incidents upset him in that respect.

In the same way as the first match against Preston, in this cup replay Town were without some regular first team players e.g. notably Cresswell, Chambers, Murphy and Skuse were all out injured. Also in the same way the Town team did not do themselves justice. This is just so upsetting for me as I thought Town had good strength in depth and the fringe/squad players were good and certainly good enough to beat Preston but I will have to admit I was wrong and the Town squad is just not as good as I thought it was! Again, Town players have let the fans down but more importantly have let themselves down.

It is hard for me to acknowledge this, but I have to face this reality now. The Town team and potential is much better than that of last season when Mick McCarthy took over a team in disarray from Paul Jewell, but a result like this tonight shows that the Town squad is simply not good enough for anything more than an average team in an average season. I had been calling for a good cup run and an attempt to get in the play-offs this season, with this Town team and squad but this result clearly shows the Town squad clearly is not good enough for anything more than an average season.

If by some miracle the Town squad do have a great run in and end to this season and do gain promotion it is blindingly obvious they would be nowhere near strong enough to stay in the Premiership. I obviously hope Town do have good games between now and the end of the season, but as I have constantly said, the team need to play consistently well and not just in patches as they have done this season so far. The squad will have to improve rapidly and dramatically for this to happen!

By the way, well played Preston. Now beat Nottingham Forest in the next round… 🙂

The good news..

No matter how hard or painful it is to be an ITFC supporter at times like these, I will continue to support the club and be a true blue fan through and through. Come on Town…dig deep and do well and play well for the remaining Championship games for your own individual pride and for the good of the best team in Suffolk and try to recapture the times when the team was the best in England and trying to be the best in Europe!

Right Town squad, pick yourselves up now and get to it for each remaining game this season!

COME ON YOU BLUES

Finally…great skill from Tommy Smith in the game a few days ago, scoring against QPR

Nice one Tommy!…let’s have another one!