ITFC vs Bournemouth Easter Monday 2014

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

COME ON YOU BLUES… tell me ma, we’re going to Wembley, que sera sera..

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!

Watford vs ITFC today Sat 190414

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!

COME ON YOU BLUES

ITFC 2 Doncaster Rovers 1 Sat 12/04/14

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…..

Huddersfield 0 ITFC 2

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!

COME ON YOU BLUES

Blackburn 2 ITFC 0

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

ITFC 1 Nottingham Forest 1 Sat 280314

The view from tunnel cam before the Forest game:

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.

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!

ITFC 2 Derby 1

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.

COME ON YOU BLUES!

Pre match review ITFC vs Derby Tue 250314

Town vs Derby should be a great game tomorrow night. Town must be confident after a good away win at Brighton and Derby must be confident after they smashed Nottingham Forest (Derby 5 Forest 0) also last weekend.

I watched the highlights of the Midland derby on the Football league show and Derby were rampant! Bryson scored a hat trick and the whole Derby team played well.

Just a brief note on Forest. They have hit a recent slump in form and have fallen out of the play-off places. In the crazy world of managerial success and failure, this loss of form has meant Billy Davies has lost his job as Forest manager! Absolutely crazy….Town play Forest at home this Saturday (after Tuesday’s game against Derby) and for Town this should be a good time to be playing a team currently out of form and who have had a recent managerial change and Forest maybe somewhat lacking in confidence right now.

Last Saturday, Derby got going early on and then they dominated a good Forest side, so it is very important Town get going straight away and that Town do not let Derby get any momentum. Town need to be competitive but composed and rise to the challenge and be RUTHLESS!

Can Town do that and play that way? YES THEY CAN! Again, like last Saturday’s game against Brighton many people (especially neutral footballing supporters and pundits) would make Derby favourites given their impressive form since Steve McClaren took over from Nigel Clough. McClaren has certainly (and too me surprisingly) done very well since managing Derby…..(more to follow after my tea!.. Alright, I’m back now after a nice lasagne for tea – great for carbs. I hope Town players have had a high carbs load for their teas too as they will need that energy for the game tomorrow).

Latest Town loan signing

I heard on BBC Radio Suffolk Town have made a loan signing from Manchester City of a winger, Alex Henshall. I’m sure he has never played in the City first team but has played for Chesterfield! Here is footage of him scoring a great goal…a few of those for Town would be great!

Now back to real Championship football…

Brighton 0 Town 2 highlights

So, I don’t think Mick McCarthy has any selection issues for the Derby game (Skuse is still injured and presumably Wordsworth will have another start and another chance to show his full potential). Let’s hope for a good turnout from Town fans and a good showing from the team to get a win and confound the pundits (which Town often do and not always in the right way!) and keep up their promotion play-off push.

Be RUTHLESS Town..you CAN do it! COME ON YOU BLUES….GO TOWN!

Brighton vs ITFC

Town are away at Brighton today. Manager Mick McCarthy has said Town need something from the game for Town to push for a play-off position.

Cole Skuse is out injured today and the latest news is that Antony Wordsworth starts in place of Skuse! I hope he has a good game and shows his full potential (and Paul Taylor is not included in Town squad today!).

Town squad:
22 Gerken
04 Chambers
03 Cresswell
14 Wordsworth
06 Berra
05 Smith
11 Anderson
19 Hyam
09 Murphy
25 Williams
12 Hunt
Substitutes:
01 Loach 15 Mings 16 Green 18 Tabb 24 Richardson 27 Ebanks-Blake 35 Nouble

The press reports from Brighton fans are they expect a comfortable win against Town and they do have a very good team with quality players and a foreign manager,Oscar Garcia, with loads of experience.
Keith Andrews and Matthew Upson play for Brighton who both have Suffolk/ITFC connections.
However this is just the sort of game though suited to Town to surprise everyone and go on and win the game!

COME ON YOU BLUES!…….

Brighton 0 ITFC 2

Well played Town! This is a good result for Town, an away win against a good side also trying for a promotion place. This results keeps Town’s slim play off chances alive. I still think it is unlikely Town will get to the sixth place play off position but it is great the team are still trying hard to end the remaining games well and are trying hard to get that sixth place! If Town can keep this effort and commitment up then it may be possible to get sixth place and it gives fans and players everything to hope and play for to the end of the season.

Today Wordsworth did well. He played the whole game and showed glimpses of his full potential. Well done to Tommy Smith who got the first goal and to Daryl Murphy who scored the second goal. Dean Gurken made a good save to help Town keep a clean sheet and with Brighton having several chances just going off target it is good Town didn’t concede. Jonny Williams also played well and the whole squad were great (Green & Tabb came on as subs for Anderson and Hunt)!

Next up is a home match on Tuesday against Derby

Goodluck to Town for this tough game against Derby and I know Town are good enough to beat Derby if they stay ruthless and focussed. After the Derby game is a match against Nottingham Forest. These are 2 important games and exciting times for Town.

GO TOWN

Come on you BLUES!!!

Championship table

Before commenting on today’s home match against Wigan here is the latest Championship table showing Town in 9th position