I’m back! My first real, live game in a couple of months, sadly not a happy return, not happy watch, nor a happy tigress. What is it with City & international breaks, we’re a shadow of team before, massively missing McBosh & Lundstram. First half, first 20 mins, I feared the worst, Ipswich were confident, composed, we looked like rabbits in the headlights, no cohesion, nervy, couldn’t find a successful pass, resorting to looking to pass backwards, slow, ponderous. Pandur, penalised for hanging onto the ball too long, despite the ref’s warning, Giles throw in, straight out of play, very frustrating for professional footballers. Strangely though, we grew into the game first half, or they came down to our level, took their foot off the gas. 2nd half, their subs improved them, Lots been said about the ref, we didn’t lose because of him, we were undone, again, by poor defensive decisions. Hughes header for 1st goal, heading thin air, nowhere near the ball, massive misjudgement. 2nd goal, avoidable, poor defending. Serge has got his work cut out to address the shortcomings, with a run of challenging games. Same goes for the set piece coach. On a positive note, good response to minute applause ahead of game. Despite the disappointing result, I’m not a masochist, but overall did enjoy return to footy, even on a freezing, wet night & parts of game before hope was gone! UTT.
You'd think Joseph missed five chances the way people are going on. He missed one. Others missed some too. If anything is boring about Joseph it's the obsession with making it about him game after game after game whether he plays well or not, and even whether he scores or not. He's scored goals this season and he's played very well this season. Last night he was a key part of a game plan that was working very well until Hughes had an absolute howler, essentially costing us the game. Joseph wasn't the worst of the attacking players and he wasn't even the worst finisher. This narrative that all he does is run around and there's absolutely no more value to him that is just stupid.
I think a sense of reality is needed here. We have a squad that was effectively assembled with frees and loans. We have a nucleus of players injured/suspended that would definitely be in the starting 11. Even with those missing, we have still been competitive, that’s all we can ask, isn’t it?
