The best manager since Joe Royle. Who would have thought we could go on a four game winning streak (first since 2004) after what we have endured this season. What is even more amazing is two clean sheets with Delaney and Smith in defence. Who said we needed new CB's lol. Well done to all the boys, we're really playing as a team now and have some balance and protection for our defence with Drury and Hyam, long may it continue.
I was wondering how previous Town targets ,St ledger and Nugent,were getting on at Leicester City...................... Should I ask?
Today we played as a team, closed Cardiff down, high up the pitch and we didn't back off when they were in possession. Cardiff are a big side and thought they would win by aerial bombardment. A few weeks ago that would have worked but today when we had the ball we kept it on the deck and some of the passing was first class. Chops' goal was class! we ripped them apart. Full credit to Martin who never stopped running and was a constant thorn in their side. As for the ALB incident, their guy was going away from goal and I think that made the difference. But what makes the win ever so sweet is that we beat the malky Mcakay jinx! Anfd it is great to hear him bleating like a big stuffed sheep! Hope some daffy loving farmer in wellies takes full advantage of him tonight. Sleep well malky!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Paul Jewells reign really is like Jekyll and Hyde. We've had some really very good performances and have played some teams off the park and thrashed a good few teams but at the same time we've had some of the worst results and performances in our history. Now I can fully understand why people wanted Jewell out and probably alot of people still have not changed their mind on him. But the reason why I never called for his head, was because even amongst the worst performances I could see some indications of good play, something I never saw under Keane. It was just awful defending and individual mistakes which have cost us. Looking at the table only 3 teams have scored more than us in the division, that's quite incredible. Also we seem to have a good run of form then a bad run of form, so i wonder what the next month holds... fans speaking of relegation or playoffs??
I think people were right to call for PJ's head at the time, the big turning point is the fact that he eventually realised where he was going wrong and has put things right, starting with the bombing of dads army!! I think another factor is fewer loanee's, the players on the pitch are playing for the club and not just here to make up the numbers. Hopefully he will bring in a couple of CB's, right back and striker in the summer, that for me is enough, although of course bring in as many youngsters for the future as he wants. PTC, i think we will carry on winning now and be talking of play offs rather than relegation!
Makes me laugh to see that Bullard was brought on in the 89th minute and Leadboots given a 'run out' on 90. Grant has to be on his way out, I don't even know why he is taking a spot on the bench, he won't be here next year anyway.
Exactly San Diego, I would much rather see Carson & Stevenson on the bench than these two. Carson & Stevenson are about the future of this team, Leadboots is about the past & for me Bullard is just about past it.
If things carry on like this, then who knows. What's important is that he seems to have learnt from his mistakes so far, and it seems to be paying off. Right now it's all about confidence, and it shows in our performances so let's hope it carries on till the end of the season. Poor old Carson and Stevenson must be wondering when they'll get in the squad let alone a run out but as PJ says it's a great problem to have, the way things are. Must admit I got worried when he brought Bullard and Leadboots on!
The best manager since Joe Royle? I will never understand why people have any kind of time for him. He had some incredibly good players at his disposal who he inherited - much better than we've had at any time since - and all he could do was whinge. For me, Jim Magilton given a fair crack of the whip would've led us to the promised land easily by now. That said I haven't seen Ipswich score so many goals and play such good attacking football and wipe out the opposition like this at any point over the last 25-30 years. So, I think he's capable of being our best manager since Sir Bobby.
Its all or nothing on these boards isn't it?? 4 games ago a large majority of fans wanted Jewell sacked and many said he had done a worse job than Keane and now, 4 wins later he's the best manager since Sir Bobby!!! It seems that football fans are a fickle bunch!!
PTC - I said hes capable of becoming the best manager since SBR. And it's not fickle - the football itself has turned on its head and we are now seeing the best football we've played for ten years. We seem to have the stability and the long term credentials to go places. More importantly, for the first time in five years we have a set of players to build around and make the odd signing here and there to improve it - and with a good run of results between now and the summer we'll be able to attract quality in the transfer window!!!
PTC Most deffo not fickle, for me the jury is still out but we are moving in the right direction. Still can't understand our contract/transfer policy and something needs to be sorted, until this happens then Jewell has not convinced me 100%. Saying that, i'm sure it has a lot to do with that ****er Clegg, i would still hate that piece of ****e even if we got promoted, won the Prem and went on to dominate the world of football.
Maybe not fickle then but it shows perhaps that some fans cannot detract themselves from results and look at the bigger picture other than the one that is right infront of their face!! A few weeks ago the majority of fans wanted Jewell sacked and where would we be now?? With a new manager(who knows who), that would be 6 in 10 years or 4 in 3 years, for the first time in a while we had an experienced decent manager but who has a big job on his hands, we need some continuity at the club. Thats not to say that things weren't looking ominus. And now fans are talking about the playoffs this season and challenging for promotion next season under a manager who's potentially the best since SBR, its a crazy world in football. What worries me is that expectations are raised far too easily at this club and was perhaps part of Jewells downfall this season in the type of player he brought in. I'd be happy with a top half finish this season and next season in and around the playoffs but I'm not sure if I'd like us to get promoted even next season, I'd prefer to see us evolve as a team over a couple of years so when/if we get back to the PL then we will be able to stay there with a similar team we went up with. I have no doubt fans will be expecting us to get promotion at the start of next season.
I have read some things in my time but to compare Jewell with SBR is not only laughable but just plain insulting! The majority of the football we have seen under Jewell can only be compared to what we saw under Keane! The only reason we are playing good football now is due to the fact that changes were forced upon Jewell in the first place. We all told him for months that the Dad's Army experiment wasn't working and that we needed the hunger and desire that only the younger players could bring in. As soon as we had a few injuries Luke Hyam, Andy Drury and Lee Martin have stepped in and have been a revelation. Luke Hyam imo should be given a longer contract and made skipper without a doubt. Paul Jewell is quite simply the worst Town manager in our history and to suggest that because we have won 4 in a row he should be compared to SBR is just ridiculous! Joe Royle worked miracles with no money and after administration so forgive me if I don't start getting all excited about Paul Jewell.
PTC, I think you will find the majority of us who were wanting Jewell out a few weeks back remain still totaly unconvinced by him, I know for one I am.! As JWM has said the changes over recent weeks were forced upon PJ, due to injuries departures etc etc. Martin is now in the team and pulling strings with the protection of Drury & Hyam, do you really think that if Bowyer, Leadboots & Bullard had remained injury free these guys would have got a look in..? Jewell is still showing faith in these older players by keeping them on the bench, how they are getting on there ahead of Stevenson & Carson is beyond me...Youth in the starting 11 has put us on this run, we should make sure we have youth to turn to from the bench if required. Jewell & Clegg were still unable to get at least 1 CB in in January, that is poor management by any ones standard, it is worth noting that in our 4 game winning streak we have got the 1st goal in every game, it would be interesting to see our reaction when we concede first, then we will be in a better position to judge our progression.
