Evening all, just arrived back in Bristol after the game. Here are my thoughts ! After seeing the lineup, I thought it would be mission impossible. Leadbitter + Drury as a midfield two, against Birmingham's. Also, I checked their home record.... 7 wins 4 draws 0 losses, only 5 conceded. The first 15 minutes weren't pretty viewing. Birmingham had started the game strongly, were passing the ball relatively well with us looking very disorganised. McCarthy wasn't commanding his area especially well, and the " partnership " between Sonko and Smith looked rather shaky. Smith was scaring me regularly when he had the ball. After a throw on 11 minutes, Zigic's header had enough to beat McCarthy, hit the post and end up in the net. Very soft. There wasn't any pace whatsoever on the header, I really need to see this again. Terrible goal to concede. Birmingham's tails were by this point up. They were stroking the ball around even better, with us in disarray. A corner came shortly after the goal, with Zigic thank heavens from our perspective hanging wide. By this point, a long evening was in store. We were second best in every department, and Birmingham, growing in confidence were sensing the game was there for the taking. HOWEVER - Out of the blue, as often happens in football something magical happens. Just inside the Brum half on the right, Lee Martin picked up the ball. Birmingham weren't closing down especially well as he ran down the wing, and cut inside. Still, they weren't. Into the middle he strode, and unleashed a cracking shot from just outside the area into the top corner. Unbelievable ! One of the best goals I can remember in a town shirt live. Game very much on. The rest of the first half was very 50-50. We were definitely a match for Birmingham by this point, and were stroking the ball around much better. Birmingham were becoming increasingly direct in their play. Chances were at a premium in an overall not bad first half. Questions for both managers at half time. Who would go on and win the game ? The second half Ipswich really started to play rather well. Infact, that second half performance was up there with us away at West Ham. We were good second half today. We passed the ball rather well, controlled the play with Birmingham really looking a poor outfit. I was surprised with them second half. However, the game ultimately hinged on two moments. 1- Us being turned down in the 83rd minute a penalty. It was 100% a penalty. Martin was pulled back by the shirt 8 yards out, and our good play would have had a chance at being rewarded. 2- Us failing to do with ANOTHER long throw, resulting in Zigic scoring. I'm gutted really ! You have to take points when you play well. Over the 90, I'd say we deserved 3, however if it was a draw I think you could also perhaps argue that was a fair result. For us to lose was a bitter pill to swallow. I was happy with how we played for the last 70 minutes. The first 20 we were horrific. Players- McCarthy - Good distribution generally, but that was all. Poor game. Cresswell - Another good performance. Got forwards well, good in the tackle, rarely beaten. Edwards - Again good going forwards. Positionally, again poor at times. Weak when using body, needs to be stronger. Barged off ball too easily. Sonko - Good game, without you our defence jeez......... Smith - Shaky. However, have certainly seen him play far worse. Seemed better than before. Martin - Star man of both teams, sheer quality. Beat players with ease several times. Could have done with releasing the ball earlier at times though. Leadbitter - Better. Not bad, steady eddie. A good away performance. Drury - I thought did rather well. We need you in the side, I think your passing and movement is good. JET - Abysmal. Zero effort, we're in a mess jog on. Murphy - Not a fan of him at all, however he did his job well out there tonight. Would have like to have seen him replaced for Carson but there we are. Scotland - Cracking shift well done. Unlucky not to have scored. We're in a mess and we need points. Play like that saturday and we will get 3 points. Cut out the idiotic errors, be more clinical and we should be fine.
Well done Westy, great summary and does sound more encouraging, if exasperating and maddening! How many games have we given away points in last 10 minutes? 5...10! BUT, this was a much improved performance, and clearly we shouldn't be where we are, wrong end of table. I for one will continue to support, cheer and travel bleedin miles, as will not abandon the team I have followed for 50 years! And, whatever a rising clamour of fans calling for JP's head may wish, get wise, he wont go now nor any time soon. The Town are in a dogfight - back them or lose them! COYB
Missed the commentary last night due to unforseen circumstances. Thanks for the review Westlake and although it sounds like we done well your player summary mentions too many things that I feel every game, namely JET contributing nothing and Edwards being unable to defend. Like you I dont rate Murphy but to be fair to the guy he has done well recently. I am also annoyed that ALB was dropped after what must be no more than 3 training sessions from McCarthy. If ALB had been responsible for our previous run then I would understand but imo he has been fairly blameless. At present we can not afford a luxury player like JET in the team. We need 11 players, giving 100% effort for 95ish minutes a game. For all his talent he just spends so long out of the game that is a liability. Personally I would either straight swap for Carson or give Drury a wider role and add a true central midfielder to the team to help ease the fragility
heard you played well last night but didn't get the breaks. bad news that - its exactly what happened to us when we went down. no matter how well we played, and quite often we did, something would happen against us. a dodgy decision, a goalkeeper error, using all subs and then someone getting injured - things like that. we were doomed and looking back it was obvious. maybe, just maybe, the same thing is happening to you guys. at least when you play crap and lose to a better team you can understand why it happened. when you play well and still lose, especially to a poor team - that hurts
Thanks for the review, I'm working in Italy for the next few months so can't see/hear any of the games so these reviews are very welcome
More of the same last night then, Although the overall performance was better. Did not go but listened in on the wireless; My thoughts, dreadful start could have been a couple down inside the first 15 mins. Wonder goal from Martin, who has improved as the season has progressed, just about the only player who has. On 2nd half performance we probably deserved a win let alone a draw, but we still can’t stop making game changing errors. Forget about the penalty, yes it was nailed on but we did not get it. Both Birmingham goals were easily avoidable, yet again set pieces (ok throw ins I know) but they were both to an extent long throws so you treat them like a set piece surely.? My understanding that Zicic for the winner was almost totally unmarked in the middle of our box…wtf is going on during training.? Why are we not coaching out these same mistakes.? Why do we not play until the final whistle.? Why does Jewell again pick JET, who by all accounts was rubbish again.? Why was Carson not brought on. Martin’s pace was causing problems all night, Jewell thinks…..oh, he doesn’t.? Why was ALB dropped, by all accounts the new guy was no better.? Ellington, Why.? I don’t want to take anything away from what sounded luck a much improved display last night, but if you keep ****ing up like we do every week we are going down. If we are stuck with Jewell then I hope he can sort the concentration issues out, but for me he should go, often a new manager coming in can give the whole team a new found self belief, I know it does not always work but in all honesty what have we got to lose..? (more games)
I'm really peed off with it. Its my 5th game this season, and we were MILES better than the 3-0 win at Bristol City. Our 1-0 win at West Ham, we were very good, very slick. When I went to Blackpool we were woeful at best. Again at Millwall, we were shocking. Superman, your right. We were very good last night for large spells. I spoke to a Birmingham fan after the game who was almost embarrassed, though obviously delighted they had won the game. It really was daylight robbery. Again, I don't understand the goalkeeping situation. Give ALB a run, he deserves it. Good sides aren't on goalkeeper number 4 come January.......... At times we had JET, that's right, JET marking ZIGIC at set pieces - clueless........... I still maintain we are set up to do better on the road than at home. That was generally so much better. The passing after Martin's ridiculous goal was fluid, good, though we did lose a cutting edge at times. A properly with it / fit / etc Chopra would have won us the game. He really really needs to sort his life out. He really could get us a lot of goals I feel. That said, if he hadn't had issues he would be playing regularly in the premier league, no question. Doesn't help us tie up Carson's contract leaving him as an unused substitute I feel........ this could bite us on the ass majorly I feel. MASSIVE game Saturday. My real issue after this game, is that performance will probably be in our best 5 of the season. We really should have won the game. Will we play that well for spells Saturday at home to Blackpool ? Probably not. Will they be as horrific as Birmingham were in spells ? Probably not ! Could do with a couple of signings. Encouraging signs, however,,,,,,,,,we need to get ourselves out of the mire rapidly. Is changing manager after a very good but unfortunate performance last night the answer today ? No, its not. Jewell couldn't have really done any more than what he did last night.
Westlake Good performances dont always win you football matches and I'm afraid the stats show that we have now lost 11 out of the last 14 and are sitting close to the bottom 3 in the league. If we don't change manager soon we are going down - no two ways about it. PJ has the look of a beaten man and he will either walk or be pushed. Why prolong his and our agony much longer?
Can't really blame Jewell for JETs performance last night, he's played well in the previous two games he's started and last night was probably just down to JET being lazy. I get the impression he waits to receive the ball from team mates and if they aren't supplying him he loses interest and drifts out of the game. Not good enough to have that attitude, especially given the mess we're in. Pleased to hear Smith did ok and the midfield of Drury and Leadbitter worked, thought those two areas would be our downfall last night, although we lost I hope the way we played can create a bit of confidence that we can take into the Blackpool game, otherwise I think we'll get spanked again.
My own assessment Overall - its rare event that in a game where we were never in front and lost you walk away thinking we should've won. Shaky defending but looking good going forward even if clear cut chances were rare. Players McCarthy - Positive - excellent distribution and comfortable shot stopper negative -looked slow in adjusting footing to cover ball flown across the box - unfortunatly he has to take blame for loss Edwards Positive -comfortable on ball going forward and passed well negative - again positioning was dodgy and looked slow at getting back into position to get to long balls over top Sonko Positive - Best defender weve got, and showed it again, didnt do anything spectacular but did his job well Negative - Clearences usualy resulted in giving bham the ball Smith Positive - Pleasantly suprisingly comfotable facing away from goal Negative - Got himself into trouble and looked panicked when facing goal and underpressure Cresswell Positive - good crossing as always and general alround good play always available to help out in defense and attack Negative - Sometimes i thought he was too eager to get a cross in even when there was no-one there Martin Postive - Constantly caused the bham defence problems when he had space to run into fantastic goal Negative - seemed to run into dead ends alot. either shoot and end of run or pass earlier Leadbitter Positive - Solid passing that kept us in possession and therefore 'kept up the pressure' Negative - Not very creative usually his best bits were getting himself out of his own trouble Drury Positive - passed well and got himself about. seemed to be playing for a regular place Negative - didnt do anything spectacular but cant really criticize Jet positive - was always a presence and some good passes around the box negative - reluctant to chase anything or put any effort in if going past a player wasnt easy Scotland positive - good target man was able to hold up the balls and start periods of pressure negative - very heavy touch had to work harder than he needed to, sometimes it meant that potential quick attacks had to be turned into periods of 'pressure' murphy positive - worked hard and regulaly was able to get into a position to cross negative - crosses rarely looked dangerous ellington positive - did what he could but not a lot stood out as positive negative - didnt do a lot chopra positive - looked lively, if he played all game would probably have scored or at least found himself an opportunity to negative -maybe trying to hard and not doing the simple others jewell p - Good team selection set out well, again half time team talk seemed to boost the team n - subs - carson should be appearing in games like these refs cant split into positive and negative and always going to be seen from biased perspective but seemed to be falling into giving home team benefit of the doubt trap fans p - great loud support all game n - why colorfully crictize our own players during the game? yes ellington shouldnt have come on but can we at least encourage him, and telling lb to **** off seems countersupportive, criticism should come after the whistle not during the play.
The problem is JET NEVER puts in any effort. He has never had a good game just the odd touch of brilliance in any game.
I have to say you are spot on with this Tractorbhoy, JET = flashes of what could be. Mostly = lazy, uninterested, clumsy & frustrating.
Couldn't make it to the Forest or Hull games but accounts suggested he had good games. Although, whenever I've seen him play he look lazy and disinterested.
I've heard a few players (murphy and mccarthy) say recently that we shouldn't be in this position, we are better than this and its only a matter of time before things turn around. i'm sorry but when I'm looking through the 11 who played last night then its no surprise to anyone there we are where we are. whereas our team at the beginning of the season on paper looked quite good, the can no longer be said...
