"Jay Emmanuel-Thomas has more than doubled his goal tally from the whole of last season while playing for Ipswich in just seven appearances for Bristol" Why does this happen over and over again? Lacklustre Ipswich player moves on and becomes superstar. We've heard it so many times now. At the same time Townsend who couldn't get a game with us is in the England squad and Chris Kiwomya takes his neat passing side to Anfield and nearly turns over Liverpool. Why don't any of these people perform for us? Is it that we don't give them the opportunity? That they're too comfortable? Or is something just rotten about the club under ME?
Well, for starters JET is playing 3rd division football..not quite superstar material yet, but time is on his side, and he could still become the next Ronaldo. Townsend was just a spotty 19 yr old, who has had countless loans since he left us and had done nothing (and in all honesty, has only had 2 half-decent games for Tottingham, so why he's in the England squad is beyond me!! And Chris Kiwomya's Notts County?? WTF has that got to do with us? But, in saying all that, i do believe there WAS something seriously wrong with our club for the past 4-5 years. Average players were getting paid way too much, and were extremely comfortable picking up there wages and not having to perform. Hopefully MM has got rid of these, but unfortunately you sometimes need to take a step or two back to eventually move forward. It's slow, painful and frustrating progress, but progress nonetheless.
We've actually had some very good players over the past 5 years, we've just either had rubbish management, not got the best out of them not used them in their best positions, the list could go on (I include all 4 of our last managers in that). Townsend always had the talent (if Keane doesn't rate a player, sign him up he will be a star) and if he keeps his head I can really see him being a top player for Spurs and England. He really impressed me when he was here, thought he's the best winger I've seen at the club. He's had a succession of loans, some more successful than others but rarely got into the Spurs team, although everytime he does he seems to get the plaudits. But the reason Keane didn't like him was because he had talent, showed attacking intent and took on his man and got good crosses in the box from the byline. Glad to see Hodgson has picked him and Barkley. In the case of JET, there was never any doubt he was a good player but under Jewell he wasn't used to best effect, we would of got the best out of him playing centrally behind the main striker (where SOD is now) and under Mick it was blatently obvious from the start he wasn't Micks cup of tea. He's now got a manager who plays good football and has clearly realised straight away what his best position is (not sure how 2 managers couldn't figure this out), if anyone will get the best out of him it's O'Driscoll, if he can't can see him going down the leagues. But I see no reason why he couldn't do it at the top level under the right management. I think we've probably now got bar far the worst team in terms of quality under the ME era (bar our fullbacks and possibly CBs) but we look more like a team now. I think something like this highlights the complete wasted opportunity of the past 5/6 years!!!
I agree with stretchy, for 4/5 years we have had **** managers with talented players but couldn't get the best out of them, now we have a good manager with probably less talented players. I'm sure if we had MM instead of Keane we would have back in the prem first time of asking. we aren't that far off, i'm sure with a little investment, probably coming from selling cressy, we will be challenging. As for JET, as the others have said, league 1 has something to do with it, as have a run of games in his best position just off the striker. I still belive JET will become a good prem player.
Im somewhat bemused by seeing Kiwomya being mentioned - its seems like a 'I want to moan so will put any name in there' comment. Townsend is nothing special in my eyes BUT he was only ever here to get first team experience and thats what he got. We done exactly what was expected so again no reason to moan. To be fair to the player RK's negative tactics didnt help matters. JET is having a good spell - we all knew he had the talent but nobody could harness it into 90 minute performances. He has now dropped down a level and is obviously working well with a manager who has previously got the best out of him. One of the leagues more favoured team this season (Forest) are reportedly trying to get a deal done for Leadbitter but I am happy thats hes no longer here personally. Some players settle better than others and its also about getting the right blend and balance. Leadbitter for example may be a great player in a certain line ups but playing with Norris was just plain wrong.
Erm... Kiwomya's relevant because he was one of our best loved players and because he was coaching for us for several years before he went to Notts County. He's already got them playing better than our sorry lot. He was one of the names I mentioned when Jewell was on his way out. I'd love to see him in the Town dugout one day. We badly need an Ipswich Town connection next time around. I'm not moaning for the sake of it, Saturday's display was poorer than any I saw under Keane. Leadbitter and Norris are exceptions to the rule: both players I'm glad to see the back of.
I don't think that's really true.First half we matched them,Tabb's offside was questionable and we had a fair shout for a penalty.Second half was poor though,I'll agree, with us failing to adapt when they closed Cresswell out.
This is the same Kiwomya who is 4th bottom with 1 point from 4 matches (ie in a worse position than us) being spoken about as a talent we shouldnt have let go? More baffled by the minute! Unfortunately I missed Saturdays game so cant say for certain how poor it was but still seems harsh starting a topic called 'whats wrong with Ipswich' after 1 poor performance having performed well in our previous 3 league games.
We were unlucky, but then we were incredibly unlucky time and again in the Keane era, it's not an excuse for losing points. Good teams are good enough to get results most weeks regardless of luck and bad refereeing.
I've seen Notts County twice so far this season, both times Kiwomya's had them playing good passing football. The first game they had a crazy sending off and the game went against them, last night they matched Liverpool. They pass the ball better than us and look lively up front, although their defence is nowhere near at the moment. I've got a what's wrong with Ipswich thread after 12 years in the second tier, four or five years in the bottom half and with 4 defeats out of 5 at the start of the campaign, if that helps give you a bit of perspective tractorbhoy.
" I'm not moaning for the sake of it, Saturday's display was poorer than any I saw under Keane. " I can only assume one of two things. 1- You didn't watch ONE SINGLE game with Keane incharge. 2- You ARE moaning for the sake of it !
We passed the ball better. I remember very clearly outpassing Swansea at Portman Road the season they were promoted. What McCarthy has done is fortified the defence which under Jewell was a farce, but it has come at the expense of being able to find our teammates.
Let me qualify that - better than on Saturday, not under McCarthy in general. I'm not arguing with our performances last season
I assume you are discounting the first 25 minutes of Saturday then, when, arguably that's the best I've seen us pass the ball since spells under Magilton?
so JET has had 1/2 a dozen good games. Let's see if he manages it for the whole season & in away games as well as home. He could be a very good player (even at championship level) but he needs to do it consistently
How many performances did u see under Keane can I ask. Saturdays performance would've been a decent performance under Keane!!
I'd say the goals we conceded on saturday were unlucky but we weren't unlucky in the sense that we did nowhere near enough to get back into the game. Under Keane we were rarely unlucky IMO if you defend so deep for such a long time you're bound to concede eventually, not many defences even with the best defenders in the World would not make a mistake if they were put under such pressure.
