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New Year Resolutions
Written by Brownie on Tuesday, 3rd Jan 2017 21:19

There is an old saying that whatever you do on the first day of the year you will do all year round. You could argue that if you change that to the first game of the year then it applies pretty well to Ipswich Town. Sometimes you need to look back to look forward and this is one of those times.

Our first home game of 2016 was at home to the once mighty Pompey. As you will recall they were on a good run of form sitting in the top four in League Two. Ipswich having been a Championship side since the last time flared trousers were in fashion would lead anyone having a bet to wager strongly on the home side.

The feeling from a large number of Tractor Boys and Girls was that we would play a strong team. Our record in the FA Cup recently is similar to England's in major tournaments. I had also been one of the 5,000 who had made the midweek journey to Manchester to watch our reserve/youth team lose in the League Cup earlier that season. Strong team and go for the win and a cup run to enthuse the fans?

No chance. Instead we made 10 changes and those of us daft enough to buy our tickets sat and watched a team from two leagues below turn up and go for it. They weren't Barcelona but they tried to play, they tried to win and their supporters cheered. We sneaked a draw and thought the boss will have learnt from that (and the League Cup fiasco) and would go for it in the replay.

No chance. We turned up with half a team again and were well beaten.

I have to say it was around this time my faith in the manager, owner and club started to wain. We then proceeded to have a distinctly average transfer window. The manager went from saying we would add to the squad to assuring us that we were OK and the owner still backed him.

The season bumbled along with none of us really expecting much and being rewarded with exactly that. Rotherham turned up and won 1-0 and we cheered as we had our first shot after 75 minutes.
The team managed a couple a decent away results but we finished a never nearer seventh. The boss admitted we hadn't been good enough and we would be making changes.

I don't want to labour the point but let's be honest - we haven't improved and we haven't made the changes. We have made additions of promise in Adam Webster and Grant Ward and the loan signing of Tom Lawrence is a definite plus. Yet we continue to pick the same players in the same positions (sometimes not their best ones) regardless of form.

We continue to try not to lose games rather than win them - those of us at QPR yesterday saw that again didn't we - and we don't put enough faith in young players. Add to that we sign a current international who is injured, pay a large loan fee, get him fit and then don't play him. He then gets injured again. Bonkers.

So we need to look forward but remember what we already know. Lincoln are coming Saturday - they have been outstanding at their level and will come and try to win. They will have 4,000+ fans cheering them on and won't be short of confidence.

Our manager and owner are somewhat beleaguered and I have never before seen the animosity shown to a Ipswich manager I saw yesterday in my 40 years-plus of supporting them. I don't think we will go down but we certainly won't make the play-offs. With all that in mind I feel it is time for some advice for the boss in case he still hasn't worked it out.

Pick a strong team, play the attack-minded players, go for the win and you might see the attitude of some change. We all want the team to win. If we had lost yesterday by bringing on Freddie Sears and/or Andre Dozzell instead of Messrs Douglas and Knudsen we would have been disappointed be we would also have thought it was good to see the intent to win.

Time to step up Mr McCarthy. I like your honesty to be frank but that isn't enough. Please don't insult me and my support by playing a weak team and not being bothered. I have to admit I am in the time for a change camp. Show me I'm wrong and I'll be the first to say so. Otherwise move on and let someone else take the club forward.

Come of you Blues!




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CambridgeBlue added 22:11 - Jan 3
Probably the best blog I've seen on here. Entirely fair. In the main I am encouraged by the last couple of games but Douglas and Knudsen have got to stop playing.
4

CambridgeBlue added 22:17 - Jan 3
incidentally, while I would never bet against Town myself, Lincoln are 13/2 and if we play our usual cup team, that is a joke.
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Vizslaraner added 12:26 - Jan 4
Excellent piece. I attend all the league games at home and away when I can, but I won't go to another cup match while he is in charge as his record is awful and his contempt for cup competitions stinks. Like you I wish he blood the younsgsters and attack minded players. As you say we would accept mistakes or defeat as it would show progression and we know these players will improve, whereas a lot of his so called favourites careers are on the way down. COYB
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TR11BLU added 18:16 - Jan 4
Briiliant blog, well put and I agree with every point made.
Unfortunately those in a position to act obviously do not as Im 100% positive he will make wholesale changes on Saturtday and we will be beaten. I really hope Im wrong as I have bought a ticket, after I swore Id never buy another cup ticket whilst this muppet is in charge after the midweek farce at Pompey for the replay last year.
Dino Out Now
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SpiritOfJohn added 18:20 - Jan 4
@Brownie you have fairly summarised Mick's usual contempt for cup competitions but there are signs that he will pick a strong side to face the Imps. I am not saying that a leopard will change its spots but on this occasion the knives will be out if we don't get a win. Btw what are the resolutions of the blog title?
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Brownie added 18:58 - Jan 4
Spiritofjohn - I hope your right re strong side!

Resolutions? I think they are about learning from previous experience & putting good habits into place so hopefully as you say strong team and go for the good cup run.

Thanks for your feedback. regards.
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Brownie added 18:59 - Jan 4
Trublu - I said the same re cup tickets & guess what I have the same will power as you! That's the thing we all love the club..
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Daleyitfc added 22:49 - Jan 4
Being forthright and arrogant is not the same as being honest : almost everything McCarthy says is a distortion of the truth, even the weird version of truth that he himself believes in. I get fed up with people praising his honesty, when there isn't any. Ever.
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Brownie added 23:14 - Jan 4
Sorry Daley I disagree. I think he is honest but he is stubborn & refuses to change. He thinks that doing what he has always done will work and I don't think it will.
Lots of people pick holes in what he says. I often don't agree with him but I don't think he is being dishonest. New manager for me required but for fresh ideas and not any other issue.
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Blue_Moses added 18:08 - Jan 5
I think Lincoln may outweigh the home support on Saturday.
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