Ipswich24 - I'd be more than happy with a line-up like that. If we were to get those players in We're sorted. Got a really good feeling about the Haroun and Treacy links. They've gone quiet but Jewell hasn't discounted them like he has with others. there must be irons in the fire.

PJ: 'That's not going to change overnight' - I agree, but you have been here since early January - almost SIX MONTHS. Is PJ already making excuses? I suspect he is not to blame for a number of signings falling through - but the reality is we have only been able to agree one fee all Summer - for Chopra, the rest were frees and we still haven't agreed a fee with Tranmere for Cresswell - so who is to blame there? ME or Clegg or both? Before people say 'we shouldn't be held to ransom' - just look at the business other clubs have done. Something clearly isn't right with the negotiations, whilsts PJ's sheer stupid comment about 'going in low and expecting the bid to be rejected' hasn't helped.

There is so much work to be done it is unreal - and what a shame this is now being identified just two week's before the kick off.

I wish PJ well and hope he can turn it round - but for me he HAS to drop this negative 4-5-1 with just an isoltaed striker. I really hope we are not subjected to that utter nonescene at PR this season. In the meantime, either Clegg or ME have to pull their fingers out and start getting deals done. At the moment it is really tough to predict anything other than mid-table or lower.

Saw the game, poor pitch & much of the same in how we lined up & operated.
If we are looking in bargain basement & PJ can handle "hotheads" then their centre half cum strker Mohsni could be just what we need. He was by far the best player on the pitch until taken off closely followed by Martin.
far too many midfielders of the same style. Need a true attacking m/f if we are going to play 1 stiker. MUST use 2 strikers at home & have pace. Chopra & Priskin is my answer altho' Scotland looked better & fitter than last season & much more effective when ball played to feet. He is never going to be in the game when the ball is hoofed into the air!!
Drury is a must in m/f. May lack a bit of pace but has skill, guts & heart for the job.
I hope I am wrong but it looks like another season of "flattering to deceive".
If Clegg wants success @ ITFC then he has to spend & less focus on what he can make on tickets @ Olympics 2012!

I'm worried that after being here a while and bringing in new player's we still play a 4 5 1 away to Southend, yes pre season friendlies are all about fitness but also it doesn't mean you can't experiment with formations and try things new.
Also we are looking at bargains rather than players capable of gaining us promotion not pj's fault but look at it this way we had a budget before wickham went so that is extra also with Norris, Mac and other players even more money considering wages saved yet we have seen Danns, Nugent and St Ledger all snapped up by Leicester with us having bids turned down because of low sums offered, you have to ask yourselves this are we really trying to gain promotion or hope we do it on a budget which is a longshot at most!!!

i think we will start winning but we do need a creative midfielder that is a realistic target.

It looks likes Clegg / Mr. Evans does not want to spend the money that is required to get decent players in, to make the squad a championship winning side. We are not going to able to build a side from bargain basement. The fact is simple, you have to spend money to bring in top quality players, and as long as Marcus Evans is running the club we have no chance. None!

Dont always need to spend money to do well. I seem to remember our best team in the last 10 years was when joe royal was in charge and he created a squad with a packet of wine gums to spend.

That mentality would come on its own with some new signings and actually getting a win in pre season.

Perhaps the club should admit that Jewell will NOT be given funds to spend in the way Magilton and Keane were? Perhaps he will have to live off the Wickham money for the next two or three years?

We have lost our best centre back, our captain and our £8.1M wonderkid and spent just £2M on new signings. As the team were not far from relegation at times last year, it is a big ask to turn us into a play-off chasing side without spending. It feels almost like we are in the Joe Royle post-administration days at the moment.

Perhaps the club would like to make a big signing or two? It would lift the whole club and give a confidence that could lead to a winning mentality.

i cant believe the ignorant comments on, i wonder what the average age of poster is on here??? we cannot break the bank to bring in bullard and how can we build a team around someone with dodgy knees? yes he was fantastic for us last year , that was then , this is now...HE IS NOT COMING AND HE IS NOT THE ANSWER. get real , he wants 45 grand a week, would any of you actually want us to pay that??? that is 2 years wages for most people. Rant over.. COYB

After the result last night I had a bit of a rant,I was absolutely seething but now in the cold light of day i see things a little clearly.I have absolute faith in the ability in paul jewel to turn this club around and he has made 2 excellent and 2 o.k (not sure about Ivan or nathan but time will tell) and there is no way that anyone can be ready to turn on the man.The only worrying aspect in this story is that the time scale seems to have changed from ,before the 6th to before the window closes.I am absolutely sure though that what we witnessed last night and what we have seen over the last couple of seasons is the result of ipswich town being run as a business not as a football club why else sack magilton when he was on the cusp of turning around his fortunes and employing roy kean it could only have been for corprate image.Last night proved we are a long way from better but dont get on the back of p.j get behind him and Evans if you cant back him and give him the resources to do the job you employed him to do THEN GET OUT.

Yes, morale and mentality are very important. Just as necessary to develop and build up as the material (players). It was a winning, never-give-up attitude which carried Norwich to promotion last season. And a vicious cycle of losing which took us perilously close to relegation. This will take time to get right (look at the doom and gloom prevalent amongst Town fans still - always expecting failure), despite fairly wholesale changes in the team. I'm liking Jewell's approach, in recognising, then setting about tackling this problem.

All very well talking about "spend spend spend", but who is this money going to be spent on? What good quality players are available, at any money? Many clubs (even in the lower divisions) are determined to hang onto their best squad members, so either refuse all bids or put hyper-inflated valuations on their top players. Refugees from the Prem will want big wages.

I don't care how much money Leicester are throwing around in their attempt to become the Man City of the Championship. If it doesn't work, they're stuffed, same as we were in the early 2000s. If it does work, they've still blown a hell of a lot of money. The only problem is that they will hoover up all the choicest morsels.

People say "it's like the days of Joe Royle", but isn't that the period (since relegation) that most of us look back on fondly as reasonable success and good management.

I'd rather have a longer-term plan, a steady build-up towards promotion, then establishing ourselves in the top flight. Not being like a rocket which shoots up, but then falls straight back to earth. So far, Jewell has only had six months and, essentially, one transfer window. I think he'll need January and probably next summer before he's got the team he wants, especially if there are budget constraints and a certain lack of decent, available targets.

'Sloppy starts to games', 'switching off in the second half', 'quietest bunch of players ever worked with', 'mentality needs to change' - sounds like we need to sign a sports psychologist as well as a right back, at least one centre back and a wizard in the middle.

A wizard in the middle? I think Gandalf is too old and lacks pace.