Defender Matthew Pennington hopes the Blues can bounce back with a repeat of their “coupon-buster” performance at Swansea when they travel to his former loan club Leeds United on Wednesday. The 24-year-old admitted that Saturday’s 2-0 home defeat to QPR was a disappointing way to follow up the 3-2 victory at the Liberty Stadium prior to the international break, Town’s first and win of the season.

Pennington, on loan with the Blues for this season from Everton, spent 2017/18 at Elland Road, making 15 starts and nine sub appearances, and will be up against plenty of former team-mates when rock-bottom Town make the trip to West Yorkshire to face the fourth-placed Whites.

“It’s pretty much the same team and it will be nice to see a few friendly faces but we’re going there to do a job and get something from the game,” he said.

“We showed at Swansea that we can get something from a game we might not be expected to get anything from. Let’s hope Wednesday is another coupon-buster.”

Pennington admitted Saturday’s dismal defeat to QPR was a big disappointment in the wake of the victory at the Liberty Stadium.

“It’s very disappointing to come back from the international break with a result like that because we were looking to build on the win at Swansea,” he said.

“But at least we’ve got a game on Wednesday and hopefully we can put it right then.”

He added: “We weren’t good enough. They were first to the second balls and we didn’t do enough to win the game. There were a few mistakes capitalised on by QPR.

“It’s very hard to win games when you concede soft goals, especially when teams tend to shut up shop after they’ve scored a couple.

“It’s deflating after getting the monkey off our backs at Swansea. We wanted to go on a good run after that.”

While QPR were the better side throughout, they were gifted their goals with keeper Dean Gerken allowing a Luke Freeman corner to go over his head and into the net for the first, while Toto Nsiala’s rash challenge led to the penalty converted by Tomer Hemed which sealed the three points.

Regarding the first goal, Pennington said: “We should deal with it but unfortunately it’s gone in and when we went 2-0 down we had a mountain to climb.

“It’s not just down to Gerks. We all take the blame as a team and I don’t believe anyone was good enough today. We need to put it right, hopefully on Wednesday at Leeds.”

Reflecting further on Gerken’s error, he said: “You have to be strong enough to get through something like that — any player in any position. Mistakes happen and we’ll move forward.”

Pennington, who has made seven starts for the Blues, scoring once, since signing on loan deadline day, understands the frustrations fans made clear during and at the end of the QPR match.

“Of course and we’re disappointed as well,” he continued. “It’s a collective thing and it wasn’t good enough from us."

He says the mood among the players was low after the game: “Everyone in the dressing room is gutted that we didn’t put in a performance today.

“It was a great chance to put some more points on the board and it’s disappointing.”

Quizzed on how manager Paul Hurst is coping with the current situation, the England U19 international added: “It’s difficult with the position we’re in. We need to get wins and points, and if the whole team pulls together we’ll do that.”

Photos: TWTD

mathiemagic added 07:07 - Oct 22 Play like you did on Saturday and a thrashing awaits. I work with Leeds fans so I am hoping you all pull your fingers out and give us a performance to be proud of or Thursday will be a day of ridicule for me.
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Suffolkboy added 07:11 - Oct 22 Another of our intelligent players displaying an appropriate sense of discretion about exactly what he allows himself to say ! There's a lot which might surface but a sense that there's an effort to keep the lid on . Leadership continues to be in short supply , and it'll be a miracle if the side pull anything off at Leeds unless the home team collapse : we need Bart back in goal , Knudsem on the pitch and a humble but determined effort from PH th confront his errors ,play people in the right and natural positions , AND drop those evidently not up to the job -- many of his purchases , play our own youngsters ,they can hardly do worse ! It's so very sad ,gut wrenchingly so : can't imagine I'm alone in these feelings .

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Woodbridgian added 07:22 - Oct 22 Can't see anything but a heavy loss at Leeds I'm afraid and have no confidence of getting anything against Millwall on Saturday either, desperate times I'm afraid. The gap between us and what is a preset average championship side in QPR was massive. Hurst completely out of his depth, his team selection bewildering, Wrong GK, poor right back at left back, central defender at right back, one up front etc etc you just couldn't make it up.

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tractorboybig added 07:44 - Oct 22 they including hurst all talk a good game, if day dreams gained points we would be promoted already
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christiand added 07:49 - Oct 22 Leeds couldn't have hand-picked a better side to play against to get their promotion push back on track. QPR 'could and should' have had 4 on Saturday, just imagine a vibrant Leeds in front of their passionate fans at Elland Road? We're just walking into the lion's den as lame sheep.
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BlueMachines added 08:15 - Oct 22 The coupon busting performance at Swansea where we got ripped to shreds?
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phillev231069 added 08:24 - Oct 22 Yawn! Hopefully Hursts final game. No excuse for Saturdays dismal display. If Leeds are on form and we play in any like that we'll get hammered and another loss awaits!
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herobobby added 08:24 - Oct 22 Is it only me that wondering What the hell is Milne and Evans doing.as far as I can see the ship has no captain,and hurst is slowly sailing it to league one,and no one is going to question him or try and stop it ! He might be a very wealthy man Evans but god knows how he runs a business,our club is like his little toy to play with ,
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phillev231069 added 08:29 - Oct 22 Herobobby don't expect any sense from Milne he's just one of Evans corporate robots a clueless pillock who's also totally out of his depth like Hurst. Unfortunately everyone in charge seems totally inept.
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afcfee added 08:29 - Oct 22 If it wasn't for bad finishing we would of got ripped by Swansea. Hurst needs to go asap before it's too late
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Skip73 added 08:37 - Oct 22 It shows how low we've sunk that any time we win its described as a coupon buster
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GeoffSentence added 08:42 - Oct 22 We all hope we will win against Leeds. However hope is what our management team has in place of a plan. Which makes a win anywhere unlikely.
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WeWereZombies added 08:46 - Oct 22 Using the language of gambling to describe aspirations that should result from skill and endeavour? Makes you wonder what goes on in the dressing room and training ground, or throughout the club for that matter. The days if the Cobbolds are long gone of course. And so it seems is the time when Town could claim any moral high ground, underdog kudos or traditional virtue. No more heroes anymore.

0

Henrietta_R_Hippo added 10:06 - Oct 22 So still finding myself somewhat stuck in this semi-disillusioned mood with regard to my football team, I went looking around for some possible odds on the next manager for ITFC :-) :-) ...Reliable thesackrace.com didn't have any, YET! and neither did whatever a quick Google search initially had to offer... but the subject certainly is & already has been discussed among renowned football journalists, and thus on the site 'Football League World' (FLW.com) they had these 3 duderinos lined up, all for a different reason, as quite useful in imminently succeeding Hurst: - Paul Heckingbottom (Reason: This ITFC squad being similar to his Barnsley at the time. Heckingbottom thrived at the Tykes, playing fast, high-intensity football with a young side) - Simon Grayson (Reason: A safer & more experienced option. He wouldn't be the most exciting choice and probably wouldn't excite fans but he may very likely have the know-how to keep the side up) - Carlos Carvalhal (Reason: Ambition!!! The Portuguese coach was terrific in his first two years with Sheffield Wednesday and did well with Swansea in the PL even though they were relegated. He is a great tactical coach, can organize his teams and would be a coup for Town) ANY THOUGHTS ON THOSE FOLKS???

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Henrietta_R_Hippo added 10:09 - Oct 22 Also although perhaps just a tad bit prematurely , above mentioned site FLW.com has also already begun looking for fitting -- and not the least with "Ebeneezer" in mind -- **affordable** talents, REINFORCING talents, especially suited for Town (as loans first most likely) for the upcoming January window, this in a couple of articles: "4 PL outcasts that'd slot perfectly into ITFC's current XI - Agreed?" - Kortney Hause (Centerback; Wolverhampton) - Sam Gallagher (Striker; Southampton) - Kieran Dowell (Midfielder; Everton) - Marcus Suttner (Fullback; Brighton) ...and in FLW's very latest article on same need & subject from 3 days ago "He could keep them up!": - Lee Tomlin (Midfielder; Cardiff) And while I personally is totally all-in for using & implementing the cream of our own youth & academy products (as opposed to constantly shipping or loaning them out = Evans' sanctimonious "5 Point Plan" my a$$!!!!!!!!!) I find myself really agreeing with the usefulness in our current UNMISTAKABLY weak & mostly out-of-their-depth looking squad of those PL teams' named "outcasts" lined up here by FLW... where all but Suttner (50 games in the Bundesliga + 14 in the PL though!) has previously proven themselves quite capable at the Championship level. ANY THOUGHTS ON THOSE FOLKS???

2

TimmyH added 10:24 - Oct 22 Leeds are on a slump (as per last season really) but would be surprised if lightning strikes twice and we pull off another shock away win. Pennington in the middle, Kenlock left and Donacien right please...for a start.
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BlueWax added 10:25 - Oct 22 More spin from the club trying to paper over massive cracks! The opening game of the season seems so long ago now but I can't help thinking of the interview PH gave and was aired on Suffolk radio pre-Blackburn match. Quote “ Even if I'm not successful at this club I have confidence in my own ability as a manager” Is it me or a strange thing to say!!???
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TimmyH added 10:36 - Oct 22 None of those above managers thanks @Henrietta, problem is and if* Hurst was to be sacked the Squad looks extremely poor, who would come in to manage this bunch?...as others have mentioned if we're going to battle relegation let's do it with largely our academy players with a wish and hope that Evans will untie the purse strings in January (try not to chuckle), I like the look of Tomlin and Dowell (not sure if he is playing for anyone currently) to bolster a poor midfield. *Evans record of sacking managers quickly doesn't happen so Hurst sticking here at least to the end of year is probable.

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Bluearmy_81 added 10:42 - Oct 22 Need to start singing songs re Evans out every game. He has been given a ridiculously easy ride by fans for far too long
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Taricco_Fan added 10:52 - Oct 22 QPR was a must-win game as far as I was concerned. We need to pick up points against the teams in the lower half (having dropped so many already) and instead we got a abject display. Our defence is shaky, our midfield lacks quality and there's minimal goal threat. That combination only leads to relagation. I've seen enough to know where we are headed. Truth is, Swansea was a temporary sticking plaster. We were outplayed and should have lost. Rather than a new style of play and philosophy bedding-in, we seem to be getting worse.

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mathiemagic added 11:02 - Oct 22 Team for Leeds: Bart Donacian Pennington Chambo Knudsun Skuse Edwards Nolan Dozzel Edun Lankester
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ldnj added 11:13 - Oct 22 We live in hope ... but. I'd always hoped when I saw names mentioned of those supposed to have been interviewed that Gary White might get the job if they were going to take a chance on someone, but it looks now like that ship has sailed. Let's "hope" Hurst brings some stability pronto.
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Razor added 11:14 - Oct 22 Morning guys----Phil or anybody, the press office not answering phone at ITFC (am I surprised?) but anybody know if there is a footy tournament at St Josephs college Ipswich this week? Thought it was on Wednesday and sounded quite interesting----any details would be great,times and teams etc
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Daleyitfc added 11:22 - Oct 22 I'm glad he has 'hope' ; but I doubt he will ever reach 'expectation'.
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BcarefulwhatUWish4 added 12:03 - Oct 22 Can see a loss but not a heavy loss like some posters above believe. Teams tend to take a hammering when they are 1 or 2-0 down and then try to pressure the opposition to get that goal back. They then get hit on the counter, 3-0. We don't apply any pressure so most likely scenario is that Leeds will score 1 or 2 then just see out the game, Going all out for a 3rd on their part wouldn't be a good move as we do have pace and are reasonable on the break. 2-0 for me with few chances for either side after Leeds' second.

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