Josh Carson shoots as former Town loanee Mark Noble looks to block the young Irishman
Only a friendly but West Ham win lifts morale for Ipswich Town
By Dave Gooderham
Sunday, August 5, 2012
9:40 PM
Ipswich v West Ham: It might have been only a quarter full.
But Chris Hutchings believes the 3-1 win over West Ham has lifted morale for fans in and out of Portman Road on Saturday.
A section of supporters were growing concerned by poor friendly results and the fact Paul Jewell is still looking to add a few more new faces just two weeks before the new season.
And while one result and performance doesn’t change everything, Hutchings hopes it will lift the optimism before Blackburn Rovers face a significantly higher Portman Road crowd on August 18.
Town’s assistant manager said: “I would think our performance would lift the spirits of everyone.
“The way we passed the ball, the way he harassed, we worked on closing down and defended from the front with Chops (Michael Chopra) and Lee Martin – they set the tone for us.
“We were much more compact as a team and when we got it, we actually played some very, very good football.
“It wasn’t too slow or keep ball, there was a purpose in our play and that is what we have to look for.
“It is only one result in pre-season so we won’t be getting carried away. People will go away and look at the result and beating West Ham but we will look deeper than that.”
Hutchings, who revealed that Andy Drury (calf) is a doubt for next Tuesday’s Capital One Cup match at home to Bristol Rovers, praised the performance of the returning Lee Martin and Spurs loanee Massimo Luongo.
And Paul Jewell’s number two wants the current staff to rise to the challenge as the Blues boss continues to look for new signings.
Hutchings said: “There is not any news at this moment. We are always looking, we want to strengthen and we are doing our best to do that.
“The players know that as well, that should be a tonic to them to try and kick on. If they start in the side, they need to keep the shirt.”
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7 comments
BLuearmy, I broadly agree with you. Consistency is key. The good point however is that a team which can beat the likes of West Ham clearly has some ability, and so the challenge for PJ is to hone in on that ability somehow.
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Tom
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Kevin, my comments are entirely consistent - I criticised the team for poor displays against poor opposition, but am happy to praise them in equal measure for beating a premiership side (I don't quite follow your point in saying West Ham were in the same division as us last season, given they were promoted and are now a premiership side with a number of new signings). Anyhow, the fact is that the two viewpoints are consistent, and credit where credit is due. On a different note, the comments section (and indeed article) has disappeared on the Evans picture story. I never read your response to the issue of the debt only being repayable if Town are in the premiership, which means that if you are right and Evans wants to make money out of the club, the only way he can do that is to get us promoted, which is what we have been desperately trying to do for ten years - so I fail to see the issue.
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Tom
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Tom - You are right praise where it is due Town were excellent and I congratulate them on a fine result..... The real problem will be consistentency (again)...All too often good runs last season were followed by worse runs, good performances by worse performances....I'm afraid it will be the same this season....Town are still capable of beating WHU (hardly deserving of their Premiership status BTW) one day and losing by 7 to somebody leagues below them the next...Trust me their consistent inconsistency will be a source of great frustration again....
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bluearmy78
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Tom, here are your own comments from the 1st August........PJ was saying all this a year ago - and brought loads of new players in who were useless, in the main and many of whom were released. A year on and we're still a weak, weak side, losing twice to poor opposition in opening matches. The team should be beating these sides at this stage - if it was early in the pre-season and a bunch of youngsters being thrown out, you could excuse it, but come on, it's very, very worrying indeed. The tide is turning in my mind. Add your comment | Report this comment
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Kevin Bailey
Monday, August 6, 2012
Tom, the point is that Luton and Southend are several leagues below us, and we also performed poorly at Braintree. West Ham were in the same league as us last season, and whilst I have already commented that it is better to win than to lose on a different thread, the most pleasing aspect was the fact that the absurd diamond formation was discarded, and Martin was played in the hole, something I suggest yonks ago if you recall. I presume that you remember saying after the Luton defeat that whilst you had been supportive of Jewell, the tide was turning for you. So, is your sarcasm aimed at yourself?
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Kevin Bailey
Monday, August 6, 2012
No doubt the posters who were highly critical of the team for losing to Southend and Luton in a friendly will be free with their praise for beating a premiership side? Or was this game against West Ham (rather than the ones against Luton and Southend) only a friendly so of no consequence?
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Tom
Monday, August 6, 2012
Was PJ at the match ? Any significance that CH did the post match press interviews? EDITOR’S NOTE: Paul Jewell was in charge for the match. He does, on the odd occasion, ask his assistant to speak to the media on his behalf.
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The original Victor Meldrew
Monday, August 6, 2012