Michael Chopra heads in the winner against Coventry
We’re not safe from relegation yet warns goal hero Michael Chopra
By Dave Gooderham
Monday, February 6, 2012
12:14 PM
THE league table might look a lot better than it did this time last week.
But Saturday’s two-goal hero Michael Chopra has warned his jubilant team mates that Ipswich are still in a relegation fight.
The Blues followed up the remarkable 5-1 win over West Ham with another three points at struggling Coventry City – Chopra’s 93rd minute header giving them a dramatic 3-2 win.
But while Town are a full 10 points clear of the bottom three, the experienced marksman knows things can change very quickly in the Championship.
The striker, whose double blast took his tally to 10 goals to become the club’s top scorer, insisted: “It has been a great week, but I wouldn’t say we are safe yet.
“All it takes is for us to lose a couple of games and the teams below us to win a couple of games and we will be back in it.
“There is no room for complacency - the manager tells us that and the lads know that. We will keep fighting until we know we are automatically safe.”
For once, a late goal went in favour of Ipswich who took a first-half lead through Jay Emmanuel-Thomas before being pegged back by Sammy Clingan’s penalty and Gary Deegan’s volley shortly before the interval.
Chopra revealed that Blues boss Paul Jewell gave his side a “rollicking” at the break – but it worked after the striker scored twice to give Town a vital three points.
And the nature of the winner, Chopra heading in Andy Drury’s pin-point cross, came straight from the training ground.
The 10-goal striker said: “We have been working during the week on crossing and getting in front of the defender at the near post and thankfully I was there to get a flick-on.
“I missed a chance just before that when I was one-on-one with the keeper and it was playing on my mind a bit.
“But I have always said if I get chances to score goals, it is only a matter of time before I put them away – like I did today.”
Jewell praised his hitman before giving him two days off to spend with his son in Newcastle.
The manager said: “A bit of swagger has come back into his game. The goals he’s scored today are a great lift, not just for him but the team.”
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27 comments
hope you're right. but lets face it, we had a great little run last year - much better than this one - and everyone got excited - followed by what was it ? 3 points in 9 games ? fingers crossed but not breath held !
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41yearsafan
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Well Brian Betts must agree I've never understood a word he says. But don't knock him till the next game is over if we lose, which we won't.
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JOHN BURLS
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
John Burls, Jewell hasn't just seen the light, it was something he 'stumbled' on due to injuries to his senior, experienced flops and had very few options remaining to him. This man has no charisma, no drive, no man management, in fact he'd make a good TV pundit if only you could understand what he says.
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Brian Betts
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
I would like to endorse Kevin Bailey's point about the evident censorship of concerned ITFC supporters especially if their posts contain anything critical of Marcus Evans. It is though this person has some hold over the EADT but if censorship continues unjustifiably, then the complaints will be referred to the Press Complaints Commission.
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Brian Betts
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
41yearsetc. You are completely wrong although a couple of months ago I would have agreed with you. We now have a team which is no longer playing like the team of a few games ago. I think PJ has seen the light, and I think he will continue to play the players who are in the team now for as long as he can and with the same winning formation. Their enthusiasm and quality of play is now completely different. I genuinely believe they can beat any side in the Championship, given as they say a level playing field. We shall see on Saturday.
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JOHN BURLS
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
41 years....in the context of the point I am making, that is irreleavnt
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Kevin Bailey
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
@kevin - given where Norwich currently are and where Ipswich currently are, I'd keep quiet about Norwich mate! I hope Town stay up but given the muppet in charge and the split personalities on the pitch ensure we have no clue what team will emerge week-in week-out, I wouldn't hold my breath. Lepoards do change their spots in football it is true - but if this team suddenly plays well enough save itself, it needs to be studied by scientists to figure out how such a miraculous change can occur in nature..
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41yearsafan
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
I don't believe what I'm hearing from some. This is possibly the worst team Ipswich have ever fielded. Its lost so many games and performed so inconsistently it makes your head spin. Theyve won 2 games - one was a freak result against the best team in the league, and the other was a squeak through against the very worst. Escaped relegation ? Not a chance.
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41yearsafan
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
I would like to know why many of the posts from genuine Ipswich fans are censored, yet clearly provocative posts from Norwich fans, which break house rules, as they are provocative in the extreme, are allowed. An answer Mr Editor?
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Kevin Bailey
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
I don't believe what I'm hearing from some. This is possibly the worst team Ipswich have ever fielded. Its lost so many games and performed so inconsistently it makes your head spin. Theyve won 2 games - one was a freak result against the best team in the league, and the other was a squeak through against the very worst. Escaped relegation ? Not a chance.
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41yearsafan
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Bluearmy78 we know. However, these pointless fools deserve to be told to go back to Canary land do you not think? P.S, they have no point whatsoever to what they comment.
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Paul The Alien
Monday, February 6, 2012
bluearmy you seem confused between the meaning of the words crass and succinct.
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Rob Steroo
Monday, February 6, 2012
For all those of you who seem so concerned by Steroo and Ged do you not realise that by commenting on their posts you are actually encouraging them further ?? You are of course right to label much of what they post as crass but you must all acknowledge that they have a point when they highlight Jewell's propensity to tinker with a winning team, delve into the loan market and his dubious treatment of our own home grown youngsters is to the detriment of the team. That is something ALL ITFC fans should be very wary of and sadly it's taken Mr Jewell 12 months to figure out !! I hope Jewell resits these natural instincts and only time will tell because at long last, arguably more through luck than judgement, he has assembled a team that many many "moaners" & "not true fans" (and all the other labels that have been bandied about) have been calling for throughout Jewell's rather uninspiring tenure.
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bluearmy78
Monday, February 6, 2012
STEROO,your comments are crass,so please do as everybody says just curl up and run back to supporting norwich reserves theres a good boy.
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brisie58
Monday, February 6, 2012
Ah, I see a great deal of losers have posted on here. Rob Steroo, your commets are just boring. But Ged Scott, what is up with you? Tut-tut to you for posting such rubbish. Go watch your canary friends up the road, mate. Have a drink with Delia Smith and talking to the truly 'wonderful' Stephen Fry. Ta-ta.
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Paul The Alien
Monday, February 6, 2012
Ah, I see a great deal of losers have posted on here. Rob Steroo, your commets are just boring. But Ged Scott, what is up with you? Tut-tut to you for posting such rubbish. Go watch your canary friends up the road, mate. Have a drink with Delia Smith and talking to the truly 'wonderful' Stephen Fry. Ta-ta.
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Paul The Alien
Monday, February 6, 2012
Suggestion. Let' s all completely ignore posts by Scott, Steroo and M-Y and they'll soon get bored and silently fade away.
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JOHN BURLS
Monday, February 6, 2012
Come off it Chopra you should be more positive than that talking about relegation tut!tut! If town win 13 of their remaining games, they can make the play-offs. Come on Chopra knuckle down and get stuck in and do what you did at Cardiff and that is score regular. Thats not the right attitude at all of one of jewells sensational signings and could lead the town back into a relegation dog-fight.
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ged scott
Monday, February 6, 2012
I have been critical of PJ in the past, and there are certainly many problems that two wins cannot paper over, HOWEVER, lets give PJ credit when it's due. There were signs of an improvement at Blackpool and Leeds, and that has been taken one step forward with these two wins. Another false dawn? Who knows, but we'll know more after Middlesbrough. For me, the major highlight has been the performances of Hyam, Drury and JET, three players who are now making a difference. Could Carson and Murray make a similar difference? I hope we are able to find out in due course. My one worry is that PJ will sign players on loan who will come into the team in place of Hyam and Drury. I hope, by now, PJ has learned his lesson, and keep these talented younger players in the team.
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nsc283b
Monday, February 6, 2012
Never known a team so full of "has-beens" that perform so inconsistently. Time to follow the example down the A140 and sign players that want to play and achieve, not the ones who enjoy a nice quiet country life and over inflated salary.
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Behind enemy lines
Monday, February 6, 2012
Chopra is so good, he should be playing for Norwich
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Not Rob Steroo
Monday, February 6, 2012
Well if you keep up your recent goal scoring exploits chops, we should be all right. As long as we do not concede too many the other end, and thats the question isn't it, our porous defence needs more recruits, loan market anyone.
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jungle boy
Monday, February 6, 2012
Rob Budgie Steroo- put a sock in it will you ! You are a bit of bore mate
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Liz Knott
Monday, February 6, 2012
Chopra is right not to underestimate Jewell's crass mismanagment - after all there are a host of unwanted duds out there to get in on loan and every winning position can be undone with foolish substitutions. However, even if Jewell does his worst, the sheer uselessness of the bottom three and Portsmouth's impending problems mean that relegation is indeed utterly impossible this season.
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Rob Steroo
Monday, February 6, 2012
In Scotland and Jet and Copra with support from Daryl and Lee we have the means not just to stay up but move up next season. It's essentially a simple game - you just have to score more goals than the opposition and belatedly we are now doing that, so keep up the good work. And our young and enthusiastic central midfield are getting better all the time.
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JOHN BURLS
Monday, February 6, 2012
I should expect the whole team to keep fighting until the last minute of the season not until we are safe from relegation. I would expect every player to want and expect to win every game and if they did that they would be in the play offs. Unfortunately by that statement it seems we just want to do enough and not go that extra mile.
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smokie
Monday, February 6, 2012
I should expect the whole team to keep fighting until the last minute of the season not until we are safe from relegation. I would expect every player to want and expect to win every game and if they did that they would be in the play offs. Unfortunately by that statement it seems we just want to do enough and not go that extra mile.
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smokie
Monday, February 6, 2012