Ipswich Town thread

[Bettyboo]

I don't dislike anybody - this is just a forum, and quite an inane one at that.

I'm pleased for Maidstone. Ipswich were never gonna win the cup, have other ambitions and a very limited squad, so good luck to the lower league side - genuinely.

[harrybarracuda]

"genuinely"

[cyrille]

So Ipswich have got themselves an Iraqi striker.

Not a hotbed of footballing talent.

[Bettyboo]

^ I've just checked, and you are correct - a mighty purchase from AFC Wimbledon.



It's lovely to see cultural diversity in our squad, and if he doesn't score loads of goals, I will personally adhere to his (ok, stereotypical rather than perhaps real...) cultural values and lead the stoning punishment. I have already arranged that a friend in China and a friend in Copenhagen can ship me some correctly sized and weighted stones, so that OhOh and Helge can also feel fully involved in the culturally diverse activity.

Of course, if he plays well and scores goals then that won't be required, and I'll eat a celebratory Iraqi style kebab. It looks great:

[harrybarracuda]

So Ipswich have got themselves an Iraqi striker.

Not a hotbed of footballing talent.

Yeah but can probably run fast.

[Bettyboo]

Just watched one of the worst halves of football in a long time. 3 nil down to a very average Preston team.

As I've said all season, the plummet has begun, and if we finish in the playoffs then we'll have no chance. Our players, as I've repeatedly said, are division 1 players - today, playing like division 2 players. Our players are about the same quality as the West Brom fans...

[cyrille]

West Brom vs Ipswich in the play offs, as it stands.

[hallelujah]

West Brom vs Ipswich in the play offs, as it stands.

They'll be queuing up for the TV rights for that one.

[Bettyboo]

They'll be queuing up for the TV rights for that one.

In 1981, this would have been a big game!





BTW, that was the year that you stole Big Ron from West Brom...



( ^ This feels uncomfortably like porn, so should probably be on the Man U or Pattaya thread...)

[Bettyboo]

Back into winning ways, and about bloody time too.




We've got all of our top 5 games out of the way apart from home to Southampto, so, in theory at least, we have the easiest run in. And, our squad have improved, some players are coming back from injury and international duty. We're still two bob, but slightly less two bob (two and a half bob ).

You've got Leicester v Leeds and West Brom v Southampton within the next ten days, so if we can win our next three games and results go our way then we could be back into second - that'd shock a few (including meself).

[Bettyboo]

A good win for West Brom.

Hull were brilliant.

Ipswich got a lucky win against the bottom of the table team.



Southampton's run in is terrible - they will lose points.

Leeds have a tough run in.

Ipswich are playing crap and conceding sooooo many goals, but have by far the easiest run in.

[cyrille]

A good win for West Brom.

Second goal from Johnston, on loan from Celtic, was very good indeed.

Better than anything we saw from Sarmiento.

[Bettyboo]

Keep it down!

We've been playing crap for the last two months, but are still 14 points ahead of you...

[cyrille]

Yet still you'll be hoping you don't get us in the play offs.

[cyrille]

Ipswich at home to B'ham next weekend, while we travel to Hull.

That underlines how important last night's win was for Albion.

Hopefully Hull are celebrating for the next few days.

[Bettyboo]

^^ True, you've done well against us - only Leeds have done better. (Although, in the playoffs it's a complete lottery.)

^ Every game is a battle from here on in. Neither Birmingham nor Hull will be easy, but Ipswich need to put a string of wins together to have any hope of second place. You're pretty safe in the playoffs.


Come on tonight, Leicester, slaughter those dirty Leeds scummers!

[cyrille]

Ipswich need to put a string of wins together to have any hope of second place. You're pretty safe in the playoffs.

Your attempts at humility never fail to amuse.

It's likely we'll meet in the play offs and Ipswich fans won't fancy it.

[taxexile]

Come on tonight, Leicester, slaughter those dirty Leeds scummers!

In your dreams! 3 in the last 10 minutes sent the foxes and their smug hubris infused manager scurrying back down the M1 to Leicester, a soulless shithole if ever there was one. We've had six points off them now.

They are a good team against inferior opposition, i.e. most of the championship, but against strong teams they are weak. They will get hammered on a regular basis once promoted. Leeds or S'hampton to go up with them.

[Bettyboo]

^ You Northern Bastard... Leicester let us down badly. But, then again, we got two draws against them, so they can't be that good.

The $$$ of the 3 ex-PL teams makes a difference. If Ipswich went up, we'd need an entirely new first eleven (excluding the keeper, maybe), and still get demoted in the first season.

Still enough games to go that anything can happen, but I expect the 3 ex-PL teams to get promoted (as I've said most of the season).

[taxexile]

Leeds rode their luck last night, but thats football. An inch here, an inch there, a sudden deflection or a milliseconds difference is all it takes to alter an outcome, thats the beauty of the game but last minute turnarounds will always stir the soul and make a supporter glad to be alive.... at least until the next defeat.

The championship is a fantastic league, its honest football, just as it used to be, as opposed to the obscene glitz of the premiership with their prima donna players, their stupid haircuts, their blow up wives and their grubby dago managers, and if Leeds do go up then I will face disappointment after disappointment as they lose more games than they win. This season has been great for us, fabulous attacking football, win after win after win, a (mostly) skillful team and a superb manager after the idiot Jesse Marsch and the erratic genius Bielsa.

MOT dirty leeds.

[Bettyboo]

^ Yeah, it's a good league to watch. There's some good quality, but also some shocking stuff from time to time which makes it funny. It has been a good season to watch thusfar.

As you say, anything can happen. We got a late late win against the bottom of the league side last game, could easily have lost two points.

Regarding goals scored:



The top four teams have scored noticeably more goals (we went through a run of not putting the ball in the net which has interrupted our goals for and points, but hopefully that's changed now?). Southampton and Ipswich both concede too many goals.

Leicester should win the league, I think Leeds are probably the second best team and the only ones with a chance of catching them, but Leeds could lose points because they have quite a few tricky games left.

We've got Birmingham at home today and could easily lose points. I'm hoping for maybe 3-1, but we're still not playing well since our striker got injured a couple of months ago (it's his energy at closing down rather than his scoring which sets the team up for our high press).

Hull v West Brom could go any which way. I'm predicting 1-1 or 1-2, as West Brom have a pretty decent defence and neither team scores a lot of goals that often.

Southampton should have an easy home win v Millwall (who are pretty weak this season). I could see a 5-0 or 6-1 home win there.

Sheffield Wednesday might struggle at home to Bristol City. I', predicting 1-3.

Here comes the Saturday football... Maybe Hal will have a few beers and get on the football threads later?

[Bettyboo]

Bad losses for Bristol City and Southampton, but as we know this can happen anytime in the Championship.

Here's the Southampton loss with 80.5% possession:



I was very pleased with that loss for The Saints...

The mighty Ipswich are still doing pretty well considering their lack of $$$ and limited squad (in terms of ability). I doubt we'll keep it up for the whole season, I kinda expected us to finish 3rd or 4th for most of the season. Scoring goals again though which is good. A 3-1 home win v Birmingham is the kinda match that we could easily have lost points, imho, so a good solid win.

[cyrille]

Maybe Hal will have a few beers and get on the football threads later?

Sunday seems to be his big day for both.

Hopefully losing to Fulham will make him slightly less obnoxious today.

[Bettyboo]

He is noticeably less noisy when Man U lose. Fulham always looked like a banana skin.

[Bettyboo]

Ipswich win. Leeds draw. Leicester Lose. A good day.





West Brom got a good win and continue to do well.

Bristol City are falling away, sorry Mendip... You're at Portman Road on Tuesday, I hope you get a pasting!

The scum are on a solid run and sneaking close to the playoffs, and we have to play them soon - that's a bit worrying.