The Form Book

All the pre-match discussion before a derby game is inevitably focussed on phrases such as “the form book goes out of the window” . No matter how far ahead one club appears to be from the other, a mixture of fear and expectation, coupled with the opportunity to derail fierce rivals, can become a great leveller.
On some occasions, however, that form book stays well and truly in place and all post-match discussion is focussed on exactly why the form book proved so accurate.
After a solid few months under Paul Jewell had developed into a very positive recent run, Ipswich Town fans could be forgiven for thinking that their side was in a position to match their Norfolk counterparts, at whom they had spent the majority of the season staring upwards at.
However, after a torrid ninety minutes of football, the club were left reeling by the ghosts which many had hoped had been left behind with Paul Jewells appointment as manager.
And in case any fans were under the misguided notion that the 5-1 defeat was, in itself, something of an aberration, so followed an equally crushing 4-1 defeat at Swansea City. Simply put, the best form book available, the league table, has been demonstrated to be the most accurate barometer of where Ipswich Town find themselves currently.
In the right circumstances, Town have demonstrated themselves to be ably suited at taking on some of the top sides in the division. However, faced with adversity, there is little in the way of manoeuvre to provide an alternate strategy. Against the Canaries, the loss of two quick goals, both involving questionable goalkeeping from Lee-Barrett, left both the team and its manager reeling. Switching personnel, switching formations, switching tactics- nothing seemed to provide Town with a foothold back into the game.
The use of Josh Carson during the match bore concerning reminders of the management of Jewells two predecessors. The 17-year old started the match at right-midfield, moved to left-midfield, was then shunted in-field before playing out the second half in anonymity as part of a two man frontline.
Defensively, having performed adequately for much of the match, Towns entire defensive structure disintegrated following the third and decisive Norwich goal, with the Canaries able to break at will with seemingly little in the way of marking. It marked a nervousness unseen in the back four for several months.
Whilst the derby saw a series of combinations and options fail to provide a cohesive challenge to the opposition, the match against Swansea showed limitations of another fashion as, faced with injuries to star-men Conor Wickham and Jimmy Bullard, Jewell was unable to turn to alternative personnel to suitably fill the void.
Whilst Colin Healy and Andy Drury, a rare bright spot in the derby defeat, have demonstrated themselves to be neat and comfortable midfielders, they were unable to bridge the loss of Bullard, leaving Jason Scotland even further isolated than he had been against the Canaries.
Scotland himself would surely have played no part had Wickham recovered fitness, having been removed after a lamentable 45 minute spell in the derby. As it was, Jewell was left with little alternative but to play the Trinidadian, resulting in a forward line devoid of movement ahead of a midfield incapable of supporting it. As against Norwich, it provoked reminders of many performances in the earlier part of the season, as a lack of offensive mobility left the side defending deeply and with little creativity to break the long spells of possession which the Swans enjoyed.
Whilst the Easter calendar presented Town with arguably the best two passing sides in the division as opposition, the manner of the results simply emphasised the gulf which Jewell has to make up over the summer. It is a situation the manager is fully aware of. “Against Norwich, Reading and Swansea you always felt that they had better footballers than us.
“That’s not an indictment of the lads, they are facts. They’ve said that themselves in the dressing room after the game; as a group, we’re not mentally tough enough and we’re not physically tough enough.
“If we can try and improve on that and add a lot more quality to the squad next season, hopefully this time next year we’ll be talking about a good Easter and looking up rather than being a bit depressed.”
With a home game to follow against now-relegated Preston North End, there is a good opportunity for the Blues to bounce back. However, at this stage of the season, most Town fans recognise that there is little more to be gained from the current season, from the current side.
If the last week has shown anything, it is that the current Ipswich Town squad is not capable of achieving the required standard. Fortunately, the manager is also aware of that and will be asking a revised squad of players to achieve it next season.