Ipswich 4 Morecambe 0 LIVE THREAD

[Keith]

4-0 first half. 0-0 second half. Did we improve, or did they take the foot off the pedal?

Both.

We improved a bit, but not huge amount. Still far too many sloppy passes that went to a blue shirt, but slightly better.

At the same time, Ipswich steadily settled in to a 'pre-season friendly' mode. they didn't need to break sweat. Took their goal-scorers off.

Conceding in the first minute really knocked us, especially as it was such a poor goal to concede. We never got going. Against Cheltenham, we were first to respond to the second ball, frequently one player winning it, then a second flying in to pick the second ball up, and go. Tonight, we were laborious.

Ipswich have just signed another million-pound player. 22,000 fans on a Tuesday night. We're in the same League, but they are in a different league.

Now we need to see how we bounce back on Saturday.

[marky No.1]

we have got away with one tonight

Four more like

[Redalert1970]

4 goals worse off tonight

Otherwise as you were points wise

[Redalert1970]

How did Simeu, Mellon and Crowley do when they come on ????

[Gone_Shrimping]

Could have been worse. At half time I would have grabbed 4-0 at the end.

Forest green , MK and Fleetwood losing meant we didn't lose any ground. Let's hope Derek get's them back in winning mode on Saturday.

The Fleetwood fans are getting on Scott Brown's case after another home defeat. We have to aim to get above them as soon as we can.

[Redalert1970]

Wonder if Fleetwood will look at Stockton again ????

Scott Brown just said on Radio Lancashire they need to bring a striker in as soon as possible

[red shrimp]

Wonder if Fleetwood will look at Stockton again ????

Scott Brown just said on Radio Lancashire they need to bring a striker in as soon as possible

I can't see him going until the summer, especially with the loss of Phillips. He needs to pull his socks up and start getting on the score sheet and hopefully he will get a better move than Fleetwood in the summer. He sure isn't signing a new contract with us.

[Keith]

How did Simeu, Mellon and Crowley do when they come on ????

Crowley was the pick of the bunch on that showing. He showed both nice touches but also battled for the ball too. Linked up with Weir well, looked like they could get on each others wave length.

Simeu is a big, solid lad. Difficult to assess on a night like yesterday. Mellon looked okay, but again, a difficult 45 minutes to really gauge him.

[fulwoodshrimp]

I thought Simeu and Crowley looked better players than most of the squad and will improve the side. Mellon looked like he possibly isn't ready yet for League 1 but it's early days. Gibson had a really poor game and was getting caught in possession too frequently. The manager has a blind spot about Love. Imo he is very poor regularly misplacing his passes and generally offering very little. Last night Stockton looked as though he has not recovered from his injury.Survival is going to be a struggle.

[Keith]

Fair comments from Derek... Room for one more, hopefully before the window closes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywJzBcpFioQ

[Keith]

The manager has a blind spot about Love. Imo he is very poor regularly misplacing his passes and generally offering very little.

I think there's a danger that we're only seeing or noticing Love's errors, but missing what he does well. He was better in the second half than Cooney (who I like) had been in the first. He got forwards well enough and played some decent passes. Admittedly, Ipswich took their foot off the gas in the second half, so it was an easier game, but he wasn't that bad in my opinion. We can cut Gibbo some slack because he's been playing so well lately, but last night, he was the worst player on the pitch, by quite a distance, and even in the second half, he performed well below Love. When his throw-in went directly to their player, you knew he was having a game that he needs to forget quickly! I said in this thread, while the game was on, I'd have brought Love on for Gibbo at half-time.

[Redalert1970]

Love gets used as a scapegoat I'm afraid

Other players have bad games but hardly ever get called out

[Little Shrimp]

Agree with the couple of posts above about Love.

Don't think Derek has a blindspot with him at all - he's been dropped after bad performances since Burton. Conversely, I think many fans have a bit of a blindspot when it comes to Cooney. I love him but there are gaps to his game - fitness, similar concentration issues in defence to Love.

Agree that Love has an issue with stupid panicky passes, he's pretty capable in terms of technique which makes them even more frustrating, but I'm not sure why his name needed calling out after last night's game.

[fulwoodshrimp]

I think you too have a blind spot about Love, Little Shrimp. His passing is woeful, his reading of the game is poor and he doesn’t have the pace. He also doesn’t have the physicality required in a League 1 defenderHe is another player like Gnahoua who is simply not good enough to play in League 1. I do accept he wasn’t alone in being substandard at Ipswich. Gibbo was poor getting caught in possession. Cooney was poor and couldn’t cope with Ipswich’s attacking flair. Watts was lightweight and ineffective. Stockton didn’t look match fit. However all is not lost- Simeu and Crowley look good acquisitions and will strengthen the team.

[Keith]

I do accept he wasn’t alone in being substandard at Ipswich. Gibbo was poor getting caught in possession. Cooney was poor and couldn’t cope with Ipswich’s attacking flair. Watts was lightweight and ineffective. Stockton didn’t look match fit.

I think that's the point we're trying to make. At least four players, perhaps more, had a worse game than Love, but Love is the one who gets mentioned. I don't think he had a bad game on Tuesday, certainly we looked more secure in the second half, when he replaced Cooney, albeit, Ipswich relaxed the pace, so not under as much pressure. Stockton was either still recovering from injury, or back to his pre-Christmas, Sunday afternoon stroll. Gibbo had a torrid evening. With the game lost, Derek gave players match time, and that has to include Love. Personally, I'd have swapped him for Gibson, partly because he was struggling so much, but also because Love had a really good game when he played in that holding midfield position, but he only played there once. Some of the Facebook pages are vicious in their attacks on Love, and booing him at games is out of order (not suggesting you are doing that Fulwoodshrimp, differences of opinion are fine, I'm just talking generally!)

[Little Shrimp]

I think you too have a blind spot about Love, Little Shrimp. His passing is woeful, his reading of the game is poor and he doesn’t have the pace. He also doesn’t have the physicality required in a League 1 defenderHe is another player like Gnahoua who is simply not good enough to play in League 1. I do accept he wasn’t alone in being substandard at Ipswich. Gibbo was poor getting caught in possession. Cooney was poor and couldn’t cope with Ipswich’s attacking flair. Watts was lightweight and ineffective. Stockton didn’t look match fit. However all is not lost- Simeu and Crowley look good acquisitions and will strengthen the team.

Really, how so? I think he's been one of poorest players this season, and now we've got a couple of spots opening up in the squad following McLoughlin's departure I'd be happy seeing Derek recruit a RWB/RB as well as a defensive midfielder.

I'm just pointing out that the stick that he gets in comparison to other players is way out of proportion. Just because I try to fairly evaluate a player doesn't mean I've got a blind spot.

[fulwoodshrimp]

Sorry Little Shrimp I have misunderstood you. I thought you felt criticism of Love was unjustified! I agree with you that he has been poor. I agree he shouldn’t be singled out for criticism. I have criticised Gibbo, Gnahoua and Cooney. I know we both want the best for our team and I think Simeu and Crowley will give us good value.