I know it is very early days but could the tide be finally turning for Ipswich Town? On Saturday at Portman Road against Sunderland, we will surely know more.
I have been encouraged so far by what I have seen. It was not just the result last week against Burton Albion that pleased me but the performance too. The home side put us under immense pressure in the closing stages but young Luke Woofenden played with a maturity way beyond his years and was instrumental in keeping the home side at bay. H reminds me, in many ways, of a young Terry Butcher when of course broke into the first-team picture at just seventeen!
Woolfenden is a commanding figure for someone who is still learning his craft, and although we know he will make errors from time to time, it is all part of the learning curve as a centre back, and it does not seem to have done captain Luke Chambers too much harm now does it?!
Keeping a clean sheet will boost morale at the back but it may not be too long before we see Will Norris in goal. Tomas Holy needed a bit of divine intervention to keep a clean sheet at the Pirelli Stadium, and although he certainly is tall enough for a stopper standing at 6ft 9 inches, he did not convince me of his worth. He was punching when he really ought to be catching and dallied on the ball too long; which almost led to a late equalizer for the home side. It also caused coach Matt Gill to see red as he smashed the lid of a cool box onto the field in disbelief and frustration at his lackadaisical approach to the art of goalkeeping.
So then, is the tide beginning to turn for Ipswich Town? Well, of course, it is far too early to say but if we continue to press with the same guts and determination that we showed when we DIDN’T have the ball against Burton, then things are looking up!
It was an impressive collective team effort that won the day for the Blues and now, at long last in James Norwood, we have serious fire-power upfront.
We will need new blood at some stage, even when the bulk of our squad are available again, but what pleased me most about the win last Saturday was the team performance. It is easy to see why a manager will often remark on this more than the actual result because they see it as a benchmark for future development.
F.W. – Editor of Vital Ipswich
