To lose to The Bees for the first time since 1955 was bad enough but what was even worse was the manner of the defeat.
Having gone a goal down we seemed to collectively lose the plot and when the second goal was conceded soon after, we already knew what the final outcome would be.
What perhaps is more infuriating for the traveling fans is they have witnessed something similar on numerous occasions since Mick McCarthy was installed as head coach and yet the same mistakes at the back occur again and again.
It is bewildering though because the one thing I thought this former Irish centre half would do is to sort out the defence!
In fact, it looked as though he had when he took on the job but that was before he started tinkering with it and moving Luke Chambers from central defence to wing back.
McCarthy is as stubborn as they come and he gains great satisfaction from proving people wrong but in the sad case of Luke Chambers he will never achieve his goal. Even our captain knows that this is not his natural position and we won’t see the best of him until he is moved back into the middle.
So then, with the introduction of Adam Webster one would have hoped for more solidity at the back but so far at least this has not been the case and we have shipped four goals in our first two games.
Tomorrow we visit Wolverhampton Wanderers who have picked up four points from their first two encounters – including last Saturday’s 2-0 win at home to Reading.
Given our dodgy defence manager Mick McCarthy might be contemplating bringing in Tommy Smith and who knows – even his firm favourite Dean Gerken?
In midfield too he might think about shaking things up a little with the inclusion of Andre Dozzell? Kevin Bru would then probably drop the bench – although he does have other options with Teddy Bishop now fully fit once more.
Why we do not seem able to cut out these schoolboy errors at the back remains baffling and I can only assume the defenders forget their lines once they hit pitch side but it must also be a coaching issue too.
Tomorrow night at Wolves we will have to defend well to stand any chance of coming away with something so I can only hope McCarthy and co have a master plan?
Frank Weston. – Editor of Vial Ipswich
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