01-10-2014, 15:39
I will try to keep my thoughts to the football although night roadworks which took me off my route home three times last night were probably more frustrating. Still I did get see bits of Derby that I haven't seen before.
A flying start when Maghoma gave Nuhui the kind of simple header that I could have scored. I did post on Sunday that we should play more near post corners. It should have been 2-0 when Zayatte headed home the rebound after the initial header (not sure who from - Buxton?) was blocked on the line. Couldn't see anything wrong with that one.
Overall, Ipswich bossed the first half but only created a few half chances coming up to half time. The second half followed the same pattern but we could have increased our lead if Nuhui had held his run on to Maghoma's perfect free kick. Shortly after, Williams equalised with a clever curled shot that went in off the post.
After that, Ipswich looked the more likely winners but we created the clearest chance when Maghoma, flighted the ball perfectly for May to head from ten yards but with the keeper dead, he put it a foot wide.
Westwood - 6 - can't remember any saves
Buxton - 6 - couple of dodgy moments but a couple of good interventions
Loovens - 6 - solid
Zayatte - 6 - looked brilliant but then he got injured
Mattock - 6 - generally solid, unlucky booking
Maguire - 6 - better, several decent shots, took booking for the team
Palmer - 6 - tidy if unspectacular
Semedo - 6 - did a decent job
Maghoma - 7 - our most creative player, set up three great chances, one taken, one disallowed
Nuhui - 6 - scored, couple of good moments, commited chasing but otherwise average
May - 6 - buzzed about well but missed a straightforward chance
.........................................................................................
Dielna - 6 - no nonsense but struggled for first ten minutes
Helan - 6 - never really got into it
Drenthe - 6 - impressive commitment but little on the ball
SG flagged up that Ipswich have done well by playing 433 & dominating midfield yet he sent us out 442 and let them dominate. We scored one & had two disallowed from set pieces so we could have won it but Ipswich dominated possession and always looked threatening with three men forward.
The substitutions didn't work but it was one of those matches that deserved to be a draw with everybody playing ok but no-one particularly outstanding. It was a shame after such a good start that we didn't take control of the match.
A word on the referee, who has been criticised by some. Let's compare him with the referee from the Reading match. The referee against Reading inflamed the situations and made well into double figures mistakes. The referee last night was calm and defused situations & the players responded. To my count, he made one big mistake (disallowing Zayatte's goal) and one minor mistake over a corner/ goal kick. Far better than many referees we have had this season.
Three questions for SG.
1) You made a big point about why you picked Buxton to play CB at Cardiff that it was important not to play two left footers together, yet last night when Zayatte got injured that is what you chose rather than move Buxton to CB, Palmer to RB & bring on a midfield player. Why have you changed your mind since Saturday?
2) You made another big point about the lack of quality balls to the strikers. Last night, it was very different. Maghoma's corner gave Nuhui the simplest of touches to score. Maguire's corner produced a goal line stop & Zayatte headed in the rebound, inexplicably ruled out. Maghoma's free kick gabe Nuhui a simple header which he prodded in on the rebound although Nuhui had started in an offside position. Maghoma's brilliant cross gave May a free header from about ten yards which he flashed wide. Are your views any different today after our midfield (Maghoma mainly) created four easy chances?
3) You said Lee was fit to be in the squad for this match. Did you choose not to pick him or were you being economical with the truth there to try to add a couple of hundred to the gate? Hutchinson had a fitness test at Middlesbrough & didn't make it and five weeks later still hasn't appeared. Was that a lie as well or are our fitness tests so vigourous that they put players out for over a month?
A flying start when Maghoma gave Nuhui the kind of simple header that I could have scored. I did post on Sunday that we should play more near post corners. It should have been 2-0 when Zayatte headed home the rebound after the initial header (not sure who from - Buxton?) was blocked on the line. Couldn't see anything wrong with that one.
Overall, Ipswich bossed the first half but only created a few half chances coming up to half time. The second half followed the same pattern but we could have increased our lead if Nuhui had held his run on to Maghoma's perfect free kick. Shortly after, Williams equalised with a clever curled shot that went in off the post.
After that, Ipswich looked the more likely winners but we created the clearest chance when Maghoma, flighted the ball perfectly for May to head from ten yards but with the keeper dead, he put it a foot wide.
Westwood - 6 - can't remember any saves
Buxton - 6 - couple of dodgy moments but a couple of good interventions
Loovens - 6 - solid
Zayatte - 6 - looked brilliant but then he got injured
Mattock - 6 - generally solid, unlucky booking
Maguire - 6 - better, several decent shots, took booking for the team
Palmer - 6 - tidy if unspectacular
Semedo - 6 - did a decent job
Maghoma - 7 - our most creative player, set up three great chances, one taken, one disallowed
Nuhui - 6 - scored, couple of good moments, commited chasing but otherwise average
May - 6 - buzzed about well but missed a straightforward chance
.........................................................................................
Dielna - 6 - no nonsense but struggled for first ten minutes
Helan - 6 - never really got into it
Drenthe - 6 - impressive commitment but little on the ball
SG flagged up that Ipswich have done well by playing 433 & dominating midfield yet he sent us out 442 and let them dominate. We scored one & had two disallowed from set pieces so we could have won it but Ipswich dominated possession and always looked threatening with three men forward.
The substitutions didn't work but it was one of those matches that deserved to be a draw with everybody playing ok but no-one particularly outstanding. It was a shame after such a good start that we didn't take control of the match.
A word on the referee, who has been criticised by some. Let's compare him with the referee from the Reading match. The referee against Reading inflamed the situations and made well into double figures mistakes. The referee last night was calm and defused situations & the players responded. To my count, he made one big mistake (disallowing Zayatte's goal) and one minor mistake over a corner/ goal kick. Far better than many referees we have had this season.
Three questions for SG.
1) You made a big point about why you picked Buxton to play CB at Cardiff that it was important not to play two left footers together, yet last night when Zayatte got injured that is what you chose rather than move Buxton to CB, Palmer to RB & bring on a midfield player. Why have you changed your mind since Saturday?
2) You made another big point about the lack of quality balls to the strikers. Last night, it was very different. Maghoma's corner gave Nuhui the simplest of touches to score. Maguire's corner produced a goal line stop & Zayatte headed in the rebound, inexplicably ruled out. Maghoma's free kick gabe Nuhui a simple header which he prodded in on the rebound although Nuhui had started in an offside position. Maghoma's brilliant cross gave May a free header from about ten yards which he flashed wide. Are your views any different today after our midfield (Maghoma mainly) created four easy chances?
3) You said Lee was fit to be in the squad for this match. Did you choose not to pick him or were you being economical with the truth there to try to add a couple of hundred to the gate? Hutchinson had a fitness test at Middlesbrough & didn't make it and five weeks later still hasn't appeared. Was that a lie as well or are our fitness tests so vigourous that they put players out for over a month?
The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.