The Ipswich Saga

The 2012/13 season has begun, and while it may only be three games in I've already lost the hope I had on opening day. There are several factors to these feelings of disappointment and frustration, and perhaps come deadline day on Friday I'll be left with egg on my face and nice slice of pie to eat; but as of right now, the feelings are there in force.

Opening day arrived with hope, it ended with a well-earned point against freshly relegated Blackburn. The performance was good, perhaps we could have gotten more with some improvements. That was okay though, it's the first game of the season, the team is still gelling together but most importantly we played well. Could we keep up the level of performance, perhaps grab another point away to Watford. Every team has an opposition it struggles against, for Ipswich this team was Watford. 15 games in all competitions, home or away, since Ipswich had beaten Watford. It took another 90 minutes before Michael Chopra scored the winner, but not only had we gotten a good draw against Blackburn, we'd also gone to Watford and beaten them whilst keeping a clean sheet. Things were looking up, although it was only two games old, this season could be a success. Things were about to change.

Blackpool are a good side. I'd even go as far to say that Blackpool are the best team in the Championship this season. If they don't get an automatic promotion spot then I will be very surprised. Travelling to Bloomfield Road all I wanted was a good performance, I didn't think we stood a chance at a win, a draw would be a huge surprised. 2-0, 3-1, a scoreline like that would be fine if combined with a fighting performance, something that could continued to be built on. 6-0. Blackpool 6, Ipswich Town 0. There are no words that can describe what happened that Saturday afternoon in Blackpool. All I knew was that the team needed strengthening, especially in defence. There was a week left in the transfer window, this is something that surely would be addressed by the board and the management staff over those few days. They couldn't ignore it again, surely?

The final week of the transfer window was interrupted by a trip to Carlisle in the Capital One Cup. A perfect arena for us to get over our drumming to Blackpool, score a couple of goals, keep a clean sheet and continue on a cup run. It start well enough, we scored within 20 minutes and we had started well. We were on top and if we could score a second goal before half time, the game was ours as Carlisle had nothing. We didn't score before half time, infact we didn't do much else before half time... or after it. What we did was switch off, give up and concede in the 90th minute... again. Then we conceded in extra-time and got knocked out of the League Cup by a lower league team... again.

As with Ipswich Town for so many seasons, there was no fight or determination. No grit. No guts when it mattered. No travelling to a far away stadium and grinding out a win. It's not like we lost to Carlisle while playing our reserves, firstly because we don't have any and secondly because they've changed the rules of the League Cup so Football League teams (Championship, League One and League Two) have to play full strength sides in every game. Premier League teams don't. Such a fair rule.

The team lacked depth and the manager was aware of it. Players needed to be added, the board needed to work quick. They did work quick, a double bid for the Peterborough attacking pair of George Boyd (left midfielder) and Paul Taylor (striker) was accepted. They arrived in Ipswich and passed a medical before leaving on Wednesday night after failing to agree terms. Not a promising start. In the past few hours it's been reported that Paul Taylor has since agreed terms with Ipswich, some depth to the front line and perhaps someone who can score more regularly than Chopra. Alongside this piece of news, Daryl Murphy has rejoined on loan from Celtic... again. If you were to put all the players that Ipswich could sign in a barrel, Murphy would be close to the bottom of it, perhaps only reachable if you scraped said barrel. But anyway, that's two attackers added to strengthen the side, which alongside midfielder Guirane N'Daw who is also joining on loan, has made the team look a bit deeper and stronger. There is still a glaring weakness with the squad though.

On Monday morning, Ipswich Town had four centre backs contracted. Luke Chambers, signed during the summer for free after his contract with Nottingham Forest, where he was captain, expired; much needed signing for a team who has had defensive problems for several seasons. Tommy Smith, a youth product who played for New Zealand at the World Cup, he's decent enough for the league and is still young but prone to mistakes; good enough for the team for now, but not if we're serious about promotion. Jack Ainsley, a recent youth graduate who isn't highly rated by anyone, no more than depth. Damien Delaney, old, Irish defender, good for depth. Well, he was good for depth until he was released today. The termination of Delaney's contract means that there are 3 natural centre backs at Ipswich. Three. This is a huge issue if not addressed. There is a fresh rumour going around that we are after Sean St. Ledger from Leicester. That would be an important signing if we can make it, but given our negotiating history and the tightness of the clubs finances, it's a big if.

There are lots of questions to be answered by 11pm Friday night. I am again being hopeful that I won't be left with new questions come the passing of the deadline, but being an Ipswich fan that is probably wishful thinking.