Tactically beaten

One thing I picked up on last night was how we were exposed tactically, which is a big worry heading in to the play offs.

Ipswich nailed our back 3.

Chaplin and Broadhead, were used to suck Kitching and Bobby Thomas (Although the latter did a far better job of holding his position) into a far more advanced role. Kitching in particular got pulled into midfield which left a huge gap behind him, for the channel ball or diagonal. Thats why half the time when the ball went forward it looked like Mads was playing CH on his own and with the 2 Wing backs playing really wide full backs.

Although I don't think that Chaplin had a particularly good game in terms of impacting it with the ball (Goal apart) but his clever movement caused us no end of problems.

We didn't half miss Connell though, because on what I've seen so far, Russell is some kind of ornate lamp post from yesteryear.

 

Ipswich play to their strengths via their preferred system of 4-2-3-1. I can recall us doing them with the same system at Portman Road when we had O'Connor up front, Hammill and O'Brien wide and Lovre in the number ten role with Doyle and Colace just clearing out their midfield time after time. We won 3-1 and they were lucky to get one. The flat back four with the wingers in front mean that our wing back don't get the space they might and that was just one way they shut down our threat last night. I saw Hirst play for them at Cheltenham and, although he didn't score (did hit the bar), he was unplayable, won almost everything in the air and looked capable of muscling himself past any central defender. Add to that Morsy and Luongo bossing the middle of the park and you have the way Ipswich did it last night. I actually think that they will cope with Championship football next season, which is more than could be said about Wednesday, or imho Plymouth Argyle. Wednesday have too many ageing players and surely can't risk the financial disaster of overpaying too many new signings. My fear for the play offs is that we don't cope well with direct and physical forwards who run at us. Hirst did it last night. Deon Charles does it at Bolton and Clarke-Harris at Peterborough. Can we learn to combat this style, as it will be our greatest threat in the play offs. I would hope for Peterborough, or Derby in the semis and Wednesday in the final. Dream on. We play some really tidy football under Duff. Long may it continue. Even if we don't go up this time, we carry forwards the late-season form at the start of next and we will be looking good..

 

I think all of that can be attributed to missing Connell. His tireless running and dropping deep towards the back three in a pivot role was not replaced at all. His passing ability in tight areas is also outstanding and we also missed that - but it is his tactical and positional awareness that we missed. Sam Morsy had the rule of the middle.

I saw Kitching repeatedly being pulled into midfield whilst Russell ambled about somewhere and considered if we’d have been better off with ten men. Yes Ipswich suckered him in - but with a better and different support in front of him they would have had more to consider themselves, more from us to worry about; I just don’t see them being able to suck him out that easily if the central midfield support wasn’t as weak as piss.

Ipswich were set up well and of course deserved their victory but 3-0 flattered them and I saw enough in the first half before the goal to suggest that we were good enough to get at them, and with a better foundation, including Connell, we’d have given them a lot more to think about.

The game might have been very different regardless as well, if the linesman doesn’t incorrectly give a corner, or if some chuff could teach Harry Isted where his front post is, or even if Jon Russell wasn’t so bloody naive and reactionary, the first goal doesn’t happen - the second, very much like ours v Wednesday, came so quickly whilst they were still gathering themselves so wouldn’t have occurred without the first in my eyes. Get to half time at 0-0 and it’s a different game of course. And we should have done. We were hardly holding on before the goal. We were well in the game.

I’d go as far to say that had we got to half time 0-0 we’d have got something; and I’ll go further and say that had Connell been fit to play we’d have won. They were good Ipswich, but not completely unplayable.

 

I concur with all that.

Kudos

 

Feared the worst when I saw Connell was missing - he pulls the strings and also great protection for the back 3

 

Yep, pretty much as I saw it. That crucial couple of minutes at the end of the first half cost us dearly. Would also add that if Hirst had been sent off as he should’ve then I doubt that 3rd goal happens.

 

I think if Connell isn't available, I'd rather have Kane play in the middle of the midfield three than Russell

 

I thought Kane was MOM yesterday

 

There been one of the post and a wide open net that they managed to muss before any goals were scored as well!

 

I missed that.

 

One light at the end of the tunnel is even though we are definitely not at our best.
Whether sussed out or running out of steam... Is that Wendy's Bolton Derby and or Peterborough have all hit the buffers aswell.. not one form team
Time to practice our pens me thinks. Best pen takers in the semi's and final may just take it this year.

 

Same Connell that played at Exeter ,Burton and Lincoln ?

 

Yep same one that played against Wednesday , Plymouth and Derby - that one. So you don't think we needed one of our best performers on the pitch last night?

 

Barry Bannon ran him ragged,he been a decent laker ,but we didn’t lose cos he wasn’t playing ,otherwise we beat the bottom teams if he makes that much difference

 

League games only:

With Connell starting - W23 D6 L8 PPG 2.03
Without Connell starting W3 D1 L3 PPG 1.43

He's the best player in the league. Any team would massively miss him. Let alone one where there's such an alarming drop off between the starting lineup and nearly everyone else.

 

He good player,but still don’t think we a one player team

 

Gioer.

I can't understand your anti-Connell views, he's our best player by a mile.

 

I’m not anti Connell but Bannon did run him ragged and it’s a lie if anyone says different,I hate to say it but Bannon ran midfield for most of that game,my only point is if we are a one player team ,why did we not beat those lower placed sides with Connell in team

 

I don't think Bannon ran Connell ragged specifically, he just controlled the game. He kept the ball, he has good vision, he can dictate the pace, and he ran the midfield as you observe. But it wasn't like Connell was chasing around after Bannon all game. Are you gonna drop in an IDST 'If Dead Still True' now? ​

 

When?