Ipswich Town drew 1-1 at Cambridge United yesterday afternoon. STUART WATSON reflects on the action.
SLOW START
Cambridge boss Mark Bonner said in the build-up to this game that he'd seen 'an angry (Ipswich) team against Morecambe that looked really determined'.
Kieran McKenna named the same side that had started that impressive 4-0 home win 11 days earlier. But this time, instead of fired-up and focused, we got passive and wasteful during the tone-setting opening exchanges.
Cambridge sat deep and were organised. Ipswich's passing was far too slow to create overloads.
A couple of impressive Harry Clarke long throws into the box was about as exciting as it got. Patient spells of possession ended with hopeful deep balls into the box coming to nothing. Town's usually strong set-piece game was off too, epitomised by Lee Evans fluffing a free-kick in a golden position.
You can only assume that, even at a subconscious level, some complacency had set in after a couple of impressive home displays.
UNACCEPTABLE DEFENDING
To compound matters, the Blues then suffered a lapse in concentration and the U's scored with their first shot of the game.
Former Blues man Paul Digby side-stepped his way between Sam Morsy and Evans far too easily in the middle of the pitch. Richard Keogh then appeared to completely lose his bearings, turning his back and inviting Harvey Knibbs to send a super swerving shot into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.
Home tails were suddenly up. Ipswich were shocked into paralysis. James Brophy's teasing cross saw Ironside get above Leif Davis at the far post. The offside flag was up, but the warning signs were there.
Moments later, a long kick upfield by keeper Dimitar Mitov saw Ironside beat Clarke in the air. Evans and Keogh were then fatally indecisive as the ball dropped loose. Conor McGrandles burst into the box and George Edmundson awkwardly went to ground, tripping the midfielder with his trailing leg. Stonewall penalty...
WALTON TO THE RESCUE
Ironside's spot-kick was firm and accurate, but Walton read it well and kept the ball out with a full-stretch dive to his right.
Morsy grabbed Town's keeper by the scruff of the neck in an act of angry celebration. Burns frantically gestured at his team-mates to switch on.
That moment didn't act as the necessary wake-up call though.
Within seconds, Keogh had to fling himself in the way of a shot inside the box after a corner caused chaos.
Ipswich continued to live dangerously. A frustrated Morsy was booked (and is now one yellow card away from serving a two-game league ban).
Early in the second half a big Cambridge punt upfield saw Sam Smith burn beyond Keogh in a straight foot race, despite the the 36-year-old having had an initial four or five yard headstart. Walton came to the rescue again, bravely blocking at the forward's feet.
Somehow the damage remained only one goal.
GOING GUNG-HO
McKenna, who afterwards labelled that first half display as 'way below the standard that is acceptable for us, made a triple change at the break.
Evans had picked up a knock, while full-backs Clarke and Davis were simply given the hook. "Anyone could have come off," explained the Blues boss.
On came Janoi Donacien, Marcus Harness and Kyle Edwards. Town switched to what is probably best described as a 3-1-4-2 system.
Morsy sat in front of the back three, Burns and Edwards were the flying wing-backs, the attack-minded Harness and Chaplin were nominally central midfielders, with Nathan Broadhead up alongside Ladapo.
It made for a wide open second half in which Ipswich improved significantly going forwards, but looked very vulnerable to the counter.
You certainly can't accuse McKenna of not throwing caution to the wind.
COMEBACK FALLS SHORT
Edwards made an instant impact with his trickery down the left. It was his dart and cross which led to Ladapo deftly guiding the ball across the goalkeeper and inside the far side-netting for Town's 54th minute equaliser.
Game on! The Blues now had ample time to find a winner attacking towards their away fans.
For the next 15 minutes, Town were very much on the front foot. Burns' driving run won a free-kick down the right and Chaplin almost caught Mitov out with a cheeky near post attempt. Chaplin was a whisker away from turning in a Ladapo flick-on at the far post. Broadhead played a cute one-two with Ladapo and lashed narrowly over from a tight angle.
A lengthy stoppage for a Cambridge injury helped the home side stabilise. Ipswich still created openings though. Burns lifted a difficult chance over following a perfectly-weighted Harness through ball. Then Broadhead wasn't quite able to bundle home from close-range after newly-introduced sub George Hirst (two strikers and four attackers now on the pitch) had guided the ball back across the six-yard box.
That chance, which came in the 74th minute, was as good as it got. In truth, Cambridge looked just as likely to snatch all three points during a chaotic finish.
NO EXCUSES
No lengthy injury list, no refereeing travesty, no adverse weather conditions, no lucky deflection, two new £1m+ signings in the team...
There aren't any excuses for Town to turn to following this latest frustration.
McKenna said afterwards that 'this needs to be a key moment of realisation for us in terms of what's required'. I'd argue that penny shouldn't only just be dropping now.
The Blues have now claimed 19 points from their last 13 league games. That's prolonged mid-table form. One step forwards always seems to be followed by one step back.
Plymouth and Sheffield Wednesday are now both six points clear. Derby and Bolton are both just two points back. The Owls and the Rams - both on incredible runs - each have a game in hand on Town too.
PAST WEIGHS HEAVY
Here we go again...
Can McKenna understand that supporters’ confidence and belief might be a little fragile given the the club's previous false dawns and disappointments?
"I understand," he said. "Ipswich have had some disappointing seasons in League One and some seasons where they've really fallen away. I know the history of it.
"I still have big belief in this group of players. I have big belief in our performances over the course of the season.
"This is a new group, a new staff, a new club and it certainly doesn't help to attach things from the past to now. We have to live in the present and make sure we work for everything that we can to have a better future."
Town now head to Burnley for their FA Cup fourth round replay on Tuesday night. Then, on Saturday, it's a big one... Sheffield Wednesday at Portman Road.
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