BLUES' boss Joe Royle has ruled out the possibility of loan reinforcements arriving from Charlton in January but has been boosted by the extension of Gavin Williams' loan from West Ham.

By Derek Davis

BLUES' boss Joe Royle has ruled out the possibility of loan reinforcements arriving from Charlton in January but has been boosted by the extension of Gavin Williams' loan from West Ham.

The Welsh international midfielder will stay a further month until mid-January, when it is highly likely his stay at Portman Road will be made permanent. The Premiership side would almost certainly not stand in his way of playing regular first-team football.

Royle was also strongly linked with striker Jonatan Johansson last week when Sam Parkin was injured and earlier this season was keen to secure former Blues' skipper Matt Holland on loan but he has been rebuffed in all departments by Alan Curbishley.

Royle said: “There is no one available for loan from Charlton - not Matt Holland, not Jonatan Johansson. The question was asked if anyone was for loan and the answer was 'no'.”

Although stricken by injury, Ipswich are facing a crucial spell and Royle accepts the next eight days could be crucial.

Victory over Wolves tomorrow and QPR next week would push them toward the top half of the table looking at the stars.

Defeat on Saturday could leave them as low as eighth from bottom, and another bad result against the Hoops at Portman Road next Saturday could leaving them staring at the gutter.

But Royle is ever the optimist and prefers only to look at the direction he wants to go - upwards.

He said: “Pressure is always on us to win our games at home. At the moment we are watching the play-off places go further away while we are looking over our shoulder the other way and we don't want that to go any further.

“If we have a couple of good results now, we will be looking towards the play-offs again and with me, the glass is always half-full.”

Royle is refusing to use any excuses, despite compelling circumstances to do so, and is determined to try and meet what has become a millstone of expectation.

He said: “There is pressure on us all the time because the expectation here has kept rising, while our transition has not been fully completed.

“I'm not going to moan or look back at what has happened in the past, all I'm going to say is that we have not had a chance to put out a settled side this year but expectations have not gone down with that.

“The crowd, quite rightly, expect more from us than they are getting from us at the moment.

“They don't want to hear bleating about players going or injuries, they just want to see a successful side.

“Pressure never changes at home, we have to go and entertain them.

“We have played quite well in the past six games, apart from the Reading game, but we have not had our just desserts.”

Royle knows that Glenn Hoddle's side, who have not conceded in their past three matches, will be difficult opposition, sprinkled with internationals.

He said: “Wolves are finding it hard to carry on from the wonderful run they had last year but, if you look at the players they have, you can see they are a strong squad and will be among the play-off places at the end of the year.

“Wolves are claiming they have a few injury problems up front yet they still seem to have two or three internationals around.”