Northstander’s latest musings on his beloved Ipswich Town

Are you part of the glass half-full brigade, revelling in our eight-game unbeaten run?

Or perhaps you’re firmly in the glass half-empty camp, looking at the other, less encouraging statistic – a meagre two wins in 15 matches.

Both figures are accurate, and I guess they illustrate what they say about lies, damned lies, and statistics – you can use them to prove almost anything.

It’s just so dull, isn’t it? The season is dying on its feet, and there’s still a long way to go.

When the main discussion point is whether we can equal the club record for consecutive draws, you know things are getting desperate at Portman Road.

I really don’t think relegation from the Championship is a serious threat, although the drop zone does keep edging closer.

Sadly, that slight risk gives Mick McCarthy another reason to stick with the tried and tested, robbing us of the opportunity to see some of the youngsters and – heaven forbid – some entertaining football.

Take the game at Barnsley as an example.

It was formulaic Ipswich Town this season. Set up not to lose, concede a goal, try to attack, score a last minute equaliser. Come away with a point, in this case pretty much undeserved.

In years to come, the records will suggest a decent point for Town, away at a team higher in the Championship table.

But the harsh reality was another desperately dull performance, with very few chances created, almost devoid of exciting fare for the 800 or so admirable Ipswich fans who made the long journey to Oakwell.

I sometimes wonder if we expect too much these days from the Blues.

Last week, I was totally bored by Ipswich’s home game against Wolves, but then 24 hours later watched the thrilling Barcelona game, where they completed a miraculous comeback victory against PSG.

Is our expectation heightened by such spectacles?

Go back to the season when we set our thrilling most draws in a row record, 1990-91. It was an equally dull season, but I don’t recall such an outcry.

And we were promoted the following year! Hope springs eternal.