The West Stand Senior on Ipswich vs Newcastle

Pre-match thoughts

Feeling very apprehensive about this game.

I don’t think the team is strong enough at the moment, given the players who are out due to injury; compounded by the loss of Delap to suspension this week. It’s tempting to say he must learn to control that feisty temperament, except that this very feistiness probably fuels the determination that makes him so hard to handle. He’s an exciting player who quite literally battles with his opponents in the game and who seems to thrive on pressure.  

The train from London was packed with fans from Newcastle. One, speaking with my son, said he thought we would shade it at 2-1, which was reassuring as I thought they had been on an upward trend. Another Town fan predicted 1-3.

We have a shared history with Newcastle of course, in the great Sir Bobby Robson who managed and played for Newcastle and who managed Ipswich for thirteen years during his career. Good to hear the anthem-like “There’s only one Bobby Robson” echo around the ground.

This match was a tribute to his memory and players from Town’s successful 1978 and 1981 squads were in attendance.

First half

Unfortunately, it started how it meant to go on.

1-0 down after 30 seconds with a VAR check that took over 4 mins to decide is not an auspicious beginning. Their third goal was a ridiculous mess up by us.

I’m not going to attempt to write up a blow by blow account of the rest of the play, suffice to say we had moments of threat on goal but not enough to worry Newcastle, who were 3-0 up at the break. They were a stronger, more powerful and more experienced team in every aspect of play. I find it annoying when people focus in and announce that a team played badly, when recognition of an opponent’s superior form is ignored.

The only criticism I have of their players was their Premiership Oscar winning tactics when seeking a free kick. One instance actually made me laugh out loud, it was such a spectacularly overplayed rolling about. But it worked. Surely referees should by now be immune to these tactics?

I can’t remember Alan Shearer ever doing it.

Half time

A hum of chat on what needed to be done in the second half. My seat neighbour Gary and I discussed the lack of decent wi-fi within the ground.

Second half

The first time I have felt dispirited, not excited or nervous, as in the second half it was obvious there would be no ‘coming back’. Our team were tame in their efforts to score, too many touches and not enough power or positioning. Newcastle succeeded in making our formation and tactics definitely appear to be all wrong.

Isak bagged a hat trick to make the score 4-0, and this remained the final score when a fifth goal was ruled offside by VAR in added time. Inexplicably, that felt like a let off!

Men of the match

Our Captain Morsy was as solid as ever but to add more misery to the pot, he picked up another yellow card which means his suspension next week for the Arsenal game. Bad news.

Cajuste was noticeably a bright useful spark in the centre field, though having won the ball his passing accuracy was a little lacking at times.

Hutchinson was pretty effectively marked out of the game. This again stems from the absence of Delap who would have taken some of that heat onto his shoulders. Much easier for an opposing team to mark fewer potential threats to their goal.

I thought Szmodics battled well, but was stifled by one of the main noticeable issues when comparing these two sides. Size.

Man of the match: Alexander Isak

Round up

Disappointed with the ‘fans’ who walked out early – hazard a guess that many of them were those that only started coming to the ground in the last couple of seasons - although perhaps ‘nominally’ supporters for many years. There is often an outcry when I make this sort of comment, but they forget that some of us were there, not so long ago, when the average crowd for a home game was around 8 – 12 thousand, not 29 plus thousand as it is today.

True supporters stayed and clapped the team round the pitch as always.

Perhaps a reminder that Bobby Robson’s first four seasons were described as ‘mediocre’ will help some attitudes. Time, patience, and faith needed.

The January window is going to be a crucial time in which to strengthen the team. Kieran of course knows that. Other teams in the premiership already have the capability to access stats to assess a player’s past performance, matches played, goals scored, assists etc., especially good young players from clubs within and outside the UK, who don’t get enough minutes of play. Sitting where we are in the table currently is surely going to make it impossible to entice a premiership player with experience sitting in a stable team to come to our club. Unless of course we throw huge bucks around, which we don’t have and which would be unsustainable.

Maybe 2025 will be a lucky year for us, we need to make a new year’s resolution to keep backing our manager and our team, to make good things follow. Today, our team was too light against a club valued in £billions. Recognition that when we lose it’s not always through bad play and acceptance that other teams play well is needed. Of course, that scenario can and will be reversed when we are back to full strength!

View from the train

General opinion seemed to be that they were the best team we have played so far this year, in terms of continuity, strength and skill throughout the 97 minutes. There will be more of the same down the line from the bigger clubs – it has been expected no matter how difficult it might be to accept.

Lots of friendly Newcastle supporters on the train. Talked to one in particular who was asking the way across London to King’s Cross - he came down the hellish cross-country route via Peterborough. Embarrassingly had to keep asking him to repeat what he said. It never fails to amaze me that we live in such a small country, yet have such a huge variety of regional accents and dialects.

Several Newcastle supporters admitted we had played them at a good time – for them. Games have not always gone their way this season and they knew that Delap was a big miss for us up front. Isak showed us his best. Let’s hope we can ramp up the show when we play them away.

Unfortunately for us, you played well today Newcastle United. I wish you all the best for the rest of the season.

Happy Christmas Everybody.