Omari Hutchinson shows his frustration at Leicester City (Image: Ross Halls)
Omari Hutchinson shows his frustration at Leicester City (Image: Ross Halls)
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Ipswich Town 2024-2025. This time appearing at Leicester City and, you’ll be delighted to hear, we have all your old favourites.
First on the bill, by popular demand, we have a series of missed chances, followed by soft goals conceded, and then - you know what’s coming - a goalkeeping clanger.
Yes, I’m afraid our desperately frustrating loss at Leicester contained all of our usual failings - the shortcomings which have led to the worst season in our history, in terms of points won.
Make no mistake - Leicester are hopeless. The table tells you as much. But we are now in danger of finishing below them, which is a very sad reflection on the way our season has totally collapsed.
Ipswich Town have made a habit of squandering chances this season
Ipswich Town have made a habit of squandering chances this season
(Image: Ross Halls) There is absolutely no way we should have lost that game. We created so many clear chances and other openings but simply failed to take a single one. It’s been the case so often this season.
Either our players panicked and snatched at chances or we made poor decisions when in good positions. Time and again we shot when could have played a teammate through.
To fail to score against this utterly hopeless, totally porous Leicester defence is unforgivable.
At the other end, of course Jamie Vardy scored. Of course he did. It was written in the stars. When he realised he was facing Ipswich in his last game for Leicester he must have really fancied his chances of getting his 200th goal. And so it proved.
You can't begrudge Jamie Vardy his big send off
You can't begrudge Jamie Vardy his big send off
(Image: PA Sport) Being brutally honest, I don’t begrudge him. He’s been a fantastic player for the Foxes over the years, including that unforgettable Premier League season in 2016. And the way he made it to the top, after his early non-league struggles, should act as an inspiration to many other youngsters.
So we sink to second from bottom. Embarrassing. Our 23rd league defeat, so we’ve now lost more games than we’ve gained points. Shocking.
We have failed to beat Leicester and Southampton. In fact, in the four games against those two, we have the grand total of two points. Appalling, The second half of the season has been little short of a disaster. The reasons for our collapse have been well aired, and I won’t go through them yet again.
Of course we need to look forward. One more game to go, against the suffering Hammers. It would be good to sign off with a win. We only have one league win at Portman Road all season, so our fans deserve a positive sign-off to the campaign.
Beyond that, what a task faces Kieran McKenna and chief executive Mark Ashton. Somehow, that duo have to produce a squad which bounces straight back to the Premier League. But that’s just the start...
Beyond that, if we do go straight back up (and it’s a sizeable if) then it has to be with a squad which is significantly stronger than the one which failed to survive in the top flight this season.
That is quite some task. It will involve new players arriving, spending shedloads of money no doubt, and using the harsh lessons we have learned during this ultimately desperately disappointing Premier League campaign.
Terry says any talk of sacking Kieran McKenna is absolute nonsense
Terry says any talk of sacking Kieran McKenna is absolute nonsense
(Image: Ross Halls) Inevitably, given the shocking season we’ve had, some tittle tattle about Kieran McKenna has started. Anyone who talks about him being sacked is spouting absolute nonsense.
He’s a smart cookie, and he will learn a lot from the chastening experience of this season. He will know where he’s made mistakes, and will be determined not to repeat them.
Amid the gloom about Town’s relegation, there was some very welcome news this week.
I was delighted to hear that George Burley has been given the all-clear from cancer. Well done, George. Fantastic news. And a very timely reminder that there are aspects of life which are much, much more important than football.
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