Ipswich Town webchat with Carl Marston

Dan Lyles:

Hi Carl, I had to suppress my emotions for the Walters goal as I was sat with the home fans in the Sir John Hall stand! I was very impressed by our performance against a team full of Premiership worthy players. Wickham deservedly received alot of the plaudits for a mature target man display reminiscent of a certain Geordie hero (Shearer) as a few of the home fans sat around me observed. Wickham's ability to hold the ball up is making a huge difference to our style of play and allows us to build attacks slowly and more importantly keep possession. Another aspect of the game that impressed me was our central midfield. The work rate of Norris, Leadbitter and Colback was exemplary and denied Newcastle their custom space to pass the ball. Although Murphy and Walters were effective in a 5 man midfield when defending and then helping Wickham going forward I couldn't help but think that we need to make more of the space our central midfielders graft had created. Somebody like Routledge on the wing is a must if we are to progress in my opinion.

Reply:

Hi Dan, If Connor Wickham scores only half the goals that Shearer did, then we'll be in for a treat over the next few seasons. I thought he really looked the part at Newcastle. He gave the home defenders the runaround, surprising most of them I think, and he again took his goal fantastically well. I can see him scoring 15 to 20 goals for us next season, no problem, regardless of his inexperience. Yes, the system worked well with Norris playing the unsung hero's role just in front of the back four. And yes, we could do with a natural winger. Martin and Edwards have not come off, and Murphy and Walters are not natural wide-men.

SAMUEL DAVIS:

Hi Carl I have missed the last few web chats so I thought I better get in on this one. I presume it is the last one for the season? My 1st question is about Pablo's contract. Is it up at the end of this season, I thought it was but I have not seen his name mentioned amoungst the names of players that will be out of contract?

Reply:

Samuel, I believe that Pablo still has a year left on his contract, though he doesn't seem to be a part of Keane's plans. So I expect to move on this summer, if another club comes in for him, and more crucially he is prepared to leave.

FRANK WESTON:

Roy Keane may indeed be under pressure Carl but when you have a hot-shot like Connor Wickham going from strength to strength then the future looks bright for the blues and RK too! Keane is only too aware that if he bowed to pressure and sold Connor he would be hung drawn and quartered from the Sir Bobby Robson monument!

Reply:

Frank, I always thought it a rather stange story, to suggest that Wickham would be leaving Town just a few weeks after signing a professional contract, with us getting some experienced but past-their-best strikers in exchange. I guess the Sunderland press just wanted to stir it a little. If anything, it's been a good talking point. But RK would not have been stupid enough to let Wickham go the same way as Rhodes

SAMUEL DAVIS:

One of (the many) problems this season has been our lack of quality width, we always seem to play down the middle so much and seem to find it difficult to get in behind the full back. Keeping my fingers crossed I am hoping that Civelli can change all that and play as the quality goal provider that we so desperately need. Is he still on track to be here for pre-season?

Reply:

Hi Samuel, Yes, Civelli is still set for a return in pre-season. It will feel like getting a new player. I think Town have been just about been the least effective team in the division, in terms of wing-play. We're solid in midfield, but not exactly inspirational down either flank as an attacking force. That's why the entertainment has been in short supply.

FRANK WESTON:

Seriuosly though Carl, I see Wickham as our saviour and Roy keane's to for that matter. The only question mark is whether Connor is not tempted. If a player want to leave then there is not much any club or any manager can do about it. That said, He seems to be quite a level-headed lad and so far has heeded the advice of his parents and good advisers around him. Long may that continue.

Reply:

Frank, Wickham has had great support, and advice, from his parents, and yes, he is very level-headed. Amazingly mature, both physically and mentally, for someone who has only just turned 17. He's very comfortable in front of the gutter press as well!

SAMUEL DAVIS:

And finally...Are you interested in having a "Carl Marston web chat" end of season bash over a beer in one of the Ipswich pubs? I think Frank said he would be interested. A couple of us met Derek last season for a pint and entertaining football chat.

Reply:

Samuel, That's a possibility. Best to wait until after the season has ended, and then maybe sort out a date. I can be contacted at my e-mail address of carl.marston@eadt.co.uk

FRANK WESTON:

It was a fine performance by Town on Saturday, even if the opposition were still carrying a bit of a hangover from a few days before. I actually predicted 3-2 to Ipswich so I wasn't far away. In fact town should have won it. Rosenoir screwed up big style though and I am not so keen on him sticking around with the blues as he is very error prone.

Reply:

Frank, I think we can safely say that Rosenior won't be signing for Ipswich this summer. It was a poor pass which led to their penalty. I was all doom-and-gloom before the match, in terms of a score prediction (3-0 defeat), though my photographer colleague Warren Page wanted to have a bet with me (for the price of an evening meal) that Town would win. In the end, no bets were laid, and no one would have won anywhere. Should have known it would have ended in another draw!

FRANK WESTON:

I spent the whole Weekend on that new Kitchen again but thankfully did manage to hear the game on Radio Suffolk. Now what Town need badly is a resounding victory to finish off with at home to Sheffiled United. It would be a nice note to end on Carl and may boost those season ticket sales which are a bit sluggish just now.

Reply:

Season tickets are down on last year, about 1,800 I believe, but I suppose Town's uninspiring season has made that predictable. A big home win on Sunday would certainly do no harm. I'm quietly confident of a good season next year. And good luck with the kitchen.

stephen bailey:

Hi Carl, t'was a fantasic performance on Saturday and we thoroughly enjoyed our day out and celebrated like WE had just won the league when Walters scored. I thought, and I hope its a sign of things to come next season. It just goes to show we can match the best teams in the league. I dontt think we need to many changes over the summer, I know a few players will be on their way out, but we dont need to many to come in. Perhaps a striker or 2, Chopra, Hooper and/or Murphy. I think Wickham is going to be a star man for us next season and I can see him being our top scorer, he's gonna leave Gary Doherty in a tangle anyway.

Reply:

Stephen, Poor Gary Doherty. I don't think he'll be able to make head-or-tail of young Connor Wickham. The closest he'd probably get would be to chop him down for a penalty. Wickham will get us goals galore next season, but he needs help. At least one new striker should be on his way to us. Chopra looks like being out of our price range, but not Hooper. And Murphy would love to stay.

Chris Rand:

Who are you opting for as Player of the Season? Gareth McAuley seems to be favourite, but supporters have short memories: he was terrible at the start of the season and must take a lot of responsibility for the first three months' disaster. Jack Colback has been lively, but then so have players like Jaime Peters when given a chance. I'm going for the left-field option of Arran Lee-Barrett. At a time before Christmas which can be described as nothing less than a crisis, the almost unknown keeper stepped into the side and produced a series of performances which we had no right to expect from him. With no other keeper available, if we'd had to throw in an academy lad we might have lost all the points saved during Lee-Barrett's time between the sticks - and we'd now be joining Plymouth and Peterborough. Simple as that. In a season where no player was outstanding, the guy's contribution deserves acknowledgement.

Reply:

Chris, An interesting choice. Lee-Barrett never let us down, but it would be the biggest surprise since Colin Healy was recalled at Palace, if L-B was to win. My choice is Grant Leadbitter for his consistency all season. He has rarely had a bad day. Second would be Delaney, third McAuley and fourth Colback.

FRANK WESTON:

And a big hello to Samuel Davis. We have missed you here my friend and now that this is probably the last webchat of the year maybe you could fill Carl in on that Get-Ttogether of last season that I sadly missed out on. I believe it was great fun!

Reply:

See previous reply

FRANK WESTON:

And finally Carl, let me take this opportunity to wish you and all our webchatters a good recess and a great World Cup campaign! I just hope Town consider visitng the Netherlands in pre-season but I guess Roy may contemplate Ireland again but who knows?

Reply:

Frank, Town are almost certainly going back to Portugal this summer, with a few games in Ireland as well. I don't think the Netherlands are on Keane's radar, unfortunately. But I could drop him a hint for you!

Rod Bennett:

Hi Carl - you've no doubt been present at many sporting occassion, how did saturday compare? Also, you must have collected a fair bit of memorabillia, what are your prized items?

Reply:

Rod, Wembley occasions always stand out. I liked covering the play-off victories of Ipswich Town and Colchester United. But I also love athletics, and a real highlight was covering the Commonwealth Games at Manchester (in 2002), and specifically watching Paula Radcliffe win her gold medal. I also had the good fortune to interview marathon legend Lasse Viren on a press trip to Finland a few years ago. As for prized items, I have kept a press pass (no expense!) from each football ground I have reported on (more than 80, but not yet the full 92). As a youngster, like most youngsters, I used to collect autographs, many of them old Ipswich players that I now rub shoulders with in the press room.