Gary Barlow once told us to ‘have a little patience.’ Whilst it may have been sung in a manner that causes your toenails to pierce your sole, the sentiment may well be true when reflecting on Ipswich Town Football Club. We all want fast results, especially after a summer that has left us all on a high, but reality is rarely so forgiving. A draw with newly-promoted Morecambe and a cup exit to Newport are rather sobering results, but that doesn’t mean the season is a certified disaster.
The mood is understandable. Caution is exercised because these feelings are all too familiar. We wanted this season to be different, and I’m sure it will be in the end, but the first two competitive games carry a sense of Deja vu that makes us all a little nervous.
However, let’s look on the bright side. There have been flashes of brilliance in both games this week, and whilst we haven’t tasted victory, the signs are there to showcase an upward trajectory. It’s hard to not raise an eyebrow when we fail to beat two minnows, but it’s also worth noting that the three goals conceded this week have came via mistakes, and mistakes can be amended. We haven’t been outplayed, quite the opposite in fact, with the Newport game being a seemingly unthinkable realisation that the Ipswich curse hasn’t faded quite yet. The past decade has facilitated a fear amongst the fanbase, a fear that everyone subconsciously feels. When we were dominating Morecambe and ultimately looking like we would win the game, my spirits were high. but when Stockton latched onto an awful mistake at the back, I couldn’t help but look to the sky and ask ‘what on Earth do we have to do?’
Ultimately, things will take time, and whilst that is something that is difficult to swallow, it’s something we all have to accept. I think we all have faith in the regime that are calling the shots, but there’s nothing inherently wrong with exercising caution. I couldn’t care less about the cup if it resulted in promotion, but winning is a habit that Ipswich Town are seemingly allergic to. This Ipswich side are still getting used to one another, but the same can be said for other sides and in reality, how much time do we have?
The positive signs are there, and that’s more than can be said for the past 5 seasons. New signings will soon settle and this new era will begin to blossom. Faith and belief must be projected from the stands in the hope that it will spur Town on to achieve their ultimate goal of promotion. I surmise the ‘iffy’ mood by seeing it as a direct contrast to the summer of optimism. Long term, none of this will matter, but anything less than a win was always going to feel like a kick in the teeth after a summer that made us feel so good.
With Burton coming up this weekend, there’s an opportunity for the players to silence any doubts and truly get their campaign up and running. With ten changes made from the opening day, many of Town’s new signings will be revived and ready to compete with a difficult Burton side that will ask plenty of questions. New signings Hayden Coulson and Kyle Edwards will be involved, with George Edmundson close to making a return to first team action, and that injection of quality will only serve to benefit Town’s promotion hopes.
Seasons aren’t won or lost in the first week. I would much rather we learnt valuable lessons about our flaws at this juncture, opposed to three months down the line. Paul Lambert’s false dawns have taught us that a fast start means nothing if you can’t back it up over a long period of time, and I truly believe that this Ipswich side will come good and eventually achieve their goal of promotion.
This time next week, the mood will have likely changed after two positive results, or gotten significantly worse if we haven’t recorded a win! The pendulum will constantly shift, but I have full faith that this team will come good and revive the good times that we have all been desperately craving.
Thank you for taking the time to read my column. If you enjoyed, feel free to share it around. I’ll see you soon!
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