Kev - Sky Sports Expert

Not a 'Lott' of joy

Outspoken Keane not being very clear

Posted: 26th November 2009 01:11

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Not a 'Lott' of joy

Garvan: Found in Keane's cupboard?

The £3.4m duo of Tamas Priskin and Lee Martin were paired in attack. Now, I'm no dragon, but I would not be happy with the return on investment (one goal apiece) from these two

Ipswich FanZoner Kev Wright
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As the National Lottery celebrated its fifteenth year, Ipswich are in danger of rivalling Guinevere and co for the number of draws that have occurred throughout the past decade and a half, as for the 10th time this season, yet another Ipswich fixture resulted in the scores finishing level.

I've been cleaning my house recently, something that Roy Keane must also have spent his week doing. I found some old programmes, depicting the good old days when free flowing football was high on the agenda in Suffolk. Keane found Owen Garvan, the Town number seven having been discarded since the defeat at West Brom back in October.

Garvan had a reasonable return, but as a collective, this was yet another match that can so easily be consigned to the category of forgettable.

Unspectacular

I cannot fault the effort and desire of the team. That is very much in evidence. But any semblance of real quality, with the exception of Grant Leadbitter, who is head and shoulders above anything else in this team is missing, hence the durge that is being generated.

The defensive unit remained unchanged and performed solidly, although in the face of a fairly lightweight attacking threat from visitors Sheff Wed. It is going forward that again we look weak, a point raised by Keane following the draw. Prior to the season and throughout the campaign it has been glaringly obvious that the key position that we lack is that of a forward.

The £3.4m duo of Tamas Priskin and Lee Martin were paired in attack. Now, I'm no dragon, but I would not be happy with the return on investment (one goal apiece) from these two. Historically, Priskin has netted 18 goals in 80 games in English football whilst Martin has 6 in 60. Would any dragon have invested so heavily given the relative return of these two?

That said, Priskin showed glimpses of quality, but generally, was isolated and lacked the real desire of a no-nonsense frontman. Indeed, all too often the final ball lacked penetration. Crosses, particularly from the right were often too close to visiting 'keeper Grant.

That said, even when balls do come into the box there is invariably no more than two players on hand to convert, is it any wonder that we don't? Whilst Grant made one or two good saves, as did Begovic, it was the same old story of huff and puff.

Hot air

Keane, as ever has been his outspoken 'best' this week (yawn) in the aftermath of Henrygate, and after yesterdays game bemoaned the lack of a cutting edge.

I would suggest he take some of his own advice, and 'get over it' and actually do something about it. Surely he must have realised, as we all have for some time that the options inherited and purchased are not good enough.

He deemed Jordan Rhodes surplus to requirements without giving him a fair crack. Lisbie was jettisoned to Colchester. Danny Haynes was also shown the exit door. Erratic yes, he offered something different than the current crop. It is unfair to burden the shoulders of Conor Wickham with digging this team out of the hole it is in.

We need to act now to add that quality in the final third that we are desperately lacking. Without this, we are in for a long, hard winter, make no mistake of that. Relegation? The slogan suggested 'It could be you'. No, no. It could be us.

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