The Revival of The Tractor Boys an Ipswich Town Story

[leckuno]

August

Community Shield
Manchester City v Ipswich

Sadly we didn't get off to a winning start that we wanted here as Haaland was unplayable for 7 minutes but we did manage a consolation goal right at the end

Chelsea v Ipswich

A very respectable draw here as we manage to keep Chelsea out.

UEFA Super Cup
Bayern Munich v Ipswich

What a game. We cam so close to winning it all in 90 minutes but Pino managed to nab a goal right at the end but we did manage to sneak a very good win in penalties

Ipswich v Brighton

We came back to league football with new found confidence and run absolute riot here with Lenormand getting his first league goals for the club

Ipswich v West Ham

We really should of done better here but we managed to throw away the lead 3 times. We were poor defensively here and West Ham made us pay for it.

Manchester United v Ipswich

A well worked set piece from Manchester United was enough to separate us today sadly

Ipswich v Tottenham Hotspur

We bounce straight back with a win here thanks to Jeremic this time with the only goal of the game thanks to a well placed lob

League

Well not where we wanted to be after 5 games being 7 points off the top of the table but theres still a lot of football to play so lets go for it

Transfers Out

We just have the one player leave on a permanent deal as Popa is shown the door as he just wasn't fulfilling his potential at the club

Transfers In

Makis Parpoutsis

With wanting more English players in we sign Parpoutsis from West Ham for £69million as we view him as the long term replacement for Patterson at somepoint.

After a couple of weeks Parpoutsis came out as gay which is a first for me on this years FM and we'll stick by him and still make him our starting RB over the next few years

Anthony Gordon

Another English player as we signed him from Wolves for £7million. We had tried to sign him a few years ago but he chose not to join us then but he will be a backup player to us.

Conor Gallagher

Again we had tried to sign Gallagher previously but missed out then but this time we got him as we splashed £41.5m on him from Bayern to add more quality to our midfield

Wage Expenditure

We've fairly moved up the table this time as we sit just inside the top 10 but still spending about half of what City are

Champions League

An interesting group for us with a mix of games where some are certainly going to be easier than others.

September

We start our European run here but thankfully we have some easier league games this month to be able to rotate the squad around those games and the Carabao Cup​

 

[leckuno]

September

Wolves v Ipswich

Amri got us the early breakthrough with a fine finish from just outside the area and then Wolves sat back and broke us on the counter but thankfully Jeremic broke through the line and got the goal.

Champions League
Ipswich v Shakhtar Donetsk

What a way to start our run in the Champions League as we run out comfortable winners in the end.

Watford v Ipswich

Amri has been a stand out player so far this season when he's given the chance in the starting XI as he gets another 2 goals here after we fell behind in the first half.

West Ham United v Ipswich

There seems to be a pattern emerging so far in the league this month as we steal a narrow 2-1 win here thanks to a corner with Guehi rising above everybody else to head home.

Ipswich v Bournemouth

We finally break the pattern where Jeremic ran riot and had the game of his life with 4 goals here and Lenormand even got in on the action from the left wing as well.

Champions League
Real Betis v Ipswich

A much tougher game here this time in the Champions League but we got off to a great start and then struggled to break them down again and then are undone by a set piece.

Middlesbrough v Ipswich

And we're straight back to 2-1 here again but its Amri who gets the all important 2nd goal for us which is enough for the 3 points.

League

We happily sit in 4th spot now and have closed the gap on top spot as well now there are only 4 points in it.

October

Its going to be a tough month here as we have to face Arsenal twice and then have Bayern and Ajax in the Champions League as well.​

 

[leckuno]

October

Ipswich v Arsenal

Well it was a very entertaining first half of football here as it looked like we might have just sneaked a lead into the 2nd half but we concede from a corner again and then its a boring 2nd half

Champions League
Ipswich v Bayern Munich

Going behind early here it looked like we could of been in for a hiding here but we held on and managed to get back into the game and a 2nd win over Bayern this season

Aston Villa v Ipswich

We didn't deserve the win here at all but thanks to a very lucky own goal here to get an underserved win

Carabao Cup 4th Round
Ipswich v Arsenal

What an end to the first half as we get two very quick goals got us back in the game and gave us a huge confidence boost going into the 2nd half where we put the game to bed with the 3rd goal

Ipswich v Crystal Palace

A disappointing loss here but we had to rotate the squad here due to tiredness and it cost us there

Champions League
Ajax v Ipswich

Our confidence was hit after the last game and we put in a subpar performance here.

League

We're down to 5th here but we're still only 6 point off the top of the table

November

Just the 5 games here which will mean our players can hopefully get a rest over the course of the month​

 

[leckuno]

November

Leicester City v Ipswich

A poor performance here against the team sitting 19th in the league

Ipswich v Manchester City

Amazing the affect a sending off can have in a game sometimes as it really opened the game up for us as City had a move a player to the left wing which let our midfielders overpower theirs and let us move the ball forward easier.

Champions League
Besiktas v Ipswich

It looked like the game was going to be played out for a goalless draw but we got the breakthrough through a darting run from Best before Johanesson scored a free kick to finish them off

Everton v Ipswich

It looked like we were on for a very easy win as we held a 3 goal lead but it then got very nervy as Everton pulled two goals back but thankfully Jeremic was able to tap it in for us to confirm the 3 points.

Ipswich v Newcastle United

What a first half for us as El Amri came back into the first team and put in a MOTM performance here as he scores two and assists one to win the game of us.

League

We're back into the Champions League spots here and only a point off top after a very good month but its still very close and a couple of results going the wrong way we could drop back down.

December

Its going to be a very busy month here with 9 games here so rotation will be key and we'll see if players are able to step up​

 

[leckuno]

December

Southampton v Ipswich

What a start as Johanesson had as he scored two screamers from just outside the box. I still had hope even when they pegged on back and then all hope went at the sending off but Johanesson rounded off his hat-trick straight after it before an own goal gave us a nervy end to the game

Champions League
Ipswich v Red Bull Salzburg

We rotated the squad here to get some fresh legs in and its paid off as we get another win and clean sheet in the group stage.

Ipswich v Leeds United

I was disappointed it took so long to settle the game but it was nice to finally get the 2nd goal even if it was right at the end of the match.

Carabao Cup Quarter Final
Ipswich v Tottenham Hotspur

I was gutting to lose this right at the end but their fitness levels were better than ours here but on the other hand it now saves another 2 games having to be played in the semi final.

Ipswich v Liverpool

We were poor here and the goal right on half time took it right out of us and we couldn't get back into the game after it

West Ham v Ipswich

This was poor we managed to throw the game here away twice here and then we struggled as our players were too tired for the final 20 minutes.

Bournemouth v Ipswich

Its great to finally get back to winning ways as Jeremic was back to his best here with a great hat-trick again.

Ipswich v Watford

Confidence breeds confidence as we run riot here and Watford just didn't have the answer for us at all.

Arsenal v Ipswich

Well brought straight back down to earth here with a poor result against Arsenal

League

We hold onto 4th spot but we're falling further behind now from top spot but we have opened a gap now as well over 5th spot.

January

A bit quiter this month but a big double header in the Champions League which will be the difference of if we can finish in the top 8 or not. A horrible tie to start the FA Cup as well which could also be our end.​

 

[leckuno]

January

Ipswich v Middlesbrough

I expected a much easier game here but Middlesbrough held us here for slow long before Robinson came off the bench to get the 3 points for us

FA Cup 3rd Round
Manchester city v Ipswich

We did well here to get back in the game straight after half time to give us a chance and we force a replay at home at the end of the month

Liverpool v Ipswich

We seem to still be just short of being able to take on the top teams away from home as they grind out a win and keep us out.

Champions League
Juventus v Ipswich

We do exactly what was needed here as we got off to a quick start before leaving it late to finish off the game and get 3 points

Champions League
Ipswich v Marseille

We get off to a rocky start here as we concede in 3 minutes but with some choice words at half time see's Jack Best come out and single handily win us the game with 2 great goals

We get through the league phase in the top 8 which was a surprise but we'll take it as it will free up some time for us next month.

Leeds United v Ipswich

A tough game here as Leeds fought back and it took some substitutions to turn the game in our favour and steal the 3 points.

FA Cup 3rd Round Replay
Ipswich v Manchester City

We did so well here right up until extra time but our legs went and City were able to get the goals they needed to move into the 4th round to end our cup run at the first hurdle.

League

We hold onto 4th spot from last month and we now just have a 1 point gap over 5th but we do have a game in hand to look forward to.

Transfers Out

We make an absolute killing here this month with transfers we didn't really want to do. Jeremic has been a key player for us since he signed but the board jumped at the chance for £200,000,000 from Manchester United to leave us short up front. For the other 2 big transfers going out forgetting about release clauses in my curse this save it seems as we lose two key players on deadline day we now need to try and replace.

Transfers In

Destiny Udogie

We've always been looking to keep improving the LB position for nearly every transfer window and I now think we can stop with Udogie coming in from Tottenham for £75million

Oguzhan Ozyigit

With Jeremic going we've had to try and replace him which was always going to be difficult so we have gambled £80million on Ozyigit from Dortmund in the hope he can develop and eventually step up as he has already got international experience with Germany as well.

Marcus Vinicius

For only £15million from Palmeiras he was too good not to sign as a full international again he can have a big future at the club for us.

February

Now we're out of both cups we have a quiet February of 4 league games before we face AC Milan with the final game of the month​

 

[leckuno]

February

Ipswich v Southampton

Its good to see two players scoring on their debuts here to show the fans why they were signed as they both scored good goals from outside the area.

Ipswich v Chelsea

Sadly Chelsea were just far too strong for us here in the 2nd half as they punish us

Newcastle United v Ipswich

A respectable draw here away to Newcastle as they have been regular finishers in the top 4 for the last few seasons.

Ipswich v Everton

Another nice win to get us back to winning ways against a poor Everton team that are struggling at the bottom of the table

Champions League Round of 16
AC Milan v Ipswich

A very positive result here with a draw away from home taking the advantage of the second leg being in front of our own fans

League

We're up to 2nd spot here now but we have played a game more than the teams around us and its looking like Liverpool is going to win the title now as well with their lead.

March

A very quiet month here thanks to the international games along with being out of the FA Cup as well​