Jack Clarke, Sammie Szmodics and Ivan Azon have all been part of a rotated Ipswich Town forward line. (Image: Steve Waller)
Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna admits finding the right attacking balance for his new-look side has been a ‘challenge’ this season.
Little more than a fortnight ago, the hot topic was about how the Blues needed to tighten up at the back following back-to-back defeats to Middlesbrough (2-1 away) and Charlton (3-0 at home).
Now, off the back of Tuesday night’s frustrating 1-1 home draw with Watford, in which several good chances to win the game were spurned, talk has turned to how Town need to be more clinical in attack.
Asked if if was as black and white as that, McKenna, whose team take on Swansea this afternoon, smiled and replied: “No, it’s not. But of course, you always want everything. You like clean sheets and to take all your chances.
“It’s never clear cut. We had the spell where we conceded goals against Middlesbrough and Charlton that we were really frustrated about. I didn’t think either of them were so much about tactical issues in terms of being open, to be honest, more about how we dealt with situations and phases of game from an emotional point of view and maybe didn’t do as well in terms of sticking to our structure, sticking to our organisation and really committing to that as a way to get through the difficult parts of the game.
“We sort of reconsolidated on that the last few games. I think that showed up well, certainly against West Brom (1-0 home win) and even the other night (against Watford) when we’ve given away so few chances. Of course, the frustration is there that we don’t get the clean sheet the other night but I think there’s been really positive aspects to the performances defensively. I feel like when we really stick to organisation and fully commit to that, then we are a good team defensively.”
Town’s front line was remodelled following relegation from the Premier League. Liam Delap, Omari Hutchinson, Nathan Broadhead, Conor Chaplin and Chiedozie Ogbene all departed, with Ivan Azon, Sindre Walle Egeli, Kasey McAteer and Chuba Akpom all brought in.
Hirst (12 Championship starts, five goals) has been backed up by Ivan Azon (2 starts, 0 goals) up front, while in-form duo Jaden Philogene (11 starts, 6 goals) and Jack Clarke (five starts, five goals) have been sharing the minutes on the left wing.
Walle Egeli (six starts, 0 goals) looks to have got himself ahead of McAteer (five starts, 0 goals) in the right-wing pecking order, while injury-hit trio Akpom (five stars, 0 goals), Sammie Szmodics (seven starts, 0 goals) and midfielder Marcelino Nunez (three starts, two goals) have all been tried in the No.10 slot.
“Trying to get the right attack and balance has been a challenge right through the season, really,” admitted McKenna, whose side are the third top goal scorers in the division.
“It’s natural when you lose some big players to that unit. We’ve added probably more players to that unit than the other units. So you’ve got a lot of new players trying to find their feet. You’ve got players playing in slightly different roles than last year (Philogene switching to the left, Szmodics moving to the middle). So trying to get our attack and balance right has been a challenge.
“I feel like we’re improving in that respect. I think we’re certainly creating more in the last batch of games than we were at the start of the season. So that’s positive.
“We were clinical last Saturday (at QPR), scored four goals. We had far more and better chances in the game on Tuesday (against Watford) and weren’t as clinical. Sometimes that’s football, but it’s frustrating all the same.
“But the main priority is always that we’re trying to find a good balance to a game and from an attacking point of view, we’re trying to create chances, get players in the right positions. And if we’re getting them, then I trust the quality we have in the building over the course of time will equate to us being a good attacking team.”
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