Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna celebrates victory over Coventry City
Kieran McKenna believes Ipswich Town’s first goal was the turning point for his players, who went on to beat leaders Coventry City 3-0 at Portman Road.
The Tractor Boys went into the home clash with Frank Lampard’s Sky Blues having played out an uninspiring 1-1 draw at Blackburn in midweek, after which the Town boss demanded a reaction.
Frank Lampard points to ‘bonus’ of Coventry City’s defeat at Ipswich Town
“It’s been a challenging week, and it was a difficult start to the match, but the boys stuck together and stuck in there,” said McKenna, whose team move up to fourth in the table ahead of Wednesday night’s visit of Stoke City.
“Sticking in it during the first part of the game, when we weren’t smooth at that point, was important. We were struggling to impose ourselves on the ball. They were too. They’re setting every set play up and the ball’s hardly in play and it’s not a very good game. But there’s lots of games like that in the Championship. In those moments, you just need to stay tough and stay strong.
“We know the first goal is so, so important in every game, but especially in the home games here. And from that point on I thought we showed some real confidence on the ball, broke the press really, really well, counter attacked and defended well.
“I said yesterday, you don’t ever want to make any premonition, but I felt a response in the group over the last couple of days. When we get the first goal, the confidence grows in the team. I know how well we can play.”
Asked about his half-time team talk, he said: “I’d love to say it was all my wise words, but I’m going to say it’s mostly probably down to the goal, to be honest.
“You’re coming off not a great performance, not a great game in the first half, not a great atmosphere. We needed to be strong. We knew it was on us today to do our jobs well and stick to it.
“I think the goal gives everyone a big lift. I think the players know that we can play really, really well. We know we can be a good team.
“I think we’re improving, but a lot of the game is also in your head. And when you’re not quite flowing, you get a moment like that, a great strike, it really boosted everyone. Then, at half-time, we just take a breath and sort of reaffirm that we’re going for the second goal.”
He added: “We knew at half-time Coventry had got a real goal threat so we couldn’t just sit on the 1-0. That would have been the worst thing to do. So we stayed brave, played through the pitch a few times in the first 10-15 minutes of the second half, which gave the players real confidence because it felt like we didn’t need to have loads of the ball.
“When we had the ball, we had the bravery and the patterns and the quality to play through them. And then we stayed pretty composed in our defending as well. I think Christian (Walton)’s made a great save from the second ball on a set play, which Coventry are really, really good at, but other than that we defended resolutely, played through the pitch a few times well and counter-attacked well.”
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