Ipswich Town put in a strong display against Coventry City despite making 11 changes
Ipswich Town put in a strong display against Coventry City despite making 11 changes
Ipswich Town made 11 changes for their FA Cup clash against Coventry City, winning the game 4-1. Alex Jones picks out four players who impressed against the Championship side and could look to work their way into Kieran McKenna’s Premier League starting lineup.
Cameron Burgess is facing stiff competition to start at centre-back
Cameron Burgess is facing stiff competition to start at centre-back (Image: PA)
Cameron Burgess
Defensively, Ipswich have a lot of depth. The first-choice back line now seems set in stone, with Axel Tuanzebe and Leif Davis playing either side of Dara O’Shea and Jacob Greaves. Consistency is key in that part of the pitch.
That leaves the likes of Ben Godfrey, Ben Johnson and Luke Woolfenden in a difficult position. Cameron Burgess finds himself in a similar situation.
The 29-year-old hasn’t been left totally in the cold. He was brought in for his first Premier League start against Everton back in October, which happened due to Greaves’ hamstring injury.
He’s played 10 games at the level so far this season, registering an assist for Conor Chaplin’s goal against Bournemouth in December.
His consistent displays saw him briefly keep his place in the starting lineup once Greaves returned to fitness, but the 4-0 defeat to Newcastle United changed all of that. His only league start since then came in the 6-0 thrashing at the hands of Manchester City.
With McKenna keen to pack his bench with attacking options, there’s rarely any space for natural centre-backs. That being said, Burgess rarely puts a foot wrong and surely has to be in the manager’s mind.
Could another strong display against Coventry see him force his way into the starting lineup? With this entire discussion, there is, of course, the caveat that the FA Cup tie was against a Championship side that made four changes, but it shouldn’t take much away from the display as a whole
There’s every chance we see Burgess play in the Premier League again before the end of the season.
Most of Jack Taylor’s Premier League minutes have come from the bench
Most of Jack Taylor’s Premier League minutes have come from the bench
There’s a big debate about Ipswich’s midfield. Sam Morsy, Jens Cajuste, Kalvin Phillips – who starts? Jack Taylor has become a side note in this entire discussion, which is probably a bit unfair.
The 24-year-old has made a huge leap. Yes, he played a season in the Championship with Peterborough United in 2021/22, but his side suffered relegation back to League One, where he became one of the best players in the division.
He’s since stepped up to the Premier League via a bit-part season in the second tier, now facing stiff competition to start.
Everything we’ve seen from Taylor has been good. His cameos have been sharp, particularly the one at Wolves, where he scored a late winner. He earned his first start in the 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth, putting in a solid display in a game his side should have won.
Since then, he has only started in the FA Cup, having scored against Bristol Rovers in the third round – albeit from a blatantly offside position.
Is there a chance he gets another look in? With question marks surrounding Morsy’s performances, Cajuste’s fitness and Phillips’ consistency, it’s not impossible. He offers something different to those three as well, which could be used to Town’s advantage in some games.
Jack Clarke scored twice and provided an assist against the Sky Blues
Jack Clarke scored twice and provided an assist against the Sky Blues
Welcome to the party, Jack Clarke. We saw glimpses of promise in a Town shirt, but his display against Coventry showed what he’s capable of.
Overall, it’s been a tough start to life at Portman Road for the winger, who has started just five games in the Premier League. His best display came at home to Aston Villa back in September, where he bagged the assist for Liam Delap’s opener, but he wasn’t able to sustain his form.
Despite notching a goal and an assist against Bristol Rovers in the third round of the FA Cup, his confidence has clearly taken a hit. He started against Manchester City and looked lively, but then faded and made a terrible mistake that led to their fifth goal.
He failed to make the squad for the subsequent game at Liverpool and only played two minutes off the bench against Southampton. At that point, it was hard to see a way back.
The win at Coventry showed a different side to his game. He felt like the main man in attack, but he also linked up well with those around him. He was selfish and clinical at times, but he also sacrificed an opportunity for a hat-trick to set up Jaden Philogene for his first Ipswich goal.
Crucially, he enjoyed playing in that match. He looked much more like his old self, like the one that tore the Championship to shreds with Sunderland. His performance, coupled with the scenes after the match where he was pushed to celebrate in front of the away fans, should do him the world of good.
Performing like that against Premier League opposition is another matter entirely, but this game could give him the platform to kick on. With Sammie Szmodics set for another spell on the sidelines, there may be some more opportunities for him on the horizon.
George Hirst suffered three injuries between December 2023 and November 2024
George Hirst suffered three injuries between December 2023 and November 2024
Striker George Hirst hasn’t had it easy this season. Having picked up an injury over the summer, he returned to find that Delap had taken his place in the starting lineup following a run of hot form at the start of the season.
His comeback lasted less than two months before he suffered another knock, ruling him out for a couple of months. That was his third injury in less than a year – a gutting moment for him.
He’s determined to stay fit now. If he can do so, there’s no reason why he can’t earn more starts in the Premier League.
Yes, Delap’s form is an issue for him. There’s no real platform for him to play week in, week out, but McKenna isn’t afraid to rotate. We saw that away at Brentford – Hirst’s only Premier League start so far this season – where the former Manchester City man was brought off the bench instead.
Hirst’s two starts this season have seen him notch a goal and an assist in each. If he can stay fit, then those cameo appearances could turn into starts. Based on what we’ve seen so far, he would be ready to take those opportunities.
There aren’t many players who boast the same attributes as him – tall and physical, yet agile, mobile and intelligent on the ball with a clear eye for goal.
He showed that on numerous occasions against Coventry, creating the chance for the penalty before firing home from the spot. His assist for Clarke looked simple, but required him to turn and find a pocket of space to play the pass.
McKenna will know how to get the most out of the 25-year-old between now and the end of the season. As one of two natural strikers in the squad, he will have a big part to play.
