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Ipswich Town: Steps to Survival

July 31, 2024
Tactical Analysis, Premier League Analysis

Ipswich Town’s 23/24 Championship season culminated in what will be considered nothing short of a fairytale for the Tractor Boys. Kieran McKenna’s side secured automatic promotion to the Premier League in their first attempt upon their return to England’s second tier. Town were considered one of the league’s stronger sides after a fantastic League One campaign, finishing second place and consistently setting the league alight with their fluid yet exciting attack and solid defensive capabilities.

 

 

Now, Town must survive against the world’s best as they return to the Premier League for the first time since 2002. What must East Anglia’s Blue side do to secure Premier League status and hold the bragging rights against rivals Norwich City as they remain in the Championship.

 

Familiar Faces

 

Whilst the playing squad will receive a wide majority of the plaudits for their success, the backroom and coaching staff simply cannot be ignored for the hard work they have put in to well and truly round off an already great team. Team spirit is truly embodied by those behind the scenes, putting in their extra hours to prepare training, coordinate team meals and even wash and ensure kits are ready for matches on a weekly basis, keeping around these familiar faces is truly essential in ensuring team morale remains high. For now, we will focus on Kieran McKenna and his coaching staff as the main names who need to remain at Ipswich.

 

Kieran McKenna was a huge name linked with major clubs as the managerial merry-go-round ensued following the season’s end and rightly so. McKenna took over with Ipswich seemingly rooted to League One football, embedded his style of fluid do-or-die football and took them to the promised land.

 

Keeping their manager on board and ready for the project at hand was extremely necessary, and that is exactly what Town did. Their first action of business over the summer and what a way to set the tone for what will hopefully be a successful transfer window for Town fans. McKenna signed a four-year contract extension on the 31st of May, keeping him at Portman Road for the foreseeable future despite heavy interest from Brighton, Chelsea and former club Manchester United.

 

 

McKenna was one of the hottest managerial names in England and keeping him onboard showed a real statement of intent from Ipswich. Town meant business and were not going to be stuck in the constant loop of promotion followed by relegation. McKenna’s extension also meant that assistant manager Martin Pert extended his stay at Portman Road, with first-team coaches Charlie Turnbull and Lee Grant and head of goalkeeping Rene Gilmartin also staying firm with the Blues. 

 

Fans and players could expect almost identical tactical systems to the previous two seasons with the same personnel around providing stability and a calmness around the squad as they look ahead to the next season. McKenna put the decision of his contract extension down to his great working relationship with CEO Mark Ashton. With McKenna and his backroom staff tied down, Town must now turn to a different type of personnel. The playing squad.

 

Sticking by the Squad

 

As we enter August and the start of seasons across England and the world, Ipswich have only seen one major departure from their Championship squad. Goalkeeper Vaclav Hladky departed for relegated Burnley. The Czech native played all 46 Championship games for Town as they sealed promotion, a big loss for the side. 

 

Despite Hladky leaving, Arjianet Muric came the other way swapping Burnley for Ipswich on a 9.6-million-euro deal. The former Manchester City shot-swapper only featured in 10 of Burnley’s 38 Premier League games, regularly playing second fiddle to number one James Trafford. 

 

 

Dominic Ball and Kayden Jackson also departed, both of which were seen as squad rotation players throughout the campaign. Loan players Lewis Travis, Brandon Williams, Jeremy Sarmiento and Omari Hutchinson returned to their parent club Blackburn, Manchester United, Brighton and Chelsea respectively. 

 

The latter of the players returning to their parent clubs, Omari Hutchinson, did not spend much time back at Chelsea instantly returning to Kieran McKenna’s side on a 23.5-million-euro deal. Hutchinson scored 10 goals and recorded five assists throughout his campaign, picking up Championship Player of the Month along the way and showing his true talent after finally being given a chance away from academy football.

 

McKenna’s choice to keep most of his playing squad emphasis the belief he has in his players and their ability to prove their worth in England’s top-flight. As the saying goes, if it’s not broken don’t fix it, a motto the Ipswich boss seems to be living by.

 

Many clubs over the past years have completely revamped their squad when being promoted to the Premier League, destroying team cohesion and wasting valuable time in the season as the squad gets to know each other. The Blues have already defied odds with the promotion in their return to the Championship, why can’t the squad do it again?

 

Additions

 

Whilst keeping most of their squad is key to survival for Town, additions to the squad to aid squad depth in some areas is certainly key for the gruelling schedule throughout a campaign. Benjamin Johnson joined the Tractor Boys for free. The 24-year-old has Premier League experience, a vital factor for Ipswich as they search for survival. The defender has spent his whole career at West Ham, finally believing a move would be necessary for his career.

 

 

Upon completing the Omari Hutchinson signing, Town turned their head to Hull City duo Jaden Philogene and Jacob Greaves. City narrowly missed out on playoffs, with Philogene and Greaves both being stars of the campaign. Philogene was particularly in the spotlight, with Spanish giants Barcelona reportedly linked with the winger. Instead of securing a double deal, the city pair were split up. Philogene rejoined Aston Villa for 16 million euros with Greaves making his way to Suffolk for 21.5 million Euros. 

 

Finally, Liam Delap joined from Manchester City. Delap has been a journeyman throughout his short professional career so far. The forward only made two competitive appearances for Manchester City’s first team, enduring loan spells at Stoke, Preston and Hull in the last two years. The 21-year-old will now join up with McKenna’s side on a 17.9-million-euro deal. 

 

Whilst there is still well over a month left to confirm deals, Ipswich have made deals to help with squad depth. Combining these signings with the squad already at hand, cohesion should come naturally between players who are already familiar with one another. Town have navigated the transfer market expertly and this factor will be key for them to see survival. 

 

The 12th man

 

For a newly promoted team, even after being out of the top division for just a season, times can be hard, and it can be even harder for the fans to stick by their team when things aren’t going their way. A lack of transparency and direction from the team, management and higher-ups can force the fans to turn their backs on those involved in the club. 

 

For Ipswich, having endured their 22 years away from the topflight, keeping fans on their side is important. There will be a real buzz around Portman Road as they edge closer to their return to the Premier League as they host Liverpool in a 12:30 kick-off for game week one. Despite the buzz, if things go south fans may struggle to back their team as the season goes on. As they say, it’s the hope that kills you.

 

Jacob Greaves: From League Two to the Premier League 

 

Ipswich need to keep fans on their side and will do so through sheer honesty and transparency with those supporting worldwide. There’s nothing like supporting your team through the good times and players feel the support on the pitch, especially in a ground packed so tight as Portman Road.

 

Should Ipswich have a rough start or even a poor period of form throughout the season, managers and players must voice their support for the fans, showing the club’s direction and determination to get things back on track. Fans make football, and they also can make the difference in. a close game. The players will notice the difference when fans are behind them, and this will be a key step to their survival.

 

When comparing these tips to Ipswich’s summer, they have followed these points to a tee, with their business and the faith in the squad. The final suggestion of keeping fans on their side will depend on how their season goes. Looking ahead of the season, I think Ipswich will be comfortable and take the league by storm like they did last season, potentially pushing for a top half finish but certainly securing survival early on. Fans in the ground will be hoping stars align for their return, and the Tractor boys can plough on. 

 

By: Josh Wright / @joshwrightt12__

Featured Image: @GabFoligno / Stephen Pond / Getty Images

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