Town striker David McGoldrick has accepted he must be more aware of his defensive responsibilities than during his prolific spell on loan at Coventry from parent club Nottingham Forest.
McGoldrick has scored just once since arriving at Portman Road, in the 4-0 home win over Middlesbrough, but has featured in manager Mick McCarthy’s starting line-ups for every Championship fixture.
He said: "I’m doing a little job where I’m dropping back to help the midfield out. In the Watford game, for example, they had a man sitting and it was hard for us getting round him.
"You have to defend from the front, especially when you are near the bottom. You have to make it as hard as possible for the opposition. Strikers have to make sacrifices to help out in the midfield.”
McGoldrick netted 17 goals in 25 games for Coventry and added: "I don’t think there’s too much of a difference between League One and the Championship.
"But we were on a good run at Coventry, winning just about every game, and teams were almost scared of us. I was getting the chances and scoring goals.
"With Ipswich teams are coming here thinking they can get something and we are having to defend a lot more. It’s a lot more dogged and in the last two games I have come off after about 65 minutes. The gaffer needs fresh legs on and that’s fully understandable.
"I haven’t been tired but obviously there are three class strikers — Daryl Murphy, Aaron Mclean and Frank Nouble — on the bench and these guys would start for a lot of Championship teams.
"So getting replaced by one of them isn’t a bad thing. It’s a good thing for Ipswich Town and good for the manager to have so many strikers to select from.
"They are all good strikers and they have no negative points. Murph is a big strong lad and I can play off his flicks, while Macca is all hustle and bustle and he puts himself about.
"Chops is an intelligent player who can sniff out goals and big Frank has come off the bench and caused teams problems. It doesn’t matter which of them I play alongside, they all bring out good attributes in me.
"I’ve had a few good games with Murph. I like him, he wins a lot of headers and he’s good to play off. But they are all good strikers that defenders won’t enjoy playing against. I don’t care who I play alongside — if I’m selected that is.”