Defender Tommy Smith sees Town’s forthcoming fixtures as an opportunity to finally get back on track and end their dismal run of form over the last 10 league games.
From a possible 30 points Mick McCarthy’s men have banked just eight, a far cry from the way they started the season by winning three and drawing one of their opening four fixtures.
Tonight’s visit from Bolton Wanderers, who currently occupy 22nd place in the Championship, is followed by a trip to face a Rotherham United side one point worse off and anchored to the foot of the table.
If — and it’s a big if given the recent run — Town could bag the six points on offer it would probably not only take them back into the top half of the table but also to within touching distance of the play-off zone.
Smith said: "Clearly, we need to get back to winning ways and the sooner the better. It’s Bolton but whoever we were playing against it would be a must-win game because we have to arrest our recent form and get a win.
"The focus is on Bolton first and foremost and to make sure we get the three points, which is vitally important. Hopefully that will kick-start our season and we can go to Rotherham and do the same.”
Without a win in their last five home games — one defeat to leaders Brighton and subsequent draws with Birmingham, Bristol City, Huddersfield and Cardiff — Town are desperate to win at Portman Road for the first time since mid-August when Burnley were defeated 2-0.
Smith added: "We have only lost once at home this season but we have had a lot of draws lately and we need to turn the draws into wins.”
Meanwhile, Smith has also admitted that neither he nor any of his defensive colleagues can think their place in McCarthy’s starting line-up can be taken for granted and revealed how the Town boss had rammed home the message.
He said: "During the run where we were conceding a lot of goals the gaffer had all the defenders in and said ‘Listen, I want you guys to be playing, but if this carries we are going to have to be making changes’.
"He did call us in and we know we are not untouchables. No one is bigger than the club and the team, and what makes the team successful. He sort of gave us that ultimatum and since then, to be fair, we have conceded a lot fewer goals.
"It’s down to the team as a whole defending more solidly from the front to the back. The lads’ work up front can’t go unnoticed from a defensive point of view because a lot of that helps us and makes our job a lot easier.
"It’s the same when it comes to scoring goals — we all have to try to make a contribution. Now that we’ve got that solidity back we need to try to look at scoring some more goals because we haven’t scored enough.
"It’s not a very good combination when you’re conceding too many and not scoring enough, but we’re solid now and we need to start scoring more, wherever they come from because I don’t think anyone really cares who gets them.
"But it would be nice for the strikers to get their goals and get their confidence flowing again.”