Town skipper Dara O’Shea believes Norwich City are a better side than their recent results suggest ahead of the East Anglian derby at Portman Road on Sunday.
The Blues host their arch-rivals this weekend looking for a first victory over the Canaries since 2009, with both sides currently in the bottom half of the Championship table after the opening eight rounds of the season.
Town are currently unbeaten at home this season and will be aiming to win a third successive match on Suffolk soil to finally end their derby day hoodoo.
Meanwhile, Norwich’s struggles and the discontent around Carrow Road has mainly been focused on results on home turf with this weekend’s visitors yet to lose on their travels this season.
"I’ve played against them a good few times in my career,” O’Shea said. "Right now, they’re a good footballing side. I watched their game on Wednesday against West Brom and I thought they were probably the better side in that game and unfortunate not to get a result.
"I think their record this season probably doesn’t reflect where they are at as a collective. They’ve got some really dangerous players in there and it’s going to be a tough game like every game is in this league. You can’t take anyone for granted, especially not in a big derby like this.
"We go into the game wanting everything to go our way but we know that’s not the way and we’ve got to react to things. Norwich are a good team and they’ve got some dangerous threats so we’re going to have to nullify that first and foremost, then take the passion from the crowd and use that.
"Just go out and play the football we want to play, we’ve been performing well in recent games, maybe haven’t been getting the results we’ve wanted to all in all. Just going in there with the same mindset that we always have and that competitive nature too.
"These are the games you know you want to play in, you want to play against the best strikers in the league. Josh [Sargent] is definitely one of them. I’m going to have to be on my best game, like we all will.
"It’s important, he’s prolific in this league and he’s going to have to be kept quiet on our end. That’s what my job is there to do.”
Having played a game fewer than their divisional rivals, the Blues have had a mixed start and accumulated 10 points in their seven league matches to date.
While only losing once, there is understandably a feeling of disappointment at how the opening months of the season have gone for a side who returned to the Championship as favourites for the title.
O’Shea said: "It’s been frustrating in a way. We’re proud of what we’ve done and how we’ve played in certain ways and I think we’re continuing to grow as a team.
"We’ve found that a lot of teams are making it difficult for us this season and we’ve got to rectify that in games and try to get more wins on the board. But I think we’re a strong team, we’re still growing and evolving, we’re still playing good football as well.
"It might be frustrating at times coming off the pitch with a draw, but for us as a group, the more we’re together and the more we’re training with each other and playing games, the better we’re going to be. We’ve got to find a way to win games, and that’s what we’re going to do.
"Each game that comes, we’re growing more as a team. We’re improving every game that comes and we are getting better and each week in training we are seeing the improvements.
"The confidence is coming through now, the more we’re together the better that will be. We’re just trying to do as best as we can each time we get the opportunity to go out there.
"Our home form has got to be good. Any time a team comes to your place, you really want to make it as hard as possible for them. The energy that we bring at home and that our fans bring is really difficult for teams to come and play in and it’s got to be the same.
"Our form has been good there so far this season and we want to continue with that, we want to really make it a home and a fortress and do well there and win games, that’s what we want to do.
"We want to win games as a group. Everyone is really hungry to win games, even in training we’re so competitive, every team wants to win in training. It’s bringing that mindset into it.”
O’Shea is still waiting for his first goal in Ipswich blue despite going close from set pieces, with dead-ball experts Leif Davis and Marcelino Núñez likely to provide opportunities for the Blues’ centre-backs to get amongst the goals.
After hitting the post against Derby County, the 26-year-old knows that Sunday’s game would be the perfect time to open his Town account.
He said: "We work so much on them and I really put a bit of pressure on myself to score and to do well in the opposition box because I feel like I'm a threat, I can get my head on a lot of things and I have that determination to get there.
"When I come off the pitch and I’ve had a chance that hasn’t got there, it does sit with me. I’m really eager to get that first goal and to get as many more as well. I’ve set myself little targets this season and it’s definitely one to contribute more in the opposition box.
"I have scored against them before away at Carrow Road. I’m still waiting for that first goal, I feel like I’m getting myself in good positions, it just hasn’t come yet and it’s quite frustrating.
"I came off the back of a good season at Burnley after scoring goals and I’ve come here and I haven’t scored yet. I’m getting in the right places which is the right thing and it’s just about finishing that off and having that bit of luck as well. But I’d be happy with a clean sheet first and foremost.”