Doncaster manager Gary McSheffrey felt the Blues were probably the best team to visit the Eco-Power Stadium this season following Town’s 1-0 victory over his bottom-of-the-table side last night.

Tyreeq Bakinson's 39th-minute goal saw Town to the three points having dominated from start to finish.

"Obviously, we are disappointed to lose the game,” McSheffrey told the Yorkshire Post.

“I think in terms of how they play, they are probably the best football team who have come here, in terms of their first-half performance and the way they move the ball and the rotations.

“We got to grips with it when we spoke to them at half-time, but sometimes, you want players to work things out on the pitch and it made we have to sit off a bit deeper.

“We defended what they threw at us, but the goal was cheap. At least, make them work for their goal and as good as their play was in all their build-up, we actually defended quite well when they got into our box in the first half. But to give the goal away was disappointing.

“In the second half, we stopped their free-flowing football with our shape. Did we have enough threats on their goal? No.

“I was happy that we did not look a soft easy touch and we handled their wide men who are a real threat.

“The Ipswich team are a really fit bunch of lads, but we did not cause enough problems in terms of in their penalty box and in behind them.”

Photo: Pagepix

Flamencaman added 14:32 - Feb 9 That's good to hear another straight forward honest answer about spot on, cert not a soft touch anymore
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Bazza8564 added 14:37 - Feb 9 Fair play to him, it seems the world isn't just made up of Steve Evans' clones after all. Managers with integrity and intelligence, who would have thought it :)
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Stato added 14:49 - Feb 9 I thought we played really well. Was it perfect ? No it wasn't and it's easy to always pick holes but when you watch a lot of football that was more like championship standard last night from us rather than league 1. MK Dons away is going to be a tough fixture and we just need to keep a sense of balance if we that game doesn't go our way.
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BiGDonnie added 14:52 - Feb 9 This'll upset a few on the forum! COYBs
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bradforblues added 15:08 - Feb 9 Thought we were excellent last night, they never laid a glove on us and we looked so assured. Couple of times I thought we could have gone direct and I wanted to see Burns and Celina run at defenders rather than check back which they often did.
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cornishnick added 15:31 - Feb 9 "Probably the best football team who have come here". Haven't heard an opposition manager say that for a few years!
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Europablue added 15:44 - Feb 9 Clearly we're at the start of the project. KM has got us set up really well and everyone seems to know where they are supposed to be. The defensive unit is very solid. We still have to work on the final third. It might be necessary to replace Bonne with a new forward if he doesn't find some of the early season form he had or improve in general terms with his finishing. We also have to see what we can do with Celina.

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Bert added 15:56 - Feb 9 I'm pleased to hear that from Mc Sheffrey. I agree that at times we looked a really good football team. Get Morsy back to drill and move the ball forward and our strikers may get the ball in the net a bit more. Our own manager's appointment has been a breath of fresh air in terms of his demeanour, his spoken word and his obvious ability. We may not be promoted this year but the club is now in good hands on the field and off. Hallelujah.

13

barrystedmunds added 17:04 - Feb 9 So, a few on here suggesting our performance last night wasn't up to much and yet the opposing manager thought we were the best team to visit🤔 I thought we weren't that bad, my biggest criticism being the forwards were making the runs and spaces it's just our midfielders aren't seeing them. Morsy is a miss just now and we need his vision. A CV little disappointed we didn't win by more because Donny were dire!

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chepstowblue added 17:22 - Feb 9 Good to hear after Sheffield Weds fans suggested we were the worst side they'd seen. It was a good journey home last night thinking we'd played well. Greater tempo, higher up the park with the ball, and without possession we pressed high.The only criticism that the game wasn't put to bed before a slightly edgy last few minutes. I'm always ultra critical and hard to please, but had no issues with last night at all.

3

Saxonblue74 added 17:34 - Feb 9 That's me told then! I thought it was one of our weaker performances!
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TimmyH added 18:09 - Feb 9 Controlled the game in my opinion and passed the ball around fairly quickly at times but poor up top is how I'd succinctly described it...I wonder how much of a difference it would have made if 4 of Doncaster's regular starters weren't injured?
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Karlosfandangal added 18:42 - Feb 9 I think the problem is they are bottom and we beat them 6-0 so we all expect Town to beat them by a country mile. Transfer window and players back of injury a new manager and teams are not the same from the last time Town played them. 6 wins in 8 don't think we would have got that if Mr Cook was still here. We now have a manager who could manage a team in the Prem with fresh ideas. Maybe not this season but next season I can really see Town at the top

3

ButchersBrokenNose added 19:54 - Feb 9 Regardless of what he said, it's refreshing to hear an opposition manager speak clearly and candidly. If you actually read his comments, he is saying what some of us on here have been complaining about for a while: pretty, passing football but with no penetration. "As good as their play was in all their build-up, we actually defended quite well when they got into our box in the first half." I'd say that's pretty accurate. We have struggled all season against teams who put ten men behind the ball, and until we figure out a way to open up defenses like Doncaster's, we'll struggle to get out of this division. That said, Mr. McKenna sees the same things we do and is the man to find a solution.

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cat added 07:15 - Feb 10 Great to hear positive feedback on the way we now play the game. It was a decent performance but the way we kept giving the ball away, specially in the middle, took the shine off it. It's all coming together and we need to keep the momentum going. Saturday's game is massive, looking forward to it.
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IpswichT62OldBoy added 10:33 - Feb 10 We did control the game and could have had 3 goals easily. I think this is the difference K McK brings, a sense of calm and control, the team playing to a plan that is appropriate to the game, not some rigid set of numbers.
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blues1 added 16:00 - Feb 10 Butchersbrokennose. No penetration.? We had 17 attempts at goal, away from home. Think the issue was our finishing, not a lack of penetration.
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ButchersBrokenNose added 16:30 - Feb 10 Blues - fair point and I agree with you; we were the better side, no question. But we never put the game to bed. You saw the same game I did: how many of those 17 attempts were real chances? The two sitters Bonne missed. Other than that, I don't remember their keeper being overly troubled. Stats don't tell the whole story. My point is we have controlled games and played some nice stuff since Mr. McKenna has taken over, but we remain unconvincing, even against bad teams like Gillingham and Doncaster. We still can't turn possession into decent scoring chances. I'm hoping we look better against a team which is in the play-offs on Saturday. Regardless, we both want the same thing: a successful Ipswich Town team. We can agree on that at least!

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