Town boss Kieran McKenna is confident his side’s season won’t fizzle out and says tomorrow’s fixture with leaders Wigan Athletic is a “massive game” despite the Blues no longer having any chance of making the play-offs.

Saturday’s 1-0 loss at Rotherham mathematically ended any hopes Town had of making the top six, although realistically it would already have taken a miracle series of results for them to have made it.

But McKenna believes his side, who are down to 11th following this afternoon’s results, won’t let the season just fizzle out in the final couple of weeks.

“I don’t think it will,” he said. “There are three games left. Wigan’s a massive game on Tuesday night. Irrespective of where we are in the table, it’s a big game for us, so I don’t think there’s any danger of that fizzling out.

“I think the motivation of the players on Saturday was good, I thought they tried and I know that it’ll be the same on Tuesday night.

“After that we have Crewe and Charlton where we have the possibility of looking at the games a little bit differently but having said that with the injuries we have at the moment I don’t feel there are massive options to change the dynamic or the shape of the team.

“I don’t think we have big options for that at the moment, so it’s more about developing and looking at a few little subtle ideas of how we can tweak a few things to make us better or to give us different options for next year.”

McKenna says planning for next season had begun even before their league status for 2022/23 had been confirmed.

“We’re already planning anyway because it’s more about what the squad needs and we’re already planning towards that irrespective of what division we were going to be in anyway,” he said.

“That process can continue and accelerate but that situation is never in your hands either, you have to wait on a number of different factors.

“I think we’ve already been planning behind the scenes but that’s certainly going to be an important part of the coming weeks and months.

“We clearly identified quite a while ago the areas where we feel like we need to improve and develop, that’s partly at the training ground and that’s partly also in terms of what we need to do to address the balance of the squad in the summer, and that’s something we’ll look to be active with.”

Wigan, who fell to a surprise 2-1 home defeat to Cambridge United on Saturday, their first defeat in 10, are currently four points ahead of the second-placed Millers, who are ahead of the MK Dons in third on goal difference.

McKenna says the Blues will go into the match looking at it in much the same way as they did the trip to the New York Stadium at the weekend.

“Probably similar to going into the Rotherham game, to be honest, in terms that they’ve been a dominant team in the league all season, been a dominant team in this league over a number of seasons whenever they’ve got promotions,” he told iFollow Ipswich.

“Really strong, really physical team, well coached as well with good players and they’re desperately going to need the points.

“With another outcome on Saturday, they could have been coming here maybe looking to consolidate their places as league winners but now they’re going to be desperately needing the points and ready to fight for those points, so we need to be ready for that.

“We need to match that and we need to make sure our motivations and our ambition is on a level with theirs.

“I think with the fantastic home support there’s been all year, where the fans have got behind the players, I think that should be motivation enough for us and we hope that we can go and deliver a good performance.”

Town drew 1-1 at the DW Stadium in December in one of interim-manager John McGreal’s four games in charge but McKenna doesn’t feel that match will hold too many clues to how Tuesday’s fixture will progress.

“We’ll have a little look at that one but not massively,” he said. “They’ve changed a fair bit since then, they’ve been playing a back three in the large majority of their games ever since, so tactically they’ve changed.

“Obviously we’ve changed and evolved as a team, lots of different personnel and different ways of playing so I don’t think it’s a major one to look back on.

“It was a competitive game, I expect it to be another competitive game, probably a game of fine margins again. I think it’s unlikely that either team is going to blow the other out of the water, it’s going to be a game of fine margins.

“Taking your chances, set plays are the things that are going to decide the big games at this level, so that’s what we need to be ready for.”

With Town having run a ticket promotion allowing season ticket holders to buy up to two further seats at reduced prices, another big crowd in excess of 21,000 is anticipated for the penultimate home match of 2021/22 and the last fixture of the campaign played under lights.

The Blues have had a good record at home under McKenna and he knows that making Portman Road a fortress will be important next season.

“Very much so,” he said. “Over the course of the season that’s been pretty positive, certainly in my time here it’s been positive. Disappointment last time out at home, so I know that’s something we’re going to look to rectify, we’re going to have to get our intensity right, give the supporters enough reason to get behind us.

“They’ve been great all year and they’ll try and give the players that extra little push of energy for the last couple of games and we have to match that and give them something to get behind.

“It’s been really positive so far and we want to create that good atmosphere tomorrow night and that difficult atmosphere for Wigan to play in and an atmosphere that we thrive in.”

One area where McKenna will be looking for an improvement going forward is set plays with Town having scored only one goal straight from a corner, Macauley Bonne’s header against Shrewsbury, all season.

“Yes, I think it is and again that’s both a coaching and a recruitment issue,” he said. “Rotherham obviously build their team around a lot of players who are very good in that phase of the game.

“We want players who have other attributes at times and are good at different phases of the game but at the same time there’s a minimum level in this league that you have people who are good at set plays, both taking, attacking and defending.

“That’s an area of the squad that we need to improve in the summer and it’s an area that we need to continue to work hard on in pre-season.”

Christian Walton will again be in goal but McKenna could be forced into a change at the back with Janoi Donacien not having trained since the Millers match.

Cameron Burgess is available again and could come back into the XI on the right of the back three if the former Accrington man is unable to play, while Kane Vincent-Young is another alternative.

Luke Woolfenden will be in the centre of the the three, while Elkan Baggott could keep his place if Burgess is required to replace Donacien.

Wes Burns will be the right wing-back with Dominic Thompson, Matt Penney and Vincent-Young the candidates for the role on the left.

In central midfield, skipper Sam Morsy is again likely to be partnered by Tyreeq Bakinson.

Sone Aluko is another doubt having picked up a knock when colliding with Rotherham keeper Viktor Johansson and it seems likely that Conor Chaplin will replace the Nigerian international as one of the two number 10s alongside Bersant Celina. James Norwood may well keep his place as the lone central striker.

The Blues are unbeaten in nine against the Latics, having won five, while drawing the other four.

Town’s last defeat to the Lancastrians was back in March 2014 at Portman Road when Wigan won 3-1 to complete a double having beaten the Blues 2-0 at the DW Stadium earlier in the campaign.

In December at the DW Stadium, James Norwood’s first league goal of the season saw Town to a 1-1 draw with Wigan.

Callum Lang’s 22nd-minute goal gave the Latics a 1-0 half-time lead but sub Norwood pounced on 77 to claim the first point of McGreal’s brief stint in charge of the Blues.

Wigan were last in Suffolk on the opening day of the 2020/21 League One season when the Blues’ Sky hoodoo was - at least temporarily - vanquished as Paul Lambert’s side opened their campaign with a 2-0 victory at Portman Road.

Town, who hadn’t won when playing live in front of the Sky cameras for 16 matches going back to December 2015 prior to the match, went ahead through Teddy Bishop’s first goal in nearly six years in the 11th minute before sub Gwion Edwards added the second on 80.

Blues midfielders Morsy and Lee Evans are both former Wigan players. Morsy was with the Latics between January 2016 and September 2020 and Evans from August 2018, initially on loan from Sheffield Wednesday, until last summer when he joined the Blues.

Keeper Walton was on loan at the DW Stadium in the 2017/18 and 2018/19 seasons. All three were members of the side which won the League One title in 2018/19.

Town club secretary Stuart Hayton is a Wigan fan who worked at the Latics for more than 20 years.

Wigan winger Edwards joined the Latics last summer after turning down the offer of a new deal with the Blues. The Welshman made 82 starts and 27 sub appearances for Town, scoring 14 times having signed from Peterborough in July 2018.

Striker Will Keane, who was released by Town at the end of 2019/20, joined Wigan in October year last following a trial.

The former Manchester United trainee made 28 starts and 13 sub appearances for the Blues, scoring nine times, having signed initially on loan in January 2019.

Wigan centre-half Curtis Tilt almost joined Town in the summer of 2018 from Blackpool after a protracted pursuit by then-manager Paul Hurst.

Tuesday’s referee is Will Finnie from Luton, who has shown 70 yellow cards and four red in 33 games so far this season.

Finnie’s most recent Town match was the 2-1 home victory over Shrewsbury in October in which be booked Burgess, George Edmundson, Scott Fraser and one of the visitors.

Prior to that he was in charge of the 3-0 Carabao Cup victory over Bristol Rovers at Portman Road on the opening day of last season in which he booked Woolfenden, Andre Dozzell and one Pirate.

Squad from: Walton, Hladky, Donacien, Woolfenden, Baggott, Burgess, Burns, Vincent-Young, Thompson, Penney, Morsy, El Mizouni, Carroll, Bakinson, Celina, Aluko, Chaplin, Bonne, Norwood, Pigott, Simpson.

Photo: TWTD

ringwoodblue added 19:04 - Apr 18 I'm afraid it already has fizzled out. Scrapping with Pompey and Bolton for 9th is hardly a successful end to the season, is it?
14

ArnieM added 19:17 - Apr 18 “ won't fizzle out”…. Wanna bet! Suddenly there's injuries everywhere , amazing how that's happened now the seasons over . Same every year ….
4

markchips added 19:26 - Apr 18 Another clear out needed I am afraid especially at left back. Thompson to go back and both Vincent young and Penney not good enough. Not to mention Kenlock and Clements out of contract.
3

raycrawfordswig added 19:30 - Apr 18 Most of the players are on the Beach already.
6

Stato added 19:41 - Apr 18 I think we're lucky to have McKenna but we were 11th when he arrived and we're 11th now. I don't think he has done himself any favours by swapping Aluko and Chaplin constantly. Aluko still hasn't produced a single assist in the league all season despite playing 10 and Chaplin has more league goals than Celina or Aluko but McKenna clearly doesn't rate him and rarely gives him 90 minutes. Cook was heavily criticised for how predictable his 4231 line up was but McKenna has set us up 3421 for every one of his games. 3 cb's, 2 DM's and one up front hasn't made much by way of shots on goal. Surely against Crewe at home we could try a back 4 or lose one of the 2 DM's and showcase a couple of the younger lads.

7

Radlett_blue added 19:47 - Apr 18 9th or 11th for Town? Not exactly a "massive game" eh, except for those playing to win contracts. Hope Baggott starts again after a promising League debut.
11

ThaiBlue added 20:08 - Apr 18 Really like the manager and he will get it right for sure.needs a big clear out.love the club and the way its direction its going but deep down its been another poor season not good enough the fans are doing there bit the team should do theirs.
2

TimmyH added 20:20 - Apr 18 Amazing how we seem to need a 'big clear out' every other season...just about sums up how ITFC have been for over the last decade! Hopefully McK will get some solid dependable 90 minute players under contract in the summer - both Thompson and Bakinson have hardly set the world alight.
8

jas0999 added 21:15 - Apr 18 Overall, another very poor season. Already fizzled out I'm afraid. Investment required. Not sure I'd keep Amy of the loans. Thompson in particular looks poor. Bonne awful in last 25 games. Bakinson, very average. Celina - will he stay?
9

bluechelmsford9 added 21:32 - Apr 18 Keep the faith. Cook didn't work out - on paper he should have done. McKenna is a shrewd appointment and, let's be honest, the season was always going to be an uphill struggle after that abysmal start against poor opposition - 3 points in 6 matches at the start of the season is just not good enough. Conversely McKenna has won 50% of his 20 matches (has only lost 30%) and unfortunately all the teams around us just haven't been dropping enough points. I honestly believe we can get it right for next season, although I agree this season is done and we should be using the remaining matches to plan for next season. COYB.

3

churchmans added 21:45 - Apr 18 I'm afraid it fizzled out against the loss to Cambridge! I won't be there Tuesday! I shall be at the range smashing 100 golf balls! I'm looking forward to Charlton at home and then hopefully another busy summer of signings and another cull of players
-1

Edmundo added 22:46 - Apr 18 We don't need a massive turnover in the summer, just a solid pre season, 2 or 3 key positions sorted out, and the squad comfortable with the style we play. McK is our man, and he can coach good players. We have a strong squad, good coach and solid owners. The pieces all fit, now we need a bit of time and lot of hard work.
4

Cakeman added 06:29 - Apr 19 This season is done and dusted as far as Town are concerned and it is difficult to get excited about our remaining games. I think we need at least five different players for next season. A couple of proven goal scorers, Two left sided players with attacking flair and a midfield growler to accompany Sam Morsy. To keep the likely vast number of supporters onside a very heavy early season points haul is required too.

7

ChrisFelix added 06:53 - Apr 19 Hate to say it but our season started to fizzle out in January, when the club failed to address the left wing back position. After the Coulson experiment failed why not get in a proper wing back to compliment Wes
3

Jonaldo added 07:45 - Apr 19 Mate, nobody is gonna think any less of you if you let those who have performed take an early break and experiment with a few others. Focus should be on getting us off to a flying start, something that Lambert was surprisingly really good at!
2

tractorboybig added 08:12 - Apr 19 IT HAS FIZZLED OUT????? PUT THE YOUNGSTERS ON. LETS HAVE A LOOK AT THEM.
2

Ipswichbusiness added 08:54 - Apr 19 The way that things are going we will finish below Cambridge; Ipswich the third team in East Anglia!
2

Barty added 09:57 - Apr 19 Another disappointing season. Still a lot of work to be done to make this a promotion team next season. Probably at least half a dozen new players needed - 3 or 4 of them new strikers.
2

The_Prof added 10:57 - Apr 19 Every time we get 'bested' by any team in this league we hear the same comments; "strong, physical team who work set plays and get the ball into the box". It's certainly a tactic that works at this level, especially if you couple it with a tendency to go to ground at any excuse to win free kicks (and encourage bookings). I'd love to see Ipswich find a way of having success by playing quality passing football. I think we can compete against any of the 'strong physical teams' defensively with the system that KMcK has put in place (plus we have some very good defenders) but we really struggle at the other end of the pitch at the moment. I hear lots of complaints that we don't shoot enough, but I would say that in most games we have a lot of shots, just from too far out to have a realistic chance of scoring too often. We need to concentrate on working the ball into the box more often, and I'm certain that this will be addressed, along with the acquisition of the players to do it.

2

Razor added 11:01 - Apr 19 Please give Humphreys a start and WHERE IS SIMPSON-----WHARE IS SIMPSON!!??
1

Linkboy13 added 11:26 - Apr 19 Tell you where Simpson is Razor he's playing poorly in the u23s and not showing any intension he wants to stay at the club.
1

Barty added 12:26 - Apr 19 Sorry but how the hell can this be a massive game - there is nothing to play for !!
1

BlueBlood90 added 13:18 - Apr 19 I appreciate the focus on the game but it certainly isn't a massive game for us. Surely the next 3 games we should exclude any loanees who we don't intend on keeping and give some game time to our contracted and youth team players. I would be pretty annoyed if Simpson wasn't at least given a bit of a run in the next 3 weeks.
2

dubblue added 13:42 - Apr 19 I don't want another clear-out and then have to listen to commentary that it will take 3 or 4 months for the new squad to gel. clearly we need two new players up front, an attacking midfielder and probably a LB player (and if Hladký goes a reserve keeper), max 5 and let's get them early so they can be part of the pre-season friendlies.
3

Linkboy13 added 16:28 - Apr 19 We've got nothing to play for which makes it difficult for the players to get motivated. Managers always talk things up they are not going to say otherwise are they. Wigan have got everything to play for so we know which way this games going don't we. Hope im completely wrong and everyone's battering me in the morning.
1

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