McKenna: Mixed Bag, Intensity Improved in Second Half Saturday, 23rd Jul 2022 18:06 Town boss Kieran McKenna felt the Blues’ 1-1 draw at Millwall was a mixed bag with the intensity of the performance having increased in the second half. Freddie Ladapo’s goal nine minutes after the break equalised Benik Afobe’s opener for the Lions. “I thought it was a mixed bag but happy with the outcomes that we had from the game,” McKenna said. “I think I would probably be a little bit unnerved if anything had gone perfect today, we made some mistakes in the game, we did some things really well in the game. “That gives us some things to iron out this week, things to improve on this week and the coming weeks as well, so I thought it was a really good workout. “Probably what we thought from the level of the game, playing against a really strong Championship team was going to be a good test, and it was a good test, but I thought we showed out pretty well across the whole game and certainly in the second half I thought we were getting towards our better levels.” As at AFC Wimbledon last week, the intensity of the Blues’ performance increased in the second half. “Very similar,” McKenna reflected. “I think pre-season games are very hot on the pitch, it doesn’t feel it in the stands or in the shade where we’re standing but it was really hot on the pitch. “The grass is sticky and slow and it’s not easy, so you have to really force and find ways to create that intensity in the game. “It was a bit stop-start in the first half, there were a couple of injuries, there was a drinks break and I felt we never really got into our flow. Never managed to get the game to the levels of intensity that we enjoy playing at. “But right from the first whistle of the second half we found that and when we find that we look a better team.” Regarding Afobe’s goal, which came after Luke Woolfenden was caught in possession playing the ball out from the back, McKenna added: “Hopefully it’s not going to happen, it didn’t happen last year in general. “We’ve improved our build-up structures a lot over the time we’ve been here, but we can’t take that for granted, we need to keep working and improving on it. “It’s often not a mistake on the ball, often it’s positional things off the ball, certain movements or positions that we didn’t execute well and obviously when you play at the higher levels, and Millwall are a very good team and Afobe’s a very good player, then there’s a chance you’ll get punished. “But we’ll continue to play how we play, continue to try and control and be brave with the ball because it pays off in the second half because eventually you can wear teams down and our dominance starts to show. “A good learning point for us at this stage of pre-season, a good one for us to look back at next week and look at the principles that we didn’t quite implement, it’s a good lesson at this stage.” Town had chances to win it in the closing stages and finished the match very much on top. “We had a few, Freddie [Ladapo] had a good chance with a cross from the left just before he came off, Tyreece had a couple, Jacko [Kayden Jackson] had one at the end,” he recalled. “We had some good chances in the second half. That came from the intensity we got the game to, that little bit more intensity in our game and we looked a threat. “I thought the boys who came out for the second half got that started, got in top in the game and then the boys who came on did very well as well, and they took that on and we looked strong at the end of the game.” There were audible moans from the home fans in the second half, something which pleased the Town boss. “Yes, I think it’s the last game of pre-season for them so they want to put on a good performance and win the game as well, and I’m sure they will have been pleased with bits of their game and there will have been bits that they were unhappy with as well,” he said. “I think it’s important when you go to big stadiums and tough away games that you impose your football and if you can do that and keep the score level, which we didn’t do for long enough, but once we’d got the score level, if you’re imposing the way that we play on big teams in their stadium, then the supporters aren’t going to enjoy that. “It’s important for us to be brave in how we play whether we’re home or away and look to go and play in our way and represent Ipswich well and hopefully that makes the away fans a lot happier than the home fans.” Regarding Ladapo’s finish, he added: “Very good, didn’t snatch at it, caressed it really well in the corner. I thought his all-round game was good. “He gave us a good outlet and then I thought Kayden was fantastic when he came on, to be fair, as was Sone and Tyreece when they came on as well. It’s great to have those options and all the front unit is looking strong.” McKenna was also pleased with keeper Christian Walton’s role on the goal, sending Marcus Harness away on the left with a quick throw. “Just in general in the first half we didn’t manage to put enough intensity into the game, that’s not just on us, there are two teams playing and the conditions have a big part of it,” he said. “But in the second half we wanted to get the ball back in play as quickly as possible, try and keep the ball in play as much as we could and bring the game to those higher levels of intensity. “That was very good from Christian to spot that early and to get us off and running and I thought in general the game really opened up in the second half in the way that we like it to do.” Harness was making his first appearance since joining from Portsmouth and McKenna was pleased with the forward’s display. “Very happy,” he said. “It wasn’t an easy game for the team to get into it in the first half but even in that he showed some good touches and what he can bring to us and in the second half. “Especially when the game opened up a little bit, you saw some his receiving between the lines, some of his ball carrying and some of his link play and the way he runs off the ball is going to be a really god addition to us.” While Kyle Edwards returned, Dominic Ball and Greg Leigh both missed out but not due to anything serious. “Just little knocks and illnesses, nothing major,” McKenna said. “Dominic has a little knock, will be back on Monday training with the group and with Greg a little bit of illness but he’ll be returning to the group on Monday.” Asked about his plans for Tuesday’s final friendly against Southend at Portman Road, McKenna says it’s important in order to get everyone up to speed. “We wanted to have it, it’s very important to get the minutes up for the players,” he said. “We wanted to give certain players a lot of minutes today but we want to make sure going into next Saturday as many players as we can are 90-minutes ready. “If there are any injuries or anything that happens during the week, we don’t want any of them coming into the game undercooked. “A good chance for us to play at Portman Road, a good chance for the players that haven’t played there very often to get another game at the stadium, get familiar with the surroundings and the minutes will be primarily for those who haven’t had minutes today, but the other guys will be involved as well and we’ll just treat it as part of our training week. “I don’t think we’ll start anyone who started today but we won’t decide Saturday’s team until after Tuesday night. Everyone’s still fighting for spots, still showing themselves, it’s a chance for the guys who didn’t start today to start on Tuesday night and we’ll look at the team for Saturday after that.” Reflecting on how the squad is set a week from the start of the season proper when Bolton visit Portman Road, he reflected: “You never know 100 per cent until the game starts and it’s only one game and so whatever happens Saturday isn’t going to dictate the course of our season. “But I think we’ve prepared as well as we can, the players have trained every so hard, I’m really happy with the fixture programme. We finish off with Southend on Tuesday night. “The squad looks strong, thankfully we haven’t picked up and major injuries over the course of pre-season. The boys who were here last year are getting back into the flow and the new boys are settling in but settling well. “I think we’ve controlled most of what we can control in terms of it being a really good pre-season and we’ll be as ready as we can for Saturday and look forward to the game.” Quizzed on whether there will be any additions before next Saturday, with former loanee Bersant Celina, Leister striker George Hirst and Leeds left-back Leif Davis all remaining targets, McKenna said: “It’s not impossible, I know the club is working ever so hard and are speaking to a few players. “Not impossible there could be movement by Saturday but that’s not my focus whatsoever, the club is working hard on that behind the scenes at the moment, my 100 per cent focus is on the players we have here and ready in this already strong group for the game on Saturday.”
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