Town boss Kieran McKenna felt the Blues’ display as they were beaten 2-0 by Portsmouth in the Papa Johns Trophy was a mixed bag and that perhaps now might be the best time for his side to exit the tournament given their priorities for the season and the current injury situation.

Dane Scarlett put Pompey in front two minutes before half-time and sub Zak Swanson added the second in injury time to see the visitors through to the last 16 of the competition.

“It was a mixed bag, really,” McKenna said when asked what he made of the game. “A disappointing night overall to go out.

“Probably weren’t at our most cohesive across the game in general, which is fully understandable with the number of changes and also people coming into the team who haven’t trained with us very much and having to move a people around positionally.

“There were some good aspects of the performance. I thought we started really well but from the moment we conceded the counter-attack for the goal, we became a bit scruffy after that.

“It is what it is. Some good individual performances, really proud of the two midfielders, I thought Samy [Morsy] and Cam [Humphreys] were fantastic in there again, really wouldn’t want either of them playing the game in an ideal world, but that’s not where we are at the moment. I thought they were both fantastic.

“I thought Kane [Vincent-Young] and Greg [Leigh] coming in in both wide areas were very good and it was great for Greg. Again not ideal for him to play 60 minutes at the moment, but that was what he felt and what the medical team felt he could do, so credit to him and he performed very well.

“And Zanda [Siziba] and Albie [Armin] as well coming into the team. Zanda’s not trained with us too often and wouldn’t have been expecting to get such an early shout and came on and acquitted himself well, and Albie did the same when he came on.

“We take the positives on an individual level as a team. It’s certainly not the highest on our list of goals this year, so with where we’re at with the squad at the moment, we move on to our main targets.”

Reflecting on the competition overall, the Blues boss added: “I enjoyed the group stages certainly. It was really beneficial for the momentum in the group and in the squad. Good performances, a chance to give some of the younger players some minutes, some opportunities.

“Cameron Humphreys, for example, comes into the team in the earlier games and you see the way he’s slotted into the league side has been absolutely terrific, so that’s one of the benefits of the competition.

“In the early stages, we were able to make the number of changes that we wanted to make and if the health of the squad was a little bit different, then the goal for tonight would have been a little bit different.

“But with the situation as it is, it’s probably a the right time unfortunately for us to exit this in terms of where our main priority goals are.

“Of course, we want to win every game and I’m really grateful to the fans who came out and gave us their support and were still there and cheering at the end when we should have blatant penalty and they should have had the excitement of a penalty shoot-out. It’s a shame they didn’t get it.

“Again, grateful for the support, can’t fault one bit of the effort of the players on the pitch and it wasn’t to be, so we dust ourselves down and get as many bodies fresh and ready for Sunday as we can.”

Photo: TWTD

OliveR16 added 23:49 - Nov 22 So the manager doesn't really want to progress. The players evidently didn't want to progress. Would have been nice to have known this beforehand as I cannot now get my evening (or my money) back.
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kiwiblue added 23:56 - Nov 22 Where is the plan b to avoid a lacklustre slow defence from getting caught and losing the ball? Stick it over top sometimes for our clumsy loan striker to fall over with. Better luck against Mighty Buxton
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TalkingBlues added 00:06 - Nov 23 Oliver - if the gaffer wasn't interested, he would have fielded the U21's, but he didn't, he showed respect to the fans by fielding what's left of the massively depleted 1st team squad and it's cost us another injury to a key player. We lost and I'm pleased, we need promotion, not a crappy pizza cup in the cabinet.
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 07:31 - Nov 23 Glad to be out of this tin-pot cup, but unhappy about the way we went about it. Paradoxical really.
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SheptonMalletBlue added 08:46 - Nov 23 boo hoo oliver16!!!
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Bazza8564 added 08:49 - Nov 23 Cant comment about the performance, switched off at 1-0, but KMs comments, and the fact he played Jackson as a 9 which is daft, summed it all up. But truthfully we've seen all this before when we lost to Colchester, bottom line, promotion is everything and the sooner we are out of these other competitions the better. Im expecting a similar side for Buxton, win that and hope fr a money spinner in round 3, then out of that and win the league. Harness' injury is a big blow, it leaves us Jackson playing with Chaplin as the two tens until Aluko is fit, and the window opens. Im expecting John-Jules to go back in January if his injury is serious and at least three in

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Linkboy13 added 09:27 - Nov 23 We are out of the cup more importantly Portsmouth knobled one of our better players which will improve their chances of promotion as i predicted before the game , and a crowd of just over 5,500 sums it up thank God we are out of it. One good thing Portsmouth could pick up injuries along the way now but i can't seriously see them being involved in the promotion shake up.

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BobbyBell added 11:55 - Nov 23 I thought our left side was weak. Edmundson gave the ball away in dangerous areas and Leigh was too static and didn't take on their full back. Some crosses were far too easy for the keeper to claim. When Burgess and KVY went left side we looked much better but it was too late. We still seem to be trying to score the perfect goal and we either take too many passes or try a difficult through ball. I think sometimes we need to just get the ball in the box sooner. Portsmouth always seemed to have more players than us with 5 or 6 around the ball yet we still struggled to find gaps. Lots movement off the ball and fast passing worked at times but only in short spells. Credit to Pompey for their second half pressing but we invited it by making several really bad passes.

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Cheshire_Blue added 13:10 - Nov 23 yet again, despite dominating possession, we give away a soft goal and then fail to break down the opposition to get back in the game. Unless we develop the ability to break down teams who are intent on defending we will not even make the play-offs.
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Ipswichbusiness added 14:30 - Nov 23 It was an under-strength team which is understandable given the injuries and the nature of the competition. Nonetheless, I agree with Cheshire_blue. We must expect teams to come to PR with the simple intent of defending in depth and hoping to nick one on the occasional break. We really need to develop a way of negating this approach.
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budgieplucker added 15:20 - Nov 23 From most of the comments posted against the game last night I think the large majority picked out Morsy and Humphreys as worthy combatants and contributors on the night. McKenna is probably right with his sentiments about exiting the competition at this stage, going along on a cold winters night with a small crowd in attendance gives a little more perspective also against the backdrop of a growing injury list. Humphreys is a delight to watch and just some of the weight he puts behind his passes does make sure a player has the opportunity to run on to the ball and attack in the same breadth. The general frustration is the predictibilty of a lot of our other play where we have to turn and check so often because of the poor quality of the ball being delivered behind the man or at his feet causing him to have to readjust. This all slows the game down and gives the opposition time to close down and regroup wher necessary. I don't think Freddie Ladapo is a bad striker, played to his strengths when the defence is stretched he will score us plenty of goals. Unfortunately at home we struggle to utilise Freddie to his strengths as we try to walk the ball into the net, taking too long to deliver the right quality balls, allowing the defence to get all bodies behind the play. We do not have the physical Ariel power to provide an alternative. Having said that John-Jules or Jackson are not the answer to the number 9 problems and this clearly needs to be addressed in January. This doesn't necessarily need to be a permanent signing but someone who can have the same effect as Marcus Stewart had when he was signed mid season in our promotion winning year. We lost about £8 million annual income when we dropped down from the championship, a sizeable loan fee for a proven forward at a higher level would be a reasonable punt to seize on our position and build a comfortable lead. Otherwise there is a danger we will if not already be worked out by the opposition and shut down by them gradually dropping down the top six.

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Cadiar added 19:28 - Nov 23 Budgieplucker, seems like you should be managing us as you seem to have a fountain of knowledge. Me, I know sweet FA about coaching but things at PR haven't been this good for years so I'm quite pleased we are out of this Mickey Mouse competition. Hope it hasn't cost us Harness for long.The FA Cup is a totally different thing.
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blueboy1981 added 22:01 - Nov 23 I've been a Portman Road regular for nearly Sixty years, and sad to say, but during our successful, winning days the Supporters craved Winning and Success - and we had it then. There is now, and has been for far too long, a totally different mindset of Supporters, who accept failure, and continuously make excuses for such failure. Ask yourselves WHY we are where we are, and how we have fallen catastrophically from grace, what we once were ? - it's there staring you in the face…. !! Many of you excuse makers for defeat, do not deserve success because failure will always cost less in every way - and you've asked for it, and many of you today accept it, time after time. Thankfully not all of us do, and in the main, that is why WE have seen first hand success ie. FA Cup and European success, add to that English League success too over our period of supporting the Club. Many of you haven't experienced such success, and do not deserve more than what you are getting - because you accept failure and excuses. If you are a WINNER there is no such thing as a worthless Competition - they are all there with a chance of a Wembley Experience, extra Revenue, and a Winning Reputation, that commands respect throughout the game. If you accept LOSING why compete in the first place, in any Competition ?? As a Club, a far too higher percentage of followers have lost the IPSWICH TOWN Pedigree of wanting to WIN, and expecting to WIN. Hence - Division 3 - and an abysmal record in Cup Competitions over far too many seasons and years. It's NOT the same Club these days, that it once was. But - once a Blue, always a Blue.

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Marcus added 22:04 - Nov 23 Oliver - had a good laugh at that. This isn't the FA Cup or Champions League.
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