Boss Kieran McKenna says the Blues aren’t in a position to be thinking about winning runs just the next win after Bristol Rovers frustrated his side to a 0-0 draw, a result which saw Town drop to fourth having won only four of their last 15 games and one in their last eight.

Town have now drawn 12 of their 31 matches, more than anyone else in the division and McKenna admits the stalemates, six in their last eight, are killing his team’s once promising season.

“Yes, there’s no doubt about it, we’ve drawn too many games,” he said. “It’s extremely frustrating for everybody.

“In isolation, it’s not a disaster of a result, it’s not an easy place to come on a Tuesday night, and not made easier by the way that they approached the game.

“But when you accumulate draws, each one feels really, really bad and it’s an extremely frustrating feeling tonight.

“But we just need to fight for the next win. You get that next win and everything looks a little bit different and you give yourself a chance to try and build on that.

“All we can do now is get ready for Saturday and fight to get the win to end this run of draws and look to build on that.”

"Asked what the issue is and why things are different to earlier in the season, he said: “I don’t think it’s ever one thing or it would be easy to fix. We’ve drawn games. When you don’t win, confidence can be affected because you’re not winning games as freely as you were, you’re not going into the game expecting to win the game as freely or individually you’re not at the same level of confidence.

“But it’s very fine margins. We could have scored in the first minute today, we had a couple of chances in the first couple of minutes of the game. If one of those goes in, the game is different.

“We had chances right until the last minute of the game, they defended en masse, they put their bodies on the line, they fought for a 0-0 and they got it.

“Those are the challenges ahead of us and we just need to keep fighting and get the first win and then make sure we keep the attitude consistent as it was tonight where I’ve got no complaints. Keep that attitude and look to fight for a result at a time.”

While Town’s progress is being held back by their draws, Plymouth, Sheffield Wednesday and now Bolton ahead of them are continuing to grind out wins.

“We just have to focus on ourselves,” the Blues manager continued. “We need to try and win the next game. We’re not in a position to be talking about winning runs or points totals because we’ve drawn too many games.

“We need to win the next game and fight to win the next game after that. And when we’ve done that more consistently, then we can think about what other teams are doing.”

Is pressure playing a part? “I think it’s natural that everyone wants it really badly within the club, everyone around the club, players, supporters, everyone’s working hard. The supporters are here en masse, they’ve contributed greatly over the season.

“The players are giving a lot behind the scenes and working hard as well. And, of course, everyone wants to be successful at the end of the season.

“When you’re in a run where you’re drawing too many games, confidence isn’t as high as it was earlier in the season, but the only way to earn that back is through hard work. Hard work when we go back to the training ground, hard work on Saturday, fight to come out on the right side of the margins and then that confidence can still be restored again.”

McKenna made four changes to his starting line-up, which he says was in part due to fitness but also looking to add fresh legs with the game Town’s fourth in 11 days.

“I think there are a few we didn’t have options on, to be honest, it’s a quick turnaround from Saturday, it’s a long travel,” he said.

“Nathan [Broadhead] wasn’t fit to start the game, he had cramp in both his hamstrings on Saturday and was still feeling tight, so medically he was limited in what he could do tonight. And, of course, we’re trying to rotate and freshen a little bit in the forward positions.

“The players are all fighting and they all want to stake a claim to start lots and lots of games and that’s the challenge for them individually as well.”

Town once again were found wanting against a side employing a low block, a recurring theme throughout the season but increasingly so lately.

Town once again were found wanting against a side employing a low block, a recurring theme throughout the season but increasingly so latterly.

“That’s the challenge at the moment,” McKenna said when asked how he might find the answer. “We were playing tonight against one of the most attacking and aggressive and open teams in the league, who usually score a lot and concede a lot and their manager [Joey Barton], credit to him to his honesty, has apologised to me straight after the game for not being willing to give us a match tonight and not being willing to play their normal way.

“Credit that he has the self-awareness and the honesty to say that. I can understand from their position but that doesn’t help us that that’s, I don’t know if you want to call it the level of respect because we haven’t won enough games, but that’s the approach that teams are taking against us a little bit more lately.

“I felt that that might be the case after the Morecambe game where a team came and played open against us and we punished them in the first half [by scoring four times].

“I think we faced a completely different Bristol Rovers side than in any game I’ve seen from them this season and that shows why the manager ground out a clean sheet.

“That’s the challenge that we face, we can’t hide from it, we need to face it, we need to keep working to find solutions individually, we need to keep working to find solution tactically.

“I thought tonight we tried a lot of different ways. We tried to go longer into the front, we tried to cross it, we tried to go into feet, we tried to go behind, we tried to go early and aggressive with our substitutes.

“We had 15 shots from inside the penalty box and 21 shots in total and we didn’t managed to find a goal.

“Tonight it wasn’t enough and we need to just keep working to find solutions, but it’s certainly a challenge.”

McKenna admits that four wins in 15 in the league isn’t good enough: “No, there’s no getting away from that. We know that, it’s too many draws primarily. We haven’t lost many games. You can lose games but it’s too many draws.

“I think in isolation, a draw, 0-0 away from home on a Tuesday night when a team sets up like that against you and then have threats and goalscorers on the counter-attack and threats of goalscorers to come on, a draw isn’t a disaster.

“But in an accumulation of other draws where we really, really were disappointed not to get the points, things didn’t go our way in different circumstances and decisions didn’t go our way, then the accumulation makes it a really disappointing run.

“But these things can change. We’ve shown in the first half of the season that we can accumulate a lot of points. We showed in my time last year that we can accumulate points and put a run together.

“That’s not happening at the moment, but I still feel that we’re not far away from it. I feel like in general the performances and attitude haven’t been far away. I don’t think we were far away tonight, but, of course, the supporters don’t want to hear that at the moment because there’s frustration there. I understand that.

“From our point of view, we need to keep working, we need to keep working to find solutions, we need to keep the players’ confidence up because it’s not easy for them at the moment either.

“They desperately want to be successful as well and we need to stay strong and keep the confidence and the belief high enough to give us a good chance to win the next game and just build on that.”

Some of those fans are losing faith that Town can make the top two, but McKenna says that’s not something he’s personally reflecting on at present.

“We can’t control that,” he said. “My thoughts aren’t on that at the moment. We haven’t got the right to think or discuss that too much at the moment, in my opinion, because we’ve drawn too many games.

“We need to focus on getting the next win and if and when we get the win, we need to focus on getting the next one and we need to put some results together and then after that, we can talk and think about where we are. But for now, my focus can’t be anywhere past Saturday.”

He added: “I’m not thinking about [the table] at all, to be honest. That’s not shying away from our position, that’s being honest about when you haven’t won enough games like we haven’t.

“We can’t think about points totals, up, down, promotion or play-offs, we just need to fight to earn some results at the moment and if we can manage to do that, then we can look and assess where we’re at and what we need to do. But at the moment, it’s just needs to be the next game at a time.”

McKenna says George Edmundson and Massimo Luongo could be back in his squad for Saturday’s game against Forest Green Rovers, but that Lee Evans will remain absent with his knee injury.

"“Maybe George and Mass, possibly,” he said. “They weren’t ready for today, but we’re hoping that both will join in training on Thursday.

“Lee Evans no, but we’re hoping that the other two might be available for Saturday. Noting confirmed yet on Lee, to be honest, he’s seeing the specialist this week, I’m not sure exactly what day, so I should be able to update on Friday.”

Photo: Pagepix

SoCalTownFan added 23:19 - Feb 14 McKenna needs to get an assistant, like Burley. Then to resign.
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Umros added 23:25 - Feb 14 Correct. Not good enough. Speaks well on what should happen but it doesn't come out on pitch.
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Len_Brennan added 23:29 - Feb 14 Automatic is gone & while we are going backwards due to poor form, and our opponents having worked out the predictability of our play, all the teams around us have gotten into their stride & know what they are about heading into the business end of the season. We don't know our best back 3 (or 4), most of our central midfielders are injured, our wide players (Burns & Davies) are looking jaded, while the front 3 can be any combination based on whatever McKenna's bingo machine churns out ahead of the game. The only certainty with predicting our starting forwards is that you'll get it wrong, regardless of how good or bad the last game went. The goalkeeping slot is not even 100% certain anymore. These are not the hallmarks of a promotion winning side in mid-February. If the league ended today & we were heading into the playoffs next week, would any of us expect to come through it against Bolton, Derby & Barnsley? By May, Wycombe will have overtaken us if we continue on the form of the last 2 months.

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Suffolkboy added 23:31 - Feb 14 The stats generally are very good : the number of shots good , indicating chances are created ! BUT KM why oh why are the stats that count absolutely no good ? Why do we not score ; what are you able to do about it,what and when are you going to do something about it ? I understand the need to keep confidence as high as possible BUT sometimes taking down individuals , making them feel awful( as I'd suggest several might) is the release button that spurs self interest and urgency ! Mam management is your strong point , now show us how it works in the short term ! Perhaps you'd also tell us exactly what is to be done , and detail the manner in which our potential is to be released ,how and which factors will come to the fore ! Can ITFC afford some new shooting boots , some practice nets for heading, and some strengthening exercises in technical delivery and self belief ? Digitum extractum , K M !! COYB

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AlanG296 added 23:49 - Feb 14 He's a coach, not a manager. Came with no real experience outside the top third of the Premier league, doesn't appear to have learnt anything about achieving at this level. His multitude of support staff have the same weakness.
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Karlosfandangal added 23:54 - Feb 14 5 straight wins and we are pushing for automatic promotion………..oh wait a minute. 4 straight wins and we are pushing for the play offs……… oh never mind. Sorry but have lost the faith…play offs look a maybe at the minute and if we do make the play offs teams have just got to sit deep and we are done. Why don't we try a different formation when it's not going our way. Why not go to a 4-4-2 or a 1—1-8 anything just to throw the opponents off a little. Forest Green just sit deep and catch Town on the break nice draw or possibly 3 points

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Karlosfandangal added 00:00 - Feb 15 Bolton where plus 15 on goal difference and Town plus 25 Two games later and we have the same goal difference
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shakytown added 00:11 - Feb 15 Mc kenna ball just is not working. time for a big change or the playoffs might not even happen.
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Woodbridgian added 00:26 - Feb 15 I think it was Einstein who said that the definition of insanity was doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results! That one quote sums up Ipswich Town at the moment. We can't continue to play dippy tappy football against teams who play with 10 men behind the ball. Look at the 2 Sheffield Wednesday goals on Saturday. Quick and decisive from one end of the pitch to the other and the ball in the back of the net. By comparison we are still on our 6th pass between the back 4! Yes it might be the modern way for top teams but it's not working in league one. The reality is teams have figured us out and we and or K Mc can't or won't change. Footballing principles and philosophies are well and good but another season in this dreadful league will be a disaster.

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blues1 added 00:35 - Feb 15 SoCal,Town Fan. A perfect name for you. "So called". Get a grip. We're u around when bobby robson 1st took over here? Doubt it. But if u had, no doubt ud have been calling for his head. Just go and support some1,else.
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JimInGreensboro added 00:39 - Feb 15 McKenna made four changes to his starting line-up, which he says was in part due to fitness but also looking to add fresh legs with the game Town's fourth in 11 days. “I think there are a few we didn't have options on, to be honest, it's a quick turnaround from Saturday, it's a long travel,” he said. These are professional athletes who are quite young. They can't play 4 footie matches in 11 days and ride a coach for a while?

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blues1 added 00:42 - Feb 15 AlanG296. And whst was bobby robson whenxhex1st came here? Was actually neitherca coach or a manager in effect. Having only managed Fulham for 44 days. Took him 3 years beforexge started to get things going in the right direction here. Just remember what we were when mckenna took over to where we are now? As for this he's,a coach, not a manager? What is pep guardiola. Or arteta? They're coaches who just happen to manage clubs. We're they successful straight away at City or arsenal? No. But u expect mckenna,to have success yesterday? Give the guy a chance for gods sake. Or do u really think thr way to go is to get rid of him and have to start again from scratch

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pg888 added 00:56 - Feb 15 Blues1 in response to where we were before and where we are now. We were a league one team who managed to be in the mix in January then fade massively 3 years running. The football is easier on the eyes but that matters not one bit! We are again proving to be the same team we have been the last 3 seasons. If we drop to 6th or 7th with a handful of games to go change is needed as simple as that.

4

Jugsy added 00:57 - Feb 15 Blimey, somebody needs to get you fair weather fans some brollies. The armchair manager brigade is out in force!
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TractorBeezer added 01:11 - Feb 15 Disappointing but am keeping the faith.
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AlanG296 added 02:22 - Feb 15 Blues1, McKenna is in charge of the best resourced club in the division by far and is failing. No comparison with what Bobby had to work on whatsoever. Any attempt to liken McKenna to Robson is disrespectful to a true legend of football.
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pennblue added 06:03 - Feb 15 The chances we create are not good chances that is our issue, we need to change how we approach the games from an attacking perspective, this slow build up down the wings is not working.
6

Westy added 06:31 - Feb 15 After that, I am concerned now for Saturday. We have to beat Forest Green Rovers comfortably and with a good performance and hope other results go out way. Anything else and I'm fear the atmosphere could really turn.
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Saxonblue74 added 06:55 - Feb 15 This is 2023, football has changed since the 70's and early 80's! Despite the fact that we are on a bad run of form I do still believe we are the best in this league. I don't fancy the stress of the play offs (last night was stressful enough) but that said I actually fancy us to beat any of the teams around us over 2 legs or a final. They are very different games, games that have to be won, games where a draw is not an option. Anyone in this league (or the championship from FA cup evidence) wanting to actually play football against us tend to find out just how good we are. I'm as frustrated, annoyed and bemused by our current form as any other fan on this forum but believe strongly that KmK will turn this around. I'm sure he'll be getting plenty of advice from his contacts, some of whom are big names with much experience. I think to some extent the impatience and knee jerk reaction from a few fans is more a result of years of disappointment than of recent events, and understandably so. We must look at the direction of the club as a whole and remind ourselves of darker days from time to time, however difficult our current form (temporary) is making it.

6

oldtimer3 added 06:58 - Feb 15 A very honest assessment from KM. I like the way we play under his leadership. OK it's very frustrating that we are struggling to score regularly enough but I am confident we will make the playoffs at least this season and if we didn't go up then we start again, as Sunderland a very big club like us had too before they got promotion.
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Help added 07:26 - Feb 15 Then do something about it, as it has been going on too long without change. You are the manager, you choose the team, you tell them how to play. Continue in this manner and not only will we be 6th in the table we may even fall out of the play-offs. What happens on Saturday when FGR sit with 11 men behind the ball and look to get a draw or even nick a goal and win. Will we see change, will we see plan B, or will we see more of the same. Slow ball from the back, pass sideways and back. No drive forward at pace. No turning defenders. Occasional over hit crosses, with no-one in the box. Sorry Kieran, but we have heard this time and again from you and players and nothing changes. Same problems since October. 3-4 months of not sorting the problems.

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norfolkbluey added 07:26 - Feb 15 To be very honest on here the atmosphere has changed and understandably so. The game is a simple one just score more goals than the opposition and we're just not doing that and then add that those around us in the division like Derby and Bolton, historically are old rivals are smashing oppositions out of sight. On our present course we will be lucky to make even the playoffs. I do think MCK is a good coach but a good manager has that extra dimension that seems to be missing. That sounds harsh but he has now an opportunity to show whether he has that or not. If he hasn't then the owners will say goodbye. He has to be fair, been given amazing funding but tactically on the pitch his results have been very very patchy since Christmas. Not just MCK but everyone is disappointed but that alone doesn't get the club promotion. FGR on Saturday is not just a win but also the way we play and win. Lose and its curtains. The players and supporters want to win in style and that rests on MCK's tactical understanding and assessment of how to break down defences and create space for our players to score. COYB

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Texastom added 07:27 - Feb 15 Not fine margins, not just one thing McKenna, what are you talking about? Its the constant changing and mass substitutions. Trouble is McKenna has no Management experience. Said we won't make the Playoffs a month ago and haven't changed my mind.
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GCB added 07:35 - Feb 15 McKenna was God a few months back. Typical negatively from the so called supporters of the club. If we won back to back premier league titles some would still complain about something.
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Stato added 07:40 - Feb 15 Why does McKenna play a back 8 against a low block. He says Barton has not set up like they did this season but Baton says Ipswich play the same way every week we've had all season to prepare and don't even need drones
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