McKenna: The Focus is Just On the Next Game Friday, 17th Feb 2023 18:59 Town host bottom club Forest Green Rovers at Portman Road on Saturday afternoon, the first of a run of four games against teams in the bottom six, but manager Kieran McKenna insists he’s currently not looking beyond the visit of Duncan Ferguson’s side. The Blues, who were top of the table two months ago today prior to a 1-0 defeat at Wycombe Wanderers, dropped to fourth in League One following Tuesday’s disappointing 0-0 draw at Bristol Rovers, now two points behind Bolton, who have played a game more than Town, eight off Sheffield Wednesday in second, who have played a match fewer, and 10 away from leaders Plymouth. McKenna’s men have won just four in 15 in the league and one of their last eight, drawing six, and desperately need to go on a run of victories to put themselves back in the hunt for an automatic promotion spot. Following the Forest Green match, the Blues travel to the MK Dons, who are 20th, next weekend, Accrington, 22nd, then visit Portman Road on the following Tuesday before 19th-placed Burton Albion make the trip to Suffolk that Saturday. However, the Blues boss is taking things one game at a time and not thinking any further than victory over the Nailsworth-based club, who will be playing their inaugural fixure at Portman Road. “The focus is just on the next game at the moment,” McKenna said. “We’ve drawn too many games, so it’s not the time to talk about winning runs and consecutive wins, we need to get the first one. “I think when you get the first one, then you can look to get the next one and then you can look to get the next one after that. “At the moment, our thoughts aren’t past Forest Green. We know they’re going to come with a real determination to make the game as difficult for us as possible and we’re going to have to find a way to overcome that obstacle, whichever way we have to do it. “That’s the priority and if we manage to do that, then we can look at what comes next.”  Town’s Achilles’ heel this season has been facing sides employing a low block, defending in depth to try and frustrate their way to a point, as Bristol Rovers became the latest club to do on Tuesday. Does McKenna anticipate Forest Green taking a similar approach? “It’s not for us to speculate how they will go about the game. Of course, Duncan is getting to know the players and working with the team. “I thought they played well at home to Charlton on Tuesday night [when they lost 1-0]. I think he was happy with the performance and I can understand why having watched the game. “I thought they were really strong, especially in the second half. I’m sure he will keep working to improve his team and do whatever he sees fit to get a result on Saturday. We need to do the same.” McKenna says he crossed paths with Ferguson, who is yet to record a win in his four games in charge having lost three and one, during their periods working on the staff at Premier League clubs. “In his spells as assistant and caretaker manager [at Everton], where he had a game at Manchester United that I was involved in,” McKenna recalled. “He was first-team coach under a few different managers when we played Everton and I was also first-team coach. “I don’t know him very well personally but he’s very well respected and a passionate football man. He’s done well as a coach at Everton and it is great to see him get his first chance as manager of Forest Green. “A fearsome striker who was more enjoyable to watch than play against, I’m sure. I’m sure he will be looking to put some of that into his team as well.”
The Blues won 2-1 at the New Bolt Lawn in August but McKenna says that game will have little impact on Saturday’s match. “They’ve changed a lot,” he said. “They’ve changed system, whether that remains for Saturday, but they’ve a different system, different manager, lots of different players, different style. “At the moment the game we played there earlier in the season has very, very little relevance from a tactical point.” Saturday will see Portman Road pay tribute to Sir Bobby Robson, who would have turned 90 on the day, with McKenna feeling privileged to be in the same job as the legendary Blues and England boss. However, he would have anticipated a big Portman Road atmosphere in any case with more than 24,000 tickets having been sold. “I think it is brilliant that the celebration is going on,” he said.” As I have said before, it is an absolute honour to be at the club and follow in the footsteps of such a great man. “In terms of its impact on the game tomorrow, I don’t think I can speculate on that, to be honest. “I don’t think we will need a shot in the arm. Everyone knows it’s an important game, everyone knows that we really want to win the game and need to do all we can to win the game. “And I don’t think any extra motivation is needed. But, of course, it will be a good day for everyone at the club to honour Sir Bobby and we will enjoy our part to play in that as well.” McKenna is likely to make the usual handful of changes with the game Town’s fifth in 15 days. Christian Walton will be in goal with McKenna perhaps reverting to Harry Clarke on the right while sticking with Luke Woolfenden and Cameron Burgess. Leif Davis seems likely to continue wide on the left but Kayden Jackson could be a contender to come in for Wes Burns on the right flank. In central midfield, skipper Sam Morsy is likely to be partnered by Cameron Humphreys unless Massimo Luongo is considered fit enough to start alongside the Egyptian international. Nathan Broadhead and Conor Chaplin appear likely to return as the number 10s with George Hirst perhaps getting the nod ahead of Freddie Ladapo as the central striker. Ferguson, who took over as boss January 26th, knows little is expected of his side at Portman Road but says that’s little different to any other match. “Everybody is above us so we’re underdogs in every game,” he told GloucestershireLive. “Ipswich are a top team, scoring a lot of goals, keeping a high line, very aggressive on the press. We feel we’re a match for anybody at the moment.” Does Town’s recent run of disappointing results give Rovers hope? “I don’t see why not. They’re in a sticky patch as are we but they’re at home, they’ll have 25,000 behind them but hopefully we’ll give a good account of ourselves.” Ferguson played for Robson at Newcastle United and says the legendary Blues boss was one of the best he worked under. “He’s got to be in the top two” the former striker reflected. “He was a beautiful man and a great guy to be around, a legend of the game, and everybody who came into contact with Bobby absolutely loved him.” Defender Jordan Moore-Taylor and on-loan Everton midfielder Tyler Onyango both miss out, while another defender, Baily Cargill, is a doubt with a knee injury. Forest Green are without a win in 12 games in all competitions, 11 in the league and an FA Cup exit, losing all but two of those matches. Their last victory was a 1-0 home defeat of Cheltenham on December 10th. They were beaten 1-0 at home by Charlton in midweek having drawn 1-1 at Morecambe on Saturday. Rovers have conceded more goals than anyone else in League One, 59, and have scored the fourth-fewest, 25. Away from home this season they have won one - 2-1 at Bristol Rovers on the opening day of the season - drawn seven and lost eight. The game at the New Bolt Lawn in August was the first ever meeting between the clubs following Rovers’ promotion from League Two as champions last season. First-half goals from Marcus Harness and Morsy saw Town to a 2-1 victory, Josh March having pulled one back for the home side in the second. Harness netted his first Town goal in the 37th minute, then Morsy curled a stunning strike into the top corner in first-half injury time before March made it a nervy second period for Town with his 64th-minute goal. Blues wing-back Burns spent a month on loan at Forest Green when a Bristol City player between March and April 2013, making five starts and one sub appearance, scoring once. Forest Green midfielder Charlie Savage, who is on loan from Manchester United and is the son of former Welsh international Robbie, was one of the Red Devils youngsters to spend time training with the Blues to gain experience towards the end of last season. Savage made his debut as a sub against the Addicks in midweek and could make his first start against Town. Saturday’s referee is Carl Brook from Sussex, who has shown 100 yellow cards and just one red his 27 matches so far this season. Brook will be refereeing his fourth Town match having previously taken control of three comfortable Blues home victories. He was last at Portman Road for the 3-0 win against MK Dons in August, booking only one of the visitors, and last season took control of the defeat of Burton by the same scoreline, in which he yellow-carded Lee Evans and two Brewers, and the 6-0 hammering of Doncaster when he cautioned Burgess and two of the South Yorkshiremen. Squad from: Walton, Hladky, Clarke, Donacien, Woolfenden, Keogh, Burgess, Burns, Vincent-Young, Davis, Leigh, Morsy, Humphreys, Luongo, Edwards, Chaplin, Harness, Aluko, Broadhead, Ladapo, Hirst, Jackson.
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