Town boss Kieran McKenna insisted he still believes the Blues can pick up the points required to secure Premier League survival, despite today’s 4-1 defeat to his former club Tottenham Hotspur and Wolves’ 1-0 victory at AFC Bournemouth leaving them five points plus goal difference from safety with only 12 games left to play.

McKenna’s side performed well in the first half with striker Liam Delap having had a number of early chances before Brennan Johnson, son of former Blues frontman David, gave the visitors a two-goal lead.

Omari Hutchinson’s third goal of the season nine minutes before the break gave Town hope, but Spurs netted twice in the second half through Djed Spence and Dejan Kulusevski to seal a third Premier League win on the bounce and consign Town, who are without a win in their last seven, to their ninth defeat at Portman Road this season.

“We’re, of course, really frustrated by the result,” McKenna said. “I think there were lots of good things in the performance, no doubt that we started really, really well, should have been ahead. I think we were the better team in the first half.

“A couple of home games in a row that we should go in with a lead on the balance of play and on the chances, and we go in with a deficit. So we’re frustrated by that.

“There’s no doubt that their execution whenever they got their big moments around our penalty box was better than our execution whenever we got our big moments around their penalty box. That was the difference between the two teams.

“I think there were so many good things about the performance, there’s so much growth on the pitch, there’s a lot of growth still to come, but it’s a stage of the season where we’d like to have points on the board and it’s a game where we certainly could have had some and it could have been different, but it’s gone against us and we don’t get anything for that.”

He added: “Of course, it’s frustrating, it’s a frustrating game, but it is what it is. We can’t feel sorry for ourselves, we have to work to improve. I think we have improved in many aspects, I know we’ve had a difficult loss, so it doesn’t feel like that, but I know that we have. I believe very, very strongly in how we are working day-to-day. But it’s also it’s clear that margins have gone against us too often.

“Certainly I don’t think we’ve had anything resembling luck in many different aspects this year, but also our execution compared to the opposition execution hasn’t been at the level quite often and small margins have gone against us in games and in moments in games that have taken matches away from us.

“It’s frustrating. It’s not a stage of the season where we want to talk about growth or performances or pride in the performance because we want the points on the board. But at the same time we can’t lose patience with the good things that are going on.

“I know that they are there and there’s evidence of it on the pitch and I see evidence of it day-to-day. So we’ve got to keep working to improve and see where it takes us.”

The first two Tottenham goals came from skipper Son Heung-min breaking into the left of the area. Did McKenna feel that his side might have opted to foul the South Korean before he crossed the 18-yard line?

“No, they weren’t situations for me where there should be fouls,” he said. “They were two situations that we should do better in, no doubt about that, both in defending the individual actions and then the covering of those actions.

“Again, you talk about margins going our way, our right-back [Axel Tuanzebe] was missing today for two yellows for committing one foul in the first half of a game [at Aston Villa] that meant we played 50 plus extra-time last week with 10 men and then we have to make another change to our backline today, which in our position, of course, makes it more difficult.

“That was a challenge coming into the game and we didn’t defend those situations well enough in the first half.”

Despite the result, McKenna and his team were given a warm reception by their fans at the whistle and the Blues boss was asked how he is taking the situation with Town having won only once at home this season.

“I’m fine, the support is really appreciated,” he continued. “We don’t take it for granted, not every club gets it, but I also know that the club knows and the support knows the journey that the team’s been on. Can get bored of saying it, but that’s the reality.

“We know playing Tottenham at home is a big step. Five years ago, we were in the middle of League One and they were in the Champions League final. It’s been a really quick rise to this point, which makes it a challenge.

“But I also think the supporters are clever enough here and honest enough and balanced enough to see a lot of good things on the pitch today. There’s a lot of things to take pride in in terms of how we’re going about it, in terms of many of the performances at individual level, some of the young players on the pitch, the growth that we’re seeing and as a team that we’re doing so many good things.

“There are a lot of different ways that we can lose to Tottenham Hotspur as Ipswich, a lot of different systems, styles of play, everything that would still have the same outcome, but I think the supporters are taking pride in some of the things they’re seeing. Of course, they’re frustrated, like we’re frustrated.

“We can’t work any harder, so we’ve just got to keep working as hard as we can and work as smart as we can to get better, and the support that we have behind us is fantastic and it’s always appreciated and we’ve got to keep earning that support as well.”

In the build-up to Tottenham’s fourth goal Jacob Greaves clashed heads with former Blues loanee Dane Scarlett on halfway and was on the ground as the visitors broke forward. McKenna was asked whether he felt the game ought to have been stopped by referee Tim Robinson.

“I think it’s usually stopped for a head injury,” he reflected. “I think when a player gets a whack on the head right in front of the fourth official, it’s usually stopped. But it’s not on the list of my biggest concerns today, to be honest.”

Town’s defeat was compounded by Wolves, the team directly above them in 17th winning 1-0 away against a Cherries team, which was reduced to 10 men in the 31st minute when centre-half Illya Zabarnyi was red-carded.

That leaves the 18th-placed Blues five points behind the Molineux club but effectively six due to goal difference with 12 matches remaining.

McKenna was asked whether he still believed his team can dig themselves out of the relegation zone.

“No doubt and we will while it’s possible,” he said. “It is what it is. They’ve picked up a good result today against 10 men with an early red card with a VAR. These are really, really small margins in football and they haven’t gone our way this year.

“Of course, everyone probably thinks that but I don’t think anyone could say that we’ve had any sort of fortune or margins go our way too often.

“It is what it is, we know we’ve got a big challenge to stay in the division. We know we’re going to have to pick up points at a greater rate in our last 12 games. I believe that we can pick our points up at a greater rate, for sure.

“I feel that there’s improvement in the team, we’re still in a period, and I know it’s frustrating to say it again, but it’s just the reality of the situation and how it’s been, that we’ve still got a couple of players making home debuts today [keeper Alex Palmer and Jaden Philogene, who was making his first home start], and that’s been almost the case right through the season. We’ve not been able to settle on relationships and partnerships on the pitch too often.

“But we’ve got to hope for better margins and luck on some of those things in the run-in and keep doing the good work and push for improvement and turning margins our way.

“I believe that we can pick up a good amount of points in the last 12 games. Of course, when you’re in this position now, it’s not in our hands, so if other teams win all their games, we can’t control that.

“We can only do what we do and that starts with Wednesday night [at another of his old clubs Manchester United]. A big challenge, we’ve got to pick ourselves up after today, go there and that’s a game to really try and take on.”

TWTD

tractorboybig added 07:54 - Feb 23 unfortunately this league is to much for you. Our additions other than delap have been poor and team selection and constant change fatal. WE are relegated SO LETS GET prepared for next season. trouble is how do we get rid of most of this squad? other than delap who would want them.
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SpiritOfJohn added 08:04 - Feb 23 Delap against Archie Gray was a total mismatch, but we were unable to make the most of it. Granted we had some bad luck in front of goal, but this was compounded by some poor defending. Bad decision to bring Godfrey into the team when O'Shea was far more likely to contain Son. Spurs exploited our weaknesses, while we were unable to make the most of theirs.
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ChrisFelix added 09:32 - Feb 23 My thoughts exactly spirit of john. Gray was able to stroll around like Bobby Moore use to do. It was clear that Delap had the beating of him. As for Godfrey Spurs had 2 chances from their left prior to the first goal. Son evidently has too much pace for him. When we got wide notice spurs doubled or even trebled up on Hutchinson or Jaden
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yorkieblue62 added 10:21 - Feb 23 Reluctant to be too hard on the manager after all he has achieved but it is very disappointing to see the way he has made the team worse as the season has gone on, not better as many of us anticipated. He has to take some responsibility for the players he has brought in and all the changes, week to week. Be very interesting to see what any new manager does with this squad back in the championship. I cant see Kieran sticking around if we are relegated, which seems almost inevitable now, though hope I am wrong.

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dirtydingusmagee added 10:26 - Feb 23 Having a bad day Churchmans lol join the club.im sorry you couldnt be bothered to read the post but hey ho.I wont resort to insulting you i cant be bothered .God willing ill be supporting Town still next season too as i have since 65 even if its in Championship.Have a nice day .
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Ipswichbusiness added 13:22 - Feb 23 It is just plain daft to blame everything on one player, such as Davis. The reason that we are almost certain to go down is that to survive you need to win home games against teams in the lower half of the table and we just haven’t been good enough to do that.
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terryf added 14:53 - Feb 23 Last couple of seasons we have controlled possession. This season however is a different ball game. MOTD were right. The problems are solvable but unfortunately week after week we keep making the same mistakes. Godfrey never laid a glove on Son and his class created two goals. Also Davis is great going forward but his defensive awareness is awful. Unfortunately defending and scoring goals have been our downfall and with only 12 games remaining we desparately need to win matches to stand any chance of staying up. The only consolation is that if we go down and lose a few players the core of the Team will be stronger to make a good challenge to win the Championship next season.

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Bazza8564 added 15:15 - Feb 23 This squad was constructed, in my mind, to have a crack at staying up but if that failed, to have a way better squad than ever before to give us the best chance of bouncing up. We've spent 140m but with the possible exception of Muric who has had to be replaced, the rest fit into a very talented young pattern with young players on long contracts. I doubt we will choose to keep Delap because he will make huge money, but Greaves, Oshea, Ogbone, Clarke, Hutchinson, Philange, have all been signed at 20m ish with massive development potential. Johnson was a free and Townsend 500k I suspect Godfrey won't be retained, but the Big players like Ensisco Cajuste and Phillips (all of whom I would like to keep if we could) are loans. It hasnt worked out and odds are it won't this season, but Ashton has spent the money wisely on players we will keep, rather than paying for "stars" who we would have to unload. Some clubs spend nothing and pray, like Norwich, we have invested the maximum we could within FFP AND guaranteed a really great base should we fail. Im not giving up yet, but if 20m players aren't enough, we have to face the facts that developing those on and adding more when we come up again is most likely our best chance next time around

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Carberry added 15:59 - Feb 23 Still talking about fine margins and luck, that's delusional when you've just been thrashed 4-1 at home.
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therein61 added 17:53 - Feb 23 K.M has done this club proud since walking through the door our rise has been a magical ride for us fans to be on perhaps we rose too soon(who knows) but this season has been a big learning curve for him and will do him no harm he is big enough to learn lessons and in time rectify what has gone wrong and off and on the park he will get through this and come out the other side i hope it's at our great club. C.O.Y.B.

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Dissboyitfc added 07:17 - Feb 24 well i hope he does believe and is not just saying it. last 2 seasons Shef wed in league one and Leeds last year were almost in nailed on positions to go up but both went on horendous runs and we capitalised on their loss of form. We cant give up with so many games to go! How different Thursday morning could feel should we get a result!
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Alphawhiskey added 08:49 - Feb 24 We have to keep fighting. There are still lots of twists and turns and points still to be won and lost. BUT....We must start picking up points at home. We must beat Wolves, Brentford and Forrest at home and beat Leicester away to stand any chance. When you look back at the games we threw away at home, That's where the damage was done. Leicester at home, Bournemouth at home, Southampton at home, Man Utd at home, Palace at home. All games we should have won. Its looking grim at the moment, but we have to keep fighting. We need that League one and Championship mentality....

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