By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions. We in turn value your personal details in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
Please log in or register. Registered visitors get fewer ads.
McKenna: We Watched United Game Back as a Group Friday, 28th Feb 2025 16:47
Town boss Kieran McKenna says he and the squad watched the Manchester United match back as a group this morning following the disappointing 3-2 loss on Wednesday night.
The Blues failed to take a big chance to record their first win at Old Trafford since 1984 and recover ground in the relegation battle with the Red Devils down to 10 men from just before half-time and having pulled the scoreline back to 2-2 at the break.
A Harry Maguire header two minutes into the second half, the third set piece goal conceded by Town on the night and only their sixth of the season, proved to be decisive.
“The players had yesterday off, it was a late return on Wednesday night, as it would have been for everyone who was coming back to Ipswich,” McKenna said.
“They had yesterday to recover and we went through the game this morning. We spoke about it after the game as well and we just watched it back as a group today. We always go through the game in its entirety.
“We know the goals were a big part of the game and conceding the set plays was the biggest disappointment and the biggest problem on the night.
“But there were also a lot of other things in the game that you can learn from, some good things, some things we could have done better. It’s still a big occasion playing at Old Trafford and there were a lot of different phases of the game.
“We’ve been through all of it and looked at the areas which were most important and the players are looking forward to Monday night now.”
Photo: Action Images
Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.
I think one of the major problems we've had this seaon from the matches I've seen, is being too passive. We looked afraid to have a go at United on Wednesday, not the only time it's happened, and when the opposition is down to 10 men and not in great form, that's not really acceptable. I'm not suggesting going gung ho, but we need to be more pro-active. For my part and it's only my opinion, you might have a different one, I think if we are going to go down as seems more and more likely, we might as well go down being carried out on our shield, giving it a go, than just accepting it and remaining passive most of the time.
I'm a big fan of KM, what he's done here is remarkable. We need to remember he's still a young and relatively inexperienced manager, most certainly at the level he's currently operating in. I'm just wondering if he's struggling a little bit, and would maybe benefit from a bit of help from a " wise old owl ", someone who's been there and done that. Not taking over, just there for advice.
I've said a couple of times before, I believe this squad has been assembled with one eye on the possibility of a return to the Championship. I hope and think that the players who are still with us next season, and KM himself, will have benefited greatly from the experience, wherever we find ourselves.
Can we just go for it for the rest of the season? Might as well go down fighting and having a go rather than going out with a whimper. Hirst and Delap up front (don’t be afraid to go more direct). It’s not hoof ball if you’ve got a player who can pick a pass. Think of Koeman, Pirlo, Beckham. Not saying we’ve got anyone at that level, but going direct to Hirst isn’t a bad idea. I can think of a few long balls from Burgess last season (one in particular (to Hirst I think it was) that created a goal out of nothing. I’m not saying launch it every time (that would be too predictable) but mix it up.
And for once, let’s get some proper deliveries into the box instead of endless sideways and backwards passing. Not those deep crosses from the wing that are easy for the keeper to collect, but balls whipped in from the final third where we can actually make something happen.
The more balls you play into the danger zone, the greater the chance of scoring a goal—it’s not rocket science. Stop overplaying it and get the ball into areas where it actually matters.
Blue army 81. At last....I have someone with my opinion re: free kick for Man u first goal, never a free kick. The commentators missed it too, unbelievable!
McKenna has worked wonders in the last few years and I don’t believe that he has “found his level” or that he is out of his depth. We are simply a victim of the great chasm between the 2 leagues and are giving a better account of ourselves than other teams with more recent form at this level below us. His recruitment has been almost all young players who may not be at the level we need to survive right now but have bags of potential. And 1- he brought in delap, the best player here for 20 years probably, and wasn’t too stubborn to drop muric and bring in an excellent replacement. I hope he stays.
@armchair.. a lovely read! Nail on the head so many times! It’s been such a frustrating season after walking out of Portman Road most weeks “winners” in the past few years! We all wanted this.. this was the dream but let’s be honest we are sadly not quite good enough… for me nobody is to blame.. we are ahead of schedule.. we have a plan.. we have a structure.. we might have to drop down to come back stronger! We have not embarrassed ourselves like Southampton and they were only 1 season outside the premier! I just hope we learn from the season and put it right after our season as Champions in the championship! COYB
McKenna is limited by the constraints he's had put on him by rules & regs & conditions outside the clubs control. His spending power is capped, otherwise if the field was level & we were able to assemble a £1B+ team with our £11B kitty, we'd be top of the league now. The guys working with what he's got & ragtag bunch of cheaper players adapting as best they can with him. This is an evolutionary team, not a finished one. He's a victim of his own success, not failure. He got us to where we wanted him to get us but constrained by the usual time to build & tweak a squad over a few seasons per promotion. Not having a slower evolution has the downsides were seeing of a ton of newer players coming in & getting used to syncing with eachother. We complained about this a few seasons back & look at what happened once KM got them syncing. If we don't stay up this season, we'll be synced for next & a much stronger & better prepared club & players for the Prem. This is a long haul plan being adapted to a shorthaul time frame as best it can. KM will fix it. We will continue to climb overall but sometimes you find a dip or two before you get to the pinnacle.
the outrageous fees paid for players are borrowed from the banks. If the banks are facing insolvency and call in their loans at least half the teams in the Premiership will be bankrupt (Man City borrowed one billion I hear) and the massive corruption,including referees ,who are instructed to favour the big teams,will finally come to an end.Only the teams able to refinance their loans will survive.
Hope he told delap that we don't have the luxury of having a haaland in our team and need him to actually contribute to our games when he isn't scoring.
Hirst is not capable of playing up front on his own in the Premier league he's not physical enough and likely to get injured save him for the championship next season.
I'm surprised the Maguire pullback on Delap hasn't been talked about, everybody's saying not enough in it to be a penalty. United got given a foul just like it. If it's against the rules, and he's blatantly held him back with both arms, then why isn't it a foul everywhere on the pitch? This was so insanely blatant, have we all gone fudgin crazy? What is happening to football?
Further to my thoughts above, take a look at Preston’s third goal from yesterday. When a player has the vision and ability to deliver an exquisite long pass, it can be a game-changer.
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.
