Manager Kieran McKenna felt the second half of the Blues’ 2-2 home draw with Derby County was the “most broken game” he has been involved with and “barely a football match”.

Town were 1-0 in front at half-time via Jacob Greaves’s first goal at Portman Road having been well on top and in control.

But the Rams levelled from the penalty spot through Carlton Morris five minutes after the restart and then did their best to stop the Blues from getting back into the rhythm with frequent stoppages for injuries.

After referee Leigh Doughty failed to award Town a stonewall penalty for a foul on George Hirst, Rhian Brewster gave the visitors the lead but Jack Clarke’s 106th-minute penalty claimed a point for the Blues, who are still without a win at home.

“There were probably two different phases to the game,” McKenna said afterwards. “I thought until the point of their first goal it was a good performance, another step up. I believe we’ve had that week by week in many departments in the performance.

“The main thing I’d really criticise us for is that we should be 2-0 up at that point with the chances and the territory that we’re getting - we need to be better in our final execution to really turn domination and a good performance into goals.

“And then there was the phase after our goal, which there’s a lot to learn from. It shows how quickly a game in the Championship can turn, especially against some of the more direct teams because you know you’re only one long ball or a flick on or a bounce of the ball the wrong way away from them having a chance.

“And from there, I’ve done about seven interviews now and I’m not sure I have a word for the game from the first goal that they scored until the end of the game.

“It was probably the most broken, lowest ball-in-play game that I’ve been involved in. It was barely a football match.

“Made worse by, for me, a really bad refereeing decision that should give us the opportunity to go 2-1 up.

“Made worse by us conceding a really poor goal from another long ball that we don’t defend well enough and they by an opponent, who, you can say did well or whatever or whatever adjective you want, to completely break up the game, stop the game, which meant there was almost no ball-in-play time.

“We weren’t able to get any rhythm in the game to build the attacks that we would want to build and it was really difficult. We need to learn and do better in that phase but, honestly, it was also really difficult.

“The big positive from that phase was that we found the equaliser because it’s a long time since we’ve had one of those at Portman Road, for this group probably the first time. Obviously the first time for boys who have just arrived, but even players who were here last year.

“A late goal that gets us a point on the board, with subs involved in the action, I think that could be a big, big positive for us and we’re going to need more of those as it goes along.

“There was loads in there, we’ve been through a lot in the game today and the supporters have been through a lot.

“There was a really good performance out there where you could see the growth in the team, you can see the direction of travel, you can see players coming in now and having a big impact and the potential for us to really push on.

“But you can also see the challenges of the division, how hard people are going to make it for us, how we’re probably not up to full speed yet to do it for 90 minutes.

“How we probably don’t have the full consistency and the confidence in the group to really stay strong in that moment when it went against us with the first goal and we really did lose our way.

“So you can see where we could get to and where we’re travelling in many aspects. And you can see some of the growth that we still need and in the end, hopefully a really good moment for us.”

In his press conference, Eustace said he was surprised my the length of injury time - 13 minutes announced and around 17 played - while he said he didn’t see the Hirst penalty incident or former Town loanee Lewis Travis’s stamp on a ground Jens Cajuste’s chest.

“It’s pretty obvious I’m going to disagree with all of them but we can all say what we want to say,” McKenna added.

“It felt like the most broken game. I didn’t have my stopwatch on, but it felt like the most broken game I’ve been involved with.

“That’s a big challenge this year. The minutes of ball-in-play in our games so far has been incredible. The first game was 44 minutes, I think on average it’s about 46 minutes at the moment.

“I think it makes for a really poor spectacle. I don’t think it’s helping the league. I think it’s poor for the league. I understand why it’s heading in that direction, and it’s much more at the moment than our last time in the division, but I think it’s a really backwards step.

“But it is what it is. It’s what we have to overcome. I don’t know what the ball-in-play in the second half will have been but I think it will have been really low.

“The most injuries I’ve ever seen on the pitch without anyone going off injured, and 16 minutes of added time without VAR probably sums up what the flow was.

“I thought George Hirst’s was a penalty at the time, I cannot accept that the ref gives that from where he is.

“From that angle, when you see a defender dive and go to the floor and clip at an ankle you need a microscope to see how much, but when a striker is at full stretch and knocks it past him, it doesn’t need much contact. Any contact in that situation is a penalty. For me there is contact.

“I haven’t seen the second one back but it looked stonewall from where I was, but maybe that’s an Ipswich lens but I didn’t even think it was an argument from where I was on the sidelines. Everyone can have their piece and say what they want to say.”

Asked what can be done about the breaks in play for alleged injuries, especially from goalkeepers with Derby number one Jacob Zetterstrom among those to take to the turf in the second half, McKenna responded: “I think the rules are there now with the eight-second rule and with outfielders having to go off after 30 seconds. No one’s quite cracked the goalkeeper one. I think there should be a rule for it, in my opinion.

“The percentage times of a goalkeeper goes down injured, if you look at it in terms of goalkeepers missing a game or having to come off, I’d imagine it must be an incredibly low percentage.

“I think, if you ask me on the spot now, there should be a rule that if your goalkeeper goes down and receives treatment, one of your outfielders has to go off.

“Whether that would make enough of a difference I don’t know, but I know that ball-in-play at the moment is something that the rules are trying to push in a positive direction and I’ve seen the stuff in the league this year and certainly our early games of the season the ball-in-play is really, really low.

“I don’t think it’s great for the game as a spectacle and it’s a challenge for us as a team, but it’s a challenge we have to deal with.”

One big positive for the Blues was the display of midfielder Cajuste, making his second full debut for the club following his return on loan from Napoli for a second season.

“I thought he had some outstanding moments, there’s no doubt about it, he had some outstanding moments driving through the pitch,” McKenna said.

“He could have a really, really big impact this year and I’m happy to have him here, but at the same time, he’s someone who has still got room to grow, room to improve. That’s his first minutes on the pitch today.

“We think he can get better and better if we keep pushing him and he keeps pushing himself.

“I think if we can all go through that process, then he could be a big, big player this year.”

The Blues, favourites for the Championship title, have taken only three points from their first four games, but McKenna says that’s off the back of his toughest summer at the club with the turnaround in players more significant than anticipated.

“Whether it was three points, six points, five points, seven points, it’s been a really, really difficult summer in almost every aspect,” he continued. “Certainly by far the most difficult in my time here.

“We’re coming out of the back of that period now and we go onto the next chapter. I wouldn’t feel drastically different if we had five points or six points. Of course, points are important, we want to win our first game as soon as possible. I feel like we’re not far from that.

“But we’ve come through an incredible amount as a club over the course of the summer and as a team over the course of four games. We now move onto the next phase.

“I think by Monday night we’ll be a in a really strong position in terms of the depth and quality that we have in the group.

“That’s not been the case right through the summer, but will be there by Monday night and now we’re on to the next challenge because we have to bring that group together, we have to keep working hard on the training pitch.

“It’s going to be really difficult to do that over the international break, of course, but we’ll work really hard with those that we have.

“And really importantly we need to work really hard with the group coming together and building that shared mindset and mental strength and resilience, and all those things that you need to be successful in the Championship.

“It’s been an incredibly difficult summer, we’ve got a really big challenge ahead of us. In some ways it’s quite exciting because I know there will be expectation on us, I know how difficult it is and how it’s going to be.

“But I really believe that we can still have a really good season. That’s the challenge ahead of us, we’re going to take it on full steam ahead and we’ll do what we can over the international break.

“But the reality is we’re not going to get the group back until 48 hours before Sheffield United and then we’ll be out there competing.

“It’s going to be tough. I think we have most of what we need in the building now to be successful and it’s up to us to do that work and try and pick up some results in the meantime that gives us the time to do that work.”

Photo: TWTD

braveblue added 21:29 - Aug 30 Sorry, duplicate post.
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Van_Blue added 21:29 - Aug 30 Is it time to have official time keeping displayed on the big screen? 4th official stops the game clock when a player goes down needing physio and starts when ball is back in play. Also, stop the clock for subs, ref supposed to add 2 min per substitution stoppage but rarely adds full 2 min, if he did there would be at least 8 min AT for every game. Other sports have official timekeeping and you end up with more ball in play time.

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IP9 added 21:48 - Aug 30 Some of you lot are absolutely mental and seem to ENJOY revelling in a poor start to the season. Couldn't wait to get back in and moan today after all the good news for signings yesterday. As for some comments like"I've always had grave doubts about him " and "I said at the end of last season McKenna will have a lot to prove this term and will be under pressure to produce the goods" it's like you're DESPERATE to be proved right. Just support the bloody team!!

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BurleysGloryDays added 23:48 - Aug 30 Moaners bore off. Totally new team. Going to take time. McKenna spot on. As always. Tough year ahead. Needs fans to be smart, and support - not moan.
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shakytown added 02:00 - Aug 31 We are probably at the stage now that we will need to win 30 -31 more games from 42. Hard to see that happening
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tractordamage added 06:12 - Aug 31 An honest assessment from McKenna, as usual. One of many reasons we like him. However the Honesty and Openness is also what triggers certain toxic types. ie They can't do the same, it reveals their own bad character. These 'types' will also look for flaws in others, to deflect from their own. If we're still utter tosh 2 games after the international break, then even 'normal' people will consider criticism of McKenna. But it's too early for that.

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MickMillsTash added 08:52 - Aug 31 If we played Derby every week I would not go. The laws need to change to stop time wasting. Play on whilst a player is injured and if the ball hits the trainer - you get a corner. 10 seconds to leave the field for a substitution or you get booked and the new player can not come on until the ball goes out. No announcements, no need for the digital board. Head injuries- do not stop the game - 99% are tactical injuries, if someone gets seriously injured then blame the players for abusing the rules. 16 minutes of injury is no good to anyone people will miss trains. Sky Friday Night games should not happen after an international break or midweek games- whoever the chairman are who signed up to that deal need to be listed.

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Lightningboy added 09:57 - Aug 31 For all the "science" being used,players stats vests,pitchside screens et etc,our style of football has gone so far backwards in the last 16 months. I hope McKenna was jotting down in his notepad "I must do better..I must do better..I must do better..." Had to laugh at the Man Utd boss the other night with his little toy pitch in the dugout...thought to myself "now if only Sir Alex Ferguson had had one of those"...modern coaches,jeeeez.

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poet added 10:26 - Aug 31 These are the new signings, they are players that McKenna has to try and bond into an almost brand new squad. When he says he’s having to build a new squad, he’s not kidding- 1 Button 2 Young 3 Matusiwa 4 Cajuste 5 Akpom 6 Azon 7 Nunez 8 Furlong 9 McAteer 10 Egeli That’s practically a full team of transferees. That’s the task he’s got. It’s not easy, that’s for sure. But I believe these are good additions, and will perform to a high level once McKenna has applied his skills to get them up to scratch as a tightly knitted group. I’m convinced we’ll be a force to be reckoned with. So give him time.

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Buryblue78 added 11:00 - Aug 31 Well the time wasting tactic to frustrate us and run the clock down was one you used at Birmingham I was embarrassed by our time wasting that evening to be honest With one of the most talented squads in the league surely it’s up to you to fashion them into a team Derby’s keeper didn’t have a proper save to make
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OldFart71 added 11:08 - Aug 31 I think before criticising McKenna we need to look at managers like Amorim at Man Utd where an absolute fortune has been spent and they scramble a win against Burnley. Again a lot of new players in. Some of whom haven't shown their worth. Sometimes it's not how much you pay for players it's what you get from them. When England won the world cup they had players like Nobby Stiles and Jack Charlton. Not the greatest players but they did their job. It was a shame Morsy left as he clearly wasn't Premier League class but could mix it a bit with teams like Derby who are full of sh*thousery. Lets hope Nunez is of a similar style and can bring that bit of bite we need in midfield. Just like the Muhren and Thyssen combo.

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johnwarksshorts added 13:10 - Aug 31 I just watched highlights on sky and the Stamp on Cajuste by Travis was horrendous, surely that has to be dealt with retrospectively. How the ref mussed that baffles me, but then again he was very poor.
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johnwarksshorts added 13:12 - Aug 31
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bluesman added 13:14 - Aug 31 They should introduce a rule that an injured pleyer stays off for five minutes if on the floor if the ref deems it necessary they go off. That would end all the playacting instantly and give the power back to the refs. Also good for the players if they really need recovery time.
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Cadiar added 14:12 - Aug 31 I thought the FA had brought in new rules regarding time wasting & the time the goalkeeper has the ball. If they did the ref certainly has hasn't read them.
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algarvefan added 15:11 - Aug 31 If anyone is to blame for yesterday it's Derby County. They didn't even attempt to play football and yes we have to find a way around teams that do that to us and I believe once the new signings settle we will do that. Please remember how far this club came in very little time under KM, he has a tough job on his hands as the confidence has gone, but trust the process, there are still 42 games to go FFS!!!!

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d77sgw added 15:36 - Aug 31 The non-penalty/booking of Hurst was a joke - I do not understand why several players didn’t crowd around the ref, like teams last season did - or indeed like the Derby players did for the Leif handball. The stamp is outrageous - that’s got to be referred to the FA for another look!!?
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LWNR1973 added 16:13 - Aug 31 And now, the only way is up.
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OliveR16 added 18:05 - Aug 31 The problem with these comments is fairly obvious. Last season, with the qualified exception of Southampton, we played no teams that defended against us like Derby did. Yet when the ball was always in play we just kept losing. How can the manager now complain that the really tough thing is playing against a time-wasting defensive team? Are there ANY kinds of play that we can play efficiently against these days?

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blueboy1981 added 19:36 - Aug 31 Sadly, I think he has lost the plot completely, and now hasn’t a clue. Looking more like a One Trick Pony with every game - the Worm has to turn soon, or else we know where we’ll end up AGAIN !! And it won’t be the Premiership !!
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GoingUp added 19:55 - Aug 31 We've surely got AI available now to run scenarios with different tactics given our strengths when encountering such low blocks, no excuses
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eddiespearitt03 added 21:49 - Aug 31 A truly abysmal game. All over the place and a poor advert for football. Now McKenna and coaches have their work cut out to get a winning mentality. More importantly, find the best 11 to start a game and stick to it if it is working. Individual players have to work on their weaknesses. .
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