Town boss Kieran McKenna has played down the suggestion that Tuesday’s disappointing 3-0 home defeat to Charlton Athletic was a consequence of fielding a side featuring seven changes from the previous match.

McKenna has generally named a relatively consistent XI this season, but with the Charlton game and the other midweek match, at Bristol City last month, the outliers.

Following the surprise heavy loss to the Addicks, McKenna was asked whether he ultimately wants a settled team week to week.
 
“There are a lot of different elements to that,” he said. “First and foremost, we know that we've come together late with a group, so everyone's not going to be in a flow.

“Relationships are still being built, we're not going to be as settled as we would like to be, as if we've had the players for longer, if we'd had a whole preseason with the group etc. 
 
“As you build your squad, you can look at it in different ways. You can have a small number of really nailed-on players who are almost automatically going to be first choice, and then go with players who are more clearly going to be back-up players. And, of course, there are some benefits to that.

“But we also know that in a long season, and we felt it last year when injuries come, it can be really, really difficult. 
 
“Or you can decide to try and have a stronger squad, a bigger squad where you have two players really competing for the position.

“That can have some advantages, but also when you have everyone fit and available, not so much the team selection, but there are people being left out of the squad at the moment who are training well. 
 
“We’ve preferred this year to have what we see as really good depth, people who we believe could start and we have trust in to start any game at the level. And we hope that that will make us successful over the course of a very long season.
 
“In terms of changes, I think the reality is we haven’t changed more than only a couple of players for two games, for the Bristol City game and the other night. 
 
“Other than that, we were pretty consistent in the first four games and then we had some players come in late, and then the majority of games since then it has been a pretty consistent team, and we've made more changes for the two midweek games.
 
“The first week, the Bristol City game, was probably the first one that you can refer to and say that we made quite a few changes for. 
 
“I still think it was a pretty good performance on a difficult night, a not bad result, and also part of what helped us be fresh enough to physically dominate Norwich on the Sunday and get the win and get a seven-point win. 
 
“The other night we made, again, quite a few changes, one enforced with Azor [Matusiwa, who was suspended]. Do I think that we'd have played any better in the first half of the game if we'd have played the same team as Middlesbrough? Possibly, but I don't think so. 
 
“I thought we played really, really well. Do I think that we'd have found a better reaction in the second half if we'd have played the same team as Middlesbrough? Possibly, but I think some of the traits that were the problem in the game were the same traits that were the problem in the game in Middlesbrough [last Friday, which Town also lost, 2-1]. 
 
“So, of course, we take everything into consideration, but do I think our issue the other night was changes in the team? I don't think we're going to be fully settled yet with the amount of new players we have in the building.
 
“And it's something that for now we need to keep working through. I think the good things that we have in the group are more group things, and the things we need to do better as a group are more group things, more so than one player playing or the other player.

“I think as the season progresses, it's more natural that certain relationships develop, really, really well. 
 
“Certain players really, really step up to a high level, hopefully, and really grab a shirt and determine that they're going to play the majority of games. 
 
“Certain partnerships will develop better than other partnerships and, of course, results, hopefully, once you get to a consistent level, dictate that a team usually stays a little bit more consistent. 
 
“So, I think that will naturally happen over the course of the season. Of course, injuries and suspensions will come as well.
 
“In the meantime, we've utilised the squad well off the bench in most of the games. We've utilised it more so in the two midweek games so far, and I think the first half of both of those games have certainly not been two of our worst performances. 
 
“I know when you make changes to a team, it's always going to be an easy thing to say. It's never said after Middlesbrough that we shouldn't have played the same team as we did against Norwich, but when you make changes, it's always the reason that is what it is. 
 
“We're happy with the squad, that we have the depth that we have. We believe that we have players that we can trust to play in any game. I know that relationships aren't fully formed yet and we've got to keep finding the best way to do that. 
 
“Sometimes that might be making one or two changes, but sometimes it's easier to make more and have a front four that have been coming off the pitch together, that have been training together, that have already started a game together for them to go into the next game at the same time. It's sometimes easier. 
 
“There are a lot of things in the mix. I understand that until we're winning really consistently, it's going to be a narrative. It's not that it isn't a challenge, trying to integrate new players and trying to find a balance and consistency, but it’s something we consider.

“We'll always try and make the decisions to try and win the next game and also to have a successful season.”

Put to him that it’s not unusual for relegated former Premier League teams to start seasons slowly with their squad in a state of flux but then develop through the campaign and challenge for promotion come May, McKenna said: “That’s possible and, of course, that’s the direction we want it to go in. But we know there are no guarantees.

“There are lots of cases lately of teams coming down from the Premier League not hitting the ground running at the start of the next season, and having seen and experienced some things this year, I can fully understand why.

“Each club will be different in their circumstances. Some clubs have more turnover, some clubs less. We’ve had quite a big turnover, so it’s natural that you maybe don’t hit the ground running.

“We feel there’s a good possibility if we can do the right work, if we can stick together, if we can keep working day by day to improve, stay balanced on the good days and the bad days that we can be a much stronger team as the season progresses.

“But we also know there are cases of teams who have come down from the Premier League and not managed to pick up that form to turn the momentum around from the previous season and pick up results on a consistent basis.

“There’s no guarantee and there’s no point looking too far down the line about what we might be in three months or six months or nine months, you look at the next day, you look at the next game, try and do the right things and if you do enough of those, learn lessons along the way, then hopefully good habits can accumulate into becoming a stronger team than we are today.

“I think we’re fully aware of where we’re at. I see things every day in the group that I really, really like. I’ve seen in almost every game that have been really, really positive and I think we’re clear, we’ve seen moments in games where we haven’t been the team that we want to be.

“We have to keep working really, really hard in that direction and hopefully that will accumulate over time and that will get us where we want to get to.”

Photo: TWTD

Jugsy added 17:14 - Oct 24 I get that Tuesday wasn't good enough, the fans made that known and it's been a long time since I wanted to turn the TV off from watching the game. Rightly, fans have aired their view. But it's done now and we move on, mistakes happen, we need to get better and I hope the fans rally behind the team and drive them forward. Don't get in the player's heads with negativity, it doesn't help.

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Woolfenthen added 17:25 - Oct 24 Every time we make lots of changes its garbage, just look at the cup games, why is this not so obvious to those in charge, totally baffles me. If anything this showed a total lack of respect to Charlton and comes across a touch arrogant and elitist.
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Bert added 18:03 - Oct 24 A lot of supporters on here were calling for a number of players to be benched after the Borough game; probably not 7 but a lot. In my opinion, the starting eleven on Tuesday freshened things up and dominated the first half. The second half collapse came about because of very poor defending and a lack of leadership on the field leading to capitulation. KMcK acknowledges that it was nowhere near good enough but in my opinion the players let him down. It’s his job howeverto address it.

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NorthStandOracle added 18:04 - Oct 24 Wolfenthen. So we made zero changes against Boro and still lost. Was it arrogance to play the same team again? If not, whats to blame for the defeat there? Did you actually read / understand any of what McKenna has explained above? Doesn’t necessarily want to make changes but at present, it is what it is. I don’t understand how so many fans attribute this to arrogance

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armchaircritic59 added 18:11 - Oct 24 Well, I'm not even going to try and second guess KM's starting eleven tomorrow, I don't think it's quite as bad as one or two have suggested that they must have been drawn out of a hat lately ( JP in goal anyone? ), but the only surprise I'll have is if I'm not surprised by at least one inclusion! For me I just have 3 guaranteed starters that deserve to pull on the shirt tomorrow. Matusiwa, Philogene ( on home form only ) and J. Clarke. This would mean I'd have to do something I intensely dislike and put a square peg in a round hole and put Clarke on the right, nothing else seems to be working properly over there at the moment. Not a pop at Egeli, I think it's best for him to have a bench role just for now, in a team that is seriously misfiring. As for the midfield, I'm going to stop banging the drum for a 3 man midfield after this, I expect we're more likely to see a plague of locusts descend on Portman Road. So for the last time, can we please have one? I assume Davis is going to continue his bursts upfield either over or more seen lately underlaping. Which continues to carry the risk of a huge amount of space being left behind him in the event of a quick turnover. I would propose a 3 man midfield of Matusiwa, either Cajuste or Nunez ( not both, too lightweight it appears and neither suited to covering for Davis ) and Taylor, who would be the one to cover in the space on the left vacated by Davis and at least he does have some energy and is unlikely to go missing after 20/30 minutes. Just my thoughts, It ain't happening! Finally, please can there be some passion, commitment and fire in the bellies. I'm convinced we have some really talented players here, but they need to watch some video's of the two promotion teams who showed the hunger, desire, 100% commitment, and sheer bloody mindedness not to accept defeat even when it seemed virtually certain, and can we also find a proper leader from somewhere?

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grow_our_own added 18:16 - Oct 24 "Relationships are still being built, we're not going to be as settled as we would like to be" - the loss at Bromley might just have been the most damaging of the season so far. But as things stand I'm not really seeing the "really good depth". Every time we veer from the team that comfortably beat Norwich and Pompey, and narrowly lost at Boro, we see poor performances and results. Despite all the hype, I'm not convinced we have good squad. "traits that were the problem in the game were the same traits that were the problem in the game in Middlesbrough" - the massive difference being, one was a major auto's contender away, the other was a newly promoted team at home. KM is comparing apples with London buses. We've seen that for the time-being at least, our reserves aren't good enough to be Championship starters. Stop the wild tinkering, and play your best eleven.

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churchmans added 19:00 - Oct 24 If they where fit i would love to see baggot & harry clarke have an opportunity! As from what i have seen from greaves & o'shea is bang average
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Bazza8564 added 19:11 - Oct 24 Let's be honest we should have been 4 up v Charlton but losing our keeper changed it all. The basis of the game is about not conceding first, when AP went off the whole thing changed Let's get a back 4 plus keeper with some unity, stop trying to play Lief in MF and stop conceding, and then build?
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blues1 added 19:26 - Oct 24 Wolfenthen. So if wvery time we make lots of changes its poor, why was tge 1st 50 minutes, up until they scored tge 1st goal, arguably one of the best performances of the season. The only criticism uo tul that point , being we weren't clinical enough in front of goal. Obviously what happened in that 12 minute spell was very poor. Imo, they panicked, having conceded and threw caution to the wind way too early, leading to what transpired. Also, I suspect, theres still a bit of insecurity there, after what happened in the pl last season.

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runaround added 19:34 - Oct 24 I’m starting to lose a bit of faith in McKenna He doesn’t seem to see that all the changes had a detrimental effect Tuesday night and seems more focused on pre planned minutes for players rather than what’s going on in front of his eyes on the pitch. I hope he turns around I really do but I now have doubts which is pretty horrible really
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Carberry added 21:40 - Oct 24 He bemoans the fact that relationship building hasn't happened because players arrived late then doesn't play them together to build it. It's all to scientific, we lost 3-0 at home to a newly promoted team and he's hanging onto what a good 1st half it was. Leadership, grit, determination, all things you can't teach on the chalkboard. It's back to recruitment - too many bang average players.

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pablo123 added 22:51 - Oct 24 Nob
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johnwarksshorts added 08:05 - Oct 25 We can't wait too long for everyone to "gel" otherwise the gap at the top of the league will be unsurmountable.
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