Winger Kasey McAteer says the disparity in home form and away form has been discussed ahead of the Town’s trip to Queens Park Rangers on Saturday.

The Blues head to West London this weekend still chasing a first away win of the season, and only a second league success on the road this calendar year, with all four of their victories so far coming at Portman Road.

Only two of Town’s 16 Championship points and three of their 17 goals have come on their travels this season, with both figures the lowest proportion across the entire EFL.

Despite the imbalance during the opening few months, McAteer believes it is only a matter of time before the Blues claim their first away win of the season.

“The manager touched on it the other day,” he said. “We go into these games and we obviously want to win, we want to win every game, but when we don’t score in the first 20 or 30 minutes sometimes we can get a bit frustrated.

“I think we need to remember that games are not won in the first half, games are 95-100 minutes nowadays, they’re very long especially with the added time. It’s just about doing the right thing from the first to the last whistle and then hopefully we’ll get the success that we want.

“We’ve obviously mentioned it in meetings and we’re working on it very well and that’s being driven by the senior lads in the squad and they’ve been great as well as the staff.

"I’m sure when the first away win comes, hopefully that being Saturday, we can push on and keep getting them away wins as well as the ones at Portman Road.

“It’s always difficult playing away from home. You go to these places and teams want to put it in a little bit more to beat you as a team coming out of the Premier League.

“I don’t think it’s too much that we need to look at the opposition, it’s about looking at ourselves as well when trying to take into each game what we believe in going forward.

“I’m sure when we do that and we click then we’ll do that, because there’s no denying we’ve got a fantastic squad and players with real quality. When that time comes, I'm sure that everyone will see the true us and hopefully we can take the league by storm.”

QPR are Saturday’s opposition at Loftus Road standing in the way of the Blues ending their winless away run, with Julien Stéphan’s side having won five of their last nine matches and sitting two points above 12th-placed Town in the Championship table.

“Definitely a tough place to go,” McAteer said. “The stands are very close to the pitch and the fans are on top of you. It’s quite a small pitch, not the biggest of pitches so it will be really compact in there trying to play.

“We’ve worked on things in training, but they’ll bring a threat like every other team will bring a threat in the league.

“They do seem a very hungry team and a team that want to get after you, especially at home, so we need to be ready for the fight. Hopefully we’ll be ready for it and I think the boys will be up for it.

“We always want to win every game, it won’t be easy as QPR are a good side, a hungry side that won’t roll over for anyone. We need to bring our A-game and hopefully we can implement our style on them and get the win that we’re all hoping for.

“At the same time, you can never guarantee a win, we want to give it a 90-minute performance and hopefully that will be enough for us to get the three points.”

McAteer has been in and out of the side of late, starting four of Town’s nine matches since his summer arrival from fellow Championship promotion-hopefuls Leicester City.

The 23-year-old has featured exclusively in his preferred position on the right, but admitted he does not mind helping in other roles such as the number 10 in light of Sammie Szmodics’ injury setback.

Asked what his favourite role is, he said: “I’d probably say on the right wing if I was going to pick, but I’ve played in a number of positions. Growing up in an academy, I’ve probably played every position apart from goalkeeper so you learn a lot of positions.

“Wherever I’m thrown in on the pitch, it doesn’t really matter to me and I feel like I can play in a number of positions. Versatility as a player, especially in this day and age, is a good thing to have under your belt.

“If the manager does need me to play in a place where I’ve not been playing in recent weeks, hopefully I can do a job for him. That’s good to have under my belt.

“I’ll play anywhere, to be honest. As long as I'm on the pitch, I don’t really care where I'm playing. It’s about getting as many minutes as I can and helping the team in the best way I can do that.

“Wherever I’m put on the pitch, I’ll take it with both hands and try and give my best.”

Out on the right, McAteer has been fighting for a starting berth with fellow summer signing Sindre Walle Egeli, the Norwegian teenager having been signed for a Championship record fee only seven days after his own deal was sealed.

As a result, the Republic of Ireland international has been an unused substitute in three of the last four games, but he is fully understanding of the reasons for manager Kieran McKenna’s decisions.

He said: “Sindre’s doing really well, he’s a young guy, he’s hungry and he’s training really well. It’s healthy competition, we both push each other and that’s what it’s about in a squad.

“You have two players per position and as much as I can push him and he can push me then we’re only going to keep improving. Whoever gets picked on the Saturday, it is how it is, we’re both there to support each other and we’re teammates.

“He’s done really well, especially for a young guy who has just come to the country. I spoke to him and he said it’s much different to what he’s used to, I said the Championship is relentless and he nodded and said he knows now. He’s done really well when he’s come in and hopefully that can continue.

“There’s 46 games in the Championship, the team’s not going to be the same every weekend. The gaffer might have to make subs that he might not usually make or reasons in the game that happen.

“You need to be patient, you can’t throw your toys out the pram when you’re not coming on. I can take that, if the manager has made the decision then the manager has made the decision and that’s purely the base for making the best decision for the team on the day.

“In the last game against West Brom, I didn’t come on but he made the decisions and obviously we’ve got the three points. Ultimately that’s the main thing that we’re all aiming for, it’s three points every week.

“I’m not going to be disheartened when I don’t come on, obviously I want to get on and I want to play as many games as I can, but when he calls upon me hopefully I can deliver for him and I’ll be there for sure.”

Photo: TWTD

PortmanTerrorist added 10:01 - Oct 31 These comments frustrate me, I do think we will win tomorrow but that won't mean that it all just clicks and we kick on. Watched O'Neil interview after Celtic win and he has clearly reminded his players that it is never easy to win a league game and you need to work and fight for each one; have a suspicion that 1 or 2 have come to Ipswich thinking they would have a stroll to the title. Think again and dig in for a tough season, and hopefully we WILL then be promoted.

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Gforce added 11:16 - Oct 31 On paper at least our team this season is stronger than our promotion team of 2 seasons ago.However our promotion side already had 5 away wins on the board by this stage of the season, so just goes to show how far,comeradery, momentum ,confidence and togetherness will get you. Our current team could learn a lot from the previous one !
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JeremiahBrown added 11:33 - Oct 31 People need to remember that the league is harder this year than during our promotion season.
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TimmyH added 14:46 - Oct 31 JeremiahBrown - like to elaborate, why?
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StowTractor added 15:25 - Oct 31 Not sure that the league is harder this season. No Leeds, no Sunderland, that's the two biggest clubs in terms of support & financial clout out of the way. Saints, Leicester and Sheffield Utd all joining us in underperforming. The well funded promoted teams that were expected to follow in our footsteps, Birmingham & Wrexham, failing to live up to their billing. Teams like WBA & that lot up the road who were in the play offs last time we were here have fallen away. Only teams who look as strong as any of those were last time around are Cov & Boro. If we think this is a strong Championship better look out next season when those 2 & the PO winners will be replaced by the likes of West Ham, Wolves & Forest. At least we will have the satisfaction of those currently complaining about our Transfer spend and Parachute payments having to realise what it is like having to face a team with 5 plus yeas of PL money behind them.

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Linkboy13 added 17:06 - Oct 31 Normally after watching a player for a few games you get to know his strengths and weaknesses but im struggling with this one. McKenna commented last season that our recruitment has to improve but ive seen little signs of that. The players we have brought in are generally above average championship standard. I think we are what we are a good championship club.
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armchaircritic59 added 18:51 - Oct 31 JeremiahBrown, can't agree with that opinion, as I've mentioned in another post, I think it's weaker, a substandard Championship season. Coventry trying to prove otherwise, but be interesting to see how they react to a defeat. Doesn't neccessarily mean its much easier to get out of, but we need to this season, it's a must in my opinion. I can't imagine the owners have sanctioned the sort of money we've spent over the past two years, to spend at least two seasons in the Championship. On another note, if someone had told me we wouldn't have scored a single goal away from home from open play by the start of November, I'd have said they were having a laugh! Similar for the fact that the three players who have appeared in our central defence so far this season, have scored three between them, exactly the same amount as all our strikers and no 10's combined! That is not sustainable for a promotion push, we can't rely on JP and JC all the time. So they need to step up, starting tomorrow!

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oldtimer3 added 06:44 - Nov 1 Less of the chat. Maybe chat to us when you find your feet here and looking good on the pitch!
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