Town midfielder Jack Taylor says there is a good feeling around Portman Road after the Blues recorded back-to-back victories having beaten Queens Park Rangers on Saturday.

George Hirst and Marcelino Núñez both struck twice as Town romped to a dominant 4-1 victory in West London to secure their first away win of the season.

The result lifted the Blues to ninth in the Championship table, with a three-point gap to the top six and a further three points to the automatic promotion places, all while holding a game in hand over the sides around them.

Taylor agreed that the division looks as open as ever, and that he has full confidence in the quality of the playing squad that Town can achieve their ultimate goal of an immediate promotion back to the Premier League.

“You do take every game as it comes, but momentum always helps you,” he said. “It just builds relationships on the pitch and the feeling around the place is really good at the minute.

“We’ve got the away win out the way now against QPR so that’s ticked off. To win two games in this division is tough, I know the year that we got promoted we won loads, but it is tough in this division. You can come to places like QPR and draw or maybe lose the game.

“To take every game as it comes and keep training the way we are. With the squad that we’ve got and the rotation that we’ve got, every Tuesday-Saturday will be massive.

“You don’t want to get carried away looking at league tables and things like that, it’s still so early and there’s so many games to play. No-one’s really found the rhythm, I wouldn’t say yet.

“I think we’ve definitely got enough — we’ve got the manager and we’ve definitely got the squad to do it.

“Every year, anyone can beat anyone. We’ll just take every game as it comes and try and pick up as many points as we can.”

As is commonplace in the second tier, this week sees a quick turnaround between matches with another bumper midweek schedule on the calendar.

Standing in the way between the Blues and a third straight victory on Tuesday are Watford, who head to Suffolk as the last remaining side without a win on their travels in the league this term.

However, the Hornets come into the clash off the back of an impressive 3-0 defeat of high-flying Middlesbrough on Saturday, and Taylor knows all about the threats that Javi Gracia’s side will pose.

“They’re obviously a tough side,” the 27-year-old warned. “They got a good result on Saturday so it’ll be another tough game on Tuesday coming to our place.

“We’re going to try and make it as hard as we can for them, we know they’ve got a dangerous threat, especially going forward, but like every game at Portman Road we want to bring out the best and hopefully get the three points.

“It was a bad night [against Charlton] and we came away from what we were about as a team that night. It’s time to put things right. Three on the bounce in this league is massive, so hopefully it will be nine points out of three games.”

Throughout his time at the club since arriving in the summer of 2023, Taylor has found a starting role in the Town’s preferred XI difficult to come by.

Only 16 of his 73 league appearances have come from the start, but Taylor has partnered Azor Matusiwa in midfield in each of the last two matches that have yielded maximum points.

Naturally, the Republic of Ireland international is enjoying his return to the team.

He said: “We had two tough results against Boro and Charlton so I came in a bit fresh. I just thought that I’ll bring my leadership, my quality and my work ethic. Thankfully it’s brought us two wins and long may it continue.

“As a footballer in this division, you know games are going to come quick and fast towards Christmas. If you keep training right and doing the right things, your opportunity will come.”

Taylor brings a goal threat from the middle of the park, and particularly from long range, that perhaps is not matched by any of his competitors vying for his position.

Fellow midfielder Núñez, who started in a more advanced role at Loftus Road, struck his first two goals for the club from free-kicks that also showcase the traits that the Chilean brings to the Blues.

Taylor said: “It was brilliant, he fancies himself. On the second one, I thought it was a bit wide and I said ‘do you fancy crossing it?’ but he said he’s shooting! Hats off to him, it’s two great strikes and I thought he played really well as well.

“I always try and get my shots off, it’s been my game throughout my whole career to get forward and create and score goals. I haven’t had one yet but hopefully it comes soon.”

Photo: Matchday Images

ArnieM added 06:35 - Nov 3 Ahhh, "that all for one, and one for all," team bonded feeling is returning...now watch us go!
16

Dissboyitfc added 06:57 - Nov 3 You can see from the picture that Nunez is certainly enjoying his move here or is he laughing about Norwich, probably both! Hopefully Taylor keeps his starting spot with good performances, he typifies what i have said many times, sometimes it takes players a while at a club to fulfil their potential!
9

Bazza8564 added 08:23 - Nov 3 Momentum is important, it's vital we carry that on and hopefully head into the International break by winning these next two. Pleased for JT, he has stepped into the opportunity in CMF and it's his to lose right now, especially with Nunez most likely staying in the 10 role for now
4

BlueBlood90 added 08:56 - Nov 3 But...But...But I thought Nunez couldn't speak English according to the Narwich fans? So how did he tell Taylor that he was going to shoot?
4

Stato added 09:55 - Nov 3 Football is about confidence and with a run of games hopefully JT might get the confidence to try his luck from 25 yards out. We all know he is capable of scoring from distance and he might just notch a match winner or two in the same way as Morsy did a couple of times (Southampton with slight deflecction from memory ???)
3

HopefulBlue69 added 10:57 - Nov 3 Never been convinced by JT but very happy to be proved wrong... A couple of reasonable games doesn't mean much unless he is allowed to keep playing and steps upto the challenge. He does look like a confidence player and so hopefully he'll push on and make the impact we need.... Really hope at the end of the season he's become a fan favourite...
1

grow_our_own added 11:05 - Nov 3 Injuries aside, I hope KM sticks with the same team tomorrow. Tinkering away from the team that beat QPR, Norwich, West Brom, and Pompey has failed miserably this season. Particularly want to see Egeli retain his place. 19 year olds can pretty much play every day.
2

BobbyBell added 11:33 - Nov 3 This same team should beat Watford but I am nervous about too many changes. Three or four is ok but against Charlton there were too many and it cost us. We can't disrespect Watford by resting players as they just beat Middlesborough 3-0 and will be well up for playing us.
1

SussexTractor added 12:43 - Nov 3 Nunez starts everytime for me in the advanced number 10 position. The best free kick specialist since Reuser and he is excellent at passing the ball, Jim Magilton style.
1

ArnieM added 14:40 - Nov 3 We just need Philogene / Clarke to get cute and get us more free kicks
0

Leutard added 15:47 - Nov 3 Taylor is having a bit of a Hladky moment
2

Saxonblue74 added 17:24 - Nov 3 Forget line ups, tactics, formation. This confidence and togetherness is worth more than any of that.
1

armchaircritic59 added 17:58 - Nov 3 Saxonblue, as was proved in League One and more particularly the Championship two seasons ago. Did we have the best squad in the division? No. Did we have a team that would run through a brick wall for each other? Yes. Imagine what this set of players aligned to that sort of spirit could do!
0

Blogs 297 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls