McKenna: We Were Dominant in All Aspects
Tuesday, 24th Jan 2023 22:57

Town boss Kieran McKenna felt his side were dominant in all aspects as they thrashed Morecambe 4-0 at Portman Road, although would have liked more goals in the second half.

The Blues netted four goals in a first half for the first time since the 4-4 draw at Derby County in October 2013 with Freddie Ladapo and Conor Chaplin netting a brace apiece.

“We would have liked more goals in the second half but the clean sheet was important,” McKenna said.

“But in terms of the first half, it was a really good performance, individually and as a team, dominant in all aspects really, got the early goal and pushed on from there.

“A good result, a good performance, a first step towards building some momentum, but only the first step and, of course, we’ve got the break for the FA Cup now but we look forward to that and then a big game against Cambridge the following weekend.”

The Blues boss had praise for his goalscorers: “I thought Freddie was excellent. I think he’s improving all the time. He’s showing me, he’s showing everyone really, that you can improve right the way through your career because he’s come here at 29 years old and for me he’s a different player than he was six months ago.

“His all-round game is improving all the time, his understanding is improving all the time and he’s really understanding his role and what he can bring to the team.

“A really good performance and rewarded with the goals but his work for the team was excellent.

“Conor with another couple of really good goals that he likes to get after good moves by the team.

“Good for those two, but there were good performances all over the pitch. I thought the defenders were excellent as well and I thought to a man it was a strong performance.”

Regarding Harry Clarke and Nathan Broadhead, who made their full and home debuts, he added: “Both showed why we’ve brought them here. A good night for Harry, a long time making his debut for his hometown team in front of his family and he’s settled into the team straight away as we knew he would do and we were confident he would do.

“He showed his qualities but also showed some areas where he has to improve and we’ll work with him on that. But a good first start.

“Nathan showed his quality, showed what he can bring as a footballer, as a goal threat, as a creator and also can improve and I’m sure can get stronger and will improve and develop with us. Two players we’re happy to have and are looking forward to working with more.”

On Broadhead, who came close to a debut goal, he added: “As a footballer, our style of play and how he plays is one of the big reasons we were able to attract him. If we didn’t have that, Nathan Broadhead wouldn’t be here.

“We know that there’s a style of play that will suit him, we know that there’s a role that will suit him in the team and bring out his qualities more and more.

“He fitted in well and I think he’s got room to improve and develop with us. I know he’s young young but I think he’s young in his career and still has room to grow and develop, so we’re looking forward to having that at this football club and seeing the qualities that he can bring over the next few years hopefully.”"

McKenna explained why he made five changes from the team which lost 2-1 at Oxford on Saturday.

“Harry we were always going to bring in tonight because he can’t play in the FA Cup, so that was one change to the defence,” he said.

“Richard [Keogh] and George [Edmundson] have been training well, played well against Rotherham, played well against Morecambe last game.

“Richard dealt with Cole Stockton really well in the away game, he’s such a strong striker, so strong with his back to goal. There aren’t many defenders around who can cope with him on that, but Richard excels in that area and he and George played well in the last game they played and in the last game at Morecambe.

“We felt that was right for tonight. Richard has such a presence and experience as well, we know he helps the players around him. We thought he would help Harry on his debut with his communication and his leadership and I think that was the case as well.

“He brought a lot to us on the pitch tonight that he brings to us every day, but, of course, people don’t always get to see it, so it was great that he was able to bring that on the pitch today, and a good performance from George as well.”

Could the result and performance be a launchpad? “It’s much too early to talk about a launchpad. The performances, I think we’ve performed really consistently to a high level. I think we’ve performed well tonight but I don’t think there’s been often that the performances have been too far off.

“Sometimes it’s dictated by the opposition as well. Tonight we’re playing in conditions to play football and Morecambe have come to be positive and play a football match, they’ve won three games in a row.

“We don’t get that every week, which is fine but it’s not always in our control what the flow of the game looks like.

“Tonight, the conditions were good and Morecambe came for a game of football and we put in a really good performance, but we have to keep finding different types of performances and different types of qualities and different types of games because the challenges week by week are varied and it doesn’t always look like today.

“It’s up to us to keep coming up with the solutions and the different aspects to a performance to get results in different types of games.

“Tonight was a night that we enjoyed and it’s a positive step towards gaining some momentum, but it’s no more than that, it’s a very small step.”

McKenna confirmed Luke Woolfenden, who was left out of the 18 for only the second time in the league since he took charge, was fit to play.

“No, he’s fine,” the Northern Irishman said. “We want to be really positive with our substitutes’ bench in the second half of the season, so that’s something that we’ve discussed with the defenders. We want to have as many attacking options as possible.

“Sometimes that might have to be different but where possible we want to have a really attacking bench and we were able to use that tonight with the front four all changing and Cam Humphreys behind that.

“That’s how the dynamics going to be on the bench at times. He trained well today and he’ll be getting well for the games ahead.”

Wes Burns came off at the break but McKenna says the Welshman has no significant injury problem.

“He was a bit tight in his calf at half-time, nothing major,” he said. “Not one that we wanted to take any risk on, of course.”

Marcus Harness suffered a knock after coming on but the Blues boss was hopeful the former Portsmouth man should be OK.

“It was a certainly an incomparable challenge to the one that Conor Chaplin got booked for,” he recalled.

“I didn’t think it was that bad of a tackle either, to be honest, but he got a stiff knock on his ankle, so I’m sure he’ll be a bit swollen tomorrow but hopefully no major damage done.”

Photo: TWTD

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ipswichboi added 23:11 - Jan 24 Brilliant win, hopefully the first of a long run.. Almost a shame it isn't a league game up next to carry the momentum over. As echoed by many on here tonight, the two new boys were fantastic. Can't comment on hirst as we didn't get out of 2nd gear in the 2nd half so he barely had a sniff!
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The_Prof added 08:25 - Jan 25 I'm pretty sure that Clarke will be the next club captain once Morsy moves on (not yet, hopefully). He has all of the attributes and has that 'presence' that would make him an obvious candidate.
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Bazza8564 added 08:30 - Jan 25 Just what we needed and the first of this 6 game run in the league that will define our season for me. The new boys were great and Cole Stockton, the guy everybody was wanting to buy, was made to look woeful. Bring on Burnley after that
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BobbyBell added 09:06 - Jan 25

Clarke was what JD used to be but somehow JD has lost that edge to his game. Burns and Clarke seemed to gel straight away and suddenly we had those overlaps and underlaps again that JD was so good at. I hope this will inspire JD to get back to his peak again. Broadhead was cool calm and showed some real class too so two great buys. Hirst will come good but why wasn't he chancing his arm on the low cross driven across the box by Jackson? I hoped, and still hope, that he is the man to take those chances and get himself in the box early and fast. Cut backs are working but the low driven cross six yards out is still finding no one there to finish. When both work the defenders don't know where to be.

Facefacts added 11:09 - Jan 25 Great win, and long may it continue. To get the game won in the first half and give some time to the squad to get some minutes is a dream that doesn't often happen.
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ButchersBrokenNose added 14:04 - Jan 25

"We were dominant in all aspects," except the second half.

Obviously, I thought it was a great game, but I think KMcK missed a trick by not going for the jugular in the second half. There was no risk, and he could have tried different tactics and formations against a defensive opponent. As their boss stated, he was just trying to keep the scoreline down, so he essentially parked the bus, but we either weren't able to or couldn't be bothered to break them down. This has been our problem all season, and I remain worried. I wonder how this game would have turned out if we hadn't scored the first two goals?