Blues boss Kieran McKenna felt his side did enough to score at least one goal during their frustrating 0-0 draw at home to Wrexham in the first ever league game between the sides with the Red Dragons making their inaugural visit to Portman Road.

Town dominated against a Welsh side which sat back and made it difficult for the Blues while showing little attacking intent all afternoon.

But despite hitting 19 shots, eight on target, the Blues created few clear-cut chances with visitors’ keeper Arthur Okonkwo only once - when a loose ball dropped to Chuba Akpom in the area in the second half - forced into anything more than a routine stop.

The draw is the Blues’ second on the trot at home, Watford having left Portman Road having claimed a point following a 1-1 stalemate earlier this month.

“It’s a game, of course, we felt like we should have won,” McKenna said. “There were some positives to the performance and we’ve given away very, very little against a team who have been dangerous all season.

“But ultimately we haven’t got the goal to turn it into the victory that we wanted. We’re frustrated by that.”

McKenna was asked whether his side carved out enough really significant opportunities.

“If we score one of the chances that we have later in the second half, then we have created enough and the margin to scoring one of those isn’t very big,” he added.

“Of course, you always want to create more. You have to give Wrexham credit as well. When we were in the final third, they were very, very deep and they defended with big centre-halves inside the frame of the goal, with their midfield line really, really deep, so it was really hard to get chances close to the goal.

“But we need to keep working to improve on that phase. It’s the most difficult part of football, to be fair, that doesn’t matter whether it’s for us or the best teams in the world. When teams are defending with lots and lots of bodies deep, really close to the edge of their goal, it’s not easy to create big chances.

“We need to keep working on our final-third play but also on our set plays. You win that game on a set play. We had enough counter-attacking opportunities to score a goal off a counter-attack.

“We had some counter-pressure moments when we could have have done a little bit better to get the goal.

“Of course, one part of the game is coming out frustrated that when they were really, really deep, we didn’t manage to create as many big chances as you would like, but I still feel on the balance of it we’ve had enough there and enough ball in really dangerous positions, enough shots and a couple of big chances to think that we should be scoring at least one goal in the game.”

The second big chance the Blues had came a minute from time when Kasey McAteer shot across the face and wide after a free-kick had dropped for him beyond the far post.

McAteer, who joined the Blues for an initial £12 million in the summer, and Akpom, who signed on loan from Ajax, have made slow starts to their Town careers with both still looking for their first goals for the club.

“I think it’s not just those two, it’s a group with a lot of new players settling in,” McKenna said when asked about the pair. “Not just the boys that arrived this summer, even Jaden Philogene’s still new to the club, boys who arrived last year still feel pretty new in terms of settling into the team.

“To be honest, that’s not an Ipswich thing, you see it in the biggest and best clubs in the world when you have new players in the team, especially when you have new attackers. Sometimes it clicks and everything goes fantastically straight away and sometimes it doesn’t.

“We have to keep helping those boys, we have to give them the right direction, the right support, try and help them to utilise their talents within this group, within this environment and give them enough support and enough push to get the best out of them.

“I don’t think either of them were too far away today. Chuba got in lots of good positions, looked a threat throughout the game, and Kasey, in a small amount of time on the pitch, was right in there in some areas.

“He was right in there to get the big chance, he’s in the box, he’s flicked it on for George Hirst’s chance. He won what should have been a free-kick on the edge of the box.

“All you can do is do the work at the training ground and then go out there on the pitch and put yourself in the positions.

“We’ve got a few players still waiting for their first goal, certainly in the last few home games we haven’t been as clinical as we would have liked, but it’s not about one or two individuals, it’s about the whole group and we’ve all got to keep pushing together, stick together and keep working to turn the margins.

“I don’t think individually or as a collective we’re too far away, to be honest. We didn’t give away anything in the game, that’s a good step.

“I don’t think we’ll have too many 0-0s at home this season, so if you give almost nothing away, give yourself 95 minutes to win the game, including the time when subs come on, and get to the areas we got to, then the margin to turn that into consistent wins isn’t that big.

“We have to stay positive about that and take the lessons on the things we can do better and move on to Tuesday [away at Hull City], which is going to be a really different game.

“But, for sure, when we’re in this type of scenario again, make sure we can turn a few really small margins in our favour. That can get you the first goal and we know that that completely changes the course of the game.”

McKenna says it’s important that his players put today’s frustrations to one side ahead of Tuesday’s visit to the MKM Stadium.

“Of course it is,” he continued. “We said going into the fixture, whether it had been the frustration of today or the joy of a victory, it shouldn’t and doesn’t change much going into Hull.

“A tough game, a completely different type of game away from home and we’ll need to come in with fresh heads and just tackle that one as a completely separate challenge irrespective of what happened today.”

Photo: TWTD

braveblue added 18:35 - Nov 22 Thought Akpom was very poor and should have been subbed at half time. McAteer was McAteer.
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itfc2024 added 18:40 - Nov 22 Akpom is a poor player who don't deserve to wear the shirt as for McATeer I hope Ashton got a receipt cos I'd send him back and get a refund for faulty goods
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Bluecasp added 18:42 - Nov 22 Akpom is poor. Start Nunez and maybe keep.playing our strongeat 11. Just an idea.
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NthQldITFC added 18:47 - Nov 22 Akpom is not a poor player, ffs, he's just playing in a role that is not really suited to him at the moment. Whether he adapts to it, or we adapt the system to suit him (which we shouldn't) remains to be seen. But we need a technician in there rather than a power player to win more games soon.
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blueoutlook added 18:48 - Nov 22 So, what you are saying is we are still gelling ? Blimey, when will they be up to speed then ? Other teams in this league have made just as many changes and seem to be doing just fine. It’s not that you paid way over the odds for very average players then ? And stop keep playing square pegs in round holes, also how about coming up with a plan B.
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ArnieM added 18:49 - Nov 22 We see a different Akpom,if McKenna actually played him in his correct position. He's a STRIKER, not a #10!!!! McKenna seems fixated with shoehorning just about every forward he brings in ( Omar,i Szmodics, Akpom) into adapting their normal game to be a #10, whisky farming out our best #10,Chaplin, to Pompey. What IS the matter with the man?? McKenna only knows one way of playing the game ( our identity apparently) problem is every single opposition manager also knows McKenna's way, down to the min he'll make his substitutions and who will be coming on for who, and most importantly the tactic (singular), McKenna will deploy. We are Predicatable , Pedestrian, Boring

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prebbs007 added 18:54 - Nov 22 No plan B AGAIN KMc. Every sub is like for like no change of structure. Wrexham came first 0-0 from minute one. Change it up. At least with last 10 mins go 3 at the back and 2 up top. You do exactly the same EVERY game. 60 mins sub 2 bodies for exact same replacement. 75 mins 2 more of the same. It’s boring. We played walking football in the first half. The guy next to me actually fell asleep

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bluesince76 added 18:58 - Nov 22 Spot on ArnieM predictable pedestrian boring.
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herfie added 19:14 - Nov 22 KMcK is correct in stating that we must keep working towards overcoming teams who set up and play like Wrexham. However, whilst he’s right, in truth he and the players have had sufficient time to achieve this. We seem to be executing a pre-determined and predictable script that opposition managers have worked out.
6

orfordbuoy added 19:23 - Nov 22 turgid affair and Akpom was very poor. Wrexham, although vastly inferior, came with a plan. They did what we were unable to do last season. Parkinson 1 - McKenna 0.
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Cookieboy added 19:25 - Nov 22 Agree we were good enough to win the game. And like most home games couldn't breek down opponents. But like.most good sides in other leagues, they play strongest team and then rotate. Surely the manager must see this as his system is falling short
5

Hipsterectomy added 19:26 - Nov 22 Tick tock
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Bluecasp added 19:28 - Nov 22 We all laugh at managers like Phil Parkinson, Wayne Rooney and Russel Martin and yet Mckenna struggles.to get the better.of them. Concerning
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jas0999 added 19:48 - Nov 22 Agreed! We should have won. 3-0 would have been a par score with our resource. Sadly, KMs team selection, slow movement tactics, predictable subs and no Plan B meant an injury hit Wrexham left PR with a straight forward and deserved point. Time will tell if the investors are pleased with this performance. £100M+ for failing to beat Wrexham at home ….
7

Rozeeboy74 added 20:12 - Nov 22 Wrexham, Watford, Charlton......time to learn lessons.
4

hyperbrit added 20:19 - Nov 22 I can't help but wonder when Gamechanger will live up to it's name?
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Bluespeed added 20:26 - Nov 22 @Rozeeboy we keep hearing this “ we will learn from this” B/S … then someone within the football club tell me when ?? As a child if I was told once, shown once I was expected to know better! Do these well paid young men not understand how to learn?
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TimmyH added 20:29 - Nov 22 That first half was an awful spectacle!...no commitment, scared to make a mistake no real creativity, the 2nd half was mildly better but decision making at vital moments and quality from a number was sadly missing. We should have beaten Watford but didn't, Charlton weren't a lot of cop until they scored and gained confidence and took to the 85th minute to beat West Brom so there's clearly a theme going on here Kieran...we need to do much much better with the resources we have and become more flexible tactically and not wait until the standard 65 minutes in to make substitutions.

4

ThaiBlue added 20:32 - Nov 22 We were poor today,our play was like km personality, BORING
1

itfc2024 added 20:32 - Nov 22 a game we should have won but we didn't bad team selection akpom should never start as a 10 either start him up front or send him back I'd like to see Clarke on the right of midfield philogene on the left and egeil in the 10 what a great attacking team that would be
3

ITFC_1994 added 20:56 - Nov 22 Poor game really but actually, not the worst point in the world..... not sure walton had a save to make and Kipre and O'shea were both solid. Worse teams (and many town ones in years gone by) would have conceded a sucker punch. Akpom in the 10 just doesn't work. Have him as an option at CF and that's all he should be considered for from now. No idea why Mckenna hasn't tried Clarke, Jaden or W-E in there, when Nunez isn't playing, like he used to with Omari and Broady (occasionally)... its clear as day its not working.... Cam Humphries is even a better option... very strange. In the 1st ten mins it looked like ipswich from 2022-2024, getting the ball forward quickly and attacking with intent, then I'm not sure what happened... No comment on McAteer, he's been awful and doesn't look like he will ever cut it, although I could be wrong. Hope Wes is back and firing asap. Anyway.... we are still the second best team in this league in my opinion and I think we will finish there. Although we need to sort out the 10 and striker situation in January and kick on from there. Sadly I think Smods will have to leave as we are kind of stuck with Akpom now. We are a better away side and the next 3 are away. 9 points would be lovely... COYB

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Tractorboy1985 added 21:22 - Nov 22 I’m sorry today Kieran you are the weakest link!!! I worry though this is not just ONE game! We are a home team playing against a lesser opposition.. with lesser players… with a lesser budget.. with lesser fans and when things don’t go to your liking with thee 11 you’ve selected as your starters you continue to throw on your “super subs” which until last season got you and us and fans the result we all want! NOW… today.. and we will see in future games teams are coming to Portman Road for their “cup final” fantastic stadium.. big crowd.. lovely pitch and try that 10% harder and play the new term “Low block” aka park the f’ing bus and try and hit us on the counter! Now for me Wrexham offered very little going forward from minute 5 let alone 75 so can’t we mix it up and sling Hirst on to play with the more effective Azon?? Didn’t need the 5 changes.. maybe the 2??? And can you accept now that Akpom is NOT a no10 and play him as the 9 or send him back! I love you but tonight i am so frustrated as Wrexham were so poor with their main outlet out injured and we’ve only taken a point… 3 big away games incoming where we tend to play better… COYB

2

billlm added 21:34 - Nov 22 Stop talking sh,t and earn your money,
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Carberry added 22:15 - Nov 22 It's a bit like there are chapters missing from his coaching manual and he just acts upon the bits he has read.
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