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Thread | Clear Signs of Progression vs 2021/22
at 20:41 17 Sep 2022
Despite a bitter taste being left in my mouth after the result today, the fact that within 7 months we've gone from being slapped around, teased, poked and ultimately humiliated in what was somehow only a 1-0 loss to Wednesday back in January, to being disappointed with only a point against a squad better than what they had last season shows the level of progression we have made under McKenna.
It's not just Sheff Wed either. Lots of talk of 'failing to beat the top 6' - so what. I'd rather lose against 2nd then lose against 24th, which happened all too often last season.
Everything around the town is improving. The club is on the up, we have a modern take on the stadium, we have a progressive coach who will manage in the Premier League in the next 10 years, and squad of players who are actually matching talent with heart.
The signs are good. Hillsborough is one of the toughest atmosphere's we'll face this season, and sounds like we stifled them. Give me 0-0 draws against the top 6 and then 2-0 wins over the rest of the league all day long
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Thread | Millwall game
at 10:25 23 Jul 2022
Arguably the most important test of pre-season. You can only learn so much from games against Needham and a poor Wimbledon side, plus the tests of Arsenal, Palace and West Ham are great learning experiences but you never feel like it is a 50/50 battle.
Against a settled Millwall side however, it should be a clear representation of where we are at going into the season. Potentially only 1 injury unless others have popped up without us knowing. Jackson, Evans and Edmundson all with more minutes under there belt since injury.
It’s symmetry really how last season we faced Millwall 1 week before the season started, and got our asses handed to us by them at our own place. Could have been 6 or 7 with Hladky making a handful of saves.
This time around, with essentially a new starting XI from that game (bar maybe half a dozen), a more exciting style of play, and a more talented coach in charge, it should be a real indication of where we are at heading into the season, and if there are any areas that need a bit of tinkering.
Praying for a JD-Woolf-Fridge back line for the first time this pre season 🤞🤞 |
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Thread | Squad Clarification
at 11:09 16 Jul 2022
Feel like this is something that I should probably put out there. I watched a lot of L1 football least season for the opposition previews that I did, and I can confirm that Marcus Harness has not been signed to be the left wing-back or even as the 'back up' to Wes Burns. That's not his game.
The squad itself is looking really strong, with probably 2 areas of the squad left to improve, but realistically we'd need to see Penney leave before we grab another left wing-back. With Pigott now out, a striker should be the next focus.
GK: Walton and Hladky. CW is a freak, and Hladky is a great back-up.
CB: Woolfenden, Edmundson, Donacien, Ndaba, Burgess. Again, excellent. Ndaba should be the 4th choice, with Burgess maybe struggling to breach the bench despite 9 subs.
RWB: Burns & KVY. The former is incredible, and I'm desperate for KVY to stay fit this season.
LWB: Leigh & Penney. Really happy with Leigh, can see Penney going and us maybe going for a young loan over Davis.
CM: Morsy, Ball, Evans, Harper, Idris, Humphreys. First three  , hopefully CH gets a L2 loan. Harper vs Idris a good battle in pre-season.
CAM: Chaplin, Harness, Aluko, Edwards. So strong once again. 1 playmaker, 2 excellent finishers, 1 blistering dribbler. Don't think we need to add another.
ST: Ladapo, Jackson, John-Jules. Feels like one short. Like how all three are so dominant with their pace. Adds another dimension having quick players. Still would like to see one more who wants ball to feet and then run forward with it (Hirst)
Let me know if you disagree with anything? |
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Thread | Recruitment Proposal
at 15:19 2 Jun 2022
Hi everyone. Thought I'd share this on here after a couple of hours of interactions on Twitter.
This forum is one of the best 'discussion-oriented' websites out there, and I can't count the number of times I've seen player recommendations come through here.
Started working on this back in early May, and it has finally been finished. Even with the arrivals of Ball and Ladapo, I still think we will look for another player in both positions - probably to start ahead of both.
Let me know what you guys think, and please don't hesitate to make this thread a very lengthy discussion/debate/something that seems to go off into a random tangent like other threads 
Oh, and in case you were wondering, yes Kane Vincent-Young's stats are correct!
https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/view/66962606/ipswich-town-2022-23-recruitment |
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Thread | Wigan Game + final two
at 18:08 16 Apr 2022
I’ve seen a few suggesting that we should keep a settled side to finish the season to not curb possible momentum, but I think we’ll see rotation because McKenna will want to know who he wants next season. There are a handful that need to ‘prove’ something and a few that deserve the chance to show what they have. For me, i’d be going with this for the Crewe and Charlton game (considering Wigan’s position I think we’ll go ‘senior’)
Hladky against Crewe (possible send-off) / Walton against Charlton
Donacien / Woolfenden / Baggott
Vincent Young / El Mizouni / Morsy / Penney
Chaplin / Celina
Norwood
Keeper on bench
Burgess
Humphreys
Bakinson
Burns
Chirewa
Simpson
#TrustTheAcademy |
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Thread | Player Suggestions - Wing Back
at 21:22 1 Apr 2022
Hi guys, me again! 
Striker suggestions offered some interesting debate and new players that I hadn't thought about, so hopefully that could do the same. Pretty clear that LWB will be an area of work for the club this summer. Thompson has done well defensively, with Penney being a bit 'injury-hit' as of late.
Here is a list of mainly left wing-backs who are either offensively or defensively strong. I'll probably signal which for each. Some right wing-backs, but I'm honestly good with KVY supporting Burns. What we need is a 'left wing-back Burns' if our Burns runs on empty. So, here goes.
LOANS ->
(LWB) Alvaro Fernandez, 19, currently at Man United. Pretty obvious really, someone McKenna will know pretty well. Tipped for big things at United, lots of fans suggesting he is ready to be in the first-team squad at least.
(LB) Josh Ruffels, 28, currently at Huddersfield Town. Only 5 appearances since leaving Oxford in the summer. Stuck behind Toffolo who has been good this year. Could get perm, but at 28? Ideally a year-loan to push for promotion.
(LB) Reece James, 28, currently at Blackpool. 17 games for B'Pool after joining from Donny. Capable on both the left and the right. B'pool's sights are high, they may boost their wing-back positions in the summer.
(LWB) Luke Garbutt, 28, currently at Blackpool. We all know him. Proper set-piece specialist. Been out since January with an injury, close to a return. Similar to James, may struggle for first-team football next season.
(LWB) Juan Larios, 18, currently at Man City. Exciting wing back, described by City fans as the 'next Joao Cancelo'. Very quick, very positive, comfortable on the ball.
(LWB) Emmanuel Longelo, 21, currently at West Ham. Reportedly a target for us in Jan alongside Forest and Wycombe. Back injury affected it. We moved for Thompson? Ex-forward turned wing-back, very positive player.
(LB) Joel Lopez, 19, currently at Arsenal. Been in-and-around the Arsenal first team since January. One of their stand-out players at U23 level.
(LB) Tayo Adaramola, 18, currently at Crystal Palace. Player in a similar mould of Tyrick Mitchell. Impressive showing against Stoke City in the Fa Cup last month.
POSSIBLES ->
(RWB) Josh Key, 22, currently at Exeter. Linked with Sunderland back in August. One to look at if McKenna isn't a fan of KVY. Can guarantee he will be a L1 player next season.
(LB) Ali Koiki, 22, currently at Northampton. Another linked with Sunderland, in January. Out of contract in June. Pompey heavily fancy him. Loves a dribble apparently.
(LWB) Cohen Bramall, 25, currently at Lincoln City. One I wanted last season, injuries have stopped him playing in the Champ. Pacey, direct who can put in a killer cross.
(RB) Nathan Byrne, 29, currently at Derby. We know the issues at Derby. Byrne been one of their most consistent players. Someone you'd look at if you lost Burns and wanted attacking threat predominantly down the left.
PUSH THE BOAT ->
(LWB) Nicky Cadden, 25, currently at Forest Green. My pick. The best wing-back outside League One, probably one of the best outside of the Championship. 6 goals and 9 assists.
(RWB) Kane Wilson, 22, currently at Forest Green. My pick if we lose Wes Burns in the summer. 3 goals and 13 assists. Probably a Championship player in League Two.
(LWB) Brandon Fleming, 22, currently at Hull. With their new owners, they'll be spending to push for promotion. Might become available, has been one of the best wing-backs in the Championship in 2022.
(LWB) Jay Dasilva, 22, currently at Bristol City. Obvious Bristol City links, but he hasn't been very good since January. Regulary falls in their top 3 performers in each game.
(LWB) Scott Malone, 31, currently at Millwall. Rowett says he is the best wing back in the Championship. Experienced option you could tempt with a solid pay-day.
There's a lot of solid options for McKenna, Ashton and Williams to work with for next season. If we go big on a striker (which we should), then we don't need to spend much at wing-back because there is a lot of cheap talent around.
Let me know what you guys think, or if you have players of your own |
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Thread | Player Suggestions - Striker
at 12:41 28 Mar 2022
*Disclaimer - This is longer than expected 
McKenna has us playing at such a high level this season, but it is clear that there is still room to grow (which is a scary thought considering our current dominance). The squad is really strong, but it does feel like a summer where we need 4 'starting XI' players to get us in the top 2 (3 if Celina signs)
For me, RCM, LWB and ST are the clear areas that need to be improved. There are a fair few cheap, affordable and talented players in the LWB and RCM spot, that it makes sense to focus our budget and attention on a striker to lead the line next season. Been looking around the leagues for players we could entice to Portman Road, based on suggestions from both TWTD and Twitter (experienced, Prem loanee, star Champ player). Some realistic, some maybe not 
EXPERIENCED ->
After the success of Sone Aluko, I wouldn't be surprised if we looked to bring someone with a lot of experience in to support the new front-line next season.
Frazier Campbell, 34, currently at Huddersfield Town. Has featured on 17 occasions this season, starting only 4 times. With Huddersfield pushing for the Premier League, he probably won't be a regular if they get promoted. Scored 7 goals last season. Born in Huddersfield, so may want to finish his career with them.
Nahki Wells, 31, currently at Bristol City. Everyone knows our links with City now, so wouldn't surprise me if we looked at their bit-part players (a la Bakinson). 27 games, only 5 starts with 3 goals. 10 goals last season. 1-year left on his deal. Might be getting more game time in April due to Semenyo's injury.
LOANS ->
If we go with 4 strikers again like this season, a loan striker might be a possibility.
Dan Jebbison, 18, currently at Sheffield United. First half of this season at Burton Albion, 7 goals in 14 starts. Recalled by United, but has only played 4 times. V. highly thought of by United higher-ups, Prem debut last season. Wouldn't be surprised if he goes out on loan again next season.
Chuba Akpom, 26, currently at Middlesbrough. Joined in 2020 for £2mill. 5 goals last season, out on loan in Greece with POAK this year. 6 goals for them. Ex-Arsenal kid. Spent four of the last five years in Europe.
Max Watters, 23, currently at Cardiff City. First half of this season at MK Dons, 5 goals in 11 games. Recalled in Jan, 4 games and a goal for Cardiff so far. Another with a bright future, but might need another loan in L1.
Marcus Forss, 22, on loan with Hull. Brentford striker, scored 11 goals two years ago in L1 with Wimbledon. 7 goals in the Champ last year. Exciting young striker.
Armstrong Okoflex, 20, currently at West Ham. 12 goals for the WHU U23 side this season. Previously of Celtic. McKenna's academy knowledge might see someone like Okoflex or the next three turn up on loan.
Mika Biereth, 19, currently at Arsenal. 7 goals for the U23 side this year. Highly rated by Arsenal fans, describes himself as 'an old-fashioned number nine'.
Charlie McNeill, 18, currently at Man United. 9 goals for the U18's, 5 for the U23's. Described as United's next 'number nine'. McKenna's links to United could see us go in for their youngsters.
Dane Scarlett, 18, currently at Tottenham. Both Conte and Mourinho have spoken about his potential, with many calling him the next Harry Kane. McKenna's Tottenham links could play out here
CHAMPIONSHIP STRIKERS ->
To progress, we may need to look at a 'Conor Chaplin-type' signing - performed well in the Champ but drops down to League One.
Jerry Yates, 25, currently at Blackpool. 20 goals in League One last season. 7 in the Champ this year. Has only started 21 games despite his impressive campaign last year. If Blackpool want to progress, they may look to strengthen their front-line.
Scott Hogan, 29, currently at Birmingham City. 10 goals this season, Birmingham's top goalscorer. ROI boss Kenny said that Bowyer's 'high-press' football has made Hogan an even better striker. Would fit in McKenna's side. Out of reach?
Lucas Joao, 28, currently at Reading. 6 goals this season, with Reading being dragged into a relegation battle. Powerful striker, got 19 goals last season. Another stretch, but we can offer wages higher than most in the Champ.
Jonson Clarke-Harris, 27, currently at Peterborough. 9 goals this season, after 31 last year. With Posh likely to go down, he might be on the move. With have Champ interest, but we can offer stronger wages.
PUSH THE BOAT ->
These three fall under the 'maybe not realistic' category, but you never know until you try.
Jamal Lowe, 27, currently at Bournemouth. 6 goals this season, but only 7 starts. Solanke on fire, Moore, Cantwell & Dembele all arrived in Jan. Game time has been limited for Lowe in the past few months. If they get promoted, he might leave. Would be a big ask. Played with Chappers at Pompey, and Evans/Morsy at Wigan.
Andre Gray, 30, on loan with QPR. Watford striker. If the Hornets get relegated, they may want to use him, but do have Pedro, Sarr, Dennis, King to send them back up. 8 goals for QPR this season.
Mallik Wilks, 23, currently at Hull City. 19 goals last season. Only 3 this year due to injury and out of favour. Mainly played as a winger, but Hull fans see him as a better striker. Deal runs out in the summer. |
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Thread | Most Impressive McKenna Stat imo…
at 21:58 5 Mar 2022
Posted this on Twitter, so thought i’d do the same here.
Countless stats can be cited to show the📈under KMc at Ipswich
Clean sheets, wins, PPG, forward passing.
However, for me, this is the most impressive⬇ï¸
13 Games, 5 Conceded. 0 goals scored by recognised ST’s. Donacien, Woolfenden and Edmundson are taking the obvious goal threats out of the game...
In the 12 (Gills x2) different opponents we have faced under McKenna, we have come up against 12 strikers whose goal tallies come to 117 goals this season. 117!
I've not seen a defence remove strikers from games like these three have done so far
Woolfy. Janoi. Fridge👠|
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Thread | Doncaster Forum Post-Match
at 22:59 8 Feb 2022
Thought I'd showcase a 'before and after' from the Doncaster Rovers forum, with the 'pre' quotes coming from the piece put out yesterday.
They were confident that they could beat us after the Sunderland game, but I've not seen an opposition fanbase this complimentary before towards us. Nice to see
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Thread | Fraser deal - Daily Record
at 08:44 31 Jan 2022
They are suggesting we have accepted a £150,000 offer for Fraser. Can’t be that low, surely? |
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Thread | Toto possibly wanted by Fleetwood
at 21:22 12 Jan 2022
Obviously we don't know the legitimacy, but feels like someone who won't displace Janoi, Woolf or Edmundson in the back three, with Burgess probably a stronger option
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Thread | Preview Takeaways - Sheff Wed (no food included, apologies in advance)
at 11:05 25 Sep 2021
Seems I've been quite successful with predicting the way each game will go for the last three league games we've played. Hopefully I can do the same here:
1) Give it to Burns. Pretty self-explanatory for this game. Looking quite likely one of Liam Palmer or Jack Hunt will be playing left back today, ahead of Jaden Brown. Both are SEVERELY right-footed, with a very poor left foot. Get Burns running at them on his right, their left.
2) Close down Barry Bannan, force him deeper and deeper. Every team that has got something from Sheffield Wed have done so by stopping Bannan. He's the key to a Town win.
3) Hutchinson's position will determine key area of dominance for us. If he plays CB, then they will have no 'bullish' CM in the game. Could be good for Celina. If he plays CM, then the Iorfa-Dunkley partnership is the way of attack. Neither looked comfortable against Shrews.
4) Another good test for Janoi this afternoon. Olamide Shodipo is back, he'll be the main man if Bannan doesn't get time on the ball. Similar player to Scully.
5) We keep a clean sheet, we win the game. That's not solely focused on Sheffield Wednesday, that's for every game this season. I'm very confident in us scoring at least one goal if all 46 games this season, with the attacking options we have. |
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Thread | Preview Takeaways - Lincoln
at 16:36 17 Sep 2021
1. They don’t seem as ‘excited’ for this season as they did last year, looks like they recognise they haven’t been as fortunate with their loan dealings this season compared to last.
2. If McGrandles is unfit for the game, the midfield battle could be the key one in the game. They struggled bad against Rotherham when he went off, offers protection for the CB’s alongside Bridcutt.
3. Anthony Scully is the danger man. Expect him to cause KVY all kinds of problems if he starts. Will identify him immediately as the weaker full back in the side. If Janoi starts, could be an interesting battle.
4. Despite battering Cambridge 5-1, they aren’t as good offensively as they were last year. Hopper and Scully are very good already, but their supporting players aren’t anywhere near the quality of last season.
5. Defensively sound, but lacking bodies at the back. Might have only 5 fit defenders available. Need more players willing to take a man on in the game. Burns, Edwards etc. |
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