admin“Ipswich in Crisis?”- Kieran McKenna Breaks Silence After Crushing Preston Defeat – What He Said Will Shock You!”
Kieran McKenna expressed his disappointment with Ipswich Town’s performance following their 1-0 loss to Preston North End.
The decisive moment came early when Milutin Osmajic converted a penalty in the 11th minute, giving Preston the lead. Ipswich struggled to respond despite some promising spells, ultimately suffering their first defeat of the season at Deepdale.
After the game, McKenna emphasized the need for a significant improvement if the team is to meet its season objectives.
“I’m really frustrated with the result,” McKenna said. “We wanted to give ourselves and our fans a better day. We need to improve, that’s my main feeling. Everyone, including me, has to do better.
“We started the game well but conceded a goal that you simply can’t afford if you want to succeed in the Championship. It was a soft goal — we didn’t defend the goal kick properly, and we failed to deal with the first ball into our box.
“If we don’t defend better and show more strength in those key moments, we won’t be successful this season. The team needs to acknowledge that.
“After conceding, we had plenty of possession and some good moments in the first half. We created a few chances, but not enough. We should have at least pulled a goal back.
“At the moment, our attacking play lacks cohesion. The connections between players on the pitch aren’t strong enough and need to be developed. The balance in the forward areas and overall team structure probably isn’t quite right yet.
“We have to build those links, find the right balance, and develop the belief that even when things aren’t going our way, if we stick to the plan, we’ll create more chances.
“We created pressure and opportunities but didn’t work the goalkeeper enough.”
When asked about the penalty decision, and whether Jacob Greaves’ challenge on Osmajic warranted the call, McKenna responded, “I’m more frustrated with ourselves. It’s a bit of a ‘six of one, half a dozen of the other’ situation.
“My bigger frustration is our part in it. We didn’t defend the goal kick well, our positioning was off, and that allowed the left wing-back a clear run down our flank.
“We weren’t strong enough in the box either, even though we knew what was coming. We should have dealt with it better.
“The penalty itself looked like a tussle, with Osmajic kicking through Greaves’ legs and selling it well.
“I’m more annoyed at our mistakes than the referee’s decision.”
Ipswich began the season with two 1-1 draws, including a positive performance against Southampton, but the display against Preston raised fresh concerns.
When asked how Ipswich can turn things around, McKenna said, “It’s a mix of factors. The balance in our forward unit needs adjusting — in some areas it’s not quite right.
“On the right side, for example, we’ve got an unfamiliar partnership at the moment. We need to get players into the right roles and find the right balance in our attacking unit.
“We have to work on building connections — it’s a tough reality no one wants to hear, but time is limited and the margin for error is small.
“Ben Johnson and Jack Clarke have played very few games together on the right. Sam Szmodics hasn’t linked up with that unit much. Leif Davis and Jaden Philogene, the same. Jack Taylor and Azor Matusiwa, very few games as well.
“We have new combinations across the pitch, and it’s hard work figuring out how we’ll be dangerous, how players will complement each other, and how to create the chances we want.
“I believe we can do it. We’ve done it before and can do it again. But I know we won’t be given much time or grace because expectations are high this year. We want those expectations to be on us, so we need to deliver—starting with a much better performance than today.”
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