Wes Burns and his Town team-mates believe they know precisely what they have to do in their remaining games to book a top-six place and keep alive their promotion dream.

Realistically speaking, the Blues are probably one of four sides currently outside the play-off zone that could make it, but there is very little margin for error after their most recent games against Cheltenham and Morecambe reaped a mere two points.

However, new manager Kieran McKenna’s record since taking charge has seen Town average two points per game from 12 games — and Burns firmly believes that a similar ratio over the final 11 fixtures could be enough to secure a play-off berth.

In December, when McKenna swapped his role as first-team coach at Manchester United for his first job in management, Town had reached the halfway stage of their League One programme and had collected 29 points from 23 games under predecessor Paul Cook.

The play-offs looked a task too far at that point but Town now have 53 points from 35 games, putting them within six points of their end-of-season top six target, the gap having been reduced from 10 points during the Northern Irishman’s 10 weeks in the job.

Burns, 27, said: “When the boss came in, we were saying that if we could average two points per game through to the end of the season it should take us very close or even into the play-offs.

“We did a recap yesterday and we’ve taken 24 points from his first 12 games as manager, so we’re still very much on track to do that. We have 11 games left and if we do get an average of two points per game that will be 22 points.

“That will give us a total of 75 points and I think there has only been one occasion in the last 20 years when that has not been enough to get a team into the top six. So that’s our aim now, to maintain the two points a game average over our final 11 games.”

Asked if a run of, say, seven wins and a draw from the final 11 fixtures is feasible, Burns responded: “Yes, definitely. Everyone has seen the style of play that we have adopted and we are dominating most games.

“I’ve said it multiple times myself — we are due to go on one of those runs that a team always goes on towards the end of the season. It was Blackpool last year and I have no doubt it will be Ipswich this year.”

Blackpool ended up winning the play-offs last season, although at the halfway point of the 2020/21 campaign they were on 34 points, two behind Town and six adrift of sixth-placed Sunderland. They eventually finished third on 80 points, meaning they had taken 46 from their 23 games during the second half of the campaign — exactly what McKenna and his men are looking to do 12 months on.

Town’s task would be that much easier had they been able to collect maximum points from the games at home against Cheltenham and at Morecambe, during which they racked up a host of scoring opportunities but only managed to hit the back of the net once.

Burns added: “We’re obviously very disappointed at only taking two points from those two games, but we have spoken as a group and agreed they were probably our two best performances in terms of dominating the games and creating chances. It was just a case of not being able to put the ball in the back of the net for whatever reasons.

“We would be having a very different conversation if we were not creating chances. It is a positive that we are creating so many scoring chances and on pitches that are difficult to play on.

“We are dominating games and it’s just a case of everyone in the squad having a ruthless mentality to get into positions where we have a chance to score and then delivering the killer blow. We have to show relentlessness and ruthlessness to put teams away when we are on top.”

An early goal would be welcomed at Fleetwood on Saturday. Town took the lead through Kayden Jackson within 42 seconds of the kick-off against Burton Albion last month, for example, and went on to record a comfortable 3-0 win.

Burns added: “An early goal in any game is always welcome. Everyone can see how teams are sitting back against us because they know we do dominate a lot of the ball. I’m not saying they park the bus but they put a lot of men behind the ball and defend their box.

“If we were able to score an early goal it would make them come out a bit and attack, to try to get back in the game. So, yes, an early goal would definitely suit us but if it doesn’t happen, we just have to keep working away and make sure we create the chances.

“We are definitely playing some of the best football I’ve been involved in during my career, in terms of a playing style, percentage of possession and number of chances created.

“What we are lacking at the moment, when we are on top, is that cutting edge or killer instinct to get the goals.

“I have played in teams that didn’t create half as many chances as we do in games, but the difference was that we were able to put away the one or two chances that did come our way.”

Photo: Pagepix

Jonaldo added 06:30 - Mar 3 Good to hear him speaking out like this, because it does put some pressure on the strikers to re-produce the sort of tenacity and goal scoring instincts that he has shown.
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Saxonblue74 added 06:31 - Mar 3 I do think we can achieve 2 points per game, but there is a huge Elephant in the room!! We must find a way of putting the ball in the back of the net. Just imagine, our recent defensive record coupled with the early season goals?
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Dissboyitfc added 06:36 - Mar 3 as Burns has said no room for errors ! Exciting run in to come.
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tractorboybig added 08:46 - Mar 3 dream on
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Stato added 09:00 - Mar 3 Since switching to 5 at the back we have stopped conceding so many goals but we're not scoring as many now. I'm those last 2 games did did we really need 5 at the back ? In a number of games when we have needed another goal could we not have switched to 4 at the back and push Burns further forward ? Just shuffling the front 3 isn't working. None of them is getting a run of games. Nobody even agrees who our best front 3 is or whether to play 1 or 2 upfront. There is definite room for improvement in finding the formation that best suits us and the players at our disposal. Personally I favour Chaplin and Celina playing behind Jackson but Jackson needs to score more goals. Aluko doesn't have a single assist in the league all season and that lack of creativity has cost us important points.

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Bazza8564 added 09:17 - Mar 3 Interesting to read about comments on 5 at the back. The reality is we play with 3 1/2, Thompson plays a lot deeper than Burns but there are huge periods of games when both are lined up as wingers. Our frailties at the back have been sorted by Wolfenden playing centrally, and really well. 352, 361, 532, call it what you want but the reality is its an attacking rather than defensive set up. The goal-scoring is a different matter entirely, and Wes' will probably acknowledge he hasn't crossed as well in recent weeks despite he and JD working him in behind over and over again. One early goal Saturday, and hopefully something for Bonne to get him going again, this whole situation changes again.... COYB

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Barty added 09:45 - Mar 3 Optimism is good but the reality is that 2 points a game will not be enough and i am afraid that making the the play -offs is not going to happen [ the last 2 games put pay to that ] but i am very optimistic for next season.
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Suffolkboy added 10:26 - Mar 3 W B's analysis of performance and needs/ shortcomings is on the nail !Lets hope the confidence in their system ,effectiveness and teamwork will translate into much much more thoughtful concentration on technique and execution in front of goal! We do not need the spectacular , the ooh- aah moment ,simply the ball put away safely in the back of the opposition net – and it would do wonders for everyone ! Come on boys , top it off ; you're giving so much to admire on the pitch ,we'd all like to see more points on the Board . COYB

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TimmyH added 10:45 - Mar 3 Personally think we'll might need a bit more than that...we've been averaging 2 points a game since McK came in and we're still 9th and only made a bit up on 6th place. Still a few teams above us (Sheffield and Plymouth) have games in hand and Portsmouth just below.
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ForrestsFingers added 10:45 - Mar 3 I think it's still a possibility, but we've made it a lot harder for ourselves after the past two matches. 4 of our remaining games are against Rotherham, Wigan, Oxford & Plymouth (who could be 8 points clear of us if they win their games in hand) meaning 7 wins from the remainder and us finishing on 74 points, with points from the aforementioned being a bonus. Regarding the formation. I was an advocate for this when Cook went on a blog. The defence is now a lot stronger but I still feel we are lacking down the left hand side. Thompson, doesn't seem natural going forward and it makes us unbalanced. Teams are wising up to the fact our main threat comes down the right so we need to resolve this problem sooner rather than later. What the answer is? Not sure, Penney can whip a decent ball in but his defensive play is too weak. Maybe someone like Cam Humphries could fill that role from the U 23's? Up top someone needs to start firing and soon. Not wanting to criticise McKenna because he has done sterling work since his arrival, but the constant chopping and changing of the strikers isn't helping in my opinion. Players need a run of games to fins their form and at the moment they're not getting it which I think could be why they are misfiring at the moment.

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Barty added 11:03 - Mar 3 I think we will need to get at least 78 points to make the play-offs [ Basically 8 wins and a draw from our remaining 11 games ] !!
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Edmundo added 11:36 - Mar 3 Agree with the above: 8 wins still needed, and we're running out of games.
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Bazza8564 added 11:43 - Mar 3 I like ForrestsFingers points, but im really unsure there are better solutions than KM is employing. People talk about Thompson going forward but we tend to drop into a four more mn the left side and play our second striker wide left. I personally like thompson, he is decent defensively and I think KM compensates by setting up in front of him. Celina was awesome last 20 against Morcombe in that role and Jackson against Burton came from the left quite a bit. Where I tend to agree more is around the strikers. Jackson for me has to start, (but cant play as a central striker without negating his free running pace), as do one from Aluko, Celina and Chaplin. I dont think you can play two of them because then you cant play an out and out CF, so you are left with one of Bonne, Pigott or Norwood. With one goal Bonne could go on a run again, Norwood blows hot and cold and Pigott lacks confidence and goals. Im leaning towards Pigott Jackson and Aluko simply because Pigott is the better target man but its a complex issue and I can see why KM varies it..... One thing I am sure of is that we need to use Bonne Norwood Celina and Chaplin so that three of those four plus those ive put in are always featuring, dont want to be wasting sub options with Backs or in MF

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Pilgrimblue added 13:35 - Mar 3 We must replicate the Burton performance. While Pigott may not be scoring he was an excellent foil for Jackson and gave him the room he needs to open up their defence. In next games Jackson made loads of wasted runs that weren't picked up as did Chaplin. But the issue with playing Jackson on his own is that he can't cover every avenue. Even with Bonne along side would help so I'm hoping for all out attack and especially getting players taking the ball into the penalty area as we've had very few penalties this season (I think Pigott score half his goals last season from penalties!) Perhaps when Dona and Wolfy come forward they should be encouraged to go that bit further as os often their runs come to nothing!!

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Gforce added 14:22 - Mar 3 I won't be putting my house on it. Forest Green Rovers next season I'm afraid 😨
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