Chaplin and Burns Settle Second Scorer With FaceTime Dubious Goals Panel Sunday, 4th Sep 2022 11:07 by Blair Ferguson Ipswich Town's victory at Accrington Stanley set a new club record of winning four successive away games at the start of a season, an impressive achievement which was acknowledged by Conor Chaplin post-match, but the main focus was on who scored the second goal, leading to a FaceTime discussion between the forward and wing-back Wes Burns. Chaplin opened the scoring 12 minutes after coming off the bench in the 74th minute and appeared to add a second three minutes from time, only for the goal to be awarded to Wes Burns by PA, who supply match information to much of the national media. To get to the bottom of the issue, Chaplin, 25, got his teammate on FaceTime during his post-match press conference. “I genuinely don't know where that's come from. Wes has seen it after the game,” Chaplin said as hs phone rang as Burns returned his earlier call. Chaplin — “Don't swear, bruv, I've got the journalists in front of me. Can you just say who the second goalscorer was?” Burns — “I can't see you. Ah, I can see you over there. It took a nick off my chest. Burns goal.” Chaplin — “Wesley, can you tell them, please?” Wes — “Burns goal. Second of the season, see yah!” Chaplin — “Wesley, can you tell them, please?” Wes - “Mate, I've seen a replay back and it's taken a nick.” Chaplin — “I'm going to show them a recording from inside the dressing room in a minute…” Wes — “It's definitely Chaplin's goal.” Chaplin — “Have a good one, mate. Love you.” To add to the confusion, Freddie Ladapo's name was then thrown into the mix of potential scorers with manager Kieran McKenna having said the striker was claiming the deflection was off him - although video evidence suggested it was probably defender Mitch Clark - but Chaplin was resolute. “I don't think so. I think he's trying to claim it and I'd be the same if it was anywhere near me. I'd run away with the Shearer celebration. There's definitely nothing in that, but whoever scored today I'd be happy but obviously delighted that I can score two. “It couldn't be any better [scoring in front of the away end]. No matter how long the fans travel, and today was obviously a long one, I think you need to enjoy that with them. I think that's what football is all about, that interaction with fans, that euphoria when you score.  “It means just as much to them as it does to you. To do it at that end is obviously a preferred end, but it was good. Especially the second one, which was probably more relief for everyone that the game was done then, and really happy.” Chaplin, assuming he is awarded both goals by the EFL's Dubious Goals Committee, has now taken his total to five and alongside Marcus Harness is the club’s top scorer. “It's a good start and it's similar to the team,” he said. “It's a good start, that's all it is because if I finished on five at the end of the season, I would be raging. “So I need to make sure that I consistently hit those levels, consistently get in the box, consistently be a goal threat and that's something I'm really focused on, helping the team in that way.” Coming on to replace Tyreece John-Jules which Chaplin says contributed to the set-piece opener. “It's probably a new role,” he reflected. “Usually I'm either taking the corner or I'm blocking or a decoy for one of the big boys to be a free man.  “But because of the players on the pitch at the time when I came on for Tyreece, he's good in the air and a good presence, so he was in the box and I just took that role on. "I found myself in space and it wasn't too much movement, it was being just attracted to the ball and luckily there was no one near me, and you've just got to focus on that contact when you're that close to the goal. "To be fair, you need a bit of luck with that as well. Obviously, the ball could have gone anywhere and I was lucky that it landed on my foot. “You’ve got to attack space in the box and it was exactly what I did, and thankfully the delivery was on point from Evo [Lee Evans].” The intensity of Town's pre-season and training has been mentioned before, and as the games go by its importance grows.  For Chaplin, he believes the entire team can work for 90 minutes and he sees the closing stages of games as the time when they can make the most impact as they did at Accrington. “It's probably one of the best places to come and win in the division, I think,” he continued. “I think it's a tough place to come, a long journey on Friday and a long journey home. “So to go home with a smile on our faces, and especially the fans as well, to go home rewarded is probably one of the most pleasing away days and most pleasing three points that you can pick up. “I think when you come to places like this, and there's plenty of them in the league, we know the intensity of the opposition for 60 or 70 minutes is going to be top and is going to match ours. “But we're confident that we are fitter than any team in the league, so with the way that we play, we don't think that many teams can go for 90 minutes, and as long as we do, I think it gives us a good window.  “If we don't score early in terms of the first 60 or 70 minutes, it gives us a good window to get a foothold in the game. Like I say, the last 20 minutes is when we want to be scoring our goals. “Don't get me wrong, we want to be going up in games early doors to make it a little bit easier, but we're confident when it does go to those late stages. There is no panic because that was what our pre-season was for and that's what our intensity is for during the week. “Obviously, I picked up a knock during the week and I was just really happy that wasn't anything that kept me out today. “I didn't train until Friday, so it was a tough one in terms of that. The lads have trained on Thursday and I wasn't able to join them with that. “I trained Friday and tried to protect it as much as I could and then today was alright, and as soon as Saturday comes, adrenaline gets you through it anyway and hopefully it's all good now.” Town's forward line has made an impressive start to the season and the arrival of 21-year-old Gassan Ahadme from Burton Albion has strengthened it further. The Moroccan striker gave centre-backs George Edmundson and Luke Woolfenden a busy evening at the Pirelli Stadium and Chaplin joked that the pair were scared to see him come through the door. “We were winding Fridge and Woolfy up the whole time and gave them a tough time. So as soon as he came in the door on Thursday, we were winding Fridge and Woolfy up, saying as soon as they saw him they looked a bit scared. “He was a right handful and did really well that game, but he's had a good start to the season as well. “There is [a lot of firepower], and I think if you're a forward player or, to be fair, any player at a massive club like Ipswich, you'd be silly if you weren't looking over your shoulder at who is in your position. “You need to have that healthy competition. It's so, so important. To be fair to all the boys, no matter who is starting, the lads are completely behind each other and that's obviously pleasing. I think that will go throughout the whole season and I can't see that changing. “The changing room is so united and so strong. Probably one of the best I've had in my time of playing, so that's probably one of the most pleasing things.” Repeatedly we've heard Kieran McKenna's forensic preparation and approach to training praised by the players. Combined with his ability to build team spirit, the former Manchester United coach has made himself a favourite with fans and players, including Chaplin. “He's top, top, top. He's the best I've ever worked with without a shadow of a doubt,” the former Pompey, Barnsley and Coventry man enthused. “I don't think I could speak highly enough about, number one, the detail that he goes into during the week for every position, but even training, it's the most I've ever enjoyed training. “I think if you ask any of the boys that throughout their careers, I think the intensity is so high, the competition is so high and every drill is so thought out for the way we play and the opposition we've got coming up. “There's so much to learn from him in terms of a coaching head, but as a player, it's just so enjoyable. He's a joy to work with every week because I can't speak any higher about how much of an impact he's had on everyone.” When asked if the manager is the same to the players as he is to the media, Chaplin continued: “That's exactly how he is. I don't think there's anything in front of the camera or that the fans or you guys see that's different to how he is. That's exactly how he is. "Obviously, when he needs to be, he's got other sides to it as well, which other people wouldn't see. But I think in terms of the way he is, and not just training but the way he is around the training ground as well, it's such a good place to be and that comes right from the top.” The question of McKenna's potential to become a great Ipswich manager was asked with Chaplin responding: “I can't comment on before because I haven't got a clue. I think it's different when you work with people day to day. I think you really need to have that day to day experience with people to understand what they are like. "There are so many great managers and I'm not saying Ipswich at all. There are so many great managers that you hear through the grapevine through the week who don't do too much. They just manage, they delegate and everyone thinks they are an unbelievable manager. “That is obviously a part of managing, but the boss here is so hands-on. He has an involvement in everything, takes training every day and is backed by a good coaching staff as well. It's obviously a big job for him at Ipswich, his first job, but he's top.” Town's early-season form is illustrated by their club record-breaking away run of four successive wins at the start of a season, something which no previous Blues side has ever managed. Now the challenge for Chaplin and co is to keep that momentum going into two tough home games against Cambridge and Bristol Rovers. “Wow, good stat! But it's obviously really pleasing and I didn't realise that,” Chaplin said of the away wins statistic. “It definitely is [difficult to win away]. And I think that's going to be something this season that obviously you need. If you want to go up or if you want to get promoted, your away record needs to be just as good as your home record, really. I think the proof is in the past for that. “We've got two home games in a few days next week, so that's something we're really looking forward to, especially going back to Portman Road as well. “We're all really excited for that, and we need to recover from this long journey home and straight at it again next week.”
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