Town boss Kieran McKenna has outlined the reasons behind his side’s brave build-up from the back which has led to nervousness among some watching fans.

Following Tuesday’s 3-0 home win against Accrington, McKenna praised keeper Christian Walton and the defence for their build-up play, which he said helped open up space further up the field, leading to chances such as the one from which Nathan Broadhead scored the first goal.

However, Walton and his defenders drawing Accrington attackers before moving the ball on audibly led to a few nerves on the terraces, which McKenna says he understands.

“It’s normal emotions as a supporter, you want to see the ball at times far from your net, and that’s normal, we’re all football supporters as well, so I understand it,” McKenna said.

“I think for us, it’s to understand how we play and why we do certain things and certainly to understand the amount of work that goes in behind the scenes on how we play.

“And the players to understand the reasons why we want to do things on and off the ball and how to execute it well, and there’s a lot of that work goes on.

“I think probably in the case of the opponent the other night, the Accrington game, that type of game, Burton was similar, it’s a man-to-man game and if your goalkeeper has the ball, all 10 players on the outfield pitch are marked and if you pass to any of them then it’s going to be a 50/50 fight ball. And against Accrington a 50/50 fight ball and a scrappy game is going to suit the opponent more than us.

“One really important thing for us is that we create an overload to be able to control the game as we do and one way to create that overload is for your goalkeeper to have the bravery to wait on the ball, to delay on the ball and to attract an opposition forward because if you do that, then when one of their forwards is pressing your goalkeeper, then it’s 10-v-9 on the pitch and you can release a spare player and we have an overload and then we can move through the pitch and try and exploit that space.

“The players, of course, understand and fully believe in these things and really enjoy it and they’ve seen the rewards of it.

“It’s only one part of how we play but it’s a big part of why we, not just control games, that we have more possession than anyone else in the league, but more importantly a big part of the reason why we have far and away the most shots in the league, far and away the most expected goals in the league and why we’ve scored the most goals in the league is the way we create space higher up the pitch at times by building up.

“I think the supporters have been brilliant in my time and are so behind the team and are, I think, enjoying our football. Everyone I speak to is so positive about coming to Portman Road now compared to how they’ve enjoyed it in previous years. How they’re enjoying coming with their family and with their friends and with their children and how much everyone enjoys the games.

"And that’s great to see and we’d like to think that it’s something that we can be really proud of as a club in terms of being brave with our playing style and, for me as a manager, for the coaching staff and the players, they’re also always very proud when they see and they know how much work goes into things.

“And they see the rewards of that on the pitch, which are reflected in so many ways as a team, that being one of them.

“Of course we understand when there’s tension in the stadium and the ball is close to your goal, but on the other hand, I think we’ve done so well over the last 14 months, and I don’t want to over-egg it because football can always come back and bite you, but our record of building up and scoring goals from building up from the back is very good.

“And I don’t want to name it, but if anyone wants to go through and see how many goals we’ve conceded in the last 14 months from building up, then that would be there to see, but we’re also the team who concede the least shots from high presses in the league, which considering we’re probably the team who build up from the back the most in the league, that shows an underlying very good amount of work that goes in from the players.

“We fully understand where we’re at and the supporters have been fantastic and I’d just ask them to keep getting behind the players and try to enjoy the bravery and the skill levels and the amount of work that goes into developing a playing style, and a brave and attacking playing style as we do, and hopefully that’s something that we can all keep getting behind.”

Photo: TWTD

Gipeswic added 15:41 - Mar 9 Now I get It!
6

MickMillsTash added 15:49 - Mar 9 Earlier in the process the opposition pressed until Janoi got the ball, but now that is now not a weak point - even if the great man is playing. I'm all in on it - always nice if the man on the half turn in midfield is Broadhead rather than perhaps Harness or the technically great but assist free Aluko.
0

MickJ65 added 15:49 - Mar 9 I get it and I love the attacking style - it's great football to watch but (and there's always a but) - I do become a nervous wreck sometimes. Maybe we can work the overload a bit easier ? I wouldn't have to change my undies quite so often !!!
5

RaymondovicBlue added 15:55 - Mar 9 I hear you KMC. It is good to watch, and it IS effective. However, the appeal would be to fans to be "kind" to any player who might get caught out and we concede and not to get on their backs. Mind you - now Keiren has been so open about how we play, I expect to see the opposite of long balls up top mixed in with this style so as to fool opponents into not sussing out our playing style. delighted that we have found a way to get round most of the Park the Bus teams though

1

grow_our_own added 16:00 - Mar 9 I generally agree. In McKennaball, playing through the press is what delivers goals. But it will be less nerve-racking on the Desso next season. There's a reason our form deteriorates most late-autumns: the pitch turns into a bobbly mess. Hopefully we're through the worst of it now, and players won't need as many touches. Will be great to get rid of this albatross pitch we've been lumbered with ever since the Pioneer stand was built in 1984. Portman Road was a bowling-green fortress in our glory era.

5

MidlandsBlue92 added 16:06 - Mar 9 Surely people watching know this? Glad he has explained to those who don't. When the team team hear the nerves from the fans it creates panic and gives the opposition courage - it's what happened in the dying moments v Plymouth. We should be applauding the brilliance of breaking the press!
4

ImAbeliever added 16:19 - Mar 9 Great stuff from our man again.
2

rfretwell added 16:40 - Mar 9 This is fine in div 1 but the higher we go the better players we will need to succeed in playing this way. Opponents will be faster, stronger, more aggressive, press quicker. It will require big investment in new players by Gamechanger.
0

Suffolkboy added 16:53 - Mar 9 So readable and openly interesting ,never gives the impression of ‘boasting' about any aspect of the intense and detailed approach to coaching and training . Let's not forget the way the players have bought in to KM and co ,nor set aside the very attractive football ,and Football Club which is becoming our resurrected ITFC . The advent of the new and latest technically best grass/ combo pitch will only enhance our ability to play better . COYB

8

IpswichT62OldBoy added 16:55 - Mar 9 Can you imagine any of out previous 6 managers being so thoughtful and clear in their explanation? He respects us enough to give clarity, perhaps he is trying to mitigate any influence crowd anxiety may have on the players. His comments on the the current experience at PR are as near as he has ever got to having a dig at the previous situation, he really is an allround professional, I am proud to have him as our manager.

10

Bazza8564 added 17:03 - Mar 9 A very thoughtful piece this, he clearly feels he needs to explain which is a credit to him, and not a great reflection on us, the vast majority of us get it, sadly the loud ones aren't always the brightest. sorry if that upsets people but its why he has said what he has. On other comments about upgrading the playing staff, well i'm less sure about wholesale changes for Championship level, yes we will need to keep our eyes open to opportunity but we have quality on depth now and whilst there will be a few who might not be around in the next wave, (KVY is a name and a position we are stronger now with Harry arriving), if we get up this season I expect 2-3 maximum. Freddie is improving all the time, we need to either sign Hirst or replace him, we have 6 in midfield now if Massimo stays, the tens are three deep both sides with Sone and JJ lurking, I actually think we've got a nucleus that would cope reasonably with it. We wont be challenging for PL in year 1 anyway, lets be realistic and make ourselves stable in that league before we aim too high and get carried away. That, in my opinion, is what KM will want to do and the potential he sees in Luongo, Braodhead, Clarke and the core we have in Morsy Wolfy and Chaplin would cope I'm sure....

6

keighleyblue added 17:03 - Mar 9 OldBoy - I agree with you 100%. He shouldn't have to explain in such detail why his team plays this way - but if it shuts up a few, then brilliant. It is profoundly irritating to have to sit next to ignorant prats, like I had to for 90 mins at Burnley, hysterically bellowing 'just lump it' every time a defender receives the ball from Walton (or Hladky in this case!)

5

keighleyblue added 17:06 - Mar 9 Bazza - I disagree, from what I've seen of other Champ teams in their vlogs/highlights etc, I think we'd be top half in our first season back.
2

Whos_blue added 17:22 - Mar 9 Very eloquent explanation from a very intelligent young manager.
3

IpswichT62OldBoy added 17:52 - Mar 9 keighley, some people don't remember when we bemoaned "hoofball".
1

Stato added 20:05 - Mar 9 Ah all the usual nonsense from arrogant fanboys who trot out the divisive rhetoric over how the intelligent ones understand McKenna ball while the rest of us don't. Personally I get bored stiff watching woolfy and burgess playing keep ball in the half way line until one of them launches it to burns. To my untrained eye the more direct stuff started immediately after the Bristol rovers game and has been far more entertaining than the 70% home possession nonsense that has produced so many draws this season. I think we've got a decent chance against Bolton and a more direct style mixed with the overload is how Jackson scored at Wednesday so the evidence is there that it benefits us when we stop being the one trick pony your boy McKenna has delivered until it was probably too late.

-3

IpswichT62OldBoy added 20:37 - Mar 9 Interesting view BossMan, I have never felt he was a one trick pony, current evidence suggests he isn't. We have had few boring games.
1

Cadiar added 20:44 - Mar 9 Normal Boss man garbage
1

Bert added 05:33 - Mar 10 A very astute man is one that explains what he knows many of us are thinking. It won't calm my nerves but if it works and we don't mess up, I can buy into it. Most teams do the same but do not execute it well.
1

Crinkle59 added 09:45 - Mar 10 The one thing Iam not happy about ,when defending deep we don't have an" outlet" man so the ball keeps coming back into our Penalty area.
0

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls