'An astute tactical shift by McKenna'

Ipswich Town have trended over a point per game in their past 10 Premier League matches.

While this does not seem much to write home about (or even blog about), extrapolated over the course of the season that is nearly 42 points and probable survival.

What is more, in the five-game form table, Town are 10th. But yes, the Blues are still in the relegation zone, behind Wolves on goal difference.

These metrics, however, help paint a brighter picture for Town fans. There is one notable downward trend, though.

Kieran McKenna's survival strategy was never likely to rely on bossing possession, unlike some of our promotion peers. However, his League One team dominated 60% of the ball on average across their 2022-23 promotion campaign (the most of anyone). Even in the improbable Championship promotion season last year, Ipswich averaged more than 50% possession.

But while there has long been evocative chat around Portman Road of 'McKenna-ball', has the Northern Irishman been slowly, secretly, evolving Town into a brutally efficient counter-punch team? More akin with the strategies deployed (to mixed effect) by one of his predecessors (hello, Mick McCarthy!)?

While Ipswich's average possession of 40.3% to date currently ranks 18th in the league, McKenna's side have recently relinquished even more of the ball. For the three games before the Newcastle thrashing, Town averaged 48% possession. In the three subsequent games, it has been 28%.

In part, that is due to the calibre of opposition, but it might be more relevant in demonstrating an astute tactical shift by McKenna to frustrate opponents and attack sparingly, but brutally.

It has worked in those three post-Newcastle games - only three goals conceded (just one in open play), four goals scored, and four points on the board against top half opponents.

Hopefully it is these particular trends that continue when Premier League battle resumes in a fortnight.

Find more from Richard Woodward at the Blue Monday Podcast