Ipswich Town

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  1. 'Work to be done down that right-hand side'published at 07:32 BST 7 October 2024

    Kaoru Mitoma of Brighton is challenged by Axel Tuanzebe of IpswichImage source, Getty Images

    Former Ipswich and England defender Mick Mills says missing Axel Tuanzebe in Saturday's 4-1 loss at West Ham was key and settling on a partner for him down the right-hand side is a crucial decision for Town manager Kieran McKenna.

    Ipswich struggled at London Stadium without the defender, who has started each of their previous six Premier League games but missed out because of a hand injury that is set to see him sidelined for the coming weeks.

    "He [Tuanzebe] has actually done better than what I thought he would do," Mills told BBC Radio Suffolk's Final Whistle. "I always felt he's not really a full-back but he's knuckled down in the Premier League really well.

    "He's come against some really good players and done really well. [Kaoru] Mitoma at Brighton is a real threat and when you watched him in the final 15 minutes of that game he didn't even want the ball.

    "He didn't want to take Axel on because Axel had him completely and utterly in his pocket.

    "The manager has to make his mind up. There's only one area where he hasn't completely made up his mind.

    "He's [Kieran McKenna] made up his mind about Dara O'Shea and Jacob Greaves in central defence; Sam Morsy and Kalvin Phillips as his pair in the midfield; and I think he believes Omari Hutchinson will develop into this top number 10 to play behind Liam Delap. That's pretty set in stone in his mind - as well as Leif Davis and Jack Clarke down the left-hand side.

    "We had Ben Johnson and Wes Burns down the right-hand side [at West Ham]. Yes, Axel is his number one choice at right-back, but I don't think he knows who his partner is at the moment further ahead.

    "There's work to be down that right-hand side but don't start ripping the rest of the team apart because of one result."

    Listen to the full Final Whistle programme on BBC Sounds

  2. West Ham 4-1 Ipswich Town: Delap's form a bright spot on a miserable afternoonpublished at 22:58 BST 5 October 2024

    Michael Emons
    BBC Sport journalist at London Stadium

    Liam DelapImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Liam Delap has scored two thirds of Ipswich Town's Premier League goals this season

    Ipswich Town have scored six goals in the Premier League this season - and Liam Delap has four of them.

    The striker, who was named in the England Under-21s squad earlier this week, is already looking a bargain at £20m after Town signed him from Manchester City in the summer.

    His two goals in the 2-2 draw last Sunday earned Ipswich a superb point against an Aston Villa side that would go on to beat Bayern Munich three days later.

    After Town fell behind against West Ham after only 48 seconds, Delap did superbly to spin away from his marker, create space on the edge of the penalty area and fire a low shot past Alphonse Areola, although the goalkeeper got an arm to the effort but could only steer it into the roof of the net.

    Delap also had a chance midway through the second half when the game was alive, but this time was denied by the home stopper.

    Kieran McKenna's side have won back-to-back promotions playing an attacking, possession-based, attractive front-foot style of football, willing to risk conceding by pushing men forwards.

    There's no sign Ipswich will change their style, although this defeat was a painful one for the fans as the visitors' defensive errors were to blame for three of West Ham's goals.

    But Delap will gain more confidence from another goalscoring outing and is looking a real handful this season. If Ipswich are to stay up, they need him to maintain his form all campaign.

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  3. 'It was a poor game for us'published at 18:46 BST 5 October 2024

    Kieran McKenna, Manager of Ipswich Town, looks onImage source, Getty Images

    Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna, speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "It was a poor game for us and a strange game. We were competitive for long spells of the first half and we gave away a goal early, came back with a good attitude. We conceded poor goals at poor times and in general we didn't deal with the direct play well enough.

    "They are the first team we've faced with that style, a lot of direct balls to [Michail] Antonio, a lot of balls to [Tomas] Soucek and we didn't deal with those well enough and made poor mistakes for the goals that made the game difficult and took all the momentum away from us.

    "Everyone is out there with the right intent but it is how we cover each action. I don't think it is anything we don't know but the game can change very, very quickly for a team in our position. When you drop your level the game can get away from you very quickly."

  4. 'At West Ham there were a lot of eyes on me' - Phillipspublished at 13:40 BST 5 October 2024

    Media caption,

    Kalvin Phillips talks on the My Mate's A Footballer podcast about a West Ham fan incident.

    Ipswich's Kalvin Phillips has spoken about his loan spell at West Ham on the latest episode of My Mate's A Footballer with Leeds striker Patrick Bamford and comedian Joe Wilkinson.

    The trio also chatted about an incident where Phillips was allegedly caught making an offensive gesture towards Newcastle fans while on loan at the Hammers last season.

    Ipswich travel to West Ham this afternoon where the 28-year-old is set to lineup against his former club.

    Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

  5. Sutton's predictions: West Ham v Ipswichpublished at 11:15 BST 5 October 2024

    A split image of Chris Sutton and ColdplayImage source, Getty Images

    Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League matches this season, against a variety of guests.

    For week seven, he takes on Will Champion and Jonny Buckland from Coldplay, whose latest album, Moon Music, came out on Friday.

    Sutton's prediction: 2-0

    This is hard. I don't like to give credit to Ipswich if I can help it, but they have really impressed me.

    At this moment in time, they are a better structured team than West Ham. They showed it with the way they finished their draw with Aston Villa last week, and the only downside from the way they have started the season is the fact they don't have a win yet.

    With the quality the Hammers have got, eventually it has to click for them, but it has not happened yet.

    As much as I hate to predict an Ipswich defeat, I am going to stick my neck out and say the Hammers will get their act together this time.

    Basically, I am backing them to produce a performance that they have not managed all season under Julen Lopetegui.

    They have to really. There was so much made of him taking over from David Moyes, that he really needs a result - West Ham fans are not always the most patient bunch, and they are expecting more than they have seen so far.

    Will and Jonny's prediction: 1-1

    Read the rest of their predictions and have your own say here

  6. The answerpublished at 17:01 BST 4 October 2024

    Marcus Stewart in action for Ipswich TownImage source, Getty Images

    Earlier, we asked you for the two players who have scored more than 15 Premier League goals for Ipswich.

    Marcus Stewart scored 25 goals in the top flight for Ipswich, while Chris Kiwomya netted 18 times for the Suffolk club in the Premier League.