Ipswich 'most adaptable' of the promoted sides

Fara Williams, BBC Sport columnist banner
  • Published
Image source, Getty Images

Out of the three promoted teams this season, Ipswich look like the most adaptable.

Manager Kieran McKenna is able to identify what it is his team needs to change. We saw in the opening game against Liverpool that they were good and competed for a period of time before they ultimately lost that match.

They are building and are slowly adapting. The players know they are Championship players that are growing within the league. It is credit to both the players and the manager at Ipswich that they are willing to adapt and find ways to see games through.

They have had a lot of draws and games they perhaps should have won, but getting that first win and the manner in which they did it will be massive for them.

Finding ways to win in the Premier League is difficult and they were able to do that in a game that myself and many others did not have them down to get anything from. That shows growth. As a manager, it showed McKenna was willing to adapt and in the top flight - that is important.

This could become the blueprint now for their season. They have been close to getting a result like this but had not been able to see games out, so when you get that first win it relieves that bit of pressure.

Ipswich will know they are going to be in a dogfight until the end of the season, but the player-manager relationship looks really good from the outside while the fans are on board and have been fantastic.

Everybody in the club is connected and on the same page. That really does help.

Fara Williams was speaking to BBC Sport's Nicola Pearson