Ipswich Town

Seb Brown
Fan writer

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It will be a busy summer of change at Ipswich as Town look to bounce back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

Should Sheffield United win the play-off final then the three relegated sides will be the only ones in receipt of parachute payments in the Championship next season.

The debate around the financial disparity in English football is a worthwhile one, but for once Ipswich find themselves on the right side of the line and they must take full advantage of it.

With the previously magical two points per game number now not seemingly being enough to guarantee automatic promotion there can be no slow start to the 2025-26 campaign. Ipswich must find a way to flip the switch and change a losing mentality into a winning one quickly.

New player arrivals will be the obvious biggest influence on this. Stalwarts of the double promotion seasons will move on with Massimo Luongo, Marcus Harness, Axel Tuanzebe and Cameron Burgess all looking likely to be playing elsewhere next year. Fan favourites such as Nathan Broadhead could also depart as the squad undergoes a refresh. Two central midfielders, two defenders and at least one striker are all needed this summer.

The jewel in the crown, for me, will be Kieran McKenna. Some 12 months ago, he was being linked with some of the biggest clubs in the country, and while he has been exposed tactically at times this season, his record in the EFL is extraordinary.

Having him at the helm with new player arrivals and the financial advantage of parachute payments should see Ipswich as favourites to win automatic promotion next season. It's fair to say 2023-24 was an incredible season with so many memories. The pressure was never on Ipswich in that promotion race; however, next season, the expectations will be present from day one, and the club will need to deliver.

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Manchester United have held face-to-face talks with Ipswich striker Liam Delap. (Athletic - subscription required, external)

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We asked for your views on Ipswich's Premier League match against Leicester.

Here are some of your comments:

Wasim: Very poor from Ipswich, some of the players don't even look Championship standard. To only take two points from the relegated teams points to why they're in the bottom three.

Kris: Simple - not good enough at any point this season. One plan, one formation, many injuries. Survival was an unlikely outcome in August and too many factors changed the odds to impossible.

Terry: Like the rest of the season - many shots but not many on target.

Ewen: Story of our season - managed to get into good positions but not capitalise, then concede soft goals. This time a slip slightly unfortunately exposed us for the first and igniting the Vardy party!

James: The three promoted teams from last season are so poor, it will be interesting to see if they are able to avoid immediate relegation into League One.

Highlights and analysis from Sunday's five Premier League fixtures, plus the best of the action from the rest of the weekend.

If you missed Match of the Day 2, catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

And you can watch Saturday's Match of the Day here.

Listen back to the weekend's full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

Saturday 17th May

FA Cup final: Crystal Palace 1-0 Manchester City - 5 LIVE

Sunday 18th May

West Ham 1-2 Nottingham Forest - 5 LIVE

Brentford 2-3 Fulham – SPORTS EXTRA 2

Arsenal 1-0 Newcastle - 5 LIVE

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Ipswich had 20 shots in their defeat to Leicester City today, their most in a Premier League game this season. The only newly promoted side to record as many in an away game in the competition this term are Leicester in the reverse fixture at Portman Road (20).

Were you at the game or watching from elsewhere?

Have your say on Leicester's performance

What did you think of Ipswich's display?

Come back to this page on Monday to find a selection of your replies

Five matches make up Sunday's Premier League action and BBC Sport will bring you every kick.

• Everton v Southampton (12:00) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• West Ham v Nottingham Forest (14:15)

• Brentford v Fulham - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2

• Leicester v Ipswich

• Arsenal v Newcastle (16:30) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

Kick-off times 15:00 BST unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

Leicester were really good against Nottingham Forest last week once Ruud van Nistelrooy had made some substitutions, but they were terrible before he changed things.

It took a 94th-minute equaliser from Jordan Ayew to deny Ipswich a win when Leicester came to Portman Road in November but that was when both sides were still fighting to stay up, which feels like an awfully long time ago now.

What a desperate game this is for both teams, because the only prize for the winner is 18th place.

I am backing Leicester to take it, and it would be fitting for Jamie Vardy to mark his final game for the club with his 200th Foxes goal.

Sutton's prediction: 2-1

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game against Leicester (kick-off 15:00 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• On team news: "Nathan Broadhead been back training which is a positive but not much change elsewhere. Kalvin Phillips is still struggling and won't be available".

• On Phillips, he added: "He arrived at Ipswich having not played football for a few seasons before. He had a fairly stable run of games at the start but since the gash on his foot, he hasn't been fully fit. There will be bits he will take away from this season but he is unlikely to play again in the last two games."

• McKenna feels that Ipswich have had a "competitive" season but there is some "frustration that will be carried into the summer". He added: "There is not one thing to solve but there have been small margins where we could have won more home games but the motivation is still there for Sunday."

• He knows that there will always be moments on the pitch that alter your course in the season but that signings and injuries play a role too. He can only change the future and wants to learn from the lessons of this season.

• When asked about the future of players at the club, he said: "Everyone's focus has been around the remaining games. There have been very few conversations with the players about next year and the future, they will take place next week."

• Liam Delap being nominated for the young player of the season award is "well deserved" and a positive thing for both Delap and the club.

Follow all of Ipswich's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Full commentary of Leicester v Ipswich from 15:00 BST on Sunday on BBC Radio Suffolk Sport

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68% of Ipswich's points in the Premier League this season have come away from home (15 of 22). As it stands, it is the highest share of points a team has won on the road in a single campaign in top-flight history.

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In addition to Premier League manager and player of the season, the shortlist for young player has also been announced.

Chelsea's Cole Palmer is in the running to win the award for the second year in a row.

The 23-year-old forward has 15 goals and eight assists in 35 appearances.

Liverpool's Ryan Gravenberch and Liam Delap, who has scored 12 of Ipswich's 35 goals, are also on the eight-player shortlist.

The other nominees are Anthony Elanga (Nottingham Forest), Dean Huijsen (Bournemouth), Joao Pedro (Brighton), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa), and William Saliba (Arsenal).

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Graeme McLoughlin
BBC Radio Suffolk sports editor

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In part three of Thursday's Ipswich Q&A, our expert Graeme McLoughlin from BBC Radio Suffolk looks to the long-term plan and Liam Delap's future:

Gavin: Mark Ashton has talked a lot about the long-term plan. Did the Premier League come a season or two too early in the plan?

Graeme: I'm not sure the Premier League can ever come too early. Maybe it came too early in terms of having a realistic chance of staying up this time around, but I very much doubt that Mark Ashton, Kieran McKenna, the Town players and ownership group would opt to spend these last 9 months in the Championship if they could have their time over again. All will have learned majorly from this experience, and I would back the club to be much better prepared for the top flight should a return happen in the not too distant future.

AJ: Is there a chance Liam Delap could stay at Ipswich?

Graeme: The manager talked about this still being a possibility at a recent pre-match press conference, but if you forced me to call this one way or the other, I'd probably edge towards him leaving. He's hit double figures for goals in his first full season in the Premier League, at a club that have ultimately fallen well short of staying up. Delap has his suitors, and given his release clause, whoever gets his signature won't feel like they've broken the bank. The one thing that gives me the slightest bit of belief that he will stay is his relationship with Kieran McKenna and just how much his game has improved under him. Come on Liam, do the right thing, and help Town get back up at the first attempt!

Listen to The Blue Hour with Brenner Woolley every Monday and Matchday Preview with Graeme McLoughlin every Friday, along with live coverage of every Ipswich Town game, home and away, on BBC Radio Suffolk.

Graeme McLoughlin
BBC Radio Suffolk reporter

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Throughout Thursday, BBC Radio Suffolk Graeme McLoughlin will be answering your questions in a special Ipswich Town Q&A.

In part two, he dives into Summer plans, recruitment and how not to do a 'Luton'.

Alex asked: What should Ipswich's priority be going into the summer?

Graeme: I'm fairly certain there will be incomings and outgoings in all positions, but it's probably the midfield area that requires looking at most. Town have good numbers in defence and in the final third, but in the middle of the park they'll lose loanees Kalvin Phillips and Jens Cajuste when the season ends, and possibly Massimo Luongo as well if his contract isn't renewed.

If Cajuste is interested in making his move a permanent one then I think the majority of supporters would be delighted with that. I'm confident Sam Morsy can also still play a major role. Kieran McKenna might have a decision to make on Jack Taylor and whether he is ready for more minutes, given more than two thirds of his appearances in Town colours have come as a substitute. If he's not seen as an out and out starter, then surely another body will be sought. Meanwhile, Cameron Humphreys will return from Wycombe off the back of his best season to date in terms or regular game time and influence on a team, but would he be ready to go in the second tier?

Peter asked: For 2025-26 stability of staff is key. How do we keep attracting quality players to improve the group when several are wanting to leave to continue their careers at the highest level of the game?

Graeme: While some players may want to leave this summer to remain at the highest level, I don't see there being a mass exodus at Portman Road. I also don't think Town will have any problems attracting quality players to improve the group this summer or in the years to come. The club has come a long way since the previous relegation (to League One in 2019). We didn't see a way back at that point, but despite this season's setback, Ipswich remains a club that is very much on the up, and one that plenty will want to play for.

Neil asked: How can we ensure that we don't do a Luton, but get promoted back to the Premier League at the end of next season?

Graeme: Win far more football matches than you lose!

In all seriousness Neil, I really can't see Town doing a Luton and going down again, but I also don't think it's a given that they will come straight back up with few problems. There will definitely be more of a target on Town's back, along with a pressure to be one of the frontrunners in the Championship, which is a pressure Kieran McKenna and his players didn't have when they shocked the division not so long ago.

Town need to recruit well again, have far more luck with injuries than they did this season, and also maintain the togetherness that continues to remain evident in the squad.

Nobby asked: When is the new kit released?

Graeme: I have no idea on a kit date but do wonder if Ed Sheeran might play a part here. He's playing three dates at Portman Road in July, and Town have three kits to release. Might he wear a different one for each gig? Again, I'm only speculating!

Check back later for part three of the Q&A

Graeme McLoughlin
BBC Radio Suffolk reporter

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Throughout Wednesday, BBC Radio Suffolk Graeme McLoughlin will be answering your questions in a special Ipswich Town Q&A.

In part one, he dives into this season:

James asked: Of the numerous injuries that Town have suffered this season, which do you think is the one player we have missed the most, whose presence could have been the difference in Premier League survival?

Graeme: I'm going to say Axel Tuanzebe, which may seem somewhat bizarre given he has featured for Town in 20 Premier League games this season, but I think the defender was absent during a key period. Town lost him after a very encouraging home draw with Aston Villa, and just ahead of what looked like a favourable run of fixtures at the time against West Ham, Everton, Brentford and Leicester. They ended up taking just one point from those matches, conceding 11 goals in the process, and I really think Tuanzebe's presence and intelligence in defence was sorely missed. Upon his return, Town immediately got their first league win of the campaign, and would take four points from fixtures with Tottenham and Manchester United, only to lose him for another period of time with a hamstring issue.

Mark asked: Jock Stein famously said "If you're good enough, the referee doesn't matter". Do you think that the phrase "If we were good enough, VAR wouldn't have mattered" is a fair summary of our season?

Graeme: Ultimately, given Town's relegation was confirmed with four matches still to play, then it is fair to say referees and VAR have not been the overall key to the Blues going down. However, it is also fair to say that the Premier League table would have looked a little different during the first third of the season had a few controversial decisions gone in their favour.

Town were denied what looked like a clear penalty against Leicester when leading 1-0. VAR also ruled against Kieran McKenna's side during their first matches with Manchester City, Brentford and Everton. I'm not saying they would have gone on to beat City, but let's imagine they deservedly beat Leicester and take a point off both the Bees and the Toffees. That's four additional points that would have kept them afloat of the drop zone at the time, and maybe given the players a little more belief.

Come back at 1200 BST for part two of the Q&A

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For the players and fans, Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi getting this injury in a situation where the offside flag should have been raised is so frustrating.

The frustration is when it is clear and obvious. Officials have been overseeing games for many years and they would always flag whether they were right or wrong.

Now technology has come into it, they are very reliant on VAR to make the right decision, the factual decision, about an offside. But, I think when an offside is so clear and obvious, it should be the duty of the assistant referee to put their flag up and stop play from the off.

When it is marginal, I understand we are a bit more hesitant when there are really fine margins, and we have seen those fine margins when goals have been given and it is a toenail to keep them on-side. I would understand it from that point of view, but it was on the halfway-line where the offside happened on Sunday, only for play to be allowed to continue.

It has been a matter of time. It has been a time bomb waiting to go off for somebody to get seriously injured. Awoniyi is the one that has got that injury - that horrific injury - because of it. Some will say it is only the first time it has happened in the duration of this rule, but it should never happen. That is how players will be looking at it, how fans and managers will be looking at it and saying 'it should never happen'. We should not wait for something to happen to reassess rules like this.

I don't like the ruling of it - it is on the halfway-line, it is clear and obviously offside, everybody in the stadium could probably see it. It should be for the assistant referee to make the decision. There are small margins in the box, I understand why they are a bit hesitant, but in open play, if somebody is sprinting, you could cause hamstring, quad, and all types of muscle injuries.

I am totally against this rule of waiting to put up the flag and I think most players and managers are as well. It's disappointing. I think it's a rule that nobody likes, and I'm sure in the summer off the back of this injury, one that will probably be reassessed.

Fara Williams was speaking to BBC Sport's Nicola Pearson

Manchester United are leading the race to sign Ipswich's English forward Liam Delap, 22, who would be happy to move to Old Trafford this summer. (Sky Sports, external)

Nottingham Forest will make at least five signings this summer with Ipswich striker Delap and Manchester City's 22-year-old English midfielder James McAtee among those they have scouted. (Telegraph - subscription required, external)

Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

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Ipswich Town's return to the Premier League may have been short-lived but the manner in which they have fought and performed this season has been widely praised by those involved in the club and beyond.

With a long summer ahead, and a busy Championship schedule next season, there is plenty to get stuck into and BBC Radio Suffolk's Graeme McLoughlin is once again here to help.

Send us your questions here about transfer plans, life in the Championship or any Ipswich-related topic and we'll put a selection to him.

Come back to this page later this week for the answers.

Richard Woodward
Fan writer

With only a couple of Premier League games remaining before Ipswich Town drop back down to the Championship, I thought I'd scratch a 'whataboutery' itch for the season to date.

So for what limited good it will do, here's my top five 'Sliding Doors' moments for Ipswich's 2024-25 campaign - the situations which could have taken a far more positive path than what actually happened.

Palmer as goalkeeper

While the criticism of goalkeeper Aro Muric has been overblown, it's clear that Alex Palmer is a calmer pair of hands. Starting the season with him in goal might have given our defensive unit more confidence from the off.

Dropped points against Fulham

There was only one team that looked likely to score the winning goal in this game back in August, and sadly they had to settle for a point. Had Jack Clarke or Omari Hutchinson beaten the stoic Bernd Leno late on who knows what an early season victory would have done for confidence.

Beaten at Brentford

This incident-packed trip to west London ultimately led to a galling defeat, a season-ending injury and a suspension. If only the Blues had dug in at half-time and not gone on to lose in such a confidence-sapping manner.

Failure to beat Leicester at home

A shocking VAR-induced minute of madness - where an ascendant Town were denied a stonewall penalty before seconds later Kalvin Phillips was harshly sent off - started an unwelcome trend of dropping points late on at home to relegation rivals.

Clarke hits the post at Fulham

Off the back of victory over Chelsea, Town headed to Fulham with confidence and managed the game expertly. That all changed in the 89th minute, when Jack Clarke fired in a fearsome shot to secure the points which instead agonisingly came back off the post. Within a minute, the Blues had conceded a penalty to the hosts and were denied back-to-back wins for the first time.

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We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Ipswich and Brentford.

Here are some of your comments:

Ipswich fans

Robert: Once again a poor loss. It sums up the season. Another defeat due to lack of quality, fight and commitment across the park. You cannot hide from the fact that we are not good enough. We need to focus in the close season on attracting quality players with a desire to win the Championship and give a good account of ourselves when back in the Premier League.

Paul: Story of our season. Plenty of endeavour but lacking in quality. Same old formation and tactics mean we are too easy to play against. Kieran McKenna needs to broaden his horizons and be more adaptable.

Bob: Only four wins all season and conceding 77 goals. To say the season has been disappointing is an understatement. The fans deserve better. I hate to say this about my team but we have been outclassed all season and the players have not been good enough or up to the challenge. We need to rebuild a team who can return us back to the Premier League. I'm sure the manager (if he stays) will be planning for the future even now.

Richard: The game was tainted by the refereeing decisions. I think Ipswich played well, in particular Julio Enciso and Omari Hutchinson. A draw would have been a fair result.

Brentford fans

Vince: Four wins in a row with Kevin Schade on fire! Could the Bees be heading for Europe? Best wishes to Ipswich - great day out and hope they bounce back!

Mel: Lucky to get the points as Ipswich should have won this. We were very exposed in the left-back position in the second half, which let them run riot. On the positive side, we maintained eighth place and the European dream is still alive, just! All the best for next season, Tractor Boys.

Pete: Cheers ref! You were so biased towards us it was embarrassing! Good first half by us but Ipswich clearly the better team in the second half!

Mitch: Brentford dominated the match up to the 70 minutes when Matthias Jensen came on. Tactically it drew Ipswich up the field and we were lucky to come away with the win. But, in every season you need some luck.