Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna is prepared for a tough game against Nottingham Forest following their impressive start to the season.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side were tipped for relegation after finishing 17th last season, but were as high as third in the Premier League at the start of November having lost only one of their first 10 games.
The Tricky Trees currently sit seventh in the table on 19 points, 11 places and 10 points ahead of Town.
Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna. Picture: Barry Goodwin
McKenna said: “It's a Premier League game against a top team who have got much, much, much more experience at this level, have got top individual quality players and have shown this season that they can hurt any team and they can certainly hurt us.
“They’re very, very good on the counter-attack and playing on transitions, which is different from some previous games and they have a really, really high level of individual quality that can hurt you at any moment.
“It’s a sign of why the league’s as difficult as it is and why the challenges are so great for us. It’s a chance for us this weekend to step up to that and show that we can deal with that type of game and that type of opponent well.”
“They have brought in some really good individuals and developed the players well. They have got a very talented squad now and a very experienced manager who has done well at clubs before.”
McKenna added: “In that context, it is not a surprise that they are having a good season. They have had some fantastic results, like winning at Anfield, which was probably beyond anything that anyone expected, but they are a very good team.
“Going to their ground on Saturday, we know it is going to be tough but it is another challenge we are looking forward to.”
𝗧𝗢𝗪𝗡 𝗜𝗡 🖐 - Added Time
An extended look back at yesterday's game which saw Town pick up a point at home to Manchester United. ⤵️
— IPSWICH TOWN (@IpswichTown) November 25, 2024
Former Town loan striker Chris Wood has impressed for the Garibaldis so far this campaign and has scored eight times in the Premier League, which helped him being named the division’s Player of the Month for October.
“I have been very impressed,” McKenna said.
“Of course, we have watched plenty of him over the last week and he is a fantastic striker in really good form with a really good all-round game.
“He has been such a big part of what they have done this season and last season in the Premier League as well.
“Not just his goals and his threat in the box and his threat on crosses, but his back-to-goal play, bringing in other players and being a target for their direct play.
“They have got some really talented number 10s and some fast wide players who also feed off him. We are going to have to work really hard to try and stop him this weekend. It’s not going to be easy but we have a good plan.
“It’s not just about stopping him, it’s about stopping his influence, or trying to limit his influence, on the game as he is very good at bringing all their other players into play. Credit to him, it’s going to be a good challenge for our players this weekend.”
Speaking after the Manchester United draw on Sunday, McKenna said that prior to the Tottenham match that internally he had made comparisons with the Manchester City game in August and then the visit by the Red Devils with the opening day fixture against Liverpool at Portman Road.
The Blues boss was asked whether, in a similar vein, he was making comparisons with the trip to West Ham ahead of Saturday’s match.
He said: “In some ways, I think that’s a fair reflection. The games in the league can be very different and we’re coming off Tottenham and Man United, two really good performances, but a certain type of game from a tactical perspective, from a physical perspective, from a mental perspective.
“This is now a different challenge against a team who play very differently than those teams. A different level around the game in terms of the scrutiny on a Man United on Super Sunday as opposed to a Saturday three o’clock away from home.
“So, from a mental point of view, it’s really dialling in, it’s a Premier League game against a top team who have got much, much, much more experience at this level, have got top individual quality players and have shown this season that they can hurt any team, and they can certainly hurt us.
“From a mental point of view, our performance needs to be right up there in the Tottenham game, right up there where it was in the Man United game and then we need to deal with the stylistic differences.
“Nottingham Forest are very, very good at using Chris Wood as a target man in the build-up, that’s very different from facing Marcus Rashford or even Dominic Solanke.”
Town and Forest have met each other four times in the Premier League – Ipswich won both meetings in 1992-93 as Forest were relegated, while Forest won both games in 1994-95 with the Tractor Boys going down.
The fixture between the two teams kicks off at 3pm on Saturday at The City Ground.
George Hirst is set to miss Town’s festive fixtures while Kalvin Phillips and Ben Johnson will undergo fitness tests ahead of tomorrow’s match, McKenna revealed.
The Blues boss also confirmed his players came through the 1-1 home draw with Manchester United on Sunday unscathed