It's been a mixed return to the Premier League for Ipswich Town so far this season.
Kieran McKenna's side have looked incredible in a number of games and have taken points off big teams like Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United, Aston Villa and Brighton & Hove Albion.
However, they are also 19th in the table and have failed to beat fellow relegation candidates Southampton, Leicester City and Everton while dropping more points last time out to Nottingham Forest.
Kieran-McKenna-Ipswich
McKenna needs his side to pick up their second win of the campaign at home to struggling Crystal Palace tonight, and the way to do that might be dropping the struggling Sammie Szmodics for another talented attacker.
Why Ipswich should drop Szmodics
Okay, the first thing that should be said is that, on the whole, Szmodics has been great for Ipswich this season, and he's played an important role in several games, no less than when he scored from an unbelievable bicycle kick against Spurs last month.
However, in the two games since, he has struggled to have an impact on proceedings, amassing a grand total of 0.18 expected goals plus assists combined against United and Forest.
Moreover, the East Anglian Daily Times' Alex Jones gave the Irishman a 6/10 against the Red Devils and just a 5/10 against the Tricky Trees, writing that he was 'limited to little in attack' against the latter.
Sammie-Szmodics-Ipswich-1
On top of that, he was also responsible for giving away the penalty that Chris Wood scored to claim all three points after he caught Jota Silva with a trailing leg.
In all, Szmodics will play a significant role in the rest of Ipswich's season, but following back-to-back performances that left a lot to be desired, it might be time to give another of the club's summer signings a chance to start off the left.
The Ipswich ace who should start ahead of Szmodics
Alongside the former Blackburn Rovers star, Ipswich signed another Championship gem over the summer in former Sunderland dynamo Jack Clarke, and while he's not been able to show his best in blue just yet, tonight might be the perfect opportunity to give him another chance.
Jack-Clarke-Ipswich
Moreover, the one assist that the York-born ace has provided this season came in his first league start for the club, against Aston Villa, and while he'll probably be the first to admit that he should have kicked on in his following two starts, his innate ability is undeniable.
For example, in just 42 appearances for the Black Cats last season, the "unplayable" Englishman, as pundit Adrian Clarke dubbed him, scored 15 goals and provided four assists, equating to an average of a goal involvement every 2.21 games.
Clarke's last two seasons
Season
Appearances
Goals
Assists
Goal Involvements per Match
All Stats via Transfermarkt
The season before that, the 24-year-old scored 11 goals and provided 14 assists in 50 appearances, which equates to an even more impressive average of a goal involvement every other game.
So, while he's not had the best of starts to life at Portman Road, the talent is there, and given his age, he could develop into the club's long-term option off the left, so starting him tonight against a team who are also struggling could be the best way to get him back to his best.
Jack-Clarke-Ipswich
Ultimately, Szmodics is an excellent player who will have an important role to play in Ipswich's season, but given his last two performances, it's time to give Clarke a chance to start.
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