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No Delap, no problem: McKenna must unleash Ipswich's "ridiculous" dynamo vs Newcastle - opinion

They might not necessarily have the points to show for at the moment, but Ipswich Town have looked good enough to remain in the Premier League this season.

Kieran McKenna's side are just about still in the relegation zone, but with wins against Tottenham Hotspur and Wolverhampton Wanderers, plus draws with Manchester United, Aston Villa and Brighton & Hove Albion, they have given their fans reason to be optimistic.

Unfortunately, there is no time to rest in the top flight, and this afternoon poses yet another significant test for the Tractor Boys as they play host to Newcastle United.

mckenna-ipswich-town

Worse still, they'll be without a star striker, Liam Delap, as he picked up his fifth yellow card of the season on Saturday and, as such, is suspended for today's game, but one of McKenna's other star players could be the solution to this personnel issue.

Liam Delap's season so far

We aren't too far off the midway point of the Premier League season at the moment, and so far, it would probably be fair to say that Delap has been one of, if not the most crucial player for Ipswich this year.

Liam-Delap

The former Manchester City prospect joined the club for around £20m in the summer, and while there was an element of risk in spending so much on someone with practically no top-flight experience, he has since put any doubts firmly to rest.

He didn't necessarily hit the ground running, scoring just once in his first five league games, but since then, he's added another five and provided an assist in 16 appearances, equating to an average of a goal involvement every 2.28 games in the competition.

However, it's not just his output that makes the 21-year-old so brilliant; it's also his ability to act as a focal point at times, bringing his teammates into play and generally giving opposition defenders something to worry about during games.

So, with all that said, his absence for the game against Newcastle is undeniably a big concern for McKenna and Co.

Liam-Delap-Ipswich

However, there is no need for doom and gloom just yet, as another of his impressive summer signings can step in for a game and potentially do a job for the side.

The Ipswich star who could stand in for Delap

So, we'll get straight to the point: the Ipswich star who could step in for Delap at centre-forward this afternoon is Sammie Szmodics.

Sammie-Szmodics-Ipswich-Spurs

Now, before the pitchforks come out, we know that this might not be the first solution that comes to mind, but with George Hirst out injured and questions remaining over Ali Al-Hamadi's actual level, starting the Irishman may be McKenna's best option.

Furthermore, while he has primarily played out wide and in midfield over his career, he spent a handful of games playing up top for Blackburn Rovers and did reasonably well when doing so.

Szmodic's CF record for Blackburn

Appearances

Minutes

Goals

Assists

Goal Involvements per Match

Minutes per Goal Involvement

All Stats via Transfermarkt

For example, the "ridiculous" talent, as dubbed by journalist Josh Bunting, made 14 appearances as a number nine for Rovers across the last three campaigns, in which he found the back of the net on ten occasions, equating to an impressive average of a goal every 1.75 games.

On top of that, his tally of three goals in 14 appearances this season isn't too bad either, especially considering the team's struggles to create chances and the fact it's his first time in the Premier League.

Ultimately, Delap's absence this afternoon is an issue, but in Szmodics, McKenna has an experienced attacker who has experience playing up top and putting the ball in the back of the net, so he should put his trust in him and start him.

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