Kieran McKenna, pictured after Ipswich Town's 2-0 defeat at Leicester City. (Image: Ross Halls)
Kieran McKenna, pictured after Ipswich Town's 2-0 defeat at Leicester City.
(Image: Ross Halls)
Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna rued the fact his team had 'enough chances to win two Premier League games' in this afternoon's 2-0 defeat at Leicester City.
The Blues had 20 shots on goal in the game and 31 touches inside the opposition box - the most they've managed in both respects across this Premier League season.
Leif Davis hit the post early on and also had a goal disallowed for a tight offside call, Omari Hutchinson spurned two big chances inside the box, George Hirst forced a smart save out of the keeper, while Nathan Broadhead failed to hit the target from a great position late on.
It was Leicester who claimed all three points, however, to leapfrog Town into 18th, thanks to Jamie Vardy's clinical finish in the first half and Kasey McAteer's thumping shot that that beat Alex Palmer at his near post after the break.
"That's a really frustrating way to lose a game," said McKenna.
"I thought we created the better chances, for sure, controlled most of the game, but we weren't clinical enough with our chances and our concentration wasn't good enough in the moments that they scored - especially the first goal. Our action and our reaction wasn't good enough and Leicester punished us with a really clinical finish.
"We know that with the chances we've had today you should win two Premier League games. To not score a goal is disappointing, but it's something we can use for motivation going forwards.
"There's not been too many games this year where we've been in the ascendancy and creating chances, so the repetition of being in those positions is something we'll get more of going forward. That will give us a chance to be more clinical as a team and on an individual level.
"That's the clinical nature of this league. I know Leicester are not going to stay in it, but Jamie Vardy has certainly been in it for a long time. That's where we need to get to in terms of execution. In this league if you don't take your chances then you're likely to get punished.
"The things we are talking about in the dressing room is that there's not been many games where we've been the dominant side and created lots of chances this season, so we haven't had too much practise at that. Today was one of those.
"I honestly think there's a lot we can take from this one going into next season. But in terms of this season it's a frustrating one."
Today's result means Ipswich have taken just two points from a possible 12 against fellow relegated sides Leicester and Southampton this season.
Put to McKenna that's been a clear shortfall, he replied: "Yeah, that's clear. That's something we need to own and reflect on. Last year, along with Leeds, they (Leicester and Southampton) were by far the hardest games that we had. When we came here last year we managed to get a point, but it felt like we were clinging on with our finger nails to the game. We managed to hang in there and then push late in the game with some substitutes and get a point. The two games against Leicester this year felt completely different to that. We've been dominant in both games, in my opinion.
"In the two games against Southampton, I think we were much, much, much more dominant this season in those games than we were (in the Championship) - but we didn't find a way to win the games.
"Look, four games in football is small sample. We should have won the first game against Leicester and, but for a referee's decision, it wouldn't be a discussion point. If Leif hits his shot a millimetre closer to the inside of the post early on today then we go 1-0 up and there's every chance we win the game. Southampton, at home, we had much better chances in the game that should lead us to winning. So the margins are really fine.
"I think it's a positive thing that, in my opinion, we are much more dominant than we were last year against that level of opposition. But also we're not going to hide behind the fact that coming out on top in tight games is going to be massively important for us. It's something we did fantastically well at last year (in the Championship) and it's something we need to get back to next year.
"It's better to be the team who feel like they are controlling the game and creating the better chances, but we know we need to refind those winning details this summer and build them with a new group.
"If we can do that we'll be in a great position because there was a lot of good things evident today.
"If you step back you can see how the narrative has completely flipped around ourselves (seen as major underdogs in this fixture not so long ago).
"There are some really big lessons to take from today going into next year. I'd much rather be sitting here with three points and a worse performance, but we have to take what we can from the game."
Asked if today's result could give the Foxes a psychological edge going into next season's likely Championship promotion battle, McKenna said: "No, I don't worry about that. We wanted to win the game for this season - one, to get the club a little bit more money, two, to finish where we deserve to be. We have another chance to try and make that happen next weekend (at home to West Ham).
"In terms of next season I don't see it having any impact. In fact, if we'd have come here today and won comfortably one or two-nil, that would have been more dangerous for next year, to be honest.
"Some of the lessons leaned from today, if we use them well going into pre-season, could stand us in even better stead."