Ipswich Town have taken just seven home points in the Premier League heading into their season finale at Portman Road. (Image: Ross Halls)
Ipswich Town have taken just seven home points in the Premier League heading into their season finale at Portman Road. (Image: Ross Halls)
Ipswich Town have claimed just seven Premier League points at Portman Road heading into their final home game of the season. Stuart Watson looks at why...
Home form was a big factor in Ipswich Town securing back-to-back promotions to the Premier League.
Home form was a big factor in Ipswich Town securing back-to-back promotions to the Premier League.
(Image: Ross Halls)
STRONG IN SUFFOLK
Portman Road becoming the proverbial fortress was a major cornerstone of back-to-back promotions.
Town had matching home league records in those two campaigns: W16 D6 L1.
The only sides to take all three points back from Suffolk over the course of Kieran McKenna's first two-and-a-half years in charge were Cambridge (0-1, Apr 2022), Lincoln (0-1, Oct 2022) and Leeds (3-4, Aug 2023). The goal difference across those 57 matches was +86.
Cup results had also been achieved against higher league teams Wolves, Burnley and Rotherham. The FA Cup fourth round exit to non-league outfit Maidstone United (1-2, Jan 2024) was a freak result.
"We can be a formidable team at Portman Road and we are ready for the challenge," said McKenna, ahead of his side's Premier League opener against Liverpool.
HOME HURT IN EPL
Before we get into the how and why, let's start by outlining the stats surrounding Town's home form in the top flight.
Ipswich's league record at Portman Road this season reads: P18 W1 D4 L13. And the goal record is F13 A41 GD -28.
For context, seven home points was the fewest any Premier League team had finished on prior to this season (Sunderland 05/06). Obviously, there's a chance to better that with Sunday's season finale against struggling West Ham.
So why the stark downturn in fortunes?
Liverpool ultimately ran out comfortable 2-0 winners at Portman Road on the opening day, despite Ipswich putting in a spirited display for almost an hour.
Liverpool ultimately ran out comfortable 2-0 winners at Portman Road on the opening day, despite Ipswich putting in a spirited display for almost an hour.
(Image: Ross Halls)
TOUGH OPENING FIXTURE
Everyone was amped up for Town's first Premier League fixture in 22 years. The feelgood factor was sky high and there was a sense that anything was possible given the wave of momentum that had been ridden.
McKenna's men fed off a febrile atmosphere inside Portman Road on a sunny Suffolk day last August. It was an aggressive, front foot performance that, quite possibly, would have yielded a win against a number of clubs in the division.
Unfortunately, the opponent that day was champions-in-waiting Liverpool.
When the adrenaline levels starts to fade around the hour mark, Arne Slot's well-oiled machine ruthlessly took advantage. With Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mo Salah and Diego Jota to the fore, they won 0-2 and the damage could easily have been greater.
Looking back, as exciting as that opening day fixture was, it wasn't an ideal one.
Liam Delap scored a brace against Aston Villa at Portman Road, but Town had to make do with a point.
Liam Delap scored a brace against Aston Villa at Portman Road, but Town had to make do with a point.
(Image: Steve Waller)
PSYCHOLOGICAL BLOCK
That energy carried into the next couple of home games.
Pulsating matches against Fulham (1-1) and Aston Villa (2-2), spearheaded by one-man wrecking ball Delap, both ended in draws. You couldn't describe either result as unfair, but if any team had looked more likely to win in the latter stages then it was Town.
It was a similar story against Manchester United in a 'Super Sunday' fixture come late November. On what was Ruben Amorim's first game in charge of the Red Devils, Andre Onana made two point-blank saves to deny Delap either side of half-time in a 1-1 draw.
Those three performances certainly deserved to yield at least one victory. As it was, the longer the season went on without a win (home or away), the more it became, even on a sub-conscious level, a bit of a psychological block.
Abdul Fatawu's clear barge on Conor Chaplin in the box wasn't given as a penalty in Ipswich's 1-1 home draw with Leicester.
Abdul Fatawu's clear barge on Conor Chaplin in the box wasn't given as a penalty in Ipswich's 1-1 home draw with Leicester.
(Image: Steve Waller)
SOME INJUSTICE
Town's first home league win of the season finally came at the 10th attempt when beating Chelsea 2-0 on a memorable night at the end of 2024. It really should have come in home game number five though.
The Blues led fellow newly-promoted side Leicester courtesy of Leif Davis' sumptuous volley. Referee Tim Robinson then failed to spot the most obvious of barges on Conor Chaplin in the box and VAR, bizarrely, chose not to review the incident. Seconds later, Kalvin Phillips was dismissed for a controversial second yellow card and the 10-men eventually succumbed to a 94th minute equaliser.
That came a fortnight on from VAR deciding to take away a penalty awarded to Ipswich, for something far less 'clear and obvious' (Dwight McNeil tangle with Jack Clarke), in a 2-0 home defeat to Everton.
I try to steer clear of hyperbole, but that game against the Foxes was a complete injustice. Mark Ashton let off some steam to referees' chief Howard Webb, but the damage was done.
Kieran McKenna has left a lot of his substitutions until after the 80th minute this season.
Kieran McKenna has left a lot of his substitutions until after the 80th minute this season.
(Image: Steve Waller)
SLOW WITH SUBS
The Premier League is the most physical and athletic league in world football. It means that utilising your five permissible subs to maintain energy levels, especially at the top end of the pitch, is vitally important.
A theme of Ipswich's Championship promotion was those stepping off the bench making a difference and plenty of comeback points being secured, often with last-gasp goals. A level higher, however, it's often been roles reversed.
The best home example is the games against Bournemouth in early December.
Town looked to be managing their 1-0 lead against the Cherries well going into the latter stages last December. Then, between the 60th and 75th minutes, Adoni Iraola brought on £60m of attacking talent in Unes Unal, Dango Ouattara, Phillip Billing and David Brooks. McKenna delayed his changes, Aro Muric had a brain fart, Bournemouth followed up their 87th equaliser with a 95th minute winner.
In the 2-0 home loss to Brighton, Fabian Hurzeler brought on Yankuba Minteh, Georginio Rutter and Danny Welbeck. In the 2-1 home loss to Wolves, 27-cap Spanish international Pablo Sarabia stepped off the bench to spark the late turnaround with a goal and assist.
McKenna's not had the same strength in depth to call upon. The reality is that established Premier League clubs have had a lot more time to build their squads. A number of injuries, which have hit the right wing the hardest, have really not helped when it's come to in-game options either.
The things Town can analyse and take ownership of, however, is whether more could have been done to sign another striker last summer (carrying a semi-fit Ali Al-Hamadi as back-up to Delap for several weeks was damaging) and whether McKenna should have made been more proactive with his substitutions in certain matches.
The Blues boss has made 82 subs across 18 home league games this season and 40% of them have come in the 80th minute or beyond.
The 2-0 home defeat to Everton is one of a few disappointing days at the office.
The 2-0 home defeat to Everton is one of a few disappointing days at the office.
(Image: Steve Waller)
FALLING FLAT
There has also been a handful of home games where, frustratingly, the Blues have simply been below-par. I'd put Everton (0-2), Crystal Palace (0-1), Brighton (0-2) into that bracket.
The aforementioned trio are firmly established teams with a lot more experience, but none were in particularly sparkling form when they arrived at Portman Road and none had to do anything that special to leave with all three points.
You can't be at your best every game, but falling flat in those particular matches felt like major missed opportunities.
The 2-1 home loss to Southampton was the moment when relegation looked a certainty.
The 2-1 home loss to Southampton was the moment when relegation looked a certainty.
(Image: Steve Waller)
PRESSURE
Both the home games against Southampton and Wolves were billed as 'must win' in the build-up. Ipswich lost them both.
Was pressure a factor in both those results? Possibly. The Blues actually played alright for large chunks against Southampton and the story could have been different had Nathan Broadhead taken a one-v-one chance at 1-0. The recalled Muric, back in the side because of Christian Walton's injury just days before transfer deadline day, certainly melted under the spotlight that day.
Wolves, with two Brazilian internationals in midfield, were simply the better side in the second half. They're now 19 points clear of Town and one of the form sides in the league, to be fair.
Tow conceded three poor goals in quick succession during the first half of a 4-2 home loss to Nottingham Forest.
Tow conceded three poor goals in quick succession during the first half of a 4-2 home loss to Nottingham Forest.
(Image: Steve Waller)
POOR GAME MANAGEMENT
In the early stages of the season, McKenna said a big lesson was for his players to better manage games in the moments immediately after conceding. The instinct after going behind in the Championship was to go straight for an equaliser, but it soon became apparent that risk outweighed reward at this level.
After leaking clusters of goals in several early matches, the Blues did improve at sitting in, suffering and make sure they remained in touching distance.
Old habits returned in the second half of the season though, with the home matches against Nottingham Forest (2-4) and Tottenham (1-4) prime examples.
Manchester City outclassed the Blues in a 6-0 win at Portman Road.
Manchester City outclassed the Blues in a 6-0 win at Portman Road.
(Image: Steve Waller)
JUMP IN QUALITY
Here's a really obvious one - the big increase in opposition quality.
There have been times this season that the Blues have simply been outclassed on home soil.
The defeats to Newcastle (0-4, Dec), Man City (0-6, Jan) and Arsenal (0-4, Apr) all fall into that category. The likes of Alexander Isak, Kevin De Bruyne and Martin Odegaard, to name just three, looked on a completely different level.
Newcastle won the League Cup and could qualify for the Champions League. Man City recently won the Premier League four times in a row. Arsenal came to Suffolk fresh from winning at Real Madrid.
Torn apart by world class players. There's no shame in that. It's happened to far more established Premier League clubs.
Ipswich Town staff and players acknowledge a warm reaction from supporters after relegation was sealed.
Ipswich Town staff and players acknowledge a warm reaction from supporters after relegation was sealed.
(Image: PA)
THE FANS
After the early season 1-1 home draw with Fulham, McKenna said: "When they scored, the crowd all start clapping and singing a song and that’s a brilliant boost to have for the players. It’s going to be hard to keep that over 19 home games, but that support that will give us the best chance."
There's been the odd occasion where I felt the crowd waited for the players to lift them rather than the other way around. There was perhaps a bit too much crowd complacency going into those Everton and Palace games.
Overall, however, the Blue Army have been supporters in the true sense of the word. Opposition managers and fans have all picked up on it.
Constantly getting applauded off on the way to relegation might not sit right with some, but I know it really motivates the players to try and give something back.
Compare and contrast to some of the protests and edginess that we see/hear at plenty of other struggling clubs and the 12th man factor has to be seen as a superpower.
FINAL VERDICT
I'm not sure that one win and seven points is a fair reflection of how Ipswich have performed at home in the Premier League. Without massively overplaying it, a few more points were deserved. Still, there are plenty of things that McKenna and co can take ownership of and reflect upon this summer.
The boot should firmly be back on the other foot when it comes to squad quality and depth when the Blues return to the Championship.
Pressure will remain as a big factor though. There's no doubt that everyone will raise their games when coming to Suffolk next season and it's going to be fascinating to see how both players and fans deal with that.
Not getting an early win played a big part in this season's home form. I get the feeling it's going to be important to get one on the board nice and early in 2025/26 if Portman Road is to become a fortress once more.
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