Gary O'Neil is happy with the way Ipswich Town have started the Premier League season. (Image: PA)
Gary O'Neil is happy with the way Ipswich Town have started the Premier League season. (Image: PA)
Ipswich Town manager Gary O'Neil is proud of the way his new-look team have started the Premier League season.
O'Neil replaced Kieran McKenna in the Portman Road hot seat in June and then set about overseeing a £180m transfer window spend.
The newly-promoted Blues have won two - Sunderland (2-1 at home) and Crystal Palace (3-2 away) - and lost three - Manchester United (5-2 away), Liverpool (2-0 at home) and Everton (1-0 away) - of their opening five league games to go into this extended three-week international break sitting 11th in the table.
"I'm really proud of the players," said O'Neil, when asked for his assessment.
"We've not got many that have played at the level loads and they've had a real good go for the first five games.
"Liverpool and Manchester United, those games against Champions League clubs, are obviously going to be difficult. You sort of have to accept that even your best might not be enough.
"I think against the other three, Sunderland, Palace and Everton, we've shown that we can be extremely competitive in the way we try and do things - and hopefully we continue to get better.
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"We've been unfortunate in a few moments. A big deflection at Everton, the [Harry] Maguire one [handball incident at Manchester United] too.
"Points-wise, I guess we're about where you'd say we should be. Maybe we could have taken something at Everton and been on seven.
"It's a good start, though we still need to try and do better to swing the games in our favour a bit more.
"But I judge the group off of what they give each week, their understanding, work rate, togetherness - and I think they've been excellent in all of them. So I can sign up for that if they give us that every week.
"If they keep doing that then I'm sure we'll find a way to win enough games to make sure that we have a successful season."
Ten first team players are currently away on international duty. The Blues return to action with a home clash against Fulham (D2 L3) a week on Saturday (October 10).