Ipswich Town is now focusing solely on staying in the Premier League after their FA Cup journey ended with a defeat to Nottingham Forest.
Although the FA Cup wasn’t their main goal, taking Forest to penalties, rather than being easily beaten, offers some encouragement.
Ipswich’s Growing Injury Concerns
The injury list at Ipswich is growing, unfortunately, with Axel Tuanzebe being the latest player sidelined after Monday night’s game.
Following the FA Cup match, Ipswich has four injury worries as they return to Premier League action. Sammie Szmodics and Conor Chaplin were already unfit to play against Forest, and Tuanzebe and Cameron Burgess had to be substituted at halftime due to injuries.
Tuanzebe’s hamstring injury creates a problem at right-back, especially since Harry Clarke, a regular Championship defender who could have filled in, is currently on loan at Sheffield United.
Manager McKenna might hesitate to use Ben Godfrey in this position. In Godfrey’s two league appearances since joining on loan, the team conceded heavily, losing 6-0 and 4-1.
Ben Johnson is another option who could play as a utility player. However, he provided an assist playing as a right-winger against Forest, suggesting McKenna might prefer him in an attacking role rather than purely defensively.
Therefore, to find a new right-back solution, the Ipswich manager might turn to a reliable player known for his determined performances.
Dara O’Shea: The ‘Warrior’ Solution
Ipswich’s strength this season hasn’t been their defense, having conceded a significant 57 goals in the league.
Despite this, Dara O’Shea has generally been solid and dependable in defense. He showed his versatility by stepping into the right-back position against Forest.
| O’Shea’s Performance vs Forest | |
|---|---|
| Stat | O’Shea |
| Minutes played | 75 |
| Touches | 44 |
| Accurate passes | 20/26 (77%) |
| Successful dribbles | 1/1 |
| Clearances | 6 |
| Blocked shots | 1 |
| Interceptions | 1 |
| Total duels won | 5/10 |
| Stats by Sofascore | |
Looking at his stats from the Forest game, O’Shea helped maintain defensive stability, winning five duels and making six clearances.
Beyond his defensive strength, O’Shea’s composure on the ball, previously praised by Valerien Ismael as ‘warrior’-like’, suits him for the right-back role. He even completed a successful dribble and made 20 accurate passes in the game.
If O’Shea plays in defense, keeping Johnson on the right wing could provide Ipswich with attacking width. Additionally, Jaden Philogene-Bidace will be available for selection against Crystal Palace after being ineligible for the FA Cup match.
Regardless of the lineup for the Crystal Palace game, McKenna will be hoping for a determined and resilient performance as Ipswich fights to secure their Premier League status.
Vihaan Mehrotra