Going through a lengthy period of digression, Ipswich Town were in desperate need to inject some energy into the men’s first-team following the unfortunate dismissal of Paul Cook.
Following ultimately disappointing spells from Mick McCarthy, Paul Hurst, Paul Lambert and Cook, the board decided to go for a young, fresher manager preferably one whose forename wasnt Paul.
Kieran McKenna was the surprise choice by the clubs hierarchy.
The Northern Irishman built a massive reputation for himself in football, from retiring from the sport at just 23 after sustaining a career-ending injury, to becoming an assistant coach at Manchester United.
McKenna was originally the Under-18s head coach at both Tottenham Hotspur and United until the legendary Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho decided that the Loughborough University graduate was good enough to make the giant leap to the first-team.
Quickly McKenna learned, adapted and improved and became an integral part of the coaching staff of both Mourinho and his successor Ole Gunnar Solskjær.
McKenna had just begun his new role under Ralf Rangnick, following Solskjær’s departure, until Ipswich came knocking.
The young coach couldn’t turn down the opportunity of his first managerial job in the professional game and so swiftly accepted the proposal.
Six games into his incumbency, McKenna has guided the Blues to four wins – a solid start for a struggling side – while playing some utterly scintillating football in possession.
This article will be a tactical analysis of Ipswich under the 35-year-old.
It will be an analysis of the side’s tactics with a focus on their principles in possession.
Formation choice and preferred style
Under Cook, Ipswich were setting up in the 4-2-3-1.
The Blues deployed this conventional formation in 46 percent of their matches this season, although a plethora of other structures have been seen at Portman Road.
Following Cook’s departure, John McGreal briefly took over as the club’s interim head coach prior to McKenna’s arrival.
McGreal had continued with the 4-2-3-1 but later switched to the 4-4-2 and eventually the 3-4-1-2 before moving aside for the new boss.
McKenna, in hi
