Ipswich Town haven’t looked back since clinching promotion to the Championship, back in the second tier for the first time since the 2018/19 season under Kieran McKenna’s expert guidance.
The Suffolk-based outfit are riding high in the second automatic promotion spot at this current point in time, winning a remarkable 12 matches from 16 played with the style of football on show wowing plaudits.
The Tractor Boys fans were treated to another action-packed contest at Portman Road last weekend, Ipswich winning the match 3-2 against Swansea City to go level with top-of-the-table Leicester City who succumbed to a second successive defeat.
Regardless of such an amazing return to Championship life, Ipswich will be looking at the upcoming transfer window as an opportunity to bolster and add high-quality recruits to the current galvanised group.
Here’s what a predicted Ipswich Town XI could look like after the January transfer window is complete…
1
GK – Steven Benda
The Tractor Boys have certainly leaked a few goals this season, especially in their last few Championship encounters. McKenna’s men have conceded eight goals in their last four second-tier matches, with the goalscoring exploits of the forward players bailing out the defenders and goalkeeper.
Steven Benda should be one man they look to strengthen the squad with. Indeed, he could be the answer on a loan deal this January in net, the current Fulham man usurping both Václav Hladký and Christian Walton for the starting spot in goal if a deal came to fruition. A deal could be viable with the stopper having failed to play a single minute in the league this term.
2
RB – Harry Clarke
Formerly an Arsenal youth product, Clarke has been competent for the Tractor Boys since the club have made the step up to the Championship.
Averaging a 6.95 Sofascore rating from 11 Championship games to date – recovering 4.5 balls on average per 90 minutes from the channels – McKenna will likely stick by the 22-year-old in the starting line-up for the time being.
3
CB – Eiran Cashin
Currently at Derby County, Cashin has been rumoured with a switch to Suffolk previously and this interest could be follow up on come January.
Coming through the ranks at the Rams from the youth academy, the 22-year-old defender has excelled in recent League One contests for Paul Warne’s men.
Winning seven of his 11 ground duels in Derby’s last 3-0 win against Barnsley, Cashin would slot in nicely to the set-up at Ipswich with his ability on the ball too – accurately placing eight long balls forward versus the Tykes per Sofascore.
4
CB – Luke Woolfenden
Amassing an average 7.0 rating via Sofascore to date in the second tier, Ipswich’s imposing 6 foot 4 battler in Woolfenden has only missed one match all season under McKenna.
It’s why his defensive partner is more likely to be sacrificed for new blood at the back, Woolfenden one of the first names on the team sheet in Suffolk.
5
LB – Leif Davis
Leaving Leeds United behind last year for a move to Ipswich Town, the exciting left-back option for the Tractor Boys has excelled ever since relocating down South.
This season, Davis has taken to the Championship like a duck to water – creating five big chances per 90 over his 15 appearances so far, a constant thorn in the left-hand side of opponents facing Ipswich.
6
CDM – Sam Morsy
Now 32 years of age, Morsy offers Ipswich an experienced leader in the middle of the park with McKenna’s youthful lineup needing that authoritative figure.
Tireless in his efforts to help his team spring a counterattack – averaging 75.8 touches per game this season and always constantly involved – the Egyptian midfielder has his starting spot set in stone for now.
7
CDM – Massimo Luongo
Making an appearance in every single Ipswich game this campaign whether it be from the get-go or substituted on, this former Tottenham midfielder – like his partner in holding midfield – is crucial to how Ipswich operate.
Falling below his usual standards recently – which saw summer signing Jack Taylor replace Luongo for the home win against Swansea and score a wonder strike in the process – Ipswich’s number 25 will hope he can stake a claim to slot back into the starting lineup in the matches to come.
8
RM – Jesurun Rak-Sakyi
A failed transfer target this summer – Crystal Palace pulling the plug on a loan deal with the Tractor Boys last second – the deal to sign Jesurun Rak-Sakyi on a short-term loan deal could be back on this January.
Rak-Sakyi would fit straight into the lineup, an attacker designed to play under McKenna’s high-energy style of setting his teams up.
A skilful and silky winger with showboating not out of the ordinary, the Eagles youngster also has a directness to his game that saw him score goals by the bucket load on loan at Charlton Athletic last campaign – netting 15 goals from 49 appearances for the Addicks in his temporary season-long stay.
9
CAM – Conor Chaplin
Playing just behind the lone striker in a 4-2-3-1 formation usually preferred by McKenna, Chaplin has established himself as a Championship goalscoring threat immediately after transitioning to the demands of the second tier.
Only netting four times for Barnsley at this level during the 2020-21 campaign, the 26-year-old has already eclipsed that goal total this season for his current employers – netting six in 16 matches so far, four goals off top scorer Sammie Szmodics in the golden boot race.
10
LM – Nathan Broadhead
Predominantly playing as a striker through his early career, Broadhead’s time at Ipswich has seen him routinely switch to a left winger role to devastating effect.
The former Everton youth product has 14 goals in total for the Suffolk-based club, including six this season which draws him level with Chaplin as Ipswich’s top scorer in the second tier.
Twisting and turning defenders for the fun with the potency to back up such trickery in front of goal, Broadhead will be retained in this starting lineup regardless of transfer incomings.
11
ST – George Hirst
Son of former Sheffield Wednesday icon David Hirst, George Hirst hasn’t quite been in electric goalscoring form for Ipswich this campaign – only scoring four times from 15 games played.
Yet, it’s his creativity up top that manager McKenna must admire. Hirst has managed to assist the same amount of goals he’s scored, the Tractor Boys sharing the goals out amongst their frightening attacking quartet.
