Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna believes his team still have a long way to go before they are the finished product, despite a five-game unbeaten rule.
In the Tractor Boy’s most recent game, they won the East Anglia derby comfortably, beating Norwich City 3-1, the sides third win in four games, a win that took them to ninth in the table.
Three points against second-placed Middlesbrough this weekend could see Ipswich up to sixth.
“I think there’s different types of identity in terms of how you want the team to play on a consistent basis,” McKenna told BBC Radio Suffolk.
“Are there are phases of games or periods when we’ve been a front-footed, exciting, attacking team? Yes. Are there periods of great, spirit and togetherness in the team? Yes.
“But it takes longer for a team to show those things consistently, week after week, two games a week in all sorts of conditions, on good days and bad days, that takes longer to build.
“There’s been some promising signs, but in terms of being a really complete group in all aspects, I think we’ve still got a long way to go.”
McKenna admitted the side picked up a few knocks in the heated game with rivals Norwich, but that the international break came at the right time for his side to rest up and go again.
What’s difficult for Ipswich is that the majority of the squad is not due back until Thursday, giving McKenna little time to plan for high-flying Middlesbrough, who have yet to lose at home this season.
“It’s given us time with some individuals to work a little bit more specifically on the grass. We had some 11 v 11s last week so it’s been a productive spell, more on an individual basis,” he said.
On the game against Middlesbrough, McKenna said: “They are a very good team, solid and strong in all phases of the game. At home they’ve been giving away very few chances and been really stable.
“Friday nights after international duty are tough but at the same time it dials everyone in straight away and it’s something to look forward to tackling.”
The time away has given some players a chance to return to training and work with coaches one-on-one.
Harry Clarke, who has been nursing a knee problem, has been training on grass all week and Wes Burns has been stepping up his rehab on his return from a ruptured ACL.
McKenna’s Town on Winning Run
Ipswich have won three of their last five games, in a unbeaten run that extend to back into August.
The run may have been helped by an abandoned game against Blackburn Rovers but McKenna’s Town have been worth their turn up in form.
The Tractor Boys sit second in goals per game with 1.9 alongside third in xG with 14.2. Going forward Ipswich look the real deal up front, averaging 4.6 shots on target per 90 and have created 23 big chances this season.
Despite how much Ipswich have created, it is also clear where they need to improve and just what McKenna means when he states that his side are not the finished product.
Town have missed 15 big chances this season, the fourth most in the Championship. They have also struggled when it comes to winning the ball back, averaging 11.4 tackles per game, rock bottom in the league.
Ipswich are yet to become the final product but Friday’s game against Middlesbrough presents an opportunity for McKenna and his team to prove that the side’s recent form is not a fluke and they are the real deal when it comes to challenging for promotion this season.
