Kieran McKenna reflected with pride on Ipswich Town’s composed 3–0 victory over Swansea City, describing the performance as intelligent, disciplined and shaped by the growing influence of January arrivals Anis Mehmeti and Dan Neil.
Anis Mehmeti’s early strike, Ivan Azón’s sharp finish and George Hirst’s second‑half goal secured a win built on clarity and control.
Ipswich Town’s first‑half display was full of energy and purpose. Anis Mehmeti’s emphatic top‑corner finish set the tone.
At the same time, Ivan Azón’s sweeping strike capped a spell of sharp, connected football that repeatedly disrupted Swansea’s attempts to play out from the back.
Kieran McKenna highlighted the bravery behind the approach: “First half, that meant being really aggressive with our pressure… Dara (O’Shea) and Ceddy (Cedric Kipré) were pressing right up to the edge of their box.”
He also praised the quality shown in possession: “We showed some really good passages of football to break through their press… We go through the pitch, hurt them and get the goals.”
Swansea saw more of the ball in the second half, but Ipswich remained compact and disciplined.
Despite Ipswich tiring slightly, the visitors were restricted to just four touches inside the penalty area across the entire match.
McKenna admired the maturity shown: “Second half, there was a lot of humility to recognise the state of the game. We defended, blocked the middle of the pitch, kept them out of threatening areas and limited them well.”
George Hirst’s composed finish in the 74th minute sealed the result and reflected Ipswich’s ability to strike at key moments.
McKenna was quick to highlight the impact of his January arrivals, with both Mehmeti and Neil central to the victory.
“Both have been a really positive impact,” he said.
Dan Neil, on loan from Sunderland, delivered another standout midfield display before leaving the pitch to a standing ovation. “It’s another good display from Dan, especially the first half… His game intelligence is really top and that’s helped him settle and understand everything really well.”
Mehmeti, meanwhile, continues to grow into his role as an inside left forward. “He’s just so hungry for it, so ambitious and so driven… We thought it would be a good game for him to come in today.”
McKenna added that the tactical setup suited him perfectly: “We wanted to go with two more pure 10s… It’s a great option now that he’s shown how well he can do in two different roles behind the striker.”
Kieran McKenna also expressed delight at seeing his forwards rediscover their scoring touch. Both Azón and Hirst have now scored twice in their last three games, easing concerns after a quieter first half of the season.
“It’s nice for Ivan again,” McKenna said of the Como loanee, now on four goals for the campaign. “We’ve always had belief in him… It was another good all-round striker performance and really good finish from him.”
Hirst’s impact off the bench has also impressed: “George… he’s done really well off the bench again. He earned that goal by how he’s been in training and how he’s been in the group.”
McKenna believes this rhythm will continue to build: “Sometimes the best way to build up your rhythm again is coming on and having good impacts in games… I’m happy for both of them.”
The Town boss stressed the importance of staying grounded, especially after last week’s 5–3 defeat at Wrexham. “That’s why I always say it’s so important to stay balanced because the noise of the world around you can change really, really quickly.”
He praised his squad’s reaction across the week: “We’ve responded by doubling down on what makes us a good team and getting back out there and doing that well.”
