Kieran McKenna may have one regret as Ipswich Town struggle with…

admin | January 1, 2024 | Other Clubs | No Comments

Kieran McKenna may have one regret as Ipswich Town struggle with the George Hirst situation.

So far in the Championship, Ipswich Town has had a fantastic season.

The Tractor Boys were promoted from League One last season and have made the transition to the second division with ease, spending much of the season in the automatic promotion spots.

Kieran McKenna’s side has had a difficult few weeks, and they are now without a win in their past four games after being held to a 0-0 stalemate by struggling Queens Park Rangers at Portman Road on Friday night.

Ipswich, on the other hand, is second in the table, three points ahead of third-placed Southampton ahead of their trip to face Stoke City at the bet365 Stadium on New Year’s Day.

McKenna: Hirst is “significant”

The Tractor Boys are currently concerned about striker George Hirst’s fitness after he was substituted in the first half of the Tractor Boys’ 1-1 draw with Leicester City on Boxing Day with a hamstring injury. While the extent of the problem is still being assessed, McKenna described the injury as “significant.”

“It’s still being assessed, but it’s a significant injury to his hamstring,” McKenna said to the East Anglian Daily Times.

“He’s had some scans, and he’ll be seeing a specialist to get a better idea of the timeframes we’re looking at.”

“This is not a minor injury.” That, I believe, we can state unequivocally. We should be able to provide a more specific timeline next week.

“It’s a huge setback.

“He’s been very, very important to how we play, and he’s grown a lot in the last year.”

“It’s not easy to fill those shoes, but we have strikers here who have performed well in cup competitions and have been training well.” Of course, we’re also approaching a transfer window in which we’ll strive to add to the squad.”

Hirst’s absence leaves Freddie Ladapo and Kayden Jackson as the club’s only senior attackers, and he was clearly missed in the 1-1 draw with QPR on Friday night.

While Ladapo and Jackson are both capable Championship performers, McKenna may be disappointed that he cannot call on Dane Scarlett after the 19-year-old was recalled by Tottenham Hotspur.

Dane Scarlett’s Ipswich exit may be a regret for McKenna

Scarlett joined the Tractor Boys on loan this summer, but he struggled to break into the starting lineup, making only 12 appearances as a substitute.

Spurs have elected to recall Scarlett from his loan stay at Portman Road, and his exit comes at a difficult time for McKenna, with Hirst potentially facing an extended layoff.

Scarlett may not have been able to provide the goals that propelled Ipswich to promotion, having scored just six goals in 40 appearances for Portsmouth in League One last season, but he is a player with huge potential, as evidenced by his appearances for England at U21 level.

Scarlett would not have been recalled by Spurs if he had played more consistently for the Tractor Boys in the earlier half of the season, and he would have been a valuable option for McKenna with Hirst currently unavailable.

Ipswich are looking to bolster their forward line in the January transfer window, and according to journalist Alan Nixon, the Tractor Boys are willing to pay up to £3 million for a striker, with wages of up to £15,000 per week.

According to the East Anglian Daily Times, Ipswich have inquired about Fulham striker Jay Stansfield, who is now on loan at Birmingham City, but it could be a difficult deal to complete, as they will also face competition from Sunderland for his signature.

With no assurance that they will be able to sign a striker before the end of the transfer season, McKenna may be disappointed that he does not have Scarlett at his disposal as his side enters a key stage in the battle for automatic promotion.