Ipswich Town were beaten 2-1 by both Cambridge United and Stevenage on Saturday afternoon. Alex Jones reflects on the action from the two games.
A dip in quality
Town's performance against Preston North End wasn't perfect, but it was slick. They showed a huge improvement after some underwhelming outings against Maidenhead United and Flyeralarm Admira, with Conor Chaplin's goal the standout piece of quality at Deepdale.
Unfortunately, they were unable to replicate the performance against Cambridge or Stevenage, aside from the first 15 minutes at The Abbey. The Blues blew Mark Bonner's men away in the opening stages but quickly lost their attacking spark and control of the game.
That quality never even made it as far as the Lamex Stadium, where Ipswich were second best for most of the match. Stevenage's early goal knocked their confidence and they never really managed to recover despite their late consolation goal.
Of course, this is pre-season. Kieran McKenna's side are not at their best, and matches against League One opposition will not dictate how they cope with the rigours of the Championship.
Tuesday's match against Premier League outfit Luton Town will provide a much better benchmark for where they are in their preparations.
Omari shines
When Ipswich were carving Cambridge United apart in the opening minutes of their clash at The Abbey, Omari Hutchinson was the star of the show.
The Chelsea loanee was handed his first start on the right flank and he showed his quality from the first whistle. He immediately had the beating of Harrison Dunk, breezing past the U's left-back to deliver a pinpoint cross into the box for Leif Davis, who fired home.
He went on to create a fantastic opportunity for Chaplin before firing wide from the edge of the area with a fierce left-footed shot.
His pace and skill are clear for all to see, but he's also a team player. He already seems settled in with his new teammates, picking out audacious passes and combining with the players around him to exploit gaps in the opposition's defence.
McKenna was certainly impressed by what he saw from the 19-year-old, although he will likely need to be eased into first-team action at Portman Road. This is his first loan spell and his first extended taste of senior football, so it will be a huge learning experience for him regardless of how he develops as a player.
MORE: McKenna on Hutchinson's impressive debut against Cambridge United
Hirst bags again
George Hirst was surprisingly left out of the starting lineup at Stevenage after Freddie Ladapo played the full 90 minutes against Cambridge United. He was named on the bench instead, coming on for the second half of the match.
The 24-year-old didn't change the flow of the match, but that was never his job. The priority was to build up his match fitness and see if he could build on his goal against Preston, which he was able to do.
His strike at the Lamex Stadium was far from a classic - it was a scruffy goal from a poorly-cleared free-kick. But ultimately, it's Hirst's job to be the man in the box to fire it home. It was a poacher's finish from close range.
The striker struggled with some aspects of the game in Hertfordshire. The physicality was the main issue, especially as the game became increasingly cagey and uncomfortable, but the experience will do his confidence no harm.
McKenna is now presented with a dilemma as to who starts against Sunderland in two weeks' time. Ladapo is Town's top scorer in pre-season, but Hirst is the big-money signing with a point to prove in the Championship. Either could viably start at the Stadium of Light.
Battling the elements
Last week, McKenna and Chaplin described Ipswich's pre-season training camp in Austria as the hottest conditions they've ever worked in. This week, they were playing in the pouring rain as temperatures struggled to rise above 12°C.
The Blues were poor against Cambridge and Stevenage, but the conditions made the match incredibly difficult. They struggled to move the ball forward at the Abbey Stadium, while the wet surface at the Lamex Stadium meant that mistakes were made throughout the afternoon.
Of course, the players will be used to playing in difficult conditions. Everyone remembers when Town travelled to Oxford United, losing 2-1 in what was arguably the thickest fog the Football League has ever seen.
Whether or not it can be used as an excuse for the lethargy on Saturday afternoon is up for debate. What isn't up for debate, however, is the fact that Ipswich will likely be playing in far worse conditions at some point in the next 10 months. When that happens, they will need to be much better prepared.
Trips to Leeds United and Stoke City during the winter months will certainly be testing for the first-team squad.
MORE: Watch Alex Jones and Ross Halls' video verdict
Edmundson and the injury woes
McKenna was delighted to see George Edmundson back in action after a lengthy issue with his ankle.
The centre-back has struggled with the injury since Town's 2-0 win against Lincoln City back in March, and while he managed to return for the start of pre-season, a setback saw him miss the last two games.
He returned at the Lamex Stadium, where he played the full 90 minutes alongside Elkan Baggott. There was certainly an element of rustiness in his game, but he looked confident in his own abilities despite being ruled out for such a long time.
The Blues will also be sweating over the fitness of Massimo Luongo, who injured his groin in the first half against Cambridge United, while Wes Burns, Janoi Donacien and Harry Clarke are all set to return to training before they take part in the Innsbruck Cup next week.
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