Ipswich Town wrapped up their pre-season with a 1-0 win against RB Leipzig and a 1-1 draw against Werder Bremen as they lifted the Innsbruck Cup at the Tivoli Stadion. Alex Jones reflects on the action from Austria.
A taste of silverware
It might be a little bit much to say that the Innsbruck Cup counts as silverware for Town, but it was fantastic to see them come out on top at the end of the tournament.
When RB Leipzig posted their starting lineup for their match against the Blues, fans feared the worst. Some were concerned that they would end up finishing bottom of the table, especially given the pedigree of their two opponents, although the performances were always going to be the priority.
Not only did they play well, but they also got the results to match. Beating RB Leipzig to nil will always be a memory for the travelling supporters, while the draw against Werder Bremen was a fantastic example of how to grind out a positive result in difficult circumstances.
If Ipswich can replicate those levels in the Championship, they will certainly compete at the top end of the table.
The performance of pre-season?
Up until Town’s return to Austria, their win against Preston North End was their best performance of pre-season.
The games against Felixstowe, Maidenhead and Flyeralarm Admira were too early for anyone to judge, while the double-header against Cambridge United and Stevenage was nothing short of appalling to watch. The Blues looked good against Luton Town, but they were clearly a level or two off their best.
The trip to Deepdale was different, however, as Ipswich showed off their trademark brand of attacking, free-flowing football that guided them to promotion from League One. Conor Chaplin’s goal was nothing short of sensational, while George Hirst’s audacious lob capped off an impressive win against their Championship opponents in Lancashire.
READ: Kieran McKenna on Town's Innsbruck Cup win and Christian Walton's injury
The victory against RB Leipzig was different. They didn’t dominate the game, but they didn’t need to. Instead, they shut out their German opponents with resilient defending and hurt them with quick counterattacks. Hirst’s athletic winner came from a pinpoint Leif Davis cross, while Omari Hutchinson caused problems throughout the game and should’ve sealed the win at the end.
Given the fact that Die Roten Bullen fielded a number of world-class players with substantial Champions League experience, it has to be considered the best performance of pre-season.
Baggott steps up at the perfect time
The first game of the Innsbruck Cup featured a centre-back who’s valued at £100 million and a reported target for Premier League and Champions League holders Manchester City. Based on how it played out, you would’ve thought that player was Elkan Baggott, not Josko Gvardiol.
The Indonesian international looked set to depart Portman Road on loan earlier in the summer, and while he’s been involved regularly in pre-season, his performances haven’t set the world alight. That was until he lined up to face RB Leipzig.
Partnering Luke Woolfenden at the back, Baggott put in an immense performance. His aerial prowess was on show throughout, comfortably heading any dangerous set pieces out of the box without any real difficulty.
On top of that, he shut out Leipzig’s front line with relative ease, performing especially well against Liverpool loanee Fabio Carvalho, who just couldn’t a way around the 20-year-old.
He may have given McKenna something to think about ahead of the start of the Championship campaign.
Squad depth shines through
There was a fairly clear divide in the two Ipswich teams that played in the Innsbruck Cup. The side that faced RB Leipzig largely consisted of players who will start the Championship opener against Sunderland, while the team that played Werder Bremen will most likely be named on the bench.
There are a few exceptions to this rule. Cameron Burgess will almost certainly be chosen to start alongside Woolfenden, while Jack Taylor and Wes Burns could also find themselves lining up at the Stadium of Light next weekend.
WATCH: Alex and Ross' video verdict as Town lift the Innsbruck Cup
The team that drew Werder Bremen did, however, look weaker, and while that translated into the performance and the result in the first half, they improved massively after the break. Greg Leigh’s equaliser came as a bit of a surprise, but it came at a moment when the Blues had a lot of control in the game. They stepped up and looked comfortable.
McKenna was keen to highlight the level of their opponents, disagreeing with the argument that his side struggled before the break. But whatever your opinion is, it’s hard to deny that the result reflects very positively on those who played.
Time to get serious
Pre-season is over now. The real work is about to begin.
Ipswich’s first-team squad will fly back to England this afternoon, where they will be given the rest of the weekend off before returning to training on Monday. All eyes will then turn to the upcoming trip to Wearside as Town kick off their Championship campaign.
McKenna and his coaching staff have studied Sunderland over the last few weeks, while some sessions have been based on the strengths and weaknesses of Tony Mowbray’s men. That research will be put into action next week as training ramps up yet again.
Of course, the rigorous pre-season schedule will mean that the sessions will need to be adjusted so nobody gets burned out, but all of the training camps and friendly matches have come down to this. The Blues will want to make a fast start to life in the second tier, and everybody feels ready to make the step up.
Next weekend could be a strong indicator as to whether or not they can do it.
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