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21x possession lost, what a FLOP, he have no future at Portman Road and must be Axed”- McKenna warned must axe Ipswich dud with worst performance winning only won 3/12 duels against Bournemouth
While it still seems unlikely, Ipswich Town managed to revive their slim Premier League survival hopes with an impressive 2-1 victory away at AFC Bournemouth on Wednesday night.
The away fans making the long journey to the South Coast for this mid-week fixture would have expected a defeat, given Bournemouth’s ambitions of European football and their distance from the relegation zone.
However, Kieran McKenna’s side defied expectations to secure their first league win of 2025.
Liam Delap, unsurprisingly, was the match-winner, with the former Manchester City striker’s value continuing to rise if he can maintain performances like this for the rest of the season.
Delap’s Performance Against Bournemouth
With top Premier League clubs like Chelsea, Liverpool, and Arsenal reportedly keeping tabs on him, Ipswich faces a tough challenge in keeping the 22-year-old forward, especially if they suffer the expected relegation.
But for now, Ipswich fans will enjoy watching their clinical No. 19, who netted his 11th top-flight goal with a well-executed finish against Bournemouth, assisted by left-back Conor Townsend.
This performance was a clear improvement on their recent 1-0 loss at Crystal Palace, with Nathan Broadhead also contributing a first-half goal.
While Delap and Broadhead were standout performers, some players underperformed, and one of their attacking teammates could be at risk of losing their place in the starting lineup.
Ipswich’s Worst Performer Against Bournemouth
Despite the overall jubilation at the final whistle, not everyone impressed. Ben Johnson, who had a tough game, fell into the underperformer category.
The former West Ham United player was notably wasteful with possession, losing the ball 21 times over a frustrating 89 minutes.
His statistics make for grim reading, as he completed just 10 accurate passes from 46 touches and registered only one successful cross down the right flank.
Furthermore, Johnson, who typically plays as a right-back, only won three duels and made a costly mistake late in the game, when his poor clearance allowed Evanilson to score Bournemouth’s lone goal.
With Omari Hutchinson unavailable, McKenna was left to choose between players for the right-wing role.
However, based on Johnson’s performance at Bournemouth, it may be time to consider other options, such as Jaden Philogene-Bidace, who could be a more effective choice moving forward.
Johnson might still be valuable as a utility player, but he shouldn’t be relied upon in the starting lineup in this position.
As is often the case in football, hope can be both a motivator and a source of heartbreak. However, performances like this away win keep Ipswich’s faint survival hopes alive, proving that, even as the season nears its end, staying up against all odds is still within reach.
