The Ipswich Town stat that should fill Kieran McKenna with confidence - Sheffield United should watch out | OneFootball

Ipswich Town have created plenty of chances despite their winless start to the Championship season.

Ipswich Town started the season as favourites to win the Championship title, so to see them sitting 20th after four games is a real surprise.

It should be said that the Tractor Boys haven’t had the easiest start to the campaign, with fixtures against Birmingham and Southampton the opening month, but few expected them to be without a win at this stage.

Of course, it’s far too early to panic, and Kieran McKenna won’t be worried, as he knows the Championship is a marathon, not a sprint.

Kieran McKenna will hope Ipswich Town can benefit from international break

As well as that, there are some valid reasons for Ipswich’s slow start. The transfer window has proven to be an unwanted distraction, as there was a high turnover of players, and several new recruits were still adapting to their new surroundings.

The international break has provided the manager with an opportunity to work with the bulk of his squad on a day-to-day basis, which McKenna will have no doubt welcomed.

Yet, the main cause for optimism must stem from Ipswich’s performances, as they have actually performed quite well - as evidenced by their xG.

Ipswich Town’s must be more ruthless in front of goal

The Suffolk outfit rank eighth for XG against, but the biggest issue has been scoring goals, as they have found the net just four times despite boasting an xG of 7.2, which is the third best in the league.

Furthermore, only Wrexham have missed more big chances than Ipswich’s eight, which shows they have been wasteful in front of goal.

Obviously, you don’t want to be high up on those lists, but it does prove that Ipswich are doing a lot right in terms of the way they’re playing and getting the ball into dangerous areas.

Some will point the finger at George Hirst for the missed chances, and there’s no denying that he could’ve done more, with the Scotland international yet to score from open play despite starting all four games.

Soccer Football - Championship - Birmingham City v Ipswich Town - St Andrews @ Knighthead Park, Birmingham, Britain - August 8, 2025 Ipswich Town's George Hirst reacts after the match Action Images/Craig Brough

But, with Ivan Azon having joined the club, and Chuba Akpom getting up to full fitness, McKenna is going to have fierce competition for places in attack, and whoever does get the nod will have to perform well to stay in the team.

Ipswich Town have goalscoring threats across their attack

Whilst Ipswich will expect big contributions from their three strikers, what makes this Ipswich squad so exciting is the number of goal threats that they have in the group.

Sindre Walle Egeli, a Championship record £17.5m signing, is a statement addition who will add more quality to the ranks. Meanwhile, Jaden Philogene and Jack Clarke have proven themselves to be brilliant Championship players, with the latter having previously scored 15 times for Sunderland in the 2023/24 season.

Finally, Sammie Szmodics is another who is proven at this level, with the Irishman having hit the net 27 times for Blackburn a few years ago, which prompted Ipswich to bring him to Portman Road.

So, they have an attacking setup that is stacked with talent and depth, and, in the eyes of many, it will be seen as the best in the Championship bar none.

The challenge for McKenna is to find a formula that works as a cohesive unit, and that may include some tough decisions on who to leave out.

But, with Ipswich creating plenty of chances, and the individual quality at their disposal, it’s hard not to come to the conclusion that they will improve quickly - with bottom of the league Sheffield United up next.