The head coach of Ipswich Sheld tears of joy for today’s match. Subsequently, he discovered that a key player had an injury after struggling to score
After receiving a promotion from League One the previous season, the Tractor Boys have adapted well to life in the second tier, having spent the majority of the campaign in the spots designated for automatic promotion.
Ipswich’s loss came on Saturday when they were defeated 4-0 at Elland Road by Leeds United, promotion rivals; on Boxing Day, they drew 1-1 at Portman Road with leaders Leicester City, earning a valuable point.
The Tractor Boys gained momentum in the game and equalized in the third minute of stoppage time when Sam Morsy’s strike deflected in off Jannik Vestergaard, giving the Foxes the lead in the 24th minute through Stephy Mavididi.
As of right now, Kieran McKenna’s team is five points ahead of Southampton in third place in the table. They will play again on Friday night at home against the Queens Park Rangers.
But the news that George Hirst, the striker, will be out for a long time, has dealt a severe blow to Ipswich.
Although the severity of the injury is still being determined, McKenna called Hirst’s hamstring injury “significant” after he was forced off the field in the first half of the match against Leicester.
McKenna stated this to the Daily Times of East Anglia.
He’s had some scans, and to get more information on the timeframes we’re considering, he’ll be seeing a specialist.
“The injury is not very temporary. I think it’s obvious what we can say. Next week, we ought to be able to provide a more precise timeline.”
“It’s a big blow.”He’s been a huge contributor to our style of play and has grown significantly in the past 12 months.
“We have strikers here that have performed well for us in cup competitions and have been training well, but it’s not easy to fill those shoes. Naturally, there will soon be a transfer window during which we hope to bolster the roster.”
Hirst’s injury is expected to intensify the club’s search for a striker, which could be bad news for Birmingham City, as McKenna notes that the transfer window is quickly approaching.
Birmingham City should be concerned about George Hirst’s injury. With Hirst out and Dane Scarlett back for Tottenham Hotspur, Ipswich only has two senior strikers in Kayden Jackson and Freddie Ladapo, so McKenna will undoubtedly want to bolster this position in January.
The East Anglian Daily Times reports that Jay Stansfield, a striker for Fulham who is currently on loan at Birmingham, has drawn interest from the Tractor Boys.
In 22 games for the Blues this season, Stansfield has seven goals and two assists, including one goal in the 2-2 draw with Ipswich in November.
With two goals in his last two games against Plymouth Argyle and Stoke City, the 21-year-old highlighted his value to Birmingham, and with the team still struggling under Wayne Rooney, it would be devastating if he were to leave in January.
Ipswich could pay up to £15,000 a week in wages for a striker, according to journalist Alan Nixon, and the club may even spend up to £3 million in the January transfer window. However, the East Anglian Daily Times reports that they may even spend more than that.
Due to Hirst’s injury, the Tractor Boys will undoubtedly increase their efforts to sign Stansfield, and the team may have the funds necessary to complete a deal.
Unfortunately for Birmingham, Sky Sports writer Keith Downie has revealed that Sunderland is also interested in Stansfield ahead of January, suggesting that Ipswich is not the only team considering the player.
The last thing the Blues and Rooney need as they head into the relegation zone is Stansfield’s departure, but it appears likely that they will lose him the following month as other teams enter the race and Ipswich’s need for a striker grows.
