Day 3: Ipswich

Everyday, from now until Christmas Eve, we will take a look at a Premier League club and rate their season so far. Today, it is Ipswich’s turn to be put under the microscope as we continue our Premier League Christmas Countdown.

Unlike Southampton and Wolves, Ipswich were kind of expected to be poor this season. They are currently 18th in the Premier League but have only managed a single win all season. There is still a chance that they can turn their fortunes around, but they have little top flight experience in their team, which is needed to survive.

Facing the Big Boys

Ipswich were given a baptism of fire in August with their first two games being against Liverpool at home and Manchester City away. Everyone was expecting Ipswich to not get anything from these two games, and they were right not to do so despite the Tractor Boys making the first half difficult for Liverpool.

🏡 @IpswichTown host Liverpool at Portman Road to start the 2024/25 season...

Their last Premier League match 22 years ago was also against the Reds! 😯 pic.twitter.com/u1oANHMuFb
— Premier League (@premierleague) June 18, 2024

Sammie Szmodics gave Ipswich the lead against Manchester City, but just seven minutes later, they were losing, and ended up on the receiving end of a 4-1 battering. They did manage to get their first point against Fulham at the end of August in a 1-1 draw which gave them a platform to build on.

The Masters of a Draw

In September, Ipswich’s games got a little easier as they faced Brighton, Southampton and Aston Villa. They ended the month winless, but unbeaten drawing the games 0-0, 1-1, and 2-2 respectively. It was at this point that people started to believe that Ipswich had something cooking. Of their six games by the end of the month, their only defeats had come against Big Six sides.

Liam Delap - last 4 Premier League games for Ipswich:

vs Aston Villa ⚽️⚽️
vs West Ham ⚽️
vs Everton ❌
vs Brentford ⚽️

21 years of age. A top EPL striker in the making without a doubt. Huge future ahead. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/0uTORr5EGw
— Football Talent Scout - Jacek Kulig (@FTalentScout) October 26, 2024

However, as October came around, it was clear that Ipswich had just been in a good patch. Their next three games all ended in defeat against teams that they should have done better against. West Ham smashed them 4-1 and Everton walked away with a comfortable 2-0 win. Only Brentford offered them some sort of chance, but even that match finished 4-3 to the Bees.

Up and Down and Up Again

November has been Ipswich’s best month in the Premier League so far, with a win, two draws and a loss. The month started with a match much like those in October, with a draw against a team that Ipswich need to be beating. They drew 1-1 with Leicester at home. Their next two games were against Tottenham and Manchester United, so no one expected anything from those games.

Somehow, they got four points from those matches, which included their first league win of the season, away at Tottenham. The same Tottenham that would go on to beat Manchester City 4-0 in their next game. After the November international break, they earnt a point against Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United in his first game as a Premier League manager before losing 1-0 Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace.

Party like it's 2002. 🎉

Ipswich Town defeat Tottenham for their first Premier League win in 22 YEARS. pic.twitter.com/oieTMogC4k
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) November 10, 2024

Next up is Bournemouth at Portman Road, and they are in excellent form currently having just beaten Tottenham at home. The first half of December is definitely easier than the second half as they have both Arsenal and Chelsea around the festive period.

Player of the Season

21-year-old striker Liam Delap has scored six Premier League goals this season and is certainly their biggest attacking threat. He joined in the summer from Manchester City and many thought that this would be too much of a step up for him, but he has certainly proved them wrong. Szmodics has also performed well up top, but he needs to start adding to his creative numbers to help Delap out in the final third.

Season Rank: D

End of Season Prediction: 18th

Check out our Christmas Countdown article from yesterday.