Summer signings assessed & why Town fans can have hope

Heading into the international break, Ipswich Town have double the amount of points at this stage of the season compared with their previous Premier League campaign.

However, I can’t help but feel slightly disappointed. While I probably would have taken a tally of six from the opening five matches when the fixtures were announced in June, Town’s efforts have, in my opinion, warranted more.

Bear in mind as well that they’ve played four teams who are featuring in Europe this season.

Saturday at Hill Dickinson Stadium – against a team with just their domestic fixtures to worry about – was particularly frustrating, as Gary O’Neil’s side didn’t deserve to come away with nothing.

The fact that they did – and will also be without Abdul Fatawu next time because of a daft suspension – leaves a bit of a sour taste.

Let’s focus on some of the positives from that afternoon on Merseyside though, beginning in goal, where Christian Walton justified the manager’s big call in making a change between the posts.

I was perhaps among the minority in thinking that four games in might be too soon to drop Kjell Scherpen, but Walton looked assured and composed, just as he did when he took a similar chance last season.

He appears to have solved Town’s goalkeeping conundrum with little fuss, and deserves to now be given an extended chance in the top-flight. Oh, and there was very little he could have done about Everton‘s somewhat freak winning goal.

Player of the match Abdoul Ouattara is another that deserves more than a mention.

The 20-year-old, making his first Premier League start, was outstanding at right-back, and justified another big call from the manager in choosing the Ivorian over the more experienced Darnell Furlong, who was so impressive during last season’s run to promotion.

Town’s plethora of summer arrivals have, in general, given supporters real hope that their latest Premier League stay will be an extended one.

Issa Diop has complemented Jacob Greaves or Dara O’Shea very well at centre-back, while Exequiel Palacios and Sasa Lukic are undoubtedly an upgrade on the midfield starters of two years ago .

That said, they have a long way to go before achieving the club legendary status of Sam Morsy and Massimo Luongo.

In Julio Encisio, Town have a player who can turn a game in an instant, but the surprise package for me has been Emersonn in the number nine role.

I hadn’t been expecting a huge amount from the Brazil striker during the early stages of his first spell in English football but, to his credit, he has already become a fixture in the side.

The former Toulouse player has a couple of goals to his name already, and his hold-up play has been very impressive.

With that in mind, it is no surprise that Zian Flemming is still waiting for a first league start in his new club colours, but the Dutchman will be needed further down the line.

He has shown from his cameos so far that he will be ready to take any chance that comes his way.

In summary, O’Neil and his players have given themselves a very good platform from which to kick on, and Town supporters will be relishing the return of domestic football after the internationals, rather than fearing it.

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