Ipswich Town column: Burnley FA Cup display shows Blues are ready for the Championship

The FA Cup tie with Championship leaders Burnley has proven to be a good marker of how much Ipswich Town have progressed under Kieran McKenna.

Vincent Kompany was complimentary of Town, and Burnley supporters themselves also commented on the quality of Town’s play, and said they have given them a tougher match than they would against one of their Championship counterparts.

Following the draw, it also proves a favourable route to a potential FA Cup quarter-final, but it is a big ‘if’ we are to win the tie in the replay at Turf Moor on Tuesday, considering Burnley’s record at home this season.

However, Ipswich’s performance with a much-changed side showed they are capable of putting up a fight and showcased their quality against a side that is odds on to be a Premier League outfit going into 2023/24. It also raises the question: would Town’s style of play be more suited to the Championship?

The Championship, known to be a league of rough and tumble and ultimately being a slog, has evolved in recent seasons with teams favouring possession-based football to be successful.

The way McKenna has us playing suits the Championship, whereas we have come unstuck against stubborn League One opponents in Lincoln and Cheltenham, due to them holding a low block and Town struggling to play through.

Away from the cup is the importance of the league and it is important we build on our victory over Morecambe with a win at Cambridge tomorrow to ensure we close the gap on Sheffield Wednesday to set up a massive game at Portman Road a week on Saturday.

Cambridge have been tricky opponents for us since being promoted into League One and can be a potential banana skin. But with Harry Clarke coming into the fold, Nathan Broadhead looking like a quality addition and the added confidence of Freddie Ladapo, it appears this time we will have more than enough.