Ipswich Town defender Dara O’Shea believes lessons have been learned from set-piece issues against Manchester United and Nottingham Forest
Dara O’Shea is confident that Ipswich Town have taken lessons from their recent defensive set-piece struggles and stressed that the recent fragility against Manchester United was uncharacteristic.
The Blues had only conceded three league goals from dead-ball situations prior to their trip to Old Trafford for their last league outing, but that figure doubled following the 3-2 defeat to United last Wednesday.
Ryan Yates’ equaliser for Nottingham Forest in Monday’s FA Cup meeting also came when a free-kick was only half-cleared in a tie in which Town ultimately lost out on penalty kicks after a 1-1 draw at the City Ground.
O’Shea believes that Ipswich can take heart from their generally positive record over the course of the season, while also acknowledging the improvements that can be made in light of the last two matches.
“Up until the Manchester United game we’ve been really solid defensively set play wise and it hasn’t really been a problem,” the Town defender said. “You can have games like that where they come and things just aren’t right, but for us it’s taking confidence from how well we’d done up until that point.
“The manager touched on it during the week, we’d rather concede three set plays in one game than three set plays in three different games. It’s important for us to learn from that game against United and push on.
“The Forest game as well is a set-piece too which is disappointing but throughout the season we’ve been so good at them that we’ve just got to get back to that and keep doing what we’re best at in them scenarios and learn from the previous games and what we can improve on.”
Boss Kieran McKenna has struggled to maintain a consistent selection over the last few months due to significant injury problems that have seemingly plagued the Town squad.
Conor Chaplin, Julio Enciso, Wes Burns, Chiedozie Ogbene, Kalvin Phillips and Christian Walton are among the names who have been unavailable for selection recently, while Sammie Szmodics is set to undergo surgery on an ankle problem.
O’Shea admitted the challenges the Blues have faced with availability has been difficult and added that Szmodics’s latest setback is particularly unfortunate.
“It’s not easy when you’ve got players coming in and out,” he said. “You’d like to have everyone fit and available and making your choice off that for selection.
“But every team in the Premier League has these problems, it’s just been a bit like this for us in recent weeks and we’re feeling it a bit more.
“As a defender you want to play with people consistently to build that relationship, but in our squad we’ve got almost two players in every position that are really good players, are comfortable and able to come in at any time.
“It’s about keeping everybody fit and available and giving them the best opportunity to come in and put performances in.
“Sammie’s been great for us this season and it’s disappointing for him to have to go and get an operation on himself now. I’m hoping Sammie will get back to where he was as quickly as possible and can help us in whatever way.”
O’Shea has spent a period of this season managing an injury of his own to his back, although the 26-year-old, who has started every league match since his debut in September, was able to play through the problem.
He said: “Pain free thankfully for a little while now which has been great. As a footballer you’re never really pain free as such but having that back injury was a tough moment for me. It wasn’t easy but I’m glad I’m the other end of it now and I’m looking forward.”
A significant blow in the Blues’ defensive unit is the injury suffered to Axel Tuanzebe on Monday when he was forced to be withdrawn at half-time where O’Shea was his replacement.
While O’Shea has been one of Town’s positive performers this season, the Republic of Ireland international may find himself rotating between his natural position in the centre of defence and the hybrid right-sided role that Tuanzebe often operates.
“Whenever Axel doesn’t play he’s a massive miss to us,” O’Shea said. “Every time he’s played this season he’s put a great shift in. He’s really steady in that position and offers us a lot going forward and defensively too.
“It’s quite a big position for us as a team with the way we play and shift the back four. He’ll be disappointed with the games he’s only been available for this season but a lot is out of his control and it’s been disappointing.
“He's a really experienced player and he’s quick and strong too so it’s nice for me to play alongside them.
“As long as I play I’m happy. I wouldn’t say I enjoy it as much as I do playing centre-back but I’m still able to play there, that’s where I broke through at West Brom so I’m familiar to that position.
“But if you had to give me a choice I’d choose centre-half all day long. If there’s a problem there and I need to play there then I’ll play there no problem whatsoever.
“I still enjoy playing there but centre-half is my preferred position.”
Reflecting further on Monday’s FA Cup defeat to Nottingham Forest, O’Shea added: “They’re the worst way to lose games on penalties when it’s like that. But after the game there was immense pride in the dressing room from the lads having showed how hard we had to work in that game.
“One hundred and 20 minutes and then to lose on penalties, in a way it can almost bring you closer together because you’re in the trenches there, it’s tough and lads are having to dig in.
“A lot of lads who maybe haven’t played as much as they’d have liked to this season came in and put a massive shift in which is important for them.
“We’re still positive after the game, obviously we’d have loved to go through and win the penalty shootout, but it wasn’t to be on the day so we’re moving forward from it now.
“I think we have competed with a lot of [the top four] throughout the season. There’s been a few games that have got away from us and we understand how that happened, but in lots of games we’ve been there or thereabouts and we’re making it difficult for teams.
“The next part for us is turning them games into results and kicking ourselves on a bit.”
