Paul Merson's comments

[hallamblue]

Paul Merson has commented ( below) on how McKenna has got Town playing in the PL this season, criticising our approach and that thus us one of the main reasons we are relegated.

What do people feel about this pundit's comments, does he have a point, or is he way off beam?




Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson, says Ipswich Town approached the Premier League in the wrong way.

'Don't play like that... it's not the way' - Pundit Merson on why Town were relegated


28th Apr, 2025 04:30 PM

Pundit Paul Merson says Ipswich Town approached the Premier League in the wrong way - suggesting their players weren't good enough for Kieran McKenna's style of play.

Speaking on Sky Sports in the wake of Town's relegation, Merson - who had a lengthy career in the game at the likes of Arsenal, Middlesbrough and Aston Villa - lamented Town's approach.

Ipswich Town were relegated on Saturday - Paul Merson says their players weren't good enough for Kieran McKenna's style of play.  “Just not good enough, it’s as simple as that," he opined. "There’s such a gulf between the Championship and the Premier League, and then the last two games having players sent off and going down to ten men…

“I think there’s games where they’ve been unlucky, like when they were up against Villa, but then all of a sudden Wolves went on that run.

“I felt they were always in it from January, always had a bit of a chance and now come the end of April they’ve been blown away really – it looks like it was over a long time ago.

“But yeah, I just don’t think they’re good enough. They tried to play… this is what I don’t understand when teams come up, they’ve got to mix it up.

“Because of this new Pep Guardiola way, everybody thinks they’ve got to play it – he plays like that, Arsenal play like that and Liverpool play like that because they’ve got top, top drawer players.

“If you haven’t got top, top drawer players, don’t play like that.”

Paul Merson, left, says newly-promoted sides have to be more pragmatic. He added: “That’s the thing for me. These managers come in and get the players playing like that, and they’re not good enough.

“You’ve got to remember – and this is no disrespect to a lot of these teams – but the worst players on the pitch usually are the centre-halves, they’re the lesser ball players, unless you’re a (Virgil) Van Dijk or someone like that.

“And they’re touching the ball more than anyone else, in their own box, and there’s just pressure on them.”

Merson continued: “I think everybody now has swallowed a manual and it’s like Total Soccer – and that’s not the way.

"You’ve got to keep these teams up, these fans live the dream, get the ball up the other end and make teams work to score goals, stop giving goals away.”

This season is the second in a row where the three promoted sides have gone straight back down to the Championship.

Asked what newly-promoted sides have to do to stay up against the odds, Merson was adamant.

Merson thinks Town are still in a good place. He insisted: “Get the ball away from your goal and make teams beat you by scoring goals, not through mistake after mistake.

“I think you come up and you’ve got to have in your head – even a big club like Leeds, who are a big club in the Premier League – you’ve got to come up and think ‘17th, 17th, 17th.’ That’s all you’ve got to think.

“Don’t think ‘oh look where Forest are, we can do what they’ve done' or what Brentford have done or what Leicester did a few years ago… no, get 17th and that gives you another £100 million, that gives you another player or two or three who you can buy, top drawer players, and then another year.

“And then before you know it, in three years’ time, you’re going to be a Brentford, middle of the table, you’re going to be safe, playing good football and you’re going to have fans enjoying their football.

“That’s what you’ve got to do. But at the moment you’ve got everybody going up and then down.”

When it was suggested to him Town's story - two straight promotions from League One - was a special one, Merson conceded that the Blues are still in a good place.

“Oh they’ll come back up," he said. "They’re good Championship players, a lot of them.

“I think Delap will go, but…

“I think that story will continue. I think the players that they bought were just not quite good enough for the Premier League, but are too good for the Championship.

“This is not a team that, when we come back in August, it’s been dismantled. It will be virtually the same team.

“For me I think they’ll be alright next season.”

[The Odious Mr Rossi]

I've been saying all season that KM has swallowed a coaching manual and knows only one way to play - the Pep Guardiola way. And of course, the players he has had at his disposal were unable to play that way. KM should have realised this (maybe he did) and adapted the style and tactics but he was seemingly unable to do this because he is quite limited in what he knows.
I did watch Merson's comments on MOTD - was refreshing to learn that it's not just my opinion that KMs lack of flexibility is a big factor in why we've gone straight down.

[Bluemike]

100% spot on

[shabba]

I think you can't win either way with the way you play, the gap is just massive between the PL sides and those coming up.

I'd like to see someone come up and be ultra defensive, try and use the forest counter method tactic, but you need players able to do that, i.e real quality in the forward areas - players who can take chances and out perform XG etc.
You also need a rock solid defense - which is really hard, if you conceed 25 shots you're likely to let in 1 or 2 goals.

Burnley will be interesting as they seem to have built their championship success on defense, 15 goals let in all season I think.

I just feel any club coming up now will need a mix of incredible recruitment, outstanding tactics level, insane work ethic, and some luck - plus 1 established PL team to have a really bad season - in order to stay up. That is a tall ask.

[ITFC2024]

I think if you went back and read forum comments over the season, you’ll find many of us echoing Merson’s comments. I remember a conversation specifically when we discussed the philosophy vs players that could execute.

I’ve already mentioned Burnley in another thread, and I’m anxious to see how their defense works out in the PL.

For me, the midfield is probably the most important aspect of team strategy whether it’s attacking or defending. To be successful with a 4-2-3-1 you need skillful and athletic players in the midfield or the system just doesn’t work. You also need competent defenders and goal keepers who are comfortable with ball distribution or it’s a recipe for failure. Yes, KM should have recognized that and made adjustments for the players we have.

[shabba]

Yeah regarding midfield I’d like to see us try 433 if we had the players for it, as seems alot of teams have success with that formation - especially against us!

[The Odious Mr Rossi]

I think you can't win either way with the way you play, the gap is just massive between the PL sides and those coming up.

I'd like to see someone come up and be ultra defensive, try and use the forest counter method tactic, but you need players able to do that, i.e real quality in the forward areas - players who can take chances and out perform XG etc.
You also need a rock solid defense - which is really hard, if you conceed 25 shots you're likely to let in 1 or 2 goals.

Burnley will be interesting as they seem to have built their championship success on defense, 15 goals let in all season I think.

I just feel any club coming up now will need a mix of incredible recruitment, outstanding tactics level, insane work ethic, and some luck - plus 1 established PL team to have a really bad season - in order to stay up. That is a tall ask.

Just because for the last 2 seasons the three promoted teams have gone straight back down doesn't mean it's set in stone. I'm betting that Leeds will stay up next season.

[shabba]

I think you can't win either way with the way you play, the gap is just massive between the PL sides and those coming up.

I'd like to see someone come up and be ultra defensive, try and use the forest counter method tactic, but you need players able to do that, i.e real quality in the forward areas - players who can take chances and out perform XG etc.
You also need a rock solid defense - which is really hard, if you conceed 25 shots you're likely to let in 1 or 2 goals.

Burnley will be interesting as they seem to have built their championship success on defense, 15 goals let in all season I think.

I just feel any club coming up now will need a mix of incredible recruitment, outstanding tactics level, insane work ethic, and some luck - plus 1 established PL team to have a really bad season - in order to stay up. That is a tall ask.

Just because for the last 2 seasons the three promoted teams have gone straight back down doesn't mean it's set in stone. I'm betting that Leeds will stay up next season.

I'd genuinely bet they won't stay up. IMO Burnley have the best chance but I'd imagine all 3 will go down.

Time will tell who is right.

[Bluemike]

I'm thinking Leeds too if I'm honest, even they will only do it by the tightest of margins if they achieve it at all.

[Blue Wilf]

I have no particular love of Paul Merson whatsoever but what he says in this instance is generally correct in my opinion. However, if the payers were never good enough (probably true), surely it is the fault of KMc not to have acknowledged that and played a different system. The fault lies mainly with the manager, not the players who implement what he tells them to. We will never know really as KMc now has a season of experience at PL level so whether he approaches it again, with a team of better players (if he moves on) or us in a season or two's time, we won't be able to compare like for like.

[shabba]

I have no particular love of Paul Merson whatsoever but what he says in this instance is generally correct in my opinion. However, if the payers were never good enough (probably true), surely it is the fault of KMc not to have acknowledged that and played a different system. The fault lies mainly with the manager, not the players who implement what he tells them to. We will never know really as KMc now has a season of experience at PL level so whether he approaches it again, with a team of better players (if he moves on) or us in a season or two's time, we won't be able to compare like for like.

But if players aren’t good enough and You can’t get ones that are - surely it’s almost impossible? How do you somehow make players who are worse than 17 other squads players outperform them consistently over a season?

Not saying it can’t be done but it must be extremely hard going. You can use any system or tactics you want but it’s still 11 v 11 (mostly - let’s not discuss towns last two games haha).

[ITFC2024]

If you’re constantly getting beaten down the wings, I think adjustments should be made. Do we have the players to do that? Probably not, but a change in tactics is worth a try…don’t you think? And if you’re depending on your forwards to outscore the opponents, and they’re not scoring enough…maybe an adjustment in the form of playing Delap and Hirst together could help to create a few more goals?

I know we’ve debated this all season. Bluewilf was certainly the forerunner for questioning KM’s lack of ability to adjust. I’d really like to hear KM comment on what Merson has said.

[shabba]

We did change formation, it worked for some games and not others. Teams very quickly sus you out in the prem - it’s full of top managers/tacticians.

I just feel it’s harsh to criticise when the squad has been very much up against it. We have outperformed the two clubs who came up with us. Who were well ahead of us in many ways at the stay of last season in the championship- yet most would say we have pulled a little ahead of them now.

Of course some things could have been done better, but it really could have also been a lot worse. I generally don’t think there are many managers who would have done better than KM with the squad we have.

[marko69]

I’d really like to hear KM comment on what Merson has said.

Would imagine KMcK would ask M-erse if he gained all of his wisdom & knowledge “about football management” @ Walsall.

[ITFC2024]

I’d really like to hear KM comment on what Merson has said.

Would imagine KMcK would ask M-erse if he gained all of his wisdom & knowledge “about football management” @ Walsall.

Yeah that’s fair Marko. I’d still like to hear KM’s comments addressing the criticism; it could be educational.

Anyway Shabba, maybe it is a bit harsh. I just don’t think the changes really solved any problems, and it took way too long. Playing out from the back should have been adjusted much sooner.

Hate to say it, but many Championship managers will have figured us out. So next season tactics will need to be changed if it’s not working.

[shabba]

Tricky as I’ve seen teams not play out and they just give the ball away and are back under pressure again within seconds. It’s like when we played with ten men the last two games, we literally had no outlet and just kept being under massive pressure.

Bloody hard this premier league lark!

[Blue Wilf]

I have no particular love of Paul Merson whatsoever but what he says in this instance is generally correct in my opinion. However, if the payers were never good enough (probably true), surely it is the fault of KMc not to have acknowledged that and played a different system. The fault lies mainly with the manager, not the players who implement what he tells them to. We will never know really as KMc now has a season of experience at PL level so whether he approaches it again, with a team of better players (if he moves on) or us in a season or two's time, we won't be able to compare like for like.

But if players aren’t good enough and You can’t get ones that are - surely it’s almost impossible? How do you somehow make players who are worse than 17 other squads players outperform them consistently over a season?

Not saying it can’t be done but it must be extremely hard going. You can use any system or tactics you want but it’s still 11 v 11 (mostly - let’s not discuss towns last two games haha).

Clearly, it is very difficult but that's why you get paid £5M a year - to work it out!!! Tactics play a huge part in games and KM got them wrong regularly. That is his failing. If your left back (that you insist on playing) is a sh*t defender then why allow him to be in the opposition penalty box trying to attack when we are already winning???