Bartosz Bialkowski has revealed he isn’t surprised by Ipswich’s start to the season.
Millwall keeper Bartosz Bialkowski has admitted he hasn’t been surprised by Ipswich Town’s excellent start to the season, as he always thought they could be in the mix for promotion this season.
Kieran McKenna’s side only returned to the Championship this summer, but they have adapted to life back in the second tier with ease, winning seven of their first eight games to sit second in the table.
As well as that, the Tractor Boys beat Premier League Wolves in the League Cup in the week, despite making ten changes to the starting XI. So, they are in a good place as they look to make it back-to-back promotions.
The 36-year-old was arguably at his peak during his time at Portman Road, with his excellent displays making him a firm favourite among the supporters.
That makes Bialkowski well positioned to discuss Ipswich, and he explained to South London Press that he knew McKenna’s side had quality.
“I said when they got promoted that they were going to be the dark horses. I watched them play last season. It is probably easier for them to play in the Championship than it was in League One.
“Credit to them and their manager, they are playing really good football and scoring goals. I’m really looking forward to that game – I’ve played a few friendlies against them before but not a proper match. It’s a long season, it will be interesting to see if they can keep it up.”
It’s fair to say the tag of dark horses no longer applies to Ipswich, as they have settled brilliantly back in the Championship, and they haven’t fluked their way to the top.
Whether they need to grind out a win, like they have done away from home on several occasions, or outscore opponents, which has happened regularly at Portman Road, Ipswich have shown they can mix it up, and there’s a lot to like about how they play.
The win over Wolves highlighted the strength in depth, and there is a real momentum behind the Suffolk side right now, which they will want to build on at Huddersfield on Saturday.
Of course, Bialkowski’s only concern right now is Millwall, and he will want to build on successive clean sheets after winning his place back in the XI.
It has been a mixed season so far for the Lions, but they are in a decent position, sitting two points away from the top six, knowing there is still plenty of room for improvement.
With games against Swansea and Hull at home, and a trip to Plymouth sandwiched in between, ahead of the international break, Gary Rowett will want his side to pick up a few wins and to build momentum.