Sam Morsy believes Ipswich Town are ‘beginning to change the narrative of the season’ as they head into two big games.
The Blues’ stuttering start has left them playing catch-up in the League One promotion race, but a run of five wins in their last eight third-tier outings has them back on track and just four points from the play-offs.
The top two are on the agenda over the coming days, with tomorrow’s trip to leaders Plymouth followed by a visit to second-placed Wycombe on Tuesday night.
Heading into those games, skipper Morsy feels his side are moving in the right direction as they slowly but surely put things right on the pitch.
“Slowly, we have to change the narrative of the whole season,” the Town captain said.
“There was certainly a narrative of us conceding late and losing leads but we need to change that. We need to change it to ‘we’re going to score late’ and when we need an equaliser we get that goal, or a winner.
“Slowly, week-by-week, that’s starting to change. If you go back to Shrewsbury (2-1 win), we weren’t at our best and we still managed to win it. That’s what we need to do.
“We’re going to have performances like Doncaster (6-0) and Portsmouth (4-0), which were fantastic, but there will be tight games where we need the mindset of needing to win and finding a way to do it, no matter how badly things are going.”
Town are 10 points behind both Plymouth and Wycombe but, with both to play in the near future as well as the likes of Sunderland, Rotherham and Oxford, Morsy sees the perfect opportunity to climb the table.
“The way we started gave us a huge disadvantage for the season, there’s no doubt about that,” he said.
“For us to be successful this season we’re going to need to go on a really strong run. But it’s going to be great to see where we’re at in the next few games.
“If we are going to climb the table, we’re going to have to go to places and get wins. Because of the position we’re coming from, to move up the table we’re going to need to go to these places and win.
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“If you look at our form recently it’s promotion form. We just have to keep going and keep believing in ourselves. We have a hugely talented squad and an experienced manager.
“The teams are up there are really good teams. This is why we play football.”
Leaders Plymouth are unbeaten since the opening day and, while this is Town’s first look at the Pilgrims this season, Morsy already has experience of facing Ryan Lowe’s team.
“We played against them in pre-season while I was at Middlesbrough and they were really good,” he said.
“We beat them, but they’re one I looked at and thought would do well this season.
“I won’t say the league table doesn’t matter but it’s very early in the season. They’re on a great run and I have a lot of respect for the manager, both as a manager and as a player.
“They will be looking at it as a home game, one they can win, and we have to surprise them.”
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Town will be backed by around 1,500 traveling fans at Home Park, with the Ipswich skipper taken aback by how much support he and his side get, both at Portman Road and on the road.
“I’ve been blow away by it,” Morsy said of the club’s following.
“Up until the last day of the window, I thought I was staying at Middlesbrough so you don’t really have time to invest and look into your new club.
“Usually when you move club, you would be ringing round and doing due diligence, but this one happened so fast.
“The support is nothing short of unbelievable. I remember the Doncaster game, when we were 21st in the league, but the way the fans got behind the players was absolutely incredible.
“A few of the players have discussed it. I was talking to Sone (Aluko) the other day and we were both saying we didn’t realise how big a club this was. You know Ipswich is a big club, but you don’t realise how big it is until you’re here.
“It’s an honour for me to be here. There were a few who were surprised I dropped down a level but I will give everything I can to be successful here.
“The support has been different class and hopefully, as we move up the league, it will just get better and better.”
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