It’s been a brutal but encouraging start to life in the Premier League this season for Ipswich Town.
Kieran McKenna’s side have had to play the likes of Manchester City, Liverpool, Aston Villa and Brighton & Hove Albion, all within their first nine games, and while they are yet to pick up a win, four draws suggest that they could still stay in the division.
Moreover, there are a number of players who have looked impressive so far this season, including one regular starter who could just develop into McKenna’s own Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Ipswich's best players so far
Okay, so before we get to the player in question, let’s look at some of the team’s best performers so far this season, and while there are several names to pick from, one stands out above the rest: Liam Delap.
The former Manchester City prospect didn’t have the easiest of starts in Suffolk, scoring just once in his first five league games, but in the last four matches, he’s found the back of the net on four occasions and looks like one of the most in form strikers in the league.
Likewise, Conor Chaplin has looked good in moments so far, scoring in the League Cup and picking up an assist in the game against Brentford, for which he was also named captain.
However, arguably the best player on the pitch for the Tractor Boys on Saturday was someone making his first Premier League start: George Hirst.
The former Leicester City forward tore the Bees apart in the first half, scoring and assisting a goal in what should have been a match-winning performance had Harry Clarke not had one of the worst performances of his career.
With all that said, there is another Ipswich star who has carried on his stellar form from last season and someone who could be compared to Alexander-Arnold.
Why Leif Davis could be McKenna's Alexander-Arnold
Yes, the player in question is, of course, English full-back Leif Davis.
Now, before the pitchforks and torches come out, no, we are not suggesting for even a minute that Davis is as good as, or can become as good as, Alexander-Arnold, but there are some undeniable similarities between the two.
The main one is that both are incredibly attack-minded full-backs who like to maraud forward, hassle opposing defenders, and create chances for their teammates.
For example, according to FBref, which compares players in similar positions in the Premier League, the Liverpool star is the fifth most similar full-back to the Ipswich man in the league.
Don’t just take their word for it, though, as according to the Premier League, the Blues’ creative “animal”, as dubbed by Scott Parker, has produced six big chances in the league this season, one more than the Reds star.
Appearances
46
44
9
Goals
3
2
0
Assists
14
21
2
Goal Involvements per Match
0.36
0.52
0.22
Lastly, the former Leeds United ace has shown the fans how creative he can be in the past, as he ended last season with an outrageous tally of 21 assists in 44 games, and the season before that, he racked up 14 in 46 appearances.
Ultimately, Ipswich are going to have to battle to stay up this year, but with players like Delap, Chaplin and Hirst in attack and the sensational Davis creating countless chances from the full-back position, they have a chance.
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