Issa Diop feels Ipswich Town have plenty for which to build on after returning empty-handed from Manchester City following Saturday’s thrilling 3-2 defeat at the Etihad Stadium. The Blues battled the Premier League giants to the last and returned home with a spring in their step after keeping pace with one of the division’s premier outfits for lengthy spells of the contest.

While Erling Haaland’s brace ultimately proved decisive, Town once again displayed the fighting spirit which has become the hallmark of their campaign under Gary O’Neil. For Diop, there was bitterness at Saturday’s result, but also acceptance that it included plenty of positives for the Blues.

Better After the Break

While Manchester City bossed plenty of the first half and took a 2-1 lead into the break despite Daizen Maeda’s rapid-fire equaliser, the Blues remained involved in the contest until the very end. As much as Diop felt the opening 45 minutes fell short of the standards expected of his side, he was keen to speak of a significant leap in class after the break as Town became more composed, while posing a greater attacking threat.

“Our first half wasn’t as good as we wanted. But then we came back better in the second half and I think we showed a better face. Unfortunately we couldn’t get back on the scoresheet and get points.

“We know the quality they have. They have big players, they’re on top of the league for many years, so we knew what to expect today. We did alright, we could have done better, but now it’s too late, so we focus on the Friday game.”

Plenty To Learn From

Defeat inevitably meant some frustrations would surface in the changing room, but Diop feels Town’s performance deserves to be viewed from the perspective of how well they did against the leaders of England’s top flight.

While O’Neil and his players have lost twice in the last three matches, they came within touching distance of a shock win at the Etihad and deserve credit for giving Manchester City some headaches in the process.

The defender revealed that the gaffer made the appropriate comments to his players after full-time.

“I think it’s a bit of both. When you lose a game, straight after you’re always frustrated and sad. But when we’re going to have a look at it, we’re going to see stuff that we did well. There’s always good stuff to take from the game like that, especially against a team like this and I think we can work on it.”

“He was obviously disappointed with the result, but he was happy with the second half we predicted. The face that we showed in the second half was better and he was happy with that. We have some good stuff to take from this game for the ones coming.”

Town’s performance again highlighted their determination not to be beaten down by Premier League opposition – a characteristic that has become increasingly consistent during the opening weeks of the season.

Character Continues To Shine Through

One of Town’s defining characteristics this season has been their ability to bounce back in the face of adversity. Three of their six victories have been recorded thanks to late goals, while they continued offering competition against City until the final whistle, despite spending much of the afternoon behind in the tie.

Diop feels it’s an attitude born both of the characters in the squad and the culture being fostered by O’Neil.

“It’s the group mentality. We have good players and a good mentality. Also the gaffer, it’s something that he wants to put in the group, stay together until the end. I think we showed some resilience in some of the games. We’ve scored some late goals, and I think we’re going to score more. If we can score early goals also, it’s better, it’s a good group.”

Those comments will be welcomed by supporters who have already seen their side battle until the final whistle on numerous occasions this season.

Tactical Change Felt Natural

One of the major talking points before kick-off was O’Neil’s decision to switch to a back five. With Jacob Greaves joining Diop and Dara O’Shea in defence, the Blues altered their shape to deal with Manchester City’s attacking threats.

From the outside, it appeared to be a significant tactical adjustment. For Diop, it felt anything but.

“It was okay. Most of the players have already played in a back five before, so it was just some small adjustments to do. It wasn’t something really different, because we’ve all played before in a back five, so it was just small adjustments.”

The change certainly helped keep Town competitive throughout the contest and may be a system O’Neil revisits in future matches against elite opposition.

Forest up Next

There’s simply no chance for the Blues to waste any time dwelling on what could have been at the start of the weekend’s fixtures. On Friday night, Nottingham Forest travel to Portman Road to face Ipswich as they build on an encouraging start to their season.

Ipswich remain on nine points, already having battled with some of the country’s best teams, and are keen to prove more than capable competitors when they host Forest on Friday.

“We’re looking forward to getting back at Portman Road against Forest. It’s going to be another tough game, and we’re ready to play on Friday.”

While the result at Manchester City may not have gone their way, the performance offered another reminder that this Ipswich Town side is growing in confidence. And if they can replicate their second-half display against Nottingham Forest, there is every reason to believe more points will follow.