Ipswich Impress in Berlin as O’Neil Prepares for Premier League

Ipswich’s pre-season ended with a performance that felt more like a statement than a tune-up.

They beat Union Berlin 4-2 in the German capital, recovering from an early setback, ripping through their hosts with a three-goal burst before half-time, then calmly killing the contest after a brief wobble. For a side about to step back into the Premier League, it was exactly the kind of afternoon Gary O’Neil would have wanted.

Early blow, sharp response

Ipswich started slowly and were punished. Union struck first on nine minutes, Zeno van den Bosch reacting quickest to a short free-kick routine and drilling in from close range. The visitors had been hesitant, second to loose balls, still feeling their way into the game. One lapse, one goal down.

The response was sharp and ruthless.

Seven minutes later, Leif Davis darted down the left and cut the ball back with precision. Jack Clarke arrived right on cue, opening his body and steering a composed finish into the net. One chance, one equaliser, and suddenly Ipswich had a foothold.

From there, the tempo changed. Ipswich began to find angles, to press with more conviction, to play with a little swagger. On 40 minutes, they turned the game on its head. Sindre Walle Egeli flicked on a ball into the box and Emersonn, alert and alive to the moment, pounced from close range to make it 2-1.

Union barely had time to regroup before Ipswich struck again.

Deep into first-half stoppage time, skipper Dara O’Shea stepped forward from the right and unleashed a thumping drive from the edge of the area. The ball screamed into the top-left corner. A full-back on the teamsheet, a centre-half at heart, finishing like a No.10. Ipswich went in 3-1 up, their best spell of the game rewarded with three goals in 29 minutes.

Union respond, Ipswich finish the job

Union Berlin weren’t done. On 53 minutes, Josip Juranovic spotted Kjell Scherpen advancing and showed real composure, lifting the ball delicately over the Ipswich goalkeeper to drag the hosts back into it at 3-2. A reminder that lapses at this level get punished.

But Ipswich didn’t fold. They managed the next phase, tightened up, and waited for their chance.

It came on 78 minutes, courtesy of two substitutes. Anis Mehmeti worked space on the flank and whipped in a teasing cross. Kasey McAteer, fresh from the bench, arrived to meet it first time and guided his finish home. Clinical. That made it 4-2 and, realistically, ended the contest.

In front of 12,421 spectators, Ipswich had not dominated every minute. They didn’t need to. They showed they could absorb, adjust and then strike with quality.

O’Shea’s new brief on the right

One of the most intriguing subplots of the afternoon came before kick-off. O’Shea again lined up at right-back in a 4-2-3-1, with Darnell Furlong and Ben Johnson both named among the substitutes.

It’s not a one-off experiment. O’Neil used the same idea against Rayo Vallecano, and repeating it here, in the final friendly before the season, felt significant. It looks less like a trial and more like a plan.

The logic is obvious: this shape allows O’Neil to squeeze his captain into the same back line as Issa Diop and Jacob Greaves, without sacrificing balance. If Ipswich do move for another right-back – Abdoul Ouattara’s expected arrival from Strasbourg is one obvious route – the picture could change. Furlong, too, has the pedigree to fight his way back into the XI.

For now, though, O’Shea is the man in possession. He prefers playing centrally and has said as much, but his personality and professionalism mean he’ll accept the role if it serves the team. Here, it gave him licence to step forward more often, and he took full advantage with that thunderous goal from the edge of the box.

Expect to see him in the same slot when Sunderland visit Portman Road.

Clarke in the No.10 – and everywhere else

Clarke provided the other big tactical note. He started as the No.10, operating behind Emersonn, rather than out wide.

It’s not entirely new. He filled that role at times last season and has already done so under O’Neil this summer. But again, the timing matters. To use him there in the final warm-up game suggests this is a genuine option, not a pre-season whim.

Julio Enciso is still expected to be the long-term first choice in that central pocket once his return is finalised. Daizen Maeda looks locked in on the left, with Jaden Philogene back in the mix as well. Clarke’s ability to slide between roles – wide or central – suddenly looks invaluable.

Here, he underlined his form. He finished calmly from Davis’ cutback for the equaliser, then later delivered a superb cross from the right for Emersonn’s goal. Sharp, busy, and influential. His pre-season hasn’t just been productive; it’s been persuasive.

Where he starts when the real stuff begins is one of the more intriguing selection calls O’Neil faces.

Philogene back in blue

Philogene’s summer has been noisy. Rumours, speculation, talk of a move. Yet, as it stands, Ipswich have not received a single formal offer for him.

Injured for most of pre-season with a hamstring issue, the winger has still stayed close to the group, working at Playford Road and travelling with the squad to Germany. Here, he began on the bench but replaced Maeda at half-time.

He looked like a player keen to remind everyone what he can do: sharp feet, tricks, little bursts of acceleration, a couple of efforts on goal. The end product wasn’t quite there and he struggled to fully bend the game to his will down the left, but after weeks out, the important thing was minutes in the legs and the sight of him back in an Ipswich shirt.

Where he’ll be playing his football by the end of the window is an open question. For now, with a week to go until the Premier League returns to Portman Road, his presence in the squad feels like a significant boost.

Signs of growth – and a few warnings

Strip away the scoreline and the pattern of Ipswich’s pre-season becomes clear. It started slowly as players built fitness and new signings settled. The last two friendlies, though, have raised the level. This win in Berlin was another step up.

Ipswich never truly strangled the game. Their most dominant spell was that first-half burst when they scored three times. But even outside that window, they did something equally important: they kept a Bundesliga side largely at arm’s length in their own stadium.

That matters, even in a friendly.

There were standout performances. Clarke and Walle Egeli both impressed, Emersonn took his goal well, and debutant Sasa Lukic looked assured in midfield. The starting XI, as a unit, showed structure and understanding.

Not everything was perfect. The first goal came from a switched-off moment at a quick free-kick. The second arrived when the back line lost concentration again. Scherpen won’t enjoy watching either concession back, though he was far from the only one at fault.

Those are the kind of lapses that get punished ruthlessly in the Premier League. O’Neil has a week on the training pitch to hammer them out.

Ready for the real thing?

Seven pre-season games that fans could watch. Four wins, one draw, two defeats. A gradual climb in intensity and cohesion. Players beginning to look fully conditioned and comfortable with O’Neil’s tactical and physical demands.

All of that is encouraging. None of it guarantees anything.

The Premier League is unforgiving. Ipswich know that as well as anyone. Are they ready to take it on again?

Sunderland’s visit to Suffolk next Saturday will give the first real answer.