Speaking on Sky Sports in the wake of Town's relegation, Merson took aim at McKenna’s tactics and how his side are not suited to play the same style as top sides such as Manchester City or Liverpool.
“They tried to play. This is what I don’t understand when teams come up, they’ve got to mix it up.
“Because of this new Pep Guardiola way, everybody thinks they’ve got to play it – he plays like that, Arsenal play like that and Liverpool play like that because they’ve got top, top drawer players. If you haven’t got top, top drawer players, don’t play like that.”
McKenna's side cannot be labeled
Asked about Merson’s comments, McKenna suggested that it is easy to label his side despite their tactical awareness and shift in style throughout the season.
“It doesn't overly concern me because there are lots of people who have to give an opinion on football and I'm pretty sure they don't have the time to watch every game on a team.
“So it's always easier if people feel that they can put a label on a team and this is why when something's gone wrong, and I've said many times if there was one aspect of why this season has been a challenge, I'd like to think we're smart enough to have solved it.
“So it's easy to put a label on a team, and when you're a newly promoted team, and you concede more goals than what you want, it's easy to put the label and say that they play too open.
“I think the reality is we've been very, very adaptable this year, our style of play, we've tried to keep our most positive elements but we've been nowhere near as attacking or as open or as dominant in our play as what we have been in the last two divisions and we've had to try and be adaptable while still trying to keep some of the core elements that make us successful.”
Ipswich will bounce back
Relegation was confirmed following the Blues’ 3-0 loss at Newcastle last weekend as McKenna’s side who climbed the English football pyramid were finally knocked down. McKenna continued and stated that he will reflect on the disappointing season and comeback stronger in the new campaign.
“If people really look at the background of the group and where the players have come from, look at the journey that they've been on and then how they competed against Newcastle last week or an Arsenal the week before and say that's about playing style, I would disagree on that.
“We'll reflect on everything as the season ends and I'm sure there will be things we can do better.
“But certainly I'm very, very confident that there won't be one reason at the end of it and to try and label one reason why a team in our position has struggled to win games in this league this season is not the right approach.”