I keep reading on here people saying 'How can Mick McCarthy be happy with just a point away at Peterborough and Huddersfield?'.

Well, to be honest, at the moment, we aren't the team of 1978, 1981, 2000 or even 2006. We are a team low on confidence, trying to grinding out results until the end of the season. These other teams around us are battling away just as much as we are, just for survival.

Mick McCarthy has taken 36 points from the 72 that have been on offer since he took over. With a team like ours, who were rock bottom, that's not a bad return.

You need to realise, we aren't going to win every game we play. We aren't flying high, scoring for fun, or even playing quality football. But when you are in a relegation scrap, the main focus is to keep a clean sheet, and build on that.

We outplayed Peterborough but couldn't get the breakthrough we deserved. But at Huddersfield we were outplayed but ground out a goalless draw, which we could have easily lost. Every team in this division still have something to play for and any team can win any match.

We beat teams like Leicester and Middlesbrough, lose to Bristol city, draw with Peterborough and Huddersfield. So anything can happen. There are going to be ups and downs until the end of the season and I do think in the end a point away to our relegation rivals is a decent result.

If Mick carries on with the same points to games ratio, then we will be fine. Then next season he can get us playing like a proper Mick McCarthy team and I'm sure we will be closer to the play-offs than relegation spots.

Just look at the improvements he has made already this season. He hasn't got a magic wand but he has performed miracles compared to how we was playing in August, September and October. Keep the faith

PimsNumber1 added 15:53 - Mar 13 All true .
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TrueBlue589 added 16:07 - Mar 13 I think with what he has had to put on the pitch each week he has done a good job. agree with everything above. and anyone who wants to moan ! Do you want P.J back ? we are in the fight at least and not rock bottom which is where we would have been. stop moaning on and get behind big mick and the team....
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Johnny_Boy added 16:08 - Mar 13 Couldn't you have just posted this on the Forum? It's certainly not a 'BLOG'. There are ample posts for you to have responded with this.
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NoCanariesAllowed added 16:32 - Mar 13 Must admit I do get a bit tired of people complaining that 'Ipswich Town should not be content with a point at Peterborough/Huddersfield' based on the argument that we wouldn't have settled for those results 11 years ago. Of course we wouldn't have. Because we were in the Premier League back then. We aren't now. None of us like that fact, but that doesn't change the reality that we are among the likes of Peterborough and Huddersfield at the lower end of the 2nd tier now - and as our positional rivals, taking any points off them is a good thing. Times change. Just because one can remember a past time when beating any given team might've seemed a formality, it doesn't mean your side has a God-given right to beat them now. I'm sure Luton Town fans can remember winning league games against Reading and Southampton only 7 years ago but you wouldn't see them moaning about a draw at the Madejski now.

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oldelsworthyfan added 17:15 - Mar 13 Yes Wadey, this is the reality of the situation that MM inherited. His number one achievement has been to tighten up the defence....and that is where agood Manager has to start in this situation. I don't think any Championship side fancies playing against us now. Home or Away. We all know that we need more class up front and with some midfield players who can provide the service like some 'Ipswich greats' did in the past. A fit Wordsworth and Taylor (able to play?) will make a big difference. Once the team reaches safety we all expect MM to be thinking about 'who stays' and 'who goes' and what players he wants to sign. So in the meantime we must be thankful that we are now in there fighting.

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Norwichbeater added 18:01 - Mar 13 I don't totally agree with this blog. Yes I am pleased with MM and he has done a good job so far... However we are very much in a relegation fight. I also believe he is slightly one plan only like his predecessor. The Huddersfield and Peterborough game could have had a change of tactics that gained us more points. I don't believe you can aim for drawing every away game. Great managers can adapt the way they play based on a number of factors including who you are playing against. If we stay up though then fair play to Mick. Job completed for this season. If we don't however people will talk about these games. Letting Scotland go was always going to back fire also.

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AdScHi9678 added 19:45 - Mar 13 I think you mean 2005, not 2006.
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Wickets added 09:24 - Mar 14 Everyone has the right to complain and voice their point of view, i for one have been happy with the improvement under Mick although one or two decisions he has made have made me wonder, McLean for Scotland, ok for long term but short term? Mick did in fact change tactics for the Pboro game we where much more attacking with Dury and Tabb pushing much more foward then our midfield off late, although result was the same.

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Surco72 added 10:20 - Mar 14 Firstly i think there is a big difference between constructive critiscm and having a point of view to complaining . Without doubt MM has tightened up a back four with now proved talent and given them confidence in their own ability ,this can easily be achieved by a new manager coming in as the pressure on him is a lot less than a manager and team on a losing run ( look at what Jewell did to Keanes team when he took over mid way through a season ,same players ?) I think a number of supporters are underestimating how important DJ Campbell was to turning around our fortunes , a regular goalscorer lifts teams no end and MM inherited him from Jewell ,since his departure and the addition of 3 of MM's strikers we struggle to score , is this down to being more defensive minded or less talent up front ? Either way if we cannot score and beat the likes of Peterboro,Bristol City,Barnsley,Huddersfield then at the end of the day you will be at the bottom fighting relegation with them . This league is about finding the one player who has a blinding season who can lift you above the others who are so closely matched ,Adam, Taarabat,Lambert,Holt,Graham,Murray to name a few over the last few seasons

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SouperJim added 11:21 - Mar 15 Agree with everything except "We are a team low on confidence". No we're not, confidence is good. We are 8th in the Mick McCarthy Championship; http://www.twtd.co.uk/league-tables/competition:championship/daterange/fromdate: Anybody complaining at the moment isn't worth listening to.
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statto added 07:13 - Mar 21 Was there in 78, 82, 2000, 06...you got it right Wadey, a healthy dose of realism would go a long way right now. The complainers should get off their Championship/Football Manager games and see the Championship as it is, one hell of a competitive hard-battling league, with not a lot between top and bottom on any given day. Let MM work his magic and see where we are in March 2014. COYB

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