Town boss Mick McCarthy admitted that his side didn’t play particularly well in their 3-0 home defeat to Brighton, but was happy with the seven points his team has picked up over the Christmas period.

He said: “We’ve not played particularly well, I think we played a good team, but I would have taken seven points from the games we were having.

“I always see the big picture, I was brought in to keep the club in the league and get points and that’s what we’ve done.

“I admire the players, the way they’ve gone about their business. I think they’ve been amazing and to have got us 30 points by January 1st, I think is terrific.

“Then we lose a game, so what does that mean? That we’re all suddenly bad guys and bad players? Not at all, it doesn’t and I’ve said that to them.

“I think they’ve been remarkable, I think it’s been a great turnaround, we’ve got ourselves in a good position, but we’ve lost to a good team.

“We haven’t played particularly well, but perhaps we should give them some credit for playing well and for looking a bit fresher than us.”

While the festive fixtures threw up the occasional odd result, McCarthy says today’s loss might not have been a great shock: “It’s a strange league but is this such a strange result? Brighton were a team which has been pushing for the top six.

“We’ve been away at Charlton and at Wolves, put a real shift in and we got done. It was one of those days unfortunately.

“Some of the bounces [didn't go our way]. Someone tried to clear one at the end of the game and he made a right hash of it, it hit one of our players and went for a throw to them and I just laughed, I thought it kind of summed the day up.”

He felt the first goal was crucial: “We conceded from a corner, which was disappointing because it was unnecessary. I think they got a bit of a block on Guirane and [Dean Hammond] got a free run, but that’s part of the game, they’ve worked something from the corner.

“I think when they scored it took something out of our legs. We just didn’t have the pass or the final cross. For whatever reason, I’ve no idea, it wasn’t our day.”

McCarthy admitted that Brighton having had one game fewer over the Christmas period had an effect and that he might have made more changes to his side: “I think it probably did, but if you look at the bench there aren’t that many places I’m going to freshen it up really, are there?

“But then, it’s always the same, the team’s winning, we’ve had the same team for five games, they played great, they’d won two away.

"If I’d changed it and we’d got beaten I’d be wondering about it. If I don’t change it and we get beaten I’d be wondering about it, so it’s getting beaten that’s the problem.”

McCarthy, who will be looking to add to those options during the transfer window, spoke to loan striker DJ Campbell, who returns to QPR tomorrow, as he left the pitch at the end of the game: “I was thanking him for his efforts, he’s been terrific, he’s been a really good player for us and he’s a really good fella.

“I’d like to take him back, but he’s got to go back to QPR and they’ll take a look at him and decide what they’re going to do."

Midfielder Andy Drury missed the game due to illness and McCarthy doesn't yet know whether the former Luton man will be available for Saturday’s FA Cup tie at Aston Villa: “I think he’s got a bit of a virus, it depends what it does to him and whether it takes it out of him.”

Brighton boss Gus Poyet was asked whether it was a comfortable victory for his side: “I think it was a much-needed win, comfortable because of the goals. A few weeks ago we had 27 shots, 17 on target and we scored one goal.

“Today we hit the target three times and we scored three. Is that normal? No, but every now and then it happens in football and that’s the difference in this division.

“I have been watching Ipswich and they’ve been very good, clinical without being exceptionally good or on top of the game. They were winning games because they were scoring at the right time.

“We didn’t for so long, and today something happened. I don’t know it if it’s God or luck or the new year, everything went our way.

“So, without being very good, we were clinical today. Comfortable? In the end, the last five minutes, yes. A good day.”

He says his players weren’t happy with the Portman Road pitch: “We needed to adapt because the players came back from the warm-up and they were not very happy with the surface in terms of the ball running properly. It was a bit bumpy and, as you know, we need to pitch to be nice and sometimes you need to adapt.”

However, he stressed he wasn’t being critical of the Town groundstaff: “I’m not going to blame the groundsman, I’m just saying it was because they made it very flat, very, very flat, it was really firm and flat and it became a little bit bumpy and the ball didn’t really roll because there’s not enough grass at the moment.

“It’s flat but not full of grass when the ball can roll on the top. It’s like when you sometimes play on Astroturf, you pass the ball on the floor and for some reason the ball jumps.

“That happened a little bit today, for both teams, it’s not an excuse. You need to adapt to that and we’re not a great team at adapting to those situations.”

Photo: Action Images

afrodids added 23:52 - Jan 1 Disappointing result today which shows the mamouth task MM has on his hands. I thought the back 4 played reasonably well Smith being the stand out player of the back 4.and vastly improved. N'daw played well also, Martin for all his running and hard work has no end product,Henderson was for me shocking at fault for the 3rd goal and tbh should have done better with the 2nd too. poor distribution and does not command his area enough for me.I thought Edwards looked tired. we seems to play a lot of football and not really go anywhere. I have said this before we do not pass the quick enough but that is no surprise with NRC in midfield who does he think he is Paul Scholes he just floats around midfield like a turd that just won't flush. No energy at all. I can see why MM likes him he plays it simple other than that not much else."holding midfield player" couldn't hold a hold button on a fruit machine! The front two were pretty static but to be fare didn't really get a lot of service. too many hoof balls into them really. One thing I didn't quite understand were the substitutions especially n'daw instead of NRC and putting on chops and Scotland left me a little bemused to say the least. Anyhow that's my rant over. it's only one game I know however due to serious lack of funds I don't get to many. I trust MM to keep us up and tbh that's all I expect now for this season. We have some good players in and amongst the team so it's now upto MM to put his own mark on the side during the transfer window and go from there. onwards and upwards

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WorcesterBlue added 00:13 - Jan 2 From both games this week it is clear the squad is in a correct league position and MM has a big job on his hands. Reo-Coker and Henderson are poor and should be let go and I've seen nothing to suggest why Edwards is in the team let alone as Captain (I thought wingers took players on and got crosses in -Martin certainly does!). Defence ok as are N'Daw and Murph. It's all very slow and predictable and other than Martin and occasionally Drury there is no drive or creativity. However we've picked up, we're trying to play football and Mick is no mug so I am sure by the end of Jan we'll be in much better nick.

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Walk_the_Wark added 00:20 - Jan 2 Super Mick! He talks sense, plays square pegs in square holes, a proper manager. He knows what he's doing. Tactical genius. Consistent results and once he buys his own team we will be properly solid and hard to beat! Fantastic! Super Super Super Super Mick!!! Every ITFC supporters dream!!!! IN MICK WEEEEEEE TRUUUUST!!!!!!!!!
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budgieplucker added 01:25 - Jan 2 Probably the reality check a lot of people needed when the play offs were being talked about at the weekend. Mick has been a breath of fresh air and his first home defeat had to come sometime. Clearly on the road we have been getting more space to play a more open attacking game but at home teams are now beginning to clog the midfield. I personally would have kept Murphy and DJ on because they offer a goal threat with the right type of service and a good combination of aerial threat and poacher. Midfield struggled today and that's where I would have made the changes, N'Daw was the best of the bunch so I struggled to see why he was sacrificed. Chopra and Scotland just doesn't work for me and at times in the second half I had to look down the touchline just to see that Paul Jewell wasn't still standing there. having said that I am confident Mick will slowly get it right and given a couple of transfer windows we will have a team capable of maintaining a challenge for the top six places. I can see Murphy and N'Daw being offered contracts at the end of the year, Edwards and Martin whilst providing lots of honest endeavour have to provide more of a goal threat and better quality of service before being offered new deals. DJ I think will come back, Orr will go back to Blackburn and I see Mick making a raid on Wolves for a couple of defenders. I suspect Reo-Coker will be offered an extension to the end of the season just to maintain experience in the squad although I have to say I am not sure what he offers us. My real concern is the lack of goals or goal threat from midfield and see that as a priority this January window. It is also disappointing to see so many dead balls being wasted. Anyway I think we can all be far more optimistic for a better 2013 than 2012.

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Walk_the_Wark added 01:44 - Jan 2 It is not acceptable to lose 3-0 at home to anyone, save man city or Barcelona!! lucky mick on a massive pay out for 'keeping us up'!! The biggest mistake this club made since the appointment of clegg was not signing holloway for 500k when he wanted out, three days before he moved to palace. He would have bitten our hands off!! Name me one attribute *ick has over holloway.... Come on?! Holloway has tactical nous, a passing exciting playing style , a fun, controversial personality and most of all intelligence. I've said it before and I'll say it again...and I'll save this for when all you idiots turn against him... Mm will keep us up. But he will have us playing boring uneventful football until he goes. If he gets us promoted he will quickly relegate us because he's proven not good enough for the prem. He is simply not good enough!! So um and aargh on here as much as you like... You've got over two years, at least to go. Sad that supporters of itfc can get excited over such a waste of space of a manager. I will continue to support my team but I have my eyes open as to the realty of playing under super *ick.

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TractorBoy666 added 03:18 - Jan 2 Thumb me down for this but I have to agree with PSGBlue. This was an average Brighton side who sit 9th in the league now. We get done my a little bit of pace from their forward man because we aren't quick enough at the back. A 3-0 home defeat should not just be forgotten about and if it is Mick, then I can see Cardiff giving us a hiding. It's New Years day and a lot of people spent their days out to watch this crap today. A lot of work to do in the transfer window. I'm hopeful we will sign DJ, yet I can't see Clegg tying a deal up. New left winger while we are at it too, because Martin's standard is league 1 where he actually looked quite decent. Glad Reo-joker is out, and Hendo too because he isn't good enough. He may be a young keeper but so is Loach? He is ours. Drury simply shouldn't be here, because if you played for Luton and we buy him at the age of 27 is he going to be any good? No. Lots of work to do, much of this mess is left from Jewell.

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townietilidie added 08:12 - Jan 2 It wasnt a good performance and that was for everybody too see but our recent run of results is what the Championship is all about . Wolves would of felt the same as us when we went there and dominated them and come away with the win . We looked very flat (not bumpy lol) today and didnt really seem to have any drive in any areas of the field . IN my honest opinion i think MM got it a little wrong today with his tactics and selection . Edwards had obviously been told to tuck in and hold in the middle of the park to double up on lua lua with Orr and having N'daw and Reo coker together was never gonna give us any creativity in the centre at all . that left our only attacking option down the left with Cresswell and Martin or a hoof from the back going forwards and that was just too predictable and easy for Brighton to defend against . We dont have a creative midfielder in our squad , Drury is probably the nearest so i think that has to be a priority . Anyway still plenty of points to play for so lets KEEP THE FAITH ... Looking forwards to the Villa game . IMWT ... COYB !!!

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Keaneish added 09:03 - Jan 2 Me too Mick!! Is I've liked 8 points from those 4 games but 7 is a good return. We've put in some decent performances and results and some of us have lost sight of the fact we're still relegation candidates. The objective is 50 points and nothing else this season. 20 more to go...
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Cheshire_Blue added 09:46 - Jan 2 What the midfield lacks is Norris and Leadbitter. Pity we didn't recognise quality when we had it.
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Paulc added 12:48 - Jan 2 I can't believe what I am reading on here (PSG & Bluey) (ignoring Walk the Wark, as he is obvoiusly taking the pi55). So if we lost 3-0 away to Wolves and beat Brighton 2-0 at home that becomes more acceptable does it? No, yesterday's result was not good, but this is a long process due to the mess from the last manager. 1 terrible result and you start whining, seriously, my mrs does less whinging than you guys - GET REAL! COYB

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ArnieMsBigToe added 12:53 - Jan 2 Wow!! One home defeat to a good side and all the boo - boys can't wait to get typing again. Don't remember much input from H32 and Bluey123 in recent weeks. All we need now is a comment from DaleyITFC and we'll be back to the good old days!! I was disappointed with the 0-3 defeat, but Poyet / Tarricco are a shrewd pair and should be given credit. I think Brighton are a little bit more than an average championship side. Just glad Will Buckley did not get on the pitch!!

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nitroblue1970 added 13:09 - Jan 2 I Have to say it was a very poor performance all round. Henderson can go back to Wet Spam. Loach is just as good at making basic errors so Hendo wouldnt be missed at all! Seriously though he did make a couple of howlers, Brightons first was a near post header and the third he completely misjudged, his kicking was a little suspect too. The stand out poor performance for me though in the first half was the referee...he did a little better second half. Reo Coker can count himself very lucky to have played the entire game, well when i say played what Iactually mean is he was on the pitch...did nothing of note, at all. Drury was injured and yes he has his faults but he is a busy player, he pressures the ball, gets in there, makes the oppo play the ball. Reo just stands back and watches whats happening!!! Martin was all puff and no substance, which is usual but he works hard which is good. Hyam should have played, hope he will against Villa. Carlos seemed like he had no confidence to take anyone on, he kept turning back and looking for a sideways pass. Bit worried about where our goals are coming from now.......unless we sign someone....come on Mick find us a gaol scoring superhero!! And well said DISSBOY...from another dissboy!!

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h32 added 20:50 - Jan 3 Walk the Wark - interesting post !!! - I hope you're wrong with some of your predictions about MM - but 'the proof of the pudding's in the eating' - and only time will tell. Agree with your comments about Holloway - who could disagree ??....
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