Town boss Mick McCarthy held up his hands and admitted that his Blues were beaten by a better Watford side after goals from Ikechi Anya and Nathaniel Chalobah saw the Hornets to a 2-0 victory at Portman Road.

McCarthy said: “I think we were beaten by a very good side, as good as I’ve seen this season in the league. And we probably did all right to keep it at two because we stuck at it. We had to work for everything, they were the best side, we were beaten by the better team.”

The Blues boss admitted that sometimes you have to hold your hands up and say that: “I don’t think too many people find that easy to do. I don’t like it, I’m not happy that we’ve been beaten, I’m chewing about that, but you do.

“They were better than us, they deserved to win. I’ve got no complaints about that. We could have played better and done better, but is that because they’re a good side? I think probably, yes. They handled us well.”

However, he felt the Blues ought to have been awarded a spotkick when Jonathan Hogg tripped Lee Martin in the first half: “We should have had a penalty. You know when you’re having a tough night, things aren’t going for you and you’re having to scrap away.

“When that happens, you need the right decision to be given and I just don’t understand what he saw because he had a good view of it, but he didn’t [give it].

“If you’d seen their bench gasp as the lad stuck his foot out, knowing it was a penalty and then giving a sigh of relief when it wasn’t given. It should be given, but it wasn’t.”

Despite the loss there was no tongue-lashing for the Town players with their manager delighted with the way they have performed since he took over: “The lads have been great. We’ve had 31 points from November 1st.

“I’ve just said that to them. We were against a better team tonight, who are quality, they are a good side.

“Don’t beat yourselves up, lads, you’ve had a great haul of points. We need another four or five wins and we’ve got the ability and the team spirit and everything to get those, maybe tonight wasn’t the night, unfortunately.”

Earlier in his time in charge, at two of the division’s other better sides, Crystal Palace and Leicester, the Blues collapsed after going behind, but that never seemed on the cards on this occasion, something McCarthy feels illustrates the progress made.

“I hope so,” he said. “And as well as that we had some chances too. Not great, but even Aaron Mclean had a header at last knockings.

“But listen, I just thought they were good. I don’t think it was how we played, I don’t think it’s anyone’s lack of effort, they’re just a good team.”

Watford started with five of their controversial 11 loan players with three more on the bench but McCarthy had no complaints on that front: “If it’s within the rules, it’s within the rules. Let them get on with it. I’ve seen that they are on about changing the rules, well, so what?

“We played against a better team than us who have done everything within the rules of the game and he’s got a good side there, Gianfranco, and he’s a great fella. You’re not getting me moaning about what they do.”

Watford boss Gianfranco Zola was pleased with the win but thought the performance wasn’t up to the level of Saturday’s 4-0 win at Birmingham: “If you compare to the standard we set on Saturday, you wouldn’t say it has been the best game, but I’m very pleased because you cannot play that type of football all the time and when you don’t do that, you have to be able to win games anyway in the position we are in. And that was the case tonight.

“I think we played some good football for a large part of the first half and we deserved to be in front. In the second, we had to suffer because they came back strong and we were getting tired, to be honest.

“We couldn’t manage to handle the ball as well as we did in the first half. But we never gave up, we worked hard as a team and we defended extremely well and that’s why when we had the opportunity we scored.

“That was the difference really. We had the opportunity and scored, they had the opportunity and they didn’t.

"So, I’m delighted because it was a tough game and I know on a Tuesday after a good victory like the other day it’s very easy to slip up.”

Photo: Action Images

bluefeast added 23:08 - Feb 19 We were what we are ,hard work and near no skill. Our central mid is boring the life out of me.
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nitroblue1970 added 23:13 - Feb 19 the real difference here was the midfield we had the work rate but not the distribution. We need someone to take charge of the midfield and make something happen....too many balls chipped up to the top if the box or back to stearman and Tommy at the back. All in all good work rate we kept going til the end....but not quite there....dare i say we need a goalscorer? McGoldrick isnt it IMO, not yet anyway, chops works hard but seems to be ploughing a lonely furrow and ends up tracking back or working out wide to get the ball...i dont hink the answers are in our current squad unfortunatly...but we wont go down, we have enough....JUST!!

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bluefeast added 23:16 - Feb 19 we are not a threat to sides from open play , thats the issue. If you dont create from midfield what have opposition got to worry about. Like i said our two central mid is boring.
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TractorBoy666 added 23:20 - Feb 19 We just never go forward, something I would like us to do sometime. In the second half we did I guess. Every time N'daw had the ball, he got rid of it straight away. Hyam was great in the middle, and got stuck in well. Looking at our bench, and we only had Drury on there that was a midfielder. To be fair though, Watford were great. From neutrals, people would of enjoyed their football. Once they hit the bar in the first 10 minutes, I was biting my nails! Huddersfield next who have just had a thumping. Hopefully we can capitalize on that.

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trunkybuns added 23:27 - Feb 19 All worked hard ,can't complain , Bet no one fancies coming here Like they used to well done mick And the team for effort .
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itfc1981 added 23:37 - Feb 19 Expected defeat, good effort though. The Huddersfield game is a more realistic chance to get a positive result.
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manualthetisfanclub added 23:38 - Feb 19 Watford played well and deserved it,but our midfield is awful,no pace,no guile,no creativity,no goals but hey that's what we've got we must get on with it! Does anyone know what the hell mm sees in nouble,the guy is tall for target man,but he can't win a header,and he fails to attack the ball.no wonder he has had the number of clubs he's had!
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algarvefan added 23:39 - Feb 19 Fair play Mick - Tidy!
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itfc1981 added 23:40 - Feb 19 Bluefeast must be treading on thin ice.
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adeblueboy added 23:45 - Feb 19 Huddersfield Saturday give jet one more chance instead of Edwards need someone with pace from midfield also drury in for I can't pass to an Ipswich player n'daw. Murphy up front with one other plays better in this position. That should be three points!
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NSL added 23:46 - Feb 19 I don't know what is going on with the midfield - I know they are not flair players individually but surely if you are a professional footballer playing in midfield at this level you should be able to keep the ball between you, pass it along the floor and through to the strikers occasionally. We just don't seem to be getting the basics right. It was almost as if we had to really think about every pass we made, dwelling on the ball and getting caught in possession and passing it backwards too often. Ndaw was really poor tonight. He didn't really seem too interested and watched the game go past him - hoofing the ball at every opportunity. At least Hyam was getting stuck in. Not sure what Nouble is going to offer us upfront - looks like another JET but even lazier.

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MickMillsTash added 00:17 - Feb 20 We battled back into it after 15 and I thought we bullied them out of their game. We left a little on them in every tackle and they lost momentum and confidence. I thought Hyam was the inspiration for that change. I thought a goal was coming for Town, Ok it was clear they had the better players but something was going to happen...Everything stopped when McGoldrick went off and Nouble came on, why was that change made? Nouble looked poor v Blackpool and did nothing tonight- it deflated the crwod and the players. Think we really need to beat Huddersfield - certainly a MUST not lose. Enjoyed tonight compared to Blackpool and Blackburn

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alexsmith111 added 06:24 - Feb 20 We never replaced Norris, and we miss dj. I honestly believe we would be at least 10th if we had these two guys. Or good alternatives
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muhrensleftfoot added 06:46 - Feb 20 Can't fault the effort of anyone. Hyam & Ndaw too similar. We need one of them, probably Hyam because he's ours, together with a more creative attack minded one. Maybe Wordsworth will be that one next season. Thought Carlos played really well & got some good crosses in. If we'd got that penalty, or scored when we were on top end of 1st half, early 2nd half, it may have been a different outcome. Watford looked class, & never ever thought I'd say that.

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bluefeast added 07:33 - Feb 20 what does this mean ????? itfc1981 added 23:40 - Feb 19 Bluefeast must be treading on thin ice.
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Ipswich24 added 07:42 - Feb 20 Nitroblue1970 what do you mean McGoldrick isn't a goal scorer? He scored 17 goals for Coventry before signing for us! He is a good player. Said before even if you had Messi or Ronaldo up front for us they wouldn't score, because no matter how good you are you need the ball. You need the ball to feet not fighting nothing balls in the air against 6ft plus defenders. The truth is we are shocking with the ball no width, no pace no creativity. This has been going on for years now. We never look capable of scoring 1 goal in so many games. We are very poor end of

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Mark added 07:49 - Feb 20 I think Watford (or Udinese, or whoever they are) would have beaten most other Championship teams the way they played last night, especially the first half an hour. We looked about three leagues lower than them, although to be fair we did some more into it late first-half and the second-half. We have two (on paper) dangerous goal scorers up front (Chopra and McGoldrick) but they are just given so little service from the midfield, who themselves do not score goals (2 goals between the 4 of them all season?). I'm not sure McGoldrick is a target man and perhaps both would benefit from playing next to someone good in the air and more physical.

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Keaneish added 07:59 - Feb 20 Yeah, I'll ech bluefeast's comments, N'Daw is holding us back a little now. I'm going to make a bold statement and float the idea but let's see the reaction... If not Drury then how about lee Martin in the middle with Hyam? It's not the time or the place of the season to experiment but we need another dimension in there and he offers that! He works hard, gets stuck in, has a great engine, can run with the ball. Maybe he'd be better suited to knocking balls into the front two and collecting them rather than crossing and killer passes? Food for thought. That said, Drury to start against Huddersfield and hopefully they can dominate as they did against the Wet Spam last season. Tough games coming up. Need a win Saturday although I fancy us to beat Leicester.

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Keaneish added 08:01 - Feb 20 Also, to similar points on here. Anyone any idea why McGoldrick is only playing 65 mins at a time!!?
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theobald1985 added 08:04 - Feb 20 this team have been too good for many teams lets not get carried away.the midfield did not struggle to create goals against boro and i certainly dont think these players have got this far in thier pro career with no creative abilty.It just was not are turn to win tonight.lets get behind the team
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bluelady added 08:05 - Feb 20 A very good team beat us last night, but for me the reason we won't go down is we have developed balls finally! Under PJ I saw so many games when we capitulated or just didnt play for the shirt, last night everyone played for the shirt we simply were second best. Chopra had a good game was all over the pitch and looks fit, I would like him and Murphy to start with mcoldrick to get a good 35 mins second half to add new pace! Edwards had his best game in ages did show signs of pace and put in a number of excellent crosses, I still wonder if he could be a creative central midfielder, he does wonder in field a great deal!! N daw I love but wasn't his night at all and I think sterman never recovered from a couple of bad knocks I fear he may be out Saturday

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itfcbarmyarmy added 08:17 - Feb 20 I know that the skill wasn't there to beat watford last night but it was refreshing to see Ipswich not just shut down we were looking for a goal till the last second. plus its nice to say that goal came against the run of play.
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blockb_steward added 08:18 - Feb 20 Onwards and upwards. The bottom half of the table is now a mire - any team in a bad run of form could get caught up in a relegation battle. The lack of creativity in the middle does worry me, that said Wordsworth did show some good work on Saturday. 34 goals simply isn't enough - we need to find the net more.
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Stato added 08:25 - Feb 20 Like others have said 2 water carriers in midfield isn't doing our goal threat any favours. I agree with Keanish that we could try Martin in centre midfield. I guess we could then put Murphy left midfield leaving Chops & McGoldrick upfront.
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theobald1985 added 08:45 - Feb 20 keanish like the martin centre mid idea. if ndaw or hyam sitt back and mop up his energy going forward will cause problems.
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