Manager Mick McCarthy believes winger Paul Anderson is adjusting well to playing a new role with the Blues. The 25-year-old, part of a summer swap deal which saw Jay Emmanuel-Thomas move to Bristol City, has tended to play wider at his previous clubs but McCarthy has asked him to occupy a more tucked in right-sided position.

The Town boss says he thought Anderson had a good game against Middlesbrough, even if he didn’t have too much possession.

“I’m not so sure he thought he played well on Saturday because he didn’t have too much of the ball,” he said.

“But he’s restricted George Friend quite a lot of the time and he’s probably one of the most attacking full-backs in the league.

“He got in the box playing narrower and actually attracted their centre-half and George Friend when Chambo scored his header at the far post, just by being in there, attracted them to him and distracted them.

“He’s having to tuck in and play narrower because that’s the way I play. If you can get wide and get at them, I’d also like that, but when we are as a unit we stay together and we’re solid.

“I certainly think he’s found it different. He likes to be on the outside looking back, wanting to run forward.

“I have him on this side looking out and if we get it back, then he can go forward. A little different from how he’s used to playing, but I think he’s done it very well.”

McCarthy says he sounded out some of Anderson’s former team-mates before doing the deal: “I’d seen him play and I liked him and I wanted to sign him.

“I spoke to Didsy and Chambo, who had both played with him at Nottingham Forest, and they both said to me what a great lad he was and hard worker.

“‘Will he do his shift? Will he get up and down, get back and do all the dirty jobs?’. The answer was yes, and he’s proved that. And then he’s got that nice ability, he can play.

“He can play on the inside, some wingers can’t do that, the quick ones. Some can be quick and thick and can’t do anything else.

“He can come and play on the inside, he’s a good footballer. But he’s also got that bit of pace so he can take you on down the outside.”

Photo: Action Images

NorthstaNder added 09:13 - Sep 17 Lots to come from this lad I feel. And what a great quote (once again!) "Some can be quick and thick"
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Simonds92 added 10:05 - Sep 17 So far not good enough IMO, very lightweight and has not made much of an impact at all in the games he's played. Annoying to see JET playing well at Bristol too.
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SouperJim added 10:29 - Sep 17 Simonds did you read anything Mick said? As for bleeting about how good JET is doing, he's playing a different role in a different side in a different division. If Brizzle can affoard a luxury maverick forward then good luck to them, but it doesn't change the fact that for all his talent JET was utter pony for us.
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WhoisJimmyJuan added 11:35 - Sep 17 Agree with SouperJim. And what chance have our players got if they get shot down so quickly by so-called fans? What chance our club? We have low crowds at the ground and some appear to want to bash our players before they have got going. It also gets my goat that people moan about the lack of "quality" signings over the summer. Yet, i remember people jumping up and down when Bullard, JET, Ingimarsson, Chopra and Bowyer were all signed 2 years ago. Big names, yes. Seemed like quality on paper at the time? Yes. Did they ever fully justify their places or wages? No. Short memory by some fans? Maybe. Rant over, but I do wish people could be more balanced in their views sometimes.

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Keaneish added 12:00 - Sep 17 I'd probably argue Bristol City can't afford that luxury SouperJim given their league position! O'Driscoll may have made a bit of a blunder there. No matter how many goals and assists JET gets, if you're losing week in week out, they clearly need to be more of a unit and a luxury player like JET certainly isn't that! Have to say, it's early doors but from what I've seen of what we've brought in and what we've let go and how they're doing for their team's, id say MM and TC have done well. Chopra can't get a game. Martin can barely get a game and they're bottom! JET is playing well but at what cost, his team are in the relegation zone. Drury doing OK. Lee-Barrett can't get a game and his side are bottom. Still 3rd choice.

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Simonds92 added 14:54 - Sep 17 Was not writing the guy off straight away, willing to give him a chance, just that he doesn't seem to really have had any kind of effect on the games he's played in so far and as previously stated looks a bit lightweight IMO. More than happy to be proved wrong though.
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therein61 added 17:29 - Sep 17 "Quick&Thick" Lee Martin springs to mind nice one Mr McCarthy.
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