Mick McCarthy admitted that his side were poor in the second half as his hometown club Barnsley staged a comeback to draw 1-1 at Portman Road on the first anniversary of the Blues boss taking over at Town.

McCarthy said: “We were all right in the first half, took the lead and it completely changed around in the second half. They played well and we were poor.

“Don’t ask me the reasons why yet, I’ll have a look at it. Maybe they did to us what we were doing better to them in the first half. We were on the front foot. In the end, it turns out to be a good point because we could have been beaten.”

Regarding the Blues late claim for a spotkick, he had no argument with referee Andy D’Urso’s decision: “It’s not a penalty. I haven’t seen an angle that tells me it’s a penalty. I’ve got no gripe with the referee about it at all.

“It’s one of them, the home team, we suddenly found five or 10 minutes of a bit of excitement because Frank had closed the ball down and the game changed a bit and everybody’s baying for blood. Anywhere in the world everybody would have shouted for a penalty and I’ve looked at it and not for me.”

He says he is disappointed with Aaron Cresswell for getting himself sent off for foul and abusive language, which is punished by a two-match ban, after the final whistle but understands why it happened: “Of course I am. It was borne out of frustration, we’ve not played well, we’ve drawn and not continued the first half performance. It was his man that put the ball in the net, all of that.

“You know what, been there, done that. Actually, I never got sent off for swearing, it was usually physical assault, which sort of made it worthwhile. But it’s still the same.

“Fair play to Cressy, he’s been and apologised to the referee for it. It takes a bloke to go and apologise at that time.”

He says there were some positives to take from the match: “We didn’t get beaten. Murph got a great header, a thumping header. I thought we put great corners in, I thought we could have had some more.

“First half, it was just a scrappy Championship game. How does it change, the impetus, the force? I’m not quite sure. I’ll have a look at it on Monday, we’ll watch it again.

“But we got another point, we didn’t get beaten and on a different night we could have lost it. And we kept going, not playing well. Barnsley played well, we should congratulate them, they played well.”

McCarthy says he has no problem with fans booing at the end, as they did at the final whistle, but was less impressed with boos which came earlier in the match: “I’m cool with that at the end.

“What I don’t appreciate is boos when we were trying to play in the first half and we end up keeping it and trying to be considered with our football.

“Because in one breath people will say to me ‘We’ve played some really good football’. And they you try and play some good football and don’t put the ball in the box and it gets a bit frustrating because it’s 0-0 and then the jeering starts. I can’t be doing with that. Afterwards, cool with that.

“Put a bit of pressure on us, by all means, because I think we should be in a better position. We’ve not played well in the last two games, certainly in the second half today. In the first half we were arguably the better side.

“By all means, I’m cool with that after the game. Disappointment, I’ve not exactly enjoyed it myself.”

Barnsley boss David Flitcroft was impressed with Town before the break: “First half, for 20 minutes we couldn’t withstand their pressure and intensity. I thought they were excellent.

“To get a point here is really pleasing because I think they’re in a false position in the league, I think they’re a top team with a top manager, who knows how to get the best out of players.

“That’s a fit team, it’s a high energy team and they’re going to score a lot of problems for teams at home.

“Delighted to get a point, but on the second half performance and chances created, possibly we deserved three points and I’ve have put all my money on Jason Scotland finishing that chance.

“He’s the player that you want on the ball at that time with his composure and I’d have backed him to score that.”

Should Town have been awarded a penalty? “They’re vocal when they go for a claim they really go for it. I don’t think Frank’s dived, I really don’t. I just think it’s a coming together, Jean-Yves M’voto’s quite aggressive. I’ve not seen it back, so if I’ve got it wrong, I’ve got it wrong. It would have been a soft one.”

Photo: Action Images

RedDust added 00:02 - Nov 2 If one ter of phrase describes us best right now it is "just tucking over"
0

gmanrom added 00:02 - Nov 2 A good point oh god i'm getting bored of hearing this sh1t we are negative and crap.
0

RedDust added 00:03 - Nov 2 *"just ticking over"
0

martleshamitfc added 00:25 - Nov 2 We need some excitement, attacking options & less negative tactics, yes we will lose some, but we will also win some, just boring and very predictive at the moment!
0

megamoth added 00:25 - Nov 2 For me it's all about Derby. That game damaged us. Not only that, but at a goal (or even three goals) down, any oppo manager at half time has a tailor made rallying call "Derby were 3 down at half time to this mob and they came back. Their supporters and the team will shaking when you come out for the second half. They're there for the taking lads. When - and I mean WHEN, because you're definitely going to score - you pull that goal back, I want you to keep pushing hard with a high line and when I see you back in here, we'll have 3 points. Mark my words."

0

Sindre94 added 00:29 - Nov 2 Very disappointed. I think our play is extremely predictable and boring, we need to mix things up. I would go for a 3-5-2 whenever Cresswell is available as I cant see our 4-4-2 with the lack of width and pace working, we need some creativity and excitement as "martleshamitfc" mentioned. I'm going over next week, to see the Blackpool game. I know Ill be let down as always when I travel away but we've gotta support the blues. Give Wordsworth and Taylor a chance please. COYB

0

JimmyJazz added 00:50 - Nov 2 Agree with Megamoth, since the Derby second half we have been fairly rubbish. Barnsley were poor first half rather than us being good, their manager probably said at half time, 'these aren't very good, get out there and take them on' and that's exactly what they did. Wish MM would get angry at just taking a point, it's not enough.
0

DinnernotTea added 01:41 - Nov 2 MM was a hero last year and rightly so. Genius in fact. BUT i'm sick and tired of this 442 football dinosaur crap. We have won once in 7 months of away football as we're so easy to read. Ffs Mick mix it up a bit, we're no longer in the bottom 3.
0

Walk_the_Wark added 02:02 - Nov 2 McCarthy Out. Its dire and will only get worse
0

BlueMachines added 04:00 - Nov 2 “We were all right in the first half." “First half, it was just a scrappy Championship game." These 2 sentences say it all. In his own words he is happy to scrap. Boring!!
0

LankHenners added 07:20 - Nov 2 "Trying to be considered with our football" No, we passed it around a bit, didn't know what to do so either passed it backwards or just punted up field in the hope that someone would get to it.
0

DurhamTownFan added 07:38 - Nov 2 I understand Micks point (pardon the pun!) tjat a draw could have been worse, but this is getting VERY boring for us fans. I simply cannot believe our lack of ambition in the second half. It was like hot potato with the ball! Reminds me of England late cappello era. So, what happens next? MM is clearly (and quite rightly) here to stay. I reckon this stays the same til may, MM gets bored with a lack of transfer funds, and is either heavily backed or leaves. Really hoping for the former, but the longer (another pun) we play this awful football, the lower Micks stock might fall!

0

stinkiusminkius added 07:54 - Nov 2 Flitcrofts half time team talk. "right boys, we're only 1-0 down. Thats as good as they'll play, which wasn't much anyway, but they'll be even worse 2nd half - they always are - so go out there and enjoy it. And when they're really desperate they'll bring on Tabb and Nouble - they always do - so go get our first away points."
0

muccletonjoe added 08:31 - Nov 2 McCarthy kept us up last year and well done for that , but this is another season and if he dosnt ( and I suspect he won't ) change his tactics and formations instead of believing every game is exactly the same , then I firmly believe he will not keep us up THIS season, a view I have held for some time
0

LordMamu added 08:45 - Nov 2 No Mick, you were poor in the second half. Tactically we are rigid to the point of obsession. The same starting line-up an formation offers no surprises to the opposition. When outplayed we leave substitutions too late or they are plain wrong. Oh and the endless hoofing and swearing in post match interviews (so hard and straight talking (except on sky) not in the slightest bit pathetic and childish)I boring me. Please Mick explain to me why my son and I should continue to do the 6 hour round trip to watch this drivel and be happy with the point? We have a good squad but you've become the weakest link. On this showing, you aren't going to get that call from Dublin....

0

brittaniaman added 08:52 - Nov 2 When I heard that it was an unchanged team, I very nearly turned round and went home again, wish I had now, but I do have a season ticket !! Mick your man management skills are excellent, BUT your tactical knowledge is poor !!! Take a leaf out of Barnsleys book he used his subs very well and they were effective !! Our subs hardly had time to get on the pitch ??? good job we had 3mins extra ????

0

WorcesterBlue added 08:54 - Nov 2 Lets face it we have a really poor squad defence aside and generally play boring long ball football. This is Mick's way. He hates flare players so won't sign them (or swaps them with very average wingers like Anderson). When he came in he talked about square pegs for square holes but Tabb and Tunnicliffe aren't wingers, Chambers isn't a right back, Hyam isnt an attacking midfielder and Nouble? He has had time to make this squad and impose his style of play and as predicted this is it. The fact we appear grateful to him for keeping us up shows how far we have fallen as a club - he is not the answer.

0

TR11BLU added 08:58 - Nov 2 Totally agree with pretty much all above comments, and have shared the same with mates. Negative, boring, inflexible, no ambition....it's just dire and having moved to Herts this season thought long and hard about renewing season ticket. Keep serving up this tosh and next season will be a no brainer.
0

BroskiBeen added 09:00 - Nov 2 Poor second half is an understatement, Barnsley were all over us , bloody Barnsley and at our ground, we play poor at Bolton, so he keeps the same team and rewards them again , then they play poor again and I bet at Backpool its the same selection again
0

BlueySwede added 09:08 - Nov 2 It´s not often my team is broadcast on tv here in Sweden, so I invited some friends over to watch my favorite team with me, but that was pretty awful. My mates was pretty drunk, so hopefully they won´t remember the game today...I was at the Leeds game, at least in that game we played really well for 20 minutes, today was just horrible (and that includes the first half Mick!)

0

scottmdp added 09:17 - Nov 2 Getting really fed up with Mick being "pleased" with drawing against teams that we need to be beating, to have a realistic chance of being in play-offs. I'm also all for sticking with a winning team, but when we've not won for five or six games, then you need to shuffle the team around surely? Everyone seems to be raving about Terry Conner's training with the strikers, but I'd say our current strikers are woeful. McGoldrick scores once every three games, but isn't exactly banging them in like Rhodes or Austin. People seem excited about Taylor coming back, but he didn't score once whilst out on loan. Another season slipping away unless we spend some money in Jan, & MM starts to get tactically aware :(

0

Gingerblues added 09:39 - Nov 2 Whilst Mick has improved us over the last year he must come into the 21st century. You can't only have one system (4-4-2) and be surprised when other teams mix it up and you have no answer. We have the players to switch nicely to 3-5-2 or 4-2-3-1. Whilst I like consistency in a team, there is a time and place for changes. I think after being played off the park, at home, by a bottom 3 team, the time might be now.

0

delias_cheesy_flaps added 09:40 - Nov 2 What game was you watching MM.....not the same one as me, we were fakin awful....
0

alfromcol added 09:40 - Nov 2 Can't believe that MM started with the same team as at Bolton. Not surprised the game played out as it did. Would begin to wonder what MM is about if the same lot (apart from Cresswell) take the field against Blackpool.
0

Kentish_Tractor added 10:23 - Nov 2 Agree a formation change is needed. I'd like to see a 4231. German Hewitt Chambers Smith Creswell Hyam Skuse Taylor Wordsworth Tabb McGoldrick
0

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls