Boss Mick McCarthy says he has told Tyrone Mings that he will be Town’s left-back if interested Premier League clubs firm up their interest in current first-choice Aaron Cresswell during the January transfer window.

Mings, 20, has stood in for Cresswell - linked with a host of top flight clubs during the summer - during the Liverpudlian’s two-match ban for his red card after the home draw with Barnsley and McCarthy says he is unfortunate to have such a talented player ahead of him in the pecking order at present.

“He’s unlucky [to be missing out]," he said. "I thought Ty was excellent in both his games and whenever he’s played, but I’ve just said to him that Cressy is the best in the league, in my opinion. Certainly not many can claim that crown from him, he’s as good as anybody else in the league.

“Everybody asks me ‘Is Cressy going anywhere?’ and what I’ve said to Ty is ‘He’s not, but if he did, I wouldn’t be looking for another first-team left-back, you’d be in’. I’d be looking for somebody to back Ty up, so that’s how much I think of him.”

He added: “He’s a fine young fella and I think he was excellent in both games. I thought he had a really tough opponent against Leicester on Saturday in Jamie Vardy because he’s really quick.

“But I thought he handled him really, really well. He just goes about his job. I can’t given him any higher praise.

“If Cressy’s not playing, Mings plays. And if there’s a long-term problem, Mings plays, we’re not going looking for a loan player to fill in at left-back. He’s different class, he is.”

The solidity of the Blues’ backline last season was a significant factor in the climb to the safety of mid-table and McCarthy isn’t sure why his side has tended to let in more goals during the current campaign.

“I don’t know,” he admitted. “Why have we scored more goals than we did last year? I think there’s a stat which shows that we’ve [lost] more from winning positions and we’ve won more from losing positions.

“So, you can throw all the stats you like at me and, you know what, I haven’t got a clue. We still work at the same things.

“The league’s different this year. Why were Bolton down near the bottom? You could go round and ask everybody questions. We all work at very specific things, we work on our defending.

“Was it that Richard Stearman was such a good full-back? I don’t think so, he was great but Chambo’s been excellent.

“I haven’t got a real cut and dried answer to that one. All I know is that we’re doing OK. I think we can do better and the goals that we’ve conceded are something we’ve looked at, of course.

“The two goals we conceded last week were two quality goals from a good team and a proper predator in our league.

“They weren’t overrunning us, we weren’t getting battered, but we got done on the break with real pace and real quality finishes.”

Photo: Action Images

ScottCandage added 06:00 - Nov 29 Cresswell's gone.
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townietilidie added 06:32 - Nov 29 The Leicester game was the first time i've seen anything of this lad and i wasn't disappointed . I think a good run in the first team gaining more experience and Ty could make it at this level . Didn't understand some of the unfair criticism he got from some quarters after the Leicester game , i thought he gave a real good account of his self and did himself proud . COYB !!!

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mattprior added 06:35 - Nov 29 I think he is more likely to go at the end of the season.
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RegencyBlue added 07:49 - Nov 29 Looks like we are being prepared for a January exit to me!
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Mark added 08:04 - Nov 29 It feels like we really want to sell Cresswell (so McCarthy has some transfer funds at last?!), but the question is will clubs really want to buy him for a decent fee? Full backs usually don't sell for that much so we shouldn't delude ourselves that £3m or £4m will be on offer necessarily.
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John_Portman added 08:27 - Nov 29 would be frustrating to lose a good player in Cressy but i agree with townietillidie that i thought TY was pretty good against Leicester. Plus if it does mean being able to reinvest in the squad then maybe it would actually benefit us in the long-run, especially with TY being so young. Also i think it largely was Stearman, he was brilliant last season and Chambo at CB was also brilliant. I'm still a little annoyed that Chambers is playing at RB because i honestly think he is about as good and solid as they come in the centre

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essextractorboy93 added 10:02 - Nov 29 It's inevitable that there is still talk of Cresswell going, he has progressed so well as a player in his time with us. For his career, unless we go up this season, I think he might move on, but you never know! As for Mings, he looked ok against Leicester, but it was his home debut and I think given time he will adjust to players against this level of footballers each week.

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denaugbac added 10:27 - Nov 29 I still reckon on Mings (or other) at left back, & Cresswell at left midfield; his forward play is great & his crossing of the ball excellent.
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TractorBoyOlly added 10:37 - Nov 29 Creswell is not THAT good and the reason Mick we are shipping goals is because you insist on playing a centre-back at right-back and have wingers who like to stand on the halfway line.
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dirtyboy added 11:06 - Nov 29 January exit to Villa.
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TangoAlphaNovember added 11:08 - Nov 29 Agree also with TOWNTILIDIE I really enjoyed watching Mings last weekend.It's obviously going to take a little while for him to adjust to first team matches but I thought he looked very athletic and super enthusiastic...he covered vast areas of the pitch and was a contender for my MOTM.Hoping to see more of him soon. It sounds as though MM is bigging Cresswell up in the hope of bolstering the club's coffers. I would have no problem if Cressie departed.

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Paulc added 11:52 - Nov 29 It really amazes me, that generally everyone appreciates Mick's honesty and 'tells it like it is' approach. It has been commented on so many times I've lost count. Then we get a story like this and it's 'well that's cressy off in January then'. THAT's NOT WHAT MM IS SAYING! This story is not about Cresswell it's about Mings! And for what it's worth he's right about Mings, not at Cresswell's level yet, but has done ok for me so far, last week's first half was pretty decent and it was Mings' intervention that led to our goal.

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kalypso added 11:54 - Nov 29 there is no way cresswell is leaving, it's not certain he can make the step up. Premier clubs have the whole world to chose from. cressy can barely manage the championship week in week out.
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Special_A added 12:00 - Nov 29 I rate Cresswell and very much doubt we would get an offer that would justify the loss of selling him. If we sell Cresswell for a relatively small fee it would be a sad sign of any real aspiration t get into the premiership. On a brighter note...... Looking forward to a good away day tomorrow....DM first goal scorer - town win
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SouperJim added 12:20 - Nov 29 kalypso you are the most pathetic troll on here, congrats.
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kalypso added 14:24 - Nov 29 however, he might go to another championship club with more ambition
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blueherts added 14:49 - Nov 29 Best left side combination we have is Mings at LB and Cresswell at LM - Creswell has more attacking endeavour than any of our 'wingers' as MM said we have no wingers just left and right sided midfielders which makes us so narrow The new boy Jordan on the right could be an exciting addition Mings looks a great prospect - he looks like he can play and is not 5 foot 6 !!

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SuperSevens added 14:55 - Nov 29 Looks to me that MM is just softening the blow to Mings losing his first team place. No player enjoys being dropped and MM won't want Mings losing confidence in his own ability
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kalypso added 00:09 - Nov 30 @souperjim thanks for your incite and description of me being the most pathetic troll, I of course wouldn't retaliate mentioning that you may have a blinkered subjective view of the club. as a 50 year supporter I have decided that you can have it, good luck, enjoy Mid-table Mick and his underachievers. bye, I'm off to train some primary kids on Saturday mornings for the foreseeable future..

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