Town boss Mick McCarthy expects today’s opponents Reading to be in the play-off shake-up come the end of the season. The Royals moved into sixth place in the Championship following a 1-0 win at Watford and 7-1 home thrashing of Bolton Wanderers.

McCarthy, whose side have dropped to 10th after two successive Championship defeats, says he’s not sure why the Berkshire club, relegated from the Premier League last season, hadn’t been further up the table earlier in the season: “I fancied them at the start of the season. I think there’s been another takeover or something mooted, I don’t think that helps.

“I know Nigel Adkins has had injuries, but I still think he’s got a good squad of players. They seem to be on the move, going in the right direction at the right time of the year.

“I still expect them to be in the shake-up for the top six. But it doesn’t always work. Wigan aren’t there, although I know they had the Europa League.

“QPR have been there and yet haven’t really ripped it up, it’s been 1-0 wins based on a really solid defence a lot of it.

“It’s not easy, just because they’ve come down and they’ve got a good squad doesn't mean it’ll just happen. But I think on the basis of the last two wins, I think they’ll probably see themselves going in the right direction.”

Reading have recently adopted a 4-4-2 formation and the Blues are likely to opt for a similar system today, having been playing 4-3-3 for much of the last couple of months.

McCarthy likes having the flexibility to use different systems as required: “[4-3-3] worked. That started with Huddersfield, we stopped them playing how they wanted to play, it worked.

“I think, certainly when it’s been Frank, Murph and Dids, that three up front has worked particularly well. But we’ve got the players to play 4-4-2 because we’ve got four good wingers.”

Photo: Action Images

stevelincsexile added 06:52 - Jan 25 Not looking forward to the wet drive south but am looking forward to seeing these four good wingers???
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Cloddyseedbed added 09:02 - Jan 25 4 good wingers Mick, where are they then. Don't keep them under wraps, let us see them!
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TimmyH added 09:43 - Jan 25 Go on Mick you know you want to, big up the opposition again pre-match, 'they'll be in the play-off shake ups' and 'what a good squad they've got' blah blah blah! does it every match!
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SheffieldBlue1 added 10:06 - Jan 25 Four good wingers, must be referring to Hunt, Edwards, Anderson, and Tabb maybe? I'd probably say 4 adequate wingers, each with strengths and weaknesses. But none of them can beat a man and whip in a quality ball. These 4 strengths are mostly work rate, defensive cover and the ability to play in different positions.
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StochesStotasBlewe added 10:47 - Jan 25 Four good wingers my arse.......................Jimmy Robertson, Clive Woods, Jimmy Leadbetter, Micky Lambert, even Bobby Petta on occasions, they were good wingers. At present, we have no out & out wingers who can beat defenders, get to the byline & put in dangerous crosses, what we have is defensive cover, work rate etc.
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Cloddyseedbed added 12:22 - Jan 25 Pinewoodyblueboy, totally agree. Robertson, up the wing to Frank Clarke in the middle...................Goal. It was simple but a great start from Bobby Robertson to get us up the league and the rest is history! How we are crying out for someone with a bit of pace to take on defenders and put in a cross or have a shot. I'm fed up listening to how good the opposition is. Take the game to them, we did QPR in the 1st half and we really had them rattled. In the second half we sat back as always and that's when it all went down hill. For all our sake's please play some entertaining football, our supporters that still make the time to support deserve it!

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Cloddyseedbed added 12:22 - Jan 25 * Bobby Robson!
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Garv added 13:20 - Jan 25 Have I missed four new signings in the last few days or something?
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Garv added 13:23 - Jan 25 The only thing close to a winger we have is Taylor, the only man capable of beating players and putting crosses in. And he doesn't get games.
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Keaneish added 14:36 - Jan 25 If we have four good wingers…'IF', why do we play with a really narrow 4 in midfield then?
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