Mick McCarthy was pleased with his side’s performance but not their defending after the 3-1 home defeat to Wigan Athletic. James McClean scored twice and Leon Barnett once for the visitors after Tommy Smith had put the Blues in front.

“I thought we played well, I’m really pleased with the lads but we just didn’t defend particularly well,” he said. “Certainly for the first one, we contributed to their goal.

“The second one, it isn’t like us defending a freekick like that and the third one it’s as plain as the nose on my face that Greeny’s lost it and they’ve broken on us. The difference was that they were clinical enough to punish us, and they’re a good team.”

At 1-1 Luke Hyam had a good chance to put Town back in front and McCarthy felt the game might have been different had the opportunity been taken: “I know they had a player injured, apparently, but you’ve got to finish them, score the goal and argue about it afterwards.

“I think that let them off the hook. And then conceding the goal just before half-time from the freekick as well.

“But I’m pleased with the way we’ve played, I’ve not been in there and been angry with them. People make mistakes but my lads are such an honest bunch, they try their hearts out.

"It happens, it just depends whether the team you’re playing against has got the ability to punish you, and they did.”

With Wigan having dropped out of the Premier League last season, the two clubs have very different budgets but McCarthy says he just gets on with the job and doesn’t whine about other bosses’ greater resources.

“There is a disparity, of course there is, but do you ever hear me come in and complain about that?” he said. “Our lads, my lads are brilliant and me and TC get the best out of them and they’ve been fantastic.

“We will keep on scrapping to get in that top six and who knows? They’re a good side and when we’ve contributed to the opportunities they’ve managed to score.

“In the second half we needed it to stay at 2-1, who knows we may well have got something but we gifted them a goal.”

He admits the loss has made reaching the top six tough but he’s not giving up: “It has [made it difficult but] it’s not impossible, is it?

“I’d settle for playing like that against the others but defending better, which has been a really strong point of ours, to be fair, so I’m not going to beat anybody up for that.

“There were some pluses. I thought Jonny Williams was terrific, but he’d run his race after 80 minutes as he’s not been playing at that level.”

Wigan manager Uwe Rosler was delighted with his team’s eighth win on the trot in all competitions: “I’m very pleased with the victory and pleased with the performance and the level that we have shown again.

“I think everybody who was on the pitch today put in an at least seven out of 10 performance and that is what we need in this league to be where we want to be.

“We knew what we would face. I was a bit surprised that Mick had only played one striker, we had prepared for two.

“We knew about the style of play and we coped with it very well. The first goal was unnecessary, I felt, but we responded very well.

“It was very important that we bounced back straight away. The first goal and the third goal were exactly how we wanted to play.

“They squeezed us, they wanted to play on the second ball, so they had to stay high up with their back four and the plan was to go in beyond them.

“We did that very well and the first and third goals were examples of how we wanted to play. I’m very happy that the players performed at such a consistent level.”

Photo: Action Images

hairbear added 08:09 - Mar 16 Compared to the previous home games I thought we played ok. The reason we struggle against the higher sides is not because chambers is at rb or that murphy played up on his own, it's because our team of freebies, short term contracts & loans aren't as good as are league position suggests. Mm try's to squeeze a performance every week but "getting blood out of a stone" comes to mind. Evans seems to be getting away with a lack of interest this season. Evans out!

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Warkys_Tash added 08:43 - Mar 16 As usual a lot of moaning on here - be careful what you wish for people. Mick & TC have brought much needed stability to our club - on a shoestring & players want to come to zips to play for him. Williams was quality, would be great if Mick can find another two or three of him to sign permanently.
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jas0999 added 09:42 - Mar 16 I honestly believe the players did the best they could. But as Wigan proved you need more than hard working players who give their all to challenge for promotion. You need pace, creativity and quality in your team. We don't have that, nor will we unless Mick can strengthen the team in the summer. Murphy sums up ITFC ... A trier, never gives up, puts in a shift, runs and runs. You can't fault that ( and he did well yesterday ... This is not a moan at him), but he lacks that bit of quality and that finishing touch I.e. his mis hit yesterday, where he probably would have scored with a good contact. Ipswich are made up of players like Murphy but we need pace, quality as well. Sadly the midfield is woeful.

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StuartBrett8 added 10:10 - Mar 16 IrishTim.... most sensible comment ever
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thar22 added 11:46 - Mar 16 I was disappointed by Anderson yesterday he contributed nothing and I have no doubt we would have offered more threat in the final third if Taylor had played instead. However the real disappointment is in the quality of delivery into the box. Both Hunt and Cresswell failed to provide a good enough ball into the box when they had their opportunites. Gomez had one free kick in a dangerous area and delivered the perfect ball for their 2nd goal (although Gerken being rooted to his line didn't help us either).

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theobald1985 added 13:19 - Mar 16 those people who think mcarthy will ever establish us as a decent premier league side are deluded. this is football from the past we are playing and we would be murdered in the premier league under mick -he is a football dinosaur. long ball defensive rubbish football all the time and lets not bring out the excuses for him like the budget as it getting embarrsing-he brought in mcgoldrick ebanks blake hunt skuse berra all good players who can play and some with PL experience-he has not been forced to sell cressy has he. the fact is that we should not accept this style of play at our club a minute longet and we are not building anything here at all this is the way mick plays. he got wolves up playing in a similar vein and could not sustain them in the prem and he would not get us there and keep us there as football has moved on. we need a modern manager willing to play on the deck with attacking football for better or worse and implement that style at all levels of the club-mick should retire

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Ipswich24 added 13:23 - Mar 16 I honestly can't believe McCarthy's comments on the game. We are playing a must win game and we start with one up front! Two ways to approach a match, 1 play to win, 2 play not to lose. It is always 2 with Mick. There is a big difference. Look at the starting line up Chambers is NOT a fullback when will he get this in his head. He has been a liability and was his man today who scored 2 goals! We have 3 right full backs at club. 2 out on loan and 1 we have on loan bloody play them Mick. Chambers gets caught all the time whether it be out of position or just lack of pace. We have the players to play 3-5-2 if you must play Berra,Smith and Chambers in same team. Moving into midfield about time Skuse was dropped, what has he done in last 20 games. To me he is going through the motions with no threat of being dropped. Him and Hyam together is just not good enough. Why oh why is Paul Taylor always the scapegoat? MOTM in last home game, the whole team had a shocker against Boro last week but surprise surprise Taylor was player to be dropped. When he eventually came on today gain he was our best player. Only player who has pace, skill and attacking threat. McCarthy drop your personal grudge against him and play him every game. I felt sorry for Johnny Williams today, clearly a talented boy wasted in a hoof ball team. McCarthy's tactics are dinosaur if we take the game to teams rather than play not to lose we would do no worse.

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Lukeybluey added 16:29 - Mar 16 we could do with width. Some flying wingers. Matt Ritchie from Bournemouth would be good for us I feel, or someone like him.
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Talbs77 added 16:37 - Mar 16 I think we give teams far too much respect at time, especially at home recently. I also think are midfield completely lack invention, don't get me wrong they are decent enough players and good ball winner's, but there's no pace or anyone willing to gamble with a run into the box. This is reflected in the midfield goal record which is truly shocking. What Taylor has done wrong is beyond me! Every time I see him he impresses with his directness and positivity, what is going on there?! However let's have a degree of common sense here, we have still progressed this season in my opinion and I still think a top 10 finish this season will demonstrate progress. Need a goalie, right back, and creative midfielder in the summer, l still think mm is the man to take us forwards, let's stay positive.

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smithy91 added 18:13 - Mar 16 Speaking to a wolves fan, they seemed to think Mick was a footballing dinosaur who never strayed from hoofball as main style of play, and that in the end he made alot more worse signings than good ones. Stability has been brought back but its like we are standing still atm. Having watched the goals now, WIgan had pace in abundance on the wing and we lack it on the right side of defence and in midfield. This needs to be addressed with our current style, otherwise if we miraculously reverted to a passing on the deck style, then pace is less necessary

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Super_Cooper added 18:16 - Mar 16 Best part of the day was meeting PAUL "SUPER" COOPER in the legends after the game!! Legend of the highest order!
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JWM added 21:59 - Mar 16 Oh theobald you are talking complete bollox as usual I do despair of you I really do!
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lowtit added 11:18 - Mar 17 we lost at home again!!!!!!!!
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theobald1985 added 15:04 - Mar 17 JWM just love football played the right way not ball being lumped up on the instructions of a man who could never achieve anything at the top level. its football from the past its not towns future if you wana see hoof ball you could go over the park for nothing on a sunday buh-it seems i just want better for my club than you- cue you rolling out the excuses for boring mick

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Hiltzkooler added 21:07 - Mar 17 You are a one JWM.....!...theobald makes a diametrically observation to yours and you resort to a 'Mick' style response, as in "they can all f*** ***".... Sorry,too low brow for me..... A bit like dinosaur football....I saw better tactics deployed in the girls under 13 semi final Leigh Ramblers vs UPR this Sunday...excellent entertainment, passion and playing to the strengths of your resources.....right players right positions....simple really....MM is the one talking b*******

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