Manager Mick McCarthy says midfielder Anthony Wordsworth needs to play like he did during Town’s 2-0 win at Brighton on Saturday week in, week out. The 25-year-old was perhaps surprisingly handed his first league start of the season in place of the injured Cole Skuse at the Amex Stadium.

McCarthy says the former Colchester man, who had only made one FA Cup start and three Championship sub appearances this season prior to Saturday, impressed him in recent U21s games.

“I’ve been banging on at him about his training, about when he plays in the U21s and I think he’s really competed in the U21 games," McCarthy said after Saturday's match. "I’ve been delighted with him in them and with his attitude in training and that’s what’s got him in the team.

“I thought he’d played well in all the games I’ve seen, he’s worked really hard. He’s technically a very good footballer.

“My issue with him now is that he’s got to do it again, whether that’s Tuesday or not remains to be seen because he’s sat in there with two legs stiff as boards.

"From not playing, that’s a helluva game to come into but I thought he was very, very good today. We know he can play, now do it again.”

He added: “I bang on at him about doing the dirty jobs, tackling, tracking players, everybody throughout his career has said that to him.

“He certainly did it today. Everybody recognises he’s a good footballer but there’s a bit more to it than that and let’s hope that’s a sign that he’s buying into what I want from a central midfielder.

“And it’s not just today, he’s been doing it over the last few weeks and he deserved to start. But I’m saying that that’s just one game, if you look at our back four, how many games have we played? They’ve done it every week. That’s the test - every week.”

Echoing some of his comments about what he wants to see from Wordsworth, McCarthy outlined why Paul Taylor wasn’t in the 18 at the Amex.

“It’s the all-round contribution that counts, we’re a team. I think he’s a talented player who does well when he’s on the ball but it’s all the other stuff that I require, certainly at a place like Brighton," he told Radio Suffolk.

McCarthy gave short shrift to the suggestion that the Blues, who are ninth, five points from the top six, are exceeding expectations by still being in the play-off hunt at this stage of the season.

“I get a bit weary of that,” he said. “It’s a bit like ‘aren’t we doing well, aren’t we doing better than expected’.

“But when we started, I thought I'd got a good squad of players, we haven’t got many players, but the ones we’ve got, I think they’re good.

“You’ve seen today that they’re all prepared to work very hard. So, I don’t, no, we went in to the season thinking 'let’s make progress' and certainly that’s what we’re doing.”

The Town boss says he caught part of Town’s next two opponents in action on TV on Saturday lunchtime, Derby beating their East Midlands rivals Nottingham Forest 5-0.

“Bonkers league, isn’t it?” he added. “I didn’t see it until it was 3-0. It was one of those games where the manager, whoever it is, in this case Billy Davies, has got to make changes to try and get back in the game to justify his travelling fans and all that.

“I thought he’d probably put two up front or a get a bit wider and they’d either get one back or they’d get beaten by six.

“And, of course, they got beaten by five because you get all over the shop chasing it. Derby were sat in, they’re a good side, they’re playing one up front, they’ve good runners. You could see it coming. That’s the way it goes, isn’t it?”

Meanwhile, injured midfielder Skuse joined his former club and hometown side Bristol City’s supporters for their 2-2 draw with Colchester at the Weston Homes Community Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Elsewhere, former Blues assistant manager Chris Hutchings has joined Barnsley in a similar role working under boss Danny Wilson.

Photo: Action Images

KiwiTractor added 06:57 - Mar 24 Onya Woody
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bluefeast added 07:12 - Mar 24 Legs like woody
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tractordownsouth added 07:19 - Mar 24 Week in, week out? Give him a chance
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GerkensBeard added 07:39 - Mar 24 Was great to see him get a start as his hard work had paid off, has undoubted quality on the ball but I think he may not be fit enough for tomorrow and I'm not going to lie I'm praying Skuse is back for tomorrow night to keep tabs on Bryson, would expect us to line up much the same tomorrow night just with Williams playing a little bit deeper to match the 4-3-3 Derby play.

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RegencyBlue added 08:34 - Mar 24 If Wordsworth can keep that form going a central midfield of him and Skuse offers much more than Skuse and Hyam.
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oldelsworthyfan added 09:27 - Mar 24 Have you noticed how often we have more of the ball in matches, yet go on to lose? This is because we have too many midfield players who don't know what to do with the ball when they get it. Watching us at Brighton on Saturday, Brighton seemed to have the ball most of the time BUT we stopped them 'playing' and when we DID get the ball we were fast and decisive on the break. I thought Wordsworth had a lot to do with this. So Hyam and Skuse, when you get the ball and don't know what to do with it.....give it to Woody, he will! So please MM, continue to encourage Woody. He has the ability AND a football brain.

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RaymondovicBlue added 10:14 - Mar 24 I actually think this year has been about consolidation not progress.... if I remember rightly, once pj went our form over the remainder of the season under Mick was not far off top six standard.... and we are now not far off top six over most of a season. could go either way ... that's how pivotal situations work. but if Mick is happy when players are consistent, I'm happy that we are STILL not far at all of top six after consolidation comes progress .... we trust!

5

Bradley19ITFC added 10:30 - Mar 24 Him and Skuse would be good, Wordy can create chances!
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Lightningboy added 10:47 - Mar 24 Mick,i'm sure by now after all your years in the game you must realise that there is a huge psychological difference between playing for the reserves & playing for the first team..give players their chance & they'll up their game. Now don't go and shoot yourself in the foot this week by restoring your under-achieving favourites yet again. We've a fairly solid defence,now let the attacking players off the leash.

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Jimmy86 added 12:00 - Mar 24 And here lies the problem im afraid. To mick doing the dirty side of things will always come above flair, creativity and forward thinking. Thats why we are a stubborn and beligerent team over a free flowing entertaining team. Yes be hard to beat and well organised that is vitally important but you have to get the right balance and our negative, ultra rigid style of play under mick is too work horse heavy. Yes it may have achieved results but from an entertainment point of view, despite what mick thinks, has been poor. We ahould be able to find room in the team for woody, taylor and williams!!

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Fat_Boy_Tim added 12:30 - Mar 24 Agree with Mick. Yes flair players are good going forward but if you look at the best flair players in the world (the Bale's, Messi's and Ronaldo's etc) they are some of the hardest working players on the pitch. They track back, press high up and make off the ball runs just to create space for others to exploit. That work rate is the minimum expectation from Mick and so it should be. Pablo Counago was technically gifted and creative but I'd like to think Mick wouldn't play the lazy sod!

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essextractorboy93 added 12:31 - Mar 24 Wordsworth adds something very different to the Skuse/Hyam combination and credit to him taking his chance against Brighton, I remember he came in for the FA Cup match against Preston and had a shocker. More attack minded than both Skuse and Hyam, good option to have.
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bluemagic74 added 12:55 - Mar 24 Wordsworth did have a good game and thats good but still hope skuse is bk and taylor at least on the bench coyb
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Jimmy86 added 13:15 - Mar 24 Essextractorboy93 why did you disagree with my post?? I agree with what you said but was pointing out in my opinion that we need to address the balance of our team. At the moment we dont have enough creativity in the side which is something wordsworth and taylor adds along with williams
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battyblue added 14:10 - Mar 24 Sorry but was Frank Nouble doing it week in week out a very definite NO but hopefully he has played his last game this season.
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TimmyH added 17:42 - Mar 24 Far more creative type midfield on saturday than what we've had for almost the whole season, I know it's easy to say this after the win but even with Williams playing in front of the four of Hyam, Wordsworth, Hunt and Anderson it looks more purposeful if we can contain the opposition.
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blueboy1981 added 18:26 - Mar 24 Wordsworth has the potential to be a class act - problem is, every Manager in the game will have his own ideas as to what he expects from his players - technical, skillful players are not always into the 'dirty' stuff as MM calls it, therefore not at all sure that he will ever be able to get the best from this type of player. It's obvious to me that the reason behind the Taylor situation in terms of MM - is because he is typically one of these type of players - some Manager's would gladly overlook the need to become embroiled in the so called 'dirty stuff' . But MM is the 'rough and ready' type - who possibly believes in NEVER MIND THE QUALITY - FEEL THE WIDTH. That's not everyone's philosophy tho' - thankfully !

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bluesman added 21:21 - Mar 24 Say what you like, MM isn't a creative sort of bloke is he?
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muccletonjoe added 22:57 - Mar 24 If he did that we really would take some stopping
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