Boss Mick McCarthy says loanee Jonny Williams’s absence for a month is a big blow both for Town and for the player. The 21-year-old, who is on loan from Crystal Palace until the end of December, suffered the injury during Saturday’s 1-0 victory over Watford.

“It is [a big blow for us] and it is for him because he’s just got back again,” said the Blues boss, who was less than impressed by the challenge by Hornets defender Joel Ekstrand, which caused the injury.

McCarthy believes that the Swede ought to have been sent off: “It was a cold, cynical, ruthless, violent tackle which deserved a red card, which I said afterwards, and I haven’t changed my opinion. It’s still the same.

“And I saw the comments that their coach [Slavisa Jokanovic] made afterwards as well as what he said it to me, about how they had to be tougher, especially against teams like Ipswich.

“I said to him ‘Oh really? As far as I’m aware there was only one team who had a player carried off, and that was Ipswich’.

“And then I saw his comments afterwards on The Football League Show about how they started playing like Ipswich and hitting long balls and working hard.

“Well, for one, I’d ask what’s wrong with working hard and I’ve had a look at the stats and we murdered them actually, looking at the stats.

“Somebody else isn’t happy getting beaten by unfancied, under the radar Ipswich. Somebody else who’s pissed off. Isn’t it great?”

Aside from Williams, Dean Gerken and Cole Skuse were the only other senior players sidelined with injuries, but McCarthy expects them to be over their groin problems in time for Town’s next game: “They’ll all be all right for Bournemouth. I think all those boys will be fine.”

Photo: Action Images

SamWhiteUK added 14:56 - Nov 13 Super Mick McCarthy! Won't stand for any sh*t
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Greektractor added 15:01 - Nov 13 Slavisa Jokanovic is such a kn*b
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Ipswich_Loyal added 15:03 - Nov 13 “Somebody else isn't happy getting beaten by unfancied, under the radar Ipswich. Somebody else who's pissed off. Isn't it great?” I love you Mick.
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JewellintheTown added 15:07 - Nov 13 Ekstrand should have been sent down for serious assault for that "tackle", never mind red carded, Mick.
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bohslegend added 15:25 - Nov 13 You get the impression MM loves being the underdog with us. He loves proving people wrong, and it motivates him to continually do better. This is a great formula for us, whatever anyone thinks of tactics etc. MM is exactly the right manager for us as we take on the rich clubs with parachute payments, the small clubs who cheat their way through the FFP rules and the promoted clubs who have nothing to lose. He takes no sh1t from anyone and we're getting better all the time! COYB!

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charsfield added 15:33 - Nov 13 love this
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dubblue added 15:40 - Nov 13 Fair play to Mick, no messing. nothing wrong with hard work, I will say nothing about hitting long balls! With Gerken likely to be back will Bialkowski keep his place?
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Cheshire_Blue added 16:42 - Nov 13 There is no place in football for this type of challenge but we should not forget that Wigan lost a player to a similar challenge by Christophe Berra earlier in the season.
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TR11BLU added 16:44 - Nov 13 Sock it to em MM!
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neillrumsey added 17:05 - Nov 13 Disappointing to lose a forward thinking creative player. Thankfully in Teddy Bishop we have a more than capable replacement. We could do with some re-enforcements in centre midfield hopefully MM will address in January
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 17:07 - Nov 13 Very p**** off about this. You could see the intent in the challenge two metres before he actually made contact. A deliberate foul, a red card not given, and we suffer, not Watford. Still, I have every confidence Bishop will step up to the mark. Wish Joniesta a speedy recovery.
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TractorBeezer added 17:31 - Nov 13 As Sir Bobby Robson said there is nothing wrong with long balls as the direct route...so long as they hit the target. Then he signed Muhrem and Thijssen! Surely the key is to mix it up which we are now doing. As for the Eckstrand foul, hopefully the referee's assessor has submitted an accurate report.
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TimmyH added 17:31 - Nov 13 Disappointing he's out for a month but it does seem some players target him out for rough treatment particularly in this physical Championship league. On another note our record with him in the team is actually worse with him not playing...just food for thought - still not taking anything away from him he does have that bit of quality, with Bishop doing a fairly good job when he plays it's not as bigger a deal as maybe last season.

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Bluetone added 18:11 - Nov 13 There should be no place in modern day football for the likes of Eckstrand or for the type of manager who encourages this sort of cynical play.
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Surco72 added 19:17 - Nov 13 Maybe the style of ipswich of last year but certainly not this, very bad challenge and MM is spot on Watford are hiding behind the fact we were much the better team . MM keep telling them how it is, love it
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Kirbmeister added 20:15 - Nov 13 Not sure I have ever seen a Town played get hacked down so often - pretty much every time he gets on the ball. A month will pass quickly and what's the betting he's back before that anyway. MM is a top bloke and we stand every chance with him running our £10k squad!
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PJH added 20:20 - Nov 13 Kirbmeister-Eric Gates used to get some brutal treatment back in the 1980's.
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blueboy1981 added 20:52 - Nov 13 Disgraceful decision by the Referee not to send off Eckstrand for what was a totally cynical and deliberate foul - Williams is typical of the type of player who needs, and should be able to expect, protection from such henchmen. Just couldn't believe the decision - looked like a straight red to me with no questions asked.
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dude added 20:59 - Nov 13 Oi Slavisa, hell awaits. The lizards have a special place for liars in the 4th dimension.
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Tractamatt added 22:15 - Nov 13 Time for Bishop to shine although I fear we have seen the last of Johnny Williams in a Town shirt if so all the best and thanks J.W for everything
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RedDust added 23:13 - Nov 13 Dude, all the Ipswich squad should skip to 5th and meet with our Pleaidian brothers!
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carsey added 23:58 - Nov 13 I wrote at the time that the "tackle" was more like an assault. It also annoyed me that Town got about 10 seconds on the football league show and they didn't show the incident. Instead they gave air time to the jerk off manager whining on about having to play like Ipswich with long balls. I think I hate Watford almost as much as Narwich.
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brian_a_mul added 09:22 - Nov 14 Bru or Teddy can play in an advanced midfield role, again great to have this strength and depth in the squad. If Skuse doesnt recover over the next week we will have Hyam ready to play the holding role with Bru and Teddy in midfield. Fingers crossed Murphy, McGoldrick & Berra make it through the week unscathed
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Bluetone added 12:47 - Nov 14 Brian they should be OK I don't think any Watford pla - - - hackers will be playing.
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Fatboy added 13:01 - Nov 14 Whilst it is undoubtedly a blow for Jonny, and he has my every sympathy following that awful tackle, it could actually play into Ipswich's hands if we are to believe that he was on the verge of being recalled to Palace. There is now a possibility that he will be allowed to stay at Town during his recuperation and could be with us to help out during the busy Christmas fixtures before his loan expires (I'm not sure exactly when in December we have him until). If he's not on the verge of the Palace team during January, we might also get him back again some way or another in the new year.

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