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McCarthy Considering Changes for Leeds Trip
Tuesday, 3rd Mar 2015 13:23

Town boss Mick McCarthy has said he’s considering making changes to his team for Wednesday’s visit to Leeds United. The Blues boss remains without the injured Teddy Bishop, Noel and Stephen Hunt, Darren Ambrose, David McGoldrick and Luke Hyam.

“I don’t think Sunday, then Wednesday at Elland Road and getting back at 2am on Thursday morning and then playing on Saturday against Brentford is conducive to having the same 10 outfield players playing and having to do that shift,” McCarthy said.

“I’ve got a good squad, but it’s not the biggest, and I’m considering making changes for it.”

He says midfielder Bishop should be back for Saturday’s home game against Brentford having hurt his ankle in training towards the end of last week.

“We’re hoping he’ll be OK for Saturday,” the Blues manager added. “That was a shame for him and for all of us because he’s a good player. He just blocked a shot and it opened his ankle up. Hopefully Saturday.”

Noel Hunt is expected to miss the regular season with the medial knee ligament injury he sustained at Fulham, while Stephen Hunt and Darren Ambrose have hamstring problems.

Luke Hyam has a knee injury and David McGoldrick remains on the sidelines with his thigh problem.

“None of them are fit,” McCarthy continued. “Noel’s obviously on crutches, Stephen’s getting back, Darren’s not fit. Didzy’s not fit and Luke Hyam’s not fit.”

He says he privately always expected McGoldrick to out for several weeks: “I’ll be honest, I knew it was going to be longer than I said at the start of it because I was trying to get strikers in on loan, so it would have been bonkers of me to announce to the world that I’ve got a striker that might be out for five or six weeks.

“You’ll have to forgive me for telling a small, white porky-pie there, but that’s the way it is, that’s the business.

“Didzy is probably looking at the Middlesbrough game, he’s hoping to get back training quick but whether we can get enough training into him to have him involved, who knows. It might be after the international break.”

McCarthy confirmed that 17-year-old midfielder Kundai Benyu, who was on the bench at Norwich, will again travel with the squad.

Leeds will be without midfielder Rodolph Austin, due to a thigh strain. Central defender Giuseppe Bellusci is back from a ban, while striker Steve Morison could return having been out with a groin injury. However, midfielders Granddi Ngoyi (thigh) and Tommaso Bianchi (knee) are again expected to miss out.

Meanwhile, former Town coach and skipper Tony Mowbray has been appointed the new manager of League One Coventry City, signing a deal until the end of the season.


Photo: Action Images



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BlueMachines added 13:31 - Mar 3
How many times will this be the headline?

Let's hope for once he makes significant changes in the right areas. I won't harp on about what I think he should do. 90% of us feel the same changes are required. Just for goodness sake, play round pegs in round holes and try and win a game!!
26

rambohambo added 13:31 - Mar 3
we need a change in the team , so tabb will start for sure and chambo at rb.
5

truckertractorboy added 13:31 - Mar 3
Had inside info on dids did think it was abit strange they was not telling us he was on crutches dont think we will c him for weeks
0

unknown100 added 13:32 - Mar 3
parr has to come in for smith and move chambers into the centre, 2 full backs helps the midfield, would like to see wood, Sears and Murphy all start together, maybe in a 433, much prefer 433
13

LancsBlue added 13:35 - Mar 3
Smith out! Tabb out! Skuse out! Mings out! McCarthy out! Sorry just thought I'd get that in before any of the other barmpots on here do.
4

Michael11 added 13:40 - Mar 3
It's McCarthy who needs to change his approach and formation more than the personnel. Surely we have to see the 4-3-3 return. Sick of us accommodating Chambers at right back when he's simply not good enough playing there. Smith needs to sit a few games out as he's got no right foot and panics on the ball. I'd play Chambers in the centre and Parr at right back again. Bialkowski is on thin ice too. He was at fault against Birmingham and rooted to his line all game on Sunday which left the defence under all sorts of pressure.
-1

Popeye added 13:46 - Mar 3
With so many players out injured MM cant really make many changes particularly in midfield where we were poor against Norwich. Parr should come in at r/b and Smith dropped and Stewart should be at least on the bench and Ando put back in the starting X1 because one thing was apparent against Norwich and that was a lack of crosses into the box because MM's tactics were to play a narrow midfield which i think was a mistake because players like Murphs thrive on crosses rather than just hoofing it to him straight from the back and missingthe midfield completely. The other thing i noticed about sundays game wasthat no town midfielder wants to take the ball off the centre halves, if you look at Liverpool as an example, the centre halves play the ball to Henderson or Gerrard and they build the play from them. When Matty Holland was playing i'm sure he got the ball off the centre halves and then played it forward because at the mo we might as well play any midfielders because the ball is just ping ponging over their heads!!
5

B1TFC added 13:48 - Mar 3
@micheal11 FINALLY! Someone who agrees with what I've been saying for a few months!! Chambo is NOT a right back!! He doesn't even look comfortable there!
Swap him with Smith and get Parr out there! He looks good going forward and not like a rabbit in the headlights as he goes past the halfway line!!

Let's hope this is the first and last time we see this headline, cos we only play at Leeds once, but I get your drift on the first comment at the top

Need to get some momentum in these games, our run in doesn't look good on paper!
-2

prebbs007 added 13:52 - Mar 3
No Smith No Tabb no hoof ball and we MIGHT have a chance.
4

ChrisL_ITFC added 13:52 - Mar 3
My choice
BialkowskiParrChambersBerraMingsSkuseChaplowBruWoodMurphySears
Substitutes: Gerken   Smith   Clarke   Anderson   Tabb   Varney   Connolly   
-2

ChrisL_ITFC added 13:54 - Mar 3
My choice
BialkowskiParrChambersBerraMingsSkuseChaplowBruWoodMurphySears
Substitutes: Gerken   Smith   Clarke   Anderson   Tabb   Varney   Connolly   
5

lduly10 added 13:59 - Mar 3
Has to play 4-3-3 I think. Keep a tight 3 in the middle and exploit them in-behind full back and centre half with Sears' pace.. We don't do that enough. If we stopped resulting to the long ball and played to Murphs feet, then got sears in behind we'd look a lot more dangerous rather than playing the long ball all the time?
-1

riley26 added 14:01 - Mar 3
I don't think people should underestimate Skuse's role in the side. He's not going to grab the headlines but he goes about his job admirable, breaking up play and keeping the ball ticking over in midfield.

However his role becomes somewhat defunct when we don't have the likes of Bishop and McGoldrick (I know they're out) in front of him. With creativity ahead of him, his main job is to protect the back four and provide the link between the back line and our attacking players in the final third.

Unfortunately when he only has the likes of Tabb and Chaplow around him, he is required to have an increased bearing on proceedings, and unfortunately he cannot provide us with that attacking impetus.

It's the equivalent of Chelsea having Matic in the holding role, but rather than having Fabregas and Hazard as options ahead of him, plonking Mikel and Ramires in there.
4

Cat_ITFC added 14:06 - Mar 3
When Skuse is injured he is considered a big miss, when he is fit he is one of the first that should be dropped.

The lad can't do right from wrong!
3

alliedaz added 14:07 - Mar 3
whoopy doo 90 mins and then play 90mins on saturday im doing 72hrs this week and traveling and i bet i only get a fraction of their weekly wage and man up town and pay us fans back with a win
-1

itfc1981 added 14:11 - Mar 3
Parr in at RB, Smith out, Chambers at CB anyone can see we need that!
6

juniorblue added 14:17 - Mar 3
"it's not the biggest, and I'm considering making changes for it.” We have heard this before from MM.

Please, please make changes for tomorrow. Bring in Parr, drop Smith and play with three strikers. Let's be positive and attack the game. Come on Town!
5

itfc1981 added 14:17 - Mar 3
The truth is however we play in midfield is poor at the moment, so we can argue about the subtle differences all we want there.

However what is key is Parr in for Smith and 433 to give us balance, passing ability at the back and a attacking threat from wingbacks. Wood Sears and Murphy is very strong at this level.

4

warktheline added 14:17 - Mar 3
PARR CHAMBERS BERRA MINGS......lets get the basics right, PLEASE!
12

SouperJim added 14:17 - Mar 3
alliedaz which 72 hour per week sport is your profession?
0

TR11BLU added 14:24 - Mar 3
The weekly headline...
0

algarvefan added 14:28 - Mar 3
Most of us agree 'round pegs in round holes'.

I wish people would give Chambers a break, he doesn't ask to play in that position and he is certainly more at home at the heart of our defence. Tommy Smith is not playing well and needs a break, so come on MM lets get Parr in (who I think is excellent) and sort the back four. After that the truth is we are carrying a number of injuries and that was always going to be a problem with the size of our squad.

I didn't think much of Chaplow but then didn't think much of most of the team Sunday ...I'm with the 4-3-3 bunch, hopefully we can bounce back against dirty Leeds!!
2

alliedaz added 14:30 - Mar 3
souper jim i played football at a high level and my work now is hard manual and would rather play 90mins of football than 72hrs and its what they get paid to do
2

TR11BLU added 14:32 - Mar 3
“I don't think Sunday, then Wednesday at Elland Road and getting back at 2am on Thursday morning and then playing on Saturday against Brentford is conducive to having the same 10 outfield players playing and having to do that shift,”

Well I was at Norwich (Left home at 9 back at 8) aftrer a full weeks work. Back to work Monday and will travel tomorrow night, getting home at 1 then up again at half 5 and in to work Thurs and Fri then 3 hour round trip Sat. I get paid less in a year than most of our overpaid rubbish get in a month....
Just a thought.
3

jas0999 added 14:36 - Mar 3
We have injuries. Got it. But we have also had ample opportunities to strengthen the team to ensure we can cope with it. There can be no excuse for the inclusion of Tabb. Smith has to go. Why not play three strikers.
5


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