Town boss Mick McCarthy says his team has got to get out of the bad habit of giving teams one or two-goal starts. Former Blue Jordan Rhodes netted in the 12th and 16th minutes - the first a penalty - to give Blackburn Rovers a 2-0 victory over the Blues at Ewood Park.

“It’s become a bit of a bad habit of ours giving teams a goal start or a two-goal start and it’s got to stop,” a frustrated Blues manager said.

Town’s progress under McCarthy has been based on defensive solidity but the Blues have now kept just two clean sheets in 22 games in all competitions and only four teams have conceded more than their total of 17 in the Championship this season.

He says that the defensive frailties aren't a result of the Blues now offering more going forward.

“It’s not because we’ve got more of a threat, that’s for sure,” he insisted. “It’s not only one thing, I can put my finger on a lot of things that are wrong but I can’t just give you one answer as to why we are defending the way we are.

“I’ve been at pains to try and put it right this week but we didn’t start well, and I have to say they started well.

“They played like us when we were in our pomp last season and playing well 4-4-2. They got about us, people were blocking things and stopping things and stopping us playing. And they did it better than we did.”

Town had four strikers on for the final half hour but McCarthy, admitted it was always going to be tough once the home side were two goals in front.

“They got their tails up from the start and to get two goals it was always going to be difficult to get them back,” he added.

“Just putting on attackers doesn’t always work but if you’re two down you really need to find a solution.”

Regarding Jordan Rhodes, whose two goals take his overall total against his old club to six in six matches, he said: “He was outstanding, his all-round performance.

“He messed us around, he bumped us, he nudged us, he blocked things. Don’t forget his goals because they have won the game, but his all-round performance was outstanding.”

McCarthy didn’t have too many arguments about the penalty decision: “It’s one of them. He’s not going to go down if he’s anywhere else other than in the penalty area but I don’t blame him and Larsen gave him the chance.

“I’ve no complaints about it, I’m looking at it and he shouldn’t have been allowed to get into that position and fair play to him for driving in the box, so not really.”

Ryan Fraser missed out with an injury which McCarthy says isn’t too serious: “He got a knock before the Leeds game, he had a bad ankle and he got another knock in training the other day.

"He had a scan and the scan’s clear but he’s just bruised bone, so he wasn’t fit for today."

However, McCarthy says the knock could force the on-loan AFC Bournemouth winger out of the Scotland U21 squad: “That’s a discussion that our physio’s got to have with them and I think he’s going to struggle for it.”

McCarthy confirmed that Jonas Knudsen was absent as the Dane is unwell: “He was poorly, he had diarrhoea and sickness.”

In his Ipswich Player HD interview the Town manager apologised to fans: "That was as poor as we have been in the three years I have been here and I feel sorry for our fans who watched that. That performance wasn’t good enough.”

Blackburn manager Gary Bowyer was delighted with both the result and his team’s overall display.

“I think it was probably the most complete performance since we’ve been in charge,” he enthused.

“I thought we came out of the traps ever so well, scored two goals very quickly and then continued to play some excellent stuff.

“We got to half-time and we knew the firepower that Ipswich have got and that we were going to be under the cosh in the second half and that proved to be the case, but we still created some great chances.

“But [I was pleased with] the resilience we showed and to come out of that game with a clean sheet.

“Let’s not kid ourselves, Ipswich are going to be right up there this season, especially with the attacking options Mick’s got. At one stage he had all four strikers on the field.

“It’s very, very difficult to pick out any one individual, as I say it was the most complete team performance.”

Former Blues academy scholar Rhodes was once again a thorn in his old club’s side.

“Jordan is rightly going to get the plaudits for two goals again,” Bowyer said. “The header is a fantastic header, it really is.

“And the penalty, he’s the calmest lad on the planet when it comes to taking the penalty. He’s in a very good, rich vein of form.”

Photo: Action Images

TractorCam added 18:28 - Oct 3 “Just putting on attackers doesn't always work but if you're two down you really need to find a solution.” Every fan knows this solution
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yorksblue added 18:29 - Oct 3 Taxi for MM please. Taken us as far as he can. This blind loyality is doing my head in each week. Get rid, now.
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Wickets added 18:36 - Oct 3 Not just poor defending Mick, our defence is always under pressure 'cos midfield is poor. Douglas ,Toure and Coke look very average Championship players.
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superblue70 added 18:38 - Oct 3 Mick your bad habits need to stop and we all know what they are , blind loyalty just doesn't work
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irishtim added 18:39 - Oct 3 We give Mick hard time over comment he gives re opposition. Look at Bowyer's comment . Let's not jump yet. But If fan's want change then who? Remember MM has done much for this club.
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Bluetone added 18:39 - Oct 3 Here is a clue next game start off with a blank sheet of paper when selecting the team no names already pencilled in just a blank sheet then pick players in their right positions no favourites no shoo in.
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jas0999 added 18:40 - Oct 3 It will only stop when Mick swallows his pride and accepts Gerken is a second rate keeper, that Chambers is being taken apart as a right back and that Skuse/Douglas is perhaps the worst and least creative central partnership in the country. Sadly, I suspect if Mick does make changes it will still be square pegs in round holes. Some of his other cheap signings like Coke are also nowhere near good enough. I don't like loans, but despite having a larger squad we still lack quality. Something we may need to address with a loan before the next game. Right back for example. Goal scorer in that central midfield role (that player may be Bru or Bishop - accepted) or a keeper. Also time for Evans to accept his low cost transfer strategy is light years behind at least 10-15 other clubs in the championship.

31

EssexTractor added 18:41 - Oct 3 For how long have supporters said , if we are allowed opinions, that a team challenging in the higher echelons must , just must, have proper footballing midfielders, with an intrinsic forward moving ability and with talent to " stop " the play and look for " defence splitting" passes. No good to have four forwards on the pitch if that ammunition just isn't there. ...and when it's " hiding behind the cushions" time when our back four are threatened there are troubles ahead.

7

yorksblue added 18:43 - Oct 3 Bluetone. Sounds like a sensible idea. Wonder why it never happens.
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bluefeast added 18:45 - Oct 3 Well if its not broken don't fix it ,trouble is its broken ,but is MM brave enough to pull Berra out ,put chambers at centre half ,pull Gerkin out ,pull douglass out for bish or bru ,pick two strikers and leave them on for 75 mins etc etc ,or change formation as we are butter.
13

cats_whiskers added 18:46 - Oct 3 McCarthy seems to have shot himself in the foot with this quote: “It's not only one thing, I can put my finger on a lot of things that are wrong but I can't just give you one answer as to why we are defending the way we are. Well, do the honourable thing Mick and fall on your sword and resign as we are going backwards at an alarming rate under your leadership.
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jpring89 added 18:49 - Oct 3 Bad habit is picking the same team that is consistently poor in the same areas. Mick needs to change things fast or it will be like keane/jewell era revisited. I believe in you mick but please start dropping players when they play poorly consistently.
5

alfromcol added 18:51 - Oct 3 If MM starts the next game with Chambers at RB and Smith on the right CH position then I can only think that he watches a different game to the rest of us. So, so disappointing. Team selection is now "all over the place".
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bluefeast added 18:53 - Oct 3 its not just a habit of giving the opposition goal or goals starts. We took the lead vs brentford we took the lead vs bristol city and let that slip ,all in all the writing was on the wall game one so please make solid changes. Skuse and douglas are so poor as is berra this season as is chambers as a right back as is Gerkin. Im not saying MM has an easy job ,but the fact he has clear favourites is terrible. We have injuries ,but i believe MM hates the thought of playing as an attack minded unit with the ball and a defensive based unit without the ball. Chambers for example creates imbalance as getting forward is not his game at all ,would he dislodge any right back in the top 3 leagues ,answer is no. Also service to strikers is horrendous.

8

BoredWithThisNow added 18:53 - Oct 3 Yawn. He really doesn't know what he's doing. Clueless dullard.
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mickeyjb added 18:56 - Oct 3 I think he is persisting because he wants to prove himself right however continuously watching over fairly sh1te displays will not make up for the next win nor will it make us forget. Such a shame as we should be doing so much better. As long as he doesn't go and leave TC in charge. I don't want him to go, just to swallow his ego and admit some of his boys need to be dropped !

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alfromcol added 18:58 - Oct 3 The only "bad Habit" MM is you picking the same back 4 and keeper!
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goat_man added 19:02 - Oct 3 Lets just face it, we're never going to get out of this division at the right end. 14 years in this division and we still haven't learnt how to even get into the playoffs, let alone finish in the automatic places.
0

yorksblue added 19:07 - Oct 3 Least we've got the egg chasing to look forward to. Hmmmm
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pablo123 added 19:17 - Oct 3 One win in 7 is pathetic ! We are falling apart at the seams !!!! Time to get your coat mm we've all had enough of this c**p now thank you
3

rob1987 added 19:17 - Oct 3 i dont get why he does not start mcgoldrick his our best player really dont understand it his had large spells of being injured since his been here we the average run were on surely start beside him the pairing of skuse douglas just does not work their to simular start bru with his pace and drive it surely must make a difference
5

essex57 added 19:17 - Oct 3 Well guys im off to join Hyde utd bye bye
1

yorksblue added 19:21 - Oct 3 I'm off to join Samaritans
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Fixed_It added 19:23 - Oct 3 Some unbelievable over-reaction on here. No-one is happy with our current form, but there are a number of fickle fans who also need to remember just how bad we were before MM arrived. He'll turn it around.
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StirlingArcher added 19:27 - Oct 3 "goat_man added 19:02 - Oct 3 Lets just face it, we're never going to get out of this division at the right end. 14 years in this division and we still haven't learnt how to even get into the playoffs, let alone finish in the automatic places." so last season we finished in the playoffs.... and if we'd finished in the auto promotion then we wouldn't be in the division I get your sentiment but really...

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