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

TimmyH added 19:27 - Oct 3 Your right on one thing Mick, there isn't only one thing you can put your finger on regarding our poor defensive record there are numerous ones including your stubborness to keep playing the same back line (enforced to change due to injury today) even though 2 are under performing or 1 might be playing in the wrong position. Also baffling that we have 2 defensive minded midfielders which are doing 'diddly squat' on protecting the back line. Wholesale changes need to be made and generally Mick has to stick with them i.e. introduction of Bish/Bru alongside the effective Fraser, McG needs to start behind Sears or Sears/Pittman and Douglas dropped. Toure and even AMN have abundant energy but a lack of quality, so no way can they both play in the same midfield. 2 fullbacks please and maybe even Smith/Chambers in the middle at present as Berra seems out of sorts. This is all hypothetical as it won't happen or might for 1 game during the season when Mick will then resort to form. Have to look at yourself Mick as well and the poor decisions you are making currently.

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itfchorry added 19:28 - Oct 3 Let me get you a taxi YorkBlue
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Lord_Mac added 19:33 - Oct 3 Some things to remember and some things to forget. Let's remember that without MM we would be in League One already. Let's remember that without MM we wouldn't have the players we have in our squad Let's remember that our business model is not about spending loads of the owner's money on transfer fees - that isn't going to change, even if you want it to. Let's remember that we are spending money on higher wages than before, md across a big squad, and that is where the transfer money is going But... With the squad we have, we should be doing much better than we are. We are consistently picking players when we have better players for those positions in that squad. Specifically, Douglas, Chambers, Gerken Unless MM remembers that, he is going to undo two years of really good work and if that happens, we are in big trouble, because there are a lot worse manager-coach combinations out there than MM-TC. We are still suffering at the hands of one such idiot every time we play Rhodes. I'm afraid that unseating MM is more likely to lead us to Div One than Prem.

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essextractorboy93 added 19:33 - Oct 3 If you honestly believe Mick should go, you need your brain seeing to. So short sighted! Im glad the majority of people here understand how football works. The season isnt finished after 10 games, on a bad run, but its times like this you find out who the true supporters of this club are!
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phillo added 19:41 - Oct 3 What we could do with is competition for defence places ....... oh hold on we do but their all out on loans !!!!!! Ridiculous state of affairs ......
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warktheline added 19:46 - Oct 3 At present McCarthy your unbackable. Can't you see it for yourself, the back four has been wrong for ever and a day. For heaven sake man, BLOODY CHANGE IT!!! Show some courage and admit it, you've got it wrong. Play McGoldrick, and find room for Bru and Bishop. PLEASE start with defence and the rest will follow, that I'm 100% sure of.
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Keaneish added 19:54 - Oct 3 These are the problems: - chopping and changing the front four is terrible. Pick the best two and give them a run of games. The lack of cohesion is showing. - the back four need a revamp. Proper full backs in their natural positions. - the midfield two need a shake up. It's no coincidence that since Douglas has come in we've struggled.
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yorksblue added 19:54 - Oct 3 Too many people living off memories. Yes, he steadied the sinking ship, but moving forward, what has he done? We're hardly over reacting, just incredibly frustrated with issues that are blatantly obvious.
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Keaneish added 19:55 - Oct 3 May be a touch harsh on Douglas as he's played more than I thought but either way, he's not the right fit.
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prebbs007 added 19:56 - Oct 3 The only bad habit is you continuing to pick out of position out of form players and your stubbornness to admit you're wrong. You pick you "besties" based on last season and at the moment we are a joke of a team.
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yorksblue added 20:01 - Oct 3 I mentioned blind loyalty from MM earlier. There appears to be much of it towards him on this site. Can't knock you for that. After all, it's all about opinions.
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burnhamboy added 20:17 - Oct 3 I read a Daily Mail article before the home leg of the West Ham playoff semi final which said whoever lost that game wouldn't go up for the next 20 years due to the financial situation of both clubs and remember thinking what a outrageous thing to write, but unfortunately it is starting to look true. Other teams in this league are investing large sums to obtain promotion ie Derby, Reading, Sheffield Wed and we are not competing with them off field and it is starting to show on the field. We did incredibly well last year with no investment and this summer I believe Marcus Evans had 2 choices, to invest in players to kick on and try and get promoted this year or to continue with the cheaper option of loans and free transfers, it is obvious he has chosen the latter. The real problem he has now the supporters expectations has risen sharply due to the success of last season and mid table this year would be seen as a major disappointment. We should maybe also look at last season a little more carefully, Boxing Day was the first time in 10 years I actually thought we had a chance of promotion, the form after that was erratic and when we lost to Blackburn on the last day, if it hadn't been for Reading beating Derby we wouldn't have made the playoffs, which if I am not mistaken would have been one of the first times a team in the top 2 at Xmas didn't even make the playoffs

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StowTractorBoy added 20:17 - Oct 3 Alfromcol here what you say but Smith and Chambers were nowehere near our worst players today.
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toxtethblue added 20:30 - Oct 3 Went to the game today. Mick sticks with his favourites regardless - I think his stubborness is proving to be our undoing. Defence less sure with Deano behind them but he sticks with him anyway. Hes become this seasons tabb. Toothless and ineffective. Defence are laughable. No where near good enough to go up...
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timkatieadamitfc added 21:00 - Oct 3 I'll start by saying I've never moaned when things aren't going as I would like them too and always believe you should back manager/players,but that is where the positives stop.I am getting sick and tired of reading the same posts(Bart for Gerken,play proper full backs,chambers for smith,Skuse/Douglas can't play together or just plain not good enough.I agree with all of them,I had such high hopes at the start of this season even more so after the first half dozen games,but the last few games have shown where we really are.How can we have the forward line and scored so many goals and still be in minus figures,this defence wouldn't cut it in the next league down never mind this one,seriously.Until this issue is taken care of I hate to say it but there is no way this team is getting out of this league,someone posted last week along the lines of if you are struggling and your forwards are not scoring then play Ipswich and they will see right.AT THE MINUTE COULD NOT BE MORE TRUE.Our back five is laughable/shocking/shat/useless you take your pick.

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yorksblue added 21:06 - Oct 3 Spot on
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BillBlue added 21:22 - Oct 3 All of the supporters are being totally ignored especially those wonderful people who travel all over the Country only to be so badly let down. Perhaps we should remember to vote - with the feet. Mr Evans might just Unotice!
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BillBlue added 21:24 - Oct 3 notice.
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yorksblue added 21:41 - Oct 3 Sadly, I reckon that's a nailed on banker Bill.
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bluefeast added 22:02 - Oct 3 our crowds will drop ,I've been to five games this season ,3 at home and 2 away. I won't spend that kind of money to watch in absolute disgust the inability of a team to pass move ,cover each other and a lop sided team , why do all other sides look like a unit ,why do we look like strangers
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brittaniaman added 22:17 - Oct 3 Well we have 2 weeks to sort out this team now, and we do not want to see the usual favourites lining up again next time ????? So come on MM. because as things are we are going to start our 15th year in this division next season !!!! you have a squad of 34 players to choose from one of the largest in this league.
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GiveusaWave added 22:49 - Oct 3 Awful stuff yet again. We look like Barcelona but play like Basingstoke Town (no disrespect to Basingstoke). Promotion hopefuls we are not. What's the betting MM will start harping on about how great our opposition is before the next match? Always good to booster the oppositions confidence. Sorry to say it, but have to agree with Sheff Wed fans about Coke.
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Lightningboy added 23:19 - Oct 3 Why is it that whenever we are 2-0 down I have zero belief that we will come back and draw or win,YET when we are 2-0 up I always think we'll end up throwing it away?..our attitude stinks at times. Plus what has happened to Douglas this season?..8 goals last season..expected him to bomb forward and join the attack..what was the point in bringing him here if not to add goals from midfield? Mick has 2 weeks to sort this shambles out..I expect the right players in the right positions by then but I doubt it..it'll be same old same old.

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wayway added 00:49 - Oct 4 Yes we finished in the play offs last season BUT, we needed a top class keeper then, we needed a decent right back then, we needed a commanding central defender then and we needed a creative midfield player then.AND WE STILL BLOODY DO. What are the odds on Gerkin and the usual back four for the Huddersfield game? We are becoming a joke
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KiwiTractor added 01:55 - Oct 4 Mick, I'll giver you a clue.... Bart Parr, Smith, Chambers, Knudsen Fraser, Skuse, Bru, Oar McGoldrick, Sears
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