Town boss Mick McCarthy was full of praise for his four defenders and goalkeeper after Saturday’s 3-0 victory at Charlton.

The Blues manager stuck by his regular backline of Christophe Berra and Tommy Smith at the centre of the defence, skipper Luke Chambers at right-back, Jonas Knudsen at left-back and Dean Gerken in goal despite Town conceding two poor goals - by no means the first of the season - in last week’s 2-2 home draw with Wolves.

"The back four were great, and we had Gerks who made three magnificent saves. I just said to him, ‘Man of the match and we won 3-0’," he said.

“I think they are [my best back five], no doubt. I’m not being critical of Bart because if he was in I’d probably be saying that that’s my best back five.

“I think they’re just as good [as one another] but Gerks has got the gloves and possession is nine tenths of the law.

“The other four have been terrific, they really have. It was Tyrone Mings last year but I think Jonas has come in and filled that slot really well.”

Referring back to comments he made at Friday’s pre-match press conference, he added: “I said to you that they’d be playing and they’ll be playing next [Friday] as well.”

Photo: Action Images

Wallingford_Boy added 10:39 - Dec 1 @guentchev Knudsen is not good enough at this level IMO. Parr anyday of the week!
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SouperJim added 10:57 - Dec 1 As soon as I saw the headline, I knew this would amuse the mob!
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itsonlyme added 11:03 - Dec 1 As I said before, our defence is not good enough, despite what MM says. If we can stop Boro from scoring, then that will go some way to changing my mind.
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warktheline added 11:20 - Dec 1 Harrys h, if people didn't comment on club, we wouldn't have twtd ! What a load of rubbish to state no one has McCarthy's calibre in football, and as such, shouldn't question his decisions! Who would you suggest does have authority to question him? No one doubts Smith ability or potential, but as already mentioned, the lad has been forced to play on his weaker side. As far as I'm concerned McCarthy ducked a tough decision regarding Chambers, Berra and Smith.

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BrettenhamBlue added 11:31 - Dec 1 Know it's a different topic entirely, but saw an interview yesterday with Marvin Sordell. What has happened to his career? He was considered one of the great up coming stars only a few seasons ago. Now he's fighting relegation with Colchester Utd. Wallingford boy is dead right. Parr ahead of Knudsen. Knudsen on the bench. And Coke to play in our U21 set up. Mings was way better than Knudsen. Itsonoyme| doubt our defence will hold out. chambers and Knudsen will be overlapped too many times and their strike force will be ruthless. Best chance we have is scoring more goals than them. 5-3 with a Murphy hatrick.

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Bluetone added 11:41 - Dec 1 Strange smug pig-headed people these folk from Yorkshire.
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Lightningboy added 12:17 - Dec 1 Gerken made a couple of decent saves (one brilliant granted) but I think he's capable of making complete howlers in every game at some point - last Saturday again when it was still goaless he came out for a punch and nearly punched it straight into his own box,plus some of his kicking is woeful at times. Not the long term answer,sorry Mick.
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afrodids added 12:18 - Dec 1 hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha best back 5 that's a good one Mick, you should do stand-up!!!
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flimflam added 12:22 - Dec 1 He is arrogant when we lose and a smug tw*t when we win.
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Surco72 added 12:30 - Dec 1 So smug about a defence that repeatedly make the same mistakes and is among the worst in the league ? If the defence is a terrific as you say MM and our forwards are the highest scorers in the league why are we not top and 10 points behind the leaders for automatic promotion ? 3 clean sheets against the worst teams in this league who have managed 32 goals between them over 54 games is no proof , we shall see after tougher tests

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tractorintheloft added 12:41 - Dec 1 See this for what it is, an extension of the praise he's been heaping on the team for bouncing back from 2 poor goals v wolves to cement confidence gained in recent matches to try and extend our run heading into a very difficult match. Re Chambo at RB - In the championship it's important to have a bit physicallity in the team and this is the trade-off for a maurading RB like Carlos Edwards. PJ tried playing free flowing all out attack and we got regularly thumped. MM has stripped it back and tried to introduce more width this season (remember the Tabb / Anderson rants?) but this has exposed us in defence. It's about balance. We don't have the budget of Boro, Derby or the relegated clubs to buy the players needed to out pass the opposition. This is making the best of what we have available. Do i like the style? - no, but it's what we are and where we are unless ME wants to gamble another big wedge of cash, which quite clearly he doesn't and who can balme him.

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gippeswyk added 13:03 - Dec 1 Tractorintheloft, why dont you blame ME for not parting with some of the 8m for Mings? Even 1 or 2 million would have given MM the chance to bring in a better goalie and RB and maybe Jonny Williams who was great for us. We're never going to be stuck in this division for another 10 years if we continue to shop in the bargain basement.
2

gippeswyk added 13:04 - Dec 1 Sorry, we're going to be stuck...
1

Beattiesballbag added 14:33 - Dec 1 As the stats will support (because of our tactics) Charlton spent twice as long in our third of the pitch as we did in theirs, if it wasn't for the whole team defending in numbers (under instructions obviously), it's very unlikely we would have kept a clean sheet ( judging from previous performances)! So is he trying to kid himself or the public that his back five selection is a good one. Again I think the stats will show our defence was better when he had a different right back & chambers & smith were together in the middle......before Berra's arrival. At present with out the support of the rest of the team our defence sucks!

3

MrDiddle added 14:48 - Dec 1 Anyone would think we were bottom of League 2, teetering on the brink of administration with Roy Keane still in charge the way you lot whinge on here. Maybe you'd be happy if we went back to that??
1

Gcon added 15:27 - Dec 1 Very well said Tractorintheloft
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blueherts added 15:47 - Dec 1 What concerns me is if we get an injury/suspension in the Defence - get yer boots out Mick
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Bergholtblue added 16:09 - Dec 1 Middlesbrough and Derby coming up. I'll reserve my comments until then.
4

TimmyH added 16:37 - Dec 1 Somebody should walk up to Mick one morning at Playford Road and give him some statistics that show his 'best back 5' are performing worse than any other season/part season since he's been here - a fact that shows defensively we're poorer than ever under Mick. How Mick can come out with that statement when he hasn't given any other permutation particularly in the full back positions any time (notably Parr) is a bit silly. Maybe Mick is on the wind up.

2

MrBlue2 added 16:38 - Dec 1 ..... last nail.... bye bye Parr :(
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TimmyH added 16:40 - Dec 1 By the way stats proved last season when Parr was in either full back position last season we kept more clean sheets percentage wise.
4

Currie10 added 16:44 - Dec 1 " Can you imagine this team? Stockdale " Stopped reading after Stockdale - god he's a very poor keeper. Not a fan!
1

Bluebongo added 16:48 - Dec 1 Gippeswyk, At last, a sensible comment. Quite agree with you mate.
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sidtheswan added 16:53 - Dec 1 Has the "one who cannot be argued with" realised that with the exception of Berra he will need a whole new defence if we ever get in the premier league? Has he thought how much that will cost and how long it will take for them to gel ? Probably not .
1

prebbs007 added 17:56 - Dec 1 Mick !!! Please !!! We have beaten the 3 worst teams in the league and drawn at home to a bang average wolves team and now you try to tell us the back 5 are great. You are truly delusional. Gerk the Berk makes 3 saves when we're 3-0 up and he's a world beater. Pull the other one it has bells on. Chambers is the worst RB in the division. Smith is dodgy as hell on his right side yet you pick him at RCB and Knudsen is not good enough to clean the boots of Mings or Cressie. Let's see how Nugent, Downing and Co get on against our brilliant back 5 before you start crowing about how clever you were to stick by them !!!! Yes we've had a good November but be realistic about who we played. Bolton, Rotherham, Wolves & Charlton are not exactly going to be top half jet alone top 6, so I reserve judgement until we produce consistently against our real rivals !!!!

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