Town boss Mick McCarthy says Luke Chambers has been top drawer at right-back and has praised his skipper’s selflessness and leadership.

Asked whether he feels Chambers had particularly impressed him during the Blues’ recent six-game undefeated run, McCarthy said: “I don’t think he’s been any more consistent than he’s ever been. He’s been top drawer there at right-back.

“He’s a centre-half, we all know that, he’d prefer to play at centre-back and that’s something I love about him, that he actually plays there and does it selflessly.

“And at times, when he’s had it tough maybe against a flying winger or it’s just not been his day, he never complains, he just gets on with it and plays. He’s a really good leader, on and off the pitch.

“And doing things the way he does is a great sign of a leader, he does it selflessly and for the team. I’m delighted with him and I do think he’s playing well at the minute.”

McCarthy says the 30-year-old is being encouraged to be more attacking, as is the Blues’ other full-back.

“I have asked him to get forward more, both him and Jonas Knudsen, they’ve certainly got the legs and the fitness and the ability to do it,” he added.

“I think that rather than being hesitant when they do it, when you do it with that bit of gay abandon, for defenders especially, it’s great when you get licence to go forward.

“I’ve never stopped him from doing it, by the way, but maybe we’ve just encouraged him to do it a bit more.”

Photo: Action Images

Len_Brennan added 06:35 - Dec 9 Can't argue with any of those comments about Chambers' effort & attitude; it just doesn't justify the decision not to bring in a genuine right back who wouldn't be constantly playing out of position & struggling as much against flying wingers who'd be targeting him.
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carsey added 06:45 - Dec 9 I don't think anyone questions Chambers attitude or desire what they question is the insistence of McCarthy not investing in a genuine right back. It doesn't matter how much how you dress it we are vulnerable down our right because Chambers is a centre back.
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Sir_Bob added 06:46 - Dec 9 A good fist pump doesn't make you a good footballer. He may be enthusiastic, but he NEVER cuts out a cross from the left winger, that's the primary job of a full back. I don't even think he'll be a very good CH anymore. He may be a lovely bloke, had a brief chat with him in Dusseldorf & he was a good laugh, but, once again, that doesn't make him a good footballer. A good captain/bloke, YES, a good footballer, NO

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GiveusaWave added 07:15 - Dec 9 Hahaha. Not so sure I agree with this. Chambers is a make shift right back who shouldn't really be playing there. I think he's a really good player but in the centre not on the right. Beggars can't be choosers. We couldn't really afford someone to come in and replace Chambers. Piotr doesn't seem ready yet and neither does Emmanuel. Skuse is the only obvious other choice (aside from Parr) but he seems settled in midfield.

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Dissboyitfc added 07:18 - Dec 9 2 two words for me cover the above MM quotes, OH DEAR!
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Surco72 added 07:37 - Dec 9 We have so many players in our team and squad who are top drawer and have been terrific all season , I just can t work out why we are conceding so many goals and not higher in the league ? I dread to think what will happen when they start having bad games
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prebsa added 08:24 - Dec 9 Mick must be joking, does he honestly watch a different game every week to keep coming out with rubbish like this. Good attitude and leadership: Yes. Good Right Back: Definitely Not! If a fist pump is all you need to get in at RB the i think johnny parr better get down the gym and start working on his arms
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DurhamTownFan added 08:38 - Dec 9 Even MM's words show he knows it isn't really working! Oh dear... Starting to think Parr has done something behind the scenes that we don't know about. I understand not wanting to drop your captain but smith hasn't been great this year either
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Gazelle added 08:45 - Dec 9 FYI Surco only 6 teams have conceded more than we have. Comparing our defence with that of last season Knudsen is not great but as a defender neither was Tyrone. The main difference imo is that Christophe hasn't quite been the dominant defender that he has been in previous seasons and I agree with Sir Bob in that Chambo has been so long out of the middle that he'd take time to readjust if he was put back there. I feel really sorry for the bloke who when he first came here was one of the best centre halves we'd had for years.

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nysully added 08:48 - Dec 9 @DurhamTownFan - many times Smith has been seen to be poor because he has to cover for Chambers and his inability to deal with any skilled winger, Smith got completely exposed for the first goal when he tried to tackle Adomah in the open field which is far from his long suit, where was Chambo? It simply makes no sense to play Chambers in that spot. Watch every time Gerken rolls a ball out to a wide open Chambers, immediately our opponents rush to press, Chambers then plays a useless square ball to Tommy in a spot he absolutely does not want the ball, the ball them gets pushed back to Gerken who kicks the ball away under pressure. Two questions, why can't Chambers find an outlet calmly. If MM can't see that Chambers is targeted constantly by other teams he just isn't paying attention. We need two proper full back as both first choice full backs are limited. Get others in or blood youth. Then rotate Smith/Chambo/Berra 3 for 2 center back spots. It's not rocket science

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thebeat added 09:52 - Dec 9 Im double face palming here because a single face palm just isnt enough right now. Now will all the blind faithers start to realise??
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jert16 added 10:00 - Dec 9 Great picture! Makes me proud.
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Lightningboy added 10:31 - Dec 9 He can be a decent defender but if you want to get he best out of a player Mick,play them in their best position!! - some of your decisions are hindering the team Big time - stop being so stupid man.
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rinkydinkpanther added 10:34 - Dec 9 Fake it 'til you make it, Mick. Fake it 'til you make it.
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Bluetone added 11:04 - Dec 9 I am thinking that McCarthy is using these "top draw" statements as a p1ss taking wind up of the Towns' supporters.
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BackTheBlues added 11:10 - Dec 9 We're all crying out for a right back - true. Have we got one - no. Is Johnny Parr good enough - No - the bloke is inconsistent at the back and an impact player at best - may be better than Kundsen - I'm giving him until the end of the season to prove his worth - Parr hasn't been the same player since the injury ironically we gave him. Fans fancy getting off the blokes back - think you should. Proper leader and when we're flying up the league start of this year or last year he was the best captain we'd ever had and a decent right back. Here's one - why don't we be consistent as fans?

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vanmunt added 11:11 - Dec 9 Silly me, I thought after that pretty tepid performance against Boro we would be spared the 'Douglas/Chambers is different class' from MM this week... all that is left is Skusie and Gerko are amazing for this weeks MM comment bingo.. or MM is the ultimate internet troll and I fall for it every week.
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monty_radio added 11:15 - Dec 9 Looking at the table I see only Bolton have recorded more - I think perhaps he meant to say: "top draw".
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oldelsworthyfan added 11:59 - Dec 9 It's not Chambers' fault that he has to play Right Back. Consider how much stronger our defence would be with a genuine Right Back (like Stearman) so that Chambers could move to the centre of defence with Berra. Smith could be moved to the bench where he would not have to play the full 90 minutes. If at all. Smith is a 45 minute player, no more.
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Daleyitfc added 12:09 - Dec 9 If only he'd take a vow of silence : everything he says to the media (and maybe to everyone?) is total rollocks. He must be close to "Have I had my dinner yet?" territory.
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tractorintheloft added 13:13 - Dec 9 I'm guessing this was in repsonse to a question posed rather than a press statement. If the former then I'm not sure how else he could answer the question without undermining his captain in public. When I saw the headline I did chuckle about the reaction it would cause. Personally I'd rather see Parr come in for Knudsen as I feel he is a bit lightweight defensively, but I guess we have been spoilt in that position in recent years.

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strikalite added 13:22 - Dec 9 He's been top drawer because he's done bloody well in a position that doesn't come easy to him, you also have to consider the fact that in dead ball situations we have three centre backs....just a shame that neither Smith or Berra are good enough on the ball to be able to step out with it which would enable Chambers to move across and just cover that now and again... But that isn't MM's game, or more like he's playing a system to our strengths , if we had say Titus Bramble as a centre back that could be very different because he used to step out with it...

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SouperJim added 14:01 - Dec 9 Chambo is a great captain, but he's not a great right back. The few times Josh Emmanuel has played RB for us this season he's looked no worse defensively than Knudsen, and arguably a good bit better than him going forward. Yet Knudsen is seemingly a guaranteed starter on the left, where as Emmanuel is sent out on loan to League Two in favour of a centre half playing out of position. Mick certainly seems to have a blind spot when it comes to the full backs. A back four of Emmanuel Chambers Berra Parr is arguably stronger than what we're currently fielding. Parr is defensively our strongest full back and Chambers could help cover Emmanuel while he improves.

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vanmunt added 14:28 - Dec 9 @souperjim Far too much sense in that post.. but what do people that watch from the stands know!!
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Surco72 added 16:15 - Dec 9 Totally agree Souperjim... perhaps if we had kept Hewitt and given him the chance to play a few games instead of dropping him after one poor performance he could have come on also as MM says he is encouraging his full backs to get forward more , I thought Hewitt was excellent at that ?
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