Blues manager Mick McCarthy is looking forward to having the likes of Ryan Fraser, Teddy Bishop and David McGoldrick fit again and reiterated that he’d not be able to improve upon his current squad without “spending bonkers money”.

Ryan Fraser is due to rejoin the squad today having undergone his rehab with his parent club AFC Bournemouth, while Teddy Bishop is making progress having missed the season up to now with hamstring and shin splints problems.

David McGoldrick returned to the first team as a late sub in last week’s 2-0 home defeat to Middlesbrough but Kevin Bru remains sidelined with a hamstring injury and Larsen Touré with a groin problem.

Luke Hyam is on loan at Rotherham as he continues his comeback from his knee injury, while Luke Varney has played two halves for the U21s as he returns after rupturing his achilles in the play-offs in May.

“I’m excited by the prospect of them returning,” McCarthy said. “Ryan and Teddy are two quality players, Didz has been missing for a long time, and Kevin Bru.

“Suddenly the weeks drip away, you think it’s not been so bad then suddenly you find they’ve been out for a month or six weeks, they’ve been a long-time injured some of them.

“Luke Hyam as well, who has been playing up at Rotherham. He got half an hour on Saturday.

“They were beaten, so maybe there’s an opportunity to put him in the team and he might get a bit more football. We’ll have a good squad if we get all those back.”

Asked whether greater investment in the squad is required to push the teams towards the top of the division, several of whom have spent significant sums, he retorted: “Wouldn’t that be a great headline? I’m not getting into that.

“I saw a headline the other day, if that’s somebody’s impression, if that’s somebody’s opinion, they’re not getting that headline from me.

“I tell you all the time, I’ve got a great squad of lads and if I can get Didzy back fully fit, Ryan Fraser back in here fully fit, Teddy Bishop in here fully fit, maybe add Luke Varney to the mix as well, everybody’s fit then.

“Let’s give the lads who have been brilliant for me, for Ipswich, that chance without me bleating on about us needing something else.

“Because, actually, I’m not sure we do and where are we going to get better from without spending bonkers money is beyond me.

“I’d be happier to support the ones that I’ve got rather than look for something different.”

He added: “I have got good players and we’ll be a lot better off as well if Kevin Bru’s back fit, Teddy Bishop’s back fit, Didzy’s fully fit, if we do something with Luke Varney, Hyamsy’s back, Ryan Fraser’s back.

“Let’s go through them and you tell me where we’re going to get somebody who’s better than what I’ve got.”

Photo: Action Images

prebbs007 added 06:26 - Dec 11 We need a goal keeper, a right back and a left back you stubborn nutter !!!! Just check the goals against column. With that halved we would be top !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Sir_Bob added 06:47 - Dec 11 The back 5 is shocking, we need to add quality in there. 12 months ago Berra was the best defender in this league, even he is now prone to mistakes having to cover for the others every week. We need quality, and if it takes 'Bonkers' money, then spend it, because without it we'll stay a mid-table team. Another CH of Berra's stature & a decent right back would be a start. Chambers & Smith on the bench would make it a very strong squad. A goalkeeper who performs every week, not just once a month would also be very nice

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ZurichBlue added 06:49 - Dec 11 ^^^ All the players he mentioned are midfielders and strikers and yes we will be stronger if they were all available - if MM was to swap it around a bit from time to time by dropping out of form players, which he is reluctant to do! But it's defence that continues to be our weak point; we all know it but MM perseveres with the same back five week after week after week after week zzzzzzzz. If only he would make a change or two occasionally; and if we continued to leak goals then he could smugly say "told you so" but to big up everyone is getting tiresome for most of us. If all our players have been outstanding, terrific, different class or whatever superlative he choses to use then we would be playing far better football and doing rather better than we are.

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trulyblue added 07:34 - Dec 11 All three comments above bemoan the current defence but not one of you answer the question posed by MM by suggesting who he should bring in.....
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prebbs007 added 07:49 - Dec 11 We should have bought Stearman, the RB from Herts, and taken a young left back on loan from premier league. Brighton need a loan player they take James Wilson from Man Urd who has played champions league football, we take Giles Coke on a free etc etc etc !!! As for goal keepers the list is endless. You're turn trulyblue
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TR11BLU added 08:40 - Dec 11 Square pegs, square holes would be a start. Then lets see where we are..
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BlueKush added 09:19 - Dec 11 Just play Bart!
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