Boss Mick McCarthy felt there was little in the Blues’ 1-0 defeat at Cardiff aside from Bruno Ecuelle Manga’s 19th minute goal, which he said came from a free header in the Town box.

“It’s frustrating because I don’t think there’s anything in the game except for one corner kick,” McCarthy said.

“They will say was well-worked, as I would if we’d scored it, a great cross and a great header, but he shouldn’t get a free header in our box. And apart from that there hasn’t been a great deal in it.”

Having also conceded from two corners at Bristol City recently when Aden Flint netted two headers, is McCarthy concerned with the way the Blues are defending flag-kicks at present?

“I’m concerned any way we concede goals, we’ve conceded too many this season,” he added.

“[Corners are a problem] if you don’t mark. I’m not convinced [that was the case] against Bristol City when you’ve got a 6ft 5in tall fella and he runs and the ball comes on his head.

“That was hard to deal with and I saw he scored exactly the same goal against Forest the week after.

“If you get the right delivery and you get the right movement and you get the right ball, it’s really difficult. But I’m not convinced that was the case today, he got a free header.”

The Town boss admitted that his side didn’t create many chances, despite having four strikers on the field by the end.

“Possibly, and maybe the fact that they sat in their half for the second half and didn’t leave a lot of room for any creativity," he said.

"And there probably ended up being too many long balls and they got their heads on them rather than us. They dealt with it really well.”

While praising the Bluebirds’ defending, McCarthy didn’t think the Welshmen were at the top of their game: “I don’t think they were at their best, not at all. I’m hearing them saying to get the ball down and pass it but all they did was stick it in behind us and turn us around.

“They got freekicks and corners from it and caused us problems in the first half. In the second half, they had a break and I think it was from us losing the ball but other than that [they didn’t create much].

“But we haven’t troubled the goalkeeper enough, we’ve not done enough to win it but I think we should have defended the corner better and it ended up as a 0-0 draw.”

Cardiff manager Russell Slade said his side ground out their win and did to Town what they’ve done to other sides, and the Blues boss concurred.

“I saw in Russell’s programme notes that they’re the qualities he wants and I think they showed all those qualities for him today.”

The game was somewhat flat throughout. Did the Blues boss feel both sides having had two tough games this week was to blame?

“Possibly, they’ve had a home game, so they’ve not been anyway, they’ve not been sat on the bus for 10 or 11 hour there and back,” he continued.

“The whole atmosphere was [flat] for 18 minutes prior to that corner kick. Who it was that was losing the ball in the middle of the pitch did us no favours.

“I’m settling for a horrible, scruffy turgid game, we’re away from home. We might nick it with a freekick or a corner, but unfortunately it’s turned out to be the opposite way.”

Looking ahead to the back-to-back home games against Blackburn on Tuesday and Rotherham next Saturday, he added: “As I said, I don’t think there’s been a lot in the game today. We’ve conceded from a restart, which is disappointing.

“We’ve got two home games and we really need to win them to keep us back in the mix. It won’t be easy.

“They’re both scrapping away for their lives. Rotherham were 3-0 down and drew 3-3 with Derby. There are no mugs in this league, we’ll have to play really well.”

Cardiff boss Slade felt it was a significant victory for his side, who remain seventh but are now three points ahead of the Blues in eighth with a superior goal difference, although Town still have game in hand.

“It was a big win,” he said. “I’m not a great believer in six-pointers because that’s impossible, you can never do that, but the three points are huge to us at this moment in time.

“I’ve said in the recent press conferences that it’s about the results at this time. We had a fantastic game on Tuesday, I thought we played really well and we collected nothing for our efforts.

“Today was a different type of game that asked different questions of us against a really direct, efficient team that are going to service our box and we’ve had to defend really, really well today.”

He felt his side gave Town a taste of their own medicine: “Grind is a great choice of word because that’s what Ipswich do," he continued.

"They’re probably the best in the league at grinding out the result but it’s us that’s actually ground out that result today and I’m proud of what they’ve done there.

“We’ve had to do that, we’ve had to be a little bit ugly in terms of defending. It didn’t look pretty at times. It was important that we protected our goal, we stopped as many crosses as we possibly could.

“If it was coming in the box we were winning the first contact, if not the first contact the second. All those little things were vital today to get us over the line.”

He added: “When [sides competing for the play-offs are] playing each other - and we’ve got a few more to play between now and the end of the season - they’re big, big games.”

Photo: Action Images

Notts_tractor added 18:13 - Mar 12 "And there probably ended up being too many long balls and they got their heads on them rather than us. They dealt with it really well.” No sh*t Sherlock. That's what tends to happen when your principal tactic is to launch it.
27

yungblue added 18:21 - Mar 12 We've got a tactical genius at the helm
17

essexboy added 18:25 - Mar 12 I think MM just about summed it up by saying 'we did not create any chances'.There lies the problem all season,so why was nothing done about it I ask myself.CREATIVE MIDFIELDER.That is what we have been crying out for and instead of that we have to rely on the high ball.It really is a shame when expectations were so high in August and once again it looks like we will fail at the finel hurdle.I feel so sorry for the traveling supporters,it really is gut wrenching and I felt like that leaving Bolton last Tuesday night on my own with a four Hour drive in front of me.Ok,MM has bought stability to the club,but that is as far as it's got now.We all love this club and want better,but will we get it under this Management.I have nothing against MM but respect,but I think we SHOULD have done better.We have to win the next two games now to stand an outside chance,but I fear even this is remote.

12

muccletonjoe added 18:25 - Mar 12 A couple of home games we now need to win and we are back in the picture
3

Taricco_Fan added 18:34 - Mar 12 Even with our squad of utilitarian players, we don't HAVE to rely on high balls all the time. On the rare occasion we break out a bit of passing football we look ok. Not Brazil 1970 but better than aimless hoofballs. Any football team is more likely to create by getting the ball down, keeping possession and moving forward as a unit. McCarthy's tactics are just so one-dimensional and not befitting of the modern game.

11

manualthetisfanclub added 18:34 - Mar 12 Another load of tosh from the tactical magician! Granted he has performed miracles last few seasons getting expectations up, but I think we've gone backwards with a so called "better squad" this season! This season can be written off, simply at least 6 better teams than us unfortunatly IMO. The main problems this season are mainly the goals against collumn and chronic lack of scoring power, struggling getting points against sides around them in he league.

9

Cakeman added 18:37 - Mar 12 Creativity indeed. Not been seen since we actually crossed the ball from the wings and I look back several years to the likes of Gary Roberts, Darren Currie and Danny Haynes. Since then there has Been precious little service coming in to the forwards.
11

manualthetisfanclub added 18:38 - Mar 12 Evans simply either backs him this summer, because he deserves it or change direction with another guy in charge!Think Mick deserves to be backed IMO
-7

bluefeast added 18:39 - Mar 12 Can Mick do it ,can he come up with fresh ideas or is he simple battered for new ideas. A new manager a younger manager with a clear ethos on how the game should be played given a long contract to rebuild the club from top to bottom , craft guile and work ethic make a good side side ,not just work ethic.
13

christiand added 18:39 - Mar 12 A great term 'GRIND' to describe us and our style of play, boring and dull are adjectives that you could've also used Mr Slade to describe Ipswich, I think you were being too polite.
9

Flewitt85 added 18:41 - Mar 12 I don't think it's so much us playing badly, I think it's teams knowing how to play against us. The problem is we have no plan b.
5

WhoisJimmyJuan added 18:53 - Mar 12 In a way this is MM's worst but most revealing post match i/v. He has basically revealed that he went to Cardiff without any intention of providing any entertainment. He set out to grind out a 0-0 draw and failed and it seems he was happy to grind out a 0-1 defeat! Disgraceful for me. And from he and ME a really short sighted policy because as people on this site are saying they won't bother paying for the pleasure anymore. Gates will fall. Revenue will fall.

17

essex57 added 18:57 - Mar 12 Dont think so wjj
-14

Westy added 19:18 - Mar 12 How many times will a MM make this kind of comment ? There was more in it than a free header - they scored and we didn't which is all the difference in the World.
6

alfromcol added 19:32 - Mar 12 William Hill have stopped taking bets that it will be the same back four on Tuesday and the same back four next Saturday.
3

carsey added 19:37 - Mar 12 I've had enough now same old crap on the pitch same old crap off the pitch. FFS change what you do Try something different. If nothing else teams will be caught by surprise
14

ArnieM added 19:38 - Mar 12 this season is far from an entertaining one and I'm bored with MM statics now. they're not pretty to watch. we aren't going to get promoted with these players or these tactics. over to you Marcus Evans but if you don't act the ST sales will once again dwindle.
11

prebsa added 19:44 - Mar 12 That will be everyone besides you that thinks so then Essex57. Wrong again!
3

essexboy added 19:49 - Mar 12 Surely feedback from these forums get back to our owner.I wonder what he really thinks.!Deep down he Must really want us in the Premier Lge.If that's the case,then there really needs to be a big re-think in the summer.I'm not unhappy with the owner as he has done a great job in giving us stability and I realise football is now a business first and sport second,but there comes a time when you need to change your plan of action and this summer is now the time,otherwise we will just stagnate forever.

6

TimmyH added 19:53 - Mar 12 Mick's right with nothing in the game - you could have woken up 90 odd minutes later and bar a free unmarked header been none the wiser of what went on and none the more frustrated. A cure for insomnia has clearly been found.
6

yungblue added 19:53 - Mar 12 There is so much wrong with our football club at the moment, the management, the owners, the football style, the transfer policy and worst of all the tickets prices, Sheffield Wdnesday charge £20 for an adult ticket and there entertainment levels are 100x better than ours, if prices were lower, gates would be higher and a rocking atmosphere would return to Portman Road, some serious changes need to take place at our football club, we deserve better

17

raycrawfordswig added 20:09 - Mar 12 3 years in charge and we still can't defend corners.Dont moan about it sort it out .
12

dannyrr added 20:29 - Mar 12 Two must win games at home but our home form has been woeful recently and at present fortunate to score one goal in a game. Our set pieces are mainly wasted with usually some hopeless attempt to to something except go towards the goal and if it is usually straight to the keeper. There may not have been much in it but Cardiff got three points we got none. The same with rock bottom Bolton. All important games we should be winning yet seeing the prospect of claiming a playoff place looking less likely. At home there doesn't tend to be any atmosphere even with 20000 in attendance unless we manage to score a goal and are in front. When midfield are more likely to pass back to keeper from half way line than pass forward to press the opposition. We should have sought some midfield creativity in the transfer window but MM will stick to the same side week in week out as long as they are not injured. We have the ability and team to win games but often it looks more like they don't have complete desire to take the game to the opposition and will employ the same tactics weekly and maybe unfairly in comparison our substitutions like PJs very rarely make a difference or are too late to make a difference. Football is a wonderful game and I'm always amazed at how if brings so many people together but it needs to be affordable to have maximum support and effect. Entertainment and affordable tickets will get crowds at PR but expensive prices and lack of entertainment will only result in lower attendance. If ME is so big in corporate entertainment then why don't we have a big screen. Is having ME advertising on our strips making a difference to ours or MEs profile. I thought that was the purpose of sponsoring a team. I've never heard of ME or his business outside of ITFC.

8

GoldieBlue added 21:07 - Mar 12 Least he's right about something "nothing in the game" correct we created nothing. It seems our tactic is to simply ruin the game, we always make other teams play badly which actually ruins are own game anyway. This tactic simply needs to change, it makes no sense and we have actually played some decent football under MM. Not this year admittedly but last year we did play some decent stuff. Our line up today had some talented footballers but unfortunately MM is no longer getting the best from his players, which is worrying as this something he has done for the majority of his time here.

6

Keaneish added 22:02 - Mar 12 “I'm settling for a horrible, scruffy turgid game, we're away from home. We might nick it with a freekick or a corner, but unfortunately it's turned out to be the opposite way.” A - it's always horrible and scruffy. You know no other way. B - Away from home doesn't mean you have to be negative. C - Instead of trying to nick it, why not try and win it? D - It's turned out to be the other way a lot lately because we're predictable. Please retire at the end of the season. We need ambition.

13

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls