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McCarthy Expected Derby to Win Automatic Promotion Friday, 6th May 2016 06:00
Boss Mick McCarthy says he expected the Blues' final day opponents Derby County to win automatic promotion rather than having to rely on winning the play-offs to reach the Premier League.
The Rams are currently fifth in the Championship but if they beat the Blues and Hull City lose at home to Rotherham will climb to fourth, which would give them home advantage in the second leg of their play-off semi-final against the Tigers.
Town can move up to seventh from their current position of eighth if they win at the iPro Stadium and Cardiff fail to beat Birmingham at home.
Alternatively, if the Blues draw with the Rams and the Bluebirds lose by five Town will go above the Welshmen on goal difference.
McCarthy says he anticipated Derby, who are unbeaten in their last six, winning four, being one of the sides going up automatically.
“I thought they would," he admitted. "When we played them here they looked like a really strong team and we gave them a real fright, but we couldn’t score against them and they nicked one and beat us 1-0. I thought they’d be the pick of the bunch, with four or five other teams.
“I was surprised when Paul Clement left, but they’ve finished on a high note. Well, up until now they’ve finished on a high note. We’ll go and try and upset the apple cart before the play-offs.”
The Rams dropped out of the play-offs on the final day last season when Town made it into sixth on goal difference, but McCarthy says that with the players they have at their disposal they should to be a top six side at the very least.
“They’ve got a helluva squad,” he said. “I couldn’t believe they finished eighth last year and with the squad that they have got and how much they have invested in it, they should be in the top six.”
DERBY (A): #ITFC will be able to purchase tickets on the day at Derby. CASH ONLY. £3 increase to £33(Adult)/£24(65+)/£19.50(U18).– ITFC_PlanetBlue (@ITFC_PlanetBlue) May 5, 2016
The Town boss has said he’ll hand Irish U18 international midfielder Adam McDonnell, 18, his league debut and Myles Kenlock, 19, again looks set to start at left-back with Jonas Knudsen expected to miss out with a knee injury. Other than those two McCarthy will probably field a side featuring senior players.
In goal, he could bring back multi-player of the year trophy winner Bartosz Bialkowski or give Dean Gerken, the Pole’s deputy for the last few months of the season, another start.
Skipper Luke Chambers seems set to come back at right-back with Josh Emmanuel moving to the bench. Tommy Smith and Christophe Berra will again be the centre-halves.
In midfield, McDonnell could sit alongside Cole Skuse in one of the two deeper central midfield roles with either Kevin Bru or Teddy Bishop ahead of them.
Up front, David McGoldrick again looks set to start in the middle with Freddie Sears on one flank and Liam Feeney on the other.
Striker Daryl Murphy remains out of action with his calf injury and will continue his rehab back at Portman Road with manager McCarthy confident that the 33-year-old will be fit enough to make the Republic of Ireland squad for the European Championships.
Derby midfield pair Jeff Hendrick and Bradley Johnson could be back in the Rams’ squad after spells out with thigh and knee injuries respectively.
Midfielder or full-back Jamie Hanson has undergone surgery on a dislocated shoulder, which has led to Chris Baird’s recall from a loan spell at Fulham.
Left-back Craig Forsyth is on his way back after suffering an anterior cruciate knee ligament injury in early November, but is still a long way off a return to match action.
Midfielders Will Hughes and Craig Bryson were subbed late on in the 1-1 draw at Brighton and Hove Albion on Monday but with nothing more severe than cramp.
Keeper Lee Grant is over a groin injury but is likely to be on the bench with Scott Carson starting.
Derby head coach Darren Wassell is determined that his side will go into the play-offs having continued their recent good run.
"We are unbeaten in six and we certainly want to keep that mentality and the momentum of our form going,” he told Rams Player HD.
“People have talked about the advantage of having the second leg of the semi-final at home but the only real advantage that we are looking for is that we go into the play-offs as the in-form side in the division.
“That is why we want to put on a great performance against Ipswich on Saturday and try to achieve our goal.
“We want to remain unbeaten at home and really create a fortress at the iPro Stadium. Our home form has been really pleasing and we want to keep it going.
“We know that this game isn’t the end of the season because we’ve got two, hopefully three, really important games coming up.
“We can’t treat it as the end of the season, we have to approach it with the mentality that we are going into the play-offs firing on all cylinders.”
Historically, Town have had the better of Derby, winning 33 games (31 in the league), drawing 21 (19) and losing 26 (25).
In December at Portman Road, Tom Ince’s 40th minute goal saw Derby County to a 1-0 victory.
Town took the game to the Rams in the second half but rarely looked like getting on terms with the visitors, who climbed to second as a result of their victory.
Last time the teams met at the iPro Stadium, in August 2014, Christophe Berra nodded home his third goal of the season to secure the Blues a deserved point as the game ended 1-1.
The Scotland international headed in Paul Anderson's freekick on 52 to level Chris Martin's 13th minute goal for the Rams.
Former Blues striker Darren Bent joined the Rams last summer following a loan spell in the second half of last season.
The 32-year-old came through the academy ranks at Playford Road and went on to make 116 starts and 25 sub appearances for the first team, scoring 55 goals, between 2001 and 2005 before moving on to then-Premier League Charlton.
Bent has been something of a bit-part player for Derby this season, scoring three goals in six starts - only four in the league - and 16 sub appearances.
In addition to Bent, Rams centre-half and skipper Richard Keogh was an academy schoolboy and Portman Road ballboy during his formative years.
Luke Varney was with Derby from November 2008 to July 2011, initially on loan from Charlton, but made only 11 starts and four sub appearances, scoring one goal, spending much of his time with the Rams out on loan.
Blues loanee Ben Pringle was with the Rams between July 2009 and June 2011, making seven starts and 16 sub appearances without scoring.
Town keeper-coach Malcolm Webster held a similar position at Derby under George Burley's spell in charge of the Rams.
Saturday’s referee is Tim Robinson from West Sussex, who has shown 139 yellow cards and nine red in 41 games so far this season.
Robinson’s most recent Town match was the 2-1 home victory over Reading in February in which he booked Christophe Berra and two visiting players.
Robinson’s only other competitive Town game was the 2-0 home defeat to Middlesbrough in December in which he again yellow-carded Berra and two visitors.
"Prior to that he took charge of the pre-season friendly at Crawley in the summer of 2013 in which he awarded the Blues a penalty, which was converted by David McGoldrick in a 2-1 victory.
MM loves to point out how much other teams have spent which is why they are at the top of the table but when questioned about his own spending he sticks to the it doesn't guarantee success excuse
Just proves money doesn't get you promoted!! Round pegs in round holes, fans behind the team and manager and a good style of football will!!! 3 boxes Mick can't or won't tick!!
That's the sort of squad we need! Derby haven't been in the Premier League for ten years have they, we're both under the same FFP rules, so how is it they can spend like they have whereas we're limited to free transfers and loans? Let's push the boat out in the summer and go for it in 2016/17!
" Mick if you're going to do 1 thing differently next season, please stop talking up the opposition every bloody week! "
You really think he believes a lot of what he says? Crikey there are some people on here that tick up arrows and have very little idea as to footy.
Ask Mick in a press conference about a cup or a stapler and they would be " fabuolous " - it's better than going out saying " average side we're better " then us getting slapped.
Personally I like Mick's approach - the fact sod all gets leaked on here with transfers shows we have a united club.
Remember Jewell / Keane days and we knew what was going on as did other clubs - obvious we were a club with ££££ and damned clueless how to spend it.
The summer will be funny - meltdown on here " where's the signings " etc then out the blue bang someone in. Appears we're going to at least spend a bit this summer so I'm quite hopeful we'll do alright next season.
For all his talk since we failed to qualify for playoffs, McCarthy has only included 1 young player in each of the 3 games that were not forced on him by injury,and of course his favorite Gerks.His continuing snub of Bart for whatever reason is deplorable.
When Bart won all the plaudits from supporters and players alike,he went out of his way not to praise our Polish Keeper,and had to mention favorite Gerks following the awards.
Now the new kits are paraded by 1st team players,and who models the keepers jersey,why his favorite Gerks of course,the only players who is not in current first team.
Finally since playoffs were out of reach,he brings back Gerken;so that Bart is unable to receive the acclaim from the fans he deserves.
Knowing how bloody minded and stubborn this dinosaur is, I wouldn't be at all surprised to see his friend Dean in goal again tomorrow,and in his talks with Evans, McCarthy seek to unload Bart on the pretence of raising much needed transfer funds.
I really hope I am wrong;but there is a childish streak in our Manager that he always wants to be proved right.Hence the quote earlier in the season about the more fans call for a sub from the bench,the less chance of him coming on.Very few Managers treat the fans with such contempt as this man ,not even RK.He says he has never put players on the posts at corners,and never will citing how successful he has been,even though this has cost us goals.
Also throwing cup games because he has no time for what he considers to be Micky Mouse cups that he has no chance of winning,without a thought for supporters once again.
Two of my long time season ticket holder friends have not renewed,reducing our little band from Essex by 50%,purely because of him,and the poor football his team has produced overall.
Will the leopard change his spots,bit late for that I fear;but hope that Evans raises a few concerns because he should listen to him if nobody else.
Rant over,and hope Braintree after their 1-0 win at Grimsby,secure a final place back in Essex on Sunday.
He'll make sure Gerks is back in goal from the start of next season - he'll be working on that already - sad as it is, he won't be that pleased at how well Bart has played since rightfully 'forcing' his way back into the team.
Equally so - Can anyone see him playing any more players in their rightful, and best, positions next season, than he has this past season. The thing that has really got me is his blatant contempt for his paymasters (indirectly us) - and his 'couldn't care a flying fcuk' for whatever we think.
PR is certainly not one of his forte's - stubborness obviously is, and will forever be.
Does ANYONE really think he will change .... ?? If anyone does, then they are seriously deluded - but some won't care, and will be there whatever - and in so being, take their lack of ambition along with them.
we need to play football to get out of this league mixed with the odd ugly win not try and win ugly every week we need to have a fortress at home again people arent scared to come here any more they look at us and say we are very beatable and we definitely need to play round pegs in round holes unless absolutely neccessary
Essentially, I don't think Mick is going to change. Nor do I think he is going to get massive funds, although he may get a bit more to spend this summer than previously. He must know this, and that explains his ambivalent attitude to spending. On the one hand he admits Derby's investment is a key to their position, while at other times he states that money doesn't guarantee success. (We all know it doesn't guarantee anything, but it sure as hell increases your chances.) I think we can expect another workmanlike team from MM, hopefully with a couple of additions that add a bit more flair. I'm not optimistic that our yoofs will get much of a look-in. With any luck, we'll be up there flirting with the playoffs again, but we won't be taking the Championship by storm. COYB!
People moan about McCarthy talking about the opposition but this is a press conference ahead of the match. He will be asked the usual... Any injuries? (probably wouldn't tell you anyway) What do you think of the opposition? Then it will move on to other issues, new signings etc. He'll answer the opposition question in depth because it's easy and very non-committal about his own team. That's one reason why we hear so much about them. The other reason comes down to the man on the other side of the fence, the guy reporting it. If you don't want to read about the opposition, I suggest you tell Mr Ham. However, in his defence, Phil reports everything from the press conference and breaks it up into smaller pieces. He uses Mick's opposition quotes as part of a general piece on the game, revealing injuries, team news and past history. I promise you two things would happen if he didn't use those quotes. Firstly, you wouldn't have as much to read and, secondly, you'd get bored of hearing about Teddy Bishop's hamstring troubles. For Mick's part, he's can't win. He's asked a question, he answers it, you lot moan at him for talking up the opposition. But if he was dismissive of them, he would be doing their team talk for them.
Oh and did you know an anagram of Penguin Blue is Pen Nuu Bilge
Another nothing game. Derby have done very well but unlikely to risk injury in this one. Just as MM expected Derby to gain automatic promotion, I expected us to be in the play offs - minimum.
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