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McCarthy Pleased With Performance Despite Lack of Goals and Impressed By Trialist Tuesday, 26th Jul 2016 22:37 by Nick Ames
Town boss Mick McCarthy was satisfied with his side’s performance in the goalless draw with Charlton but lamented their inability to make a number of good chances count. Two late headers from Luke Chambers summed up a frustrating evening in front of goal, with Town having controlled the vast majority of the game.
“I’m pleased with the performance,” said McCarthy. “I thought we dominated the game, played some really good football, created some good chances but didn’t take any — I’m sending Chambo for his contacts to be upgraded tomorrow!
"Their keeper’s made some good saves and we just didn’t manage to score. I thought that performance had most things except the goal to be honest.”
Charlton posed little threat beyond a spell of pressure midway through the first half, which McCarthy felt his team eventually rode out well.
“I thought we started the game really well,” he said. “Then they wrested possession and initiative off us and that was [due to] us giving the ball away. We slowed it down, got bogged down at the back and they got a couple of crosses away.
“We’ve got to learn how to handle a change in the game, and we did, because I’m bellowing from the side telling Bart to kick it and get after them.
"You have four or five minutes biting, snarling and scrapping to win the ball back, and then you can play again. You can’t just keep doing the same thing and I thought we did adapt.”
Trialist Roland Lamah was among the players to impress McCarthy and he explained that the Belgian winger, who is out of contract after leaving Hungarian side Ferencváros, first crossed his radar through an old friend.
“He was at Ferencváros last year and, small world, my mate [Peter Friar] who used to be my physio at Sunderland is the physio there. He told me about him, and then he came up again via an agent and we said we’d have a look at him. He’s been here two days — he only came in yesterday, trained and then played today.”
Lamah had little opportunity to excel in attacking areas, one first-half run aside, but showed an appetite for hard work that pleased McCarthy, who would like to take another look at him in Saturday’s friendly against Royale Union Saint-Gilloise.
“It’s difficult when you’re someone who creates things,” he said. “You do all the hard work and then you’ve got to have the legs and lungs to create something.
"But he did all the hard yards, made a couple of tackles, opened his legs once in the middle of the park, and you can see he’s certainly got something. So I’d quite like to prolong his stay and see if we can do something with him.
“I know he can play, as I’ve seen him on all our analysis equipment, like Wyscout. From the bits I’ve seen I know he’s got goals in him and can play, but he did all the other stuff too.”
McCarthy would not be drawn on any further movement in the transfer market, saying only that attempts to bolster the squad are “still ongoing, still trying”.
There was positive news on the injury front, though. Brett Pitman’s withdrawal after taking a knock to the foot was merely precautionary, while the knee injury that kept Luke Hyam out of this evening’s game is not deemed to be serious and the midfielder should be ready for next Saturday’s league opener against Barnsley.
“Luke’s got bone bruising, he hasn’t twisted his knee,” McCarthy said. “I’m not saying it’s nothing but he’s not wrenched his knee, done his cartilage or anything, he’ll be fine.”
Photo: Action Images
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We have been missing creativity in midfield for a few years now I'd like to see us look at dean shields. His contract has expired at rangers and he had a good goals and assists ratio, plus the most important thing for us no fee!!
Just been watching a few youtube clips of Lamah. He has played at a very decent level and looks like he could be an excellent acquisition if somebody else doesn't snap him up first.
Of course The Dinosaur would rate Lamah! I mean didn't you all read the TWTD game and half-time reviews? I.E. Lamah got "An appetite for Hard Work", for crying out loud! :-) Good thing he doesn't have "An appetite for Destruction" too though ehhh?! ... LOL .... Ohhh my apologies to Guns 'N Roses fans here of courses :-)
(But otherwise see my SOMEWHAT more serious comments on our Belgian trialist on the "Town run ruler over Roland..."page)
Soooo what are you waiting for Marcus "Scrooge" Evans???? Sign this guy, ASAP!
As someone who was there, I'll say this: even though he run after everything, it wasn't faux chasing. He made sure that after doing the hard yards, he put a foot in and fought valiantly for the ball.
His sprint through the middle that MM referred to was a clear show that he has talent.
Why do people watch YouTube then say sign him up, do they think people bother to post the bad stuff, the crap? With a great deal of editing somebody could post that we played great attacking football under MM, and all our players are world beaters.
Hahaha I always find it funny when people want to sign someone solely based on a youtube video that they have seen of them. If someone put together a video of just my goals in the park then I too would look like a class act....it wouldnt though show all the open goal misses, failed controls and being too tired to run and make a tackle.
I was being Sarcastic regarding the Youtube video comment -calm down! We are a mess but the lad looks to have been playing at a decent level previously. Cheeeeerrrrss
Ehhhh why exactly do no less than 4 people (thus far) down-vote Poldark's 1st post on this page??? Please elaborate your resentments folks!!! I mean if Poldark indeed watched all the preseason games to date he/she has a near God Given Right -- as in this is his/hers well earned prerogative! -- to feel "underwhelmed" if he/she so choose! LOTS of other fans do btw for one or more individual reasons, and even they have a basic right to do so also without necessarily having watched every pre-season game! Period!
As for the final part of Poldark's 1st post i.e. "Mick talks garbage" .... PleaZzze down-voters, PleaZzze! As while that statement obviously COULD be construed as "libel" (according to some Defamation Laws ....somewhere over The Rainbow), ehhhh if Poldark is ever taken to court I will gladly be the very first to volunteer to help him/her collect dozens upon dozens of EXCELLENT examples from the last 12 months alone! STRONGLY supporting the "notion" that the in general openly fan-disrespecting Mick "I don't give a flying fu@k" McCarthy indeed frequently talks garbage/rubbish!!! :-)
Quote McCarthy "“We've got to learn how to handle a change in the game, and we did, because I'm bellowing from the side telling Bart to kick it and get after them". Meaning hoof it as far as you can. Not really a surprise.
Mick might be pleased, but we have scored just two goals against four opponents in lower leagues. Each to their own, but overall I'm disappointed and far from pleased. Of course I fully understand fans have differing opinions and ambitions. Mine is anything less than a play off place will be a poor season. Sadly, I don't think we have enough quality or good enough squad to achieve that whilst equally failing to score at Charlton and Barnet is not good enough. I'm sure some will be happy and would gladly accept a mid table finish. As I say, each to their own.
The way some are talking you'd think we were halfway through the season with 0 points on the board!
It's not called PRE-season for nothing folks; this is where the players gain fitness & togetherness; & Mick decides on selections & game-plans. It doesn't actually count in terms of our finishing position in May, . COYB
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