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McCarthy Would Take 42 More Performances Like Norwich Display
Saturday, 27th Aug 2016 09:06

Boss Mick McCarthy says he’d be happy with another 42 performances like last week’s display in the 1-1 draw with Norwich City or in the 0-0 stalemate at Wolves in the previous match. Town are again in home action against Preston North End on Saturday afternoon.

McCarthy was delighted with his side’s showing against the Canaries and would be pleased if the Blues could repeat it during the season’s remaining games.

“I would, I’d also take another 42 like the one at Wolves, to be honest,” he said. “We’ve had two good performances.

“I thought on Sunday it was an excellent performance. Probably a fair result, on reflection. I think we probably had more of it, the chances, certainly in the first 20 minutes, but they showed some real bits of quality that they’ve got.

“I think their goal was a real bit of quality. We made the mistake to start with but they did pick a hole in us.

“They’re a very good side, we had to play really well to get a result out of them and we did.”

He says supporters of both clubs will have enjoyed Sunday’s derby: “It was a great game. It was a terrific game of football and I think both sides contributed to that, to be honest.

“But the majority are our fans and it’s always great when there’s a good atmosphere, everybody said before the game in the warm-up that the atmosphere was great. It was a good game of football.”

McCarthy is a big fan of his Preston opposite number Simon Grayson, whose side recorded their first league win of the campaign at QPR last week, where they ran out 2-0 winners, having lost all three of their previous Championship games by a single goal.

“He’s a great guy, I really like Simon,” the Town manager continued. “He’s done the rounds, he’s done his badges, he’s got all his stuff and learnt the trade.

“Wherever he’s been he’s had an impact and done a good job. His teams are always well-organised, they’re disciplined, they work hard and they try and play their football off the shape of the team, whatever they’re doing and they’re a difficult nut to crack.

“We’ve had some really tough games against them and I think, especially being down in the capital and getting a great result at QPR, they’ll be coming here full of confidence.”

He says the win at Loftus Road will have given the Lilywhites a lift: “I would imagine - and I haven’t seen the games - that in the defeats that they’ve had they’ve had chances.

“They might feel it’s not been deserved, the results, the performances have deserved better.

“But you’ve got to get that win, and when you do get that win it tends to take the pressure off a little bit and you can relax and play. Hopefully that’s not the case here on Saturday.”


The game will see the Blues face Ben Pringle, who was on loan at Portman Road in the latter part of last season, making nine starts and one sub appearance, scoring twice before joining Preston in the summer.

McCarthy was pleased with the 27-year-old during his stint at Portman Road: “He was good for me, I enjoyed having him here.

“But he had a year left on his contract at Fulham. He’s gone there and he’s quite happy.”

The Town manager seems likely to stick with the 4-3-3 formation he has utilised in the last two games and probably virtually all the same personnel.

If that's the case, keeper Bartosz Bialkowski will play behind a back four of skipper Luke Chambers, Adam Webster, Christophe Berra and Jonas Knudsen.

In midfield Cole Skuse and Jonathan Douglas will be joined by either Teddy Bishop or Kevin Bru.

Up front, Daryl Murphy will be flanked by Grant Ward to his right and Freddie Sears to his left.

The former West Ham and Colchester man has now gone 31 competitive games without hitting the net - although he did score at Shelbourne in pre-season - but McCarthy is confident that the 26-year-old will be back in the goals soon.

“We all work towards that and try and help him, TC especially,” the Blues boss added. “I remember Didz also going 11 games one season and he didn’t score a goal, but he kept getting picked.”

Does Sears put in work which sometimes gets undervalued? “It does and it doesn’t. I think you’ll find that at the Player of the Year do I gave them my Player of the Year because he plays up front, he plays wide right, wide left, he does it selflessly and it is appreciated.

“It might go unnoticed by people that don’t understand the game as much but for people who do watch it and understand it a bit better, they’ll understand that he tracks back, he does his job, he does his shift and maybe he’s suffered because of it, but he’s had to do it, and he’s in a team.

“It’s not a game of golf this, it’s not one man on his own. He’s been a very good purchase.”

Conor Grant (groin), David McGoldrick (ankle), Luke Hyam and Giles Coke (both knee) remain on the sidelines.

Preston boss Grayson says he has a selection headache after last week’s 2-0 Championship win at QPR and then a number of fringe players impressing during Tuesday’s 2-0 EFL Cup win at home to Oldham.

"That's the way it has to be, the worst scenario for us is that players who are coming in are not doing their jobs or the team that has started on a Saturday not doing their jobs because it all becomes a mixed bag of what you try and pick,” Grayson told Preston’s official website.

"The last two results have been encouraging, we know we've still got to keep working hard, the players know what they need to do and it's just nice to have those options.

"By the time the window shuts as well it would be nice to have another couple of options for the long term of the season."

He added: ”We know what to expect, Portman Road is always a difficult place to go. But if we can perform like we did there last year, and like we did last weekend against QPR, being hard to beat but play when we get chance to play and be ruthless in both boxes, then it gives us a great opportunity so we are looking forward to it.”

Anders Lindegaard, who had a shoulder problem, and Jermaine Beckford, Paul Gallagher and Bailey Wright, who had minor knocks, all missed Tuesday’s game but are expected to be fit.

Ex-Blues loanee Pringle is a doubt with an ankle problem, but Stevie May and Calum Woods both remain long-term absentees, due to knee injuries.

The Lilywhites have had the better of the Blues historically, winning 13 games (11 in the league) between the sides while Town have been victorious on 10 (nine) occasions and eight (seven) matches have ended in draws.

The teams last met at Portman Road in January when Daryl Murphy’s eighth goal of the season seven minutes before the break saw the Blues to a 1-1 home draw with Preston North End, Daniel Johnson having put the visitors ahead in the seventh minute.

That result and the scores elsewhere saw Town, who were denied what looked a clear second-half penalty, drop out of the play-off places.

In August last year, Brett Pitman and Ryan Fraser netted as the then-top-of-the-table Blues won 2-1 to record their first league win at Deepdale since January 1966.

Pitman put Town in front with a header against the run of play in the 24th minute but Johnson hit back for the home side before Fraser sealed it with a brilliant strike on 65.

Saturday’s referee is Tim Robinson from West Sussex, who has shown 10 yellow cards and one red in three games so far this season.

Robinson’s most recent Town match was the 1-0 win at Derby on the final day of last season in which he booked skipper Luke Chambers and Adam McDonnell and two Rams.

Prior to that he was in charge of 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 2015 in which he again yellow-carded Berra and two visitors.

Before that he refereed 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.

Squad from: Bialkowski, Gerken, Chambers (c), Emmanuel, Knudsen, Kenlock, Berra, Webster, T Smith, Digby, Skuse, Douglas, Bru, Bishop, Dozzell, Ward, Sears, Murphy, Pitman, Varney.


Photo: TWTD



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Penguinblue added 06:18 - Aug 26
The performance was not that great. Good by McCarthy standards I suppose, and we didn't lose, the height of McCarthy-s hoofball success.

Time for McCarthy to go - take your stupidity over the right back position with you, tedious defensiveness and going out to nulify weak teams.

McCarthy out - time is up
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ArnieM added 06:44 - Aug 26
piss.off you pillock.
5

essextractorboy93 added 07:10 - Aug 26
Penguinblue - if we play with the same intensity and work rate as we did against Norwich for the rest of the season we will be up there, it was a good performance, not amazing but very encouraging and the players fought hard and proper supporters who understand the game can see that.

Every single comment you make is negative. If we signed Messi, Ronaldo and Bale and won the Champions League you'd probably still complain....
18

Brownie added 07:32 - Aug 26
I must admit I am wondering if Penguin Blue's real identity is Canary Yellow..
8

1RWR added 07:37 - Aug 26
Perhaps Penguinblue has a point.......maybe?
McCarthy is very defensive minded & the second half against Norwich was definitely a "don't loose this game sort of game". I think he's changed the 'hoofball' game & really trying to play more attractive football, perhaps Preston will be the benchmark for the season.
Perhaps I'm getting a little tired of his antics & tactics but I think it's a little harsh to slag Penguinblue because of his views as they may not be very much off the mark?
0

Mullet added 07:46 - Aug 26
Was that the second half where his subs where Bishop and Varney and the former had two shots saved in the final minutes? The second half where both sides attacked and Town more so?
9

DanLyles added 08:00 - Aug 26
I hope Douglas keeps up his form of the last two games and has a great season. He deserves his place if he does. However, based on last season I can't see him maintaining this and would like to see Bru and Bishop with Skuse. These three have a nice balance with different skill sets: a ball winner, passer and somebody who can skip past people.

With Douglas and Skuse I feel we look more solid but over the course of a season too pedestrian. I've not seen a great deal of Conor Grant but he could play on the left of a three and add the passing ingredient when fit.

It's far from ideal for Sears but I like the greater fluidity the 4-3-3 brings and Ward's pace and directness on the right is very much welcome. For me, we just need Sears and Murphy to get a goal each and hopefully the momentum will build.

6

iaintaylorx added 08:02 - Aug 26
As would I! We didn't embarrass ourselves on Sky this time, that's for sure.

Rumour has it, that Michael Kightly could be the player joining. Good signing in my opinion, if it is to be true. Now a RB!
2

Taricco_Fan added 08:05 - Aug 26
4-4-3 formation? Surely that's cheating?
4

yorksblue added 08:13 - Aug 26
Essextractor. What a ridiculous comment. We are all entitled to opinions. You just keep on looking through your rose tinted specs
2

bedsitfc added 08:32 - Aug 26
I love the negative trolls on here
-3

bedsitfc added 08:33 - Aug 26
I don't know why some of the negative trolls don't apply to be the town manager?

Oh yeah, they know f all about football that's why!!!!!
7

bedsitfc added 08:43 - Aug 26
-1

Keaneish added 09:00 - Aug 26
If performances against scum and Wolves were only good enough for draws, that makes for another 42 draws or 42 points! Pretty sure that's relegation territory.

The truth is, that 20 minutes were excellent against Norwich and we've probably played a good 90 minutes across all 5 games this season, which, quite simply, isn't anywhere near good enough...
4

Mullet added 09:13 - Aug 26
Well given we were "good" for the whole of the Wolves match, that's utter rubbish.
-1

bongoblue91 added 09:25 - Aug 26
The negativity and general bollox I have to read on this site everyday is really starting to push me away from here, I get that everybody's entitled to an opinion but I just don't generally believe that your being serious! I think you just have to much time on your hands and like trying to get a reaction out of people!
10

Penguinblue added 09:36 - Aug 26
I've read a number of your comments with interest.
I am amazed that you are content with the mediocrity McCarthy inspires.
If that makes you great supporters then God help us - the lowest attendance for a budgie derby says enough - all down to McCarthy.
I could say a lot more but I won't bore you as you are so satisfied.
-2

blrmy added 09:36 - Aug 26
Don't let the trolls get to you, on every forum there are negative posters, keyboard warriors who sit behind an anonymous Internet connectuon, who like to say what it takes to wind people up, just in their nature to do so.
3

Cheshire_Blue added 09:37 - Aug 26
Penguin Blue OUT. Your time was up long ago.
4

parkinshair added 09:41 - Aug 26
Didz went eleven games without a goal. He was fit for eleven games???
6

Garv added 09:49 - Aug 26
Without wanting to be negative, but isn't one of Mick's biggest things getting the 'best' out of players? Is what we're getting from Sears the best of him? I really don't think so.

He is well up there amongst our best players, and he's wasted. Having him help out at left back against Norwich was perhaps nessecary, but we don't want to see that every week.
6

nthstd added 09:50 - Aug 26
Wow talk about a stupid statement. We need to win games not draw. I'm 100% sure he meant that he wanted the effort and resolve of the Derby game but with a winning goal or three. Don't see us in contention as we stand, October is the month in which we really get a decent picture, but for the record a quote certainly out of context.
2

oldbri added 10:03 - Aug 26
PNE boss comment, So true. ----“Of course, nobody likes criticism but so many people don't understand what managers have to go through when they're picking the team, doing the training sessions, looking at the performances, going through transfer negotiations. “Everybody thinks they know what's going on, when ultimately they haven't got a clue what's going on behind the scenes. “It's just modern-day football I suppose .

Read more at: http://www.lep.co.uk/sport/football/pne-boss-grayson-understands-mccarthy-s-frus
3

ShropshireBluenago09 added 10:08 - Aug 26
It is clear to see that MM is trying to improve the squad. At least he has realised this. We were much improved v NOdge. A striker is a must if we are to finish top 6.
1

Daleyitfc added 10:21 - Aug 26
Plenty of rose tinted glasses on here today, I see.
The reality is that McCarthy is a rubbish manager who has assembled a rubbish squad in his own image, and we play rubbish football most of the time.
As for all the "go away if you're negative" comments aimed at the more realistic of us, just remember that every piece of progress that the human race has made in everything has come about because some 'negative' so-and-so has decided that things could be improved, while all around him there were 'positive' people who were happy with their less-than-ideal lot and were afraid to make any changes and take any risks that might possibly improve it.
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