Boss Mick McCarthy conceded that Leeds United had deserved their 1-0 victory over Town and admitted his team put in a “poor performance” at Elland Road.

“Leeds deserved to win,” the Blues manager said. He felt there was little in the game until Chris Wood scored in the 35th minute with the Whites then dominating the final minutes up to the break and then most of the second half in which they might have added to their lead.

“I don’t think the second half started that way, to be honest with you, in fact I know it didn’t.

“But they’re a good side, they’ve got good players. I thought Chris Wood was outstanding today, he was probably the focal point and the big difference in the team because when they hit it up to him it stuck up there and he ran in the channels. He showed why he’s had good moves and is a good player. They deserved it.”

He added: “You have to give the opposition some credit sometimes, don’t you? We were poor with the ball today, really poor.

“Even the freekick at the end, I know Freddie had hit the target twice last week, but it was probably too close and we let them off the hook there.

“You get the one chance and we could have nicked a goal out of it. Whether it would have been deserved or not I wouldn’t have cared, but you’ve got to hit the target and we didn’t. That summed us up today.”

McCarthy was frustrated by his team’s display but says he’s not felt that way too often in the opening couple of months of the campaign.

“I’ve not had that many frustrations this season so far in terms of performances,” he reflected. “Brentford away in the second half. We were poor today, it was a poor performance. I am frustrated, I always am when we don’t play well.”

The Blues lost Adam Webster - “hamstring” - Grant Ward - “his knee” - and Brett Pitman - “ankle and knee” - to injury and McCarthy doesn’t expect the trio to be involved in the home game against Brighton on Tuesday.

“Probably impossible for any of them, I think,” he added. “Roll on the international break, I would say, so we can get some back.

“You’ve seen today what we’ve got on the bench in terms of back-up, we’ve got Josh [Emmanuel] and Myles [Kenlock], the two defenders. Josh has had to go on and he did all right actually, put one great cross in.

“And we’ve got Dozzer, Bish will be all right for Tuesday, Conor Grant. We came here with 19 players, we’ll be tipping up with 16 on Tuesday.”

Webster’s absence, with Tommy Smith already out having undergone back surgery, means skipper Luke Chambers is set to move back to his favoured central defensive role.

Having played at right-back so often in the last three seasons, does McCarthy believe it will take his skipper time to adjust? “I don’t think so, he’ll be fine.”

Town have scored only four goals in their eight Championship games since netting four against Barnsley on the opening day. Does McCarthy believe his team presents enough of an attacking threat?

“I thought there was at Brentford for a while, there was in that game,” the Town boss added. “Certainly against Barnsley we did.

“Aston Villa there was nothing until the last 10 minutes for either side. Norwich we had chances, Wolves we’ve played well and had chances. But it is a concern if we’re not scoring goals, of course.”

McCarthy was pleased with sub Leon Best’s performance, despite the 30-year-old having player more of the game - 65 minutes - than his manager would have wanted.

“I would have liked Brett to have stayed on for longer, but I thought he did well, Besty. I was pleased with him,” he said.

“He was a threat but he was a threat in a very difficult game. We didn’t get the ball up to him really or keep it up there. But he’s worked hard. I was pleased with him, pleased with what he’s done.”

Regarding 24-year-old Wood, who failed to score in his three starts and five sub appearances during his loan at Portman Road in 2014/15 but has netted seven times already this season, he added: “I don’t think he’s ripped it up here until now, until this season. You’re moving around all the time, having loan spells, maybe a move doesn’t work.

“I think you get deconditioned because you travel the team, you don’t play, you go back, you do bits of training. You’re treated a like a first-team player.

“I think that’s what happened to Woody when we got him. I was pleased with him just at the end when he was starting to get there and, of course, Leicester took him back.

“Leeds have got a very good player, he’s in great shape, he played really well today and his performance today has shown why people were coveting his signature a few years ago.

"And if he continues doing that then Leeds have got a really exceptional Championship striker.”

Whites boss Garry Monk, whose team has now won four in a row in all competitions, was pleased with the win but believed his side ought to have won by a greater margin.

“It’s very pleasing. I thought we did very well today," he said. "I think we understood the game very well, our planning in the game went very well.

“We understood that playing against Ipswich they were going to make us defend certain situations a lot and we planned for that very well and I thought we were excellent in that phase of the game defensively.

“And then offensively we created some very good chances today and my disappointment from the game is that we weren’t clinical enough, we didn’t make it comfortable for ourselves in terms of getting those extra goals that we needed to make it a little bit better for ourselves and give ourselves a little bit of breathing space.

“There’s always the danger towards the end of the game that one lapse or one moment could cost you and that’s always the fear, whereas really we should have been much more comfortable.”

Photo: TWTD

Lightningboy added 11:21 - Sep 25 The ironic thing is that the guy that Marcus Evans and Simon Clegg were so quick to get shot of 7 years ago would've probably taken us up long ago by now if they'd opened their eyes instead of the chequebook (God bless you Jim). 8 wasted seasons since by an owner who is probably a decent enough bloke but has not got the first clue about how this football club should be run..if he really understood he wouldn't have appointed McCarthy to begin with..not being ungrateful to Mick for "saving us" 4 years ago but we now need to move forwards with a plan,not keep on hammering away at the premier league door hoping we get let in round the back and ultimately coming straight back down because we are nowhere near ready or good enough to stay there under our current manager. Have said it a few times - what is the point in having Mick McCarthy at your club unless it guarantees promotion or you're a little club trying to stay up..seriously,why else would you have him there?..it would not surprise me if we scrape a couple of wins this week and everyone'll come out saying McCarthy is great but that's the problem - everything is just short term fixes under him,we need to look at the long term plan and not the odd scrappy win here and there..our football since Magilton left has been the worst I have seen at this club and it will not get better under Mick..I wish our owner would open his eyes and see that.

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bluesince76 added 11:25 - Sep 25 MICK OUT NOW BEFORE ITS TO LATE,AGREE WITH POSTS SUGGESTING BURLEYS RETURN KOOWS WHAT THE CLUB IS ABOUT.
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planetblue_2011 added 11:25 - Sep 25 Should of kept Chris Wood, knew he would score. Think it could be possibly McCarthy's last season, we need a change now he's taking the club as far as he can. Wouldn't mind seeing Gary Monk or someone like him as manager down here. We need someone with a winning mentality not just playing for a 0.0 draw or scrape a 1.0 win. There is good young attacking players in the team/squad but can't play the stubborn football Mick wants them to play. Oh well Brighton next, say no more!!

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NoelTheDub added 14:40 - Sep 25 Pre Match and Post Match same old dribble to all die hard, looking for to much supporters remember they are a good team and have good players YES Mick all championship teams are bar bloody us.If you were only annoyed with Brentford away were have you been or what have you been looking at all season.As you say Besty did well again but you wont start him,Chambo will be ok at CB he is a CB or did you forget.Reading your comments that we didnt get the ball to Leon whats new. You have lost the plot or never had one the only thing that might come out of this game is due to injuries you might be forced to play young lads that have a point to prove and before I get slaughtered my team playing football win,lose or draw will do for me because our club cant get any lower in my view.

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roytheboy added 15:41 - Sep 25 It's time for ITFC to start playing "FOOTball" again, oh to watch a team of talented players, passing the ball and actually having an attacking strategy. we defend reasonably well but you cannot win matches without scoring, back to the drawing board I think Mr Evans.
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therein61 added 17:10 - Sep 25 A poor performance eh Mick well you got that one right why don't you admit it's down to your favourites inspired selection(too many shoe ins who just go through the motions with no fight in their boots) instead of making out an ordinary Leeds side as world beaters(mind you that is your outlook on all our opponents as a get out when your favourites under perform as usual!!)then take a long look in the mirror if you cannot see what is in front of our eyes then as the honest(plain speaking) Yorkshire man you are then at least try to change things about or do the right thing and call a taxi and stop messing up the club I have loved for well over 50 years, you did us proud when you first came into the building and put us in the right direction, but it has now stagnated into a predictable farce.

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therein61 added 17:28 - Sep 25 While I admire the sentiment in bloggers wanting George back I'm afraid like Mick he is out of touch with todays game, and while I liked the way Jim tried to get us to play football the town way he would not have taken us up, the man who would have taken us up if he had money to spend(if he could have kept us up is questionable) bearing in mind how we were always getting closer to the top than the bottom is Joe Royle.

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dugoutdave added 17:30 - Sep 25 I was 'upt' north yesterday but not at match. Was listening to radio Leeds and apart from the commentary outlining how lackluster we were, the saddest thing to hear was a comment by one of the pundits at the end who said "I wanted MM for manager at Leeds but now that I've seen what he's done to a once proud footballing team, I'm so very glad we never went for him". That says it all. Time to go Mick.

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Seasider added 17:47 - Sep 25 I never wanted McCarthy here in the first place as I knew what he would be like,and he hasn't disappointed. Felt he was good at keeping us up,and then getting into play offs,courtesey of Murph's phenomenal season. Been going backwards since,and feel will go nowhere if he stays.Never known a Manager at Ipswich Town who is so stubborn,arrogant;and shows contempt for the fans.Not even Roy Keane,no wonder they fell out! Have been known in the past to write to EADT.Would be interesting for them to conduct a poll on how we fans feel about McCarthy.Come to think of it,this could also be conducted on TWTD; or are Phil and Gav and the editorial staff at Argent frightened of upsetting Messrs McCarthy and Evans.

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H1960 added 18:02 - Sep 25 Seasider my thoughts entirely
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Swn98 added 18:24 - Sep 25 Keaneish FYI a question posed by a contributor on the forum should Mick go those that think he should stay outnumber those who think he should go by 2/1.
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grumpyoldman added 18:45 - Sep 25 If he goes my suggestion is Burley at helm with Matt Holland as his assistant for two seasons then Buirley pushed upstairs to director of football and Matt takes over. I know its a dream but I can live in hope can't I, it's better than the bloody nightmare now! As for those who don't want change are these the same as the ones who backed Keane and Jewel until they went, I don't of course know but some do not like change until it is forced on them.

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Keaneish added 18:53 - Sep 25 Swn98 - my question would be back, "are those people going to games and actually watching the game"? If they are, how on earth can they want to maintain what they're paying for? PhilTWTD - could you run a poll for us on here to gauge sentiment? There's obviously a tilted opinion on here come win or draw. Let's see what a poll says.
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Swn98 added 18:59 - Sep 25 You can set your own poll up on the Forum
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Keaneish added 20:45 - Sep 25 Think i'll do that after a draw for a more balanced reaction.
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Razor added 10:35 - Sep 26 Right its Monday morning and I have calmed down a little. First things first, Leeds are not a good team and even their fans said so after the game. This was one of the most inept,clueless,turgid rubbish performance in all my tears watching this great club. Robert Green in goal was not troubled at all, he could have cooked a roast dinner,read a book,had a brew and a full pack of cigars and we would still not have scored. Bad/litte investment in the summer and buying the wrong players is now coming home to roost (I think we would have bought a left sided pitchfork if available). Crikey, we even turn away fans who want to pay and come in, as at Villa last week--unbelievable!! I have reviewed my seasons prediction from Saturday from mid-table mediocrity to relegation struggle.

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martin587 added 11:33 - Sep 26 Town were a disgrace at Leeds and it hurts me to say that about our great club.Leave now MM.
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JOHNWARK78 added 12:25 - Sep 26 I have just registered onTWTD for the first-time and have been a town fan all my life,i have lived in australia for the past 13 years and religiously follow everything ipswich town fc and on that note just needed to air my views that our current so called manager needs to leave the building,club,town and county asap before the club disappears even further into the history books of yesteryear, one severely confused and disgruntled ITFC supporter😕

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JimmyP45 added 12:42 - Sep 26 Of course Leeds deserved to win. You picked such a dull, non-creative negative team Mick so why did you expect anything different? You say Pitman is the man to lead the attack but when will he next score? This year, next year?
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IpswichT62OldBoy added 13:06 - Sep 26 I think of most significance is the number of fans who have changed views, not those whose views have been confirmed. I have been a M McM fan, I started to waver after Xmas but my hope was renewed after the transfer window. Sadly we have been awful, his tactics generate stale and boring football and I get a sense of players loosing the will to play. I think this is deliberate, sneak a win, mug the opposition, blag the points, win ugly, he makes no secret of it, however I had hoped that this was pragmatic and that when he had proper footballers who like the ball then the tactics will change, they haven't. I loved the football we tried to play at Reading, Ok we lost 5-1 but that was a fluke, we would have been winning games 3-1 4-2 2-0 and been entertained. For these reasons I have changed my position. Thanks for rejuvenating the Academy, re-enstilling some sense of togetherness and kicking out all the idlers we had acquired. Please totally change your tactics and philosophy, or leave, we are no longer suited to each other. I actually like you so this is sad

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woohoo added 13:43 - Sep 26 I think that the main concern that many have about a possible change of manager is - who would ME appoint next? Given that ME's 'vision' for the club appears to be clear only to him, it may be a question of 'Be careful what you wish for.'...
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