Town boss Mick McCarthy is pleased with the balance of his current side as the Blues go into today’s live Sky game against Nottingham Forest at Portman Road (KO 5.30pm).

David McGoldrick and Teddy Bishop returned to the starting line-up for the last home game against Rotherham and - along with Jonny Williams who has made an impression from the bench - have given the Blues XI a more attacking outlook.

While the match against the Millers ultimately ended in a disappointing 2-2 draw, Town impressed in the first half and then put in what skipper Luke Chambers felt was their best performance of the season as they won 2-1 at Sheffield Wednesday a fortnight ago.

McCarthy believes widemen Tom Lawrence, who scored a brilliant first Blues goal at Hillsborough, and Grant Ward play a key role and are an improvement on the players who played in those positions in the 2014/15 play-off season.

“There’s certainly balance to it, although we do have a right footer [Lawrence] playing on the left wing, but that’s pretty much in vogue,” he said.

“It doesn’t really bother me which foot they kick with so long as they can beat people and put crosses in and play on the inside.

“And with Wardy there’s certainly a bit of pace, there’s certainly a threat, but they are equally as hard working as Tabby [Jay Tabb] and Ando [Paul Anderson] were.

“I always sort of judge people on that. God love Ando and Tabby, but I think the two lads are more progressive and better players than those two.

“But those two were brilliant for me, they were brilliant for this club. They were just outstanding while they were here, considering they were two free transfers that came in and contributed so much to a really good team that ended up finishing sixth, they were great.

“And I’m saying now that I think the two lads that we’ve got pretty much can do more going forward but do equally as much going the other way.

“That’s a real compliment to them because Ando and Tabby were outstanding at that, they were great.”

Wales international Williams is yet to make the first start of his fourth loan spell with the Blues - although the Town boss says he is now ready - and while there might be a clamour for McCarthy to start all his best attacking players in the same side, the Town boss says that doesn’t always work.

“Having balance in your team is having players who can create things and attack and do the mucky jobs, but you really have got to do those jobs,” he continued.

“You can have too many [attacking players] in your team and you suddenly find that they’re not doing [that] and you’re getting beat and you’ll be looking round and wondering why. There is a good balance in the team with the two wide lads.

“Bish’s game naturally is an outstanding midfield player. He’s had to learn to do all the mucky jobs because if you don’t do it, you’ll get beaten in this league, you’ll lose.

“He does that now, he wins his headers, tracks back and he protects the back four when he has to, but what he has got is that wonderful ability to glide past people and find a pass.

“I think he’s getting back to that, he’s had to put all his efforts in and he’s still [having to come off after] 75 minutes, but I’ll take 75 minutes of Bish any day because I think he’s terrific.”

He added: “[You have to] do all those tough, professional, hard-working jobs, I see Liverpool who are top of the Premier League and they’re the hardest working team, and Spurs were last year.

“But then they’ve got good players who are working hard. If you can get that you’re doing all right, you’ve got a good team. And two weeks ago that’s what we had.”

Jonathan Douglas was the man who made way for Bishop having been a regular fixture in the team and McCarthy says the Irishman’s omission was simply a case of him wanting to get the 20-year-old academy product, who missed most of last season with injury, into the side.

“Dougie and I have not really spoken about that at length,” he said. “Of course, when I did it I spoke to him, it’s nothing he’s done wrong, I just wanted Bish in the team. Nothing anybody can do about that, can they?

“I’m not giving him any criticism whatsoever, he’s been terrific but we have Skusey who is a holding midfield player, who is as good as anybody, and Bish adds something else to us, which Dougie doesn’t, which Kevin Bru doesn’t, which a lot of the others don’t.

“So I want him in the team, I want him playing. There’s nothing anybody can do about that.”

Photo: TWTD

blue75 added 07:05 - Nov 19 Can't comment on the Wednesday game but the first half against Rotherham wasn't impressive far from it!!!
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whiskey added 07:20 - Nov 19 Finally! Now if only he could move Chambers out of RB and put Josh there. Then maybe we wouldn't need so much cover at the back!
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jas0999 added 07:29 - Nov 19 Took long enough to drop Douglas who has unfortunately been very poor. Sadly Micks ego got in the way, as the Skuse/Douglas partnership was too negative but as everyone else could see it and wanted change, Mick refused to. It proved very costly, because with a bit more attacking flair we could potentially have been higher in the table.
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MicksZzzTactics added 07:39 - Nov 19 WOW! So there we finally had it, folks .... the loooong awaited complete EXONERATION of Dougie The Snooze!!! You know the "special gifted" one, the most proper among proper blokes who literally "RUNS for miles and miles and miles" and above all also the one who is "in a different class"!!! .... as his omission from the side in the last 2 games "was simply a case of MM wanting to get [Bishop] the 20-year-old academy product, who missed most of last season with injury, into the side" and thus "NOTHING he [Usain Douglas] has done WRONG" ............. obviously!!! Rofl HaHaHaHa Ohhh Mick The Archaic Messiah will you ever never cease to amaZzzze me, mate??? :-)

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muccletonjoe added 07:43 - Nov 19 Potentially a very good team going out this evening - they just need to confirm it on the pitch.
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tallguy6767 added 07:56 - Nov 19 Sorry jas 0999 was meant a + bloody phone ! Spot on comments !
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geminimustang added 08:12 - Nov 19 To be fair,injuries dictated most of the team earlier in the season and most of the tactics.Now the guys are returning from the treatment room,Mick has more choice on who plays and can be judged on performances more fairly.
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sgtlargent added 08:28 - Nov 19 You lot ain't half boring on here Zzzzzz. Same ol sh*te churned out day after day. Yes Douglas is useless, but he's been dropped now and if Micks true to his word he won't be able to get back in the team if those in front play well. Personally don't think Bishop has been pulling up trees his season but do understand the injury will be hampering him still and am looking forward to seeing him back to his best. Geminimustang you are spot on.

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tractorshark added 08:36 - Nov 19 Thing with Bishop is he was pretty average when he did play at the start of the season. Now he's getting fitter, he's looking better but he's still a way off the form he showed two seasons ago. He'll get there but he needs to be nurtured. Agree injuries did dictate the side earlier in the season, although the limitations of Douglas were clearly evident last season, so I'm not surprised our midfield has been fairly ineffective up to now.

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Currie10 added 08:48 - Nov 19 Big fan of Bishop, however was at Hillsborough and he was probably our poorest player. Offered absolutely nothing going forwards frankly, and defensively I don't believe he did a job either. Of course thrilled he's back as he is a terrific player. Not a massive Douglas fan, however he's been a lot better this term. Players infront of him ala Sears out left have been fan worse than Dougie. That said, rather he not in the team! Williams was absolutely superb going forwards at Wendy. As soon as he came on we broke with numbers and looked like scoring everytime, issue being we also looked very open at the back and very vulnerable! Sadly Jonny is going to be a bit unlucky with the system I would suggest. Anyway, we have options for the first time in a long time and there is absolutely no reason ( bar keeping the aforementioned three ) fit that we really cannot climb the table.

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ChrisFelix added 08:54 - Nov 19 So Dougie has been terrific. Rubbish if you want to see a terrific Town player watch you tube the 80- 81 team
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Smithy added 08:58 - Nov 19 He's hardly going to come out and say Dougie has been crap is he?, one of Micks strengths is his man management and the protection and defending of his players, so rather than criticise and find something wrong in everything he says, take the positives in that he realises that Skuse and Douglas are similar, we have the team most of us having been shouting for and Teddy is at last fit and getting better. Get behind the lads and cast away the negativity coyb

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Vic added 09:30 - Nov 19 Jaz - and how exactly was he to drop Douglas for a more creative player when we didn't have one?You may remember that until recently they've all been injured; he's put Bishop in as soon as he's been anywhere near fit enough.
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OwainG1992 added 09:42 - Nov 19 Whatever you think of big Mick you can tell why players love him! I really am feeling more optimistic about our team at the moment. 2 permanent signings in January....who knows!!
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DurhamTownFan added 09:43 - Nov 19 I'm actually quite pleased with Mick's positivity here. I'd like him a lot more if he spoke like this more often instead of making t all about him and how stubborn he wants to be
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runaround added 10:36 - Nov 19 Eeee was great was Tabby, fantastic!!!
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battyblue added 11:29 - Nov 19 With all the absolutely fantastic different class players we have had i would have thought we would have been n the prem by now not siting 15th in the Championship,that said good luck to all today hope for a good entertaining game and three points.
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legoman added 11:47 - Nov 19 MM is pumping.
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BrettenhamBlue added 12:34 - Nov 19 We are fine, but we need a t-a-r-g-e-t m-a-n.
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BrettenhamBlue added 12:36 - Nov 19 And I assume Jas means Bishop, Benyu, Dozzell or Nydam.
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RoyKeanesDog added 14:07 - Nov 19 [Insert generic attack on Mick here{
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madmouse1959 added 00:58 - Nov 20 It is getting really boring listening to this rubbish McCarthy comes out with.
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