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McCarthy: More Than a Nicked Point
Tuesday, 14th Feb 2017 23:20

Town boss Mick McCarthy felt the Blues’ 1-1 draw at Brighton was far from a “backs-to-the-wall, resolute, defend, nick a point” type performance with Albion keeper David Stockdale having “kept them in the game” at times.

Skipper Luke Chambers put Town in front with a header on nine, but Tomer Hemed equalised from the penalty spot in the 29th minute.

Asked whether he was proud of his team for a resolute defensive performance, McCarthy said: “How many saves did their keeper make? From Tom Lawrence, we had one headed off the line, we had another one blocked.

“I’m immensely proud of them but it wasn’t a backs-to-the-wall, resolute, defend, nick a point [performance], I think their keeper’s kept them in the game, to be honest.

“But I am proud of the way my lads stuck at it because they’re a good side, Brighton. They passed it, they moved it, we’ve had to defend. But we’ve had some chances as well.”

McCarthy believed the result was about right: “Yes, I do. I know they hit the post late on and that would have been a criminal injustice if that had gone in after the way we played, and because of the saves their keeper has made and the blocks on the line.”

The Town boss was full of praise for skipper and goalscorer Chambers: “He’s great, he’s been outstanding and even more so considering the speculation about him and Forest on the last day of the transfer window.

“He’s shown what a professional footballer should be all about, he’s continued in his manly way that he does things and didn’t get affected by it, he’s been terrific. I think that’s an example to all the players at our place and any young pro that would get affected by speculation, transfer talk and he’s out of contract, he’s been great.”

Chambers required treatment after the goal having collided with keeper and former Blues loanee Stockdale with life as a Town centre-half a dangerous job these days - “It would appear to be!” - but midfielder Emyr Huws also suffered a head injury and was off the field having stitches when his captain scored.

“He’s got a nasty cut, he’s got five or six stitches in the back of his head, they said it was a really nasty cut,” McCarthy continued. “I’m glad we waited for him to come back on because I thought he was great.”

Regarding Brighton’s penalty, he added: “I don’t blame Bruno for going down, he’s [Emyr Huws] had a little tug of his shirt. But I think if I was going to nick his wallet in a bar or take his beer off him I don’t think he’d fall over as easily.

“But I don’t blame him, he’s had a little tug of his shirt and gone over. And if you pull a shirt, they give penalties. It was the linesman that’s given it, not the referee. I can why it’s been given.”


Six yellow cards - which will lead to the club being fined - and most significantly Tom Lawrence’s 10th of the season, which means he’ll miss the home game with Leeds and the East Anglian derby at Norwich, put a dampener on what was otherwise an excellent evening.

“It’ll give a chance to somebody else, as disappointing as it might be,” the Town boss reflected.

“But I’m not going talk about [the bookings], I’ve nothing nice to say so I’m not going to say it at all because I’ll get into trouble.”

McCarthy had said a caution for dissent was the one he least wanted Lawrence to pick up.

“I can’t do anything about it, can I?” he added ruefully. “It’s in the rear-view mirror, I can’t do anything about it.

“Somebody else will play and let’s hope anybody who has been out has a similar effect to him, that we get that performance.”

McCarthy says games such as these are good experience for youngsters such as Josh Emmanuel and Myles Kenlock.

“Josh has just said ‘I’ll learn from this’ and I said ‘I hope so, you will’,” the Blues boss said. “Playing against a good team, he’s picking it up and he’ll only pick it up now with playing.

“You can coach them all you like on the training ground, he has to play against that level of player. Certainly Myles playing against Knockaert, who is fantastic. They’ve got to get their education by playing, not on the training ground.”

The result continues the Blues' recent run of improved form, which has now seen them draw with Brighton and Reading and win at Aston Villa.

“Quite clearly we are on an upward curve from where we were, that’s quite evident to everybody,” McCarthy continued.

“Let’s hope we can carry that on, we’ve got a home game now against a really good side [Leeds] on Saturday.”

What does he believe has been behind the upturn? “I guess there are a lot of reasons for that.

“I think the transfer window was certainly good to us in terms of Emyr Huws and Toumani, they’ve made a difference.

"The shape of the team, the way we’ve played has made a difference because we’ve got the players to play it. I could carry on but that’ll do for now. New players coming in has helped.”

At the start of the month few were anticipating five points from the last three games, but McCarthy points out that he did say his team has a habit of upsetting the odds.

“Don’t say that to me, they’ve maybe gone better than you thought or better than you predicted!” he said.

“They are tough fixtures, don’t get me wrong, and they have been hard games.

"But I did say openly that we’ll probably play well against them and get more points than we have against all the others when supposedly easy games - not easy games because there’s never an easy game in the Championship - but we’re not expected to win these and strangely enough we always seem to rise to the occasion. I’m hoping we’ll do it on Saturday as well.”

Brighton boss Chris Hughton, whose side missed the chance to go top, was disappointed to go behind so early on.

“Strange game, a frustrating game," he said. "We certainly didn’t play at the level that we know we can.

“It was frustrating to concede when we did. At that stage of the game that gives a good Ipswich side a massive lift.

“Certainly I thought by the time we got the equaliser we deserved it on the balance of play, but probably our levels weren’t as good as we’ve been.

“In the second half the game became a very open game and at 1-1 I thought we were the more in the ascendency and if there was a team more likely to score it was us.

“Probably Glenn Murray and Sam Baldock had the two clearest chances, but they had a very good chance from our play right early in the second half, probably 30 seconds into the second half.

“But a frustrating one because if you concede you’ve obviously got to score more goals than them to win the game and it became probably too open a game.”


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JohnyJohnson added 23:26 - Feb 14
First 3 points for any team this season at Villa then a draw against the team with the best home form this season. Not bad. Mick will be smiling tonight.
20

OwainG1992 added 23:28 - Feb 14
Always nice to get a point away against a decent team on good form this season. Hopefully we can get the 3 points against Leeds United who have had a couple losses recently.
10

Moisha added 23:30 - Feb 14
Confidence seems to be returning with these recent improved results and performances.

Long may it continue. Well done Mick and the team 👍🏻
19

GiveusaWave added 23:31 - Feb 14
Great result and very proud of the team, but our keeper also kept us in it at times. Chambers, Spence, Emmanuel, Knudsen, Kenlock all did great at the back. Even the much maligned Douglas nearly produced a good ball at the end, but overhit it. Good performance all-round. Well done team.
18

The_Romford_Blue added 23:34 - Feb 14
Well done mick.

Well done made.

COYB
12

The_Romford_Blue added 23:34 - Feb 14
* lads
3

Pencilpete added 23:36 - Feb 14
I said it after Saturday and i'll say it again now

Keep picking the positive teams and the positive tactics and there is still hope for Big Mick yet, although sadly the penny has dropped about 6 months too late for this season !!!

This is all us fans have ever wanted to see, we can all accept a defeat if we are beaten trying to win a match, trying to hold on for a point and losing is criminal IMO.

25

Stato added 23:41 - Feb 14
Ref was a nightmare and how he didn't give Brighton a penalty in 2nd half I don't know. Also a worldy from Bart in 2nd half and Brighton hit the post after sustained pressure so overall a gutsy point gained. We didn't play negatively and kept Brighton crowd very quiet. Not a spectacle but a solid away performance similar to last season at the Amex.
8

BrettenhamBlue added 23:54 - Feb 14
Second half save from Bart was unreal, one of the best saves I've ever seen. Loads of pressure but a gutsy point earned. Bring on Leeds!
8

Walk_the_Wark added 23:54 - Feb 14
Good we keep picking up the points. I don't go anymore. Looking forward to going again next season with a new manager COYB
-4

TractorBeezer added 02:48 - Feb 15
Well done MM and lads. A performance that was resilient and yet we took the game to them rather than sitting back. Hope injuries heal swiftly. It's a marked change...let's keep it up! UTTBs.
7

arablue added 05:49 - Feb 15
well done mick and the boys. keep being positive as reflected in the team's formation for the past 3 matches...
8

Sam added 06:43 - Feb 15
I'm 100 percent Mick in. After that the team should be very proud of themselves. UP THE TOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
0

leahcar88 added 07:47 - Feb 15
Can't believe nobodies picked up on the "manly" comment
When I read that I smiled and thought to myself how many people have slated that comment lol and no one has, amazing
Probs cos we're playing alright ATM
-1

martin587 added 08:01 - Feb 15
Extremely happy drive home last night,and a great result.Bart once again was outstanding making a lot of excellent saves.
One thing we should not forget is that this team was picked by default due to so many injuries and I doubt very much MM would have picked a team like this.Having said that he has stuck with it and it has proved to be a very resilient team and long may it last.
Let's just hope when the other players are fit he doesn't rip the team apart,only time will tell,but well done everybody.I'm sure there are a lot of happy Town supporters at work today and are looking very much to Saturday and of course the Norwich game.😄😄
4

howdonblue added 08:16 - Feb 15
Yes great result

But our chairman/owner must if he stays back the man properly from the start of the season!

Also McCarthy can not just put skuse straight back in when fit as that could be a BIG mistake!

Let's hope he has learned but I seriously doubt it !

I can see the headlines now

"Top guy skusy Different class "

Time will tell
4

walberblue added 08:47 - Feb 15
2017 Played 10 won 2 draw 4 loss 4 10 pts out of 30
-1

Europablue added 08:59 - Feb 15
So is it Mick in or Mick out now?
Vote up or down
-2

Bubsy added 09:07 - Feb 15
Bloody well done Mick and the boys(includes Dougie).
Rightly, positive comments about the performance and long may these(Reading, Villa etc) continue.
Tough periods happen(god we know), but when they come back your team, the manager, the owner, the players and staff.
Life of a supporter is not only when things are all good, when the going gets tough ....tough it out ...stand shoulder to shoulder with Mick, Marcus , the lads and staff.
30 + years been following the blues, knew the great history, witnessed 1978 and 1982 and the tough times with Jewell n Keane - but i am still here...will support my team through the highs and lows.
Ipswich till i die.
-1

Orraman added 09:20 - Feb 15
While no one can take away the magnificent performances of Tom Lawrence, it beggars belief that on 9 bookings and with 2 big games coming up against teams who all fans just love to beat, he mouths off yet again and picks up a 2 match ban. I know that there are not many intelligent footballers but how many of his 10 cards have come from dissent. When will he learn to let his feet do the talking and keep his big gob shut.
However apart from that a really good 10 days from the new look Town and most unexpected. As others have posted will the real MM return when all his'blokes' are fit again. Worried about the reappearance of Different Class Dougie last night. Shows the natural mindset of the dinosaur. COYB keep the feel good factor going over the next two huge games.
6

htb added 09:35 - Feb 15
For a change I agree with MM comments. Emmanuel and Kenlock will only get better by playing games, shame you kept them on the bench so long continually playing Chambers out of position and an out of form Knudsen. With regards Chambers I feel very sorry for him and believe he should have had a contract offer by now. Not a right back but a good centre back and captain.
3

howdonblue added 09:41 - Feb 15
Orraman your spot on !

We should be worried about the reappearance of "different class dougie '!

"Different class skusy will be back against Leeds "

Then we will be a different class again !

Lower class
2

howdonblue added 09:42 - Feb 15
But so glad he is sticking with young Emmanuel !

A player in the making if handled correctly.
6

cornishblu added 11:43 - Feb 15
“Josh has just said ‘I'll learn from this' and I said ‘I hope so, you will',” the Blues boss said. “Playing against a good team, he's picking it up and he'll only pick it up now with playing.

We will hold you to it Mick ....just glad to read that you are coming round from the dark side....by all accounts Dougie did his bit last night.....but it still is not reason enough to revert back to formation of three games ago.........we are enjoying this football

COYB
2

Miles added 12:52 - Feb 15
Great result and glad to see we're playing more positively.

Skuse will play if fit because Toumani can't play against Leeds. Let's just remember that before critiscing on Saturday. Hopefully Kenlock and Emmanuel can continue to kick on and make these positions their own. Delighted with how things are going at the moment. Feels like the real Ipswich are returning!
2


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