x

McCarthy: A Result to Build On - Ipswich Town News

Boss Mick McCarthy hopes the Blues can build on Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Birmingham after the international break. Middlesbrough and Yeovil are at Portman Road for back to back home matches following the free weekend.

McCarthy said: "I’ve said to the guys, I think you need sometimes need something to stop, not a rot, but a losing streak.

"We’ve played well in every game for all the game except for the second half against Leeds, and even then we had loads of pressure and loads of corners, we were still going.

"The pleasing thing [on Saturday] was that we didn’t lose it. I’ve seen that happen before when teams have been dominant and then lose. So I’m delighted we didn’t.”

The Blues manager is pleased to be going into the break having picked up a draw rather than a fourth defeat in five league games.

"It’s much better, of course it is,” he said. "I’m encouraged again by the way we played. We’ve done enough to win three games there.

"You’ve all watched it, I hope you write it as such. We were excellent, I thought it was a really good performance.”

McCarthy has said he plans to give his players some time off during the break, while Tommy Smith and Elliott Hewitt are away with the New Zealand and Wales U21 squads respectively.

Meanwhile, academy director Bryan Klug watched Colchester’s 2-1 home defeat to Leyton Orient on Saturday, in which former Blue Kevin Lisbie scored the winner against another of his old clubs.

Also in action for the O’s was 20-year-old winger Moses Odubajo, who was previously eyed by Town in January, while Colchester midfielder Drey Wright, 18, son of ex-Blue Jermaine, who came on as a late sub, is starting to attract the attention of Championship clubs.

The summer transfer window closes at 11pm today but it seems likely to pass quietly at Portman Road with Mick McCarthy repeatedly having said he has no plans to add to his squad.

On Saturday, the Blues boss didn’t entirely rule out the possibility of someone making a deadline day move for Aaron Cresswell, although he felt it was unlikely.

Josh Carson now cannot join Hibernian, where he spent last week on trial, with the Scottish transfer window having closed on Saturday.

McCarthy previously said that Chris Kiwomya may be interested in taking the 20-year-old Northern Irishman to Notts County, where he has also recently spent time on trial.

What to read next:

McKenna: An Inevitable Decision
Town boss Kieran McKenna says it was an ‘inevitable decision’ for referee Stephen Martin to abandon the Blues’ match at Blackburn Rovers and expects to return to Ewood Park to restage the contest.
U21s Beat Chelsea to Hit Top of Table
Town’s U21s hit the top of Premier League 2 following a 4-2 away victory over previous leaders Chelsea at Kingsmeadow this afternoon.
Blackburn Rovers 1-0 Ipswich Town - Match Abandoned
Town look set to face a return trip to Blackburn Rovers later in the season after this afternoon’s game was abandoned after 80 minutes due to a waterlogged pitch with the home side 1-0 up and with the Blues down to 10 men. Jacob Greaves was shown a straight red card four minutes after the break for hauling down Yuki Ohashi, then Rovers skipper Todd Cantwell netted a penalty on 59, but the heavy rain had made the game increasingly farcical the longer it progressed and in the 80th minute referee Stephen Martin took the players off and then 25 minutes later abandoned it entirely.
Blackburn Rovers 0-0 Ipswich Town - Half-Time
The Blues’ game at Blackburn Rovers remains 0-0 at half-time at a very rainy Ewood Park.
Blackburn Rovers v Ipswich Town - Chatroom Open
Join us in the chatroom to discuss the game as it unfolds with hundreds of other Town fans.
Town Unchanged at Blackburn
Town have named an unchanged side for this afternoon’s game against Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park.
Blackburn Rovers v Ipswich Town - Predictions
Have you predicted the Blackburn score yet? Eighty three per cent of TWTD members are predicting a Town win this afternoon, 14 per cent a draw and three per cent a home win. The most commonly predicted result is a 2-1 win to Town with Hirst the first scorer but what do you think?
Town Win LMA Performance of the Week Award
Town won the League Managers Association’s Everest Men’s Performance of the Week Award for the 5-0 thrashing of Sheffield United last Friday.
[Podcast] Blue Monday - New Podcast Now Online
A new podcast from the Blue Monday team is now available.
Ismael: A Good Challenge to Test Ourselves Against One of the Championship's Top Sides
Blackburn Rovers boss Valerien Ismael says his team’s next step is to record their first home win of the season when the Blues, who he views as one of the top sides in the Championship, visit Ewood Park on Saturday.