x

Boss Not Ruling Anything Out - Ipswich Town News

Boss Mick McCarthy is neither ruling the Blues in nor out of a promotion challenge as his side go into back to back home games against Blackburn and Huddersfield. Town sit in 11th in the table after Saturday’s 1-0 away win at Charlton, five points from the play-off places.

"I never rule it in, never rule it out,” McCarthy said when asked if he was ruling out promotion after Saturday’s second successive away victory. "Just get as many points as we can, that’s where I’m at.”

The Blues boss says he expects this season’s Championship to be just as close as it was last year: "Yes, it’ll be 50-odd points to stay up again, I would imagine. It’s bonkers.

"Just look at Doncaster. They were here in the week [and lost 2-0] and Charlton were a much better team, then they beat QPR [on Saturday]. Yeovil went to Watford and beat them.

"Any one of us can beat anybody else and that’s what makes it a tough, evil league to play in. A bit like to today, I think people probably saw it as back to back wins for Charlton, we’ve come thinking that we could win this.”

Aaron Cresswell's assist for Tommy Smith's goal at the Valley was his eighth of the season, more than anyone else in the three Football League divisions, something which delights his manager: "Brilliant."

Blackburn are at Portman Road on Tuesday, while Huddersfield visit Suffolk on Saturday.

What to read next:

[Podcast] Blue Monday - New Podcast Now Online
A new podcast from the Blue Monday team is now available.
Burley Given All-Clear After Cancer Treatment
Blues legend George Burley has been given the all-clear following his recent cancer treatment.
TWTV Video Verdict - Brentford Plus Alan Lee and Season Stats
The TWTV team reflect on the 1-0 home defeat to Brentford and are joined by former Town striker Alan Lee to look at the Blues’ frontline as well as Adam Wilkin, who provides a statistical overview of the season.
Ipswich Town 0-1 Brentford - Highlights
Highlights of this afternoon’s 1-0 home defeat to Brentford.
Frank: Exactly as Difficult as I Expected
Brentford manager Thomas Frank admitted his side’s 1-0 victory over the Blues was as difficult as he had anticipated.
McKenna: VAR is Taking Away From the Game
Boss Kieran McKenna believes VAR “in its current guise” is “taking from the game as a spectacle”, the Blues’ 1-0 home defeat to Brentford having been repeatedly stopped for incidents which the Town manager believes were marginal decisions rather than clear and obvious errors.
Palmer: We Need to Sustain Pressure For Longer Periods
Town goalkeeper Alex Palmer feels sustaining a performance over 90 minutes is the Blues’ target following the 1-0 defeat to Brentford at Portman Road.
Ipswich Town 0-1 Brentford - Match Report
Kevin Schade’s 18th-minute goal saw Brentford to a 1-0 victory over the Blues at Portman Road. The German international headed home a controversial three-times-taken corner with the Blues ultimately worthy of a point, Omari Hutchinson coming closest with a late strike which visitors keeper Mark Flekken pushed onto a post.
Ipswich Town 0-1 Brentford - Player Ratings and Reports
If you saw the match, please give us your player ratings and a mini match report.
Ipswich Town 0-1 Brentford - Half-Time
Kevin Schade’s 18th-minute goal has given Brentford a 1-0 half-time lead over the Blues at Portman Road.