x

McCarthy Pleased Town Seen as Set-Piece Threat - Ipswich Town News

Boss Mick McCarthy is delighted that opposition managers see the Blues as a potent threat from set pieces.

Reading boss Nigel Adkins and Birmingham manager Lee Clark both commented on the height in the Town side and the Blues' potency from freekicks and corners, although McCarthy says teams tend to be bigger in the Championship these days.

Town came within a whisker of claiming a point at the Madejski Stadium when Tyrone Mings's late header was diverted onto the bar from Paul Anderson’s corner.

Then at St Andrew’s on Tuesday Christophe Berra’s first equaliser came from an Anderson freekick.

"It’s part of the game, isn’t it?” McCarthy said. "I stand in the tunnel with both sets of players and I used to get called ‘Big Man’ when I was up in Scotland, but I don’t know where that came from, I’m smaller than most of them in both teams.

"I didn’t see any of the Birmingham back four that were midgets. Did anybody see any small ones in their back four or their centre forwards, who won lots of headers?

"I think they’ve got a fairly big team, Lee Novak must be 6ft 1in tall, so I think that’s a bit of a [exaggeration] to say we’re a huge team.

"And apparently we have the smallest player in the league [Jay Tabb], who despite that gets his foot stuck in, according to the Birmingham programme.

"It’s part of the game, freekicks and corners, throw-ins whatever it is. However you can score your goals, it doesn’t matter to me how we get them.”

Meanwhile, Town striker Jack Marriott was pleased to make his Carlisle debut as they drew 0-0 at Cheltenham on Tuesday.

The 19-year-old, who was replaced after 82 minutes, joined the Cumbrians on a month’s loan earlier in the week.

"It was good to be involved at Cheltenham,” he told the Carlisle official website. "This is a move I’ve looked forward to because I feel I’m ready to play league football.

"I loved my time at Woking and I’ve got a lot of time for that club because they did a lot for me.

"However, I’m now ready for the challenge of League Two then, hopefully, I’ll get back into the Ipswich Town first team.”

What to read next:

[Podcast] Blue Monday - New Podcast Now Online
A new podcast from the Blue Monday team is now available.
Huddersfield Game Live on Sky
The Blues’ final game of the season at home to Huddersfield Town on Saturday is among those being shown live on Sky Sports.
London Branch Meet-Up For Coventry Match
The London Branch of the Ipswich Town Supporters Club is inviting fellow fans to watch Tuesday’s live-on-Sky away game against Coventry City at the Brondes Age public house in Camden.
Hayes Set For Second Wembley Trip
Keeper Nick Hayes will be making two trips to Wembley next month, his Solihull Moors loan side having reached the National League Promotion Final.
Former Skipper Nets Hat-Trick in Final Game
Former Blues skipper David Norris ended his career on a dramatic note, netting a hat-trick for Lancaster City in his final match, a 4-3 Northern Premier League Premier Division defeat at FC United of Manchester on Saturday.
McKenna: Players Handling Big Three-Game Week Really Well
Town visit Coventry City live on Sky on Tuesday night knowing that a victory would take them a point away from securing promotion back to the Premier League after 22 years away.
No Dividends For PLC Shareholders
The board of the Ipswich Town PLC has written to its shareholders confirming that its stake in the club has now reduced to less than one per cent and outlining that any dividends taken out of Town in future will go solely to majority owners Gamechanger 20 Ltd.
[Podcast] Blue Monday - New Podcast Now Online
A new podcast from the Blue Monday team is now available.
Rosenior: I Couldn't Be Prouder of My Players
Hull City manager Liam Rosenior said he couldn’t have been prouder of his players following last night’s 3-3 draw with Town which keeps the Tigers hopes of making the play-offs alive going into their final match and wished the Blues well for the remainder of the campaign.
Hull City 3-3 Ipswich Town - Highlights
Highlights of yesterday’s 3-3 draw with Hull City at the MKM Stadium.