Town boss Mick McCarthy says the Blues are on track to hit their pre-season target of making the play-offs if they continue performing as they have been recently. Town go into tonight’s game at Cardiff City in sixth place, just four points off the top of the division.
"We want to be in the top six,” McCarthy said. "Do I anticipate that? If we keep playing the way we have done for the last month, then that’ll be the case, if we keep picking up those results.
"All I can do is prepare the lads and if we can get the same performance levels out of them we’ll be around the top six.”
He added: "The consistency has been the most pleasing thing this season, the consistency of the performances, of the players individually and collectively of the team.
"If you look at the marks, TC marks them after every game and I have a look at them, they’ve all been at a consistent level, not been up and down. Rather than getting four to eights they’ve all be consistent across a decent set of marks.
"And then as a team we’ve been consistent. Playing well as a team helps you do well in the league. Having a great one on a Saturday and a rubbish one on a Tuesday, that doesn’t get you anywhere.”
The Town boss says he was pleased with his team’s display as they drew 1-1 with Blackburn on Saturday, despite conceding an injury time equaliser for the second match in succession.
"I was delighted with the performance,” he continued. "I thought the first half was just a really good honest scrap between two decent Championship teams playing in different ways.
"I think Blackburn are good side, they’re a very competent team with good players. We got on top of them in the second half and they got one sent off because we were on top of them.
"We got Conor Sammon rampaging through twice and he was fouled twice. We kept it the same, we had one off the line, their keeper made a great save in a one-v-one with David McGoldrick, we hit the post and it’s one of those where if you don’t put it to bed they get one chance from 30 yards and their freekick’s equally as good as ours.
"Disappointment in the end but I wasn’t disappointed in how we played.
"We could have kept the ball better. There were a couple of decisions with the ball on Saturday, but you never know how it’s going to pan out.
"If it’s a freekick that Christophe gives away for the goal, then it’s a stonewall penalty in their 18-yard box [when McGoldrick was bundled over by Lee Williamson right at the end].
"But they do happen and those decisions are given or are not given and we’ve got to get on with it. It’s Monday morning, we’re back at it, we’re starting again, I can’t do anything about Saturday now.”