Mick McCarthy admitted that his team was below par as they lost 3-2 at Brighton and missed out on the chance to go top, but also had praise for his friend Chris Hughton’s Seagulls side.
"I could bemoan that we didn’t play as well as we could have done in the first half but that might take a bit away from Chris’s team because I thought they were good,” McCarthy said.
"We were trying to get to the top and they were ready for us. I seem to remember us when we were in the bottom six when I first came to the club we set about Nottingham Forest and ran all over them, we did the same to Crystal Palace, we did the same to Leicester.
"We’re having to live up to a reputation so I think teams are steeling themselves for that and they’re getting something better out of their teams, but our first half performance wasn’t what I would have expected from us.”
McCarthy felt some of his players might have been feeling the effects of matches having come thick and fast: "Maybe one or two of them are knackered, Murph’s played every minute of every game just about.
"Noel Hunt came in and was brilliant last weekend. We start from the front and he’d not played a lot of football.
"I’m not making excuses for them because I don’t have to. There have been one or two who have been missing through illness and injury.
"I thought Skusey was outstanding to come back after nine days [out ill]. But you only have to be down a couple of per cent and they’re up a couple of per cent because they’re playing us and it makes it a difficult evening.”
McCarthy said Brighton would be no easy touch beforehand despite starting the evening in 20th - they have climbed one place - and that proved to be the case with Albion looking a much better side than their current position.
"That’s because I know Chris and I know what he’s about and I know how good he is as a coach and a manager,” he added.
"I think wherever he’s been he’s done a great job. I know there’ll be Norwich fans screaming at me but I seem to remember they were still in the Premier League when he was sacked.
"He’s been everywhere, he’s experienced. He was at Tottenham for a long time. I’m a bit annoyed with him tonight, but he’s a great guy, he’s a mate of mine.”
The Town boss didn’t feel the chance to go top of the table following Bournemouth’s defeat last night had any effect on his players.
"I don’t think so,” he insisted. "The lads were really focused and I think we have to give them a bit of credit rather than me taking [it away from them and giving my team criticism].
"When was it easy coming to Brighton? I know they’ve not had the best record lately, but we always put their team up on a sheet of paper and I can’t think for one minute that any of us looked at it and thought it was going to be easy with the team that was playing.
"I thought they played well in the first half. I’m not happy with the goals we conceded, we didn’t do as well as we should have done, it wasn’t like us.”
Midfielder Paul Anderson apologised for his performance on Twitter afterwards but McCarthy says the 26-year-old has done well this season even if this evening wasn’t his night.
"He came in and apologised at half-time,” he continued. "I don’t really want apologies I just want people to perform.
"But Ando’s been great, maybe it was one of those nights. It happens, I didn’t play well every week. Most weeks, but not every week.”
With the Blues not in action until a week on Saturday when Wigan visit Portman Road, McCarthy is giving his players some time off: "They’re all off until Monday. Have a break, chill out with their families, go away if they can, have a beer with their mates, I’m not bothered.
"They work exceptionally hard. Just recover and we’ll prepare for Wigan next week, starting on Monday.”
Brighton manager Chris Hughton was pleased with his side's first home league victory since he took charge: "I’m delighted. Of course I’m more delighted with the three points because we needed it.
"I thought we showed some good signs in Saturday’s performance and I’m also delighted with the performance.
"We were up against a very, very good side who have shown why they are where they are in this division.
"They’re a tough team to play against. They had direct spells where they do what they do very well so we had to deal with a fair amount, but I thought we showed a lot of quality on the ball and, of course, you can’t do all of that unless you get the goals that we got.
"I’m delighted for Sam Baldock because he’s somebody who has been used to putting the ball in the back of the net and I thought Joao Teixeira was excellent.”
Asked whether he was pleased to get one over on his old Republic of Ireland team-mate, he added: "No, not really. Mick’s somebody I know very well and I have a lot of respect for, and also Terry as well.
"I’m more delighted with the three points because you are. You look at the result last night and you see Leeds winning.
"That’s what happens when you’re in the position you’re in, you’re looking at all the results around you, so I’m most delighted with the three points but also I thought the performance was good, particularly here at home, which is always nice.”