Christophe Berra has reflected on the defensive heroics that under-pinned Town’s 1-0 win at Derby on Tuesday in a game that saw Mick McCarthy’s men under pressure for the majority of the 90 minutes.
Ram-raid, smash and grab, call it what you like — the facts are that Luke Varney’s goal earned all three points and the Town rearguard stood firm to keep their third clean sheet in five games and climb into the Championship’s top 10.
Scotland international Berra admitted he relished the performance but said: "Don’t get me wrong, I’d have preferred us to win two or three-nil and we hadn’t had to defend as much. But this is a league that can make you defend, especially away from home.
"It’s never easy and you’re never going to dominate a game for 90 minutes. You are going to be on the back foot a lot. But we’ve won 1-0 at a difficult venue and after Friday’s disappointment at Reading it gave us a good feeling to come away with three points.
"It was a very good three points for us. We always know it’s going to be difficult away to Derby because they have a big squad and a lot of good players. To be honest, any away game in the Championship is very difficult so it was good to get the win.
"It’s always good to keep a clean sheet but in the end the way we look at it is just about getting the points on the board and it’s not just down to the defence. It starts with the guys at the top of the pitch and works through the whole team.”
Older fans will find Berra’s no-frills displays reminiscent of McCarthy the player at Barnsley, Manchester City, Lyon and Millwall, as well as with the Republic of Ireland when he was one of then manager Jack Charlton’s favourites at the heart of defence.
Berra added: "Mick McCarthy is the type to appreciate that sort of defensive display.
"I’ve never seen the gaffer play, even on video, but you can tell that he loved defending and he’s got high standards. If we make a mistake or could have done better in a situation he lets us know.
"I think nowadays people are guilty of forgetting that it is a skill, even an art form, to defend — to put your body on the line, intercept, tackle, head and get your timing right.
"The game’s not all about players being fancy — there aren’t many teams in the world with players like that, except Barcelona and a few others.
"Especially here in England, a big part of the game is defending and it’s about knowing where to be at the right time.
"Maybe we don’t get the headlines very often, unless it’s a 1-0 like the other night at Derby, but it’s enjoyable when it happens.
"There are still a lot of us who go in where it hurts, get our headers in, make the right tackles and do our utmost to keep a clean sheet.
"As the gaffer was saying, it’s an in-vogue thing — people might want a [Gerard] Pique at the back but sometimes in British football you need a mixture, players who can and players who can’t.
"If you can’t defend first and foremost you are probably going to lose more games than you are going to win.”
When Berra faces newly-relegated Aston Villa at Portman Road tomorrow he will be looking to end a 17-game spell — seven this season and 10 last without scoring. He said: "First and foremost my job is about defending but I like to get on the scoresheet when I can.
"I’ve been getting my head on a few things recently and the ball’s been dropping down in the box. What we need is for it to fall at someone’s feet and they stick it away. I feel I’m doing okay at getting my head on things and hopefully the goals will come.”