x

McCarthy: Norwich and Brentford Goals Show How We're Trying to Play - Ipswich Town News

Town boss Mick McCarthy says the goals scored following long spells of possession against Norwich and Brentford are illustrative of the way he wants his side to play and how the squad train.

Jonas Knudsen’s header at Carrow Road ended a 27-pass move involving every member of the team, while Emyr Huws’s opener against the Bees also followed a lengthy spell of Blues’ possession.

"It pleases me [when we score from those passages of play],” McCarthy said. "That is how we train all the time, that is how we try to do it.

"It’s not as easy when there’s a team trying to stop you and it’s in front of everybody else, but that is how we try to play.

"And I just think the shape of the team has helped us, having three in the middle of the park, and having two up the pitch has certainly helped us.

"Four-four-two wasn’t working so it’s given us the ability to keep hold of the ball, certainly the players that have played. I think Emyr’s helped that, Toums when he has played has helped that.

"And I think Wardy has come in and been just outstanding. It does please me and it pleases me that the fans enjoy it and see it. I don’t want them to come here and watch turgid, horrible football.”

He admits that some of the criticism which has come his way from fans has been warranted at times this season.

"They were right to be critical because we weren’t playing well and we were losing. I’ve no problem with that,” he continued.

"But that’s not because of what we’re attempting to do or not attempting to do as the case may be.”

He added: "I get it all the time about ‘the pragmatic Mick McCarthy’, which is a bit of bollocks actually because when we won the league with Sunderland and Wolves we had loads of goals and loads of great performances.

"I’m not as pragmatic as you might think in terms of my coaching and my style, but when it comes down to winning or playing well, there’s no comparison for me at all. You just win games.

"And I’ve never heard anybody complain when you win games, never ever. No fans, nor nobody, no chairmen. If you just win games it’s great.”

What to read next:

McKenna: An Inevitable Decision
Town boss Kieran McKenna says it was an ‘inevitable decision’ for referee Stephen Martin to abandon the Blues’ match at Blackburn Rovers and expects to return to Ewood Park to restage the contest.
U21s Beat Chelsea to Hit Top of Table
Town’s U21s hit the top of Premier League 2 following a 4-2 away victory over previous leaders Chelsea at Kingsmeadow this afternoon.
Blackburn Rovers 1-0 Ipswich Town - Match Abandoned
Town look set to face a return trip to Blackburn Rovers later in the season after this afternoon’s game was abandoned after 80 minutes due to a waterlogged pitch with the home side 1-0 up and with the Blues down to 10 men. Jacob Greaves was shown a straight red card four minutes after the break for hauling down Yuki Ohashi, then Rovers skipper Todd Cantwell netted a penalty on 59, but the heavy rain had made the game increasingly farcical the longer it progressed and in the 80th minute referee Stephen Martin took the players off and then 25 minutes later abandoned it entirely.
Blackburn Rovers 0-0 Ipswich Town - Half-Time
The Blues’ game at Blackburn Rovers remains 0-0 at half-time at a very rainy Ewood Park.
Blackburn Rovers v Ipswich Town - Chatroom Open
Join us in the chatroom to discuss the game as it unfolds with hundreds of other Town fans.
Town Unchanged at Blackburn
Town have named an unchanged side for this afternoon’s game against Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park.
Blackburn Rovers v Ipswich Town - Predictions
Have you predicted the Blackburn score yet? Eighty three per cent of TWTD members are predicting a Town win this afternoon, 14 per cent a draw and three per cent a home win. The most commonly predicted result is a 2-1 win to Town with Hirst the first scorer but what do you think?
Town Win LMA Performance of the Week Award
Town won the League Managers Association’s Everest Men’s Performance of the Week Award for the 5-0 thrashing of Sheffield United last Friday.
[Podcast] Blue Monday - New Podcast Now Online
A new podcast from the Blue Monday team is now available.
Ismael: A Good Challenge to Test Ourselves Against One of the Championship's Top Sides
Blackburn Rovers boss Valerien Ismael says his team’s next step is to record their first home win of the season when the Blues, who he views as one of the top sides in the Championship, visit Ewood Park on Saturday.