Town boss Roy Keane says young defender Tom Eastman has done “brilliantly” since he came into the first team and says he’s not looking to sign another right-back. Eastman, primarily a central defender, has been the Blues’ regular right full-back in recent weeks.

Keane said: “I don’t think right-back is a major problem for us. Tom Eastman’s done brilliant for us, [the Derby game] was his first defeat in the first team this season. He’s played eight games for us and that was the first loss.”

The Blues boss, who kept his players in their dressing room for just over an hour after Tuesday’s match, says the youngsters need the support of more senior players when they’re having difficult evenings: “He’s three months out of the youth team, he’s been brilliant for us and is going to have a great future ahead of him, but Tom, like other players, is entitled to an off-night.

“But when they have an off-night they need players to help them out, same with Connor Wickham. They’re two players just out of the youth team. If you think those two boys are going to get us out of the league, then you’re kidding yourselves.

“Tom Eastman’s done brilliantly, I’m delighted with Tom. Tom’s the least of my worries. We’ve also got other right-backs such as Jaime Peters and Troy Brown.”

Having ruled defender Gareth McAuley out of Saturday’s game with Barnsley straight after the Derby match Keane now says the Northern Irishman does have some chance of making it, albeit a slim one. He told the club site: "We had to take Gareth off with the injury and he is very doubtful for the weekend.

"He has been struggling for a week or two with an achilles problem and was touch and go for Tuesday night as it was.

"David Norris is unlikely to make it as well. As often happens with ankle injuries, if they don't settle down in a week they can become a problem."

Skipper Norris, who is the subject of a new billboard at Ipswich Station, picked up the ankle problem in the Millwall match. Grant Leadbitter is suspended from Saturday’s game having reached five bookings.

Photo: Action Images

dirtydingusmagee added 11:08 - Nov 11 the crowd are not on the backs of the youngsters,thats Keanes ''cover'' for his own failures. !
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Bill_Hicks added 11:28 - Nov 11 sorry Roy boy but I have defended your corner always but I cant agree with this. Neither Tom or Tommy are full backs, they are clearly centre halfs playing out of position. They offer nothing going forward which therefore limits midfield and the strikers options. Any winger with pace will waltz past them (as on Tuesday). Tom's distribution is awful, he is a row z man every time...

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Keaneish added 11:28 - Nov 11 Question: Are Peters and Eastman better as full-backs than Simpson, Wright or Rosenior? Answer: No. My viewpoint - What the front door is going on!? What about Ainsley? Where is O'Connor? Why the hell are we playing centre backs out of position!? For the love of God. Whoever sits behind the dugout in Britannia, have a word! I'm all for backing Eastman if he's had a stinker, but to say we're not looking for one!

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Doctor_Albran added 11:28 - Nov 11 Everybody knows we need a better full time right back, however, you need to consider that he was probably responding to a direct question - Phil maybe you should add the question that Roy was answering at the time to give some context to the answer? If asked "Is Tom Eastman crap?", "he was woeful, thoughts?", "he was torn apart", etc - then he has to defend his player. What would have been gained from Keane saying - I'm looking for a full back as frankly that 17 year old isn't cutting the mustard? He's just seen a youngster have an absolute shocker, but he's right he's played in 8 fixtures and this is his 1st defeat and he's doing a job when clearly no funds are being made available (either for a purchase or to pay the wages of another loanee). If Keane had said he's not playing there again (as most of you are intimating) he would have been lambasted as a poor man manager and destroying the kids confidence, where as he's trying to maintain the kids confidence and he is instead being labelled an idiot. I think that some of you need to understand that sometimes the media is used to get messages out to players (bit like Alex Ferguson hanging Wayne Rooney out to dry) where telling them face to face won't have the same impact. You boys (and girls) get way too excited about statements and look for any comment which supports (great comment, more, etc) or denys (rubbish, idiot, etc) your own opinion (which is human nature). Deep breath ladies! :-)

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O2BITFC added 11:30 - Nov 11 I would like to see the team set up with 3 centre halfs and two wingbacks, Peters is a natural on the right for that role but not sure about on the left, although Civelli would suit that role as he is both a defender and winger, 3 in the middle and two up front. seems to me it suits the players with have more than any other tactics we employ
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Cr0wman added 11:34 - Nov 11 dirtydingusmagee I don't know where you were standing Tuesday, but in the Lower North several people were barracking Eastman at the top voices, which would have been easily heard by the boy.
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muhrensleftfoot added 11:37 - Nov 11 You can't blame Eastman, it's not his fault that he's just 3 months out of the youths and playing in the 1st team out of position. Same for Smith. Both have done well recently considering. But it is obvious to even us supporters who no nothing, that the wide midfield players need an outlet, an attacking full back, and that aint going to happen with Smith & Eastman. Much rather Peters and Colback filled the full back roles, even though they may lack a bit defensively.

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bluearmy4life added 11:37 - Nov 11 Really had enough of comments like that from Keane. I think are fans Know more about are team than you. FFS
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Cr0wman added 11:48 - Nov 11 Doctor_Albran My point exactly, well said!!!
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Garv added 11:49 - Nov 11 Predictable clueless keane.
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Seasonticketsteve added 11:51 - Nov 11 Not sure what to make of this! I think we have been crying out for a right back since the summer. Eastman is not the answer, he does the simple things well but he looks far from accomplished on the ball and at such a tender age is well out of his depth in this league-sorry Tom! Why oh why Keane doesnt try Troy Brown there instead baffles me, he came on for the last 15-20 minutes against QPR in that position and not only looked a good strong defender at the back but also looked to get forward as much as possible-please, please, please start him on Saturday Keane if you know what is good for you!

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Seasonticketsteve added 11:52 - Nov 11 Not sure what to make of this! I think we have been crying out for a right back since the summer. Eastman is not the answer, he does the simple things well but he looks far from accomplished on the ball and at such a tender age is well out of his depth in this league-sorry Tom! Why oh why Keane doesnt try Troy Brown there instead baffles me, he came on for the last 15-20 minutes against QPR in that position and not only looked a good strong defender at the back but also looked to get forward as much as possible-please, please, please start him on Saturday Keane if you know what is good for you!

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onlybluesandhorses added 12:01 - Nov 11 I wondered whether it was Phil trying to correct Roy's English. But Eastman it seems has "done brilliant" (tick) and also "briiliantly" (!). In Football you "done great" " done brilliant" etc PLEEEAAASE!!
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blue_floyd added 12:12 - Nov 11 Keane, please play proper full backs. And if you think we're ok at right back, you're kidding yourself. Eastman & Brown are centre backs, and Peters is better employed further up the pitch. Sort it out!
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Ipswich24 added 12:14 - Nov 11 As have said many times we could of had steve finnan on a free would of been ideal
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Surco72 added 12:29 - Nov 11 Ipswich24.. we could still have Rosenoir as i dont think he has a club but he questioned Keanes management last seson and was bombed out
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Mark added 12:34 - Nov 11 Like others, I am seriously worried that our manager believes Eastman is our first choice right-back in a team that is supposed to be chasing promotion. I like Eastman and he has a big potential as a centre-back, but playing him at right-back should be done in emergencies only, not permanently! We need players with pace, and preferably some dribbling and crossing ability, so help our attacks. I don't share Keane's views on full-backs. At right-back he released Rosenior and Wright without signing replacements. At left-back he chooses not to select O'Connor (who looked excellent whenever I've seen him) in favour of a centre back (Smith). He brought the aging Kennedy and then O'Dea, but then O'Dea is a centre back too. Why can't we sort this out?

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svendust added 12:37 - Nov 11 I can't wait for Keane to leave, his comments used to be refreshingly honest but now you feel like he is trying to kid himself and others and it's not working. Eastman may have played in 6 wins and a draw before Tuesday but this was down to the opposition and excellent support from Delaney and McAuley. We saw on tues night how he coped against some quality attacking players and it wasn't pretty. I'm not blaming Eastman, I think he could turn out to be a decent CB but he is nowhere near good enough on the ball to be a RB and you can see he doesn't want to be playing there. For example when McAuley came off and Eastman was moved into CB he has a spring in his step and looked far more comfortable. I would rather see Norris played at RB than any of the other options Keane has tried. He's played on the right before, has a good work rate, can defend and attack and has the experience to cope there, plus he plays in a position where we are overloaded at the moment. I agree with other comments regarding Townsend and reverting to 451 / 433. Priskin as a lone striker with Edwards and Townsend on the wing, Leadbitter, Colback and livermore in midfield, Norris at right back, Kennedy at LB and Delaney and Mac at CB. We would beat any team in this division with that.

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itfc1981 added 12:40 - Nov 11 no improvement in are attacking (cough) play then
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GiveusaWave added 12:40 - Nov 11 Finnan would be much better than what we have at the moment Ipswich 24- Keanish- agreed- can't understand what O'Connor has done wrong. Ainsley has 'disappeared' also- maybe they have "fallen out" with Keane...? I wonder which full-back Keane is going to assign to take care of Adam Hammill on Saturday against Barnsley. The guy is in sensational form.... Would be nice to see Civelli get a taste of first team football once again even as a sub...him and Townsend are probably the most creative players we have...

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whoppit added 12:43 - Nov 11 I don't even have to say anything today. Most of you already know what I am thinking !!!!
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Dale added 12:48 - Nov 11 “Tom Eastman's done brilliantly, I'm delighted with Tom. Tom's the least of my worries. We've also got other right-backs such as Jaime Peters and Troy Brown.” The only problem is that none of those are right backs.
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BlueVelvet added 12:50 - Nov 11 ITFC have 'Chucked' away an opportunity to best promote ITFC at the train station - unfortunately the poster shows Chuck in action with no one in the stands! Maybe there all on their way to the ground from the station!
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GiveusaWave added 12:54 - Nov 11 Hey! One piece of good news! Leadbitter won't be taking our freekicks and corners on Saturday!
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Help added 13:12 - Nov 11 Surco72 - hence my previous comments on other issues that Leadbitter is RK's new Walters. Always gets picked even though does not always perform.
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