Boss Mick McCarthy was delighted with centre-halves Tommy Smith and Luke Chambers during Tuesday’s 3-1 home victory over Nottingham Forest and says it’s important that players forge such partnerships all over the pitch.

McCarthy, a central defender himself during his playing days, had particular praise for Smith: “I like him as a defender.

“People asked ‘Why didn’t you play him in [the Leicester] game?’. Well, there was only one game I left him out and that was when he came back from China, which I thought was the right thing to do.

“He’s played well. I’ve been really pleased with him. I thought he and Chambo were excellent on Tuesday.

“Certainly for the first 30 minutes when we dominated the game, they never gave those lads a sniff. I thought they were great.”

He says players need to develop relationships with those around them on the pitch: “It’s important. If you’re a right-back, you like to have a good relationship with the right winger because it’s you that’s going to be giving him the ball most of the time.

“And centre forwards need to be able to play together. I’ve been here a month, I didn’t walk in and know everybody or how they all played. Hopefully, we’re starting to see a settling down and a settled side.”

He says establishing a core of a side is key, starting with the goalkeeper: “Everybody tries to get a good spine in the team, as they describe it. Keeper, centre-backs, midfield, centre forward, right through the centre, and you have to have that. If you haven’t got them then you can be vulnerable.

“Hendo having conceded the goals, and having been pretty bloody annoyed about it as well at Leicester, I think he’s had two terrific games.”

McCarthy has also been impressed Guirane N’Daw in the centre of midfield: “A great finish his, wasn’t it? He has been excellent Guirane N’Daw and through playing he’s just got fitter and sharper.

“He does all the tackling and working, but some of his passing the other night was excellent. I thought he really had an excellent game and I’m delighted with him.”

While competition for places is increasing, McCarthy says he’s not overwhelmed with alternative options at the present time: “If you look at the squad up on the board, it’s not easy to change too many around because there aren’t too many options really.

"The ones that play as well as they did on Tuesday night, they get the chance to start.”

Photo: Action Images

NorthstaNder added 07:12 - Nov 30 McCarthy speaks so much sense it's ridiculous! Shame we couldn't have got him in a few weeks earlier (during the international break) we may well have been nicely clear of the bottom 3 by now. But hey Ho, we have him now. Probably the best manager outside the prem (in the UK) and better than a lot of prem managers! I really believe we're lucky to have him at ITFC.

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bluelady added 08:02 - Nov 30 Smith has been a bit up and down, whilst many on here see a good player who is developing others see him as a liability! He clearly has something as Keene, jewel and no most importantly Big Mac seem to like him, if anyone can get the best out of him it's our current manager and I can see a Delaney, Macauley partnership developing! The other partnership impressing me was Edwards and Orr.

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yun added 08:33 - Nov 30 MM is very smart to encourage this partnership as it will mean less disruption when the loanees leave. Also, it's easy to forget that Tommy Smith is still a youngster. Would be very good to see him develop into a first team regular rather than another bit-part young player who drifts into the lower leagues.
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taylor15 added 09:11 - Nov 30 really loving this appointment. paul jewell and roy keane would never heap praise on their players after every game, and MM is doing just that, which gives them all players. he's practically praised ouyr whole squad, individually, and that's only a good thing. onwards and upwards from here. WE LOVE YOU MICK!
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i_like_that_bolder added 09:57 - Nov 30 Been unsure about Chambers to this point but seemed to have been well rated at Forest, and been critical of Smith in the past as looked obviously at fault for too many goals. However if MM gets them cemented together, playing well and both doing what they do best, then that will be fantastic and another mark of the improvement MM is bringing.
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1RWR added 10:28 - Nov 30 Did anyone notice that throughout the game MM was applauding the play, a nice touch that!
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bluelady added 10:35 - Nov 30 IRWR I noticed since he got here he has been on his feet giving full instructions all game. Cress well in particular gets talked to.... He doesn't sit in the dug out for 90 mins!
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ericclacton added 10:43 - Nov 30 Tommy Smith I think will be Ipswich Town captain in a couple of years, good in the air, strong, and still learning, a great asset for the club, IMO Chambers has it all to prove
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