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Boss Mick McCarthy says the Blues need to keep their focus in the final three games of the season after their 3-0 victory over Crystal Palace took them to within touching distance of securing their Championship status for 2013/14.
Despite Town climbing to 13th, five points clear of the drop zone, McCarthy says there were no celebrations on the touchline at the end: “As you noticed, I wasn’t dancing about with my knickers in the air at the final whistle because we’re not mathematically safe.
“We’re in a far better position than a lot of others and we’ve got three to play, two difficult away games against teams who are in it with us. We need to keep our focus and make sure that we do our job properly.”
The Blues boss said Aaron Cresswell’s stunner would be a Goal of the Season contender if strikes outside the Premier League are taken into account: “If they judge them out of the Championship there’s every chance.
“It’s got to be a contender, it was a wonderful strike, but I’d guess David Vaughan at Sunderland would have something to say about it, his goal was similar.”
Two-goal striker Frank Nouble grabbed most of the headlines, although McCarthy felt he started the match slowly like most of his team-mates: “I’m not so sure for the first 20 minutes, but that could be said for all of them!
“He was excellent, he finished his goals really well. Even the first one, he’s had to come back on his right foot, he didn’t take a slash at it with his left foot. He was calm.
“And his second goal was a great finish and he’s run them all over the place, their back four. I thought he was excellent.”
The Town manager took a chance on the 21-year-old when he brought him in from Wolves in January and he revealed what a bargain he was: “I had a bit of inside information. TC had worked with him for four months and I tried to sign him myself at Wolves. I fancied him because of his power and his pace.
“TC had worked with him, so it was a more calculated risk than anybody would have thought, and at £25,000 it’s never really a risk, is it?”
McCarthy said he spoke to Palace boss Ian Holloway on his way into the press conference: “I just met him in the corridor and he said ‘You didn’t deserve that on Saturday and you didn’t deserve what happened to you at Selhurst Park’.
“Ollie’s a good guy, he’s an honest guy and he’ll know that for 20 minutes they were giving us a bit of a hiding but without working Loachy, they had corners.
“But then he knows his team’s committed suicide really, with the mistakes that they’ve made. But Frank’s got to chase it down, he’s got to finish the next one and it required finishing off.”
Looking back to November’s 5-0 defeat at Palace in his second game in charge, McCarthy says he’d never have been appointed if the Blues had defended as they did in the second half: “I wouldn’t have been here if they’d have been playing like that.
“You know what I said after the Birmingham game, my very first game, I said ‘You should be ashamed of yourselves, I shouldn’t even be here if you can play like that’.
“So, they’ve proved that they can play, although by the way we were awful for 20 minutes, we couldn’t pass it to a blue shirt.
“And yet goals change games and we were far better after that. But we had to defend and we defended really well and when it was tough we stayed tough and didn’t give anything away.”
Holloway was pleased with the way the game began: “It all started fine. I thought we looked fantastic, we were moving the ball around. Up until the goal, I was more than happy, I felt really comfortable, I thought that was the best we’d been for a while.
“I could see the improvement, they were a bit nervous, they were a bit edgy and in a couple of minutes it was all turned around.
“Will the kid ever score another goal like that in his life? Probably not? Will my goalie make a mistake like that and will my centre-half make a mistake like that? Talk about having the stuffing knocked out of you. And then it’s difficult to say the least.”
But he felt Town perhaps deserved some good fortune given some aspects of their defeat at Selhurst Park: “I remember seeing us get three penalties in a row in the home game and sometimes what goes around comes around.
“Their second goal was an outstanding strike but we should have had someone back goal side of him, and we didn’t, which isn’t good enough.”
Photo: Action Images
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I was there ,we were terrible during the first 15 mins ,then at best average for the rest of the game. But we win 3.0 and its just great. If we could pass ,have a bit of composure and then defend as we do , we would be a very decent team. Edwards ,Ndaw were just off it tonight. The rest ground out the effort. Well done lads.
bluefeast - I have to agree with you. Tonight we were very poor and only Loach's saves coupled with Palace's awful defending allowed us to win 3 - 0. More than anything we need to show some composure on the ball. When you are 3 up with 20 minutes to go you keep the ball. It doesn't matter if you go side ways or backwards, just keep the ball. Was impressed with Franks work rate just felt he was knocked off the bal a little to easily. Carlos really wasn't at the game tonight and I would be surprised if he starts on Saturday. I'm just glad MM & TC arrived when they did to sort the defence out otherwise we would be below Bristol City. 3 points Saturday and we can all relax until Sept.
I actually thought we played better second half against Hull saturday than the game tonight.
The defences were the difference today. We defended well, they didnt.
I can't remember Loach having to make too many major saves apart from a few shots around the box.
We defended exceptionally well, if theres a better centre half pairing than Chambers and Smith in this league I would like to see them. The turn around in the 2 of them since MM arrived is incredible.
I think were ok but a point at Sheff Wed to totally seal it would be nice.
We seriously only paid £25k for Nouble?!?! Think he's getting better as time goes on and could be a massive player for us next year. I actually can't wait for August now! Hope we back Mick, get the players he wants and i can see us being up there next year!
We defend well full stop. Mick has kept us up, Mick has made us difficult to beat. And that's appreciated!!! But Mick hasn't the faculties to get us playing pleasing Ipswich football. Look at his record. He will probably get us promoted next year. If you want 'organised' 'difficult to beat' hoof ball then he's your man...
Mick and TC have worked bloody miracles, I know we are not completely safe yet but I really thought we'd go down this season. What a turn around, top of the current league form and we'd be 4th on the results since MM arrived. Mick I salute you sir and for the first time in a very long time I'm looking forward to next season, just hope the squad keep focused and have we found our striker in Nouble............bloody brilliant!!!!!!
Walk-the Wark take a good look at the Championship this season and ALL the teams are poor Cardiff have won the league playing like George Graham's Arsenal side, tight at the back and 1-0 wins. We will play expansive football again but only when the time is right, you underestimate MM he knows what he is doing and if he gets us up playing hoofball, then I'll be delighted because I'm an Ipswich fan....full stop!!!!
Whats this a manager ...with skill on the transfer market, picking up a goal scorer for $25'000? ...With tactical know how? ...with man managements skills? ...with footballing connections and mutual respect with other managers? ...breaking all the right records with his team? ...drops players who don't perform or show the right attitude and thus commands honour and respect? AT LAST A MANAGER WE CAN BELIEVE IN.
Now more confident we can stay up, and push on next season, but we need to change the squad, sign Mcgoldrick to partner Nouble up front, sign Tabb. get rid of the following waste of space Martin, Chopra, and replace them with a creative midfielder, and a winger who knows where the byline is and who can hit a decent cross into the danger zone.And quite obviously splash the cash to keep Stearman, come on MM build your own squad and lets push for the play offs next season, bring the good days back to Portman Road
25K for Nouble?! Looks like a snip and a typical MM signing. Young, hungry, pacey, strong player - who didn't cost a fortune.
Excellent result last night. Agree with MM and the majority of the previous posts. MM's remit was to keep us up - forget 'football' and forget a 'pretty style' ... we just needed to stay up. This Summer will be interesting as MM looks to build a team. Something the previous two managers failed to do.
Again I worry about posts on here.. think someone was on thd loopy juice.. we were lucky v Palace last night.. wont be getting prezzies at Sheff Wed and Burnley
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