Mick McCarthy felt conceding Derby’s second goal shortly after the break was the key moment in Town’s 4-4 draw with the Rams at Pride Park. The Blues had been 4-1 up at the break and looking on their way to their first away win of the season.

Asked what he believes went wrong in the second half, McCarthy said: “We conceded a bad goal but then you could be talking to them and saying ’What went wrong in the first half?’. They’ll think they’ve conceded bad goals.

“From my point of view it was, but from the opposition’s point of view it looks like a good goal. We never got anywhere near them, I don’t know why, that was for the second goal. And once the second goal has gone in it changes the whole course of the game, that’s what happened.”

The Town manager said he wasn’t pleased with the manner in which his team ended the first period: “I was a bit annoyed about how we gave them a chance. I wouldn’t say they took their foot off the gas but we made a mistake and gave them a corner and a chance just before half-time.

“I was livid at that because that probably sent them in feeling a lot better about it than if we’d have been up in their half having a corner.

“It could have been a lot more [at half-time] but then they might say the same in the second half because they had some other chances.”

But overall, he had been delighted with display before the break: “We played very well in the first half and, of course, they will be saying they played well in the second half. I’m saying that we didn’t and we didn’t defend properly.

“We’ve conceded goals today that we wouldn’t normally have. They deserved it in the end for their second half performance.”

McCarthy says the size of the deficit Derby faced at the break meant they had little choice but to go for it in the second half: “We’ve never been 4-1 up before [since he took over at Town], so that’s a new one for me.

“I just think that it changes because they’ve got little or nothing to lose. They’ve been overrun in the first half.

“I said to them at half-time — words are cheap, actions count — they had to change something and they did. They made substitutions, they got Will Hughes further forward, Bryson running, and they made a better fist of it. I’m not happy about it but I’m realistic enough to know what happened.”

He says the Blues should have made it a scrappy second period: “We needed to make it a horrible second half, however we do that, keep turning them around, don’t let them have a chance.

“If we’d have done that for 10 minutes we all know the circumstances would have changed completely. Give them a goal after 90 seconds and ‘Hey up, there’s a chance here, we can get something back’. We gave them hope.”

“Collectively we owe ourselves two points, we’ve going to have to get them somewhere else that might be slightly unlikely.”

McCarthy says there were no flying teacups in the dressing room afterwards: “I don’t subscribe to screaming in their faces. Plus, without looking at the goals and seeing where they came from and who was responsible, you end up just having a collective shouting match and I don’t subscribe to that.

“I prefer to pick out what I think is appropriate. They’re hurting as much as me, by the way. I’ve lost or drawn games from winning positions and I don’t think for one minute the players are any less hurting than I am, so we have to do it together.”

“We were a bit all over the place when we’ve conceded the goals and even the equaliser at the end. We’ve got players there and we should have blocked it. But sometimes it happens because we’re all human.”

Derby interim boss Darren Wassall revealed that new boss Steve McClaren had come into the dressing room at half-time and the substitutions and switch of system to a five-man midfield were down to him.

“We were getting a little bit overrun in midfield and the change worked magnificently,” academy manager Wassall said.

Photo: Action Images

Stato added 08:51 - Oct 2 I thought the 2-0 half time lead against Brighton flattered us with the only difference being the brilliance of McGoldrick but there was no doubt we played much more ball to feet which was a positive IMO. Is it Mick's fault or the players fault that last night we reverted to route one football ? Is it Mick's fault or the players fault that we have thrown away points at Reading, Wigan and Derby ? We ended up with 2 lumps up front while the bag of tricks that is Taylor has been banished to Posh. Anyone else confused ? Anyone else confused by why we went into the season with Loach and Gerken as our goalkeeping options ? Anyone else confused by why we always play 442 away from home ?

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roytheboy added 09:04 - Oct 2 I am not yet convinced about our number one goalkeeper, I don't believe he is much better than Loach, if at all, I would be a lot more confident for the future if we were to bring in a proven quality keeper.
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Jimmyonthewing added 09:35 - Oct 2 AC Milan v Liverpool champions league final ? Spurs v Man City FA cup? When these amazing fight backs happen to other teams we applaud them, not so nice when it happens to us. But we got a point away - and hopefully learnt a lesson, including as he said MM who had never experienced being 4-1 up with us at half time before. Not a disaster lets take it on board and move on. COYB Saturday I'd take 4-1 at half time again!

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kalypso added 09:43 - Oct 2 Derby hadn't won at home this season, they're 4-1 down, with the crowd on their back and we kick start their season for them. Letting in 4 goals with 37% of play and no away wins is lower mid table form.
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SouperJim added 09:52 - Oct 2 Let's have a little perspective here. I am not going to suggest Mick walks on water and reading between the lines he clearly got it wrong 2nd half. He told the players to spoil and with a goal straight after the interval panic set in and we resorted to thumping it long at every opportunity. However, on a shoestring budget he has taken a side in turmoil nailed on for relegation and delivered playoff form. A point per game is generally safety, two points per game is automatic and around 1.5 points per game is playoffs. We have 14 points from 10 games so far this season and have already faced the three relegated premiership teams away from home. There is always room for improvement, but if you contrast how we've been under Mick to 3 seasons of going backwards under Keane and Jewell, I could forgive only taking a point away to Derby even if we had been 10-1 up at half time. The bloke currently has a win rate of 41%, we've not had it this good since Burley and Royle and that's a fact. The atmosphere at Portman Road the last few games has been better than I've seen for years and given time who knows what McCarthy might achieve. Some of you negative nellies really need to learn to handle disappointment better. Mick out? Utterly laughable.

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jas0999 added 10:08 - Oct 2 One away win in 2013 says it all. Home form is excellent and overall performances have been good - but at 4-1 up, only to draw is unacceptable in my opinion. Must start winning away games if we seriously want to challenge the top 6. If not, it's mid-table again.
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brittaniaman added 10:20 - Oct 2 It seems Derby played for Clough in the first half (sympathy for his sacking) Then meeting McClaren at half time they played for him the second half, new manager of coarse !!!!!!!!!!
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brittaniaman added 10:23 - Oct 2 By the way Mick we do need a new goalkeeper ??? You might not think we do but most fans think that we do ??? So it is now down to you Marcus ???????
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BriggEnd added 10:24 - Oct 2 Mick is the best manager we have had for the last 5 years or longer stick by him we are work in progress. Last night was very painfull to take when you are winning let it be 1-0 2-0 2--1 0r 4-1 when you start defending WAY to deep you are asking for trouble. On saturday as said by many of you we played some good keep possesion football were did that same football go last night against a team who are at best very average at home. When resorting to hoof football we are there for the taking we dont seem to have a leeder or 2 on the pitch when the going gets tough. Our points tally lost in games we SHOULD have won or drawn at LEAST but we did not is now in double figures if we want to be a top six side this needs addressing quick. Keep your chins up fellow supporters we riding a roller coaster at the moment in mick we trust !

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bohslegend added 10:24 - Oct 2 Im amazed at the -1's being dished out by the negative, moaning haters to some very reasoned posts about the MM's management so far. It seems like there is a small but vocal minority who simply dont fancy MM and seem to want him to fail so that they can be proved right! Not mentioning any more names, but if YOU are one of those people, and only YOU know, you should seriously consider following a different team because YOU are not an Ipswich fan (or maybe thats obvious already).

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AlexanderFields added 10:53 - Oct 2 Well said, SouperJim.
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WorcesterBlue added 11:17 - Oct 2 Thanks again to the in the main sensible posters on here - interesting debate despite the vitriol from some (yes YOU know who YOU are - grow up!). We are more solid under MM and yes he is better than the last two Managers and Evans needs to take a lot of responsibility for where we are now. However, its my way or the highway with him and he takes greater pleasure in trying to make a silk purse out of a sows ear rather than showing any ambition and playing attractive attacking football. We have creative players but he just doesn't like creative football as my mates who are Wolves fans warned me and I am afraid even at 4-1 up yesterday and Derby playing badly we didn't convince. To see all four of our defenders turn their back as soon as the keeper gets the ball...to see all our players in a 20x20 yd space from every goal kick or set play..to bypass the midfield and hoof down the chanels? to see Nouble (are you having a laugh?!) and Tabb come on when it could have been Marriot (or Taylor) and Wordsworth.. I have spent most of my life watching us play attractive passing football developing young players and always looking to entertain, if very often unsuccessfully! Even Royle adapted to our style and he had even less money to play with. I also coach youth football taking great pleasure in our club's teams passing around those managed by hoofball dinosaurs like McCarthy so I therefore reserve the right to be dismayed at the dismal drivel that MM serves up on match days and speaks the rest of the time.

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tractorfact added 11:30 - Oct 2 very quiet on the Eire job front with O'Neill wonder if they dont fancy him now Mick gets offered the Eire job he'll walk
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SouperJim added 11:42 - Oct 2 Worcester, I agree with you to a point, although "dismal drivel" is a touch harsh. However, Jewell was known for attractive attacking football and look how that went. If we are winning games and moving forwards then most fans will be happy. Yes I'd like to see more creativity, but I wouldn't risk our current progress for it. Better the devil you know, after Evans previous track record with appointing managers I'll stick with the dinosaur thanks.

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bohslegend added 12:29 - Oct 2 Worcester I was a bit OTT with the YOU ;-) fair enough, but that doesnt mean its okay for you to lose perspective on the current situation. MM inherited a team who could not defend to save their lives. This romantic notion that just because we are Ipswich we absolutely should be playing like Brazil is nonsense when you consider a few important facts: 1). We have not been in the Premier League in over 10 years. 2). We have no money to spend on players. 3). We barely survived relegation to the 3rd tier of English football last season. 4). This is MM's first full season with us and the whole thing is without doubt a Work in Progress. With MM's influence Tommy Smith has become a fantastic defender (barely a look in under PJ or RK). For the first time possibly since Marcus Stewart we have an excellent striker in DMcG and by all accounts (incl. bitter Wolves fans) TC is a fantastic Striker coach and this has been acknowledged by all of our forward players. My guess on the rest of the season is this; if we are close to the Play Offs around the next transfer window ME will release funds to strengthen and push on. Otherwise he will give MM time to build a solid foundation for the longer term where maybe next season is more realistic to be thinking about promotion. Is that "grown up" enough for you?

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Keaneish added 13:05 - Oct 2 Completely agree SouperJim.
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TimmyH added 14:49 - Oct 2 Agree to with SouperJim, a post which basically looks at the bigger view. Mick has got us winning games more regularly although the defense is not as tight as most of last season but by and large we have improved somewhat but there are one or two positions in our starting 11 currently which undoubtedly can be improved upon whether through long term loan or on our books.
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Keaneish added 15:41 - Oct 2 WorcesterBlue, this 'hoof ball' tag is a complete fallacy. Yes, it's used as an outlet and wrongly so for large periods last night but 'Hoof ball' or long ball side just isn't accurate. MM's brand of football might not be the most attacking of styles but what this club needs more than anything after the last 5 or 6 years is stability and MM's football is definitely that! Although i can;t for the life of me work out why it failed so badly second half last night! Well, i can, but i still can't believe it! That aside, given the number of goals we've already scored this season, what's actually wrong with MM's approach? It's not as exciting as the Burley and Royle eras admittedly but it's a hell of a lot better than Keane or Jewell and arguably Magilton. I completely take the point that its more effective than glamorous but surely the approach from MM and TC is to make us solid and hard to beat first and once we've achieved that, then encourage the expressive attacking football once there's a foundation and winning mentality throughout the squad. Unfortunately, i think the 2nd half last night has set us back a little so the reaction on Saturday will be interesting.

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kalypso added 16:30 - Oct 2 how can you win games without the ball? we only have the ball for 37% of the game.
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sereneblue added 16:59 - Oct 2 There's a lot of people on here that wear blue tinted glasses!!
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TimmyH added 18:11 - Oct 2 Yes have to agree our ball possession on the majority of games this season hasn't exactly been fantastic.
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Keaneish added 18:43 - Oct 2 Kalypso - next time you post, can you not lift a nonsense stat from the BBC site and use it as a non-argument!? There are plenty of ways to win a game with less possession. They could have 90% possession and play in their own half all game!!
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afrodids added 19:03 - Oct 2 more points dropped from a winning position. Why did mick not change things when derby scored that 2nd goal. Surely putting an extra man in midfield and taking murphy off would have made sense! oh well onwards and upwards. One day we may be able to defend a lead.
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kalypso added 19:12 - Oct 2 Thanks @keano, not many winners from a 10% ball possesion. MM can try but I don't think anyone would want to watch.
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Walk_the_Wark added 20:45 - Oct 2 Sad that so many on here are happy with us at the mo. Apparently just because I don't rate Mick and his out of date, no nonsense rubbish I'm not an Ipswich fan... amusing. I'm just not a fan of hoofball. But sadly this is it until we dispose of this manager...
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