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

GFH added 20:55 - Oct 2 To throw away a 3 goal lead at home or away is always gona hurt whoever we play against, and I always think its a dangerous time to play any team that has just appointed a new manager, the players had something to prove to the new boss. And I would also like to point out to all the moaners who are getting on MM's back look at where we are now compared to last season, for f##k sake give the man a break we are a working progress. COYB

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runningout added 21:51 - Oct 2 I'm sure the manager can cope with the moaning from us mugs, that have followed our team for decades and decades... it's the weak-links that don't handle it too well
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Keaneish added 22:15 - Oct 2 We don't play 'hoof ball' Walk the Wark! Why do you keep referring to it as that? You on a wind up? Why don't you jump ship and watch Arsenal or Barcelona if that's what you're after? No sides in the Championship are playing open, attacking free flowing football or had you not noticed!? You're living in the past if you think that as ipswich town we have to and must play like that.

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Dozzells_Bobblehat added 22:20 - Oct 2 Walk_the_Wark - it's not cos you don't rate MM, that's your opinion and, you are entitled to it, I think it's more that you are talking inaccurate rubbish.
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bohslegend added 10:24 - Oct 3 Fully expect you to fall on your own sword at the end of this season Walk the Wark. We wont let you forget your lack of support.
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Cheshire_Blue added 10:42 - Oct 3 For some reason the defence has not looked as solid this season and Mick is right about the early goal in the second half. We needed to defend 4-1 for at least 15mins into the second half and there would have been no way back for Derby. To concede so early put them on a roll and the rest is history. Even so, to hang on until the 88th minute and then concede an equaliser is very disappointing when you have a reputation for being 'hard to beat'.

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WorcesterBlue added 11:01 - Oct 3 As I said in previous post, generally some really good debate on there and thanks to Souperjim, bohslegend and Keanish for some good responses to my post even if I may not entirely agree. What bothers me is that whatever the merits can people can come up with for us having Mick in charge now the future is pretty well mapped out for us. He will not change his footballing philosophy as he has proved over 20 years and whatever limited success we do get will be playing negative, ugly football. He takes pleasure in this and I really fear for the long term damage this will do to our academy players who under BK are being taught to play, as indeed they should be. It also affects his choice of signings and we are already seeing creative players sacrificed for workmen. I like hard working players but lets get some that know how to pass and take risks too. I don't deny the last two managers were far worse and we'd quite likely be languishing in Div 1 without Mick and potentially ME might open the cheque book a bit if we stay near the upper end of the table - its just the fact we will never play decent football under him so any success will be limited.

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bohslegend added 12:28 - Oct 3 Your opinion is as valid as anyone's Worcesterblue and as with all football opinion its neither right nor wrong. But I would argue that the team actually are starting to play some decent football. I was at PR on Saturday and in the second half especially the team were a joy to watch moving the ball around so well. Cole Skuse has proven to be a willing Baller for us so far, and Didsy has been excellent - at least at home anyway. Spent no money, sitting 10th, all the most difficult away games out of the way. Why not be positive?

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kalypso added 13:29 - Oct 3 if you can't question what is going on as a supporter after we have given up a 4-1 lead, when can you? is it only for sub-MOTD analysis from @keano and @booble?
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SouperJim added 13:34 - Oct 3 WorcesterBlue a good point and while I don't entirely agree with your assessment of our playing style, I do share your concern. Certainly we have seen the likes of Wordy not play as much as perhaps he deserves. I can only hope that Mick will be prepared to take bigger "risks" with creative players once he feels we have a really solid base. I certainly have memories of Wolves having a good creative streak under him and playing a very attacking game with marauding wingers. I'm afraid it's a real problem with the modern game that there is so much emphasis on current results and attempts at overnight success that few owners have the balls to promote a longer term view. Certainly at our place all the focus is on the here and now, something which is reflected throughout the club (style of football, cat 2 academy, ticket pricing). At least there are some early signs that the owner's approach is maturing somewhat.

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halsteadblue added 14:14 - Oct 3 Re Cheshire blue,the reason we are not as solid at the back this season is as timmyH and bluelady have already posted previously,No 1 we have not replaced hendo with a No 1 keeper ( I believe loach and gerken are good keepers but can be both as good and as bad as each other on the day) but as Tuesday night clearly showed bad mistake by gerken at the end cost us another 2 points. No 2 the loss of stearman at right back has been immense,although the addition of berra to the squad has been good I believe that breaking up the partnership of smith and chambers and now playing him in his less favoured position of rightback again has cost us goals,given that same defence from last season on Tuesday night and being 4-1 up can anybody truely say we would capitulated like we did,honestly...........coyb

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runningout added 15:18 - Oct 3 opinions may not please all.. a bit sad that quite a few of you are against negative veiws..
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Dozzells_Bobblehat added 19:01 - Oct 3 Kalypso - don't think anyone minds negative posts if they are accurate and constructive. We were all hugely disappointed and of course we should have won, but I think people do object when some posters ONLY make negative comments and totally over react to one result.
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blueboy1981 added 21:44 - Oct 3 jrueser - I have to agree with you and your posts, some people just can't accept the truth, hence the minus's you have accrued. Haven't seen a post from H32 lately but he / she was right on so many of the points made over a period of time. This Club has, and will continue to have far too many accepting losers as followers - hence the glory days are a distant memory, and will remain so. The Club doesn't need to be any more successful than it currently is - the posts on this thread would give every indication of this. Not sure what's happened to you H32 but your thoughts on this post would be appreciated. Watch the minus counter now - will only serve to prove that some prefer to ignore the truth.

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Dozzells_Bobblehat added 07:20 - Oct 4 Blueboy1981-you need to stop living in the past.
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bohslegend added 10:33 - Oct 4 Hilarious. People saying that the creative players need to be given time and a more attractive style of play given time, and too much focus is on current results. The same people saying a lot of this are also screaming for MM's head because certain results arent going the way we would like them to. MM has been in the place only a wet day, he's improved things dramatically since the PJ and RK eras, and all that with no money. Perspective is what I would like to see from fans. I'm not against fair criticism but it must be balanced.

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