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McCarthy Delighted to Be on Right End of Late Drama
Saturday, 9th Nov 2013 18:26

Town boss Mick McCarthy was delighted to be on the right end of late drama for once after the Blues’ 3-2 victory at Blackpool.

“It’s a reverse of what’s happened to us in a couple of games,” he said. “I’m really pleased having suffered the Barnsley second half where they were excellent and deserved the point, probably deserved to win. I think the same could be said of us today, having had a pretty awful first half.”

At the end of that lacklustre first period, the Town boss brought on Frank Nouble and Paul Taylor, redeployed several other players and moved to 4-3-3. He says different systems have been looked at in training earlier in the week.

“I’ve worked on training on ‘what ifs’,” he explained. “We’d had the three up front and one in behind, have tried two in behind, three up, about three or different shapes on Tuesday.

“And I did it for that reason. Very often when we’re playing 4-4-2 and you take one off and put another one on, it’s still the same shape, you’re not causing them a problem. We’ve worked on it this week and it’s paid dividends.

“They were better than us, I thought [in the first half]. Stephen Dobbie was causing a problem playing in behind, we were trying to look after that and not looking after our own [game].

“There were a number of things but it’s not for me to go into in here. I can cover it by saying we didn’t play well in the first half.”


McCarthy was delighted that Nouble netted his first goal of the campaign and Taylor scored his first for the club 15 months after joining from Peterborough for an initial fee of £1.5 million.

“I was chewing just after half-time,” he admitted. “We should have had one then. Frank had a chance, Murph had a chance, it didn’t look like it was going to be.

“But really good goals. They’re screaming about Frank being offside, but I don’t know. I always say to them, put the ball in the net and then we’ll argue about it. Don’t stop and think about it, put it in the net and if he flags for offside we’ll all come back, if he doesn’t you score.

“We paid a lot of money for Tayls and hopefully that’s him starting to repay it. He looked like a handful and the winner was a great header from Murph. It’s nice to have your strikers scoring, and not Dids!

“It would have been interesting if I’d have had the heart rate monitor on [during injury time] because I think it was above my maximum.

“I thought Hunty’s shot was flying in the top corner. It was a great header from Gary MacKenzie and I think they were all still congratulating him when the corner came in and Murph scored the winner.”

As for New Zealand coach Ricki Herbert’s decision to keep strictly to FIFA’s rules regarding the deadline for Tommy Smith to get to the All Whites’ training camp in LA, McCarthy was sympathetic.

“There’s nothing we can do about it, what’s the point?” he said. “That’s the gig, he has to go, doesn’t play.

“I’ve been an international manager. I would have wanted him. This is qualifying for a World Cup, this isn’t pissing about, it’s qualifying for the World Cup in Brazil.

“He wants his players, he doesn’t want them to play on Saturday, he’s put the rules down. We can’t do anything about it.”

Was he in similar situations when he was Ireland boss? “It has happened but we had plenty of time to prepare.

“If I’d have been planning to go and play in Iran when I qualified for the World Cup [in 2002 via a play-off] I’d have wanted my players there and not playing on the Saturday to give them the best chance. And I don’t blame him, fair play to him. It’s in the rules and we can’t do anything about it.”

Blackpool assistant manager Alex Rae, standing in for Paul Ince, who is serving a stadium ban, was unhappy with the way the Seasiders conceded the third goal and also with one of the officials.

“We’re disappointed, we tend to pride ourselves on our defensive responsibilities and to lose having got back into the game is obviously disappointing,” he said.

“I’ve known Mick for a while and I wasn’t surprised at all that he changed it around at half-time. I think the game switched on the offside decision that the linesman didn’t see.

“With the hindsight of video footage and he’s clearly offside for Ipswich’s first goal, he’s a yard offside.

“It’s disappointing, it gave them a bit of momentum because at that stage we were coping relatively well with what they threw at us.”


Photo: Action Images



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rayman_10 added 18:28 - Nov 9
Great result! Onwards and upwards! COYB!
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stinkiusminkius added 18:37 - Nov 9
Well it was only last week that myself and many others were bemoaning Micks lack of tactical flexibility and suddenly he decides to be brave and try a plan B. Clearly he read my post on here and therefore I take full responsibility and praise for that result. I thank you. ;-)
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cromwellblue added 18:40 - Nov 9
Credit where it's due. At last a plan B and shape change.
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RegencyBlue added 18:40 - Nov 9
When we play 442?

That's all we have played until now! Fair play to MM for changing things in the second half but its been obvious for a while now that we need to have a plan B when 442 isn't working.

Lets hope MM now sees that and proves a bit more adaptable in future.
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Hiltzkooler added 19:25 - Nov 9
Hey Stinkiusminkius!!...I join you in the adulation of MM after posting scathing criticism of his tactical inflexibility, belligerence and not adapting to the challenge in front of him..clearly that happened today, and even if it had been a draw I would recognise the tactical flexibility I had craved...still not sure about Nouble, but Taylor brought a different dimension and therefore shape and intent...excellent...
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Paulc added 19:31 - Nov 9
All I know is that had we drawn or lost the game today there would have been a lot more than 5 posts after 1 hour of this hitting the site.
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billlm added 19:51 - Nov 9
I also critisiced no plan b he hasent shown it till now hopefully hes turning the corner I do belive we have the players for a 3-5-2 or 4-3-3 and not a stagnated 442 but well done lads made my weekend
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JCBLUE added 19:52 - Nov 9
Great attitude this week Mick, will done, great result, more of the same please!
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Pip50 added 19:53 - Nov 9
Like to have heard the response in asking Roy Keane to skip a Man U game prior to an Eire International, from player and Manager!!
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Cakeman added 19:56 - Nov 9
Yes I have been critical also, well done lads great result, let us hope we can now build a head of steam.
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yorksblue added 20:16 - Nov 9
Credit where credit's due. Now, if we're in a similar situation next week at home, will he be as bold? Let's hope so, and keep Mr Nugent's annoying smug mug in check.
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roytheboy added 20:25 - Nov 9
There's a lot to be said for playing "attacking" football, well done Mick and the team, Paul Taylor showed his quality today.
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Warkys_Tash added 20:35 - Nov 9
Cracking a Tactics MM going 4-3-3 & deploying McGoldrick in a true no 10 role.

Hegansheroes, where's your moaning comments tonight??
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Karlosfandangal added 20:57 - Nov 9
Why o why do we play Murphy he can't hit a barn door

Ooops 2 in 2 so glad he is crap
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kiwiblue added 21:04 - Nov 9
I think MM had a plan to play boring for a year and have no plan B now its year 2 and its going to be flexible formations and exciting thrilling games.
Love seeing wonderful names like hunt and mings in the team........
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Sospiri added 22:08 - Nov 9
This is unbelievable. He goes from predictable all season, to throwing everything in the air at once. Good on Mick. We need to be flexible, and keep opposition managers guessing. More of this Mick.
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Hegansheroes added 22:09 - Nov 9
Have a look Warkys tash-my comments are about MM's tactics not just since he has been with Ipswich. He was forced to make changes this time & it has worked. Still think he has made huge errors both in his signings & tactics previously but hope that the 2nd half performance will encourage him to play people like Taylor and maybe even Wordsworth. One of the directors said this week we are in the entertainment business, well at long last there has been some entertainment & I hope it continues
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Sindre94 added 22:38 - Nov 9
thats the most amazing game Ive ever been to, oh my f****** god....
cant wait to return for the charlton and blackburn games now.
WHAT A DAY
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brittaniaman added 22:49 - Nov 9
We have all said since last Fridays game, that the team needed changing and freshening up, with different tactics, and after todays second half showing when it was changed they certainly brought in the dividends that we have begged for !!!
Well Done MM and TC and the team for todays win and let us all go forward and upward !!!!!
2weeks to wait for Leicester now ???? COYBs !!!!!!!
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Keaneish added 03:17 - Nov 10
Why Wordsworth though HegansHeroes!?
What makes you think he can cut it as an attacking force in this league? Maybe league one but in the games i saw him play for us in between his injuries, he looked ordinary.
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BrandonsBlues added 07:11 - Nov 10
Is this not the first time MM has out thought the opposition manager at half time this season. Thank goodness for that. Does this also not justify some of the fans crititisms of his tactics or lack of them. A more attacking approach and we win a thriller, or bum squeeker of an ending to that match.

So MM anything you have learnt from this performance, because I hope now you do change the team for the next game with a more positive attacking approach and we might just win again.
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Wickets added 11:35 - Nov 10
Great win ENJOY . Dids in midfield in the Magilton roll and about time too.
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Wickets added 11:36 - Nov 10
And a long way home, forgot how far Blackpool is.
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whosroundisitanyway added 11:47 - Nov 10
Sindre
Glad you enjoyed it, I was there to. Have'nt been through such a range of emotions & gone so mental in a long time. The tactics in the second half should be the way we play at home every game for 90 minutes. Why do we have to go a goal down to become a real attacking force? The tools are there, they just need taking out of the box at the right time.
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Walk_the_Wark added 12:22 - Nov 10
Well done Mick for responding to the criticism over tactics/ shape etc. Keep it up and you'll get everyone back on side
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