Boss Mick McCarthy says he’ll look at using the 4-3-3 system employed in the second half at Blackpool in future games after it led to a turnaround which saw the Blues win 3-2 and claim their first away victory of the season at Bloomfield Road.

The Town manager, who generally prefers to stick with 4-4-2, says he’ll be weighing up his options ahead of Leicester’s visit to Portman Road following the international break.

“Of course I will,” he said. “It’s nice if you’ve got the personnel to do it. Dids [McGoldrick] can drop in and play in midfield, and Tayls. Of course I’ll have a look, we’ve just won a game playing it.”

Town’s top scorer operated as the most advanced of three central midfielders - with Paul Taylor, Daryl Murphy and Frank Nouble forming the front three - and McCarthy feels that that role might suit him more than an out and out striking role on occasion: “He’s such a clever footballer, Dids.

“I think sometimes when you’ve got big ugly fellas like me knocking him from behind and keeping kicking him and kicking him, it’s tough. If he can find his space and play, he’s got a pass in him, he works hard, he’s a good player.”

Half-time subs Taylor and Nouble scored their first goals of the season, while another of McCarthy's strikers, Daryl Murphy, netted the late, late winner, his fifth, giving him plenty to think about with regard to his frontmen during the international break.

The Blues boss said that he gave Nouble a talking-to in training late last week: “He’s repaid it in bundles today because I had a snarl at him [on Friday] because I wasn’t happy with him in training. I did have a proper snarl at him.

“He was great. TC’s spoken to him since, of course, he’s had the trowel out and smoothed it. I told him that’s the way to repay it.

“I don’t take poor performances. On the pitch you can play badly, but you give everything, and it was just one of those days for him. I’m sure he’s feeling better today than he was [on Friday] when he walked off the training ground.”

McCarthy also revealed that defender Christophe Berra was subbed having been suffering from the effects of a sickness bug ahead of and during the game.

The Blues were missing another of their central defenders, Tommy Smith, at Bloomfield Road with the 23-year-old forced to travel to meet up with the New Zealand squad in LA while the game took place in order to keep to a FIFA-imposed deadline.

Smith is set to skipper the All Whites in their World Cup play-off first leg in Mexico on Wednesday with the second game in Wellington seven days later.

With Smith not expected back with the Town squad until the day before the Leicester match, McCarthy already has the centre-half down as a doubt for the Foxes’ visit.

Photo: Action Images

BlueMachines added 06:23 - Nov 11 Such a relief to see MM show some flexibility. Looking forward to watching us play again now!!
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ArnieM added 07:18 - Nov 11 Smith's globe trotting will ultimately cost him hi place in the Town side with the kikes if Chambers and Berra likely to form the CB pairing. Excellent awah win And mm now appears to accept 4-4-2 is not ghe be all and end all formation. NOW we can move on. COYB's
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bluemikey100 added 07:51 - Nov 11 mick gettin nasty havin SNARL at nouble love it
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bedsitfc added 08:50 - Nov 11 Tc with a trowl smoothing it over lol, Tc - mick didn't mean it. Fn - mick was horrible to me. Tc - please be our friend again. Fn - if mick promises to play nicely I will Tc - I will ask him to let you play.
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Marshalls_Mullet added 09:10 - Nov 11 Arnie... Chambers / Berra only played 70 mins together and didnt keep a clean sheet, so dont write Smith off just yet.
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Jimmy86 added 10:08 - Nov 11 Bodes well if mick is seemingly looking to be more flexible, especially at home, when we need a plan b. Its also good that dids and taylor can interchange at the tip of the midfield 3. I honestly think thats prob taylors best position coz he's creative and can make things happen. 4 3 3 could be way forward!!! Buzzing for leicester, but fear the backlash from the forest game and that man nugent who couldnt hit a barn door on sat

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cromwellblue added 10:38 - Nov 11 MM is not daft, when Smith is back he'll play. It's a no brainer
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Skip73 added 11:11 - Nov 11 It's funny how big clubs like Liverpool can play Suarez when he's playing in the play offs for Uruguay the same night but we can't play Smith. Once again the Premier League clubs are shown preference.
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John_Portman added 12:02 - Nov 11 All nice to hear. Berra and Chambers im sure would be fine together at CB come Leicester - hopefully Chambers can readjust quickly from his recent RB position. MM has a choice that he could risk playing Smith after recently coming back, but its a nice choice. I suppose it depends slightly on how different the system is Tommy would be playinn in and how much he needs to get used to it.

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Kentish_Tractor added 12:02 - Nov 11 IRT Skip73, I don't think it was a preference thing. I think Liverpool were allowed to field Suarez because they agreed to pay for a private jet to fly him straight out after the game to meet up with the Uraguay squad (was said by the commentator before the game on MOTD). I'm pretty sure Ipswich wouldn't be willing and/or able to shell out that much for the sake of one game.

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Alwaysablue added 12:15 - Nov 11 Marshall's mullet were you expecting us to keep a clean sheet away at Blackpool? Just out of interest
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muccletonjoe added 13:04 - Nov 11 Never thought of mcGoldrick playing midfield behind the strikers, I must admit , this is a very attacking formation and a total board wipe to playing 2 holding midfielders
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ericclacton added 13:28 - Nov 11 Tommy smith can head a ball, I thankyou.
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StowTractorBoy added 13:33 - Nov 11 Against such a good side as Leicester I don't think Mick will play 4-3-3 and will stick to his 4-4-2. It was needs must on Saturday and McGoldrick did look good in midfield but we need him up front and we will need to keep it tight against a very good looking Leicester side. Berra and Chambers looked OKish on Saturday its the right back position that will be the problem as Edwards legs look to have gone to me and Skuse good as he was at right back on Saturday was missed in midfield until Mick changed it.

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TractorBeezer added 13:39 - Nov 11 It's only early November... we'll need 3-4 CBs. As others have stated its great to have some flexibility at the other end.
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bennyitfc added 13:41 - Nov 11 StowTractorBoy - Agree that we need to keep it tight, but we need to try and take the game to Leicester with a 4-3-3. Forest exposed their frailties on Saturday and showed the best way of defence against Leicester is attack. Sitting back and soaking up pressure never really works for us.
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theobald1985 added 13:50 - Nov 11 finally mick realises 442 is a waste of space. unfortunately i dont think this 433 will be attacking enough as I suspect he will play it as 451 when defending and 433 when attacking but if a team press high up the pitch you end up getting boxed in with just 1 up front. Personally I would play a back 4 hyam and skuse in the middle and then a fluid attacking unit of 4 proberbly with mcgoldrick taylor murphy and nouble. its 3 points for a win after all so lets just go for it for gods sake. in the barnsley game we were trying to nick a set play goal and defend the game out-lets go for the throat town COYB

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Lennyboy added 14:34 - Nov 11 I still say we need to keep Smith and Chambers as our central defence with the immediate need to loan a decent right back until we can buy one in January. Its quite clear since we've changed the central defence, we have problems in getting a clean sheet.
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whiskey added 17:10 - Nov 11 What a quality management team. A rollicking should be more of a kick up the back side than a kick in the balls and it appears MM knows how to do it.
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Seasider added 17:33 - Nov 11 Mick the Tinkerman !!!
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Ipswich24 added 17:46 - Nov 11 Thank God MM has finally seen the light! 4-4-2 is an outdated system and coupled with the fact we are playing a centre half at right back and 4 centre midfielders and no wingers we have no width. McGoldrick playing in the hole with Taylor and Murphy up front is the way to go.
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jas0999 added 19:13 - Nov 11 Glad we have a Plan B, but don't want to become predictable, so would assume MM will use this formation when required. Personally I like the attacking formation - but a 4-4-2 will also work against some opposition.
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tractorboy12341234 added 22:07 - Nov 11 how long is Cresswell suspended for?
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Michael11 added 13:57 - Nov 12 I think McGoldrick playing in the 'Number 10' role is a great idea. By far our most creative player, so getting him on the ball more often is a no brainer. Hopefully this could be the start of our season. I'd much rather see us play attacking/entertaining football, so i think this is a great formation to try out.
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