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We've Played Better Away And Lost
Saturday, 30th Nov 2013 18:09

Town boss Mick McCarthy admitted his side had played better and lost away from home this season after their 1-0 victory at Charlton.

“We have,” he said, “But we’ve not defended much better away from home and lost matches, though.

“The three points is the biggest plus that I take from today, winning away from home and then the clean sheet in that order.

“I thought Charlton played very well in the second half. They had to force the issue and I thought they did but I thought we handled it, some last ditch defending at times but I thought we handled it well.”

Town began the game like a house on fire and had chances before Smith’s fifth-minute winner and McCarthy said the intention was to start on the front foot: “I said to the guys that they played on Tuesday night and you never know what effect that has.

“I think they saw this as a chance to get six points from two home games. I’ve no doubt they saw that, if I’d have been them I would have thought that.

“I just wondered how they would approach it. I wanted to approach it with a really fast start and I thought we did.

“I think they brought it on themselves with the kick-off, they went back to the centre-half and didn’t clear it and we ended up with a corner and we could have been two up from corner kicks. I wonder if their game on Tuesday night had an effect.

“It didn’t look like it at the end of the game when they were rampaging forward, I have to be honest, they were full of running then, but maybe we just caught them cold.”

He was delighted with Smith’s goal, his second of the season, headed home from Aaron Cresswell’s corner: “They caused us a couple of problems with their aerial ability as well, but if you get good deliveries into the box you’ve got a chance of scoring and we did put good deliveries in.

“[At half-time] I was pleased with our performance, I was pleased we were 1-0 up but I was very aware that it was going to be a different second half.”

Town’s performance again differed in each period, but McCarthy says that’s also often true of the opposition: “Look at everybody else in the league. Was Leicester’s a different second half performance from the first? Was Leeds’ a different second half performance to the first? I could go on about all of them. Charlton’s was a different performance from the first to the second.

“What brings momentum, what loses momentum, what brings a performance out? Maybe being behind and getting lashed at half-time, I don’t know.

“We’ve had a good defensive performance, we’ve not played well with the ball. We’ve wasted some possession but the pleasing thing is that it’s a good defensive performance and if you’re 1-0 up and you keep a clean sheet it doesn’t really matter, does it?”

In addition to Smith’s goal, McCarthy was delighted with the manner in which he and his central defensive partner Christophe Berra handled the Addicks’ strikers: “They had to because I think their two front guys are a handful. I think Simon Church has got his mojo back, where it went I’ve no idea.

“I always liked him as a young player at Reading and when he went out on loan. He looks like he’s back at it and with Kermorgant, the two of them are a handful.

“We said before the game in our analysis that those two and Cameron Stewart are a real handful and Dale Stephens getting forward. I thought we handled them well, I thought Cressy was outstanding having just come back, he never really gave him a kick.”

Charlton boss Chris Powell felt the game was won and lost in that opening five minutes: “We knew they would start fast. And that's what's won them the game. For 85, 86 minutes I don’t think Ben Alnwick has had a save to make.

“We huffed and puffed and we had certain situations, we hit the post but in the Championship it’s very hard when a team nudges ahead and it’s hard to pull it back. Teams that go ahead normally take a point or three.”


Photo: Action Images



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Sindre94 added 18:22 - Nov 30
Not a great game but three fantastic. Lovely day out in London, cant wait for tuesday :)
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Sindre94 added 18:22 - Nov 30
Three fantastic points**
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therein61 added 18:50 - Nov 30
A welcome 3 points and a clean sheet for a change, while I'm on the platform for my train back to Bath I can't help wondering why 2,500 of us make more noise than 16/17000 at Portman road?? got to be done!! it can only inspire the guys in a town shirt!!
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WhoisJimmyJuan added 18:52 - Nov 30
If nothing else, at the start of the season I think any of us would have taken 11th place and 4 points from the play offs by the end of November given that we have been in a relegation battle at this stage of the last 3 seasons. Hope we can add some confidence and flair going forward.
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irishtim added 18:53 - Nov 30
Great to see a young fan like Sindre travelling quite a distance to see town Would love to travel over myself but have severe rheumatoid arthritis which restricts my travelling even though im 43. 3 points though lifts the mood and eases the pain big time. Go on Ipswich.
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clive_baker added 18:58 - Nov 30
Great 3 points. Fans were class again.

Tommy Smith was an absolute rock at the back.
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jas0999 added 19:10 - Nov 30
Three points away from home - always good!
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NoCanariesAllowed added 19:31 - Nov 30
I think this is the first December for many a year that we haven't been stuck in a relegation battle. I'm genuinely pleased and optimistic. Regardless of whether we have any serious designs on a top six push this season, I think the fact that our season doesn't already feel like it's over is sign enough of big progress under Mick.
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CambridgeBlue added 19:53 - Nov 30
Great result, COYB!

@Irish - he's travelled from Sweden!
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ChrisMakin2012 added 20:04 - Nov 30
Poor performance but 3 points none the less. How on earth does MM see a better player in Anderson than JET?.
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syntaxerror added 20:11 - Nov 30
Isnt it Norway, CB?
Anyway, good on ya Sindre!!!
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irishtim added 20:12 - Nov 30
@cambridgeblue. Thanks. Got a bit mixed up. Still though what a great fan we have.
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irishtim added 20:14 - Nov 30
Whether its Norway or Sweden, Norway i think its still quite a distance to travel.
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essextractorboy93 added 20:36 - Nov 30
We made so much noise! Quality away day, hopefully it will bump up the crowds at home and away games in the future! COYB!
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JohnTy added 20:43 - Nov 30
Charlton boss Chris Powell: " in the Championship it's very hard when a team nudges ahead and it's hard to pull it back. Teams that go ahead normally take a point or three.”

He obviously hasn't been following Ipswich this season.
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luke_38 added 20:57 - Nov 30
Regarding therein61's point- why is it the fans today were louder than the usual 17,000 attendees at Portman road? 17,000 is what 7 times more than 2500 so if we can times today's atmosphere by 7 then we would have some hell of a support! More supporters need to get behind the team instead of just sitting in there seat moaning for 90 minutes. Hope to see a better atmosphere Tuesday night, and hopefully it inspires the lads to another 3 points!
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Sindre94 added 21:29 - Nov 30
Cheers lads :) appreciate it. We're all good fans, doesnt matter where we come from, ive got huge respect for the local fans also considering they see all games that is:)
ITFC have got a great fanbase, fantastic community :)
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Norwichbeater added 21:50 - Nov 30
This may sound crazy but we are only 4 points better off than after 17 games last season! After the disastrous start to last season with Jewell I was amazed at that stat. If we had lost today it would have been 1 point. Crazy!!!!!
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Seasider added 22:16 - Nov 30
Of course everybody is pleased with this win,but lets not forget that Charlton have only managed 14 goals this season,this is probably why we managed to hold out for 90 mins.
Lets hope at home on Tuesday will be more attacking than second half this afternoon,especially down our right side.
Still its nice to be in touching distance of the playoffs after all this time.
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irishtim added 22:24 - Nov 30
Yevoil had a poor record @seasider see what they did today? Take the 3 points be glad we r moving forward.
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blues1 added 22:32 - Nov 30
chris makin, in answer to your point about why mm prefers Anderson to jet. the answer is simple. Anderson is being asked to play a more defensive role, which he is doing well. (yes, I too would like him to have a more attacking role which is why I thought he was brought in). but the role hes playing is one that mm could never have asked jet to play. and at the end of the day, the fact is, that jet is not good enough at this level.
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TimmyH added 23:22 - Nov 30
@blues1 - Hang on Anderson is now more of a holding midfielder alongside or in front of Skuse? So where are the crosses and creative play (supposedly meant to come from?) or was that today's formation.
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Guthrum added 01:10 - Dec 1
@Norwichbeater

Umm. After 17 games last season we had 13 points and were in 22nd place (having just been thrashed 6 - 0 by Leicester). We currently have 10 more points than that and are 11 places further up the table. Suspect you may have misread the figures somewhere along the line!
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Walk_the_Wark added 02:17 - Dec 1
I couldn't get there. Sounds like we scored then defended for 85 minutes?
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Norwichbeater added 07:25 - Dec 1
Guthrum.
Correct I read 13 as 19. I must have that eye test!!
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