McCarthy: Millwall Deserved to Win
Saturday, 18th Jan 2014 18:23

Boss Mick McCarthy admitted that Millwall deserved all three points after Town’s 1-0 defeat at the Den, debutant Ryan Fredericks netting the winner with a 40th minute cross which eluded Blues keeper Dean Gerken.

“We deserved to lose because they played better and we played badly,” he said. “I thought they played very well, to be honest.

“I didn’t think for a minute that they’ve got a bad squad of players, I think if you look back at my quotes from when we won 3-0, I said I didn’t think it was a 3-0.

“They’ve got a good squad and, fair play to Ollie, he’s got them going today. But it was always going to be the case.

“The crowd were up, they played well and we’ve let a bit of a blooper in. Despite everything else, if you let one of them in, you’re not going to win.”

The Blues boss, who started his management career with the Lions, was in no doubt that the goal was down to a goalkeeping error and said Gerken felt the same: “Yes, and he does himself.

“I think he just misread the flight of it. When he put it in I thought ‘Happy days, it’s going behind’. But I’m not in the nets, the keeper’s there to stop it.”

Immediately after the goal Gerken was spotted remonstrating with his defenders, perhaps, it was suggested, as they’d indicated to him that it was going over.

But McCarthy said that wouldn’t have been the case: “If somebody shouted at him and told him to leave it and he did, I’d be seriously upset with him. No, he’s just misjudged it, he obviously thinks it’s going over the bar.”

McCarthy thought the early injury to Luke Hyam was a contributing factor to his side taking a long time to settle: “It doesn’t help, he’s been an ever-present just about, and it’s a nasty cut he’s got. To be fair, I thought out of all our subs I thought Tabby did great.

“The game had settled down then and the goal came out of the blue, it changes it completely because the game was going nowhere until he picked the top corner out. It just changed the course of game for them, unfortunately.

“He’s got a nasty cut, he’s gone to get it cleaned out, stitched up and we’ll have to wait and see until we get a proper thorough assessment on it to see what he’s done. It’s a real bad cut on his leg.”

The Town boss had no problem with Liam Trotter’s challenge which led to Hyam’s injury: “I don’t get too upset with tackles. I think they both went for the ball. I don’t get wrapped up in all that.”

Hyam later tweeted having been released from hospital: "Thanks for all the messages. Thankfully it was only a bad gash and nothing worse. Shame about the result, back [at] it next week!"

McCarthy also played down a late spat with his Millwall opposite number Ian Holloway: “There was some suggestion that one of our players should have been booked and I don’t get into that. But Ollie and I are good mates, I’ve no problem with him.”

Holloway, who picked up his first Millwall win in his first home game, was delighted: “I’m made up, I think the lads deserved it. We took on a fantastic bloke, you’ve only got to look at what he’s done in the last year or so, it’s almost a miracle.

“I think he’ll be disappointed, if he’s honest, that we were up for a fight, we were ready for it. My question is ‘Where’s that been?’.

“It was a fluke goal, I don’t think Ryan meant to do that, it was a cross. I’m just delighted we held on. Yes, we could have scored a couple more, but I’m very pleased with the lads because what I asked for, they gave me and for me that’s the bare minimum.”

Holloway said he had apologised to McCarthy for their touchline squabble: “We had a ruck on the side, I said that that bloke deliberately blocked somebody so Danny Shittu got smashed into.

“I mentioned booking him and I shouldn’t have said anything because Mick would never do that and I’ve just apologised to him. I was so caught up in things there, I’ve got to make sure I control that or I could be in trouble. But it’s only passion.”

Photo: Action Images

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bluefeast added 18:33 - Jan 18 why not be honest Macarthy >? we were absolutely terrible , we have league one players bar circa 4 and you are one dimensional .Terrible tactics ,absolutely terrible. Look at the midfield you have picked over 25 26 isn matches and look at the contributions . Ive had it with the club . Two MDs no money ,no nothing in terms of entertainment .
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Surco72 added 18:33 - Jan 18 MM thinks " Tabby did great " .Oh Dear
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bluefeast added 18:35 - Jan 18 I hate his comments Tabby was great , no he wasnt he was terrible ,the game was going nowhere ,well why not make it go somewhere by worrying the opposition. Muppet
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LiamCP123 added 18:38 - Jan 18 HOW THE HELL DID TABBY DO GREAT? HE WAS ABSOLUTELY SH*T. Please MM buy better midfielders. Sell dids, replace him with tayls and strengthen up the midfield.
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bluefeast added 18:39 - Jan 18 Time to pick footballers or buy them Nouble what an absolute joke get him and tabby away from the 1st team , entertain us not bore us to tears with the one dimensional defensive rubbish ,sort it out buy a right back or get one on loan who spends his time worrying the opposition etc etc etc etc etc
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bluefeast added 18:40 - Jan 18 booooooooooooooooooooooo
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floridaboy added 18:40 - Jan 18 And there was me thinking that MM was the bees knees and could do no wrong. How wrong I was!!!
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bluefeast added 18:42 - Jan 18 He has lost it , were were terrible .We offered nothing and i have to say his comments are odd , be honest , we are woeful and if tunnicliffe and tabb are picked again i would be stunned , goal keepers defenders midfield attack no cohesion. Wake up and smell the tractor , we need to improve .
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blueboy1981 added 18:45 - Jan 18 ....... if it 'was always going to be the case' Mick - Why bother to turn up ? Beginning to put HUGE question marks against MM's thinking and quotes.
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blueboy1981 added 18:45 - Jan 18 ....... if it 'was always going to be the case' Mick - Why bother to turn up ? Beginning to put HUGE question marks against MM's thinking and quotes.
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Mark added 18:47 - Jan 18 We are lacking in midfield in terms of creativity, pace and goals, and this area of the park needs work over the summer. Mick will have to work his magic on free transfers again, as there are no funds to buy players. I am pleased with 10th, but three defeats in a row is disappointing.
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essextractorboy93 added 18:48 - Jan 18

On the way back from the game now. What an absolutely awful performance. We just cannot keep the ball. Absolutely awful, we created nothing all game. Tabb offers nothing. He isn't a big guy, absolutely no quality on the ball. Millwall were nothing special at all, but at the end of the day they got the 3 points. We have some very tough games coming up and this was always going to be difficult with Holloway going in there but it was just a shocking performance. Sort it out.

bluefeast added 18:51 - Jan 18

On reflection , i think we were great and our midfield caused them all sorts of problems .These quotes ive just made are as mad as Marcarthys . Sort the dross out , we do not offer anything in terms of attack minded players ,we are always under the cosh. Now then millwall let in 50 in 25 games. Same players new anager but we went to defend ,if we worried them their normal habits would show , ie nerves etc but we could not muster a fart all afternoon.

bluefeast added 18:55 - Jan 18 We are sinking as everyone knows that by attacking us we cant keep a ball to build an attack ,even our quality players are dropping in terms of standards. Hoof kick rush , tackle growl .Oh the joys of supporting this team home and away.
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bluelodgeblue added 18:59 - Jan 18 MM is doing his best with the crap he,s been allowed to take in. If you want to blame anyone its ME. Old English proverb: Rubbish in - Rubbish out!
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brittaniaman added 19:09 - Jan 18 I Hate to say it but I wonder if MM has taken us as far as he can with this team ??????? With out any additions to the team it is a job to go forward any more ??? MM keeps saying his squad is good enough, is he trying to make excuses for Marcus Evans for not spending and hiding behind the FFP. If so WHY ????????
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oddball added 19:14 - Jan 18 Blue feast and blueboy1981 shut the fcuk up, whingers. All ok 2 weeks ago when we were nine unbeaten, get a life losers.
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Ipswich121 added 19:34 - Jan 18 Evans,MDs,McCarthy and Players out!
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opinionscount4nothin added 19:34 - Jan 18 Oddball, wake up to the real world man, that was two weeks ago, we're now on a different run of three in a row and are returning to our rightfull position!
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StochesStotasBlewe added 19:53 - Jan 18 oddball by name, oddball by nature!!!. Wake up & see that this current crop of players collectively are just not good enough. Evans needs to back MM, because you can,t make a silk purse out of a pigs ear.
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Philip added 19:53 - Jan 18

This is ridiculous. Hyam's been criticised by fans on this site for ages, and as soon as he's off injured the teams gets lampooned for not being able to keep possession. Coincidence? And I wouldn't worry too much after today.We obviously had a bad day but performance-wise we were strong against QPR. The season's longer than the last couple of games. And for half of it we've been in the play offs. Lets have some long-vision!