Boss Mick McCarthy admitted that Town will have to play better than they did at Middlesbrough in their final 12 games if they are to have any chance of making the play-offs.

Despite their 2-0 defeat at the Riverside, the Blues remain ninth in the Championship table, four points from sixth, after the weekend fixtures with Wigan in victorious FA Cup action at Manchester City, Reading and Brighton drawing 1-1 at the Amex and Blackburn losing 2-1 at home to Burnley in a Lancastrian derby on Sunday.

But after Saturday’s game, McCarthy was concentrating on Town rather than their play-off rivals' results.

“On a day like today, you start looking at everybody else,” he said. “But you can only look after yourself and we haven’t performed today.

“I’m not going to try and take any silver lining out of what anybody else has done.

"We’ve got to play better than that with the remaining games that we’ve got to have any chance of being anywhere near the play-offs. We’ve got to perform better, so forget what anybody else does.”

Despite his criticism of Saturday’s display, the Town boss wasn’t too harsh on his squad, who he said would be as annoyed as him about the performance: “None of the players have ever let me down for lack of effort, lack of endeavour, work rate or spirit, never ever.

“They do get frustrated and they’ll be as frustrated as I am. But I guess I’m the mouthpiece for everybody.”

Photo: Action Images

truthhurts added 13:53 - Mar 10 What bothers me is we only have one way of playing. This constant 'be hard to beat' attitude is all well and good, BUT, when we go a goal down, we are more often than not a beaten team! Surely a decent manager would have plans B and C too...
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NoelTheDub added 14:10 - Mar 10 Mick its time to stop the usual crap talk,only waiting to hear how good Yeovil are and the great players they got in.The thing different about most teams in this league is shape or balance and guys playing were they are most comfortable and thats the starting point for any team,We dont do this Mick..Our team is unbalanced form the outset can you not see this and why are you bringing in players to eradicate this problem and refuse to play them.Please for the last 12 or so games play Richardson at RB,put Luke were he belongs and that gives you 3 CBs to rotate thats the back 4 balanced.Green or Hymn in the middle with Skuse and Williams a player you said we are missing out wide with Hunt or maybe Anderson thats balance with a bit of forward minded play there too.Up top has now got to be SEB with MURF.In my view this is our best team because balance comes first and players enjoy the positions there are in.Mick forget Tabby and Nouble for the moment your loyality is not been rewarded and they have had so many chances not like others...

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afrodids added 15:22 - Mar 10 Play Off's! Don't be silly MM. Those 25 points we have dropped from winning positions when we win 80-90% of those. That's when we're going up!! top ten at best this season in fact as we are pretty much safe from relegation why not build for next year. A proper right back would be a good start and bring marriot back and give him some game time.
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Super_Cooper added 15:29 - Mar 10 The Grammar in some of these posts are orrfull...lol
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essexboy added 16:05 - Mar 10 Heard today that Town must save another 3mil by the summer.Has anybody any news on this .!!
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Gazelle added 17:35 - Mar 10 We are just not good enough, we all know it and Mick knows it. We play boring football because we're not good enough to play any other way. When we sign anyone it's an average player and when we take anyone on loan it's an average player. Our gates are down to 15,000 because we're so boring and next year they'll be worse because we're just not worth watching. We won't make the playoffs and getting into the Premier League would be a disaster.

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bring_back_Wickham added 17:41 - Mar 10 Loach Hewitt Smith Berra Cresswell Hyam Anderson Hunt Taylor SEB Mcgoldrick This team is probably good enough for the play-offs next season Mick take note
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StowTractorBoy added 18:36 - Mar 10 After the constant threat and worry of relegation last season I personally feel comfortable where we are at the moment. I agree the football is not the best but you cannot always have good open expansive football in this tough of toughest divisions where decent footballing sides likes Barnsley and Charlton are in danger of relegation. I accept we could be more attractive but Mick is still building the foundations. Make no mistake gaining promotion will be a very tough ask for the likes of ITFC who enjoy no parachute money and have to survive on mediocre gates. A Burnley does come along every now and then and that's why there is always hope. I disagree that Evans is not committed as he has poured a fortune into the Club and were he to walk away we would be in dire trouble. Its not all doom and gloom despite recent performances and remember we have been in the top two tiers of English football for over 50 years a feat not achieved by many Clubs far bigger than us. I really think some of you expect far too much. Not looking forward to the near 500 mile round trip to Yeovil but with football you never know what the outcome will be - hopefully 3 points for our beloved team.

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