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McCarthy Pleased With Performance But Not Defending
Saturday, 15th Mar 2014 18:12

Mick McCarthy was pleased with his side’s performance but not their defending after the 3-1 home defeat to Wigan Athletic. James McClean scored twice and Leon Barnett once for the visitors after Tommy Smith had put the Blues in front.

“I thought we played well, I’m really pleased with the lads but we just didn’t defend particularly well,” he said. “Certainly for the first one, we contributed to their goal.

“The second one, it isn’t like us defending a freekick like that and the third one it’s as plain as the nose on my face that Greeny’s lost it and they’ve broken on us. The difference was that they were clinical enough to punish us, and they’re a good team.”

At 1-1 Luke Hyam had a good chance to put Town back in front and McCarthy felt the game might have been different had the opportunity been taken: “I know they had a player injured, apparently, but you’ve got to finish them, score the goal and argue about it afterwards.

“I think that let them off the hook. And then conceding the goal just before half-time from the freekick as well.

“But I’m pleased with the way we’ve played, I’ve not been in there and been angry with them. People make mistakes but my lads are such an honest bunch, they try their hearts out.

"It happens, it just depends whether the team you’re playing against has got the ability to punish you, and they did.”

With Wigan having dropped out of the Premier League last season, the two clubs have very different budgets but McCarthy says he just gets on with the job and doesn’t whine about other bosses’ greater resources.

“There is a disparity, of course there is, but do you ever hear me come in and complain about that?” he said. “Our lads, my lads are brilliant and me and TC get the best out of them and they’ve been fantastic.

“We will keep on scrapping to get in that top six and who knows? They’re a good side and when we’ve contributed to the opportunities they’ve managed to score.

“In the second half we needed it to stay at 2-1, who knows we may well have got something but we gifted them a goal.”

He admits the loss has made reaching the top six tough but he’s not giving up: “It has [made it difficult but] it’s not impossible, is it?

“I’d settle for playing like that against the others but defending better, which has been a really strong point of ours, to be fair, so I’m not going to beat anybody up for that.

“There were some pluses. I thought Jonny Williams was terrific, but he’d run his race after 80 minutes as he’s not been playing at that level.”

Wigan manager Uwe Rosler was delighted with his team’s eighth win on the trot in all competitions: “I’m very pleased with the victory and pleased with the performance and the level that we have shown again.

“I think everybody who was on the pitch today put in an at least seven out of 10 performance and that is what we need in this league to be where we want to be.

“We knew what we would face. I was a bit surprised that Mick had only played one striker, we had prepared for two.

“We knew about the style of play and we coped with it very well. The first goal was unnecessary, I felt, but we responded very well.

“It was very important that we bounced back straight away. The first goal and the third goal were exactly how we wanted to play.

“They squeezed us, they wanted to play on the second ball, so they had to stay high up with their back four and the plan was to go in beyond them.

“We did that very well and the first and third goals were examples of how we wanted to play. I’m very happy that the players performed at such a consistent level.”


Photo: Action Images



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smithy91 added 18:20 - Mar 15
Think many of us haven't been pleased with your performance the last few months Mick! Being honest, im losing a little faith in Micks decision making!
-3

bluefeast added 18:22 - Mar 15
I think its a crying shame the type of football we are playing at the moment. Zero support between mid field and strikers. Zero width to the side and near no crosses from out wide all season. We are predictable and easy to play against. Just look at the results vs sides above us and the number of games conceded from winning positions. Also current form over 15 games terrible.
7

Chicago_Blue added 18:22 - Mar 15
I thought Hyam stood out ...as the worst player on the pitch by a country mile. I really fail to see what he brings to the side. Missed a sitter too, with the scores at 1-1. The most over-rated player I've seen in many a year. Doesn't ever win the first header, gets brushed aside, no goal threat, very negative and treats the ball like a hot potato - he panics. Very poor.
-7

TractorCam added 18:24 - Mar 15
DROP GERKEN
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Tractamatt added 18:35 - Mar 15
Our defense had a poor game that does not hide the fact that we are toothless infront of goal. Our strike force is pathetic and our midfield is now way beyond funny. People talking about playoffs need to wake up to the fact that we will be incredibly lucky to finish in the top half of the table
8

Mark added 18:35 - Mar 15
Good first half but, yes, some poor defending and a disappointing second half.

Murphy did very well, but needed some support. Given it was a "must win" game if we wanted to make the play-offs, playing 70 minutes with Murphy on his own up front didn't make sense to me (especially with our non-scoring midfield). I think we could have used Ebanks-Blake and Taylor earlier.
9

JWM added 18:36 - Mar 15
That's right ChicagoBlue slate Hyam!

You lot make me laugh! You all want and expect Mick to play the youngsters and when he does you slate them!

We are a mid table side due to the lack of investment that has been made to this team Wigan gave had millions in parachute payments and they have kept the nucleus of their premiership squad so the result is hardly a surprise. Some of you really need a big reality check and have done all season, the realists amongst us, the ones that can see the bigger picture, know for well that this season would turn out like this. I am pleased overall with how we have performed and I expect that mick will take us to the next level if he is given the finances.
10

irishtim added 18:45 - Mar 15
For one thanks MM you kept us up last season. This season we have been near the playoffs. Next season if some have a little patience we will be up there. It takes time to build a team. When we go up we want to stay there. Keep the faith.
28

blueblood66 added 18:47 - Mar 15
The 'instant success brigade' out in force I see. We have made progress under MM again this season, keep the faith as stability is the key to success, and it shall come.
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blue75 added 18:51 - Mar 15
Bad decisions cost us the game bringing on green when we needed a striker. Playing one up front at home is never good.
7

bluefeast added 18:52 - Mar 15
Do you trust him to build a team that has 20 to 30 % flair in it. We have 10 percent when McGoldrick plays but we need two more players out wide with pace and flair in order to create a little panic for the opposition. MM expects his wingers to play like defenders. Is that because he does not trust his full backs. Anyway Jan 2013 to March 2013 was far more successful than this year so far. We have progressed simply due to pre christmas results , but have been well and truly sussed out. Such a shame.
-2

warner77 added 18:54 - Mar 15
lets be realistic about this i love itfc but if they gained promotion think what teams like Arsenal Chelsea would do to us week in and out the team is still work in progress and im sure MM will build ready for push next season.
19

smithy91 added 18:56 - Mar 15
To the people down voting me, so you think Nouble/Tabb are fully deserving of being in the team then? And Chambers strongest position is RB? And dropping Scott Loach after he had a good game against blackpool was good man management? Some people on this forum are deluded by last seasons success when the club needs to move forward now, not keep harping back to how Mick kept us up
-6

marco007 added 19:00 - Mar 15
Same old, same old....predictable result and as soon as we play a team above us we lose.
The only thing I am annoyed at is that I predicted a 2-1 win to Wigan and lost out on a bet!
Useless, I pet performance against a reasonable but hardly exceptional Wigan side.
Don't think I will bother watching any more games this season as I am just so bored and frustrated following this bunch of hard working, but totally inept bunch of players.
Will use the money to pay for a sky subscription...and quids in.
Season ticket holders .....enjoy :)
-5

marco007 added 19:05 - Mar 15
BTW ZWM please add a caveat.....yes Wigan were a premiership club but you forgot to mention that they were relegated and have hardly set the Championship alight.
Reality check is that Ipswich are very average and Wigan are marginally better!
-4

blueboy1981 added 19:08 - Mar 15
........... playing the way we do the defence is always going to be under pressure - with a negative 'sideways and backwards educated midfield' that's the way it will be.

We look punchless in midfield, and consequently create little or nothing up front - and that is to be expected with team formation, and tactics, as they are.
3

ChayITFC added 19:08 - Mar 15
Drop GERKEN !!!
-2

ChayITFC added 19:08 - Mar 15
Drop GERKEN !!!
-3

hancockingoal added 19:12 - Mar 15
Let's us look at the facts, we scored one scrappy type goal, we had one shot on goal in the second half and we conceded three goals, two of which were the result of mistakes and poor defending! As soon as we want behind, did the most optimistic supporter believe that we would get anything out of the game! I know I didn't. I have resigned myself now to just supporting my beloved 'Towan' through whatever with absolutely no expectation. There would seem to be no ambition from the owner and probably no real ambition from a manager who is no doubt financially secure for life and limited in his ability to develop and establish a premiership club? It is a crying shame that the only team I could support for over 50 years have evolved to such a level but hey ho it is not life threatening!
10

JWM added 19:20 - Mar 15
Marco.. Are we talking about the same Wigan side who have just beaten Man City at the Etihad to reach the semi Final of the FA Cup, a trophy that they currently hold and the same Wigan who sit in 7th after winning their last 8 league games? If they are only marginally better than us that must make us a pretty good team.
8

blueboy1981 added 19:26 - Mar 15
JWM ............... one off result against Man City, and that can happen, and did.

Just remember that was a hard game against Man City for Wigan, playing them soon after should have been in our favour today.
Just consider that before you dig too deep for even more excuses (sorry, reasons).

Again, TRUTH.

-8

howdonblue added 19:31 - Mar 15
Agree totally irishtim
4

blueboy1981 added 19:35 - Mar 15
hancockingoal ........... I think you sum up the feelings of many of us to be honest - if we manage 3 shots on goal per game now we've done extremely well. That's what it has become unfortunately.

Maybe we could have done with a 'Ken' as a Goalkeeping Coach now as well - Happy Days they were for sure.
1

Keaneish added 19:41 - Mar 15
Is this a joke? If it is i'm not seeing the funny side…

This was labelled a must win game so why on earth are we playing 1 up front, high balls into the front man to win headers with no midfielders running off him???? It's sheer incompetency how we lined up today. The defending indeed was a joke i'll give you that. It was so obvious before Gomez even curled that free kick in what was going to happen it beggars belief but this is a moot point given we start a must win game playing one up front and one in behind. If you're going to do that you need wide and central midfielders bombing on…

But, that would be too much to ask wouldn't it? Attacking football…

The attendance was pitiful for a game like that and it's no wonder why with this sorts of performances. £120 that cost me. Big words but nor product. Last time i'll be at PR this season. We're toothless and once again MM has got it badly wrong.
13

TimmyH added 19:55 - Mar 15
@Keanish - looking at the line up it looked like we had width with Hunt and Anderson (can't understand why MM swapped them over) but I couldn't understand the 4411 formation, surely Williams behind Murphy would be useless unless he got any support from the wingers as you said 'bombing on'...did they do that?
I was hoping for SEB, Murphy, Taylor 3 pronged attack but I guess Mick was too scared of their midfield to try this.
4


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