Town go to Burnley today needing to win to stay in the play-off race and manager Mick McCarthy believes they are well capable of beating the newly-promoted Clarets or anyone else on their day. Brighton went into sixth, four points ahead of the Blues with a significantly superior goal difference, after last night’s 2-0 victory over Yeovil.

McCarthy believes his team goes into any game with a chance of claiming the three points: “We think we can beat anybody. I do. We tip up every week and I’m not sat back [setting us up defensively].

“At Brighton [where we won 2-0] we ended up defending because they’re a good side, but we had more chances than them playing the way we played.

“There’s more than one way to skin a cat, of course. We’re quite happy and comfortable when playing anybody.

“I think Watford are a good side and I thought we played really well there and we conceded a goal which wasn’t like us which cost us the game.”

He says his side will need to have confidence in themselves to beat the Clarets, who confirmed their promotion to the Premier League with a 2-0 victory over Wigan on Monday.

“I think we can win every game and we’ll have to have that belief we’re going to go to Burnley and win,” he added.

“It’ll be a great atmosphere there because they’ve achieved utopia, they’ve won promotion back to the Premier League.

“And they will be cock-a-hoop. They’ll want to win but the result doesn’t matter to them except for that bit of pride that they want to win their last home game. But it doesn’t really matter.

“It still matters to us. We could be here playing Sheffield Wednesday next week with a chance of making the play-offs.”

He says he’s been pleased with his team’s consistency over the course of the campaign: “I don’t get to that stage where I think suddenly we’re going to crack and crumble or we’re going to be great or whatever.

“We are what we are and all season long I think we’ve been consistent. And I expect them to keep the same mentality, the same performances.

“If we play as well as we have done in the last two games then we can go to Burnley and win. If we drop our standards, no matter what Burnley have been doing this week, then we’ll have a tough afternoon.”

But he says it’s inevitable that the Clarets will lose some of their intensity having confirmed their return to the top flight: “You work all year but I bet when you go on holiday you relax.

“That’s a bit what it’s like. They’ve achieved their goal. I don’t know anybody who gets to the top of Everest who wants to start climbing any further when they get up there. They don’t go back down and climb up again.

“Any analogy you want to put on it, once you’ve achieved it, it really is difficult if you’ve just relaxed, you’ve got to work yourself back up to that intensity.

“You know what they might do. Dychey might have had them in all week training and saying ‘We’re going to beat Ipswich…’. I doubt it though. I reckon one or two might just have had a beer on Monday and Tuesday and relaxed.

“You only have to relax five per cent and if they're not as wired for it on Saturday as they should be, we might have an advantage.”

Photo: Action Images

Flewitt85 added 07:55 - Apr 26 If we win today or not, if we make the playoffs or not, ill still support you town and always will! Thats true supporters! Not ones that come on here moaning cause we lost or we are not going to make the playoffs, rome wasnt built in a day! Yes burnley went up when no-one thought they wouldnt get anywhere near the top 2 at the beginning of the season, but they ovs have got something we havent, not sure what that is but its worked for them. Lets get behind the blues and do the best we can, if we get into the playoffs this season then great, if not lets come back stronger next season. COYB!

10

PortmanOz added 08:24 - Apr 26 Team has done great but I've said it for months, the 4:4 result against Derby will cost us a play off spot.
2

bluefeast added 08:41 - Apr 26 Weve lost 30 points from winning positions , thats what will cost us ,if it were 25 points we would be 6th and destiny in our own hands. 25 points lost is still far to many but im sure you get my point. I think the mentality of the side has been to try and defend when we go ahead ,we then sit to deep and invite the opposition on. Get a lead and then press high up the pitch if possible would of served us well. I dont think its tactics i think its player mentality ,how many of ur squad have actually one anything , not many. COYB 3 points today and we have a chance on the last day.

4

Blue_Heath added 08:48 - Apr 26 Judgement day today, think we will lose. However, I said at the start of the season best we could hope for was a top ten finish. Better to be fighting for a play off spot than to stay in the division. I hope Mick is given some cash and with Leicester & hopefully QPR or Wigna gone we should have a good chance next year.
1

essexboy added 09:11 - Apr 26 Great season,whatever the outcome today.Lets just hope we can better this season and a small investment from our owner will be very welcome in the summer.If AC goes perhaps we will have cash to spend,but according to the FFP rules next season we can only spend 3m.which comes from the owners pocket.Dont forget we have to compete with teams relegated and they get a wind ful of between 30-60 mil.Lets just hope sky don't put the curse on us today and we can go to the very last game in anticipation.Well done MICK and the lads..COYB

4

barrysandals added 09:17 - Apr 26 Great season lads on a budget of next to nothing. MM and TC have been excellent. If you are genuine town fans let's stay positive. It's easy to moan about points we have dropped in previous games this season but it won't change anything. Let's get 6 points from next two games .... keep believing
5

JCBLUE added 09:37 - Apr 26 Great to still have a chance of promotion with only 2 games left. Good luck today, and if we don't make the Premier league this year, at least we should have the pleasure of beating Norwich again next year!!
2

BotesdaleBlue added 11:05 - Apr 26 Overall this season has been very much one of building and progress, after over five years of serious decline. I am hopeful next season we will be there in the top six and may even be pushing for the top two. Getting the right players in in the summer as well as sorting out the key players who have only one year left on their respective contracts (Murphy Chambers McGoldrick Berra etc) will be a must. I for one trust Mick and his team to do the business.

1

TimmyH added 11:06 - Apr 26 and a majority of other teams in the Championship thinks that too.... Rome wasn't built in a day! - well it was in Burnley!
1

SheldonInsane added 11:32 - Apr 26 PortmanOz I agree with you %100 there,4 - 4 V Derby could well cost us.
1

TimmyH added 11:36 - Apr 26 Why just that game? numerous home games we haven't taken by the scruff of the neck against struggling teams or one's on poor runs.
2

raycrawfordswig added 11:49 - Apr 26 Problem is anyone can beat us aswell
1

blueboy1981 added 13:01 - Apr 26 ............ unlikely tho' Mick - unless you change your tactics.
1

Ipswich24 added 07:42 - Apr 28 What a joke negative hoof ball tactics
0

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls