Please log in or register. Registered visitors get fewer ads.
McCarthy: Missed Chances and Poor Defending
Saturday, 7th Feb 2015 18:10

Town boss Mick McCarthy was left bemoaning missed chances and poor defending as the Blues were defeated 2-0 at Rotherham United.

Daryl Murphy failed to take two early opportunities and had a header cleared off the line, while Millers keeper Adam Collin made an impressive save from skipper Luke Chambers.

Goals from Matt Derbyshire and ex-Blues loanee Conor Sammon netted the goals for the Millers, both from set pieces.

“We had the first chance, the first couple of chances, and of all people for them to fall to it was Murph, the top scorer and you’d expect him to score,” McCarthy said.

“Maybe having just come back after his time away, it dulls the senses slightly.

"That chance came early in the game, yes they’ve had their warm-ups, but I thought we were OK in the first 15 minutes and I didn’t see what came coming, I didn’t see us defending that badly, to be honest.

“The game was going nowhere, they scored from the freekick which was poor marking from us, which isn’t like us."


Having brought on Freddie Sears and Teddy Bishop seven minutes after the restart the Blues had their best spell following McCarthy’s half-time team-talk.

“As always, if we’re one behind [we tell them that] there are certain things that we could do better. And I thought we did that.

“We passed it better, we were a bit more considered, but even doing that I thought we were a bit more aggressive in how we played.”

He added: “When we conceded the second it was probably just after our best spell. The keeper’s made a good save, they headed one off the line, we’ve had chances, but if we defend like that and lose our markers that’ll cost us.

“We had momentum at that stage but we didn’t take our chances, that was the difference.

“It was a good save, it was a good header off the line, I can’t knock that, they’ve done their jobs. We’ve let them get away from us with the second corner. But I have to say, I thought Rotherham played well.

“There’s nothing special, strange or unusual about the deliveries, we should have dealt with them better.”

It was perhaps inevitable that Sammon should be amongst the scorers having spent the first half of the season on loan from Derby at Town.

“I was going to say it’s Sod’s Law, maybe I should say it was Murphy’s Law,” McCarthy continued. “But if he gets that chance because we don’t mark properly then he’ll put it in the net.

“I thought Conor played well, he looks like he’s played games and he’s back at it. I’m disappointed it was against us but good luck to him because he’s a great lad.”

Rotherham manager Steve Evans was delighted with his side’s display: “I think if you take it over the 95 minutes or so I think it was a wonderful performance full of all the things that we’re good at.

“Good on the ball, good in possession, fantastic industry from everyone in a Millers shirt. That’s always more difficult against an Ipswich side.

“We made a mistake and they should perhaps have been one up with less than a minute on the clock.

“We took 10 or 15 minutes to settle ourselves down and maybe we stood off them in that first 15 minutes and gave them too much respect.

“They’re a side which Mick McCarthy has put together who have real quality so you can’t over respect them. They’ve got some absolutely outstanding players I’ve no doubt they’ll bounce back because they’re full of good players.

“The overall view is that we’ve beaten an excellent side and very good football club backed by tremendous support.”


Photo: Action Images



Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.



Walk_the_Wark added 18:16 - Feb 7
Disgraceful. Same line up. Same tactics. Same old dross. We started with our flair players on the bench. We didn't look interested until seats and bishop came on.
MM lovers who actually went today can you defend that performance? Rotherham are awful..
... And pls don't come out with ' look what muck has done with no money ' rubbish
34

jas0999 added 18:16 - Feb 7
On the radio Mick was saying Rotherham are benefitting from an injection of new players. He also said some of our players are tired. Laughable. Not an excuse. We had an opportunity to strengthen a very small squad and didn't. Buck stops with Evans and McCarthy for that. Abysmal result.
33

Walk_the_Wark added 18:16 - Feb 7
*Mick haha
1

warwickblue added 18:17 - Feb 7
Terrible again today. I fear for the rest of the season.
11

bellazzurri79 added 18:17 - Feb 7
I'm lost for words today a truly awful day to be a town fan

something has happened behind closed doors since the Southampton away game

everyone got carried away and we have have been found out

Apart from Derby at home we have played some of the worst teams in this division in jan and feb and won 1 game ....

Gutted today gutted
20

bennyitfc added 18:18 - Feb 7
Credit to the
0

bennyitfc added 18:18 - Feb 7
Cr
2

yorksblue added 18:20 - Feb 7
We definitely need to strengthen, starting with positive tactics, against garbage opposition.
4

warwickblue added 18:20 - Feb 7
....and every other team around us won without getting out of first gear.
6

Walk_the_Wark added 18:20 - Feb 7
Btw Murphy looked unfit. Writing appeared to be on the wall when he missed a 1-1 with the goalie in the opening minute. I agree something has gone terribly wrong since S'oton.
4

bluefeast added 18:22 - Feb 7
It is all rather predictable , im numb to the fact we will fail ,so will no longer get upset. We look like a side that has no belief ,but then if you have 4 midfield players that score one goal every 3 years its hardly a shock , my god what a shocking run , born out of the fact of predictability. The rest of the top 6 play football ,are inventive ,have invested ,etc etc .You get what you deserve.
19

NoelTheDub added 18:23 - Feb 7
Good luck to Conor OMG.Mick thats the last straw as far as Im concerned.Your starting line up is found out NO SKILL NO PACE NO WIDTH AND YOUR SECRET PLAN HOOFBALL.Get a football team out on the field there on the bloody bench or playing for other clubs because there not good enough for our mighty squad wrong again Mick IMO...
1

bennyitfc added 18:23 - Feb 7
3rd time lucky... Credit to the fans who made the journey. This is getting embarrassing when you look at the ruthlessness of B'mouth, Derby and Middlesbrough. Proper reality check.
4

Rentaghost added 18:23 - Feb 7
I take positives out of negative situations. We are in the championship next yr whatever happens. Our pay structure is similar to lower half clubs. I'm glad we are not a Portsmouth or Coventry.
3

NoCanariesAllowed added 18:26 - Feb 7
The season's becoming about the top six again. No point worrying about Derby or Bournemouth's results right now - that is no longer our fight. We're not contending for automatic promotion with toothless displays like that.

Second goal was a horrible - but somehow predictable - sucker punch. Just as the subs had finally given us some belated momentum, that bloody balding fish digs a knife in our sides.

Credit to Rotherham's defence and keeper before they scored that goal, because that 5mins was the only time we made them truly work for their supper all day, albeit with two cracking interventions. But other than that, we made what was a very ordinary side look comfortable in a decidedly Championship contest.

What I would say on today's evidence is this: That performance had nothing to do with who we have or haven't signed. This was a problem on the pitch on the day. The answer isn't sitting between the chunks of lint in Marcus Evans pockets. First half of the season, Murphy scores that first chance and we go on to win that game. The performance of players who have been good enough to get us this far was way short of what they have brought us to expect.

Mick's starting selection was disappointing considering the impact of Sears and Bishop after they came on. But having said that, it should still have the quality to beat a side like Rotherham. With all respect to Steve Evans' side - who should be fine if they continue to play like that - you do not need £3m signings to beat a team that was in the League One playoffs last year.

I don't know why we've lost our swagger since Christmas, but I would think the personnel we have are the only ones who are going to bring it back.
15

battyblue added 18:26 - Feb 7
iF PLAYERS ARE TIRED ITS DOWN TO YOU MICK AND YOUR STYLE OF PLAY YOU CANT BLAME ANYONE ELSE FOR IT.
8

blueherts added 18:26 - Feb 7
Jonny Williams and after today we need a defender
2

Northwestblue added 18:31 - Feb 7
Not a great day but can't believe that people are moaning about MM. Everyone appears to have very short memories about where we were when he arrived and the fact that we are in the playoff slots with vey little money spent. Keep behind the team until the end of the season and we will succeed. COYB.
-9

PSGBlue added 18:33 - Feb 7
I remember back in 2002/03 season (on whenever it was), we were top of the league in Feb when Shefti and Bent were Banging them in. We then played Leicester at home and Dublin took Shefti out, he missed a few weeks out and was never the same again - the moment promotion was lost that season.

This season it was Tommy Smith's weak header back to the goalkeeper against Derby, a point from that game and all would have been different. Tommy Smith's weak header - the moment promotion was lost this season!
-2

Michael11 added 18:34 - Feb 7
That was a hideous performance! Completely wrong tactics to start 4-4-2 AGAIN. It's not the formation that got us up the table so why do we insist on playing it? Anderson and Tabb were just awful. If I'd known McGoldrick was going to play this bad I would've driven him to Leicester myself. Sears and Bishop made a real impact and we should've gone on and equalised. Hopefully they both start on Tuesday and Mick shakes things up. Loan additons are a must.
20

bluefeast added 18:34 - Feb 7
When are we going to win ,it wont be on Tuesday vs shef wed ,i cant see us scoring ,im so bored of our style of play i have not been to the last 9 games.
1

NSL added 18:36 - Feb 7
How about an apology to 1,800 travelling fans McCarthy. How many would take 1'800 to Rotherham for God sake. Fair play to Steve Evans for acknowledging that, McCarthy should show more respect.
10

bluefeast added 18:39 - Feb 7
I want to watch a football team ,win lose or draw entertain ,as we do not entertain ,we have players that would not make my Saturday side, fact ,if you can't control and pass plus move ,change direction of play , as a midfielf player getting forward by making runs past strikers you dont play ,yet we have people that cannot do basics in our team , bournmouth i would pay to watch , us well its in my blood , but i wont pay to watch us until things change
8

NSL added 18:42 - Feb 7
PSG Blue, i think the goals smith has scored this season more than make up for one silly mistake. To say that was the turning point of the season is utter nonsense.
7

yerfdog87 added 18:47 - Feb 7
Mistake made not strengthening squad, ince bagged 2, that's sort player we need, Tabb n Anderson suck. Same old disappointment every year, can't see us winning Tuesday n I dread Norwich game. See a whopping on sky happening.
7


You need to login in order to post your comments

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls

About Us Contact Us Terms & Conditions Privacy Cookies Advertising
© TWTD 1995-2024