Boss Mick McCarthy has hinted that he may make changes to his team when Sheffield Wednesday visit Portman Road on Tuesday, but won’t seek to address Town’s downturn in form by bringing in “shedloads" of signings.

Since the turn of the year the Blues have taken just four points from 15 and have dropped from second to fifth in the table. Previously they had lost just once in 21 games in all competitions.

What does a manager do to reverse such slips in form? “We’re not changing bodies around, that’s for sure.

“We’re not bringing shedloads of players in and changing it, and I don’t see any reason for it because they’ve been great.

“They will have a dip. I might have to look at freshening it up with the players that I’ve got, of course, and keep going.”

Quizzed further on whether Town’s recent results have sped up any plans he has to add to his squad, he pointed out that the emergency loan provision only becomes available this week in any case: “Well, I can’t do it until Monday.”

The Town manager isn’t one to panic after a few poor results just as he didn’t get carried away during the Blues’ previous excellent run.

“If you let acclaim go to your head, you start thinking that you’re something that you’re not, which I’ve never really had trouble with,” he said.

“And I’ve never really had trouble with dealing with people giving me abuse either. But I don’t think we’re at that level yet, are we? I wouldn’t have thought so.”

The Town boss expects the battle for the promotion and play-off places to go right to the very end of the season.

“There are some good teams in and around us and no doubt we’ll be scrapping away until the last minute of every game to the end of the season to make sure we’re in the promotion push,” he added.

Meanwhile, Rotherham manager Steve Evans felt his team’s display was one of their best of the season.

“I said to the boys in the build-up to today was that the first thing you have to do with Ipswich Town is earn the right to be in the game,” Evans said.

“And I don’t think we did that for 10 minutes, I think we stood off them a little bit and they can just run over he top of you, as they threatened to do.

“So, we taking in terms of a battling performance and then having ability on the ball and breaking with some real quality, then arguably it would be up there with our best performances.

“I’ve seen us give some terrific performances but given the quality of the opposition I think that has to be up there.

“It’s easy to say afterwards but I said leading up to the game that if Mick McCarthy’s not the best manager in the Championship then there aren’t many in front of him.”

Meanwhile, one-time Town loanee Sixto Peralta has hung up his boots at the age of 35.

The man known as Mumo, who made 21 starts and eight sub appearances, scoring five goals in the 2001/02 relegation season, most recently played for Chilean side Universidad de Concepción.

Photo: Action Images

BrettenhamBlue added 10:08 - Feb 9 Philtwtd or Garv Any idea what the situation is with Paul Taylor? If he's not training with us then surely he is in breach of contract and (in theory) his contract can be terminated by the club without us having to pay him anything. If his wage is that high we could then have the opportunity to bring a couple of people in on-loan (maybe even 3). Just seems weird that he's just vanished.

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Chicago_Blue added 10:14 - Feb 9 Sixto Peralta was fantastic, I recall. Would have loved for him to stay.
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Surco72 added 10:20 - Feb 9 I have heard that a number of senior players are as upset at our lack of movement in the transfer window as the fans are . Told they were not going anywhere else and that we are mounting a serious promotion push and faces would be coming in and only Sears added to the squad that we had before Xmas and Sammon out . Whilst all around us strengthen their squads . MM has sat them down to tell them they are as good as anyone in the league but not all agreed ,lose the team spirit and we have a very average small squad and that is certainly what is showing in many players body language .

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portmanteau added 10:53 - Feb 9 MM and team please note west brom did not consider " the result was never in doubt after the second goal went in ".
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62WasBest added 11:16 - Feb 9 Grammatical point Phil - "..........results have sped up any plans" should be speeded up any plans". Other than that, agreed a need to freshen things up. All's not lost yet, but momentum needs to be picked up again soon. We seem to have gone back to finding scoring difficult and so the defence needs to be watertight to ensure we don't concede.
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Juggsy added 11:17 - Feb 9 Anyone else wishing we had cashed in on Didzy when we had the chance?
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ITFCFan added 11:52 - Feb 9 Bart Parr Chambers Berra Mings Bishop Skuse Ambrose Sears Murphy Dids Lets get this show back on the road!! COYB!!
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rugbytomc added 11:56 - Feb 9 LOVED Sixto! bring him back! and Reuser, Bobby Petta and Dos Santos - miss attacking flair players like that! Hoping Stewart can get some game time and impress and that the likes of Henshall and Connoly and maybe even Hewitt will come good as Mick clearly wants players with pace to get down the wings and be a threat but hasn't been able to get any successfully yet. Come on you blues - let's get back on track - everyone is allowed a blip and to get tired

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Foreverdon_Blue added 12:36 - Feb 9 Unless MM plays Cameron Stewart i.e. an out and out winger, 4-4-2 will not work with his current personnel. He needs to play 4-3-3 and the suggested team form Floridaboy IMO is spot on!
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muccletonjoe added 13:13 - Feb 9 I agree with those saying drop mcgoldrick, i think Anderson tabb and mings should also be given the elbow
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PJH added 13:17 - Feb 9 Either team picked by Floridaboy or ITFCFan looks good to me(Ambrose or Bru only difference). Whilst agreeing McGoldrick nowhere near his pre injury form of last season, he is still one of our most skilled players.Think he could be effective playing just behind Murphy and Sears. If McGoldrick not fit I would include Stephen Hunt and hope that he (and others) could reproduce his December form.

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yorksblue added 13:51 - Feb 9 No abuse yet Mick, but keep dishing out dross week in week out, then see us change.
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Seasider added 15:42 - Feb 9 1 win in 8 and our esteemed manager responds as follows. "Were not changing bodies around thats for sure,were not bringing in shedloads of players either; and changing it because they are great;but I may look to freshen it up a bit.THANKS MICK "We will be scrapping away until the last minute to the end of the season.NO CHANCE OF ANY DECENT FOOTBALL THEN MICK?or dont you give a toss about the paying customers. Interested to see the line up tomorrow but in view of the above wont expect too much from this stubborn Yorkshireman.

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walberswicks added 16:31 - Feb 9 send McCarthy out on loan to brush his ideas up
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warwickblue added 16:54 - Feb 9 Grammatical point 62wasbest - you don't need a comma before the word but :)
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Ipswich24 added 17:59 - Feb 9 Reading some of the nonsense comments some of you lot writing about McGoldrick, your the same people that were going mad about him last season! Open your eyes the real problem is the hoof ball tactics a player with McGoldricks class and talent demand the ball to feet, to make things happen. He has a right to be messed off with the content of football that is played. I don't blame him one bit

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dirtydingusmagee added 08:33 - Feb 10 Whatever the team tonight,lets hope they get back to working for each other again,and get the bit between their teeth,really need to win tonight.Dont want the budgies gaining more ground prior to the 'the big one ''.
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