McCarthy: Car Crash Football Tuesday, 24th Feb 2015 22:48 Boss Mick McCarthy described the Blues’ 4-2 victory over Birmingham as “car crash football” with Town having been unable to seal the victory over the Midlanders until the final moments, but was delighted to ultimately claim the three points. “It was car crash football wasn’t it, to be fair,” he said. “We kept just giving them a little bit of something to hold onto. When we went 1-0 up they had a couple of chances, we just didn’t see it out. “They were a constant threat, the two lads up front were a threat and then he puts Demarai Gray and Lloyd Dyer and Lee Novak was a threat, they had big lads who were making it difficult. “It’s all about the result as far as I’m concerned. We were maybe tighter and played as well on Saturday but we just didn’t score. Win the game.” McCarthy joked that he was claiming an assist for Tyrone Mings’s 24th minute opener, having sent the left-back up for the corner after he was initially staying back in the centre circle. “Of course I am!” he said. “The two lads sitting behind me, Chappers and Reg, said ‘Did you tell him to go up?’. “I said I did and that I’m going to claim an assist! Some things I get right and other things I get wrong and I look a chump. “I’ve told him before, if they don’t leave anybody up for him to go up but I think he was having a bit of a rest, so we sent him up. “He’s such a threat, he’s such a big guy. It was a fabulous header. He’s a big old lump to try and stop.” McCarthy was pleased with two-goal frontman Freddie Sears, not just in the second half when he scored his goals but before the break and in his previous performances. “I’m delighted with him and I was before today,” McCarthy added. “His two goals were outstanding, I thought, two really good finishes. On the second one, his touch around the defender was just terrific. “He played in the Premier League against us when I was at Wolves and scored and he looked a really hot prospect then and he’s had to go backwards to come forwards. “I don’t want to be disrespectful to Colchester but he went out of the Premier League to Colchester and we’re in a higher league than them and a better position, so he has gone backwards to come forwards. “I admired him for that. I said when I signed him that I admired him for that and he kept learning his trade and from walking in the door he’s looked like he can handle this level. “He’s certainly got a chance of Premier League football at the moment and we have if he continues to play like that.” The Blues boss is pleased to be going into Sunday’s derby at Carrow Road on a winning note: “We didn’t want to go into the game against Norwich with anything else but a win and certainly it makes you feel better about yourself. “It gives you a bit of confidence because they’ve had five wins on the bounce and they’re flying at the minute. So they should be though.” The Blues boss was delighted that players coming into the side or off the bench made an impact. “The subs that came on had an effect, that’s always pleasing,” he continued. “Those that have stepped in. Ando came back and played well, Jonny Parr played well. “I thought Richard Chaplow came on and did really well, he’s an accomplished player, him. Tabby is just awesome, isn’t he? He played in the centre of the park. “Those things always please me, when the ones who have been left out or sat on the bench or are just coming back in contribute. “And the fact that we ground a result out against a team, who have been pretty decent and have got good players.” Regarding Cole Skuse, who went off injured in the first half, he said: “His back went into spasm, so I’ve no idea how he is. “We’ll have him looked at tomorrow. It’s one of them where he could be OK in a couple of days, it might take him a week, I’ve no idea.” Birmingham manager Gary Rowett was disappointed with the manner in which his side conceded four goals. “I felt in the first half we had two or three excellent opportunities, they’ve had a couple of opportunities and the difference is a set piece that we didn’t deal with," he said. “We pass him on to the right man and we don’t stay with Mings, who was the extra man in the box, and he has a free header. “We came in at half-time and that was probably the only real difference in the first half. "We felt even at half-time that the home fans were sounding like they were getting a little frustrated with one or two misplaced passes and we knew that if we scored in the second half then we’d give ourselves a massive chance. “At the moment what seems to be happening is that we just seem to be making mistakes for goals at the wrong times. “So we go 2-0 down, get an excellent goal to go to 2-1 and then again it’s game on. Then we concede a poor goal once again that they haven’t had to work hard for. “As good as side as Ipswich are they haven’t had to work hard for any of the four goals, we’ve made mistakes and we’ve defended poorly for the four goals. “Just as it’s looked as though we might get back in the game at the end and make the last 10 minutes interesting, we conceded again at the wrong time. “It just seems to be going that way at the moment. I think we created just as many opportunities as Ipswich." He says he altered his usual approach: “We went a little bit more direct because we felt the game would be a scrappy, tough, physical game because Ipswich make it that way, and they’re very direct and they’re very good at what they do. “I think it was a classic case of what they do tonight. They force you into mistakes because of the pressure they put you under. At the moment we’ve got to be a little bit better than that.”
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