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McCarthy: Top Two Now Unlikely
Saturday, 14th Mar 2015 15:46

Boss Mick McCarthy admitted that the Blues are now unlikely to finish in the top two following this afternoon’s 4-1 defeat at Middlesbrough.

“It depends on the other results, but if we end up eight points behind two teams or three teams, I don’t see there’s any chance we’re going to win three more games than any of the others,” he conceded after the lunchtime game.

The later results confirmed that Town, who are still in seventh, are indeed eight points behind three teams, new leaders Bournemouth, second-placed Watford and Boro. The Cherries beat Blackpool 4-0 at Dean Court, while Watford beat Reading 4-1 at Vicarage Road.

Elsewhere, Norwich and Derby drew 1-1 at Carrow Road, Brentford - sixth a point ahead of Town - lost 2-1 at home to nine-man Cardiff and Wolves - eighth, two points behind the Blues - drew 1-1 at Brighton.

The Blues manager was disappointed to concede Boro’s two first-half goals from corners: “It wasn’t like us, that’s been one of our strengths. From the two corner kicks, they’ve worked the two corners well. We know how to defend them and we didn’t defend them.

“The first one, we didn’t defend the header. Having got back into it, I thought we were the better side in the first half and I don’t watch with rose-coloured spectacles.

“We were done again from another corner kick, but I still thought we played very well. And then it’s bad defending for the other two goals that’s cost us.

“If you give goals away to anybody it’s going to be difficult but certainly to a team like Middlesbrough.

“I’ll take responsibility for way we were in the last 15 minutes because I’ve put strikers on and I’m trying to get back in the game.

“We lost our shape and our discipline a bit and they had more chances than they would have done and it looked a bit shambolic, but I’ll take the responsibility for that.”

Keeper Dean Gerken suffered a blow to the head in the incident which saw Daniel Ayala score Boro’s first goal in the fourth minute and was stretchered off.

“I’m hoping that he’s OK, he’s gone to the hospital for a scan,” McCarthy said.

“I’d love to be able to give good news to his wife because she had a baby yesterday morning and I’d imagine watching that game and seeing him stretchered off with oxygen on his face was extremely difficult and upsetting for her, as it was for all of us, but especially for her. He was taken straight off to hospital.”

Gerken, who was playing only his second game since being recalled to the side, travelled back to Suffolk on Saturday evening.

Despite automatic promotion now seeming unlikely, McCarthy says the task now is to stay in the hunt for a play-off place.

“I am focused on that, absolutely,” he continued. “I never thought it was going to be easy here.

“I thought we played really well, I was delighted with our performance in the first half but not the goals we gave away. We’ve got to go again [at home to Bolton on] Tuesday. Still focused on it.”

Boro boss Aitor Karanka, whose team are away at Derby on Tuesday and Bournemouth next Saturday, was delighted to get the trio of big games off to a winning start.

“I’m very pleased, we’ve played against a very good team, a strong team,: he said. "They’ve finished the game with four strikers and it’s difficult to play against them.

“Now the main thing is that we are eight points above them and they are in seventh position, so that’s very good for us and it’s a very good way to establish [ourselves in a] big week.”


Photo: Action Images



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billlm added 16:40 - Mar 14
Your in the dark ages mm lost it round pegs you haven't got a clue, new manager in June please
3

essex57 added 16:42 - Mar 14
Ah bluefeast up you pop when the managers position becomes vacant please apply i cant wait for 4.45 on a saturday to add my 2bobs worth.
2

kuyski added 16:46 - Mar 14
4 up fronts with no supplied ????after bishop off, our midfield totally lost the way with no leader,season was not over but look like only get worst than better for your limited tactics!
2

bluehook added 16:48 - Mar 14
What a bunch of moaning tarts you all are.
1

essex57 added 17:04 - Mar 14
Well said bluehook they have been chipping away alk season cant wait wait for next season mid table no glory hunters happy days.
-8

AbujaBlue added 17:06 - Mar 14
One point from the playoffs and it is handbags at dawn on here.
-4

SickParrot added 17:07 - Mar 14
Thanks Mick for another embarrassing defeat on Sky TV. We had loads of possession, worked really hard (as usual) and had many more attempts at goal but, yet again, we lacked the necessary quality to actually win the game.

It is now time for Mick to justify his team selections and substitutions. Why is Chambers still playing at full-back? Why is a totally left footed and error ridden Smith still playing as our right-sided centre back? Why is Mings still playing when he is so out of form? Why is our best full back, Parr, playing in midfield? Why has he signed 3 wingers that we never see? Why does Tabb play every game? Why can Bishop (who was our best player today) never play for 90 minutes?

He should also clarify whether he actually tried to persuade Evans to spend money on quality reinforcements in the January window instead of relying on the usual unwanted and unfit emergency loans.

We were (some how) second in the division at xmas, with a realistic chance of promotion if we started putting players in their best position and added some quality and goals to the midfield, but cheapskate Evans and stubborn old Mick have blown it.
17

Pip50 added 17:10 - Mar 14
What a shower that's all you MM lovers he never was going to get us up.
Hoooooooooof thankfully he will be gone soon.
0

supasmiler71 added 17:20 - Mar 14
Christ people, no, the play-offs are not now out of reach as many are saying. They are still well and truly within our reach.This "hoof ball" as it is now being labelled since our form started to dip is exactly the same style we were playing and everyone seemed happy to go along with when we were in the top two. I'm a life long Town supporter, even though I'm from the north of England, and I'm wondering if you have such things as half-full glasses down there, or are they all half empty??!!! We're all supporters, so support, until it's mathematically impossible to go up, which is nowhere near as far as my limited maths skills tell me. Rant over.
7

bluefeast added 17:20 - Mar 14
If this form continues over the next 9 games i wonder f Mick will consider his position in the summer. Hes a good honest man and very clearly if the season was 23 games and not 46 we would of been promoted. But the 2nd half of the season has shown that the weaknesses we have are being exposed. These weaknesses were very clear in January and even before that but have not been addressed. I feel really down about this season. Last season we even had a good chance of play offs only to fall by the wayside over the last 1o games. We need to be able to bring in players who do in fact improve us and are better than we have ,but he has brought in Varney and Wood and that says it all. The message to our players is play each game like a cup final , as up to now this year we have lost or drawn every game when it needed to be something else ie a win and in front of the cameras we fail terribly. Southampton boro derby norwich. Tragic , but if it continues MM may well say thats enough i dont need this and walk away ,he looked really down in his interview , i have to say i felt for him ,but his decisions are costing us sadly. Fingers crossed for a result vs Bolton a good win thats what is needed.
1

brittaniaman added 17:26 - Mar 14
We have never been on TV. so much as this season ???? and the trouble is that we cannot perform well in front of the camera, to think we have still 2 more games to play on TV. Unfortunately, !!!!! one at home,, one away !!!!

The big question is now Has MM taken us as far as he can go ?????
-3

bluesince84 added 17:28 - Mar 14
so itll be 442 on tuesday then mick,?

to save the downarrows i usually get ill let you finish the sentence for me

'What is the definition of insanity???'
3

Gcon added 17:30 - Mar 14
Yes, recent results have been disappointing but get a grip and stop pointing the finger every which way.
Focus on supporting the team, the play-offs are still a definite possibility.
-4

JustSpivvyChops added 17:41 - Mar 14
Lol MM.......should be worried about top 6, let alone top 2
0

bluefeast added 17:51 - Mar 14
Doing the same thing over and over when its not working
1

beaver1 added 17:53 - Mar 14
61 points on the board with 9 games to play, 1 point off play offs 8 off top spot what a terrible job mm has done! Bet you all would of taken that at the start of the season.
5

muccletonjoe added 17:56 - Mar 14
How can you make wholesale changes st the back??, with part in midfield we really only have matt Clarke, by the look of late this back 4 whatever positions they play in, are a total shambles. I think this fact is beginning to dawn on mm
0

jas0999 added 18:22 - Mar 14
Very disappointing today. At least Brentford lost. It's between us, then and Wolves for sixth. I think brentford have more quality and a better run in, but I still have us as pipping it on goal difference!
1

BillBlue added 18:47 - Mar 14
essex57 - Good idea re Bluefeast, at least he couldn't do worse than the present incumbent.
-3

Vizslaraner added 19:00 - Mar 14
i really feel mm is yesterday's man with his tatics and approach to games. Always lump it forward and hope. Poor Freddie must be wondering what the hell he joined here. We have been saying for weeks what is wrong but he won't change it. It will be the same Tuesday night u can bet ur bottom dollar. Stubbornness is gng to be his and our downfall. The top two was there for us if we had just taken a bit of a gamble and quit with this awful football. I Dnt actually think Boro are that good and they won't go up, but they took us apart second half. The loan signings r dreadful and dnt get me on set pieces. Can someone tell me why tabb has his hand up for every corner? Is he trying to flag a bus. Boro practiced set pieces yesterday and actually took one or two with a bit of creativity. Ours r the same every f time, chipped in with no pace for anyone to attack. I dnt want to slaughter the club I love but it hurts me to see what we currently are. The play offs r still up for grabs most definitely but if mm doesn't get his finger out we will b 9th within three weeks. Most worryingly the lack of confidence is clearly visible in players who are the backbone of the team. To finish on a positive, bish was good today and is one to build this team around and we do have a bunch of youngsters cmng through who could prove invaluable. Unfortunately I'm not convinced a certain person will play them.
1

Mark added 19:07 - Mar 14
I now WANT Middlesbrough, Derby, Watford and Bournemouth to keep winning, so Norwich do not get into the top two.

It's a three way battle for 6th now between us, Brentford and Wolves. Let's just hope we can get McGoldrick back to combine with Murphy and Sears to give us more attacking threat. We also need to return to being good at corners.
4

Pip50 added 19:09 - Mar 14
True MM had got us punching above our weight but with a bit of technical nonuse some shrewd selection and some punch in the Jan transfer window we would be at least play offs. But with 9 to go Watford Blackburn Wolves away and Bournemouth at home and only Murph knowing where the goal is all season absolutely no chance. Marcus smell the roses and get someone in who knows what they are doing.
-5

Michael11 added 19:11 - Mar 14
Top two was always a pipe dream when you look at the other teams battling it out. 6th should be a pipe dream but we're somehow hanging in there thanks to Brentford. However, I don't even want us to get promoted anymore. If a Middlesbrough side not on their best game can put 4 goals past us then what would Chelsea and Arsenal do? We NEED to go back to basics, starting with Parr right back and shifting Chambers back into the middle for a start. Then we need a 3 man midfield because we simply don't have any natural wingers at the club (Don't think Anderson's good enough) with Murphy and Sears up top with Bru/Bishop just behind.
2

bluesince84 added 19:33 - Mar 14
heres a dam good question and answer honestly, not as a fan but as a pure unbiased realist.

Would you rather finish 7th and keep building for next season

or

come 6th and play Norwich over two games or at the final.

Could you imagine the absolute pain and misery of the scum putting us out on our ass in that situation, of all teams. Id rather silently slink off in to the night than get absolutely humiliated by our fearsest rivals. - answer as a realist not as a fan please.
1

bellazzurri79 added 19:44 - Mar 14
We chose Roy Keane because he got Sunderland up
We then chose Paul Jewell because he got Bradford and Wigan up
We them chose Mm because he got Sunderland and Wolves up

The formula doesn't fcking work !

We need a young fresh forward thinking manager.....

I'm afraid....
7


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