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

blueherts added 09:19 - Mar 15 The problem - I think with some on here is - because we were second in Jan - and no we are 7th - that is failure ? Well know cos if you were asked in August with 9 games to go would you take 1 point off play offs EVERYONE , i am sure would have said yes ? It is the run from Jan to March that has pushed some to say MM has done all he can do - which is crazy as lets measure him after May not March - surely We all se Smith and Mings need a 'fireside chat ' and I would like to see some width introduced but until we are mathmeticaly out of the play offs there is no point saying MM has gone far enough It is like throwing in the towel after 9 rounds of a fight - if you can still stand yer ground and compete u dont quit Simple - So whilst I agree with afew changes of personnel are needed we will judge MM in may not March ? make sense ?

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BlueMachines added 09:58 - Mar 15 Are you two ^^ for real? No one is playing out of position? MM states one minute Bish can play anywhere. Then a week later says he isn't a winger. Yet continues to play him on the wing. Chambers is a right back? Smith is playing on his wrong foot. A defender (Parr) is out best midfielder. Get real!! The issue blueherts is that yes we were second in January and now 7th. No doubt. But we are also second bottom of the form table and the manager shows no sign of being willing to change things. He obviously recognises we need width, as he signed Connelly, Henshall and Stewart. They are his signings so why not give them a chance to play? People are fed up with no plan b. stop slating the moaners and agreeing with them in the same post. So hypocritical it's BONKERS!!

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blueherts added 10:32 - Mar 15 BlueMachines I am not 'slating the moaners' I am just putting over my point/opinion as you have yours I am trying to see the 'big picture' that is over the season as a whole and not just three months I am not defending MM selections, of late. but I am looking at it from what we have at our disposal , where have been languishing the last 10 years and where we could still be And yes we want to see some changes and in some perverse way this heavy defeat 'on paper' may be the catalyst - but whilst we hopefully have afew more options in Midfield/Strikers coming back in our defensive options are limited Tues is a big test for MM and what he may do with players underperforming- he dropped Bart quickly enough To me the moaners are the ones saying 'MM out- he has taken us far enough' which is crazy with 9 games to go and still in with a shout ? they are the 'moaners' I would question not individuals talking about players not putting in a shift , and wanting to see change of shape. Lets discuss and debate in May when it is over - The Fat lady has not sung yet ! Play offs would be a successful season - what was your expectation at start of season ?

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oldegold added 10:58 - Mar 15 I have been saying for months that the Championship always favours attack minded teams..look at the history of promoted teams. MM's style of play went out with the dinosaurs and even when we were on our golden streak of September to early January I always warned of the danger of hoofball and not having an alternative style.We have been caught out but it was coming. Such a shame as the season promised so much but he's a stubborn, tactically the most limited Ipswich manager in the 40 years I follow Town. When I compare this Town to Burley's attack minded team of 2000, my heart cries. Plain, awful, sterile football and totally and utterly predictable. Surely MM knows that teams know how to play against us..there is no variety.Even Accrington Stanley would beat us with this football...

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brittaniaman added 11:39 - Mar 15 1pt from the last 12pts. speaks Volumes !!!
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karls_dad added 12:09 - Mar 15 Sadly i have been saying and thinking it for months that we have over achieved by a massive amount and it could not continue, as a team our style of play has been found out, other teams play accordingly, we revert to hoof it and hope, The game up the A140 was an embarrassement! all we did especially in the second half was hoof it staight to a yellow shirt! Yes MMand TC have worked wonders with a 110k squad, but our time in the spotlight is over for this year, a finish around 10th is realistic, playoffs, i very much doubt it and if we did we certainly could not win them. I,m looking to next season now, hopefully with some new quality players through the door, we could have done it in January but did not, we are now paying that price!, roll on next season for a new hope!

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Che added 13:45 - Mar 15 My point is an I stand by it "Be careful what you wish for"
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blueherts added 15:28 - Mar 15 Bournemouth , IMO are the best footballing team I have seen in this division for a few years But they have cash to splash - Point - If Jonny Williams hadnt been so disgracefully hacked vs Watford he would still be with us and who knows
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hepperblue added 15:29 - Mar 15 Mick says the team know how to defend corners. At least 50 times this season they have been caught out from short corners, as in first two goals here. You need 2 defenders to mark 2 attackers!
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BlueMachines added 15:29 - Mar 15 Agreed. At the beginning of the season I would've taken the play offs. BUT, 1. We are not currently in the play offs. 2. When, last season, we were 4-1 up on Derby away, would you have happily taken a draw? No of course not. But at the beginning of the game you might have. The fact that we were in such a strong position during the game means we should've gone onto win. Much like this season, we should've pushed on to better things. I don't mean we should be 10 points clear but we should still be in with a shout. MM is dealing with injuries, sure, but we do have options to change things. Wing backs maybe. Or even a change that he was brave enough to make earlier this season and that took us to 2nd in the table. Parr at full back. It is proven to work so why the continued reluctance to change to it?? Most of us are just baffled by him. If a miracle were to happen, and we won the play offs with the current (predictable) line-up, it would be inspite of MM, not because of him. Unless of course he changes things up somewhat and we start taking the game to teams. Which is all most of us actually want. Even his most ardent supporters are beginning to turn against him on here. But some will always lack ambition and be happy to 'compete' on a budget and support him despite a serious lack of entertainment. Some of want more for our hard earned money. Che. I wish to see Town give it a go and be entertained. Not too much to expect surely??

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Seasider added 15:41 - Mar 15 Final observations:- Mick said he was only taking responsibility for last 15 mins of match so who takes responsibility for the rest of the game? When he took over we were prepared to put up with boring non football to stay in division which was achieved comfortably in the end. Last season was consolidation and flirting with play offs.ok In third season should kick on just as Bobby Robson did in early 70's(but in top division) Have now been near top for most of season.Virtually all players now acquired by Mc Carthy,and several of players he has signed during time in charge have gone to lower league clubs.Why are the 4 widemen he has brought in never get a game? Ipswich are still playing football like a relegation side and the hoofball is becoming more prevelant with Berra Smith and Chambers hardly ever playing to feet.Does he ever think of changing his style of playing or players for that matter,or is he happy to soldier on with Tabby etc starting every game? What does the Greatest Living Yorkshireman think when he sees Arsenal on television or Villa and Norwich with same personal but completely different outlook under their new Managers,and finally ,Bournemouth a club that has a small ground and nearly went down to conference 5 years ago but now play premier style football? Does he ever wish to change his style of football? He was very tempted to leave Ipswich for Ireland managers job but wasn't asked,is he tempted for another challenge to save the club nearest to his home from relegation to division 1 ?

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David993 added 16:50 - Mar 15 Yes McCarthy has done well for us and we are greatful but we are a football team not rugby. Players like Sears and bish who like to attack the defence can't because one of the defenders is looking for Murphy. No wonder mcgoldrick doesn't try it's not his style of football.
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essex57 added 16:54 - Mar 15 Vizslarner do you realy think anybody takes any notice of what we put on her.e and secondly where have you been the last few years the teams under Magilton Keane Jewell all expensive and rubbish no wonder ME is loathe to spend any more money MM has got us from bottom to one point off the play offs usually our season is finished by now.
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wayway added 21:15 - Mar 15 Why does everyone on here say we have no money to spend? Am I missing something or how much is Evans PLC worth? While all the other teams in the top six have strengthened what have we got? A player who can't get in Milwalls team for god sake and a cast off from Blackburn whose level is about Col U. I have been banging on about this for ages now but Evans PLC are not interested anymore. There will be no investment and they are quite happy to let Boring Billy run things his own misguided way. Has anyone given any thought to next years season ticket sales when we will be looking forward to another season in the Championship

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Sospiri added 00:53 - Mar 16 Clearly, at the moment, we are not good enough. We have the players, but it isn't working. Mick is a very sound manager. He excels in finding good players cheaply, man-mamges well, is excellent with the media, and is highly respected in the game. But he is tactically inflexible. His mind-set is safety first. He doesn't see when change is needed, and doesn't make it., or makes the wrong change He doesn't learn from the games we played well, games in which we had 3 up front or five in midfield. Or games where we played the ball on the ground, and attacked from midfield. I'm worried that Mick is just too cautious a man to see us succeed. We have few games left. We HAVE to go for it. But will he?

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bohslegend added 08:45 - Mar 16 Considering that promotion is STILL very much a possibility via the play offs I wonder how many moaners will have the good grace to take back their hyper-critical and personal comments about the manager if we do make it? Doubt If they would. Lots of anonymous, keyboard warriors on here dishing out their own highly qualified wisdom on how best to achieve what many teams spend gazillions of pounds trying to do every season (except ITFC of course). I would agree with those who maintain we actually played well in the game other than 3 terrible pieces of defending - which does need addressing btw.. But as usual it's " fook the baby out with the bath water time" from all the usual moaners who love it when we lose just so they can put their thumbs to their noses and say "saying this all season" - there's an old saying that the critic will always be proven right eventually. Some on here take that to the max.

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BackTheBlues added 10:34 - Mar 16 What is wrong with everyone? Yes we're in a bad run of form yes we lost badly in the end but people on here honestly asking McCarthy to go questioning his tactics is utterly utterly appalling and should be ashamed to call yourself a fan... We have a small, cheap squad who is punching just above its weight, we're still only 1 point off the play-offs - I bet you are all the same fans that ask for Magilton to be sacked and held that ridiculous banner up the last time we finished 7th... Sort it out and support your team like real fans! That or do your coaching badges and do the job yourself!

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Razor added 11:12 - Mar 16 It is now Monday and as I was at the game and at the risk of being labelled a moaner and a non-town fan may I make the following comments; 1. First half we played well and if ball had gone in and not hit post would have been 2-2. Much as I hated seeing Gerks carried off the six yard box is his which he should control and he should be clatterring the attackers. Lazy defending for second goal. 2. Second half we lost it and fell apart and it could have been 6 or 7 quite easily---why--dont really know, if players are tired MM it is up to manage them accordingly, it is your job. 3.Bish and Skuse best players---Tabb-----move on. Now for tomorrow----any chance of some width or creativity to help strikers and defence needs changing as we all know------so my team: Kenny,Parr,Chambers,Berra,Clarke,Henshall,Bishop, Skuse,Bru,Sears,Murphy. And could we have some honesty on injuries to Didds and Hyam please? If we dont change we will get what we always get---MID-TABLE MEDIOCRITY. fINALLY---introduce a controversial point for discussion---MM to Milwall to save them and Oliie to us!!,

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bohslegend added 12:11 - Mar 16 What in God's name makes you think that moving MM out with his so far proven ability to move teams UP the table, and replacing him with Holloway who has proven his ability to move Millwall DOWN the table, will bring us success???? I'm baffled by some incredible nonsense spouted on here. And you Razor might be calling for width, while half the other complainers (to use a softer word than moaners) have been screaming for 433 - which is obviously narrower. So my point is that no matter what team/tactic/formation MM picks he'll have people on here on a Monday saying it should have been different.

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essex57 added 18:58 - Mar 16 Well said bohslegend and backtheblues at last abit of common sense and reality
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