Boss Mick McCarthy admits that the long Championship season may have taken its toll on his regular backline. Town’s previously solid defence - skipper Luke Chambers, Tommy Smith, Christophe Berra and Tyrone Mings - has kept only one clean sheet since the turn of the year and has made a number of costly errors, most recently during the 4-1 defeat at Middlesbrough on Saturday.

The Blues have taken only 14 points from their last 13 games and have dropped to seventh with nine matches left to play - a point from the play-offs and eight from the top two - having been second as recently as mid-January.

McCarthy, who conceded that Town now have little chance of winning automatic promotion, was particularly disappointed that Boro’s two first-half goals came from corners having been otherwise pleased with his team’s performance before the break.

“It’s extremely frustrating because the lads have been excellent,” McCarthy said afterwards.

“Maybe the fact that Chambo, Christophe, Tommy and Ty have played all the games just about, maybe it’s taken its toll.

“I don’t know. I can’t say I’m looking to pin blame on anybody anyway, but they’ve been excellent, our guys.

“It’s not like us, it is frustrating and it is damaging, of course. It’s damaging our prospects of getting in the play-offs even. But we’ve got to recover from this and we’ve got Bolton on Tuesday.”

There have been calls amongst fans for changes to the defence with some keen on a return to the back four the Town boss utilised during September and October with Jonny Parr at right-back and Chambers moving into his preferred central role alongside Berra.

“If I wanted to change it where are all the defenders coming from?” McCarthy responded when quizzed on his continued selection of his current back four. “I’ve got the defenders that I have.

“Jonathan Parr set the goal up for us. I thought he was great today. I think he has been, playing further forward [in midfield].

“It’s always the same, everybody can pick the team for me when we we’re getting beaten.

“When we had that team playing and we were winning [people were saying], ’It’s a great team, it’s a great back four’.

"And I don’t hold the back four totally responsible for the goals and everything that’s happened.”

Meanwhile, keeper Dean Gerken, knocked unconscious at the Riverside as Town conceded Boro's first goal, travelled back to Suffolk on Saturday evening having been given the OK to do so after being taken to hospital and undergoing scans.

Town’s U21s are in action against Nottingham Forest at Playford Road this afternoon (KO 1pm). With the first-team facing Bolton at home on Tuesday evening, few if any senior players are likely to be involved.

Photo: Action Images

SouperJim added 08:19 - Mar 16 Putting them under immense pressure for the last 20 minutes or so at Boro probably didn't help either Mick. We had no chance of getting back in the game and all your ridiculous 424 did was damage their confidence even further. Mings has to come out the side. I'm a big fan, but he's a young pro still and is having a poor spell. Parr is a much better full back right now.

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muccletonjoe added 08:26 - Mar 16 We haven't got the players to solve our defensive problem. Neither selecting matt Clarke or moving par will change things for the better
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RaymondovicBlue added 08:27 - Mar 16 I just don't get why "everyone" feels sorry for Chambers playing out of position yet criticises Tommy Smith who is also put of position? Play Berra out of position and e if he can hack it!! FULL Credit to Tommy for making the best of it and doing what he is asked week in week out for the sake of the team.... Still see him at a future captain.... Playing where Berra is currently !! So if the biggest problem with our team is fatigue at the back.... Surely the second biggest is the choice of bench. None on Saturday so would add anything at all and change the game. Connolly, Stewart, Hensall.... Are they all fit?? Surely we have used them in training?? If none of them is good enough then why didn't wet sign a defender AND a flair player instead of tired unfit strikers who at nothing (but to be fair to Mick , yes I DO remember that he tried and failed to sign a French one) But if what you have got are failing so obviously.... Change it.... At least with 25 mind to go... Put wingers on to supply ball to the two starved strikers you've got... Not two more strikers. For me it is the lack of creativity that scares me more than the "tired" back four I agree that Hewitt should feel confused also.... Fir be he is as good as Mings (even if for the last few games that had been nowhere near good enough

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mikeybloo88 added 08:28 - Mar 16 “It's always the same, everybody can pick the team for me when we we're getting beaten." To be fair Mick, many were picking the team for you when we were winning...many were calling you wrong on the back 4 and midfield before Christmas...you just got lucky with Murph's good form papering over the cracks.
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 08:34 - Mar 16 Parr at right back and rotate the middle two? Not a very original suggestion, I know. Parr was an excellent acquisition. Pity he hasn't been involved more. Still all to play for! COYB!
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MicksZzzTactics added 08:35 - Mar 16 LOL! Sad but also most likely very true Bluesince84 ... but this place definitely needs more good sarcasm IMO, so thumps up to you mate! So in that regard here is another favorite quote of mine which is also somehow fitting for MM + a bunch of HIS favorite "man crushes" on this awesome creative team, which is basically a very dark humored variation of the good old "If at first you don't succeed ...." "If at first you don't succeed .... failure may be your style!!!" - Quentin Crisp :-)

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ChurchmanBlue added 08:36 - Mar 16 Whilst I agree that changes need to be made to the team, I also think that MM has done the best he can with the resources he has available. Up until this weekend S Hunt, Hyam & Ambrose have all been injured, and that has left him with back-up players like Henshall & Connolly, who are very inexperienced (Stewart not getting in the match day squad is an odd one, but MM was proved right with Taylor). This has forced MM to play Tabb each game, and also Parr in midfield. Because Parr has been playing in midfield, MM has no options to change the back 4, because again Clarke is inexperienced. I do find it incredibly frustrating that in the transfer window we did not take advantage of any loans until the end of the season, and again, it is frustrating that Derby have picked up the likes of Bent & Lingard, and Norwich Dorrans, while the best we can do is Varney, Chaplow & Wood. However, having said that, we do not have the resources of Norwich, and probably not Derby either, so we have to make do with what we can get. In hindsight, it would have been wise to keep St Ledger until the end of the season, to give some more experienced cover for the defence. I would also like to point out that most successful teams try to change their back 5 as little as possible through the course of the season. I think as long as we are no lower than 7th going into the international break, I think that we will still make the play-offs, as we should be seeing players returning to fitness by then with still 7 games to go. Worst thing we did this season was get into the top 2, no matter how briefly.

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bluefeast added 08:37 - Mar 16 PHILatio Im not picking fights , im opening debate. Fact is everyone and their mother can see that from August our back 4 has been imbalanced ,our midfield lacking a goal threat ,yet despite the worst midfield in the league in terms of goals and assists we still manage to be 7th and in with a shout with 9 games left ,that is incredible.Just imagine if MM now had some vision in terms of playing round pegs in round holes , generate a balance etc.

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Garv added 08:40 - Mar 16 I don't think many people were calling it a 'great back four' Mick. Luke Chambers has never been a right back and fans have always bren able to see this.
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dirtydingusmagee added 08:41 - Mar 16 sure the season may have taken a toll on the back four, it is bound to when players are played out of position,its hard in the championship,and you need to be at your best throughout to achieve success,Playing people out of their position puts more pressure on the player,as he is not doing what comes natural,it puts more pressure on team mates,as they have to work harder and cover the vulnerable player,mistakes cost matches, as we have seen to our cost.

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mikeybloo88 added 08:47 - Mar 16 Please don't keep mentioning S Hunt and Ambrose as potential saviours - even if they'd been fit, they're just like Tabb, journeymen triers who huff and puff but deliver little. They aren't who we should be depending on to deliver an exciting brand of football. We have to demand better!
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BiGDonnie added 08:47 - Mar 16 He's lost his fooking marbles!
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Pilgrimblue added 08:54 - Mar 16 For Christ's sake MM look in the mirror! You are to blame and if the defence is burnt out then its your fault. There's too much pressure on defence to help our ailing midfield plus he's had Parr on bench most of season and its clear to most fans that he should be starting every game AT RIGHT BACK muppet!! MM tried to sign some cover in window so why did he think it wasn't needed when trialist wasn't retained? He's admitted that the squad is too small but then gets more crap midfield and forgets the defence (his priority). Any decent Manager in January would have thought "how can I keep the team in 2nd place"? It was the ideal time to bang on ME's door. But he didn't so he shouldn't expect any different. The team needs freshening up so time to get Clarke Stewart and bring back Hewitt for starters. Otherwise the season's going to fall apart but I don't suppose MM is that bothered!!

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TR11BLU added 09:06 - Mar 16 @raymondvicblue Best post on here, 100% agree. We always need a scapegoat and Tommy seems to be that man.
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pennblue added 09:07 - Mar 16 We are not closing down from the top of the pitch any more.
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Surco72 added 09:24 - Mar 16 MM you stated you were happy with your squad in January and didn't need to add/ change as you couldn't find better , so you obviously couldn't see the tiredness in young players and dip of form that a number of us were predicting as we had been getting away with it before Christmas not since we have been losing ? To say now we are stuck with what we have after getting in three strikers and a midfielder since January and no defenders is insulting to the supporters as the issue has not been scoring goals it has been creativity and conceding poor goals or players looking uncomfortable out of position . I agree with MM that a number on here were telling "the moaners " that we had the best defence in the league when some dared to question it or team selection and now all seem to think the defence and Smith are poor ? Smith is not poor he has lost confidence after some high profile errors like he did at Peterboro a few seasons back and should have been dropped as he was earlier in the season , to say you have no options is ridiculous MM as Parr has not been playing until recently and suddenly he is a valued midfielder because he has added some assists and a goal to a midfield that we have been saying lacked this the whole season ? And MM you should hold the back four responsible for most of the recent goals as it has been individual errors or very poor marking that has cost us and for such a defensive line up that you put out week in week out with no width and work hard midfielders protecting the back four and defenders playing in midfiedldit is shocking that we let so many goals in .

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britrim added 09:28 - Mar 16 Lets face the truth, over achieved from an honest bunch, we would still be in our normal 13th to 17th position if it wasn't for Murphs goals. Coupled with the loss of Didz which nullifies Bish's effectiveness, the loss of Luke Hyamwhich loses the thrust the team has become too predictable. Tommy needs an arm round shoulder and given a break from the intense pressure and return for play-offs. Also one or two top loan additions as ME promised last week to gel and the 3 play-off matches would see a revitalised Town with pre Christmas form and isn't it the best way to win promotion anyway COYB ITID

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brittaniaman added 09:57 - Mar 16 Neil Lennon is no Fool MM. He knows our weaknesses and he has probably picked his team before he steps foot on Suffolk soil ??? So MM. now is the time to Fool him change the team round a bit, and Tactics,, for once play an out and out winger, you have three to choose from !!!! We may be wrong but it is worth a try ?????
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Steve70 added 09:59 - Mar 16 Playing a CH at Full back as not helped !! Get Chambo back in the middle. Drop Tommy lets have all players fighting for their places.
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Balders added 10:03 - Mar 16 no defenders?? how about..... Gherks Chambers Berra Smith Parr Skuse Mings Bishop / Bru Sears Murphy Mings and Parr are both athletes and are able to track back. Just a thought!
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warktheline added 10:10 - Mar 16 @bluefeast, harsh,that post towards Len Brennan ! Guess your entitled to your opinion, but aiming at individuals is wrong.
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essexbluey added 10:39 - Mar 16 Life takes its toll on me but i still have to get up at 4pm 5 days a week and work a 10 hour day. Anyway hope we can win tomw night i will be driveing up from southend to get behind the team. No amount of debate will change micks ways. COYB.
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Lightningboy added 10:41 - Mar 16 Mick does talk a load of cobblers at times. Remember Henshall getting absolutely slated by Mick at the beginning of the season for costing us a goal (can't remember which game,possibly cup)...we've barely seen him since,yet the likes of Smith (who I like but has been very poor) get away with mistake after mistake. He blatantly has his favourites (Tabb) which has pretty much cost us over the last 10 weeks..can't understand why Parr was dropped in the first place at RB when we were having our best run and playing easily our best football at the end of 2014. Hewitt and Taylor should've been utilised more if Mick thought that certain players needed a rest.

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BackTheBlues added 10:44 - Mar 16 Len_Brennan - The Most sense I've heard in a long time. Agree that the back four needs a change - but I tell you that Mings needs a rocket up his arse, because if he doesn't want to be here or isn't interested in working hard I'd rather Tommy at left back (New Zealand play him there a fair amount). Now we really need a win tomorrow and see how others get on!
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granadablue added 10:50 - Mar 16 The way I see it, the problem is that Mick seems to think we're all pissed off because suddenly we've started losing. He doesn't seem to understand that it's not the losing that has pissed us off, it's the fact that no change is ever put in place to try and put an end to it. Whether that be a change of personnel, a change of tectics, or both makes no difference. I think we, as fans, would be less annoyed if he changed things around for Tuesday (even if Bolton end up putting 4 past us), than if he stuck with the same old team and we lost by 1.

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