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

Stewart27 added 15:05 - Mar 16 It was dropping Smith and employing the 4-3-3 that built the momentum to go on the run that propelled us up to the dizzy heights of 2nd in the first place. Tommy then came back into the side raring to go and it was, at the time, a genius move. He should have dropped Smith after the Derby game, where we could all (apart from Mick) see this unfolding. Since then, Smith has looked a shadow of his former self and in doing so has affected Chambers' game as well. Chambers said himself that he prefers playing centre half when we were flying. He has also been abysmal of late. As for lack of players at his disposal, I'm afraid that is down to Mick again. We were staring at a transfer window second in the league and we brought in Varney and Chaplow. I feel that we have completely missed the boat on promotion. I hope to be proved wrong and guess we can whole heartedly challenge for just a play off spot now, but momentum is not on our side and playing this same lop sided formation isn't going to improve things.

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TR11BLU added 15:23 - Mar 16 Bloody hell, its a hard life being a footballer.......
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FalklandBlues added 17:04 - Mar 16 I know this subject is a bit out of context and I am sure someone will check my calculations but without a certain Irishmans key goal contributions we would in 15th place on 46 points with a -9 goal difference. I have only counted his goals where they have won us point. Mid-table mediocrity again. His goals and the outstanding efforts of the defence in the first part of the season has given us all a false sense of achievement. I know Mick is coming under more pressure but really is sacking him the answer. It rarely seems to be. Everone wanted Jim out and what happened next? Hi Pete from sunny Stanley.

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TimmyH added 17:48 - Mar 16 'Parr set up the goal' - no he didn't Mick he had a shot on goal (something more of our midfielders should take note of) and the goalie fluffed it... So so many people on here singing from the same song sheet... Don't forget even Cole Skuse played RB at Bristol City, why not stick him in there and move Chambers to CD and maybe try Bru or Tabb as a holding midfielder...just try something different.

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blueboy1981 added 18:27 - Mar 16 I don't think there has ever been a more frustrating time as an ITFC Supporter - all caused by extreme and pre meditated STUBBORNNESS.
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MicksZzzTactics added 11:40 - Mar 17 No big surprises in this article really, as Mick is basically sticking to "his story" so to speak, and also continue to see little or no fault on his own stubborn/inept managerial part. One interesting quote though from Mick: "“They've given everything and if you leave everything on the pitch and give everything to the cause I can tolerate mistakes....". Very noble philosophy .... that from a sarcastic POV doesn't include the words "skill" or "creative skill" (nor "Hoof" for that matter! LOL), and therefore MIGHT have something to do with why Mick's XI comes up short more often than not in this calendar year 2015. Anyhow the whole "Give everything and it's fine" thesis reminds me of a famous commentary blooper from the 70's or early 80's where a BBC commentator, presumably unintentionally since back then it was not common or remotely condoned to speak ill of players On The Air much unlike today, said this about a 2nd-half substitute coming on - a Tabb-like workhorse type - who's skills the match-commentator apparently didn't value much: "He will be giving everything .... but he doesn't have "EVERYTHING" to give!" Now could the inferred from this quote possibly be part of your problems dear Mick? :-)

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MicksZzzTactics added 11:44 - Mar 17 Sorry my browser acted-up so I mistakenly posted this under the wrong article! Should be under the more recent "performances" article obviously.
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