Boss Mick McCarthy says he’s “bitterly disappointed” with Town’s recent results but not with his side's performances, believing that the Blues played well at Middlesbrough for the most part despite the game ending 4-1 to the Teessiders.

Town have dropped to seventh in the Championship having taken only 14 points from their 13 games since the turn of the year, having been second in mid-January.

“I’m bitterly disappointed with the results we’ve had,” he said. “I’m not saying performances because - and it sounds bonkers when you lose 4-1 - we played well on Saturday. The stats will back it up that we played well but the one stat that counts is the goals.

“When we came off after the first half I’ve said to them at half-time ‘How we’re losing that is beyond me’. I thought it was a terrific performance.

“And the same against Brentford as well. We didn’t score. Leeds, we gave goals away and missed a penalty in the last minutes. It’s cost us and things are just conspiring against us at the moment.

“Even at one-all on Saturday we hit the post and it went back into the keeper’s hands. And then they get a second which goes through three pairs of legs, which just seems to be the way that it’s going. We have to turn that bit of bad luck around in our favour on Tuesday.

“I’m not somebody who looks through rose-coloured spectacles or is looking for silver linings. But the truth of the matter is that we did play well on Saturday but we conceded bad goals. I’ll take our first half performance against Bolton.”

He says his Brentford opposite number Mark Warburton will be being asked similar questions after the Bees - one point and one place ahead of the Blues in the final play-off place - lost 2-1 at home to Cardiff on Saturday, the Welshmen having ended the match with nine men.

“I’m sat here discussing it and I wonder what they’re saying at Brentford. Cardiff were down to nine men and they still won at Brentford. How bonkers is that for a result?

“And it’s still a matter of how many we end up with. It was never going to be easy for us at Middlesbrough. It was a tough fixture. But if you give a good team goals, you’ve got no chance.”

Despite believing that the automatic promotion places are almost certainly now beyond his team, McCarthy says the Blues will still give themselves every chance if the clubs above them slip up.

“We’ll continue to try and get it but I don’t think out of nine games we can win two or three games than the rest,” he continued. “I don’t think so, but we’ll continue to try and do so because they’re all playing each other.”

He says the players still believe they can go up even if the play-offs are the most likely route: “I had a conversation with them all this morning, I had a chat to them.

“I said ‘We will all regret it until our dying days if we don’t at least get in the play-offs and be in with a chance of being promoted’.

“And they know that, they’re fully aware of it. It’s all right the manager standing in front of them and saying that, they’re all aware of that.

“I’m stating the obvious when I’m talking to them. But I just have to remind them of where we’ve been and what we can still achieve this season with the right results.

“It’s not performances, I think we’ve played well. But whatever we do we’ve got to tighten up and not give away the stupid goals that we’re giving away. It’s too easy just to blame the back four because it’s not down to them.”

He added: “It is tough getting through the play-offs, but I tell you what would be tougher still - if my season ends on May 2nd and I can go on holiday and not be bothered about it. That would be tougher still, for me.

“We’ve got nine games to be involved in a promotion lottery. I don’t think we will go up via the top two because it’s unlikely because of the points we’ve got but we’ve still got a great chance of being in the play-offs.

“And, if we do get in the play-offs, who knows because it really is a lottery for all of us.”

McCarthy admits he’s frustrated with the way the Blues have slipped out of the top six in recent weeks.

“Frustration, disappointment, sometimes I have a bit of a growl about it, but not very often at the players,” he said.

“They’ve given everything and if you leave everything on the pitch and give everything to the cause I can tolerate mistakes, but what I can’t stand is if we don’t do enough.

“But I think we have. I thought we were excellent on Saturday. Whatever anybody says, we lost 4-1, but the first-half performance and for 15 minutes of the second half until they got the third I thought we were in the game.”

He still believes the Blues will need around 76 points to ensure a place in the top six: “I’ve said 76 points. Five wins out of our remaining games I was saying before Saturday.

“And I still think that’s the same, although the way results are going it might end up with about 70 points for the play-offs and 79 for the top two and 60 before you get relegated!

“The league is just bonkers. All we can do is just try and beat Bolton. That’s where we’re at. We need to arrest the slide that we’ve been on and if we do that, then who knows.”

Photo: Action Images

Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 06:42 - Mar 17 Mick, we haven't played THAT well; otherwise, we'd be winning games and not losing 4-1. On the other hand, I appreciate that there's no point in spreading doom and gloom: heads down, keep going, and let's see where we end up. COYB!
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Len_Brennan added 07:22 - Mar 17 If we make the playoffs & were to get Middlesbrough in the semis (I.e. us 6th & them 3rd) I'd still quite fancy us to get through. Mick is right about the performance on Saturday. Despite all our frustration & annoyance over recent weeks we are still capable of beating the sides around us if (big if I accept) we stop giving away soft goals. in a one off game in the final anything could happen, so let's get our act together & secure that last play off spot.

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RegencyBlue added 07:35 - Mar 17 Some performances have been OK whilst others have been dreadful frankly. The point is for the whole of 2015 we have been generally poor. The problems in defence are pretty obvious but nothing has been done to rectify them and we have been sussed out tactically by the opposition and have no plan B. Add to that the failure to bring in any quality in January. MM hasnt been backed properly by Evans, which is the major problem, but MM has also not reacted quick enough, or even at all, to obvious problems on the pitch.

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Blue_Again added 07:50 - Mar 17 Results don't lie over a period of 3 months simple as. We must have the worst midfield in the league. Shaky goalkeepers, shaky defence. Poorly supplies attack. Like I said results don't lie.
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battyblue added 07:52 - Mar 17 Most of the performances have been very poor you cant play well and loose all the time mick you need to score more goals than the opposition or keep them out of our net that has not been happening since January and still you are to stubborn to change it, and while we are having a rant you don't set up and play to players strengths which put them under pressure from the off,you persist to play players out of position when clearly that's not working and you continue to select players who are not playing well week in week out it will soon be to late then what?

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peterleeblue added 08:41 - Mar 17 To a certain extent he is right I feel we played well at Norwich, Leeds and Middlesbrough. What we have lacked at the key times is that bit of quality to tip the balance our way. We are relying on fine margins and luck which are not falling at the moment. With regards the defence it is like we now need an injury to force MM's hand and get Chambers out of Right back. This will balance the play over both flanks and not soley rely on getting the ball left and expecting Mings to deliver week in week out.

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GerkensBeard added 08:55 - Mar 17 I almost agree with everything that MM has said in this interview. If we stop looking at results for one second everyone who has been to the games lately will admit there has been a vast improvement in the last 2 performances of Brentford and Boro. Quite simply it's just not falling for us at the minute a couple of players performances have made the whole team suffer of late. We have been giving silly goals away which is something that needed addressing ages ago but when looking at the overall play everyone should agree that we were the better side in the last 2. Results are the only thing that matter at the end of the day in this current position and with the way we've been playing lately I have no fear that we will win convincingly tonight.

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britrim added 08:59 - Mar 17 Our last top notch attacking performances were in December ie Charlton, Brentford, our last top defensive performance was 1st match January ie cup tie at Southampton. In 14 matches since 5 have been very poor creating chances Derby(h) Saints(h) Wigan(h) and Rotherham(a) Norwich(a),,,, 4 average performances Birmingham(h) Sheffw(h)Reading(h) Millwall(a) but 3 of those were wins,,,, and 5 good to excellent performances Fulham(a)Brighton(a)Leeds(a)Middlesbrough(a)Brentford(h) but only one win down to some horrendous individual mistakes both defensive and glaring opportunities missed, lack of variety at several setpieces and a giving away of cheap corners , freekicks. Lets just believe we can get it right to snatch 6th place then it becomes a 3 game season (3 draws and penalties could be enough). Cut out the silly mitakes, make most of our ample chances cos we are creating again, maybe a class loan signing eg Joniesta, a little lady luck comes our way again and the ultimate prize can still be ours!!

2

GiveusaWave added 09:01 - Mar 17 we have played badly since the Norwich game. never recovered since then.
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brittaniaman added 09:08 - Mar 17 I agree with Gerkensbeard the last paragraph, if it had been Pre-New Year !!!! But since then Optimism has faded !!! Canaries one example we were 10pts. in front then, and now we are 5pts. behind them (new manager syndrome again) or what ???
2

britrim added 09:11 - Mar 17 MM is right about the bonkers league but when it comes to the business end of season results are seen as more crucial, looking back over our season the month of October may have been the most important, we had 4 games Cardiff(a)Nottingham Forest(a), Blackburn(h) Huddersfield(h) we had the lead in every game well into 2nd half and some great performances. 12 points should and could have been the reward, but we got 3 points from 3 draws. Those extra 9 points would now given us 70 in total and we would sit top of league.

2

Kesgraveblue57 added 09:14 - Mar 17 If MM is not upset by performance with four major defensive mistakes in the last game it's OK then his comments are just comical. Top half of the league is fine by me with the has-been players we have and a manager who understands the word performance.
1

MattinLondon added 10:14 - Mar 17 Maybe MM is too blinded by his loyality to certain players to see that a change was required in both tactics and style in January.
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TimmyH added 10:58 - Mar 17 Well we haven't been outplayed by anyone certainly not in relation to stats/possession/territory etc. but the problem is too many defensive errors that keep popping up - so shouldn't this be addressed? why keep playing the same back line!?! Stop defending yourself Mick!
1

TR11BLU added 10:58 - Mar 17 Agree in part but it woyuld help if he used his squad rather than the same old faces who have been found out. No doubt his rotation tonight will mean Anderson, Hunt return ....Yawn
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TimmyH added 11:00 - Mar 17 ...oh we didn't play well on Saturday, 1st half arguably the better team but 2nd half a lot of possession with no quality and no end product, trying to think of a decent effort on goal that half.
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MicksZzzTactics added 11:46 - 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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bobble added 12:02 - Mar 17 of course we will go up,...stop moaning and start enjoying..
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turbothesailor added 13:14 - Mar 17 If we can get our boys to be more accurate at getting balls into the danger zone then we would win all our games i feel... recently the crossing has been awful and frustrating, not just for our strikers but for everyone... I suppose that's the fine line between winning and losing...
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bigdave_blue added 14:41 - Mar 17 We should have made much more from the amount of corners we had in the Middlesbrough game, I hope we have done more in training to improve our set pieces from corners.
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phillo added 16:26 - Mar 17 "McCarthy Bitterly Disapointed ..." ......... how does he think the rest of us feel !!!! & we can't do anything about it ...... but Mick can ......... so will you Mick ? Try something different ??? .... thought not ..... same back 4, Tabb in midfield ..... here we go again ...
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oldegold added 18:17 - Mar 17 3 Pronged attack tonight against Bolton, all out attacking football and goals goals goals........let's hope so tonight and the great Burley attack-minded squad of 2000 which went on the attack...wonderful soccer and it shows what you can do when you play skilful and enterprising stuff. Are you listening MM or will you play for a sterile draw and possibly the occasional attack but lots of hoofball ? For God's sake, man, just attack and get frigging goals and sod the catenaccio.

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