Town boss Mick McCarthy believes his squad is more advanced than it was at this point in pre-season a year ago with the youngsters now on the fringes of the first-team squad capable of providing back-up to his senior players. The Blues continue their preparations for 2015/16 this evening when they face League Two Cambridge United at the Abbey Stadium (KO 7.45pm).

Speaking after Friday’s 4-3 friendly defeat at Fortuna Düsseldorf, McCarthy said that there’s greater strength in the depth than there was at this time last year: “We’ve got Josh Yorwerth, Josh Emmanuel and Myles Kenlock playing in the back four with Kyle Hammond, who are all very inexperienced. Matt Clarke as well, while we’ve got Christophe Berra missing and Jonny Parr missing.

“They’re just going to be back-up those lads but I think they might be adequate back-up for a game or two.

“[In midfield] Adam McDonnell, Dylan Connolly, Alex Henshall, I had Cameron Stewart playing tonight, Ryan Fraser, Kundai Benyu, all very inexperienced lads, but playing with experienced players.

“I think that if I turned up here in three weeks’ time with Christophe Berra, Jonny Parr, Murph and Didz and everybody playing, then it would be a different ball game. I like the way the lads are progressing, I think we’ll have some back-up with them.”

He added: “We had a great season last season but I think we’re looking better this time than we were last, so we’ve got to do it all over again.

“I think the younger lads found it hard [at Fortuna]. The older lads, Chambo, Tommy, Tabby, Brett Pitman, all those lads [were OK].

“The younger ones, having only had one game, that was tough for them. It’s a really good mix, I think it’s a good blend between the two.”

McCarthy said on Friday that he expects Berra and David McGoldrick to be involved in this evening’s game after being given two additional weeks off having been involved in international football until mid-June, along with Daryl Murphy.

The trio returned to training last Monday and didn't travel to Ireland for the training camp at Carton House or to Germany.

The Town boss says last season’s 27-goal top scorer will be given a little longer: “He’s had injuries in pre-season before and we’ll make sure he’s ready to come back, we don’t want to get him injured.”

Cambridge's Lowestoft-born manager Richard Money expects a tougher game than the two back-to-back 60-minute friendlies his club played against Norwich last Friday, the matches ending 1-1 and 2-0 to the Canaries.

"I think it will be a bigger test than Norwich because I'd expect Ipswich are more ready to play than Norwich," he told the Cambridge News.

"The other night had a training game feel to it because of the format, but I think this will be much more of a match.

"I want the same organisation and the same determination as against Norwich, but if we can, we want to have more periods with the ball.

"We'd like some periods where we've got controlled possession and that's not easy against teams who are two or three divisions above you."

CAMBRIDGE: 650 #ITFC fans have bought advance tickets for tonight's match. Tickets are available online at http://t.co/9IN8v4PZRe until 6:30– ITFC_PlanetBlue (@ITFC_PlanetBlue) July 21, 2015

CAMBRIDGE: Tickets are available this evening on the gate with no price increase - £12 adults, £8 concessions, £4 17 & Under, U5 FOC #ITFC– ITFC_PlanetBlue (@ITFC_PlanetBlue) July 21, 2015

CAMBRIDGE: Tickets are available CASH ONLY on turnstiles or if paying on card from the CUFC ticket office at the stadium #ITFC– ITFC_PlanetBlue (@ITFC_PlanetBlue) July 21, 2015

Photo: Action Images

Seasider added 16:30 - Jul 21 The above could be why we havn't been in for him. Would be a good time to put in a bid then, as could surely get him on the cheap,and as others have said enough in midfield ftb
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Seasider added 16:45 - Jul 21 Arnie M,dont think Jonny Williams has gone to Forest or any where else
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jas0999 added 17:15 - Jul 21 It will be extremely disappointing if we don't sign additional players this Summer, particularly as Milne has gone on record to state he and Evans understand that they need to back Mick with the Mings money, which essentially remains untouched. Our signings so far, just four, could arguably have been funded with the wages saved on a whopping thirteen players who have left the club since the playoffs. We are remarkably light at the back and with £8M in the bank, I don't think it's unreasonable for the fans to expect us to spend SOME of it, ensuring we are able to do something as basic as fielding a full quota of experienced defenders. Currently, we can't do that at Brentford, who are a very attacking team. It wouldn't be fair to throw inexperienced youngsters in against them. However, I'm not at all surprised at the strategy.

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Lightningboy added 18:20 - Jul 21 Got no problem with youth players fleshing out the squad..they've got to start somewhere/sometime and i'd prefer to see us giving our own kids a chance than giving experience to some other clubs kids on loan ala Fryers last season. But if we do have some cash to spend then let's bring in a couple of decent lower league players with a few seasons experience behind them ala another couple of Cresswell types.

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