Town boss Mick McCarthy has confirmed that Dean Gerken will keep his place in goal at Leeds United on Tuesday, while striker Freddie Sears is a doubt with a tight hamstring.

Quizzed on whether he would switch Gerken for Bartosz Bialkowski following Friday’s 5-1 defeat at Reading, McCarthy confirmed: “Gerks will be playing. I think when you’ve conceded eight goals in two games, and I’ve said this to them, all positions are under threat.

“But I don’t believe in knee-jerk reactions because if you do that and somebody comes in and they don’t play well, you’ve not got a lot of room to manoeuvre then, have you? You’ve got to go back to Plan A.

“So, if Plan A’s all right and it’s worked for a long period of time, then keep with it. I’m not one that changes people for the sake it because each and every one of them was hurting just as much as I was, were just as embarrassed as I was about the other night.

“And it’s even worse for them, they were on the field. I’ve been there, I’ve been a player, but none of them let me down or let the club down intentionally, it was just a bad day in the office and we all have them.”

The Blues boss says Sears is the only injury concern following Friday’s game: “Freddie’s got a tight hamstring, we’ll just have to wait and see how he is. He’s the only one.

“But, of course, Teddy and Kevin Bru are playing in the U21s [at Birmingham] today, as is Tommy Oar. But all the others are fine.

“Freddie’s been exceptional, I’d be desperate to have him in the squad but what I won’t do is risk him.

“We had a bad day in the office on Friday, although I thought he was excellent again, but we’ve plenty of games left so I wouldn’t risk him at all.”

McCarthy confirmed that Daryl Murphy, a sub at the Madejski Stadium, is fit enough to start having been out with a calf injury.

Photo: Action Images

SamWhiteUK added 13:49 - Sep 14 Got to start like this then, haven't we? Gerken, Chambers, Smith, Berra, Knudsen, AMN, Skuse, Douglas, Fraser, Murphy, McGoldrick I know Chambers, Knudsen, Skuse and Douglas weren't at all good on Friday night but unfortunately it looks as if we have to wait until the weekend to see any sort of changes in those areas (looking at CM). Fullbacks, we're screwed
6

IP3 added 13:49 - Sep 14 i think we all knew this was coming, bet Chambers & Smith both start too. if that performance wasn't a reason to change the team, there never will be one.
33

HighgateBlue added 13:51 - Sep 14 I'm a big fan of MM, but this justification doesn't seem to make sense. “So, if Plan A's all right and it's worked for a long period of time, then keep with it." Gerken hasn't been Plan A for a long period of time. He was parachuted in as a replacement for Bart (for sad reasons, of course), with Bart having been given the nod at the start of the season. By and large, Bart started the season fine. So what's this nonsense about?

58

TheSelkirk added 13:51 - Sep 14 Sorry, but Plan A doesn't work and hasn't worked for a long time. Gerken in and Sears possibly out is bad news on both fronts...........
25

thebeat added 13:54 - Sep 14 I'm sorry but this is back to the bad old days of Mick playing his favourites. Bart did nothing wrong, he should have come straight back in when available. This is a ridiculous decision.
57

essexboy added 13:54 - Sep 14 I agree with MM,you cannot just rip the guts out of a team after one bad result.If,and I say if we loose at Leeds I'm sure there will be big changes Friday.Give the team a chance,it's only six games in.
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Luggworm added 13:57 - Sep 14 Mick's right, if Plan A works and works for a long time then you stick with it. Only flaw in his statement is that Bart has been Plan A for a long time and he had was forced to use Plan B. So by his logic he should go back to Plan A = Bart in goal.
31

parkinshair added 13:58 - Sep 14 Can't help but notice the downturn in fortunes coincided with the arrival of Gerken. I know you can't put all the blame at his feet but he is a less than convincing keeper. He was shocking at Colchester pre season and has done nothing to justify being picked ahead of Bart now that he is back in the squad.
23

bushbaby7 added 13:59 - Sep 14 Im sure MM has said before "Play well and youll keep your place"? correct me if im wrong. How can conceeding 8 goals in 2 games be considered as playing well? its not just Gerken its the cemtral midfield and defence that need sorting. Feel sorry for the likes of Parr, hes probably sat at home thinking "What the bloody hell do i have to do to get in this team?"
26

prebbs007 added 13:59 - Sep 14 3 points to Leeds then. Gerken is not plan A !!! Chambers is worst full back in league and Smith/Chambers combo on the rhs of our defence just spells disaster !!! Mick if you are not making changes after that JOKE performance then we may aswell not even bother....
26

prebsa added 13:59 - Sep 14 Sorry but if 8 goals in 2 games isent cause for changes like gerken being one of them then mick really is too stubborn for his own good. It will just be shown again tomorrow night that gerken is not good enough, how many goals will it take for mick to see that
19

hoppy added 14:01 - Sep 14 "...when you've conceded eight goals in two games, all positions are under threat" But seemingly not that of the keeper if he's confirmed as starting... And there was me thinking Plan A was with Bart in goal, until the untimely death of his father, but then Mick says "...and somebody comes in and they don't play well, you've not got a lot of room to manoeuvre then, have you? You've got to go back to Plan A." So why, when Plan B is clearly not working, is he not going back to Plan A of reverting to Bart in goal?

25

Elizabeth added 14:02 - Sep 14 We need strength in midfield so hopefully a change of personnel there to avoid getting over run again!! I seriously hope that this Man Utd fixture is not taking priority over the league results. Will be glad when it's done and dusted because quite honestly points are worth so much more !!
4

bluefeast added 14:03 - Sep 14 Sears tight hamstring as he was played out of position and covered according to prozone over 2000 metres more than normal. Bad management has cost our best player possibly. FFS play round holes in round holes.
18

mroberts added 14:04 - Sep 14 Thats a ridiculous decision to make. He concedes 8 goals in two games and keeps his place. Good to see we have strength n depth lol
8

mroberts added 14:06 - Sep 14 We have not addressed the right back position and we have not addressed a play maker. This could be our downfall this year
6

cats_whiskers added 14:14 - Sep 14 Gerken hesitating for Readings 4th goal was reminiscent of the soft Norwich goal at PR last year where he didn't command the box. And Chambers needs to relinquished of the captaincy, (one of the weakest captains this club has ever had) why Berra isn't given that role surprises me and certainly couldn't do any worse.
4

TR11BLU added 14:14 - Sep 14 How about Plan C Get another keeper in, ship out Gerken and Bart is able No. 2. Funny really, the only player to emege with any great credit from Friday was Freddie.......................!
11

Stato added 14:19 - Sep 14 Bart will be scratching his head wondering what he has done wrong and the defence will all be disappointed not to see the number keeper behind them. Mick has got this badly wrong.
6

casanovacrow added 14:19 - Sep 14 Nothing to do with a knee-jerk reaction, I think most people think Gerken isn't as good as Bartosz. Maybe Barts head ain't right? Seems a strange one otherwise I just hope we sort the midfield out, no more lazy AWOL defending
6

whosroundisitanyway added 14:19 - Sep 14 Bart: Played 6 Won 5 Drawn 1 Conceeded 6 Gerks: Played 2 Lost 2 Conceeded 8 Mmmmmmm?
30

SouperJim added 14:22 - Sep 14 I'd have Bart in for Gerks, Parr in for Knudson, Coke in for Douglas. Has Douglas actually contributed anything of note yet this season? I've missed a couple of games, but I've seen nothing from him yet to suggest he is worth a place in our team. Again people whinge about Chambers, but at least he's not virtually anonymous.
16

essexbluey added 14:25 - Sep 14 WTF
5

bigfatjoe87 added 14:27 - Sep 14 Its not knee jerk if he is dirt. Get rid of him.
2

rendoblue added 14:35 - Sep 14 Plan a surely was winning games as per with Bart in goal. He's lost his place due to unfortunate circumstances and been replaced with a donkey that's normally tied to his goal line. We should have had a new keeper in before the window closed. Bart has done nothing wrong and now we are leaking goals. Please revert back and get some more legs in that midfield ASAP. Sears would be a massive loss but look forward to murph being back in.

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