Town boss Mick McCarthy says “glaring errors” or a number of smaller mistakes have been behind the Blues’ uncharacteristically disappointing recent defensive record.

Having built the Blues’ resurgence on a solid backline since he took over as manager in November 2012, McCarthy’s side have kept just two clean sheets in their last 21 games in all competitions.

They have conceded 15 goals already this season - equal with number they have scored and coincidentally their points total - with only four teams in the division having shipped more, none of them in the top half. At Reading they conceded five for the first time since McCarthy's first month in charge.

“It’s not because we’re wide open or anything like that, we carry a far greater threat going forward I think, we look a threat every time we go forward,” McCarthy said. “But unfortunately we look threatened when we’ve been defending.

“Some goals have been down to individual mistakes, glaring errors, some have been down to little 20 per cent of a mistake and then another 20 per cent and another 20 per cent and it ends up as a whole one and it ends up in the back of our net.

“And that’s not like us at all. But having done that we’re still where we are, we’re still in good shape and we’ll still be competing for those top places.”

McCarthy, who has worked on defending with his players in training this week, believes the Blues ought to have won last Saturday’s home game against Bristol City, despite having added two more to the goals against tally.

“I thought we had enough chances on Saturday, even having conceded the two goals we had enough chances to win the game and enough balls in the box,” he added.

“Were we on the move, did we get across the defender? There’s all that going on but we’ll have another good time and we might have another bad time, that’s the Championship unfortunately.”

McCarthy has remained loyal to his first-choice back four and believes continuity is important in order to develop partnerships in all areas of the field.

“You only get them with playing,” he added. “Everybody wants to play but whether it’s a full-back and a centre-back or a full-back and a winger, you can only get that through continuity and keeping playing together.

“And training together, of course, because if somebody gets injured or suspended somebody else comes in and has to pick it up.”

He admits that given the increased size of the squad in all areas he has a balancing act to keep everyone happy, particularly now the Blues are out of the Capital One Cup.

“Would you expect that any of our four strikers who are not playing would be happy?” he continued.

“I don’t want them to be happy at not playing but there’s a certain part of being happy at coming into training and being in here and the atmosphere that there is and being ready to play if they get that opportunity.

“Is Bart happy about being not in the nets? No he’s not, absolutely not. I guess if Teddy Bishop’s fit, Kevin Bru’s fit now, they’ll want to play. Tommy Oar I thought did really well at Man United and Larsen Touré’s done really well. They’ll want to play.

“They’re never going to be happy while they’re not playing but I’d like them to be content at the club and ready to go and support everybody else because there are times when you’re out of the team.

"“For instance, strikers go and play their 70 minutes, run their nuts off, get no chances at all and then the two strikers who come on get the chances, we win 3-2 and they’re the heroes.

“Well, that’s the way it works and that’s the way it’s always going to work. But they’re not going to be happy not playing, no.”

Last season’s 27-goal Championship top scorer Daryl Murphy is yet to open his account this season but McCarthy anticipates that once the Irishman hits his first more will quickly follow: “I hope so, and I’m sure he hopes so. Murph was outstanding for us.”

The Town manager is pleased he has alternative options in Freddie Sears and Brett Pitman this year and no longer has to depend on just his two Ireland frontmen, as he has had to do at times in previous seasons.

“What’s good this year is that I’m not just relying on two strikers and looking over my shoulder and going ‘I’ll leave you two on because I can’t take you off’,” he added.

“And then they get injured in February and we miss them for three months. So at least I can mix and match and all of them need to be ready when they get their opportunity.”

Photo: Action Images

wkj added 07:37 - Oct 3 I'm a great fan of Mick but it does worry me a little when he talks about wanting players ready to go if they're needed. With a Squad this size I would like to see a little more rotation for the sake of being match focused. That said he knows behind the scenes better than I do and if he succeeds in his goal to tighten the defense yet still allowing us opportunities to attack then I'll be happy as Larry

3

Keaneish added 07:37 - Oct 3 2 clean sheets in 21 games would suggest it is like us. It never used to be but it is now which means it's time for change.
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muccletonjoe added 07:43 - Oct 3 A regular back four is normally a recipe for clean sheets but at least 3 of our back 4 have been playing together for a couple of seasons, and two clean sheets in 21 should tell you something
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sereneblue added 07:54 - Oct 3 Mick,stop kidding yourself. This is exactly like use and has been for a long time. Get your team selection right. Right Back.
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brianblueboy added 08:09 - Oct 3 Lots of comments about right back, what about left back? I was pleased with Knudsens signing but more crosses have come into our box from his side than the other. He is still off the championship pace, gets beaten one on one far to often & is sometimes out of position. We are 10 games into the season now & he should have settled in?
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Dissboyitfc added 08:10 - Oct 3 square pegs round holes and we have been found out, it is that simple..coyb
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GiveusaWave added 08:37 - Oct 3 Need a proper rb. Once we have one we might be able to defend. We haven't had a decent rb since David Wright. Yes, I like Emmanuel but he's not ready to play week in/week out. As for Piotr he still has yet to get a game. Put Chambers and Smith in the centre. Bring on Berra for last 20 mins. Give someone other than Chambers a chance at rb. And that doesn't mean Skuse or Tabby.

5

Fartman added 09:05 - Oct 3 Play Parr at right back, case closed. Drop Chambers. It's that simple! One person isn't bigger than the team, even if he's the Captain. There are other leaders inside your squad, if you feel that none of them are up to it, sort it out by hireing a montivator or a mental coach. It's all about being focused when you cross the white line. We've conseeded quite a few early goals this season, that must be of a great consern, as we end up on the backfoot straight away. And by continuing this trend our self esteem will take a hit.

1

WeWereZombies added 09:21 - Oct 3 It has been great to see Fraser and Niles bringing Town back to a style of play where the wingers make opportunities in attack and both work hard on tracking back. It is an improvement most of us wanted but it still leaves gaps deep into our flanks. Unfortunately Chambers is too slow and Knudsen too new to the Championship to close up those gaps at the moment, one side should get better as experience grows but the writing is on the wall for Chambers, at right back at least. Parr must still be suspect injury wise otherwise he would be played so we are going to have to be patient for the moment.

1

jas0999 added 09:23 - Oct 3 Unfortunately we haven't improved on last year and are in fact not as good defensively. I was really hoping that we signed a keeper and right back. The problem is we are inexplicably playing Gerken who is division two at best above Bart. A backwards step. Berra is woefully out of form. Chambers remains a centre half not right back. Knudsen isn't as good as Mings or Cresswell. Decent, but not as good. Overall a receipe for disaster. The youngsters aren't ready ... Yet. Whilst Parr is injury prone and I have no idea whether the £8.5K polish guy is any good.we should have invested in quality at the back. We didn't. It has proved costly.

5

Bluetone added 09:42 - Oct 3 Quote "McCarthy has remained loyal to his first-choice back four and believes continuity is important in order to develop partnerships in all areas of the field. “You only get them with playing,” he added. “Everybody wants to play but whether it's a full-back and a centre-back or a full-back and a winger, you can only get that through continuity and keeping playing together." Or put more simply I have favourites if fit they play.

5

sidtheswan added 09:54 - Oct 3 Yes it is like us . Need to drop Smith & Chambers & definitely Gerken !
2

Fartman added 10:50 - Oct 3 Smith has been our best defender so far, so why on earth should we drop him?
3

Dissboyitfc added 11:16 - Oct 3 smith or brera, drop brera move smith over and chambers into central defense.... it is so simple but the stubborn mm wont do it. and ffs reinstate Bart ASAP.. coyb P>S if no changes are made, expect more of the same. A wise old man once told me, "only a fool does the same thing and expects different different results"
3

VulpineBlue added 12:10 - Oct 3 Who'd be a manager? Remember under Jewell and Keane when one allegedly poor performance got a player dropped and forever banished? It seems that we might have gone a bit the other way, but the real problem to me seems to be the blind, head down hoofing out of defence. This means that we do not retain posession and immediately put ourselves under pressure again. Ban the blind hoof!

2

christiand added 12:24 - Oct 3 I do like MM, but it does seem like double standards at times. There are some players in our team that he either refuses to drop regardless or performance or will give an extended run to. Where others will be dropped at the first opportunity, which allows his more favoured players to get back in. As some have already pointed out 2 clean sheets in 21 games speaks volumes.......lets keep the same back four, nothing wrong here!!!!!

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yorksblue added 12:49 - Oct 3 Cracks me up when I read Smith's been our best defender these past few games. One thing's for sure - He's a car crash waiting to happen and has been living on borrowed time for far too long. Sorry if I offend all you Smith lovers out there.
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ITFCGloryDays added 13:06 - Oct 3 Round pegs in round holes, that's...ROUND PEGS IN ROUND HOLES. And with quality with it, of players that should be playing but are not...Bart.
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ArnieM added 16:05 - Oct 3 I'd say poor defence is exactly like us. Town were guilty of gifting many don't goals last season and giving up leads easily. The defence continues to be the thorn in our side. Square pegs in to understand holes. Out of form "Big names" still in the side. Average ( at best ) goal keepers. There's not one of our back four and certainly neither GK would make any of the top 6 teams. The lack of creativity in midfield and ability to pressurize the opposition highlights just how weak our defence is as our currently inept midfield is cut through at will. Is all at PR "really" that good I'm starting to wonder??

2

BLUETEL added 08:49 - Oct 4 if we got more shots actually on target rather than blast the ball in the general direction of the goal we may score more.... ????
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