Town defender Tommy Smith says the Blues need to get back to what they do best and become difficult to beat again. The 25-year-old admits that the two-week break for international games came at the right time with Town having won just once in six Championship matches.

The Blues' progress under manager Mick McCarthy has been built on a platform of solid defending but this season Town, who have dropped to 12th having been top in August, have conceded 17 times in their first 10 games with only four sides in the division having a worse goals-against column.

“It’s down to us to get back to what we do best. We’ve not had a great month so the international break has probably come at a good time,” New Zealand international Smith said in an interview for the match programme for Saturday’s home game against Huddersfield.

“It has given us the chance to have a look at what we are doing differently now to the start of the season.

“The gaffer has spoken to us individually and as a group and we have talked about the things that will get us back to winning football matches.

“It’s about hard work on the training ground and on the pitch, becoming difficult to beat again. It’s about playing in the right areas and taking risks in the right areas.

“We have got a good squad and we have the players to break down the opposition, but just lately there have been too many goals conceded that could have been prevented and we have to put that right.”

Photo: Action Images

therein61 added 18:31 - Oct 15 Well done Tommy for stating the bloody obvious!!! it makes a change for you to speak out(the skipper and crawler skuse(manager said I played well!!!???) have been strangely quiet I wonder why?? back to you Tommy whenever you put the shirt on you try you guts out(unlike some) and are in a difficult situation as you are not in a position that you are comfortable in(which is very clear to see) and the howlers that you have made(not always your fault a distinct lack of support has left you exposed at times!!??) will I feel make you the fall guy when and if the ostrich that Mick has turned into makes changes before we continue towards the bottom end of the table.

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ArnieM added 18:48 - Oct 15 Er, its not all about Smith. Have you noticed that our primary creative midfielders have been out injured for most of the season? This is IMO our centfal oroblem this season, as the bugger all centre of the team affects both service to the strikers, and goals for, as ell as piling on the pressure for the back four , and eventual goaks against. Get Bru, Skuse and Bishop back in the team, then watch the difference in attack and defence.

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blueboy1981 added 18:49 - Oct 15 ......... let's stop elevating the status of opposition prior to EVERY game (they can't all be world beaters) - and put the round pegs in the round holes, and I'm sure we will start getting somewhere. As for Tommy Smith, I think he has been more than poorly treated in continuously being expected to play on his less than best side - credit to the guy for being so patient, not creating a fuss, and doing his very best in EVERY game. Rock on Tommy.

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blueboy1981 added 18:56 - Oct 15 ........ we have a stubborn Manager who will do things his own way - WHATEVER - unfortunately the game appears to have left him way behind at present. And I'm not at all convinced he really cares - to be honest. If this continues - he has to go - absolutely no alternative.
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ArnieM added 18:58 - Oct 15 Usual BS.
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blueboy1981 added 19:02 - Oct 15 .......... no doubt Huddersfield will become another 'Barcelona' over the next 36 hours, or so .............
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blueboy1981 added 19:06 - Oct 15 ........ on second thoughts - lets look forward to a 3-0 win on Saturday ...... !!! Maybe I should have taken a bit more water with it ...... !!!
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runningout added 20:42 - Oct 15 straight forward remark from one of our defenders.. makes you wonder why we lost said ability... To be winners you must be ruthless in all areas... Blooming obvious
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TimmyH added 21:38 - Oct 15 Totally agree @seasider - I thought that was the easiest £1M bonus Mick would ever make keeping us up, as you say the players (or certainly the spine of a reasonable team) were here in the first place when he took over but unfortunately Mr Jewell and Mr Keane were both very poor managers and certainly question whether the first 11 is that much better now, it's just that MM gets more from his personnel. Fortunately Mr McCarthy aided and abetted by our owner hasn't had the money to throw around like the fore mentioned pair and has bought somewhat better. Just had a quick flick through Mr Keanes auto today in the local library - he didn't like blue, thought Ipswich was a sleepy little town, thought we hadn't achieved hardly anything before and after his reign and thought he only let us 'slip back' a bit during his management here. Says it all about him, he comes across totally arrogant (this was after just a minute or so reading).

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