Town boss Mick McCarthy was frustrated that his side let Wolves off the hook twice believing their performance was worthy of a victory rather than a 2-2 draw.

“It was an exciting game and it must have been great for any neutrals, but my assessment is that we should have won it,” McCarthy said.

“My assessment is that we’ve let them off the hook twice, getting in front twice and letting them back in the game twice.

“I thought we played very well today, I thought it was a really good performance and that’s what makes it even more frustrating that I’m sat here with a point instead of three."

He added: “I always take positives but I’m just sat here now, less than an hour after we’ve finished, and I’m not one who is going to come in here looking for positives all the time. I will when I get back in on Monday.

“I was asked what I think [about the game] so I’m giving you what I think. I know there were loads of positives, I thought we played really, really well today, some real attacking threats. But I’ve got a point when I think I should have had three.”

The Blues boss was disappointed with both Wolves goals: “I’m unhappy we conceded two goals.

“Certainly when the first one went in [we were comfortable], we had the ball at the edge of their box and it ended up as a corner kick and we didn’t defend the corner kick and it ended up as a goal. That’s not right."

The Town boss says his side lacked ruthlessness defensively, having taken two chances at the other end of the field.

“Scoring’s the hardest thing to do but we scored two of them so we’ve been pretty ruthless with that, I think,” he continued.

“But not ruthless enough in our box, which was something I said at half-time. We shouldn’t have conceded the second goal.

“I’m not going to elaborate on it, we shouldn’t have conceded the goals, that’s my view. My view when I discuss it with people on Monday is a different ball game.”

Regarding Benik Afobe’s 75th minute equaliser, he added: “If we’d scored it I’d be waxing lyrical about it because they’ve stuck it in the channel, good play by him, his movement in the box is good and it’s a really good finish.

“They will be saying how good it was, Kenny [Jackett] will be waxing lyrical about it, it’s got them a point. I’m quite the opposite because I think we should never have got to that position.”

McCarthy was pleased with his team’s first-half display in particular: “I thought we were excellent, I thought we played really well, some really attacking threats.

“You’re never going to play well for 90 minutes, I haven’t seen anybody do that yet, I’ve not seen Barcelona do that - where they have all the game and they just dominate and somebody doesn’t have chances. That’s always going to be the case.

“But I thought we played really well, I’m really pleased with the performance, disappointed with the result and disappointed with the goals we’ve conceded.”

McCarthy was pleased with the way his strikers linked up, although felt Brett Pitman was aiming to score himself when he put the ball over for Daryl Murphy’s goal: “He was probably going for goal, but if you shoot across goal you want somebody sliding in.

“Iorfa their full-back’s as quick as anything but if you let somebody get up the wrong side of you it’s going to cost you. So they’ll be bemoaning the goals we’ve scored as well.”

He added: “I think the performance has been good. I can’t elaborate any more. It was a good performance, it’s just a poor result from a good display.”

Wolves manager Kenny Jackett was happier with the draw, although was also frustrated by the goals his team conceded: “We’re pleased to have come from behind twice. It’s a tough place to come Ipswich and we’re not disappointed with a point.

“Having said that, the goals against for us were disappointing because we felt we limited a very strong Ipswich side to not many chances.

“But the quality and the character that we showed to come back twice was good and I thought when we went to two up front with Adam Le Fondre coming on it looked a very open game and we looked as likely to win it and had opportunities and chances on the break, while I don’t think necessarily we did enough overall to win the game.”

Photo: Action Images

Portman51 added 12:39 - Nov 22 Arnie M In old money, round pegs in round holes.... 2 Parr or Emmanuel 5 Chambers or Malarcyk 6 Berra or Smith 3 Knudsen or Kenlock That's 16 different options, none of which is likely to be any more accident prone than the current line-up, especially if Bart was in goal. And that's without the guys out on loan.
2

topguy added 14:18 - Nov 22 Lets be honest as attacks go we are getting better with a lot more different goalscorers not just relying on DM, but come on last season we conceded to many and drew and lost games we should have won, only being saved in the end by a collapse of derby and winning some games like Watford and boro we prob should not have won, at the back we have an issue to many times we are throwing away pts eg Brentford, Forest, Wolves all games that were won just with some defensive savy we would have won, at the moment believe it or not even Bolton in 24th has a better goals against than we have we are about joint 6th worse in the league after the wolves game, this is not good enough everyone knows that you build a winning formation on a solid bk4 and gk if they cant score then in every game the worst you will get is 1pt but if you are guaranteed to conceded then you know you have to score which puts us under more pressure and if you cannot hold a lead not just once but twice then there are deep seated issues which prob surround players at the back and gk feel untouchable no matter the result this is not an MM out post but an observation we wanted a RB and spent too much time trying to get the scot lad and would pay their value so we paniced and ended up with a usual panic buy someone well we haven't seen him so I don't want to say he aint good enough but we are kept being told hes not up to scratch id have rather spent 500k to 1 million for a Nathan byrne who we know would be up to scratch, we at this moment to push on need maybe players we need players we know can play and push for 1st team, looks good on a balance sheet but unless some investment in defence a RB and GK and maybe another CH it going to be midtable at best.

2

topguy added 14:23 - Nov 22 Look at Brighton, Derby, Boro, Burnley, All things they have in common a strong gk and a balanced back 4 even if they had to spend money to get it.
4

ChrisFelix added 16:34 - Nov 22 There is nothing wrong with the back 4. The problem is clearly the keeper, it's so obvious by the 2 goals conceded yesterday
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therein61 added 18:31 - Nov 22 Sorry Chris while I agree with the keeper comment the whole set up of the back four is wrong, Chambers is like a cart horse and should not be at right back, both central defenders are left footers and Tommy is the fall guy(remember how he played on the left at Carrow Road after Berra was sent off!??) who has to struggle out of position as Berra will not be left out if fit! and then left back Knudsen will come good but under the current formation the poor bugger doesn't get any cover, the whole back 5 is a favoured pick cock up.

7

warktheline added 20:08 - Nov 22 @chrishants, there's nothing wrong with back 4!!!!! Have you been drinking with McCarthy in his local?
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Cloddyseedbed added 21:37 - Nov 22 Topguy, full stops are so you can draw breath and we can read it!
1

brittaniaman added 09:57 - Nov 23 A DECENT Goalkeeper would have cut out that cross from Le Fondre But no it reached Afobe and BANG 2pts. GONE !!!!1 McCarthy might as well loan out most of the remaining squad because he certainly do not look as though he is going to use them,, as we have one of the biggest squads in the Championship !! while his favourites are fit he will not think about trying any other player !!!! By the way it was a great game on Sat. especially for the Neutrals,, it should have been on Skye Wolves have moved forward a lot in the last couple of seasons,, especially to draw at PR.

1

rkl added 12:27 - Nov 23 If McCarthy removes the liability we have in goal, I am sure the defence will improve. When Bart was in goal, the defence looked more confident, knowing they didnt't have a clown behind them who has no clue how to command his area. To be honest, I believe any defence would struggle in front of Gerken. Goalkeeper is the most important position in the back 5.
1

flimflam added 14:05 - Nov 23 Everyone saying we played of the best football in a longtime?? From what I saw we played at the level expected in the Championship and no better so shows how poor we have been of late. Parr and Bart must play and bring back Clarke from Pompey as he is outstanding according to my Pompey supporting mate.
0

BigHibbs added 14:30 - Nov 23 I agree with all of you that the back 5 can be the problem, probably the only big problem Ipswich have. However I do think Tommy is a bit of a scape goat as until 4 weeks ago (when Berra got back to his best) Tommy was out performing him from slightly out of position. Agree with the goalkeeper comments too Bart better than gerks but neither good enough for serious battle with top sides. Stockdale Davis begovic were the last class ispwich had in goal and to be fair I think Knudsen is getting a touch too much stick. Albeit not up to scratch yet in terms of defending (great on the ball) I think a loan goalkeeper until the end of the season would even help fill the gap ! I'm still as sure as I have always been that we need to drop one of chambers smith Berra or go European and play all 3 with Knudsen and part at wing back. This would help Knudsen to defend also. Glad to see Murphy firing again COYB

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BigHibbs added 14:34 - Nov 23 *parr
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Seasider added 16:47 - Nov 23 If your not happy with the goals conceded M ick,not for the first time;then change it because if you don't Gerken will go on losing you points as he did yesterday.
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bohslegend added 16:54 - Nov 23 Doesn't take very long for the supporters to turn...
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warktheline added 19:12 - Nov 23 Bohslegend, finally surfaced with your usual wit!!! Guess you could compare episodes of the Simpsons with our defence. Get your laughing gear around that!
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blueboy1981 added 20:54 - Nov 23 ...... little things please little minds ..... probably know more about such things - than Football.
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2_Goal added 10:17 - Nov 24 Just seen the highlights. Can't believe the goals we conceded!! So many basic errors. Tommy smith bullied off the ball for the first. And gerkin should have saved that header for the second.
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