Town boss Mick McCarthy admits it'll be difficult to pick his team in the weeks to come with the likes of Ryan Fraser, Kevin Bru and Teddy Bishop returning to fitness.

Fraser is over the knee injury which sidelined him in early October and has been on the bench for the last two games, while McCarthy has said that Bishop is making progress following shin splints and hamstring problems which have prevented him from making a senior appearance so far this season.

Kevin Bru, who had missed three games with a hamstring injury, got back in action at Fulham on Tuesday when he came on as a half-time sub for Cole Skuse, who had suffered a broken nose.

“It will be," he said. "But better that than scratching my head wondering what to do. That in itself poses a problem but I’ve got good characters in the squad.

“If we’re doing well I leave it alone, generally. And they know that if they get in the team they’ve got a chance of staying in the team and that motivates them.”

Despite having had a number of players - several of them central midfielders - out during the first few months of the season, McCarthy says he’s not one to moan and feel sorry for himself.

“I don’t see the point in it,” he added. “I tend to try and affect the things I can affect and I always think it’s counterproductive if you whinge about the players who are missing because [it’s disparaging] to the ones who are coming in.

“It’s a bit like saying to your wife ‘You look nice in that dress’ and she says “What, didn’t I look nice in those trousers last night?’. You can’t win with that one! ‘Your hair looks nice today’, ‘Why, was it bad yesterday?’.

“And it’s a bit like that with players if I say ‘Oh no, there’s all these players missing and injured’. The ones that are coming in, they’re the important ones, they’re the ones who have got to play.

“You’ve got to take care of the injured lads as well. Psychologically, emotionally, you’re asking about them, you’re wanting them to come back, but the reality is that it’s the ones that are playing who are the important ones.

“I just don’t get it, whinging about injuries because there’s nothing you can do about it.”

Meanwhile, the November 30th cut-off passed without any Blues having amassed five yellow cards and therefore a one-match ban, skipper Luke Chambers subsequently picked up his fifth of the campaign at Milton Keynes.

Players now need to accumulate 10 bookings between now and the second Sunday in April to face a suspension.

McCarthy says he takes discipline seriously: “We train really competitively, players go and tackle and tackle properly.

“I certainly don’t like indiscipline, you can see that with my teams. I don’t like people screaming and shouting at referees. I can do that better than they can anyway!

“I don’t like petulance on the pitch, I don’t like people getting upset with things. Get on with it, be blokes on the pitch and do it properly and if somebody kicks you, if you get a chance, win the ball and kick him back. But that’s part of the game.

“But don’t be diving, I do like to stay within the rules but be competitive and be tough, but not going over the ball.

“But, by the way, if somebody’s clean through and he brings him down, I expect him to bring him down, make no mistake about that.

“Christophe Berra against Norwich [was a bit different], it hit him [on the hand] and he couldn’t do a lot about that. That one, you think ‘Let it go in and we’re 1-0 down and we’ve still got 11 men’, that was a reaction.

“Ryan Fraser against Sheffield Wednesday when the big fella [Lucas João] was running through, he tripped him up and got booked, he was taking one for the team.

“When it happens to us we’re all screaming and going mad but that’s professionalism, I’m afraid. That’s that nasty word professionalism. Win the game.”

Photo: Action Images

TR11BLU added 06:04 - Dec 17 Hmmmm I bet I could name your team Mick!
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Stato added 06:32 - Dec 17 Fraser needs to be back in the starting eleven asap
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DurhamTownFan added 06:53 - Dec 17 Tricky one because Fraser is one if our best attackers but as a rule you don't change a winning team which has been in good form lately. I'd bet that MM will keep it the same and then make changes after our next defeat, or during the Christmas fixtures (whichever is sooner)
3

Stato added 07:14 - Dec 17 What does everyone think is an acceptable points haul from the next 4 fixtures ? Hopefully we win the 2 home games and anything from the away fixtures will be more than welcome. I then guess Mick will use the Portsmouth game to get match minutes into Bishop, Bru McGoldrick, Fraser, Parr, Bart and Hyam ?
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hogster1970 added 07:23 - Dec 17 that is a hard one, i think for derby match we need either fraser or bru on the pitch, yes we have won games but thats against poorer oppostion then derby, our midfield was being bossed buy boro, but with either fraser or bru then we will have more bite. personally i would take of niles, he is doing good but does get knocked of the ball to easily . and we cant afford to do that against derby.

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Keaneish added 07:46 - Dec 17 Good question Bossman. I'd be happy with 7 points. I'd like 9 points but I think 7 points is a bit more realistic.
1

phillo added 08:00 - Dec 17 Current history suggests we will win the away fixtures & anything we get from the home ones will be a bonus boss man 😊
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rfretwell added 08:07 - Dec 17 Impressed with AMN at Fulham, he chased and harried had a couple of runs and shots. He played a big part in a really tough vibrant performance by Town. only 18 he has a big future ahead of him. Two things to improve - better accuracy in his shooting and to improve his ball winning when he does the dirty work.
2

jas0999 added 08:12 - Dec 17 Our midfield desperately needs goals, so Fraser and Bishop should be reinstated ASAP. Promotion candidates generally have a midfielder who will score ten plus goals a season. Appreciate it would be tough on Sears, but he is not a winger. We also need a striker on the bench and sadly Dids can't be relied on.
3

Penguinblue added 08:24 - Dec 17 Usual dross. We all know he will just pick his favourites regardless of ability or best suitability for the position.
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Bluebell added 08:27 - Dec 17 I wonder if a broken nose means Cole Skuse won't be available at the weekend or will be be wearing a mask like Murphy did last year?
1

Dalty added 08:43 - Dec 17 PenguinBlue - In spite of only having around half a million to spend in the 3 years since taking the job, Mick's turned us into a promotion contending Championship side that is greater than the sum of it's parts. While I may not agree with everything he does, I trust his opinion and judgement.
10

ArnieM added 08:48 - Dec 17 MM : Name your strongest team, to counter Derby's team. However the old saying is often true, "If it aint broked, dont mend it ". COYB's
1

GerkensBeard added 08:54 - Dec 17 Whatever players Mick picks for Saturday he has to go 4-3-3 and match derbys 3 midfielders. Skuse and Douglas alone just won't be able to keep up with them. So if that means dropping in AMN into the midfield 3 with sears pitman and Murphy the front 3 or bring Bru into a midfield 3 with Skuse and Douglas. They have the best midfield in the league and we have to counteract that, and generally when we play 4-3-3 we play well with it.

3

SouperJim added 09:30 - Dec 17 For far too many years prior to Mick coming in we were "nice little Ipswich". I would never advocate us becoming a dirty team, but the nature of the game is you have to know when to take a booking, how and when to influence the officials and how to get decisions. This Town side does those things, without going over the top and while still maintaining a good disciplinary record. Long may it continue.

4

jert16 added 09:34 - Dec 17 Love Mick. So refreshing and so proud that he's our manager.
5

commuterblue added 09:43 - Dec 17 4 difficult fixtures. Frankly 6 points would be OK although obviously would love more. Given we seem to be putting away the lower opposition well at the moment, a point and a half from three teams above us and a loaded QPR wouldn't be too bad
1

ArnieM added 10:17 - Dec 17 I can see AMN being dropped for Fraser, and Bru coming into midfield, possibly in place of Skuse.
1

Lathers added 10:21 - Dec 17 Not sure Sears did enough at Fulham to merit a start on Saturday!!!!! I can't see MM changing anything. Nice though to have Fraser and Bru available on the bench should we need to change things up though. We've seriously been missing options off the bench for months. Very interesting month ahead for us - if we can take 7 out of 12 points I think that would be excellent and keep us in the hunt. 12 out of 12 and we will be right up there!! COYB

2

blueherts added 11:23 - Dec 17 Ha !! Lying in play off spot , just gone gone on great run and still you get negative comments ! All about opinions , I suppose , but it does make you wonder what some people actually want - I mean winning games is the objective - I assume - Fraser is class and will come back , he would have made a difference against Boro and will do vs Derby - if fit COYB - Keep it going over Xmas

0

TimmyH added 11:27 - Dec 17 Fraser for AMN and the sooner we can get Bish getting some game time the better - but can't see Douglas being benched any time soon. 5 points over the next tough 4 games I feel is realistic - Derby (draw) QPR (win) Brighton (draw) Burnley (lose) - always lose at Turf Moor (watch me not prdict 1 of those correctly) - but wish for more and certainly should be aiming for more!

1

bingboast added 11:40 - Dec 17 Yes, predictable, usual dross - thats from penguinblue.
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StowTractorBoy added 12:24 - Dec 17 I think the only change may be Fraser for Maitland Niles but the latter has undoubtedly improved over the season and MM has obviously worked on the defensive side of his game. MM will have to weigh up whether Fraser will be a better option coming off the bench than starting. Coming on later in the game could have a greater impact. If Skuse is fit enough to play no way will he be left out as he is pivotal for us in the middle of the park and no way will Sears be left out and nor should he be. Knowing MM it will be the same team as at Fulham and you can't really argue with that in my opinion. With matches coming up thick and fast including the cup game, fringe players will get the opportunity to impress I am sure. I will take 6 points from the next 4 games but even that may be a tough ask.

1

Bleu added 13:04 - Dec 17 Really!! tricky one this Gerken,Chambers,Smith,Berra,Knudsen,Skuse,Douglas,Niles,Sears,Murphy,Pitman..prediction mind numbing boring match 1-1 draw or 3-0 to Derby
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SheptonMalletBlue added 14:28 - Dec 17 Sad to say, but Penguinblue is right!!!
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