Town boss Mick McCarthy says there was nothing he could say to console centre-half Piotr Malarczyk after last week’s 2-1 FA Cup replay defeat at Portsmouth, the Pole having conceded the penalty which led to the first goal before being sent off for two bookable offences in the second half.

“I said ‘Come on Peter, let’s get on the bus and get on with it, mate’,” said McCarthy. “I remember being a player myself and there’s no consoling of that.

“But I’ve seen him this morning and he’s fine. He’s got to get on with it. There’s nothing you can really say to somebody.”

The 24-year-old joined the Blues in August from his hometown side Korona Kielce where he was the club captain and had made 131 senior appearances.

But his Town opportunities have been limited with the Portsmouth match only his third start, all of which have come in cup games, in addition to three league appearances from the bench.

McCarthy says the former Poland U19, U20 and U21 international will have found that frustrating but that he can’t have too many complaints given the form of the players in front of him.

“I think players are always frustrated at the lack of opportunities but they can only get irked by it if there’s somebody in front of them not playing particularly well,” the Blues manager said.

Malarczyk and Luke Hyam look on as former Blue Gary Roberts nets from the spot

“But if they’ve got Chambo, Tommy, Christophe and Jonas, who have been outstanding, then you’ve just got to wait your time.

“And I think it’s as plain as the nose on my face how important those four are to the team.”

McCarthy says Malarczyk will have a role to play during the remaining months of the season: “He’s one of our players like all of them.”

The other centre-half at Fratton Park was Paul Digby, who was making his second appearance for the Blues - he also started the first game against Portsmouth - having joined on loan from Barnsley until the end of the season with a view to a permanent switch.

The 20-year-old former England U19 and U20 international has played most of his football as a central midfielder but McCarthy views him as a centre-half and the Blues boss was happy enough with his performance against Pompey.

“Reasonably pleased, for a lad that’s playing on the left-hand side and he’s right-footed,” he added. “What I like about Paul Digby is that anything you ask him to do he endeavours to do it to the best of his possible ability.

“He listens and he learns and he wants to do it and I think we’ve got a chance with him, to be fair.”

Photo: Action Images

hoppy added 10:33 - Jan 26 No CIL... I think Mick was possibly just clarifying his Pole position, but some are being grand prix about it.
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caught-in-limbo added 10:44 - Jan 26 Perhaps you're right Hoppy. By the some of the comments on here it seems there's so much discontent, it looks like we're really up Sh1t Creek... without Oar too!
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hoppy added 10:50 - Jan 26 Bit unfair to bring Oar into it CIL. They were both worth a punt, but Malarczyk being a Pole might be better for a punt than Oar was.
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caught-in-limbo added 11:10 - Jan 26 Hoppy the problems are in the middle. Coke brings little fizz to a midfield which is pretty flat despite Bru's strengths. We need Luke O'Sead or Djusda Tonić to liven things up.
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essex57 added 11:26 - Jan 26 Matches the comments of the likes of you then Prebsa
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essex57 added 11:27 - Jan 26 Don't think so surco I am a realist.
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prebsa added 11:47 - Jan 26 false essex57 all you ever do is just have a go at everyone's opinions because one of them may be bad, I have had a fair share of bad and good opinions on this site and no matter what that is you would mark it down. You think everything in our team is perfect, you think Mick is perfect and you think that there is nothing ever wrong! At least myself and many others on this site actual debate good opinions good or bad. People have marked me up and down in the past which is fine, they agree with some things and disagree with others just like I do with them. You however just mark me and others down the whole time because all you think is that the players and Mick are pure prefect when the truth is that they are not perfect otherwise we would be have won every game! That dosent mean to say i expect us to win every game that is just unrealistic but by the way you post its asif we have!

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Cheshire_Blue added 11:51 - Jan 26 Jonny Parr played like he only had one leg at Hull !!
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Cheshire_Blue added 11:54 - Jan 26 Why do only the handful of knockers bother to post on here ?
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Kirbmeister added 11:58 - Jan 26 essex57 has to work overtime since his sidekick Blueboy1981 hung his boots up a couple of weeks ago.
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Penguinblue added 12:05 - Jan 26 “But if they've got Chambo, Tommy, Christophe and Jonas, who have been outstanding" by anyone's standards, even the most blinkered loyal fan, this is absolute cr@p
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mikeybloo88 added 12:05 - Jan 26 Why should he have said anything to console him? Tell him the truth, that he's crap and he needs to up his game big time or he's gone...stop faffing about Mick, and get rid of the dross
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prebsa added 12:10 - Jan 26 Penguinblue, be careful what you say don't forget as essex57 will remind you everything about our team is perfect, that's why we are first
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grumpyoldman added 12:13 - Jan 26 Using Richard Naylor as an example of somebody who was successfully switched from striker to centre half is stretching it a bit, as Naylor was only a just about adequate striker and a less than adequate centre half, hopefully Digby will follow a better example, John Wark who was a midfielder who started his Ipswich career in central defence, then midfield before returning as a centre half. Now that would be fantastic. See essex57 I do make positive comments

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NSL added 12:16 - Jan 26 If Knudsen is 'outstanding' then what does that make Mings? World Class?? The back 4 are ok but none are indispensable. We still haven't had a top center-half since De Vos. You only get to see how good the backup is by playing them. The squad players are not getting a chance purely because Mick stubbornness - not because the first 11 are 'outstanding'. He uses the superlatives to cover up his weaknesses. I can see the dressing room falling apart very soon.

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essex57 added 12:23 - Jan 26 PREBSA Wrong on all counts I post my views if someone disagrees good luck if you look at all the downmarks to all fans that have anything remotely positive to say on this site it is always the same half dozen people, on many topics I ask a simple yes or no question and immediately get down marked (by the same people)they never answer the question.I frequently agree with people on this site and post to let them know I don't see why you and your band of friends can't accept that the majority of supporters accept and appreciate what the club are trying to achieve its a long process and there will be ups and downs along the way it's better if you can accept the downs with humility then the ups are much more enjoyable. Kirkmeister you couldn't be more wrong of my 221 down arrows 25% were supplied by blue boy.

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NSL added 12:34 - Jan 26 Essex57 do you think the back 4 are outstanding? Up arrow for yes, down arrow for no.
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essex57 added 12:51 - Jan 26 NSl you can see the dressing room falling apart or you want it to fall apart?
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JohnStirk added 12:54 - Jan 26 Keanish - I would agree that nobody has been consistently outstanding this season, with one exception: Cole Skuse.
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prebsa added 13:16 - Jan 26 I accept what the club is trying to do essex57 but if you do honestly think the back 4 is outstanding like NSL has just asked then you are just so far from reality. Just be honest admit they are not outstanding. If they are outstanding why are we not first? I support the team mick picks every week but I still know just like lots of others here that the defence needs to be strengthened

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Penguinblue added 13:20 - Jan 26 That's interesting JohnStirk. Presume you mean that. I think Skuse is ok but relied upon so much because of the deficiencies of the back 4 and as MM likes to have as many at the back as possible (we don't in addition need Douglas and Hyam playing the same game). However, generally his play is negative and side-wards (in MM's mould) and I think he has become a bit complacent as one of MM's favorites.

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Fatboy added 13:22 - Jan 26 The problem for Malarczyk is that if either Berra or Smith were injured, MM would probably move Chambers into the middle and play Foley at right-back so he'd only get a game if two of Berra, Smith & Chambers were out. I agree with an earlier poster that he needs to go out on loan to get used to the English game. From what I've seen of him, he looks quite composed on the ball but is probably used to having a bit more time to pick a pass. As for Digby, some seem to be writing him off as a defender already. Let's not forget he is only 20, has just changed clubs and has been playing in midfield in the little game time he's had in recent seasons.

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bluelodgeblue added 13:34 - Jan 26 we've conceded 7 goals in 4 matches .....brilliant?????
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Beattiesballbag added 13:51 - Jan 26 " but that he can't have too many complaints given the form of the players in front of him." How many goals have we conceded this season!
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JohnStirk added 13:51 - Jan 26 Penguin - I disagree with your last 2 points but agree that we dont need Douglas and Hyam playing the same game. However there is some evidence this season that Douglas can play a more attacking role, as I assume he did at Brentford to score all those goals, and so too can Hyam, a bit. So I think Skuse has been excellent all season but we do need a Bru-but-better attacking midfielder to play alongside him.

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