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

Crawfordsboot added 14:27 - Jan 26 Pragmatic and Surco 72 - you miss the point when you blame either the defence or the attackers. Reality is that when we have the ball all our players are attackers, when the opposition have the ball all our players are defenders. For example as well as being a great goalscorer Ian Rush was a very good defender for Liverpool. He closed down options in midfield for the opposition. Goals for -v- goals against depends very much on how a team sets up and the priority, or otherwise, given to attacking or defending. To argue that our defensive players are bad but our attackers are good is far too simplistic.

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chripswich added 14:49 - Jan 26 Digby has only been viewed as a cente half after a training session where he inadvertantly wellied a ball from his own 18yd area up to the opposing keeper. After a quick consultation over the impressiveness of the hoof, MM & TC now view him as a perect replacement centre half.
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battyblue added 15:11 - Jan 26 another of our better players being played out of position is looking to move on at the end of the season how many more will jump ship?
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Surco72 added 15:18 - Jan 26 Crawford agree that we attack as a team and defend as a team but you cannot blame the forwards for individual errors , or not coming off your line , or continually being wrong footed as it is not your natural side , or not marking at back posts from crosses ? That is not simplistic they are defensive errors which are costing us week in week out and just by saying they are brilliant doesn't make it so .The back up to the back four is so poor they all must know their is no threat to their position which is not healthy in any team . If the back up comes in and plays well they are still dropped Bart and Parr are examples of this ,Loach was a few years ago . Gerkin comes in and we concede loads with the same defence and he keeps his place ? If you think that MM does not set his team up defend as the main priority with two holding midfielders , wide men played narrowly and their first task is to defend then you have been watching a different team from me for the last few years yet we are still conceding soft goals as MM often states

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Seasider added 15:23 - Jan 26 Mikeybloo88.I have been involved in management,although not in football;but different people handle situations differently. Personally I think that the arm round the shoulder is generally better than lambasting an individual,but a roasting if required should be to the whole group. It is generally accepted that Mick is good with players.In Piotr's case seems as though he was gutted at his performance anyway so I think the manager did the right thing;but we are all entitled to our opinion.

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TimmyH added 16:07 - Jan 26 re: the back 4 I believe the defense has shipped more goals per game since Mick has been manager here this season and referring to Malarczyk he'll only get a look in if Chambers gets injured and even then MM might switch Foley to that position as he was 'different class' for him when he played for Wolves over 6 years ago.
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dirtydingusmagee added 17:20 - Jan 26 popeye, Joe Royle could turn water into wine.
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Bergholtblue added 17:29 - Jan 26 ".... but they can only get irked by it if there's somebody in front of them not playing particularly well." That'll be why Parr moved on then. "Digby .... playing on the left-hand side and he's right-footed." Well we have a player on the right when he is left footed, so nothing if not consistent. Re: The photo pf the penalty. Hyam is on the move to react should the keeper save it. Malarczyk has his hands on his hips!

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Bergholtblue added 17:52 - Jan 26 Mick said on the radio earlier in the season "stay loyal to your players and they will pay you back in the long term 10 fold". I agree with him on this. A certain Roy Keane was quick to drop players after one bad game (even saying to the press that they would never play for the club again), and this didn't work. Yes, the defence has not been as strong as previous seasons and poor defending has crept in but can't see any of fringe players being any better than the current back four. In fact what I have seen of them they are a lot worse; which is a worry. But they won't get better without match practice. The classic Catch 22 scenario.

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blueboy1981 added 18:00 - Jan 26 Had to come back for one last post, just to say that there is no point in posting unless you believe EVERTHING that McCarthy says, and stands for - much of which is absolute Bulls**t. You'll all see where this man will take us, now he has the next couple of years secured - absolutely nowhere, he'll just keep taking the money and laughing all the way to the Bank. All is not well - believe it, or not. As for the believers - oh well ...... we'll see ... !!!

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jas0999 added 18:28 - Jan 26 Some players signed on nominal fees such as Pete either progress, make the grade and have a great career or look every bit a £8 K signing. Pete is in the latter category. There are not many in the former, such as Mings. This guy hasn't improved us nor is he likely to be good enough to play in a championship promotion chasing team.
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jas0999 added 18:35 - Jan 26 Blue boy - this board is all about opinions and many of us enjoy reading yours. Now, we may not always agree, but nonetheless an opinion is an opinion and everyone has a right to post. I urge you to return.
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Dissboyitfc added 19:23 - Jan 26 Jas09999..well said and blueboy you must return, your posts are amongst the most honest on here, and although i didnt always agree with everything you posted, i always believed in your passion and honesty..
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prebbs007 added 19:40 - Jan 26 He won't get games because he is truly awful. It's why he cost 8k ....." Chambo ,Tommy, Christophe and Jonas, who have been outstanding." ... You are having an absolute giraffe ..... We have the worst 2 full backs in the league. We have 2 out and out left footers at centre back. Our defence has cost us again and again this season. Our GA column shows where our problems are. By continuing to tell us how good our back 4/5 are you now become insulting. The fans are not stupid but you treat them like they are. To say you can't get better than we have is a joke. Not one of our players is the subject of interest from any other club because not one of our players ( with the possible exception of Sears) is good enough to play at a higher level ( I don't include Didz or Bish as injured or Frazer as on loan) Mick, no one denies the magnificent achievement you have made with the team but you have to stop backing the unbackable and stop the stubbornness that some misinterpret as loyalty !!! The no fee transfer policy is hurting us and again in January we go backwards while all our rivals strengthen. The prize for finishing bottom of the premier league next season is £96 add to that the years of parachute money to follow it's worth over £150. Surely that is worth an investment of some sort ???? As for essex57 if MM was to shoot the queen you would still back him ... Pathetic just like every post you make.

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Steelmonkey added 19:51 - Jan 26 Glad to see MM is giving the lad every chance by playing him out of position, no special treatment then.
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prebbs007 added 19:53 - Jan 26 Obv £96 and £150 are in millions lol
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essex57 added 20:27 - Jan 26 Thanks for the compliment prebbs007 you're entitled to your opinion just don't forget to post it next time we win.
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wayway added 20:40 - Jan 26 Malarczyk, Coke, Toure, Digby, These players would struggle to get a place in the Vanarama National League. This is how far our once great club has fallen
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Keaneish added 21:22 - Jan 26 JohnStirk - i'm actually one of the few fans who will buck the trend and disagree with you on that point. I don;t rate Skuse that much. I know i'm massively in the minority but i think whoever where's that shirt in that position needs to be a lot more commanding and i can;t think of any game this season where we've bossed the midfield. Sure he'll get his foot in and play the ball about nicely but he needs to be a lot busier. People will always point to what he does off the ball but i watch him off the ball as much as i do on it and i think he could do a lot more. Granted he's one of our best central midfielders but i think that says a lot about our strength in depth in the centre of the park.

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Warkys_Tash added 22:19 - Jan 26 Maybe this is the real reason Oar left? http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/35408855/how-china-is-attracting-some-of-t
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blackcat added 13:22 - Jan 28 Malarzyck is rubbish! To blame for every attack,shot and goal in the first leg and again the main reason for losing the second Just shows the difference in quality between Polish football and English how he ever gets a game is beyond me
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