Town boss Mick McCarthy admitted that his side didn’t defend the corners from which Aden Flint scored Bristol City’s two first half goals well enough as the Blues fell to a 2-1 defeat at Ashton Gate.

“It always is [frustrating] when you lose,” McCarthy said. “We didn’t defend them well enough.

“But on the counter side of that, I have to say, anybody watching them and teaching kids how to put corner kicks in and getting a bit of movement with big fellas, they were magnificent deliveries, which I can appreciate.

“I don’t like it because we’ve conceded but credit where it’s due, they were so difficult to deal with.”

McCarthy lined his side up in a rarely used 3-5-2 system, which the Town manager said was making the best use of the players available to him, given the lengthy injury list.

“Absolutely, to try and keep two strikers up front first and foremost and not go 4-3-3, having lost Skusey, Luke Hyam and Dougie, it’s a pretty fearsome three that for us in the middle of the park,” he added.

“It just left us a little fragile in that area as much as anything. I tried just to stiffen that up while trying to keep two strikers on the pitch.

“We’ve got the players for [3-5-2]. The three centre-backs can cope with it comfortably, a left-sider and a right-sider. We do suffer at times from having a left footer on the right-hand side but Tommy deserves to play.”

Later in the half he moved his team to 4-4-2: “We’ve gone behind, it’s needs-must then. That’s not me being tactically astute or clever or anything. I thought we did better off that, actually, we handled it better.”

Loanee Ben Pringle and and recent signing Kevin Foley were handed their debuts and McCarthy was happy with their performances.

“I was pleased with Ben,” he said. “He’s not played for quite a while, December. I was pleased with his contribution.

“It was difficult to come into that game when he’s not coming into ‘my team’, he’s not just replacing one and we’ve got all the other 10 players in there. He’s coming in when it’s been decimated a little bit.

“I thought he did well and I thought Kevin Foley was excellent and even better still when he went into midfield, I thought he had a great performance then.”

Regarding Brett Pitman, who netted his 10th goal of the season, once again from the bench, McCarthy says he can understand why the ex-Bristol City man is less than keen to be known as a super-sub.

“He wants to play,” the Town boss added. “He certainly helped us when he came on. And it was a great goal, to be fair to him. He won’t like the super-sub tag, I guessed that.”

McCarthy turned down the likelihood of him returning to the loan market with Jonathan Douglas back from suspension ahead of the next game at home to Hull a week on Tuesday and Luke Hyam closing in on a return from his calf problem.

“Dougie will be fit and I’m hoping Luke Hyam will be fit this week,” he continued.

Also on the mend is keeper Dean Gerken after his shoulder injury, but the ex-Colchester man seems unlikely to go straight back into the side with Bartosz Bialkowski in excellent form in the last two games in particular.

“He was targeting the Hull game, but I’ve had a keeper who has been magnificent again,” the Blues boss added. “We’re very lucky, I’ve got two really good goalkeepers.”

The result sees the Blues drop to eighth and McCarthy says he's as frustrated as supporters by Town's recent form which has seen them win just one of their last six games in all competitions.

“Absolutely, we want to be pushing for the top six and I’m frustrated and agitated myself and we want to get back to those lofty heights, but we’re going to have to play better than we did and defend the corners better than we did.”

Bristol City boss Lee Johnson was delighted with the way his first game in charge went: “It was good. I expected it, to be honest, as far as the tempo and the speed of our attacking play.

“The lads have been great in the first week, I’ve got some principles into them and I thought we were good value for it.

“Their keeper’s made a couple of great saves, we’ve had lots of opportunities, corners and decent play.”

He added: “I was pleased, it was heart in the mouth in the last 10 minutes, but I think if you watch the DVD back we were pretty comfortable.

“There are a few things I need to integrate, certainly the defensive system and some of the recovery runs that we make. But as a general rule, I can’t be too greedy, I’m delighted for a win against a very good side.

“The front two had died a little bit for us and had allowed them to get up a head of steam a little bit.

“We made the subs at the right time just like last week and they were effective. I thought they got hold of it, they gave us a platform and Kieran and Aaron worked their socks off up there which meant they couldn’t just pile balls in our box. A lot of it was pretty good and we move on now.”

Photo: Action Images

patthegimp added 19:44 - Feb 13 Is there an underlying plan to bring on the academy players with the additions of promising young players such as Morphew. Would explain the number of younger ones out on loan to gain experience and harden up for Championship level football. Given the number of hamstring injuries even to seasoned players suggests a ferocious pace of football and players pushing themselves to/beyond the limit. Perhaps the policy of limiting expenditure but keeping the team at a competitive level in the league does suggest that we are in the process (I hope) of building a team slowly relying mainly on our own academy. I hope this is the true picture because it is the only thing that makes sense of our current policy.

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prebbs007 added 20:02 - Feb 13 “We've gone behind, it's needs-must then. That's not me being tactically astute or clever" That's probably the most truthful thing you've said Mick !!! You're clearly neither tactically astute or clever or you would not have been so stubborn all season !!! Today was the final straw. Inept players with a manager who clearly teaches them that lumping the ball forward to a donkey of a striker is the way to go. This club is so much better than that. Anyone who wants my season ticket is welcome to it I have run out of belief. I will be back when you're gone !!!!!

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airliner added 20:04 - Feb 13 We can all see it from the stands, Qpr last week , hoof in the wind. Even Qpr kept it on the deck. Abysmal planning from me and mick in the window. You can't get a silk purse from a sows ear. Mick is not at fault , but agreeing with the less than ambitious owner is and accepting a renewed contract knowing we are just going along route one football is unacceptable.
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jas0999 added 20:10 - Feb 13 Havinit69 - ill post how I see fit thank you. This site is a forum and is about opinions. ME bought the debt for an absolute fraction of its worth. It's used as spin when the club wish to justify lack of signings. We can't go on like this. Backward steps. I'll continue to post the same in the remote hope that someone from Evans empire is reading. I wouldn't mind the lack of investment if prices reflected the rubbish on the pitch. It doesn't. If you don't like my post, please skip it and read another.

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TimmyH added 20:30 - Feb 13 ...I think you'll find we were umpteen million in debt when ME decided to have some ambition in Keane and Jewell, 2 managers who threw money away hand over fist on useless players, whose decision was that? yes Marcus Evans. It should be interesting to see how much debt has increased over the last year or so...
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Kesgraveblue57 added 20:35 - Feb 13 The unfortunate thing is we have to keep accepting that we are a very ordinary team in the championship, and do you know there's nothing we can do about it. McCarthy is here to stay along with his style of football, as fans we all know the problem is lack of quality throughout the team they will keep taking your money and doing nothing with it, in any other form of life that is extortion. I am very fortunate man I have seen some wonderful teams in the blue-and-white of Ipswich Town, it's very sad to see what we got in the way of a team now

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havinit69 added 20:37 - Feb 13 Jas0999 I just don't see why you say the same thing over and over, maybe you are just obsessed in getting 'up votes' I can't ever recall ever reading anything remotely positive from you, it's almost like you can't wait for us to lose so you can come and get some more positive votes on your posts. We are all frustrated by the same things as you. Style of play, lack of investment, ticket prices and everything else you've mentioned a thousand times. Instead of constantly moaning, tell us how you think that we can change all of the above? You'd not be happy if we had Mourinho as boss! Go support Man City or something.

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westernblue added 20:48 - Feb 13 Just back from the game (sadly a long way from home, at present in s-w wales). I cannot understand mccarthy's comments. Foley was truly abysmal, never happier than when passing in a triangle, or worse a foursome - with no one, yes no one, moving off the ball. He makes Giles Coke look like Arnold Muhren. Pringle did ok, and tried to play football (poor soul), but he's not a robust central midfielder. The strikers never, yes never, received a ball at pace so they could play off the shoulder of very tall (surely not that agile?) central defenders. Our full backs - words fail me. Chambers was often shouting across to his left - in the stand we thought that he was cross because he was pointlessly hoofing it further up the right channel than it was being hoofed up the left. Mccarthy's team shows no wit, no imagination, and no movement. Most of us who were there were embarrassed. My medicine is ready, and I am off to bed, for a sleepless night.

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Kesgraveblue57 added 20:54 - Feb 13 Havinit69 Jas0999 has an option and I go along with most he says, in my case I have the moan I have the right to feel sick after a result and will I continue to so its my right
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atty added 21:18 - Feb 13 No investment no progress. Evans must know this. So he has lost interest but can't sell because who would take on the liabilities? So where the f--k do we go from here?
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MicksZzzTactics added 21:51 - Feb 13 All hail the football fossil also known as Dinosaur Mick "I DON'T GIVE A FLYING F***" [About neither 1) MY Hoof Town playing hedgehoglike negative football which might often include the dreaded 'Parking the Bus .... and simply hope Madame Fortuna smiles our way up front' style, resulting in MY 'fearsome' hardgrinders sporting the lowest passing-% and dribbles- per-game etc etc etc stats, 2) Nor entertaining .... especially the paying customers -- although without them MY own monthly paycheck wouldn't probably be half as nice -- and disregarding the occasional fairly often sheer fortunate maximum point haul from any given game, give them anything remotely resembling a value-for-money football experience 3) and alas nor basically just YOU, yes YOU the longtime Ipswich fan in general ... and ANY constructive input or criticism you may have!] McCarthy. Please just leave Mick ... and remember to take your faithful (and likewise prehistoric!) hoof-ball advocating sidekick TC with you!, cause I, a loyal and used-to-be big spending fan for around 40 years now, would personally rather endure successive root-canal jobs .... done with a cement-drill ..... and no anesthetics!!!, than continue to endure you, your "football", your tactical ineptitude and mind-boggling unwavering 'square-pegs-in-round-holes' starting lineups as well as your overboard Irish arrogance, stubbornness and very broad disrespect, not to mention your PR related and especially Mensa-worthy postgame analysis bulllllocks!!! So again, just leave .... PleaZzze!!! As for the game itself, well a tenacious Bristol City THOROUGHLY deserved the win today! Hands down! Energetically outplayed and particularly outpassed us (with often surprising ease!) for several periods of the game, and if wasn't for the once again superb Bila -- please remind me again why exactly Gerk was the no. 1 keeper for soooo long??? Ohhh nevermind I know! :-) -- they could have scored at least a couple more. Still , and far from the first time, I can find little mentioning of this i.e. us being clearly 2nd best ... and getting exactly what we/our manager deserved (zero points) in Dinosaur Mick's super "objective" recap?! lol

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BrettenhamBlue added 22:17 - Feb 13 Sorry but we completely deserved to lose Mick. Bart made 5 incredible saves as far as I remember, and our midfield was obsolete. Foley and Pringle had reasonable debuts; in no way were they excellent. There seems to be a lot more "hoofing" in our U21's and our U18's too. Is this the future for our club? Is this now standard in our academy? Don't agree with most of what you say Mickszzztactics, but a well written post nevertheless.

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grumpyoldman added 22:19 - Feb 13 Havinitin69 you are entitled to your opinion as is Jas0999, as this is an uncensored site he can state it as often as he likes. Suggesting he goes and supports another team shows your lack of understanding of supporting clubs likes ours, once you get the bug you will not change allegiance.
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blues1 added 22:38 - Feb 13 Western blue. Were u at same game as me and my mates? We all agreed that Foley was one of the positive things to come out of the game, along with Pringle, Bialkowski and also Knudsen had a decent game. When Foley was moved to the holding midfield role he was excellent. Could just as easily been Skuse playing there. Was he exciting or dynamic? No, but that's not what that role is all about. It's about getting the ball, keeping it simple, which is exactly what he did. As for the overall performance of the team? Abysmal. The fault for that is entirely down to one man, McCarthy, who simply can't get his tactics right. They had 2 6'5 centre backs and we play hoofball? Time for him to go. We'll go no further while he's here. For those who still continue to blame Evans every time we lose. Rubbish. He asked McCarthy whatvhe wantedxin Jan and McCarthy said nothing. He's happy with what he's got. The fact is he's too stubbornl, and while I'm grateful for him getting us out of the mess we were in he won't get us ne further. And I'm fed up of watching such crap football. I'd rather we won 1, lost1 but played good football than the garbage being served up right now

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MicksZzzTactics added 22:47 - Feb 13 Mucho Gracias PJewellIas*** :-) .... and ditto to you i.e. well written posts and also game recaps as per the norm. And btw this is exactly how a good football chat "SHOULD BE"imho , meaning we can agree to ehhh 'agree', or we can agree to ehhh 'disagree' while still being able commend one another in the case of the latter ..... but very importantly: Always do your outmost to keep it In a fairly good (or at least clearly sarcastic and non-personal) spirit and civilized and fairly respectful manner wordwise (alas thus NOT in the Essex57 as well as several of the grandiose Head-Inquisitors in the Forum almost 'sabotaging and downvoting-by- default or just for-the-'kick'-of-it any and all remote anti-MM inputs, way!!!) Also thumbs up too btw to your fine Sherlock-like 'shrewd observations' regarding our U21's and U18's recent alarming change of/affinity for hmmmm "style" i.e. hooooooooofing. Totally agree.

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GiveusaWave added 23:04 - Feb 13 Yes, the football is horrendous. Yes it's about as entertaining as cutting grass with your teeth. Yes, we get much more entertainment from the opposition than our own players. Maybe my expectations are just lower than everyone elses. Foley was a really positive addition to the midfield and I'd rather see him there than "I should be in League 2 at best" Coke. Pringles played ok. Somehow we are still only 3 points off a play-off place (due to Derby being in free fall). Perhaps I remember too many days of struggling desperately against relegation. Certainly these are better times than then. I've never seen hoofball like this even in the Wimbledon days but we are not going to get relegated this season. Norwich could go down. There have been much worse days at this club. There are obvious questions. Why the lack of investment in players since MM has been in charge? Why does Bart not play every game? Why is Chambers at rb? Why do we have no creativity? Why does Knudsen always throw balls to the opposition? How is Coke still playing professional football? But there have been much much darker days. If we were 4th from bottom right now I would be seriously worried.

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Kikapu added 23:50 - Feb 13 guentchev Now that's a good post. So much better than the broken record of jas0999.
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tazdac added 00:25 - Feb 14 About this squad you couldn't find improvement on in the January transfer window? I think you better look again!
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GunnsAirkick added 07:18 - Feb 14 We're all frustrated and Mick is by no means perfect. That said the way some of you go on is quite frankly disgraceful. F**k off an and support Arsenal you bet wetting w@nkers. Sod right off!
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atty added 08:47 - Feb 14 Please someone tell me how Evans has stabilised the Club. OK he bought the debt - is that right? If so we were no longer at risk to third parties, but he now holds the debt doesn't he? He didn't clear the debt did he? The Club, 87 percent owned by Evans, is now in debt to Evans, who ( in whatever guise) is being paid the interest - correct? This must be a strain on the finances. The debt seems to increasing every year. I see figures of 60million or even 80illion quoted. Wasn't it 30 million when Evans came in? Apologies in advance if in advance if I gave got any of this wrong but I have never seen or heard a full and frank explanation of the position. So, with no help from Evans we would have gone into administration, again, points deduction, and probably relegation, and cleared the debt under a scheme agreed with the administrator/debtors, or gone bankrupt and re-formed AKA Rangers. Would that mean that we would probably be back where we are now(Championship) but be debt free, and a much more attractive proposition to potential buyers. OK we might be a League 1 or League 2 team, but we might be playing some decent footy!

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Keaneish added 08:59 - Feb 14 Love this line, "That's not me being tactically astute or clever or anything." We know. I said on here you'd do that at 2.30pm!! And no, you didn't use a 3-5-2 system because it's what you had available, that's nonsense because you switched to a 4-4-2!! You did it because you have no imagination and limited tactical nouse so you went like for like and then try to pull the wool over supporters eyes again pointing to injuries as the factor... It's getting a bit desperate.

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havinit69 added 09:02 - Feb 14 Atty, so you would be happy playing decent football in league 2 with no guarentees of promotion? Ala Portsmouth?
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karls_dad added 09:09 - Feb 14 I have been saying all of the above and got knocked down for doing so, we basicly are not very good, a mid table club, that punched aboved its weight last season and this, a fish of around tenth will be ggod for who we are, sadly lost the faith!
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atty added 09:20 - Feb 14 havinit69 - yes l would be happier being in League 2 playing decent football but being debt free ( that was the point), so much more potential for progress frankly. What guarantees of promotion do we have now? We will be continually in debt with no possibility of clearing it, and if Evans calls it in then we are bankrupt aren't we? Continued non investment in players when competing against what 9 clubs on parachute payments (which getting bigger next season) and clubs with owners that are putting big money in. I don't blame Evans for not wanting to spend more as he got his fingers burnt with Keane and Jewell, but because of that can't see any improvement coming. So huge debt, no investment, unattractive football, and another 14 years in the Championship, unless we get relegated of course. It's not just the Middleborough of this world that are better resourced. Clubs like Bristol City, Brentford (and last season Bournemouth ) are too.

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SpiritOfJohn added 09:39 - Feb 14 Clutching at straws to find something positive to say... Mick has realised we have 3 centrebacks.
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