Town boss Mick McCarthy admitted the Blues are “making it extremely difficult” to make the play-offs following their 0-0 home draw with Charlton. McCarthy said neither side were good enough to claim the three points.

“It was a tough game, neither of us were good enough to win it, we both had chances,” he said. “Why the hell they’re in the bottom three heaven only knows.

“[It wasn’t the worst 0-0] as a game to watch maybe, but it does neither of us any favours, us trying to get in the play-offs and them trying to get out of the bottom three.

“I go back to my first point, I don’t think either of us were good enough to win the game, because we both had chances.

“They’re a pretty tight unit at the minute, they sit back in and we weren’t good enough to break them down.

"We lost the ball, they caught us on the break, as we did to them at times and neither of us were good enough to finish it.”

The result leaves the Blues in eighth, seven points plus goal difference off sixth-placed Derby with only six games in which to close that gap.

“We’ll probably have to beat them at Derby,” the Town manager admitted. “We are at must-win, of course we are, can’t hide away from that fact.”

He added: “Try and win the next game, for us that’s all it can be. We’re making it extremely difficult to get in the play-offs.

“It’s getting harder and harder. But I’ve just said to the lads, stick together, we’ll try and get as many points as we can and we’ll see where it takes us, that’s all we can do.”

McCarthy felt the mix-up in the first half between Christophe Berra and Bartosz Bialkowski didn’t help the mood on or off the pitch just as the game was starting to settle.

“It didn’t, and it gave them encouragement. The game had started as you’d expect with one team trying to get into the play-offs and one trying to get out of the bottom three, it was a bit of a scrap for 10 minutes, it was a tough old fight.

“It started to settle down and that just made us nervy and it gave them a bit of encouragement and it doesn’t help the game in our way at all.”

More positive, David McGoldrick and Teddy Bishop both came off the bench in the second half, the latter making his first appearance of the season.

“I’m pleased to have them back on the pitch playing and at the end of the game I had Reg [Luke Varney] on, Didzy on and I had Bish on and was conscious of the time I gave them. I thought Reg gave us a really good shift for 45 minutes.

“And the other two lads, it’s difficult coming back and trying to be as sharp as you possibly can and need that whatever it is, that little bit of something, that spark when you haven’t been playing. That’s a gamble, but it’s good to have them back on the pitch.

“It’s a gamble worth taking in my book to try and get them on the pitch and try and get them some minutes.”

The Town boss had praise for keeper Bialkowski, who made an important double save in the second half and put in another very good display.

“He did, he always does. I’ve no problem with that at all. We’ve managed to keep another clean sheet but we’ve not scored, which leaves us with a point.”

Charlton boss José Riga was pleased with his team’s performance, believing only a goal was missing.

“We did very well, we created good opportunities, had some very good action offensively, we were strong defensively and we were even better than Ipswich on the strength of Ipswich, the set pieces,” he said.

“At the end only one goal is missing and we had the opportunities. We deserved the three points but deserving is not having, so our situation is very difficult.”

The draw and results elsewhere leave the Addicks seven points off safety with their Championship status hanging by a thread.

Riga added: “Until the end, while mathematically it’s still possible, we have to think about being able to make a miracle.”

Photo: Action Images

Ipswichlove added 22:53 - Apr 5 you know why it's extremely difficult ?? Because you are a stubborn and arrogant person who thinks they know best. useless tactics as ever MICK OUT (DOUGLAS WITH HIM)
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tractorboyjim added 22:54 - Apr 5 My criticism is not our "style" as such, we were all happy surviving relegation, progressing to the play-off's last season with a more "direct" approach. But having just heard MM's post-match interview as hearing him describe Douglas as "different class" it's more become MM not getting the best out of key players. Douglas - was great last season for Brentford but MM has brought a 34 year old in and said "welcome to my team who provide ourselves on running". I feel sorry for him. Would love to see his average distance a game vs last season, much higher I suspect. Last couple of games clearly caught up with him. Sears out wide?? I don't need to say anymore. Chambers, our best natural right footed centre back and captain at RB. We all agree on that?! Feeney and Pringle. I'm pretty sure that they were both brought in to help replace the width and creativity we lost with Fraser's injury? So why have they spent as much time playing centrally as they have wide? When your ethos is so reliant on workrate, ethic, team spirit etc, as we very much are, it's essential to get the best out of key players. MM isn't and, for the first time, I'd now be very happy for a change at the end of the season. Season now over.

33

Woodbridgian added 22:54 - Apr 5 “Why the hell they're in the bottom three heaven only knows" Surely you mean How were in the top half of the table heaven only knows
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prebsa added 22:58 - Apr 5 Why the hell we are in the top half heaven only knows mick! You say nothing about Dougals or Skuse or Chambers or Knudsen because you know full well mick they were all cr@p. And there is no way even you can back up that shower of sh1t. Time for you to go to Aston Villa you stubborn man. You tactics are ancient and your comments are pathetic. Get out of our club!
18

bluefeast added 23:01 - Apr 5 The man is deluded , what planet is he on. Our best player is the keeper ,there are 10 players in front of him on the pitch that can influence a game and they don't ,due to the fear he's placed on not losing ,just whats wrong with picking a side at home that can actually retain the ball and attack ,not one that puts 3 shots on target in 95 mins. Joke
17

TractorCam added 23:04 - Apr 5 I think the word you're looking for is "Impossible"
6

H1960 added 23:05 - Apr 5 No s.it sherlock McCarthys comments beggar belief, go to Villa now they are welcome to you and your negative boring football
14

Robbo1966 added 23:06 - Apr 5 We are all disappointed with tonights result but cant believe had negative some people are about our team and management. MM continues to do a great job biulding this side on nothing. If he leaves some will be on this site this time next year singing his praises........ short memories some have, Keep going MM some of us see the big picture.
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Mark added 23:07 - Apr 5 I thought the first half was slightly better than the previous two dire home games, but after substitutions we soon ended up with four strikers on the pitch and they team looks disjointed and all over the place - a very disappointing second half. Towards the end Charlton looked the more likely team to win, even after going down to ten men after an injury. Usual problems really - a poor midfield (Feeney particularly disappointing), lack of passing and movement, and full backs who didn't really get forward. The only positives were another good performance from Bart and Bishop's appearance at the end - he looked good. McGoldrick very rusty but nice to see him after so long. We might as well start planning for next season now and give youngsters such as Dozzell and Kenlock a few games. It's time for a clear out of the senior fringe players.

22

sirmichealmills added 23:07 - Apr 5 When Can we have some more "Marcus is fully committed" propaganda from the club? P.s "Dougie" is a truly awful player
17

vanmunt added 23:07 - Apr 5 Mick you are a football genius, how wrong I was watching exciting football all those years at PR..
7

WhoisJimmyJuan added 23:08 - Apr 5 Yes I'm beginning to wonder how MM had success anywhere in his career. Never known such determination to make us crap. Did he have a run in with David Lowe once on the pitch??
10

prebsa added 23:14 - Apr 5 Oh Bert is out marking people down again because he still has his head fully wedged up MM ass! Open your eyes and realise that we really are a poor football team!
11

hoppy added 23:14 - Apr 5 "It was a tough game, neither of us were good enough to win it, we both had chances,” No, the team you put out to start weren't good enough to win it... We could've had a team out to win it - for example, Foley, who had a MoM display against Forest in midfield, could've started in place of Douglas. I said that before the game, so it's not just knee jerk reaction to Douglas' display this evening. Another missed opportunity to beat a team we should've been well capable of beating, and I'm going to have to borrow some Norfolk hands to count the number of those we've had, as I run out of fingers too quickly to count them myself.

22

Mr_Evans added 23:18 - Apr 5 "don't think either of us were good enough to win the game, because we both had chances." Is this guy actually being serious with comments like this? What an arrogant €$${!{$*|!{?€*
8

runaround added 23:18 - Apr 5 I just can't see how Mick thinks we're going to win games with the current tactics. Really think it's time he went. Thanks for what you've done prior to 2016 Mick but think it's best for all parties if you leave. To all those who say careful what you wish for....... I wish to see ITFC play attacking football, trying to win rather than being pragmatic trying not to lose. Yes we might lose matches playing that way but we might just win some too & it cannot be as awful as the current "entertainment " being served up?

25

christiand added 23:23 - Apr 5 We just look like we are not progressing if anything we look like we are starting to go backwards. MM the play offs haven't been realistic for the last 6 games we haven't been good enough for a long time now, it's only you it seems who can't see or admit it!
14

cartman1972 added 23:26 - Apr 5 Please please kindly f#ck off right now, same derisory comments week in week out....lack of enterprise week in week out, lack of ambition week in week out........it's like a new relationship it's starts off well but towards the end you just want them gone.
-2

blueblood66 added 23:33 - Apr 5 A yone who thinks we are where we are because of tactics is stupid. The players we have are honest pros, who leave nothing out on the pitch every match. However, they lack the real quality to compete at the top level of the division, and thats what MM has to deal with. Until the owner backs him financially we will have the same results or worse of MM goes. Think about it, who would be better with this group?

-8

cartman1972 added 23:39 - Apr 5 I hope we get battered by Brentford Saturday then perhaps he will resign
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Gravitas added 23:42 - Apr 5 Disappointed, but many of the comments on here (plus the barracking of certain players) do not help. Those who are most disappointed will be the players.
-8

roytheboy added 23:45 - Apr 5 Five games without scoring a single goal, hardly promotion material are we ?
11

carsey added 23:55 - Apr 5 How the hell can McCarthy say Douglas is quality? Bishop had more influence on the game in the few minutes he was on the pitch than Douglas has all season. The man is deluded if he honestly thinks the way he sets up is going to win anything. Last year we got away with battering teams in to submission with Murphy scoring pretty much at will. This season we haven't had a goal machine up front so it has failed. If McCarthy can't see the problem I have to conclude he is arrogant or plain stupid. I firmly believe we have players who could play with the ball on the ground provided they are coached to do so and playing in their best/natural position but there is no sign of it happening. People say be careful what you wish for - well I want to see creative entertaining football and a team trying to do the right thing. If McCarthy is here next year it will be more of the same even if he suddenly got a budget to bring players in they would be the McCarthy image. Get some of the kids in and let them play. Lets see if they are up to it. This season is dead even if by some miracle we make the top 6 can you imagine the carnage that will be inflicted on this side over 2 legs? Please god Norwich don't come down I couldn't stand another loss to them.

24

irish_tractor added 23:59 - Apr 5 For those on here blaming the manager. I've got a tenner handy if any of you eanna go win the championship on it when you think about it in terms of any other team in this league that have spent so much more than us. Give mick some credit. It's not about his tactics but you play the way you know your team can. Not the way Barcelona play as they play that way because they have spent the money on players that can and do. If you go to villa mick I wouldn't blame you.

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cartman1972 added 00:00 - Apr 6 Carsey absolutely spot on
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