Town boss Mick McCarthy says he fully understands fans’ frustrations following the Blues’ 1-0 home defeat to Huddersfield, his side’s fourth game without a goal. Christopher Schindler’s 58th minute header saw the visitors to the three points.

“It wasn’t a great game in general,” McCarthy said. “We’ve not created much, I don’t think they have. They hit the post when we gave the ball away from a throw-in and we’ve let our guard down from a corner kick and it’s cost us.

“It was a [sloppily conceded corner kick], then having done that the last thing you need to do is concede from it.”

With the Blues now without a goal in four games fans made their feelings clear with boos at the end and ironic chants when Freddie Sears managed a shot on target in the second half.

“I’m not surprised, it happens,” McCarthy added. “We’ve not played as well as we could, as we’d like and I think the crowd are getting frustrated and they’re venting their feelings. I fully understand that.”

How does he feel when he hears fans chanting things like, ‘We’ve had a shot’, as was the case following Sears’s effort, which was claimed easily by Terriers keeper Danny Ward?

“There’s not a great deal you can do about it,” he continued. “I’m doing by job, obviously, to the best of my ability at the moment.

“But if it’s not as good as the crowd think it should be and it’s unacceptable to them, then they’ve all paid their money, if they give us the boos it’s acceptable if they’re not seeing what they want to see, I’ve no complaint about that. I’m not happy about how we played myself.”

Has he known a similar goalless spell elsewhere during his managerial career? “I can’t remember, but I’m sure someone will find out and source it if I have.

“We weren’t very good with the ball in terms of creating chances. We’ve still got creative players on the pitch but we didn’t create any.”

Asked how he would respond to fans’ criticism that he sets his side up negatively, he said: “Anything I would say to that it always appears to be an excuse and I’m not one for excuses.

“If that’s the thoughts that they’ve got and I’m certainly not going to sit in here and explain all my reasons for picking a team that I’ve got. But I’m just not going sit here and justify my selection.”

Part of the selection is down to the lack of fit attacking players? “You didn’t need me to speak about it after all, did you? That’s an excuse for me because we’ve still got talented players on the pitch. So I expect more from the ones that we’ve got on the pitch.”

Does he view the recent spell as a period which needed to be got out of the way before the injured players are available again?

“I sincerely hope so,” he said. “It’s tough at the moment, it always is. It’s easy for people to get in their ear holes and start driving wedges, ‘This is wrong, that’s wrong and everything else is wrong’ and to be fair it isn’t.

“The players are a good bunch of lads and make sure they stick together and keep their chins up and their chests out, they are very proud to be Ipswich players. And there’s only us that can turn it around.”

The Town boss hopes the two-week international break will allow some of those injured players, including Jonny Williams, who will play for the U23s tomorrow against Liverpool at Portman Road, to return to fitness.

“In terms of hoping we get some players back the break’s a good thing. Besty’s gone through his 90 minutes today and he needs to recover.

“Reg [Luke Varney] can’t play in the U23s game tomorrow as he’s not fit to play 45 or 60 minutes. He doesn’t want to play in it and get injured and I don’t want him to.

“In terms of getting players back and some getting minutes into them and some just recovering, it’s a pretty good thing, I think.”

He says his players will be given a few days off during the break: “They’ll get some time off to recover because the games do come thick and fast and when we come back, of course, we’ve got Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday.

“We’re travelling to Blackburn first, which is hardly round the corner, then we’ve got Burton at home, which is a huge game for us, then we’re up to Newcastle which is even less than just round the corner.

“So we’ve got a fair bit of travelling and a fair bit of work to do, so they’ll get a bit of time to recover.”

The Blues’ recent games have seen them face the division’s leaders today, third-placed Brighton on Tuesday as well as in-form Leeds but McCarthy warns that the likes of Blackburn and Burton after the break also won’t be easy opposition.

“I see Burton have won today, they’ve had a good result, so I’m not going to describe them as weak, there are no weak teams,” he added. “We’ve got to play better and beat them.”

"Any new injuries from today’s game? “Only me, a bit of a broken heart, that’s all, other than that I’m fine.”

Huddersfield manager David Wagner was delighted to claim a win at what he feels is one of the toughest places to visit in the Championship.

“I think for every manager three points against Ipswich away is massive, is huge,” said Wagner, who refused to be drawn on reports linking him with Derby County. “This is a very a difficult place to go and to get three points.

“A tough challenge, a lot of one-against-one challenges, an uncomfortable opponent who is very aggressive.

“I think the game was even, we had our opportunities, not a lot, but to be fair I didn’t expect to have a lot of opportunities.

“Elias Kachunga hit the post, we had a great opportunity from Jonathan Hogg from a corner after five minutes, I think he had to score from two metres.

“And then we used one set piece for a goal, often this is the story how Ipswich is successful - stay in the game and score off set pieces but today we did this.

"Our first set piece goal of the season right at the best moment of the season and it is a massive, huge win for us. Not because of our run because it’s Ipswich away, a very difficult place to go.”

Photo: TWTD

couldbebetter added 19:26 - Oct 1 I don't understand why players can't manage games on a Saturday/Tuesday/Saturday.Tour de France riders ride almost every day for 3 weeks about 120 miles per day.
6

MicksZzzTactics added 19:30 - Oct 1 You understand absolutely nought, nil, nada, nothing, zero, zilch and zip!!!!!!!!! .... or as many other posters have implied here: You've handed in your resignation ALREADY with what little dignity you have left!!!!!!!! Just eons old classic PR-spinned porkies aka "Damage Control", nothing else folks! .... cause you Dino seriously never before in your life gave a monkey's heinie (or rather "a flying fu@k"!) what we the fans thinks or want, as you've been quoted saying or strongly implying innumerous times not only at Ipswich but also elsewhere, and you certainly ain't gonna convince anyone outside the lobotomized "In Mick We Blindly Trust" Brigade that you Dino suddenly started caring about us fans' feelings ... NOW .... and entirely on your own accord!!!!!!!!! Thus my sure dual 365 bet is that it was either that pathological liar Milne or else the all mighty Mr. Football-ClueleZzzz himself (ME) that coerced you into including this little pathetic "admission" into your as-always frank, objective and M.E.N.S.A. worthy post game analyse (read: rubbish!!!). Soooo Begone Dino, Dino Begone!

3

multiplescoregasms added 19:31 - Oct 1 P*ss poor McCarthy. Just go, please. This club is turning into a farce.
6

SingBlue added 19:31 - Oct 1 MM has lost his confidence and it's showing in the way he is setting up for matches and in the way players are playing. He knows he hasn't got a goalscoring striker of any note and he dare not expand his game plan, it's obvious to us so it's obvious to his players - This is causing a downward spiral that they cannot get out of. From his words above he is holding his breath until Williams and McGoldrick are playing again, he knows and we know that's a huge gamble because of their injury record. This is stinking of a serious relegation battle

8

Penguinblue added 19:34 - Oct 1 Totally disingenuous - always full of excuses - usually before kick off. Inept and negative. Please do the decent thing and go - take your boys Conner (he puts on great sessions in training) and Chambers with you. McCarthy OUT
7

SickParrot added 19:34 - Oct 1 I didn't renew my season ticket because I was so sick of MM's negative team selections and tactics and the lack of any entertaining football. I cannot even watch us on TV anymore! My decision has been vindicated but I take no pleasure in that. I still want us to win and to play well, and I find it very hard to accept that MM has made us such a negative, unattractive side. We must be one of the most boring teams in the whole of the football league. Respect to all you loyal fans who keep going to games.

13

marco007 added 19:40 - Oct 1 Let's be honest, but for a goalkeeper error at Derby and a penalty at Reading it would be 6 games without a goal.....over 9 hrs of dull, mundane, insipid, unentertaining football! We can't just blame missing players as it is a squad effort and we should have enough to create something.....anything!! It is not recent weeks, or months this has been going on for years now and enough is enough :(

18

VulpineBlue added 19:42 - Oct 1 Our frustrations are not understood. Michael11 is bang on. This season's season tickets were mis-sold on the promise of strengthening/ investing in the squad. No doubt,as in previous seasons, there will be a missive from the throne room of ME about how he is committed to investing in the squad. I have a season ticket but can't be bothered any more to waste my time watching this utter rubbish. I kept my side of the bargain and Evans has my money but it's for the last time. As for today's match and his current manager's tactics. How many years ago was it that Arsene Wenger introduced a high back line to leave centre forwards offside when a long ball was played to them? Weren't the Terriers simply doing that today? How long did it take MM to respond to that?

5

Lightningboy added 19:55 - Oct 1 Never thought i'd find it as frustrating supporting our club as I did under Keane and to some extent Jewell but Mick,you are surpassing that with ease. Wish we could go back 10 years when Magilton was beginning to build something good here without the expectation that Marcus' Evans' cheque book brought along with it. We have a clueless owner - don't get me wrong,i'd rather have him than what a lot of clubs end up with - but he does not understand our club or what our fans want and that's the most worrying thing..if he does get shot of another mistake then he needs someone with our club at heart to advise him on our next managerial appointment. For me it would be the Burley/Magilton/Holland dream team - and I would give them as long as they need to turn this club around. I can't take much more of this drivel under McCarthy.

12

brittaniaman added 19:57 - Oct 1 surely Evans could not enjoy what he saw today of that game of supposed to be football ????? Thank goodness we have a international break from it now until the Burton game, unfortunately we will sill have the dinosaur in charge again then ???
4

Gcon added 19:58 - Oct 1 Steve Bruce! He walked away from Hull due to owners not putting their hand in their pocket to splash the cash on his targets. He's hardly likely to come here.
3

bostonusablue added 20:04 - Oct 1 We haven't created anything in weeks!!
5

christiand added 20:04 - Oct 1 Why are we going to suddenly play better if williams and mcgoldrick return? We'll still hoof it up to best and bypass the midfield - we just don't pass the ball. He needs to go, we're going backwards at a rate. Thanks for keeping us up Mick, but your time is done!
8

Carberry added 20:10 - Oct 1 Why won't he explain and justify his selections because that is just what we want to hear? We deserve an explanation as to why we don't play our creative players. And wingers, those wonderful players he has been so desperate to sign - have we seen one creating chances for our forward? Oh yes, our forward, when you play one up front you want someone as good as Paul Mariner, nobody in this team could lace his boots, there are no Championship quality strikers on our books. It is a desperate situation because MM will revert to what he knows and trusts and it isn't flair. We are now moving from mid table mediocrity to relegation dog fight.

11

billlm added 20:12 - Oct 1 Evans and mcarthy you have ruined the spirit of our club please go now
10

tractorkent added 20:15 - Oct 1 I will not be attending another game until he has gone
12

kiwiblue added 20:16 - Oct 1 A manager should be free to manage and when they cant they should stand up and say what is true. In this case he cant as it will admit he has no power and with his lack of any balls has lost good players without the ability to replace them for a reason that is so obvious it stinks. Lack of money and a false belief he can motivate players beyond their abilities. Goodbye Mick thanks for saving us and stabilising us good attempt at developing a new style but it has failed big time, Please move on.

5

spanishblue added 20:26 - Oct 1 Well my reasoning for all the crap we are playing is pretty simple,1 new contract what is it 3-4 years long so now lets see how much compensation is that worth Terry ol buddy we,ll soon get sack at this rate,i saw 1 game last season what let down 2,500 round trip to see garbage
4

muccletonjoe added 20:48 - Oct 1 Under mm our time is up in this league. For ME it is either get a new manager or get relegated
4

Surco72 added 20:50 - Oct 1 Boring ,boring ,McCarthy
6

surgery added 20:55 - Oct 1 GET OUT NOW YOU FOOL
4

surgery added 20:55 - Oct 1 GET OUT NOW YOU FOOL
3

billlm added 20:57 - Oct 1 Multipulescoregasms, meantxan up vote sorry mate
0

surgery added 20:59 - Oct 1 OH, and take your undroppable mates with you
3

grumpyoldman added 21:00 - Oct 1 MM is becoming a broken record, trotting out the same excuses week after week, so really us so called moaners are only following his lead.
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