Town boss Mick McCarthy felt his side deserved to win their 0-0 draw at Blackburn and was pleased with their performance, despite the Blues now having gone five games without a goal or a win. The Blues manager admits that Town are going through “a tough time” in front of goal, while his backline has picked up their fourth clean sheet in six.

“The way we’ve been at Blackburn for the last four visits, we’ve been awful so I would have taken anything from Blackburn,” admitted McCarthy, who is still to win a game in October as Town boss.

“We needed a performance. I thought I got that, I thought our fans got that performance.

“I’m disappointed, I thought we should have won the game, to be honest with you. Jason Steele got the man of the match and probably deserved it.

“Could we have been better, more clinical? I don’t know. But I don’t know what they’ve really contributed in the second half, certainly.

“I thought we were the better team and if any team was going to win it, it was going to be us.”

Are some of his players disappointed not to have taken their opportunities? “I think players always feel like that. I always say to them, I never think I’m more disappointed than them. I have a collective disappointment for them, for the team, for the club, for fans and players - I was a player - are quite insular, you’re disappointed for yourself and your team-mates.

“Of course they’ll be disappointed, but that’s the hardest thing in the game, putting the ball in the back of the net, but if we play like that more often than not we’ll win games.”

Despite the improved performance, fans who weren’t at the game might judge the match on the continued lack of goals.

“I can’t do anything about that,” he added. “I would really love to get our fans back on side with me and with the team and be excited by us.

“That was a start today. We’ve had more shots, more crosses, more attempts at goal than we’ve had in the last two or three games probably.

“And I’ll hear everybody screaming, ‘He should play 4-4-2 all the time’. Yeah, I know, good one.

“Maybe I’ll be the judge on what tactics we should use because we’ve had chances whatever we’ve played in the past.

“I can’t do anything about people who haven’t been here. I would hope that the ones that were will go back and say, ‘They played well today, we enjoyed it, should have won, but didn’t’.”

He says switching to 4-4-2, Freddie Sears joined Leon Best - who McCarthy believes is getting better with every game - up front, made the game more open: “They were two up as well, so it did leave it pretty wide open.

“I thought, except for the first 10 minutes when I thought they started well, we were equally as good as them and better than them in the second half.

“But every game’s different and I haven’t had two strikers to put up front anyway. You can pick the bones out of it, I’ve had one striker and one striker who has come in and not had a pre-season, and he’s done particularly well, Besty.

“So, to put two up and get one injured, then I’d be knackered and I couldn’t do it again. That’s really the first time I’ve had two fit strikers for a while.”

Regarding the five-game goalless run, he added: “I think there have been plenty of others that have gone through that, teams. I think the problem is the more you make it a problem the bigger it becomes.

“I remember David McGoldrick going 11 games without scoring and I didn’t drop him, I didn’t worry about him because I knew he’d get them. Maybe others were scoring. We’re just having a bit of a tough time, but we believe we’ll get out of it.”

At the other end of the field, the Blues’ defence has now kept four clean sheets in their last six matches.

“And then I’ll get that that is maybe how I operate and I don’t at all," McCarthy reflected. "Predominantly through my career I’ve been 4-4-2 with two flying wingers.

“When I was at Sunderland, when I was at Wolves, when I was with Ireland, whether it was Duffer [Damien Duff] and Kev Kilbane, that’s the way I’ve played. And I’d like to do that on a regular basis, but it has changed a bit, the game.

“Nevertheless, and I said what we’ve got to try and do is create chances, which we did, but still maintain that solidity because if you lose that it doesn’t matter. If you concede and you’re playing catch-up it’s very difficult.”

Blackburn boss Owen Coyle believed a draw was a fair result: “I thought it was a very hard fought Championship game, as we expected.

"I thought we started the first 15 minutes well, looked to get our passing game going, looked to get wide and create them a number of problems in the first 15 minutes."

He added: “I don’t think there were many clear-cut chances in the game. Did we create clear-cut chances? No. That was my disappointment.

"I think we got to the final third in wide areas many times and normally we’ve got players that can produce a little bit of a spark, a little bit of creativity in that respect, and we didn’t do that.

“On the other side of that, that’s our first clean sheet of the season, which we’ve been craving for a long time and they showed a real character and a real resilience to stand up and deal with a lot of aerial balls.

“You want to win every game you’re at home and we all understand that.

“The important thing I think that we showed is that we’ve learned a number of lessons. There was a real resilience, a real mentality to get that clean sheet.

"Could we do better in terms of being more aggressive in terms of our early passing and then quicker and sharper? Absolutely.

“But how they stood up to a real test I think in terms of defending your box, I think they stood up to that well.

"I think if we can continue, as always it’s stating the obvious, but clean sheets have so much importance because we do believe there’s goals in the team.

"If we can get that platform with the clean sheets, it’ll result in instead of one point being three points because we know we have that, so that’s something we have to continue to aim."

Photo: TWTD

gippeswyk added 20:10 - Oct 15 Their keeper got the man of the match award for a reason. He stopped us scoring and kept his side in a game they would have lost. How is that Mick or the team's fault. If we had won as we deserved to, all the miserable moaners on here would have nothing to complain about. Hopefully we will find a replacement for Murphy and Sears/McG/Bishop and Williams will come good as they are all top players when fit.

-19

WirralBlue added 20:13 - Oct 15 Not sure whether I am qualified to comment, so I am prepared to be shot down. I am from Wirral and I have supported Town since the 1970s. I first went to Ewood Park under Bobby Ferguson in 1986, the year after relegation from Division 1. I haven't missed a Town game there since including the Full Members Cup. Today I didn't go.
22

Lightningboy added 20:18 - Oct 15 "After the first 10 minutes we were equally as good as them" Equally as good as the team 2nd from bottom?!....yes Mick,that sums us up.
23

Gcon added 20:26 - Oct 15 Gippeswyk. Sensible logic such as yours will not go down well here, I'm afraid.
-9

grumpyoldman added 20:35 - Oct 15 So because we were awful on the last four visits MM set up not to lose, and he is pleased, typical! Perhaps he should have looked at their current form and tried to win, you never know we could have actually done it. But of course I am just a supporter so I know nothing.
22

heathen66 added 20:38 - Oct 15 Their keeper was the motm, which makes a change as it is generally ours. I think it is fair to say that we should be disappointed not to score against a team that had not kept clean sheet since April, however irrespective of the result, I am more disappointed that Josh Emmanuel was dropped after such an impressive couple of games...in order to play another player out of position. This gives all the wrong messages to Emmanuel, Kenlock, Dozzell, Morris etc... and also to any other potential signing come January If we were to win on Tuesday it should not cloud what is going on, not just this season but for probably the last 2 years

25

ipswichdave added 20:41 - Oct 15 I think alot of our scoring problems could be down to Terry Connor, great bloke but i watch him training the forwards and its pretty awful, on Friday he was playing in balls to Ward to hit on his left foot, how a well payed footballer cant kick with both feet is beyond me,he was dreadful and all TC kept saying was great, brill , well done but trust me Ward cant shoot first time with his left. TC just seems to encourge and not improve players, Nice bloke but lacks the fear factor. COYB

-1

superblue123 added 20:48 - Oct 15 My patience was lost a long time ago with McCarthy. The style of football we play is out of date. It was perfect when we were in the relegation zone and facing league one but after a season of reaching the play-offs two years ago, last season and the start of this season has not been good enough. The lack of ambition from the owner is poor. After the season we reached the play-offs Evans should of back mccarthy with money and signings considering when we had received money for mines. I appreciate the job McCarthy has done in keeping us in the league but I feel it's time for a change to freshen things up. Superblue123

17

Cakeman added 20:54 - Oct 15 Sorry Ipswichdave I hit the down arrow instead of the up one by mistake. I agree with your comments fully though.
0

StochesStotasBlewe added 21:07 - Oct 15 wwww.f#ckingboring.co.uk.
6

bings109 added 21:30 - Oct 15 Well we really on our way to equalling our record of not scoring in seven consecutive games. It was the 1994-95 season, when Lyall gave up, and Burley took over with that team of old-stagers, who looked relegation fodder by October-and we were relegated. 9-0 at Man Utd was the 'highlight'- could Newcastle do the same, and in doing so, do us a massive favour in getting McCarthy the sack?

3

alpblue added 21:39 - Oct 15 I seriously believe that this season could result in MM having another relegation placed upon his CV, hoping I'm wrong!!
3

tricky78 added 21:45 - Oct 15 Bananarama sang a song in the 80s called Nathan Jones. I believe there was a band called it also.
0

htb added 21:47 - Oct 15 Just so depressed with being an Ipswich fan at the moment. I have reached the point where I would be happy to see us lose if it meant Mccarthy would go. He is doing real damage to this once great club. I have never disliked a manager as much as this arrogant, pig headed Yorkshire fool.
13

midastouch added 00:25 - Oct 16 https://www.lovecalculator.com/love.php?name1=Ipswich+Fans&name2=Mick+McCarthy
3

arablue added 03:02 - Oct 16 There is an undeniable logic of the 3 point for a win system - the system rewards teams who win. It does not reward teams that, like Mick's, strive for draws. The sooner Mick gets this logic, the better will be - a team that strives to win matches. This would mean setting our team for a win against team which we should be winning - Blackburn a prime example. Setting a lone striker, putting forward players out of position, putting 2 effectively holding midfielders, then later in the match putting 2 creative centre midfielders in wide positions while retaining 2 holding midfielders are just examples of why our chances of winning are widely reduced.

8

arablue added 03:06 - Oct 16 One does not need to manage the likes of Kilbane or Wolves, Ireland to see this nonsense about safety first for all matches...it should be horses for courses; go all out to win against winnable teams and set up for a draw (and steal wins when opportunity arises) against the likes of , really really really sorry to say this - and bleeds my heart to say so, table toppers like Norwich and Brighton...

5

Brownie added 06:55 - Oct 16 I didn't go so I can't comment too much on yesterday although highlights & majority of reports say we should have won. I also think it is pointless to pick out individual sentences from someone & use that to make an argument as some people want to do with MM. However the facts are there. You can't win games without scoring. We have scored 8 in 12 & 4 of those were in one mad 45 minutes. Particularly at home we set up to not lose. We still continue to select players who have been out of form over long periods when there are other options. If you continue to make the same mistakes it is not bad luck if results don't improve. Something needs to change & in my view it is the manager.

5

MicksZzzTactics added 07:04 - Oct 16 Soooo somewhere midway through this enjoyable Saturday evening ("enjoyable" since I stayed at home! as not even a gang of rabies-infected bloodhounds could have made me travel to Ewood Park!!!) I nevertheless found myself desperately looking for help from "Above" -- or from anywhere really :-) lol -- to aid us objective and beyond-fed-up ITFC fans really get rid of 'The Dinosaur' McCarthy while in the process also salvaging what little is left of our once proud club, incl. it's now long gone former admirable image of once being a tactical daring, entertaining, offensive-minded and passing-adept football club, I ehhhh accidentally stumbled across this here special "sect" on the Net..... and wow! lo and behold folks this could very well be IT! The Answer I mean, to all our prayers i.e. *****DIVINE INTERVENTION**** to rid us of our very own football-destructive Dino!:-) lol And ohhhhh in case you are wondering this here somewhat hilarious sounding group of Christian Fundamentalists i.e."Christians Against Dinosaurs" is actually very much for REAL folks ( http://www.liberalamerica.org/tag/christians-against-dinosaurs/ ) .... as beside their www pages they also have a special Facebook page as well as an ongoing YouTube channel plus super crazed doomsayer, republican and former US presidential candidate Michele Bachmann in their fold!!! :-) uncertaintist.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/michelle-bachmann-on-dinosaur-bones-sigh.jpg So what are you waiting for??? SIGN UP today -- completely regardless of whether you already happen to be a so called exemplary good & faithful "believer" in Mr. Christ or not! ---- and through the uber wunderbar joined worship of this here hmmmm hmmmm hmmmm hmmmm specific ANTI-DINOSAURIC "Gospel" & "Lord" we shall thus soon ****somehow**** be rid of all our pesky football troubles here at ITFC! (I mean how can we fail with this much 'mojo' on our side :-) Amen! lol

1

suffolkref added 07:04 - Oct 16 We will probably win 1 - 0 on Tuesday night with a goal deflected of Dougie's backside and Mick will take that as justification for his selection and style of play and call for the fans to get behind the team again. Sorry but with the dross entertainment it is just not about results, we want to look forward to going to a match, not feel we are going out of a sense of obligation. Let's get people in proper positions, add some pace and creativity in central midfield and let the opposition worry about us for a change. Let's hear comments like, "Burton will find this a step up and need to ready for the challenge we will provide. We have strength in depth and will be going all out for a win and a good performance"etc, not bleat on about good players, false position, good manager etc etc. Whilst he talks about different class, I was lucky to see Ipswich in the late 70's early 80's and Wark, Muhren, Thijssen, now that really is different class to anything before or since

21

Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 07:04 - Oct 16 Mick doesn't mind playing people out of position, so why not experiment? Back line of Em, Ch, Be, Kn. Holding mid Webster, surrounded by a selection from Williams, Ward,Grant, Lawrence, Bru, Bishop, Dozzel. Skuse does a fair job, but can't see a place for him here. Up top, we don't have many options other than Sears and Best. But we have enough creatvity midfield to get forward and support the front two more.

5

JimmyP45 added 07:15 - Oct 16 Bart Emmanuel, Webster, Berra/Chambers, Knudsen Grant, Bishop Ward, Williams, Lawrence, Sears Play the ball on the ground and up the table we go!
3

blue75 added 07:34 - Oct 16 Unless we start protesting at games Mick won't go!!!
9

ChrisFelix added 07:56 - Oct 16 Drop different class Douglas, either move Webster forward or bring in the versatile Grant. But surely 2 games in 4 days is too much for the 34 year old
3

hello66 added 08:00 - Oct 16 Patience it will come..... he will go at some point.... when he does it will be the first piece of entertainment he has give us fans for awhile ! The best action I've taken in the last two years was to give up my season ticket and watch the results come in on my phone ......I go on boxing days because its about family tradition ......otherwise until He (cant even bring myself to say his name ) .... the guy is in really old man at the end of his career and he knows it, HE IS DEAD WOOD FLOATING collecting a good weekly salary........ you can see it in his face and eyes he thinks his always right....I truly pity his family

8

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls