Town boss Mick McCarthy says the Blues can’t afford to be as open as they were as they beat Burton Albion 2-0 at Portman Road on Tuesday when they take on Championship leaders Newcastle United at St James’ Park this afternoon (KO 3pm).

The Blues ended their five-game goalless and winless run after coming out on top in an unusually open Championship game against the Brewers, but McCarthy won’t be taking the same toe-to-toe approach against the Magpies.

“If Newcastle get the chances that Burton had we’d have been picking the ball out of the net, there’s no doubt about that,” the Town boss admitted.

“So, no we won’t be, but I chose to do that [against Burton] because I thought our front four would be better than their back four, and as it turned out I was right, thankfully.

“And I thought our back six would cope with their front six, how they try to play. I know that’s a bit simplistic but that is effectively what happened in the game.

“We scored and our full-back’s run on Lloyd Dyer and he’s the wing-back and the next goal we scored John Brayford was on the halfway line, that’s their right wing-back.

“So it was an open game, it was a wide open game and there were chances at both ends. I’m not so sure it’ll be that open on Saturday.”

McCarthy says those fans calling for a return to 4-4-2 now that Freddie Sears has ended his long goal drought will be disappointed, but the Blues boss says his recently preferred 4-3-3 system isn’t necessarily defensive.

“I know fans want to see exciting, attacking football and we try and play that with 4-3-3,” he added.

“Go and tell the Dutch, by the way, go and speak to the Dutch who play 4-3-3 all the time and ask if they play attacking, exciting football.

“I watched Liverpool playing 4-3-3 and nobody says anything, but they’ve got all their attacking players.

“It’s very rare that teams play 4-4-2 and Newcastle won’t. These will have one up front and one dropped in, whether it’s Mohamed Diame or somebody else.

“It would be a little bit rich to expect us to go up there and be battering them playing 4-4-2, wouldn’t it? Even for the most optimistic supporter.

“And anyway I’m not into what supporters think, I’m into getting results and we went up to Blackburn and we were playing 4-4-2 and we should have won the game.

“I changed it on Tuesday night and we won the game, four points from two games, that’s my job, not listening to everybody else’s opinion because if I do I’ll end up making a camel instead of a horse.”

McCarthy confirmed that Jonathan Douglas will return to the midfield having been left out against the Brewers.

“Dougie’s playing, the experience of Dougie will help, and he’s been terrific,” the Town boss continued.

“He’d been having treatment on his knee, I told him it wasn’t for that reason, I wanted to change the team for the home game but it did give him a chance because he’d run some miles had Dougie, more than everybody every week.

“And we’ll need that on Saturday. And we’ll need a few others who can do that as well.”

Photo: TWTD

bluearmy84 added 06:16 - Oct 22 love that big MM! stick to ya guns!! hes right in what he says everyone thinks they can pick a better side do a better job etc!! id love it if we could get a point today be unreal if we could nick it!!! lets hope micks tactics are spot on today, and well see how good newcastle really are!!
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Ardentitfc1978 added 06:36 - Oct 22 That's why I like the gaffer. MM you're the BOSS. Get in there lads. COYB !!!
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bedsitfc added 06:43 - Oct 22 Hopefully lock them out and nick a goal. I would be over the moon with that but take a 0 -0 draw
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DurhamTownFan added 07:23 - Oct 22 Well this is exactly why I DONT like the gaffer. Couldn't he have said the same thing with more conciliatory words like 'I understand the fans have lots of their own ideas but I'm only trying to do my best' instead of 'I don't care what they think'..? He'll need us on his side if we get a heavy beating!
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Kikapu added 08:18 - Oct 22 They tell it how it is up there in Yorkshire. Doubt if he's ever heard of 'conciliatory'. Mind you, there was a spell when he surprised us with his vocabulary.
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muccletonjoe added 08:21 - Oct 22 What is dougie the donkey going to do against newcastle that bish cant do better?
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markytitfc66 added 08:40 - Oct 22 Why did he say Douglas was injured on Tuesday, enforcing a change, and now say he left him for tactical reasons? Had we lost to burton he would have pointed to the fact he was missing. He got lucky Tuesday night. MM out
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Dissboyitfc added 08:52 - Oct 22 He's not into what the fans think, what an attitude towards the people who have spent in many cases their lives following the club they love. To say he doesnt care about the fans, means he doesnt care about the club. No club is anything without its fans! Just Go, now!
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jas0999 added 09:03 - Oct 22 I agree that this is a different game, but for me we need to be looking to beat Newcastle, not settle for a point and set up to bore everyone prior to a ball being kicked. But that's MM and despite beating Burton, I doubt too many stay away fans will think about spending £35 to return whilst the style remains overall very negative.
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MattinLondon added 09:05 - Oct 22 I do agree with him regarding this match - but he plays such boring negative hoofball that even this common sense approach against Newcastle adds to his tired image.
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RonFearonsHair added 09:32 - Oct 22 The Dutch have already been asked their thoughts on attacking football. “The football was a little bit disappointing — I had been told at the dinner not to expect too much in terms of style of play, but I did hope for a bit more,” said Thijssen. http://www.eadt.co.uk/sport/frans_thijssen_says_he_and_other_ipswich_town_legend
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alfromcol added 10:28 - Oct 22 MM loves top team opposition. He can justify (to himself) parking the bus and trying to hold out for a point.
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ChrisFelix added 10:41 - Oct 22 i have looked up the definition of terrific. GREAT or EXCELLENT. Johnathan Douglas is neither, he is an average Division 1 player
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brittaniaman added 10:43 - Oct 22 He still keeps on that Douglas is terrific !!! I expect that he will sign him on for another year, For championship experience !!!
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Elto added 10:56 - Oct 22 Dissboy He hasn't said he doesn't care about the fans. He is saying he's not influenced by them. Any manager that let's the fans pick the team is not really up to it are they?
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alfromcol added 11:09 - Oct 22 “And anyway I'm not into what supporters think, so up yours!!!!
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warkthelint added 11:10 - Oct 22 So we're all set for an exciting end to end all out attack game.Look at the way Burton took the game to us, look at the way teams like Norwich and Newcastle approach managers...and we're stuck with his bring dogmatic and sterile non productive way..what a joke we have become..no wonder the TV cameras and commentators avoid mccarthy like the plague
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Dissboyitfc added 11:20 - Oct 22 Eto... he is very much implying he doesnt care about the supporters and has done too many times for my liking. I along with many others would love a cup run, something he never bothers with and it never bothers him how much we want either! He needs to go!
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Seasider added 13:25 - Oct 22 He is so arrogant and confident,that the other day basically saying he wasn't bothered by what the fans thought,because if he left Ipswich he would just get another job.Took him a few months last time but expect he would.This however gives the attitude that he isn't particularly bothered about our club.Think he still has a release clause in his contract.Just here for the money. Having said all that,the man some of us call the Dinosaur,used to always play 4-4-2,but has now changed to 4-3-3.However this is probably mostly to counteract or match up the opposition.Looks like he may not be able to play his two favourites in midfield together as somebody said they went up by train and Skues wasn't there ,which could be a blessing. Still parking a train should be more effective than parking a bus;because we shouldn't expect Ipswich to play expansively in this game;which they wont of course

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sixtyblue added 13:28 - Oct 22 this rude arrogant man needs removing before he finds he's talking to himself.Has no respect for the supporters whatsoever.One must assume Marcus Evans one the same.They just promote the perfect way to talk about supporters in the most disrespectful wayWhat the team and new players think of him would probably make interesting reading.Go away you boring man.
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TimmyH added 13:59 - Oct 22 So basically Mick is playing for a point and that point will make all the difference come the end of the season?...as we're in 12th place we need the points and personally like to see us go for it particularly if it's 0-0 at half time. Anyway we don't go 'toe to toe' with hardly anybody unless we're playing at home against a team in the lower reaches of the division. Certainly expecting a defensive line up today and would be surprised if we keep a clean sheet.

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htb added 14:28 - Oct 22 Another complete load of nonsense from Mccarthy. No one would deny that Liverpool or the Dutch or anyone else can play attacking football in a 433. The fact is he never does. Always sets up to counter the opposition and play negative hoof ball. I can assure him no fans thought he would go to Newcastle to do anything other than try to stifle them and play for a nil / nil, after all that is what we do every away game. Please leave you incredibly dull man.

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Blue_Moses added 16:56 - Oct 22 Sounds like we were though. Refund the away fans, Mick out
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couldbebetter added 11:20 - Oct 24 At all his clubs the fans have ended up hating MM.Its now clear why.
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