Town Out to Repeat McCarthy's First Game Success at Birmingham Tuesday, 13th Dec 2016 06:00 Town return to Birmingham City, scene of Mick McCarthy’s first game in charge of the Blues just over four years ago, looking for a win which could help to turn the current season around. Back in November 2012 DJ Campbell’s goal saw Town, who were bottom of the Championship, five points from safety, to a 1-0 win, which was the first step forward in their march to safety, which eventually saw them finish in 14th place. “I don’t think we’re in as much trouble as I was that first game,” McCarthy reflected with the present Town team 17th in the division, five points off the relegation zone, but also only seven from the top six. “I look back to four years ago and think, ‘Why the hell did I take that job with seven points after 13 games, I must have been off my rocker!’. But I’m glad I did.” “I’ve said before how important it is to get a win in your first game, especially when things were as bleak as they were. It’s got to turn around somewhere. “We’re nowhere near at that point now but I’d still like it to turn around pretty quick. Tuesday would be nice.” Does the Town boss feel that playing away from home suits his side at present? “If you give me the option where to play all the games, I’d play them at home. It shouldn’t suit us [to play away], it’s just the set of circumstances. It doesn’t become easier, I’ve played and I’ve managed in [those circumstances] before. “The home crowd are meant to create the atmosphere, aren’t they? And of course it’s the home team that are supposed to get the home crowd to create the atmosphere. It’s not really happening here. “So if we go to Birmingham and their home performance is good, their home crowd will be loving it, they’ll be going bonkers, they’ll be right behind them. “It creates an atmosphere and you play better in an atmosphere at a football ground rather than when it’s just quiet, wherever that may be. “But I get that’s up to us to create it. But if we’re playing well and winning 2-0 there tomorrow there won’t be a good atmosphere there. Whether it suits us more or not, I don’t know.” In 2012 Campbell’s goal came in the eighth minute and McCarthy says a similarly early strike could see the Birmingham fans turn on their side, particularly after defeats in their previous two games. The 4-0 loss at Newcastle was preceded by a 3-0 home reverse against Bristol City. “I think Birmingham have got really partisan fans,” McCarthy added. “Having lived in Wolverhampton for nearly seven years and having played against them and managed against them on lots of occasions, I know they are. “But they can soon turn just like everybody else, and if they do turn they’re as bad as everybody else. They want to see their team win. If we could get an early goal it would be very, very nice for all of us.” Tonight’s match is Town's second of three in eight days and McCarthy says he’s pondering whether to make changes: “We’ll see, we’re going to Birmingham playing against Gary Rowett’s 4-4-2, who will be tough and resolute. “They’ve just come off - a bit like us - a hiding at Newcastle, but it’ll be a tough game up there. It’s not one to be fiddling around with, it’ll be a real, tough game." McCarthy says Rowett, whose side is eighth, six points and nine places above the Blues, has done a good job since taking over at St Andrew’s in October 2014. “He has, I think they’re as much like we were when we finished sixth and seventh as any other team in the league,” the Town boss continued. “They’ve not got a lot of frills about them. More often than not they’ve played 4-4-2, they’ve got Clayton Donaldson and Lukas Jutkiewicz or Che Adams and they play up to them and off them. And they’re always a hard team to play against. I’d expect a tough game.” Despite his error on Cardiff’s goal at the weekend, McCarthy is unlikely to drop keeper Bartosz Bialkowski. The Blues boss will also probably continue with his back four of skipper Luke Chambers at right-back, Jonas Knudsen at left-back and Adam Webster and Christophe Berra at the heart of the defence. In midfield, Cole Skuse is expected to be over a cold to take up his usual holding role with McCarthy appearing certain to stick with his 4-4-2 formation with Birmingham utilising the same system. Jonathan Douglas could continue in the other central role, but Kevin Bru is an alternative option, while Teddy Bishop is out for up to a month with an ankle ligament injury. Tom Lawrence will be on the left with Grant Ward likely to be on the right, while David McGoldrick will again operate behind Luke Varney up front. If he doesn't start, Jonny Williams will be hoping to play a part from the bench having been an unused sub against Cardiff on Saturday. After conceding seven goals in the defeats in their last two matches, Birmingham manager Rowett wants to see his players’ battling qualities. "I am not going to stand here and say there are too many positives out of the two games,” he told his club’s official website. "What happens with that then is it gives you a reason to respond and something to fight against.
"For us now we have got to take those two defeats and say 'OK, what are we going to do about it?’. "We will certainly prepare the team and try to get a response and if you are on the pitch I think you have to have that mindset of 'I need to respond' - individually and as a team. "We need to show a little more fight. I don't think we necessarily lacked fight but be a bit more aggressive. "When we are aggressive and a tough team to play against we seem to, a) create more chances and b) make it more difficult for the opposition. "We have got to get back to being a difficult team to play against - that has to be our base moving forward for the next few games." Regarding Blues boss McCarthy, Rowett added: "I think Ipswich are very lucky to have Mick McCarthy as their manager because he's done a fantastic job for them with very, very few resources. "He's very pragmatic in the way he plays, but that's his style and we're the same, so you can't criticise someone like that if it's been working. "They'll always be a very difficult side to play against, we're certainly going to have be far more physical than we were on Saturday." Rowett has a number of injury concerns going into the match with winger Greg Stewart having suffered a thigh problem at Newcastle, while midfielder Stephen Gleeson has a toe injury. Elsewhere in midfield, Jacques Maghoma remains a doubt having only recently recovered from a virus and Diego Fabbrini again looks likely to be absent with a groin injury. Full-back Paul Caddis remains on the sidelines with a shoulder problem. Defender Jonathan Spector and midfielder David Davis are both back from suspensions. Historically, Town have had the better record in fixtures between the sides, winning 34 times (31 in the league), drawing 15 (15) and losing 28 (22). Last time the teams met at St Andrew’s in January, 10-man Town fell to a 3-0 defeat with Will Buckley, Jon Toral and Maikel Kieftenbeld on the scoresheet for the home side. Buckley made the most of some hesitant defending to put the home side ahead on 23 before Douglas was shown a straight red card just prior to the break and Toral and Kieftenbeld smashed home stunning second-half volleys to seal the victory. In September at Portman Road, Pitman netted a 32nd minute equaliser from the penalty spot as the sides drew 1-1, David Cotterill having put the visitors in front 10 minutes earlier. No player in either squad has represented the opposition, although Birmingham defender Michael Morrison hails from Haverhill. Saturday’s referee is Darren Bond from Lancashire, who has shown 48 yellow cards and four red in 17 games so far this season. Bond’s most recent Town match was the 2-2 home draw with Rotherham in October in which he kept his cards in his pocket throughout. Prior to that he was in charge of the 0-0 draw at Middlesbrough in April in which he booked Luke Hyam and former Blues skipper Grant Leadbitter. Before that he took control of the 1-0 win at Huddersfield in February in which he booked Chambers, Pitman and Ainsley Maitland-Niles as well as one home player. He also refereed the dramatic last-gasp 1-0 victory at Charlton in November 2014 in which he kept his cards in his pocket throughout. Two months before that he officiated in the 1-1 draw at Sheffield Wednesday when he booked only two home players, while his only other match involving the Blues was the 2-2 draw at Barnsley in February of the same year in which he again showed no cards. Squad from: Bialkowski, Gerken, Chambers (c), Knudsen, Emmanuel, Kenlock, Webster, Berra, Skuse, Douglas, Bru, Dozzell, Williams, Ward, Lawrence, Varney, McGoldrick. Sears, Best, Pitman.
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