Blues boss Mick McCarthy hopes new loanee Toumani Diagouraga will make his side tougher in midfield. The 29-year-old Leeds man joined Town for the season earlier in the week.

“I’m hoping that he’ll make us tougher in the middle of the park,” McCarthy said. “He likes to get forward, he’s a forward thinker in terms of passing it.

“I think he’ll be a big help for Skusey in there and if we lost Skusey I wouldn’t have anybody else to do that job, who holds that midfield.

“We’ve got other good players but they’re runners and get on the ball and you could find them anywhere [on the pitch], I need somebody that’s in the middle of that pitch and making sure that we are solid.”"

Does he believe he is someone who can lead by example? “He’s very brave on the ball, I’m hoping he’s going to get on it and get us passing it.”

The Parisian, who looks set to make his Blues debut at Preston on Saturday, is often described as a defensive midfielder but McCarthy says that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have an attacking side to his game.

“You can have the ball in that defensive position and pass it forward, can’t you?” he added.

“That’s the difference. And go past people and open people up, which I think he does, to be honest. He’s impressed everybody in the last two days he’s trained here, he’s been good.”

McCarthy says he’s not sure why the former Brentford man has been out of favour at Leeds, his only game this season having been a 3-0 defeat at QPR on the opening day.

“I don’t know,” the Blues boss admitted. “He said to me the first game he played centre-back, in Garry Monk’s first game. And then Garry’s come in and got other players in.

“Your man Ronaldo [Vieira] has ripped it up and [Kalvin] Phillips, the two young lads at Leeds, have been terrific. That happens. Two young local lads have come in and have been great.”

Photo: Action Images

martin587 added 18:34 - Jan 26 He seems to be the sort of midfield player we have been looking for.Lets hope he lives up to his reputation.welcome and good luck.!
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ipswich4life added 18:36 - Jan 26 Exciting times to be an ipswich fan,reminds me of the jewell Days.
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Surco72 added 18:38 - Jan 26 He shouldn't be a help for Skuse he should replace him !! Leeds have been playing to young local lads who are ripping it up , given a chance we have young local lads to do the same it's just MM will never change FFS
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jas0999 added 18:43 - Jan 26 Skuse and this fella. Rather than Skuse and Dougie? Doesn't sound overly entertaining. All three are holding players. Deary me. Negative stuff.
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NoelTheDub added 18:53 - Jan 26 Forward thinking midfielder how long did that take you to think this was an issue with our team ,dont forget to take him off for Dougie or leave all 3 on.Cant wait to get to PR the excitement is killing me. .
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Mark added 19:10 - Jan 26 Just what we need, a defensive midfielder who can do that job well, plus be forward thinking. Or are those words to soften us up for playing him alongside Skuse, which sounds like it will be the case? (a bit like when Mick suggested Douglas was the answer to us scoring more goals). If you take Diagouraga and Skuse's goalscoring records at Brentford, Leeds and Ipswich they will between them score once every 42 games. Diagouraga could be good for us, I just hope the short term loan of a defensive midfielder isn't seen as the answer to our lack of midfield creativity and goals.

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ArnieM added 19:29 - Jan 26 So let's get this straight. Mick has just brought in a sold CB who organises the back four and communicates. Plus, a solid midfielder,who can pass forwards, run with the ball tackle and is comfortable on the ball, and we HAVEN'T PAID A THING???!!! OH PERLEASE, stop winding us all up.
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MattinLondon added 19:30 - Jan 26 We've got other good players but they're runners and get on the ball and you could find them anywhere. oh dear.
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blootheref added 19:37 - Jan 26 Any chance we could actually see him play before we write the lad off? He's hardly Yaya Toure but let's have a look at him first. Grrrr!
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Lathers added 19:57 - Jan 26 He reminds me of a young Georges Santos. Can't wait to see him in action 😂
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bedsitfc added 20:33 - Jan 26 So we will be playing 4-2-3-1 at Preston
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SamWhiteUK added 21:11 - Jan 26 “You can have the ball in that defensive position and pass it forward, can't you?” he added. You can?? Try telling Douglas and Skuse that
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OldClactonBlue added 22:36 - Jan 26 #SamWhiteUK Well spotted, presumably McCarthy thinks this revelation will be a surprise to us. I didn't think he thought you needed to pass it at all!
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heathen66 added 22:44 - Jan 26 Mmmm, he will be a big help for Skusey...I do like the sound of Diagouraga, as he is everything a defensive midfielder should be, to that point should play in place of Skuse. Perhaps Skuse can sit in the stands for the next 4 months and learn what to do as a defensive midfielder. We definitely do not need both of them playing !!!
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planetblue_2011 added 23:06 - Jan 26 He reminds me of George Ndaw!! What a player haha😆
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GiveusaWave added 07:00 - Jan 27 Concerned that we are going to start playing a back 8 (5 at the back with 3 holding midfielders directly in front of them). Will make us difficult to break down but not exactly a positive, attacking strategy. Also puts a lot of pressure on Spence and Knudsen to effectively play as link up players between attack and defence. According to 2 Leeds fans I trust, Diagouraga is very defence minded and plays in that hole in front of the back 4...where Skuse plays....

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WorcesterBlue added 07:35 - Jan 27 MM describes the role of a defensive Central Midfielder well. Has he finally been on a coaching course as Skuse has consistently not shown these attributes yet is Undroppable! I think Douglas and Bru to a lesser extent have been his fall guys. So if he plays (on his own or with a more progressive midfielder like Bish or Kendu, then good signing. If he's hook g to be used to mask other people's inadequacies maybe not.

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BrettenhamBlue added 12:21 - Jan 27 Puzzled why we end up with loan signings in midfield whilst MK Dons get players such as Chuks Anebe on a free transfer. Do we keep a tab on players or just sign them up when we are in an emergency situation?
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