Town boss Mick McCarthy admitted it had been a frustrating transfer window and a frustrating night having been unable to make a permanent addition to his squad - although striker Dominic Samuel and midfielder Emyr Huws joined on loan from Reading and Cardiff respectively - while the Blues were been comfortably beaten 3-0 at home by Derby County and man of the moment Tom Lawrence suffered an ankle injury.

“Yes, it has been frustrating,” McCarthy said regarding the transfer window in which he had hoped to make the permanent signing of a striker to replace Daryl Murphy and had a number of bids of more than a million pounds turned down.

“It’s been a frustrating old day and a frustrating night as well, even more so.”

Regarding the match he was disappointed with his team’s performance: “We were beaten by the better side but we certainly helped them along with the first two goals that we gave away.”

Were there any positives he could take from the display? “Not really, I would say the positives were Grant Ward coming on and how well he played in the second half and I thought Kieffer Moore played well when he came on, he affected the game. Apart from that, no, I don’t see too many positives out of it.”

He added: “Everybody wants a reaction to it [on Saturday against Reading], it’s been a bad night for us, we don’t want another one like that.”

McCarthy says he doesn’t yet know the extent of Lawrence’s injury: “I’ll know better tomorrow, he’s rocked his ankle, how bad it is I’m not quite sure yet.”

“He was the only one carrying the threat at all in the first half and it was a blow to lose him tonight and it would be a huge blow if we lost him for any length of time.

Huws and Samuel are McCarthy’s sixth and seventh signings of the window with McCarthy believing the squad needed freshening up.

“I think we all need a bit of a livener, fresh faces and hopefully they’ll liven the place up,” he said.

McCarthy confirmed that skipper Luke Chambers was the subject of interest from Nottingham Forest: “He wasn’t talking to Nottingham Forest but they were interested in him.”

How far advanced did that get? “It got knocked back [by the club]. How far it got with anybody else, I don’t know.”

You weren’t willing to let him go? “No, not at all. With the position we’re in with our defenders, yes I know I’ve got Tommy Smith maybe coming back and Steven Taylor, but it wouldn’t have been right, just for tonight and Saturday’s games.

“Whatever they do, Tommy might come back on Monday and play [in the U23s] but he’s been out for a long time.”

Did it get to the point of Chambers talking to Forest, where he played before he joined the Blues in 2012? “I don’t know.”

Speaking to BBC Radio Suffolk, he added: “There has [been some interest in him from Forest] but we weren’t prepared to do it, simple as that.”

Might it happen in the summer or would you like to tie him down on the one-year option or beyond that? “Well, that’s the contentious issue because they’ve come in and offered him a contract, I believe, and we’ve not yet done that yet. We’ll have to wait and see.”

According to the Nottingham Post Forest had agreed personal terms with Chambers, whose contract is up at the end of the season but with the Blues having an option to keep him for a further year.

After their home game against Rotherham, which they won 2-0, Forest's interim manager Gary Brazil said: "Luke was somebody we tried very hard to get."

TWTD understands the Blues were eyeing Celtic centre-back Efe Ambrose - who subsequently joined Blackburn on loan - as a potential replacement for Chambers had he moved on.

McCarthy says his list of strikers who he wanted to add on a permanent basis was exhausted so he moved onto his loan list and signed 22-year-old Samuel.

“We couldn’t do anything permanently so we took a loan and hopefully he’ll bring something to us.

“He’s had loan spells one at Coventry, one at Gillingham, scored on both occasions and did really well, so hopefully he’ll do that here.”

The Blues boss says his team will have to be much better in the run of very difficult fixtures during February.

“Exceptionally tough, very, very tough, it’s a tough month for us,” he admitted. “We’ve got to play better than that, that’s for sure.

“We didn’t play well tonight, I thought Derby did and that’s a recipe for disaster if you don’t play well or defend well against a good side.”

Derby manager Steve McClaren was delighted with his team’s first-half display and felt they might have added to their lead after the break: “I think the second half could have been even better as well, we missed opportunities.

“But I was delighted in the second half that there was no complacency, we kept a clean sheet. I could see them wanting to fight for that and I think that’s important, not to get sloppy, complacent and to keep going all the way, which they did.

“I’ve been disappointed with the starts in recent games but I was delighted with the start in this game, and I think that’s important.

“A good message to the team that if we are on the front foot and aggressive you can win the game in the first 20 minutes, which we did.”

Photo: TWTD

Mr_Evans added 23:14 - Jan 31 Frustrating 4 years Mr McCarthy.
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OwainG1992 added 23:15 - Jan 31 I am extremely frustrated with Mick especially 4 years ago he slated Jewell for all the loan players and now it seems we are going that way again. But my god surely Marcus Evans has to back him better than this! All i can imagine is that Mick will leave in the summer and we'll start again
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shakytown added 23:16 - Jan 31 The only possible positive is that you might be gone.
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grubbyoik added 23:17 - Jan 31 A New Manager would liven the place up..
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ArnieM added 23:17 - Jan 31 ...."FRUSTRATING DECADE UNDER EVANS.......FRUSTRATING 4 YEARS UNDER MICK SOD OFF THE PAIR OF YOU.
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TractorCam added 23:19 - Jan 31 That'll just be the icing on the cake won't it, Lawrence injured. I wasn't at Preston on saturday, but it sounds like we played really well so I have no idea why Mick decided to change the formation, and drop Emmanuel for Spence who I thought was awful. I respect the club for offering "half decent" bids for Hugill, but it was a player from a club who clearly would have no intentions of selling too us, so all seemed pointless. Unfortunately Evans doesn't want to adapt to the market, which means we are slowly heading in one direction.

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Len_Brennan added 23:19 - Jan 31 If this transfer window confirms anything for me it's that he'll be gone in the summer.
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TractorBoy654 added 23:20 - Jan 31 I think McCarthy has done a bloody good job with this budget and finally it's caught up with him... still believe he is the man to save us from a relegation scrap... that we're now in. He desperately needed some money however in this inflated market mr Evans was reluctant to back him, but what can you say he's previously invested money and it's been a complete waste. Let's hope (pray) these guys can help us out at least!

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BrettenhamBlue added 23:20 - Jan 31 Samuel looked set to sign for York until we swooped in. So we can say we beat another team to a signature! List of strikers? Where was this list? And what does this say about Samuel if he wasn't on the main list? Many teams signed strikers late on, including Taylor to Bristol City.
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Plums added 23:20 - Jan 31 Completely amateurish approach to replacing Murphy by the club. We should have had our number one target wrapped up long before the window even opened. It's what other clubs who mean business do, even if it isn't strictly by the rules. To leave it this late and end up with someone else's cast offs is a disgrace. Four wasted months.
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TheDailyTractor added 23:22 - Jan 31 Look around you, Brighton signed up there star loanee Murray on a permanent. We should of done the same with Lawerence. Right at the start of the window. Id like too see how Moore and Rowe settle in before passing judgement, BUT this season has gone down as a MAJOR fail. DO NOT be surprised if season ticket sales drop. This isn't 2009 anymore, quality players cost money. Scunthorpe rejected a £4million bid today! £4 million! whether we like it or not this is football now. Time to wake up and smell the coffee Mr Evans, however it pains me to say for some, its too little, too late

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julesbda added 23:22 - Jan 31 Our season now hangs in the balance due to an injury to a wonderful young player who doesn't even belong to us !! ..Next month is going to be very hard and we will barely be above the bottom 3 come Feb 28th . As for frustrated ,, Mick you have no idea . Everyone on this website loves ITFC and right now you are killing the club , killing the fun and taking away our excitement for 3pm every saturday ....Mr Evans you are in the hospitality business and i can honestly say this is not entertainment and no one wants to watch this week in and week out . So Mr Evans you have a simple choice !!! ..I'm sure you are smart enough to work out what that is !!

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Mark added 23:22 - Jan 31 Frustrating is one word, abject, pitiful and unacceptable are others. We seem almost incapable of playing football nowadays. Why play three at the back tonight? Berra clearly hates it, Knudsen it no wing-back, and it meant including Digby. It was lowest league crowd for 17 years, but that will seem high compared to next season with thousands of season ticket holders unlikely to renew. What is there to look forward to? The club is in such decline and we now look a league below many of our opponents in terms of quality. It we stay up this season it feels like it is just a matter of time before we go down as in the summer we will no doubt be taking on 31st August how "frustrated" we all are not to have got players in once again. While it does feel like McCarthy will be going in the summer, don't pin your hopes on it as I could well believe Evans will leave him in charge until summer 2018, when he will be replaced by a cheaper alternative who will be given a shoestring budget.

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runningout added 23:26 - Jan 31 it's all getting too predictable on and off the pitch.. We needed some life put in this team. Lightweight loan moves and bids do not do that. We were more than capable of taking this league, but the negative and dire play has eaten into the hearts of the players and supporters
8

Blandford added 23:27 - Jan 31 And so ends another day at the clown college that our great club has become. Perhaps Mr Evans could use the money he had no intention of spending during this transfer window on employing senior management figures that actually have some footballing experience, because it is very clear that no-one has the first idea how to run our club.
6

itfchorry added 23:28 - Jan 31 Please Go - You are truly not the right man for our club.
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cranky_old_tractor added 23:29 - Jan 31 Is it that players want to avoid us or is it more bull that we really never had any bids out there. Give the youngsters first shout.
1

stiffy501 added 23:30 - Jan 31 What we need ! 1. A midfield playmaker and organiser 2. A Striker who knows where the goal is. What we got 1. 2 holding midfielders on loan 2 A full back 3 A centre back 4 A winger untried 5 A centre forward untried 6 A striker on loan youngster ( why not try our England under 18 lad ) Please can i write your summer list for you if your still about ?
2

Blue_Moses added 23:33 - Jan 31 The best window we can hope for is one that you jump out of Mick
9

nthstd added 23:35 - Jan 31 Really is that what he had to say? Very very poor.
3

prebsa added 23:36 - Jan 31 Crap questions crap answers crap football crap manager. Mick out
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Surco72 added 23:38 - Jan 31 The fact you are still at the club is the most frustrating news , never thought I would be so disillussioned with the Town
14

EssexTractor added 23:39 - Jan 31 The anonymous chairman has publicly backed the manager The anonymous chairman to relieve the managers duties and pay him compensation, this from a Ticket Merchandiser! Hardly... The anonymous chairman has had how many months to actually fund his manager with appropriate funds given 2017s asking fees,but has he No The anonymous chairman now believes " his" playing staff are good enough, on whose advice, his inept manager., or his double entry book keepers? The anonymous chairman has shortened his pockets to now allow in unestablished Championship players The anonymous chairman has now allowed, via his woeful inability to replace a faded manager, those few ITFc players with any skill to have it sucked from their beings. The anonymous chairman should not be allowed to rule over ITFC Now almost all true ITFC supporters want an overhaul ownership, management players BUT where is there a visible wealthy wealthy ITFC believer who will buy " the club"? That's the real dilemma Evans has NOT built a team with a future in it, his advisors have not persuaded him, because his advisors have been non football men. So if MM resigns or is dismissed would Evans choose a real forward thinking man? Or would it be another square peg in a round hole? Sad but it's a new wealthy owner that is needed first, but who, where ?

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itfchorry added 23:41 - Jan 31 Why won't you leave ?
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itfchorry added 23:42 - Jan 31 Why won't you leave ?
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