Town boss Mick McCarthy had no complaints about Jordan Spence’s red card which he felt changed the game as Fulham came from behind to beat the Blues 4-1 at Craven Cottage.

Responding to a reporter saying the Cottagers are capable of doing that to any team on their day, McCarthy said: “They can against 10 men, that’s for sure. It didn’t look like happening while we had 11 men on the pitch.

“They started well, they had a good first half. But I thought when we settled into the game we frustrated them, got our goal from a freekick and, well, I’ll never know what would have happened because we got reduced to 10 men.”

Regarding Spence’s dismissal, Town’s first of the season, he added: “It’s a sending off. What’s Jordan said? Sorry. A moment of madness has cost us. That result’s not going to happen with 10 outfield players on the pitch, that’s for sure.

“My beef is with the decision before because I thought [Aboubakar Kamara] fouled Freddie [Sears], I thought he barged Freddie.

“Apparently it was a f***ing shoulder charge, shoulder to shoulder. Not while I’ve got a hole in my backside was it a shoulder charge, it was from behind.

“And the other thing wouldn’t have happened either. It was all borne out of frustration. I don’t think that was the case, I think it was a foul.

“I think [Jordan’s] gone to go and put a sturdy tackle on him and he’s got there late and he’s followed through with it, which was stupid. I’ve no argument with the sending off at all.”

McCarthy had no complaints about his 10-men, despite them conceding four goals in a seven-minute spell.

“I’ve no qualms about the lads out there, they were sticking at it,” he said. “Fulham had opened us up with 11 men in the first half a few times.

“The first goal we got done by the one-two on the halfway line and we didn’t stay with the runner.

“But then I’ve got players playing out of position and doing a really sterling job for me. We just got done and they finished it off.”

In addition to the defeat, McCarthy says the Blues lost another player to an injury: “Wardy’s got a sore groin. I’ve got a three-match suspension for my full-back and that’s not going to help either.

“Callum Connolly was getting to the stage where he could have got injured and I wanted to put Luke Hyam on for 10 minutes to get him on the field.

“If there’s a positive from the game, Luke Hyam’s back playing in the first team, which was lovely. So, we’ll be down to a 14-man squad on Saturday.”

The Town boss admits he’s pleased that the Blues have an FA Cup tie at home to Sheffield United at the weekend when he is likely to include a number of fringe players: “Yes, I’m glad it’s not a league game on Saturday.”

However, he is hopeful that, among others, Adam Webster, who missed tonight’s game with the achilles problem he suffered on Saturday, could be back for the Leeds match the following week.

“I hope so,” he said. “Adam Webster, the best case scenario, the anti-inflammatories work and he’ll be back for Leeds. Worst case scenario he could not be back for Leeds, he could be longer. We need a few bodies back.”

McCarthy says he’s not close to making any additions to his squad - “No, I’m not” - and kept tight-lipped regarding developments on Kieffer Moore’s situation: “There’s always going to be talk about him. I can’t tell you anything.”

However, he confirmed that if the striker who has been recalled from his loan spell with Rotherham plays for Town he can’t play for anyone else other than the Millers this season due to FIFA’s three-club rule.

“That’s correct, or stay with us,” he added. “He can’t play in the cup anyway. That gives us a bit of thinking room, I guess.”

Regarding new signing Aaron Drinan, he says he’s not sure whether the Irishman’s international clearance has come through but hopes he is available for the Sheffield United match.

“I don’t know as yet, we should have it for the game on Saturday. I hope so anyway.”

Photo: TWTD

GiveusaWave added 23:38 - Jan 2 "MIck had no complaints about his 10 men" Really? seriously? lLOL!!!???
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Swn98 added 23:39 - Jan 2 A very true assessment of what I witnessed at the game.
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PavlovsCat added 23:40 - Jan 2 I hate football! 😫
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Coco added 23:40 - Jan 2 🤔
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Gatehouse added 23:43 - Jan 2 So Dino has got no complaints you utter muppet please come and pay to watch the dross you serve up come and stand with us in the north stand you'll hear complaints then.your head is so far up Evans a&@e that we all know you're talking sh1t. Just go please even if we had co-co the clown in charge it couldn't be any worse
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OwainG1992 added 23:44 - Jan 2 He's hardly gonna lambast the players. But I feel they let him down badly after the sending off hell including the sending off. Could have been a great away victory tonight and as it is we have been embarrassed!
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Swn98 added 23:44 - Jan 2 It's not the standard of football on offer or MM tactics or ME not spending his money or the know it alls on the news site that drive me away from itfc in particular and football in general it's the standard of refereeing tonight's officials where a scandal and they are ruining football.
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kizaitfc added 23:45 - Jan 2 No qualms over the defence for their 4 goals? 11 men, 10 men, 9 men, 8 men - you should be defending better than that
7

loyal_Blue added 23:55 - Jan 2 "Players out of position doing a sterling job" you play them out of position....... get out of our club! Same mentality home and away, sit back and show no footballing ability. We are a joke and are falling fast
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TonyHumesIpswich added 23:59 - Jan 2 Honestly we should have been 6-0 down before the sending off. We could have lost that 10-0 without complaint.
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Carberry added 00:18 - Jan 3 And he is back to his profanities in the press conference. Leave it on the training ground McCarthy, you are dragging our club into the mire on and off the pitch.
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itfchorry added 00:21 - Jan 3 McCarthy /- You are killing our club - Please go
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Dissboyitfc added 00:54 - Jan 3 MM will be happy that he has someone to blame, yes it changed the game was a second of madness he made a mistake and apologised shame McCarthy will never be big enough to admit his many mistakes and apologise.
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Surco72 added 01:00 - Jan 3 When opposition have a player sent off it makes them harder to break down when it happens to us we crumble in minutes after luckily being ahead anyway . Your excuses are as tired and dates as your team Mick do one now you are an embarrassment
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blues1 added 01:30 - Jan 3 Swn98. Talking a load of tosh. The ref overall had a decent game. He got a corner decision wrong and a couple of throw ins in the 1st half. And maybe it was a foul on Sears tho im not convinced one way or the other. Regardless of that what Spence did was ridiculous and he got what he deserved. As for McCarthys account being a fair reflection of what u saw? Really? For him to say the team put in a syerling effort after the red card is total garbage. All we needed to do was put 2 lines of 4 across the pitch, leave garner up front on his own and defend properly. Fulham may still have won but it certainly wouldnt have been the embarassment it ended up being.Ive always said that regardless of his playing ability, Chambers is a good captain but tonight he was useless. Was no leadership or encouragement when we down to 10 men. In fact he lost his composure along with the others.

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bobble added 02:58 - Jan 3 the slide has started...the lack of decent management has lost us another season. micks a nowhere man sitting in his nowhere land.....making all his nowhere plans for .....
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 05:41 - Jan 3 I think it is a bit hard to blame Mick for this defeat. The celebrations for the first goal showed that we have a great team spirit. Spence (a guy I like) is usually pretty cool and made an uncharacteristic mistake (also misdirected commitment to the cause?) for which he has apologised. How much this was "game-changing" we will never know, but the chances are Fulham would have scored sooner or later even without the sending off. Our players did what they could. Fulham were just better - much better. Teams without financial backing can pull off the odd surprise, but over the season, the table seems to align itself according to how much money they have. I have issues with Mick sometimes, but generally we have improved this season, and I wonder who could do any better given the tools he has to work with.

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prebbs007 added 06:24 - Jan 3 Exactly as expected you ret&rded deluded stubborn idiot. We were battered with 11. We get outplayed most games in terms of possession because we don't have players with the ability to keep and pass the ball. We are the 2nd highest scorers in the division with the best keeper in the league but we're 12th. Does this not highlight the issue we have you berk ? You pick the same liabilities every week. Chambers Spence Knudsen Skuse Ward NOT GOOD ENOUGH. Those same players are making the “individual errors” you love to refer to but YOU still select them. The issue is YOU and your antiquated outlook on football. Last night was a perfect example. We don't need the ball apparently we should have been 5 down with 11 players yes the red card doesn't help but to lay all the blame on that is ridiculous. Look at yourself and the mistakes you make week after week after week. YOU are the problem and no one wants you here anymore. Go away now and allow us to get a younger modern manager who gets the game nowadays, gets ITFC, gets the players and the fans. You're finished so do the honourable thing and walk away. Get Gary Monk in Evans before someone else snaps him up. We should of taken Rowett when he was stupidly sacked don't miss out again !!!!!!

0

dukey44 added 06:41 - Jan 3 Most other teams bond together and become harder to break down when down to 10 men and then there's Micks Ipswich Town........... ridiculously feeble defending and aren't we lucky to have Chambers as our fist pumping captain... don't make me laugh ..... sad sad days and can only see it getting worse please go Mick and take your backteam with u
3

Swn98 added 06:42 - Jan 3 Blue's you find me a majority of the fans who were at the game and say the ref had a good game and I will accept your criticism he was a disaster and his and colleagues inept decisions were the catalyst that led to our downfall.
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blue75 added 07:17 - Jan 3 For those of you that still think McCarthy's the man to lead us I have a quote from him. “But then I've got players playing out of position and doing a really sterling job for me. We just got done and they finished it off.” I don't understand why he's pointing this out Chambers, Sears, Tabb and many others in his 5 years he's played outta position!! Also he sets our team up to absorb the pressure and to hope nick a goal well it worked up to the sending off then went south. For how to play with 10 men have a look how Luton did on New Year's Day McCarthy could learn a lot!! Well at least there'll be a good atmosphere Saturday as I can only see McCarthy fans turning up.

13

Penguinblue added 07:24 - Jan 3 Poor sending off by Spence but does anyone else question our foul mouthed manager's tactical response in tacking off Celini, who was doing his defensive "shift' for Iorfa? Usual McCarthy response. What is the club doing about his foul mouthed tirades? Aren't fans supposed to report this sort of behaviour so culprits are ejected? Please join me in reporting it to that dynamic managing director Mr 'the powers that be' Milne. Five years of McCarthy, 4 years wasted.

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marco007 added 07:34 - Jan 3 25 shots to 3, 25% possession...the stats don't lie! We have had our smash and grab for the season at Derby. The reality is that we were outclassed again and our lack of pace and quality at the back will see us concede plenty of goals. I appreciate that we have lost plenty to injury but have no idea why we allowed Rowe to leave on loan and are even considering selling Moore?? I have absolutely no idea of the direction of this club.....other than downwards!

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martin587 added 07:38 - Jan 3 Even with 10 men the team Should have defended a lot better.Its all about leadership and there was none to show when Spence was sent off.Ok,Your at a disadvantage but come on lads we just capitulated. I witnessed it first hand.
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hampstead_blue added 07:55 - Jan 3 what utter twoddle. Sorry, MM but your coaching isn't up to standard. The players can adapt, but they need to modern coach. Can we please now stop this. Get a new manager in, someone who can coach players. MM can find a League 1 club and eat some grass.
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