Blues boss Mick McCarthy has refuted the “nonsense” suggestion that his Town team has played with the shackles on.

Quizzed on whether his players can now play with a bit more freedom and with the shackles off in the remaining five games of the season with the Blues having nothing to play for, McCarthy bristled: “There’s a bit of a misconception about having the shackles on because I don’t put the shackles on them.

“We put the shackles on the opposition but when we’ve got the ball we’ve got freedom to play and it’s a complete piece of nonsense that anybody should suggest any other way.

“So, stopping the opposition is one thing. If you had seen my team, which you have over the last five and a half years, we’ve played 4-4-2 when we’re attacking. We leave two centre-backs back and one sitting midfield player, which means we’re attacking with seven players.

“Both wing-backs here will be in the box. I’m going to refute that suggestion because it’s a piece of nonsense.”

McCarthy admits he would have liked to have had two flying wingers establish themselves in his Blues side as Michael Kightly and Matt Jarvis did at Wolves during his time at Molineux.

“Yes, I’ve tried, strangely enough two of the most successful ones have been Tabby and Ando, who were terrific, not flying wingers but able to still do the wide job but tuck in and make it hard for teams that are playing 4-3-3 to play through us,” he added.

“Tom Lawrence was a real hit, Ryan Fraser was a hit and Santie has scored his eight goals, so we’ve had a bit of success with them.”

Photo: TWTD

Andy32Cracknell added 18:53 - Apr 9 It's not the fact of putting shackles on the players, it's your crap hoofball tactics that restrict the players ability to influence the game in a positive manner.
23

braveblue added 19:04 - Apr 9 He just don't like facts. Rotherham at home. Back four and three holding midfielders. He does talk some amount of rubbish.
32

algarvefan added 19:06 - Apr 9 I know I'll get stick for this but you cannot make a silk purse out of a sows ear and sadly our current players have an ability of a mid table side, we need investment, the players generally try very hard, lots of effort but lack the skills, you can't blame that all on just tactics and MM. Tactics don't change average Championship players into Ronaldo!!! Whoever is in charge next year will do no better without investment, I don't think we have the players at the club just yet to be a promotion wining side.

-2

blueboy1981 added 19:11 - Apr 9 ......... this man takes everyone for being an idiot, and don't know what they are seeing. That's because he has been here too long, and knows full well that he can 'pull the wool' over certain peoples eyes. It'll take more than him to pull it over mine, however clever he thinks he is.
12

billlm added 19:16 - Apr 9 He's an idiot
2

Andy32Cracknell added 19:22 - Apr 9 The whole ethos of the team is dictated by the manager, FACT. That involves, training, tactics, formation's played in games and playing players in there correct positions. It is the managers responsibility to install confidence in players and encourage them to be brave on the ball and pass and move. Not shift the ball out to the full backs and pump long direct balls into the corner and play percentage football. How people can defend McCarthy is beyond me.

12

runaround added 19:25 - Apr 9 Well it often seems as though the shackles are on Mick. That's obvious on the rare occasions that we really attack such as the Millwall match. If concentrating on stopping the opposition instead of concentrating on what we can do Isn't putting the shackles on then I don't know what is
14

LWNR2013 added 19:36 - Apr 9 I really liked Paul Anderson. Looking back, the time of his departure was the start of the Fayre being served up changing from palletable to harder and harder to swallow.
12

OwainG1992 added 19:45 - Apr 9 Well that's just a bald faced lie Mick. We've been crying out for players to be allowed to actually attack! The amount of times we've had potential overlaps etc but unable to take advantage as the wide players/attackers were busy defending.
9

shakytown added 19:52 - Apr 9 Why is this moronic dinosaur still involved with the club at all?????
7

Woodbridgian added 20:06 - Apr 9 The only nonsense I can see is that your still here. But only 27 days till your gone !
7

BanksterDebtSlave added 20:27 - Apr 9 Yeah, but, yeah................. .........but................... yeah........ .....Mick.......innit!
1

alfromcol added 21:27 - Apr 9 We have for some time played "pass and stand" rather than "pass and move". Players seem frightened to go forward after they have passed the ball. Attacking triangles get you passed defensive lines of the opposition. Under MM we never, or very rarely, play these triangles. Not long folks and MM will be history and the Summer will be here, something to look forward to.
17

SingBlue added 00:15 - Apr 10 In our last 20 games we have scored 13 goals and in 11 of those games we didn't score .... Someone here is definitely talking shackles...
8

madmouse1959 added 01:55 - Apr 10 I have seen most of your games in the last 5 odd years and too many of them were a poor advert for English football. Many away games were a waste of a day out. Home games where i have left well before the end. That is how far the standards have dropped and most certainly the expectations of entertainment. McCarthy carried on ONLY as he knows how !! Using the same average footballers over and over again that limits any success. The extension of McCarthys personality is mirrored in the tactics and much of our unmotivated performances. Even with a totally boring defeat there is only Mick McCarthy who is happy with the 90 minute shift. Many supporters wish for a some exciting cup run but all that is gone under the watch of MM. Just an easy, tread water season once again. That's why the attendances are falling and Evans has sat back and allowed it to happen. A sparse stadium VOID of any joy.

5

GiveusaWave added 04:30 - Apr 10 In a majority of games we don't start attacking until the opposition has scored. Good advert for amazing goalkeeping...but not football in general. Saying that we have played better football since Murphy left. There is less of the "route one" football on display.
3

DurhamTownFan added 06:43 - Apr 10 Alga eve fan: we were played off the park by Lincoln city in the cup last year. How do you explain that? Fine we've got freedom when we have the ball but we never bloody have it because we just hoof it back to the opposition! Really letting rip nlw isn't he?
5

therein61 added 07:43 - Apr 10 Pass and stand seems to be all certain members of the squad are capable of and yet they play every game(when fit)
4

ChrisFelix added 08:01 - Apr 10 Another stupid comment.Surely the system you use & the negative tactics dictate how the team play
5

bings109 added 09:21 - Apr 10 https://arcticterntalk.org/2018/04/08/brentford-overcome-the-anti-football-team- Everyone needs to read this article, from someone else who can remember what this club stood for, and where that t**t MM has taken us down to. Along with our invisible ticket tout.
6

MicksZzzTactics added 11:07 - Apr 10 @bings109 Many Thanx matey.... That was a truly excellent piece & SADLY very spot on! (Only I imagine that those Die-Harder-than-Bruce-Willis pesky MM worshipperZzz among our fans steadfastly continuing to live 'In Denial' will ehmmm probably not see quite as such! LOL ....but rather most likely feverishly continue to cling on to what immaculate Trumpist the honorable Mrs. KellyAnne Conway so so inelegantly dubbed, "ALTERNATIVE FACTS"! :-) :-) HaHaHaHa

4

BobbyBell added 11:20 - Apr 10 Strikers are shackled when there is no one in team capable of making a decent forward pass and no one rushing forward to support them when they do get the ball. Negative tackles are shackles.
2

therein61 added 11:37 - Apr 10 Well I wouldn't like to witness a team that you have put the shackles on then after the tripe I've witnessed this season.
4

oldegold added 11:41 - Apr 10 Clearly I have missed something in these 5 or so years...the free flowing,all out attacking instincts that are are the hallmark of McCarthy football lol
3

blueboy1981 added 13:39 - Apr 10 Black will always be White - if Mick thinks so. Worse part is, he is that pendantic, he believes it. Never before have so many been conned - by just one man.
2

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