Town boss Kieran McKenna says defender Ben Godfrey is a strong character and showed a good attitude at Monday training after a tough Saturday afternoon against Spurs as the Blues were beaten 4-1.

Twice-capped England international Godfrey, who joined Town on loan from Italian side Atalanta in January having rarely featured for the Serie A side in the first half of the season, was given a very difficult afternoon by Tottenham skipper Son Heung-min and was subbed at half-time having been booked.

McKenna says the yellow card meant the 27-year-old staying on for the second half wasn’t an option, particularly given Axel Tuanzebe’s sending off in not dissimilar circumstances at Aston Villa the previous week.

“I think with a yellow card it wasn't very difficult because he's up against a really good opponent,” McKenna said.

“And the yellow card at half-time would have made it dangerous, especially for the feeling of the team after what happened last week with Axel, so the yellow card meant it wasn't a particularly difficult decision to make.

“He's trained well today. He's trying to give good things to the group. He's come in with a really good attitude today and has trained well and we're going to need him across the games to the end of the season.

“Saturday was a challenge, but he's a strong character and he's fitting in really well with the group. He's shown in his attitude today and since he's been here, he really wants to help the team.”

Asked what he’s had to do to lift the mood after the weekend disappointment, he added: “No, it's been fine,” he said. “We’re not going to be dancing and singing on the tables after losing the home game, Saturday was disappointing, we came out on the wrong side of a harsh scoreline. 

“I think anyone who was at the game would concede that it was that. It was a really tight game with fine margins. For us to have a tight game with fine margins against Tottenham, we've done a lot of good things in the performance, which we've certainly done. And, of course, conceding a couple of late goals puts a different shine on it.

“It was disappointing the way the game ended up, but we've taken a lot of positives from it. Of course, we can do better in some moments as well, but we've got a great game to look forward to on Wednesday.

“So there's a great energy around the training ground today. Everyone's really excited to go to Old Trafford to play against Manchester United and it's a quick turnaround.

“We've got a lot of hard work to do in the next couple of days to be ready for the game. But everyone's really excited.”

Photo: Matchday Images

Carberry added 16:30 - Feb 24 More fine margins.
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FrimleyBlue added 16:45 - Feb 24 Come on KM show a bit of annoyance occasionally and speak up about how sht his defending was. You've brought him in to do a job. Grrr
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Lightningboy added 17:49 - Feb 24 He was dreadful Saturday and hasn't contributed much else over the last 2 months...to think that Harry Clarke who would run through a brick wall for this club has been let go in place of Godfrey astonishes me. Far too many average Joe's brought in this season which why we are where we are.
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ThaiBlue added 18:01 - Feb 24 Yes come on kieran throw a few fs and bs at these players time to stop being Mr nice guy.
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ArnieM added 18:40 - Feb 24 I wouldn’t be surprised if McKenna DOES tell certain players a few home truths. Don’t fooled by his media face. He’s thoroughly professional and doesn’t wash his dirty linen in public, like all good managers do.
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WalkRules added 19:19 - Feb 24 Ah - the old vote of confidence
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armchaircritic59 added 23:19 - Feb 24 No sensible manager is going to come out in public and throw a player under the bus, unless he's looking for a guaranteed way out of a club. I'm sure KM says anything that he feels needs to be said to a player, in private, just as it should be in any business.
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blues1 added 23:43 - Feb 24 FrimleyBlue Some fans,have,so little knowledge of football it's unbelievable. Yes he was poor, but it wqsntcall down to him. With leif playing that advanced role, it leads to the 3 cbs moving across to be cover for him . So with Son playing out so wide, it left Godfrey with a big issue. If you think Clarke would have done any better, you're deluded. Had the same issues with him last season, in the championship. And having watched sheff utd tonight, he hasnt improved. Was constantly caught out by the Leeds wide men. Godfrey is a good player, but he had hardly played before signing and not played the last 4 games, so not easy to come in against some1 like Son. Especially when Mckenna had picked a very attacking team, with Philogene playing in front of him, obviously believing we needed to go for it. Maybe would have been better to keep Johnson on the right ,was he'd have got back to support Godfrey more.

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hyperbrit added 04:02 - Feb 25 Godfrey's job imo was to find out if Davis was capable of defending against the chronic blunders of a right back. He was not...Johnson is a good striker but not that good. Town lacks both a right and left back capable of defending at this level.
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Bluewhiteboy added 12:39 - Feb 25 Pretty sure the likes of sir alex knew a little about the game, they certainly knew when it was time for Carrott or time for stick and not shy to do it publicly. I don't know how much some of these poor signings are on kieran or Ashton but if I was a betting man it would be Ashton splash the cash.
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FrimleyBlue added 14:08 - Feb 25 blues1 lol Question as you seem to have more knowledge than me What right fullback sits inside the opponents half in front of their own winger, when the opponents have the ball leaving the opponents most dangerous forward 5 yards of space behind him What playbook is that from?
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Cloddyseedbed added 18:36 - Feb 25 If Johnsons in the team he needs to learn how to defend too, because he can't either. As for supporters singing harry Clarkes praises he was the weak link at right back too. He also had a nightmare game against Leeds last night playing for Sheff Utd before being substituted off injured.
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