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McCarthy: More of the Same
Wednesday, 21st Aug 2013 06:00

Manager Mick McCarthy says if the Blues play as they have in their first three Championship games of the season they’ll stand a chance of making the top six come May. So far, Town have lost to newly-relegated Reading and QPR and have beaten Millwall.

McCarthy said: “I want to play as well as we’ve played in the last three games, and if we achieve that we’ll be OK.

“I’ve said all along that the top six is where we’re aiming. If we achieve it, brilliant. We’ll see, we’ll just keep playing like we’re doing.”

He says he’s found the division to be just as it always is up to now: “Same old Championship. We’ve had three good performances but we’ve lost two of the games. It’s just the way it is.

“If you’re the one that makes the mistake and they take advantage from it [you’ll lose the game]. There’s been no dominant teams. Even us beating Millwall 3-0, we hardly overran them for 90 minutes. We deserved to win, we took our chances, but it’s going to be a long old scrap.”

While McCarthy feels that Town played well in defeat at both the Madejski Stadium and Loftus Road, but says that was little consolation for not getting the points: “I’m not into all that ‘We played well and got beat’, we want to get results.

“I know in the cold light of day you take encouragement from the way you’ve played. I think you can only take care of your performance. If you play well you’ll get more good results than bad. But I’m not into all that heroic failure nonsense, I want to get points.”

The Town boss added 18-year-old left winger Jordan Adekunle to his development squad yesterday, taking his total of summer signings to 11.

He says that there’s not really been the huge turnaround that that number suggests and that everyone has settled in well: “They’ve been great.

“If you analyse the people who came in, amongst the new players were David McGoldrick, who was with us since January, Tabby was with us from January, Murph had a testimonial while he was on loan, he’d been here that long.

“Lots of them were players that had played with us, so they were all settled in. But the new ones, Cole Skuse, Paul Anderson, Dean Gerken, Christophe Berra, they’ve all settled in great. I’m delighted with the lads we’ve signed.”

Is he looking for any more additions before the end of the transfer window? “I’m satisfied with the ones we’ve got.

“Everybody wants more players, everybody wants better players, everybody wants more, more, more, whether it’s money or players. But I’m delighted with the ones I’ve got, I think I’ve got a really good squad.”

The £20,000 spent on former Waterford winger Jack Doherty is the only fee the Blues have paid this summer and McCarthy believes that Town have done good business: “I think we’ve been smart in our transfer dealings.

"We haven’t had to spend money and we’ve got good players in. You can’t beat that, can you?”


Photo: Action Images



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WhoisJimmyJuan added 07:46 - Aug 21
Not sure I can feel confident about the top six at the moment, but I think we will be comfortable and maybe finish top half/top ten. The most important thing is to have no relegation wobble and a settled squad which is moving toward a promotion push for 2014/15. Decent signings, excellent defence, solid midfield, but need more goals and creativity.
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WorcesterBlue added 07:48 - Aug 21
I think MM is being very astute here and I genuinely think there'll be two more in during the next few weeks and both on fees. It's clear he doesn't rate Taylor so suspect one will be a striker..just a feeling though not daft Rumourmill speculation
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bluefeast added 07:57 - Aug 21
10 games sets the tone ,I just hope sooner rather than later we look a team with goals in it , as currently that is the weakness.
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ipswichjon added 08:00 - Aug 21
Worcesterblue, what makes you think MM doesn't rate Taylor. I know he was poor against QPR when he came on but he's been out for a year and MM has already said "he's a player"?
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martleshamitfc added 08:08 - Aug 21
Hoping for Wordsworth to come in to the team now he is fit, a more creative player and loads of energy. also Taylor will come good, another attacking player so goals will come.
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SouperJim added 08:39 - Aug 21
I've seen every kick so far this season and the only real criticism I have is how we played second half at Reading. They looked pretty nervy first half, like they were waiting for it to happen. It was clear at half time that it was up to one team to come out second half, be really positive and take the points. Unfortunately Reading where that side and we just tried to contain, same as Mick always does away from home. Missed opportunity.
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bedsitfc added 08:52 - Aug 21
Don't think we will sign anybody else until January when our league position will determine how much Marcus gives him.
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dirtyboy added 08:59 - Aug 21
I think that's a fair comment, if we're in with a shout come January, I wouldn't be surprised to see a decent addition. Which of course will be easier to do if you're already doing well.

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battyblue added 09:52 - Aug 21
Dream on will not be top six if we play like we have past three games have to be better with attacking play full stop
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footers added 11:42 - Aug 21
Top six finish. Beat the Budgies in the cup. Play-offs but not quite promotion. COYB!
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PSGBlue added 12:53 - Aug 21
QPR, Reading, Watford, Wigan, Leicester, Nottingham Forest all better currently better than we are. Add to that teams like Leeds, Derby, Blackpool etc and we are struggling to make the top 10. Realistically we are defensively better organsised than in the Jewell era, so a finish 10-14th is my expectation this season.
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HALLSJ added 13:06 - Aug 21
I guess reading this there are many good points from people, PSGBlue is probably right, the likes of QPR, Reading, Watford, Wigan, Leicester and Forest may be better that's the level we are aiming for over the next two seasons, a lot of damage has been done in the last 3 - 4 years by Keane & Jewell that will take Mick a couple of years to overcome.
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battyblue added 15:09 - Aug 21
Who the h-ll marks me down for stating the obvious and then marks other posters up for saying exactly the same thing but in more detail there are some plonkers on here PSG blue and Halls total agree with you at least there are still some realistic supporters on here
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Michael11 added 16:04 - Aug 21
I think we've played well but definitely not looking like a top 6 side at all. We need to add one or two creative players and a goal scoring striker before i'll believe that.
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Garv added 17:10 - Aug 21
Mid table.
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oldelsworthyfan added 17:18 - Aug 21
It's too early to start predicting where we'll finish.
It's a pity we couldn't get Stearman. With him we probably wouldn't have been beaten either at Reading or QPR.
Wordsworth could be the key to how well we do in the next few weeks so let's hope he stays fit.
We'd all like to see a real goal scorer up front....someone who causes the opposition a few headaches!
Fortunately, MM has a better idea of how to run things than the rest of us who write here!
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BuckieBlue added 17:36 - Aug 21
Think it is far too early to judge who are better than us (e.g. Wigan's last two results), also our Aug/Sept fixtures could turn out to be harder than most, so even after that there is room for improvement (look at last season post-Jewell) as well as the newcomers having settled in by then.
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hollywoodginge added 19:25 - Aug 21
Crikey 3 games in and people predicting where we gonna finish, no point publishing league tables until end of September at least, ask me end of November then you will get a prediction, but I'm optimistic based on what we've done so far, as I say probably couldn't have had a harder start, a year ago we'd probably have been done by 5 in the opening 2 away games but we've lost each by the odd goal, I hate losing like everybody but there are definite positives to take, our home form will be crucial, if we can make portman road a place to be feared again I see no reason to think we won't pick up points on our travels.
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tractorboyz82 added 20:56 - Aug 21
Don't think you can predict the season just yet but forest reading Wigan qpr Watford Leicester are miles ahead of us as in better player in most postions and leeds will be up there.I think we'll have a nice mid table finish an push on next season unless mick brings in a couple more signings coyb.
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Warkys_Tash added 22:37 - Aug 21
What's nice about a mid table finish?? Personally I am sick of not being a top side in this division. Mick is happy with his squad which is good, but I can't get too excited about it as I think it's mediocre at best.

However, I do think Mick is a decent manager who can't compete financially with most of the clubs in this league, so lets judge it by end Dec.
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fifeblue added 02:29 - Aug 22
I still think Ipswich can WIN this league. They will improve as the season goes on. Other teams already seem to be performing at their max. We need more creativity from midfield to give the strikers chances but that will come. We haven't seen Ipswich at full pelt yet by along shot.
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itfc94 added 12:58 - Aug 22
Paul Taylor is class. I keep saying it too my family and none of them believe me. He certainly didnt do me any justice at the QPR game, but come on! 8 months out, it's not easy to walk into a game where joey Barton is in front of you and beat him.

Taylor needs games, and considering MM has already said he wanted when he was at wolves certainly does not suggest he is not liked. Personally, I think taking him off for Nouble was the right decision. Nouble just bought a bigger defensive presence.

All this hyam stuff though, Id like to see tunnicliffe starting. He looked a nifty signing. And Woody when fit, will be dangerous going forward!
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