Boss Mick McCarthy has admitted he is considering making changes to his side ahead of next week’s trip to Birmingham after falling to a third Championship defeat in four games at home to Leeds on Saturday. The visitors hit back via Luke Varney and Ross McCormack to win 2-1 after David McGoldrick had put Town in front during a bright opening spell.

Aside from Tyrone Mings replacing the injured Aaron Cresswell in the opening game at Reading, McCarthy has fielded an unchanged XI in all Town’s league games so far, but that might not be the case at St Andrew’s.

“I’ve kept faith for four games, there have been virtually no changes,” the Town manager said.

“I’ve said to the players that I believe in having faith in them and we’ve played well enough. But once you’ve lost three out of four, that maybe changes that thought process slightly. It does, no question, and that’s all of them.”

McCarthy kept his squad in their dressing room for a lengthy spell after the match and says he gave them a pat on the back and a kick up the backside: “A little bit of both I guess, because we were excellent for parts of that game.

“I thought excellent tactically, certainly in the first half, the way we played and created enough chances. So there’s an arm around the shoulder and a well done for that.

“But there’s a kick up the backside for not being ruthless enough when we’ve played as well as we have and not getting a second goal.”

While feeling Varney’s equaliser was unlucky, the ball deflecting into the striker’s path with the initial shot going nowhere, he felt a catalogue of errors led to McCormack’s second Leeds goal, not least from keeper Scott Loach.

“We made a mistake with the pass in the midfield, we made a mistake letting him come inside and shoot,” he said.

“Tiny little mistakes but all that could have been repaired but Loachy has come in and held his hands up. He’s got no option, he should have stopped it.

“I’m not one for pointing the finger at players, but if it’s as blatant as that, he comes in and coughs it. But there could have been a lot done to it before it got to him.

“There was a bit of a kick up the backside because we didn’t finish it off when we should have done and a bit of an arm around them because they played as well as they did, they worked as hard as they did and in the last 25 minutes they’ve had corner after corner and attack after attack but to no avail.”

The Blues boss admitted that he was frustrated that once again his side played well but without picking up any points: “It becomes a bit of a recurring theme that becomes a bit boring, that we played well and got beaten.

“I’m not into that. But if you play well in more games than not, you’ve got more chance of getting results.”

However, he did feel there were pluses in the display: “There were lots of positives in that game, David McGoldrick was excellent again and scored a really good goal.

“It’s lovely that he’s got off the mark because he’d been playing well, but as we all know, strikers thrive on putting the ball in the net.”

With the transfer window closing a week today, McCarthy says he has received no interest in left-back Aaron Cresswell: “We’ve never had a bid, never had a bid at all. Nothing at all, zero, zilch, zippo, diddly squat. Not spoken to anybody about him and if they ring up I’ll speak to them.

“And if they make a bid to me, I’ll tell Marcus Evans, the owner, and that’s what makes the world go round.”

The Town manager, who reiterated that he currently has no intention of adding to his squad, says he doesn’t get overly concerned about the prospect of a player moving on: “I don’t worry about it because there’s no point. I don’t get into that at all, worrying about it.

“If somebody comes in and offers a huge chunk of money for somebody and the deal is right, whether it’s right for the club or the player, we’ve seen that happen at a higher level than us. It’s what makes the world goes round.

“But I’m not looking to get shot of any of them, I’ve only got 20, so I certainly don’t want to be losing any of them.”

Meanwhile, academy prospect Andre Dozzell, the 14-year-old son of former Blue and current youth coach Jason, has signed up with Jonathan Barnett's Stellar Management agency.

Dozzell junior, who has been eyed by the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal and Everton, has already agreed a two-year scholarship with the Blues which starts when he is 16.

Photo: Action Images

thebeat added 11:59 - Aug 26 brazil1982 dont agree on Dozzell being overrated.He was a top top player and was one of those players who always seemed to have time on the ball. Great finisher aswell.
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village_blue added 12:08 - Aug 26 Michael 11- Don't know if you were watching the match at PR on Saturday as you say Murphy didn't win a header all game but who was it who headed the ball for McGoldrick to run on and score the goal DARYL MURPHY.
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battyblue added 12:29 - Aug 26 Scott Loach is a great lad and i admire him in all aspects except a championship class keeper if you cant rely on the keeper behind you it upsets the whole team i am afraid he wont change his current style by commanding his area and taking pressure off the defence we give away countless corners because he is not collecting crosses etc got to be time to give Gerken a shot but would prefer to bring Henderson back in case it don't work out with Gerks either imo Henderson is a higher standard than what we have also Tunnicliffe is a must to start and hope to see Woody on the bench at least then perhaps we may just get three points on Saturday

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jas0999 added 12:32 - Aug 26 To be frank, I am surprised that Loach is our no. 1 keeper. Its pretty clear that MM doesn't really rate him, otherwise he wouldn't have tried to have signed Henderson in the Summer. I'm afraid Loach simply isn't good enough and hasn't been ever since he signed. Why else was he rated No. 3 at Watford. Hyam and Murphy must surely be the other players to make way. Five games and just one goal from our strikers so far. Murphy's goal scoring record is very poor. Hyam looks out of sorts and too similar to Skuse.

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thebeat added 12:59 - Aug 26 village blue the header ur talking about was the only header Murphy won all game. This season he has hardly got off the ground yet hes always been great in the air before.I wonder if hes too comfortable now he has his contract. McGoldrick is a top striker but for me hes more of a link from midfield, he needs a proper goalscorer to make runs off him when he has the ball. Taylor could do the job but Billy Sharp would be perfect for the job. Murphy hasnt cut it in 4 games and should be dropped as should Hyam and Loach.Tunnicliffe and Gerken should come in for them.

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portmanteau added 13:18 - Aug 26 why is MM constantly going on about no-one coming in for cresswell? is there a for sale notice that I have missed? he is actively trying to shift our best player via the media. why? take no notice AC, dont let it affect your game we need you bigtime.
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bedsitfc added 13:25 - Aug 26 Portmanteau - I think mm has been promised a budget from the sale kitty.
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ipswichtillidie added 13:30 - Aug 26 The players below par for me have been Edwards, Hyam, Murphy. Added into that one mistake from loach. I'd like to see Anderson in for Edwards wide right, Tunnicliff for Hyam and possible a third change up front. Not to say these boys won't come good again but thats where i'd go if i was Mick. We will see...........
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WickedBlue added 14:51 - Aug 26 Get off Loaches back. He made a mistake and held up his hands. Goalkeepers make mistakes he'll Henderson made enough of them whe playing fir us. But you morons want to overlook that. Beside Loach has saved is games more times than cost us so get off his back and support him!
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bluefeast added 15:04 - Aug 26 Cock-Loach
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dude added 15:16 - Aug 26 We need to win the next 5 games to catch with the level of optimism I had from last season.
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wairey added 15:20 - Aug 26 Hyam, Edwards and Murphy replaced by Tunnicliffe, Anderson and Taylor maybe? I'm still optimistic about this season though, we've had a tough start but we'll start winning soon!
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hepperblue added 15:21 - Aug 26 The Worrying thing is that McCarthy thinks it was right tactically. He was out-thought by McDermott in the second half. McCarthy plays an inflexible 4 - 4 - 2 no matter what. The defeat on Saturday was down to the manager.
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Kirbmeister added 15:57 - Aug 26 Let's all just keep critisising McCarthy and telling him how to do his job. In the close season we were all saying how great he was. I guarantee if we win at the weekend we will all be saying how wonderful everything is again! It's a tough league and we will be mid table by the end as much as i would love us to get promoted. Another thing - Taylor is NOT fit yet as McCarthy keeps saying, so he won't be in the team for a while yet.

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Stato added 16:10 - Aug 26 David Gold being quoted that the wage bill at West Ham needs reducing. Henderson's arrival on loan or permanent getting closer by the minute.
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Edwardebenezer added 16:17 - Aug 26 Let's be honest, the whole squad is only average and there certainly isn't any competition for places. MM has been talking up the Cresswell transfer for 2 weeks now, my guess to try and raise some money for much needed reinforcements.
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blues1 added 17:24 - Aug 26 chevvymalc. you say that because loach makes 1 mistake people are saying hes not good enough? no. he made several mistakes Saturday if you look at the number of times he should have come off his line to deal with situations but didn't/ yes he only made the 1 error that cost us a goal but that is the 2nd time in the 1st 4 games hes cost us a goal, and possibly 1, if not 3 points. leeds were not looking like scoring any more than we were so we may well have got at least a point on sat, and until he failed to even move offhis line for readings equaliser on day one reading weren't in the game at all. add a few mistakes he made last season too and it shows why he isn't good enough. tho, if he plays he'll still get my full support. karlosfandangel, don't know where you were on sat but I was in the sbr stand, and yes, people moaned and groaned when he cocked up but I heard no boos whatsoever so I don't see why you saying that. jimmy86, agree with you totally about people not feeling the same way about hyam as loach, as he has been very poor so far. but many on here sat, to be fair were pointing out hyams performance and suggesting he should be dropped. I don't however agree with your point about loach just needing to command his area a bit more to be a good keeper. the trouble is he will never be a keeper who commands his area, hes a line keeper and no amount of coaching will ever change that. and this is not the 1st time hes not saved low down neither, remember Cardiff last season when he palmed out, straight to the striker to score, in a similar situation to this one. and while this was a weak shot rather than a ball into the box as that 1 was he should have held both. as ive already said i'll back him all the way if hes in the team but I fear he could cost us dearly over the season.

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blues1 added 17:34 - Aug 26 jas0999. good heavens, I find myself almost totally agreeing with you(doesn't happen often does it? lol). your point about loach only being rated no.3 at Watford was a point I made ages ago. and that's why I was a bit sceptical about him signing. his performances in general since he been here have been far from great at most times tho, I have to say he has made some great saves at times. however these saves are far outweighed by his total inability to command even his 6 yard area, which as well as having lead directly to conceding goals is also causing a lack of trust in him from the defenders. was a few times on sat that defenders were lambasting him for just staying on his line, unfortunately, that is his style of keeping so if he stays in goal we'll just all have accept that we're gonna concede goals that could be avoided

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trumanswampy added 18:42 - Aug 26 For me, first to make way would be Edwards, did absolutely nothing Saturday! Nothing defensively or offensively. Maybe on my own here but I thought Murphy put in the best performance up top yes McGoldrick scored but did little else.
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Sebastian added 19:19 - Aug 26 MM should really bring on Taylor, if his fitness is now ok. He's the only one who can surprise me, along with McG. We need some magic upfront, the unexpected. Taylor is the one who can make that happen.
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CharlieITFC added 20:08 - Aug 26 The thing that really frustrates me is how Anderson is being overlooked. Hes a top winger. It does also confuse me, given that we swapped JET for him if he is going to continue to be a sub. Being used as an impact sub, i for one would actually rather see JET. He didnt have the best of times here but as an impact player he offers more than Anderson. Anderson would be a much better option to Edwards, and i think Carlos is only staying in the team as Club Captain.

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Warkys_Tash added 23:23 - Aug 26 @MickMillsTash: Murphy on the left? Get real! Jewell and Keane both tried that & it failed miserably, he has no pace & can't beat anyone, plus he has said himself he doesn't like playing there. I know we are desperate but not hat desperate! I also notice the massive wave of optimism from the MM fan club is petering out rather rapidly...
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ormey75 added 23:24 - Aug 26 I would drop all 20 of them, ive been watching town for over 25 years and i cant remember us ever having a squad this crap, how many of our attacking players would get in the peterborough side?? 0 thats how many. How many of Peterboroughs attacking players would get in our side?? I would say atleast 4. Marcus evans we love you (not). Roll on next season.
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Michael11 added 00:28 - Aug 27 @village_blue I was there in the SBR stand on saturday mate. Ok Murphy won one header all game, does that warrant a start next week because of that? Anyway, let's be honest did that header even influence the goal? It was a brilliant SOLO goal from McGoldrick after putting his man on his back side and shooting from 20 yards!
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Surco72 added 08:01 - Aug 27 JET and Chopra must be p"£$$ing themselves at our results and the fact they were not good enough to get in this toothless team !! Jet already has 3 goals and 4 assists this season given a run in a team ,and before everyone moans about it being a lower league its the same league Rhodes scored easily and the same league McGoldrick was scoring before we signed him , and Chopra is in a squad sitting at the top of the table !!! As I have said before we are relying on our full backs to provide width and crosses into box ,ideal for 20 mins until the other team works it out and pushes us back wide and we have nothing else ? I agree with other posts why do we need a target man ? Play the ball on the floor with Taylor . I feel a little sorry for Loach aswell ,one mistake and everybody is jumping up and down again because we are on a losing streak ,if we hadn't lost all of our other games this season it would not have even been mentioned , look at your squad that you "are so happy with" MM before highlighting individual errors ,because this is the least creative side I have seen at Portman Road for many years

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