Town boss Mick McCarthy has confirmed that Dean Gerken will keep his place in goal at Leeds United on Tuesday, while striker Freddie Sears is a doubt with a tight hamstring.

Quizzed on whether he would switch Gerken for Bartosz Bialkowski following Friday’s 5-1 defeat at Reading, McCarthy confirmed: “Gerks will be playing. I think when you’ve conceded eight goals in two games, and I’ve said this to them, all positions are under threat.

“But I don’t believe in knee-jerk reactions because if you do that and somebody comes in and they don’t play well, you’ve not got a lot of room to manoeuvre then, have you? You’ve got to go back to Plan A.

“So, if Plan A’s all right and it’s worked for a long period of time, then keep with it. I’m not one that changes people for the sake it because each and every one of them was hurting just as much as I was, were just as embarrassed as I was about the other night.

“And it’s even worse for them, they were on the field. I’ve been there, I’ve been a player, but none of them let me down or let the club down intentionally, it was just a bad day in the office and we all have them.”

The Blues boss says Sears is the only injury concern following Friday’s game: “Freddie’s got a tight hamstring, we’ll just have to wait and see how he is. He’s the only one.

“But, of course, Teddy and Kevin Bru are playing in the U21s [at Birmingham] today, as is Tommy Oar. But all the others are fine.

“Freddie’s been exceptional, I’d be desperate to have him in the squad but what I won’t do is risk him.

“We had a bad day in the office on Friday, although I thought he was excellent again, but we’ve plenty of games left so I wouldn’t risk him at all.”

McCarthy confirmed that Daryl Murphy, a sub at the Madejski Stadium, is fit enough to start having been out with a calf injury.

Photo: Action Images

Bluetone added 14:36 - Sep 14 McCarthy may be a seasoned and goodish manager but by god he can be stubborn at times like a little boy refusing to believe he could possibly be t wrong. Shame really. Good? maybe. Could be much better? certainly.
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Balders added 14:42 - Sep 14 Am assuming Bart is still not right to start. Gerks Chambers Smith Berra Parr ANM Skuse Coke Fraser Pittman Murphy Think sears will not be risked.
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billlm added 14:44 - Sep 14 Bluefeast 100%
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Orraman added 14:45 - Sep 14 Obviously would be unsettling to make several changes for Leeds game but Bart for Gerken has to be a no brainer. As several others have posted here Bart has been Plan A for a considerable time now so his comments at the head of this story are just ridiculous. I have said before that we owe a MM a huge vote of thanks for getting us out of the mire and stabilising the club but he is a stubborn pig headed dinosaur who cannot see past his favourites. There are occasions when managers have to take hard decisions - let's face it they are paid enough - and they have to leave under performing players out. We will never progress under this 'look after the favourites' regime or the attitude that he can build a successful team for next to nothing. Yes he has made some astute signings - Berra, Mings, Sears and the loans of Fraser and AMN spring to mind - but he seems to take some perverse pleasure in trying to prove to everyone that he can achieve success by spending less than some Division 2 teams. In Mick some of you may trust - don't include me.

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rickw added 14:45 - Sep 14 Why??? Both played 3 league games now: Bart: Won 2, Drew 1, Lost 0, Conceded 3 (av 1 per game) Gerken: Won 1, Drew 0, Lost 2, Conceded 9 (av 3 per game)
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JimboBlue added 14:51 - Sep 14 One poor result doesn't warrant widespread changes. That approach destroys confidence. It was a poor day at the office, nothing more. Onwards and upwards. Bart lost his father not so long ago. He's probably not in the best head space right now hence McCarthy opting for Gerken. Always amuses me how last week we were invincible and everyone loved Mick and suddenly, on the back of a bad game, the club has been thrust back into the dark ages. Up the tractors.

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Lightningboy added 14:54 - Sep 14 Chambers is not a right-back. Gerken is not a goalkeeper.
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Surco72 added 14:56 - Sep 14 MM said he couldn't see the Reading result coming , well be prepared for a few more with clown Gerken in goal , he is stuck on his line throughout making it easy for attackers and the goal bigger when shooting . Drop him and sack the keeping coach who is advising that Gerken should start . Bristol fans said he was poor when they went down , nothing has ever convinced me otherwise , how many goals have we conceded where he and a defender just look at each other ?

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Lightningboy added 14:56 - Sep 14 Mick's stubborness in these situations WILL cost us valuable points come next May. Time to stop playing favourites and start putting brain into gear Mick.
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Alfie added 14:57 - Sep 14 Bloody hell, we lose 2 games, albeit poorly I agree, and everyone has suddenly become a football expert and also turns against the team. Gerkin has made mistakes and I am sure he doesn't need to be told that and I am sure he will be keen to make up for it but as a GK, his mistakes are highlighted for everyone to see. Not one member of that team Friday night played well, including Sears, so shall we drop them all or shall we take the easy way out and put the majority of the blame on one man, Gerkin. Either support the team as a whole or bog off up the A12 and support Colchester because some of the comments on here cant be from true ITFC supporters !

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Surco72 added 14:58 - Sep 14 Jimbo does the Brighton game not count also that could have been 5 or 6 too ?
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jert16 added 15:00 - Sep 14 LOVE Mick, what a job he has done so thankful to him but come on don't be so stubborn. Bart should have been back for Brighton and then Reading.. this is just too much. Hopefully we don't have to deal with many crosses tomorrow.
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DannyITFC added 15:03 - Sep 14 I fully aggree with the knee jerk reaction but Gerken has looked shaky whenever he has played this season, warning signs were there against Colchester. Bart is a much better keeper however I feel of late the problems lie in front of the keeprr with our centre midfield and wide men pushing too far up leaving a massive gap in front of our defence for teams to hit us on the break. A change in tactics are needed as much as anything else plus Murphy is certainly a huge player we need back starting. I do fear the worse with Gerken in goal tomorrow night unfortunately with potentially no Sears to rescue us either.

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halsteadblue added 15:03 - Sep 14 Read the article and thought it must be April 1st,fecking unbelievable,this has to be a joke right?.......Or has MM lost the plot.
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bushbaby7 added 15:05 - Sep 14 Alfie - Its called having an opinion....... something that football is all about. Just because some of us have the opinion that Bart is a better keeper than Gerken doesnt make us anyless of a supporter than you or anyone else. This is the reason why i hardly post on here, you get called a non supporter for having a different opinon!
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BackTheBlues added 15:05 - Sep 14 Got to admire the mans loyalty... I hope Gerks has a blinder! The rest of the team need to have a good game, but man he needs a clean sheet!
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OldClactonBlue added 15:17 - Sep 14 Stubborn or what!
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nadytractor added 15:33 - Sep 14 I will just add my bit. Bart may not be playing because he still is not ready to play. Would I like to are Bart back in replace of Gerkin? Of course. MM may just be protecting Bart at this time.
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BracknellBlue added 15:34 - Sep 14 Living in Bracknell, Friday was far more hurtful to me, as I detest Reading, and I'm surrounded by their fans. Today has not been a good day at work. I'm sure MM has the best of possible intentions, but I just cannot fathom a) leaving Gerks in goal and b) not playing Parr
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Surco72 added 15:42 - Sep 14 Alfie.... if you check back through posts a number of so called non supporters were raising concerns over our defence when we were top of the league , so no knee jerk reaction just being able to have a bit of foresight that our defence and keepers are not up to a promotion push which is why we ultimately failed last season because we conceded too many silly goals that cost points . Some supporters have the bottle to question decisions to the team they are paying to watch rather than agree with everything that happens at the club like a child does

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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 15:52 - Sep 14 I admire Mick's loyalty and think that up to a point it can be constructive, but I fear he is tying himself in knots a bit here. A good result against Leeds would do a lot to make us all feel better, and for that we need the best eleven available on the day. If we have a squad ethic, then don't those not actually on the pitch also deserve loyalty?
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Joe439 added 15:54 - Sep 14 Gerken was poor on Friday, but so were the defence can't blame it all on the keeper
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howdonblue added 15:59 - Sep 14 I totally agree rendoblue Gerkan is utter toosh .. In Nick I normally trust but not on this one
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Jimmy86 added 16:00 - Sep 14 Thing is Mick, Gerken has conceded 8 goals in 2 games, having lost both those games. The defence doesn't trust him and as the 3rd goal demonstrated he can't be trusted to collect the ball in HIS area, notably the 6 yard box!!! How is that plan A working fine?? Plan A was Bart starting the season as our undisputed number 1 and playing well. Pig headed and stubborn to the max!!!

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Count_Arthur added 16:00 - Sep 14 I think the amount of goals conceded isn't just down to Gerkin (although he doesn't inspire me with confidence). But if MM drops him does it look like he's done so because of fan's opinions / social media? And if he does drop Gerks will us fans think he's done so because we've pressured him? MM must be seen to make his own decisions. The reason he's a good manager and paid far more than you or I is he can make the tough decisions, but also he can't be stubborn and stick with his ‘favourites' just because he is the manager and therefore ‘knows best'? We can all see Gerkin is poor at the moment so maybe fair play to Mick for giving him a chance, if indeed it is what it is, we can only guess what's going on behind the scene. However, the strongest defender we have is Berra at the moment. Knudsen has skill but is easily outmuscled, Smith makes too many errors and as much as we all love Chambo - what comes first, the captain or the defender? Maybe it's time to give Polish Piotr and Yorwerth a try? Tough decisions ahead for Mick to make, let's hope they're the right ones for the right reasons.

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