Town boss Mick McCarthy is confident that Daryl Murphy will be back amongst the goals again soon, last season’s 27-goal Championship top scorer having endured a frustrating start to 2015/16.

After topping the goalscoring starts last term, Murphy has now gone 12 starts and three substitute appearances for the Blues - and three starts for Ireland - since netting twice at Blackburn on the final day of the regular Championship season in May.

“The performances have been better, that’s throughout the team,” McCarthy said. “We’re all hoping that he’s getting there and he’s going to get it.

“And I don’t see why he shouldn’t, you don’t become a bad player over four or five games.”

The 32-year-old saw a header tipped on to the woodwork on Saturday and had two other opportunities where he tried to move the ball on to his favoured left foot when he might have taken a shot with his right.

McCarthy says that after the run the Irishman has been on it should be no surprise that he’s lacking a little bit of confidence.

“Not that I can speak as a goalscorer but as a defender there are times where you’re not that confident and you should just head it out perhaps and you try and bring it down on your chest and control it and the forward nicks it off you because you’re trying to make it perfect.

“And life isn’t perfect, sometimes you just have to swing your right ‘chuckie' at it. On a different day, last season maybe, when he’s got eight or nine goals, he throws his right foot at it and it flies in the net.

“When you’ve not scored a goal maybe you want to check back and make sure you get a good strike on it. He got into positions to score though, that was good.”

It’s not just Murphy who has been struggling in front of goal, the Blues have managed just one in their last five games.

“Is it me trying to find a system or people trying to find goals?” McCarthy added. “Are we creating as many chances as we were before? Are we playing as well as we did before? There are all those questions that need to be asked.

“As I’ve said before, we need to get a scrappy goal from somewhere and it might just turn the tide for us, and I’m sure it will.”

With four senior strikers in the squad McCarthy has difficult decisions to make regarding his frontmen every game but says the players can give him a simpler choice.

“It’ll be a damned sight easier if a couple of them just knocked three or four goals in, won’t it? It might be tough on another two, but it would be a lot easier to pick the ones who are scoring.”

With the Blues starting with Murphy, David McGoldrick and Freddie Sears in a three-man attack in the last couple of games Brett Pitman has found himself left on the bench, but McCarthy says there have been no complaints from the summer signing from AFC Bournemouth.

“Brett’s been outstanding as a professional,” he added. “I think whenever he’s played, he’s played well. I thought when he came on on Saturday he did well, he contributed.

“He’s been great, I think he understood the position he was coming into with the other three strikers who were sort of heroes of the fans and were the tried and tested.

“He understood at Bournemouth as well, the number of goals he got last year, what was it 15 when coming on for bits and in fits and starts?

“He understands it and when he comes on he tries to make an impact. I’ve been delighted with Brett, he’s a top pro.”

Photo: Action Images

TR11BLU added 06:13 - Nov 3 Drop him and play Freddie down the middle. You'll get your 'three or four' Usual drivel when the answer stares him in the face
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BrettenhamBlue added 06:51 - Nov 3 It's nice to hear MM refer to the strikers as all being heroes. They are heroes. I think we will get a bundled 1-0 tonight with Murphy finally opening his account. COYB!
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cats_whiskers added 07:12 - Nov 3 I thought ‘Heroes' were chocolate and came in a tin at Xmas Now I am totally disillusioned
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pumpee added 08:04 - Nov 3 If our midfield can start being more creative he he might
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prebsa added 08:36 - Nov 3 No you don't become a bad player over night that is true but Murphy never became a great player. Yes he was fantastic last season and by far deserved to be player of the year although he didn't get it. He was still very lazy last year and when we hoof the ball up the pitch Murphy never jumps to head the ball he is always just fouling the defender. He has no right foot at all which he proved on Saturday and his lack of pace which will continue to go now is what is hurting him even more. Pitman is a far better player and should most definitely be getting the chance ahead of Murphy right now!

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Millsey added 08:42 - Nov 3 My god you lot can whine!!!!!!
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muccletonjoe added 10:07 - Nov 3 I guess it depends if you're whining about the team or whining about people whining about the team
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billlm added 10:27 - Nov 3 Another boring statement the law of averages says eventually he will score
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battyblue added 11:02 - Nov 3 Should not still be in the starting eleven,,Sears down the middle not stuck out on the wing even i could sneak a goal if i played there long enough thats not the point Mick cant count either 4 or 5 games my ar-e.
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