“We’ve got 10 games to play, we’ve got to play better than that,” was manager Mick McCarthy’s assessment after the Blues dismal 0-0 home draw with his former club Wolverhampton Wanderers.

“In the second half they were the better team but they haven’t won, have they?” McCarthy responded when told that Wolves boss Paul Lambert had said he thought his side did enough to win.

“[As was the case with Brentford on Saturday], they’ve had the better of the second half again, why that is I don’t know.

“Well, actually it might be that we’ve got some good players and they’re actually quite a good team, despite their position.

“I’ve no idea why they’re there, look at the players they’ve got with Marshall and Bodvarsson, they’ve got a £13 million striker on the bench [Helder Costa].

“They’ve got good players, Weimann cost a chunk of money, he was a Premier League player. That’s their front three. Dave Edwards up behind, I think they’ve got good players.

“I watched them against Reading on Saturday and actually they should have got something out of it, they could have won that as well. But they’re not doing and the only positives I’ve got is that we didn’t get beat and we got a clean sheet.”

Asked to assess the seven-game unbeaten run, which only includes one win, he said: “Thank goodness.”

He added: “If I look back everybody was looking upon [the February games] with increased trepidation and fear and I said at the time we’d probably go and play well in those games, we went to Villa and won and picked up some good points.

“And it’s just as well we have and that’s another point from what’s been a bloody tough season.”

McCarthy was pleased with his side’s defensive performance: “All the talk about changing the shape and changing the tactics but we weren’t playing that well that we could have [switched it around], it was a case of sticking with it and making sure we got something out of it, which we did.”

In the second half Luke Chambers was audibly geeing his side up, which McCarthy said he’d expect from his skipper.

“I would hope so and of course he was and he would, he’s a good captain, Chambo,” he continued.

“I asked them after the game, it was a rhetorical question, ‘Did anybody not try as hard as they should tonight?’.

“And I know full well they do every week but we played against a good side and we have to give them a bit of credit and I’m not going to be giving my lads stick, other people do it better than I do.”

Does he believe the February run took a lot of his players, including some who haven’t played a lot of football this season? “I’m not looking for excuses. We’ve got 10 games to play, we’ve got to play better than that.”

Did he feel Emyr Huws was missed? “It would appear so but I thought Toums played very well, he gets on the ball and passes it forward. But Emyr’s been excellent.”

McCarthy says the Wales international is confident he’ll be over his hamstring injury in time for Saturday’s trip to Barnsley: “I think so, he’s quite positive about it.”

Reflecting on the table, the Town boss says the Blues, who are 16th, nine points off the relegation zone, aren’t yet safe: “I think we’ve got a bit to do, I still think we’ve got to scrap it out.”

He admitted he was frustrated not able to take three points from one of these two games - “Of course” - with the final whistle signalling the first boos for several home matches.

Reflecting on that, he added: “We’ve got to play as we have in all the games and the expectancy is that we get the three points.

“But even if we’d have played better and there had been more chances, I just think that’s going to be the case for me now, if we don’t play well here and we get beat I’m going to get it in my earhole. Well, so be it.”

The Blues boss, who is still undefeated against Wolves since taking over at Town, two wins followed by five draws, was pleased to have Tommy Smith back in his starting line-up after nearly six months out following back surgery but says the New Zealand international began to feel the pace before he was replaced.

“He was finding it tough after half-time, a couple of things went against him and it was the right thing to do to take him off,” he said.

“It’s a long time to be out and it’s a pretty physical league, a very physical league and it was a high intense game. But it was nice to have him back, though.”

Wolves boss Paul Lambert, whose side ended a run of six successive defeats in all competitions, said: “I thought in the second half we were really good, I thought we deserved to win the game in the second half.

“I thought in the first half we were pretty comfortable, I didn’t think there were too many chances.

“In the second half I thought we were well on top, hit the bar and hit the post and had lots of the ball coming to a really hard place.It’s a big point and it stops the slide that we were on.”

Photo: TWTD

mattipswich added 11:01 - Mar 8 By far the worst game of football i have seen in a long time, both teams were very poor, i don't understand why after 60 mins of nothing happening did MM not make a change ? I would have preferred us to lose going for a winning goal than the utter dross of defending so deep it let a team on the back of 6 straight defeats to gain confidence and put us under pressure. Why not if we insist on putting balls 30ft in the air from the back play a striker who is ....lets see 6ft odd as a focal point, play the two creative players behind him in Didzy and lawerence, leave Skues and a holding player with Bru and Ward as the other attacking midfield? That way we have 5 attacking options not 2 players trying to weave through 6 defenders and producing a worldy each week to win us the game.

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Michael11 added 12:22 - Mar 8 Certainly been in the top 3 McCarthy signings. Brilliant servant for the club, but his time is up here. He clearly wants to go home and he's declined a lot since our play off season. I'd wish him all the luck in the world but we have Webster and Smith to take over and develop a strong partnership for the future.
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MathieandMarshall added 12:24 - Mar 8 terrible game of football. The 12000 or so fans in the stadium (i'm not buying that there were 15700!) could see it wasn't working and yet the minutes ticked by with no changes in system or personnel! Lawrence is best player on pitch yet running around with no service. Drop him back into the midfield where he can get on the ball and influence play running at people. You had 3 strikers on the bench Mick.... use one of them before the 85th minute and change it! As others have said, starting with 7 (SEVEN) defensive players against a team who had lost the last 5 is woeful. Mick stated last week that the new system suits players like Dozzel and Bishop... so... Huyws out... and neither are even on the bench??? Mick.. you hurt my brain sometimes!

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tempzzzz added 14:13 - Mar 8 Got given free tickets to watch Arsenal in the Champions league last night. Wasn't sure at first whether to go as I felt I'd be betraying Town. I decided to go anyway, cancelled my season ticket after the Derby game anyway. So nice to see a full stadium, decent attacking football, a manager who knows what they are doing and world class players, also watched Arsenal. Couldn't believe it when I saw the score, although should be used to it by now. I'll never switch teams as Ipswich is my team and I'll always support them, but I will not be going to another game until Dino is gone! Had enough!

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tempzzzz added 14:13 - Mar 8 Got given free tickets to watch Arsenal in the Champions league last night. Wasn't sure at first whether to go as I felt I'd be betraying Town. I decided to go anyway, cancelled my season ticket after the Derby game anyway. So nice to see a full stadium, decent attacking football, a manager who knows what they are doing and world class players, also watched Arsenal. Couldn't believe it when I saw the score, although should be used to it by now. I'll never switch teams as Ipswich is my team and I'll always support them, but I will not be going to another game until Dino is gone! Had enough!

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Orraman added 15:22 - Mar 8 Surely the cost of paying up MM's contract and getting rid now would be less than the undoubted loss of revenue through low ticket sales, beer, pies, club shop etc if he stays. Grow a pair Evans and do the deed now.
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dirtydingusmagee added 17:41 - Mar 8 ''weve got to play better than that '' NO SH#T . you obviously think they can or could play better .well lets see, its your players, you signed em ,they play to your tactics, so they have been playing crapball all season, who's to blame .?.................HANG ON MICK......ITS YOU. time to admit you cant cut the mustard here and do one , just go .
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blueboy1981 added 18:03 - Mar 8 ......... he couldn't care less - he continues to laugh all the way to the Bank - and back - at others expense. How do you make a Millionaire care ? - and that's what he is. He has to go - people have been more than lenient. He has no concerns for IPSWICH TOWN FC at all - it's about time his 'followers' realised it.
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poldark added 18:29 - Mar 8 Wrote to the club stating how supporters feel let down by the owner the manager and most of the coaching staff as can't think they have any input because of th arrogance of the manager the answer the club always respect fans opinion but everyone has different opinions . I told them to look on this site or listen to Radio Suffolk still awaiting reply won't hold my breath they couldn't care less

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carsey added 19:33 - Mar 8 I have just watched the match highlights vs Wolves. Didn't look any better than standing in the Lower North Stand last night. The only shot on target was McGoldricks tame side foot effort in the first half. Yes we should have had a penalty when Lawrence was bundled over but otherwise it was God awful. No midfield No attacking threat No hope
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Kingfisher49 added 20:09 - Mar 8 Any self respecting person who was doing a job that is beyond their ability should resign and leave it to someone who can motivate and train his squad to be better than ITFC have shown of late. MM was no doubt a good manager in his earlier years but is now beyond his sell by date. To resign is far better than being sacked but as MM is only concerned with a big pay off and he is therefore holding out and waiting for the golden handshake and he also does not give a jot for the supporters of this once great club.

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del45 added 22:42 - Mar 8 this once great club is no more and will never be again under MM & ME.
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madmouse1959 added 00:13 - Mar 9 The poor attendance and near silent stadium is a clear indication that more fans have had enough of this nonsense. More fans being lost after every boring game of so called football. The sooner McCarthy goes the better.
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warkthelint added 08:45 - Mar 9 The way we play under McCarthy is the complete antithesis of Barcelona/PSG..a total contradiction of how football has evolved. We should produce a DVD on how not to play football the modern way..the McCarthy way..with a government health warning...showing how clueless, sterile and one dimensional a team can play with a manager who has only one plan..... i.e play for a point, hoofing, sideways passing...and endeavour to "win" matches without attempts on goal.

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leroygibbs added 10:04 - Mar 9 No s**t Sherlock......you useless half wit!!
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Seasider added 15:21 - Mar 9 Shows what our useless Manager is like when he brought back Skues even though the team were playing better without him.Probably because he was asked whether Cole would have competition getting back.Retorted who said I wont put him straight back in,and he did.Useless on Tuesday. Now we have gone back to not playing through midfield and hoofing it to nobody in particular.Don't have target man anyway,and Moore not up to it Personally do not think Town are any better now than under the previous two Managers,which is why the team are still in the lower half of Championship.If/When he does to decide to go,as it seems he makes the decision not Mr Evans;then doesn't look as though will leave team in much better shape than when he took over! Foxtrot Oscar

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