Town boss Mick McCarthy says on-loan Reading striker Dominic Samuel has given him something to think about ahead of Tuesday’s crucial home game against second-bottom Wigan.

Samuel, 22, made his Blues debut as a 71st minute sub in Saturday’s 1-1 home draw with Birmingham and played a part in Grant Ward’s fortuitous goal soon afterwards when he laid the ball out to the wideman.

McCarthy says the former Coventry, Gillingham and Dagenham and Redbridge loanee, who is back after suffering a broken toe soon after joining the Blues, offers something different from the rest of his frontmen.

“He does, I’ve been pleased with him,” he said. “I thought he did really well on Saturday and he’s given me a bit of food for thought, which is nice.”

McCarthy admits that aside from 11-goal top scorer Tom Lawrence Town’s strikers haven’t score often enough during 2017/18.

“Not too many goals at all this season, we’ve not scored enough goals this season from all parts of the team,” he reflected.

“I’ll have a look at it when we finish, what it's down to, is it poor crossing, poor passing, poor finishing? Do we have chances? I’d say we do.

“I think in some of the games we’ve created good chances and not really put them away. So I think it’s a lot of things, it’s not just one thing at all.

“But where in the past if we had scored a goal and gone 1-0 up we’d have pretty much held onto it and kept it out, we’ve given some sloppy ones away.”

McCarthy dismissed claims he lines his side up merely not to lose matches rather than looking to win them.

“I’ve never once set off to just try to not get beat,” he insisted. “I’ve always set up to try and win the game, whatever you or anybody else thinks about performances. That is the intention, we set off to win the games.

“But on the other side of that, it’s important not to get beaten. Gianfranco Zola came upstairs and said on Saturday that it was a ‘must not get beaten’ game rather than a must-win.”

Photo: TWTD

essextractorboy93 added 15:39 - Apr 3 Samuel did look lively when he came off the bench on Saturday and played his part in our goal with a nice lay off to Ward in the build up. Shame he got injured straight after he joined.
2

PortmanTerrorist added 15:41 - Apr 3 Of course he has Mick. Give him a game up top like you never do with Freddie ! Or, more fairly, stick him out wide and see if you can break your record in destroying a player's confidence in record time. He won't be one of ours tomorrow and nor will he be in League 1 with us next season. Here is a clue. Have a Plan....and maybe stick to it !
1

Bluetone added 15:48 - Apr 3 quote I'll have a look at it when we finish, what it's down to, is it poor crossing, poor passing, poor finishing? Do we have chances? I'd say we do. - Try poor team selection, poor coaching, poor tactics. And guess who is responsible for that?
9

TractorCam added 15:49 - Apr 3 Think this shows how bad we are (this is no way a dig at Samuel) but he completed a 2 yard pass to Ward, leading to a massive fluke goal and now he's considered for a start because of it!
1

Smithy added 15:52 - Apr 3 WHY WE DON'T SCORE ENOUGH GOALS: ANSWER: MICK McCARTHY So bloody negative it's untrue, playing five at the back and 2 holding midfielders, sucking any creativity out of the side, no plan B, constant hoofing, that may be a few clues to it, even if you do play the "goal threat" of Jonathan Douglas.
6

classicblue added 15:55 - Apr 3 It's not the current strikers fault that we do not score enough. It's your pathetic team selection in midfield that does not provide the chances, because your are more concerned at protecting your defense than attacking.
6

BlueandTruesince82 added 15:55 - Apr 3 That giraffe we signed from Forres Green offers something different too apparently. Yet to see it mind
2

cat added 15:58 - Apr 3 Food for thought (lol) you stupid fecking Dino, with the exception of Pits on Saturday we have not had a proper striker on the pitch since Murph left , whats there to think about????. Surely the clues are in goals scored column!!!! On a serious note I was impressed by Samuel in the 20mins or so game time he got on Sat.
3

Wickets added 16:12 - Apr 3 Yes he did look lively now we need someone in midfield to pass the ball to him!
6

hadleighboyblue added 16:27 - Apr 3 More rubbish from MM - saying he doesn't set out to not lose . How many times has he said he would take a point ! Even when we play poor opposition , it's still a negative approach - if ever 3 points were needed it was Saturday and tomorrow and it might even help to get the crowd cheering , instead of having you blaming the crowd for another poor display . It's a bit late now to say we are short of strikers - whose fault is that , not replacing Murphy is your biggest mistake , along with your negative tactics

8

Michael11 added 17:00 - Apr 3 Haha we don't score because you play 7 defensive players ever y game you helmet.
8

ClausThomsen added 17:32 - Apr 3 He's blaming the strikers now - saying that we've been creating chances and not putting them away! Have we been creating chances? Because Ipswich Player HD never show them and every site that records match stats seem to think we barely register a shot on goal! #bigmouthstrikesagain #sackhimalready
6

CornardBlue added 17:48 - Apr 3 He must be watching a different game to me because we never create chances, Pitman always looks as pissed of as all us supporters with the service he gets. I thought Samuels looked o'k when he came on, but he must remember if he is playing in a MM team his first priority must be to learn to defend first, MM does not like to see his teams attack.
5

prebbs007 added 17:54 - Apr 3 Doesn't have a lot to beat for selection to be fair. My man is better than most of them and she's been dead for 5 years !!!
2

blue75 added 18:05 - Apr 3 “I've never once set off to just try to not get beat,” he insisted. “I've always set up to try and win the game, whatever you or anybody else thinks about performances. That is the intention, we set off to win the games. Must have missed those games obviously not the one that Skuse and Douglas started together.
2

prebbs007 added 21:08 - Apr 3 My Nan
0

ArnieM added 23:53 - Apr 3 Right Back or Centre Half for young Samuel it is then, Mick eh!
1

coolcat added 11:49 - Apr 4 Was impressed with his performance on Saturday. Very promising . Good attitude as well.
1

Blogs 297 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls