Town boss Mick McCarthy has hinted he's likely to make changes to his team for Wednesday’s home game against Cardiff City, the second of the Blues’ three games in seven days.

“There’s one or two just carrying little knocks and bumps and bruises and there’s a few of them knackered after Sunday, I have to be honest, they really put a shift in,” McCarthy said.

“And then we travel to Preston, which is going to be no easy game. I’ll use the 19 players I’ve got available to me as best I can.”

However, the Blues boss says he has no new significant injuries following Sunday’s 1-1 derby draw at Norwich: “We’re OK, we’re looking forward to it.”

McCarthy says striker Freddie Sears understood the decision to leave him out of the matchday 18 for the first time in some while.

“Yes, he did, of course,” the Town manager added. “It’s tough leaving somebody like Freddie out who’s so selfless. But from the strikers, I’ve got to have some goals and creating chances for other people, set them up for others.

“He understood it, I’ve not really spoken to him about it actually, he just took it as I’d expect him to.”

McCarthy is pleased to have greater strength in depth now, which means his senior players aren’t automatically included in his matchday squad.

“Yes, it does,” he reflected. “At one stage I was looking behind me and I’d got 16 and 17-year-olds on the bench. It’s nice to have that experience. I never like to leave those kind of players out, but somebody had to miss out.”

The Blues boss was happy with the way the back three of Cameron Carter-Vickers, skipper Luke Chambers and Adam Webster fared against the Canaries having switched from the now familiar 4-2-3-1 system.

“I was delighted with it,” he said. “It was for a reason because of the way Norwich play and it certainly nullified their threats for the most part of the game anyway.

“And I thought it was a good performance by us, so I would revisit it. I know Neil Warnock’s played three at the back at times and he’s played a back four, but I think it’s just got to be down to what we want to do and let them worry about us.”

Midfielders Andre Dozzell and Emyr Huws (knee) and Teddy Bishop (hamstring) are all out for the season, as is keeper Dean Gerken (hip).

Photo: TWTD

blue75 added 14:52 - Feb 20 “but I think it's just got to be down to what we want to do and let them worry about us.” That'll be a first not trying to stop the opposition playing believe it when I see it!!
6

baxter7 added 14:54 - Feb 20 Senior players arent automatically picked so you might leave your proper blokes out I/e skuse and chambers I don't think so
1

bluehook added 14:58 - Feb 20 My guess is McGoldrick will be one of the players missing. Running around aimlessly like a headless chicken for a few minutes on Sunday will have been too much for him.
1

Cakeman added 15:02 - Feb 20 Yes very true blue hook. There is nothing in the middle with McGoldrick, he is either very good or very poor. Not the type you want alongside you in the trenches though as he does tend to hide when the going gets tough.
1

MattinLondon added 15:04 - Feb 20 Looking at the injury list if MM leaves it'll be interesting to see if we have the same injuries which the players pick up (especially on training).
2

poldark added 15:08 - Feb 20 Poor old mick Muck only 19 players my heart bleeds for him he does his best what an idiot play all the loan players leave all itfc players out in a nothing game doesn't matter if we win lose or draw just hope the real Ipswich fans give him hell
-6

Cookycrew added 15:15 - Feb 20 I think the interview clearly shows that MM wants to beat Norwich nearly as much as we do! I fully understand that I'm in the minority on here, but I still think MM does a great job to compete in this league with peanuts thrown to him by ME.
5

positivity added 15:16 - Feb 20 he says 19 players; i assume that means he's not considering kenlock, nydam, cotter, drinan, folami etc? if not now, when? this is pre-season, give oneor two a chance each game...
6

BullardsMagicMullet added 15:22 - Feb 20 The kids have no chance, he would rather have proper blokes on 4 month contracts.
3

SamWhiteUK added 15:35 - Feb 20 That is a solid back 3 (with the exception of the last second on Sunday). I'd happily see that again. Maybe give Celina a go though. Can't believe he didn't play against Norwich
4

SamWhiteUK added 15:36 - Feb 20 MattInLondon - are you suggesting he beats them up??
0

positivity added 15:47 - Feb 20 the back three's solid, but knudsen is no wing back, kenlock much better suited to that role. not sure how celina fits into that system...
1

TimmyH added 16:05 - Feb 20 No wonder there are bumps and bruises after all that rolling around (Garner) and diving for penalties...
5

marco007 added 16:10 - Feb 20 Current strikers scoring goals?? Like Waghorn, Garner, McGoldrick?? They have all dried up but to be fair our midfield rarely pass the ball forward (apart from punts forward)
4

MattinLondon added 16:12 - Feb 20 No of course I'm not. That's daft. But maybe too much emphasis is placed upon ‘putting people on their arses' in training.
2

BlueBlood90 added 16:46 - Feb 20 We've got absolutely no chance of making the play offs so why not give some young lads a go between now and the end of the season? It's the same problem we've had the entire time McCarthy's been here. There's no plan for the future at all. He'd much rather have a load of 'pro's' sat on the bench who will more than likely leave in the summer than attempt to develop anyone from the youth team.

1

positivity added 16:57 - Feb 20 marco, garner's got 4 in the last 7, which is ok, but we're not scoring enough, you're right (og is our 2nd highest scorer in 2018!)
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cranky_old_tractor added 19:18 - Feb 20 Is that a lump or bump on your head MM.....realising we will not make the play offs, thinking now of possibly using the younger players...........cant wait for the boot up you @rse when they fire you out of IP1
0

heathen66 added 22:02 - Feb 20 Give Drinan a run (remember him ???) with either Garner Play Carayol on one side and Celina on the other either side of Waghorn. Please do not play 5 defenders and 3 holding CMs, leaving the offensive duo isolated like they were in the second half on Sunday
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