MANAGER’S REACTION: Mick McCarthy happy that unbeaten home run still in tact after below-par performance against Bristol City
By Stuart Watson
Saturday, December 22, 2012
6:19 PM
Ipswich v Bristol City: IPSWICH Town manager Mick McCarthy admits his side were below-par in a scrappy 1-1 home draw with Bristol City.
The Blues fell behind to an 11th minute Neil Danns goal and the damage could easily have been greater before Tommy Smith’s expert finish drew the hosts level against the run of play soon after the half hour.
Town did improve slightly after the restart but there was little inspiration or quality in their attacking play as the match petered out into an instantly forgettable draw.
The Blues have slipped back to within three points of the Championship relegation zone, with just five points separating the bottom five.
“We haven’t played particularly well,” admitted McCarthy. “I think they did play well and I should congratulate them. We maybe struggled with their shape a little bit (5-4-1) and I was glad to get in a one-each at half-time to be honest.
“Our performance was nowhere near the last two at home (Nottingham Forest and Millwall wins), but it would be lovely to go from being bottom-of-the-league to being brilliant every week wouldn’t it? It’s not going to happen, it was never going to happen.
“These are the hardest games, funnily enough. You’re both playing for the same thing, expectation is higher against the teams around us. Seeing the results again today shows you this league is bonkers.”
He continued: “I’ve never said anything other than that it will be a bitter scrap until the end. That’s the way it will be.
“The two teams played their part in reducing the quality of the game today. I thought they played well first half, while second half we got to grips with it and got some opportunities that we could have done better with.
“That’s the difference between the teams that finish in the top six and the ones that finish in the bottom half. They put the ball in the net.
“I didn’t think it was happening for us up front today, I tried to freshen it up (replacing DJ Campbell and Daryl Murphy with Michael Chopra and Jay Emmanuel-Thomas) and, as it happens, that didn’t work for us either.”
Still unbeaten in five matches at Portman Road, McCarthy added: “The positive is that we took a point from a game that we could have lost. We’ve not been beaten twice on the bounce – which we could have been – and didn’t crumble when we could have.”
– Analysis, comment and more reaction in Monday’s EADT.
More Ipswich Town news
- Ex-Ipswich Town midfielder Ed Upson believes Yeovil can be competitive in the Championship
- Ipswich Town priced out of a move for Lee Camp
- Bobby Ferguson recalls the challenges he faced when replacing an Ipswich Town legend
- Marcus Evans will once again sponsor Ipswich Town’s kits
- Still in love with Ipswich Town at the age of 96
- Cole Skuse can fill the void left by Grant Leadbitter at Ipswich Town
- Ipswich Town renew their interest in keeper Lee Camp
- Alan Judge set to sign for Blackburn
- Ipswich Town chief scout Dave Bowman talks budgets and blueprints ahead of what could be a busy transfer window
- Marcus Evans’ salary cap plans scuppered as the Premier League once again flexes its muscles
ADVERTISEMENT
16 comments
hi ged i do recall around that time ipswich town making footballing history by being the first team to go from div 3 to div 1 and winning it at the1st attempt something only equalled by jon toshacks swansea.
Report this comment
david peters
Thursday, December 27, 2012
hi ged i was only six,coyb.
Report this comment
david peters
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
David have you forgotten the 1950s when town were relegated to the then 3rd division??? Please get your facts correct before commenting on a PREMIER league side!!! lol
Report this comment
ged scott
Monday, December 24, 2012
Weather appalling - football no better. Midfield went AWOL. Did it really take until the second half to realise that Bristol were playing six in midfield.?No leadership on the pitch. Where have I heard all this before. Hey ho - Merry Christmas!!!!!!! Go and see the Rock and Roll Panto at the Wolsey. Great entertainment.
Report this comment
bigdave
Sunday, December 23, 2012
hi ged unlike norwich we have never been relegated to the third tier coyb.
Report this comment
david peters
Sunday, December 23, 2012
He's not saying hes satisfied with the point, hes saying hes happy we got something out of a game we should have lost and acknowledges we need to play better than that
Report this comment
TrueBlue
Sunday, December 23, 2012
You have to admit that Derek McInnes the Bristol manager outsmarted Mick today. His tactics were spot on and we weren't clever enough to counter them.
Report this comment
Rex Ide
Sunday, December 23, 2012
What a depressing and awful performance this was from a terrible town team. Fans getting soaked to the skin when travelling to see this garbage and mccarthy says he is "happy". 3 points away from a relegation place after all the bottom teams picked up loads of points when town were dropping 2 at home against pathetic Bristol City and mccarthy says he is "happy". Well judge for yourselves when towns manager makes these ridiculous statements how good he actually is at managing a struggling side. I think he is there on a par with keane and jewell, all 3 are horrendously poor and the 3rd tier of football beckons!!!
Report this comment
ged scott
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Will anyone on the coaching staff please teach Lee Martin how to tackle. Turning your back and dangling you leg out does not cut it.
Report this comment
bristan
Sunday, December 23, 2012
All the old Ipswich failings on show again - no confidence, no ball control, too many balls in the air, giving the opposition too much space, no finish, and apparently no desire for those important three points. Why not the simple obvious pass as N'Daw managed now and again instead of hopeful inaccurate boots up the field? I shudder to think where we will be comes the New Year if we can't play better than this. And can't we change our shape and formation once it becomes obvious during the first few minutes that their manager has out thought our manager?
Report this comment
JOHN BURLS
Sunday, December 23, 2012
DONT BE FOBED OF WHEN IT COME'S TO GETTING PLAYERS IN JAN...... WE NEED AT LEAST TWO TOP OF THE DRAW PLAYERS. IF WE ARE TO MOVE FORWARD AND GET OUT OF THE DROP ZONE
Report this comment
FINN.BLUE
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Clever canary. That's an oxymoron isn't' it?
Report this comment
bristan
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Scrappy and poor entertainment value yet again in the rain. I wonder how many of the players would pay good money to sit through such a lack-lustre performance ? The best part was two minutes of the injury time but even then we were lucky to draw. Players below par overall with their minds elsewhere - any ideas where?
Report this comment
Blue and true since 1962
Saturday, December 22, 2012
clever canary. Theres a contradiction. Youl miss the great pie eating champion Holt and you lose. Remember where you were at Christmas the last time you were relegated.MM is still stuck with Jewells ragbag of makeweights. Come Feb we will be sorted.
Report this comment
graham garrod
Saturday, December 22, 2012
keep looking over your shoulder, only 3 points clear now.
Report this comment
clever canary
Saturday, December 22, 2012
It surprises me a bit that the manager is satisfied with a 1-1 draw at home. The team performance was below par. DJ Campbell seems as if he's resigned to returning to his club. I don't think there will be many of the loanies at PR at the end of January. With two away games coming up I feel it is vital that we get at least 2 points from these two games. Is the initial burst from the team over? I hope not, but we can still end up in the bottom three after the Christmas and New Year period if complacency sets in.
Report this comment
whymarkmariner
Saturday, December 22, 2012