MICK McCarthy’s tactical tinkering has made a big difference at Ipswich Town.
The Blues made it six points from a possible nine under their new boss with a 2-1 win over Burnley at Portman Road on Saturday, a first home league win in more than seven months lifting them off the foot of the Championship table.
Not only have the Football League’s most porous side looked far more solid with a 4-4-2 formation, but they have also been a far bigger threat going forward too.
Captain Carlos Edwards finally returned to a right-wing role on Saturday having previously been deployed at right-back by Paul Jewell, while Daryl Murphy has looked far more effective up front than he has on the left of midfield with DJ Campbell benefiting hugely from a strike partner.
“I just think that I can give more to the team up front rather than left midfield,” said Murphy, scorer of Town’s opener. “I feel like I’m not really involved in the game when I’m out left, whereas up front I am more involved. I’m an outlet for the long ball and I thought DJ and I linked up well.”
On Edwards – whose brilliant run and cross set up Campbell’s late winner after the Blues had been pegged back – Murphy added: “Carlos has always been a winger. I played with him at Sunderland where he played right-midfield every week and was absolutely brilliant.
“If you’re a left-back you don’t want someone like Carlos running at you every five minutes because he’s very quick and direct.
“In the last few weeks we’ve done new things in training and tried new things in matches. We’ve looked back on where we’ve gone wrong over the last few weeks and nit-picked at everything in detail.”
Speaking of Edwards’ positional change, McCarthy – who shifted Luke Chambers to right-back and brought Tommy Smith back in from the cold – said: “He’s better there. Maybe it was needs-must that he has been playing there. We get good things out of him (at right-back) but he is much better wide right.”