PERFECTLY SET UP AFTER THIS STALEMATE
more we controlled the ball. But we didn’t really create too much and that’s the disappointment. Did we do enough to win? Probably not.”
While former Wolves boss McCarthy added: “It was a hardfought game with two teams competing for their lives. But there was no nastiness in it and the atmosphere was great.
“We’d like to be in front, of course we would. But there’s no away goals so we go to Norwich next week in good shape.” THEY dubbed it the biggest East Anglian derby in history. But after a frantic and absorbing stalemate that rarely threatened to produce a victor, that mantle now passes to Carrow Road.
With a 1-1 draw in the can it is tempting to imagine Norwich have done the hard part, but write off Ipswich at your peril.
Time and again this season we have waited for their foot to slip off the gas, for their rocksolid defence to lose concentration or an opponent to nullify their direct play.
It hasn’t happened. More to the point, their deeplying, counter-attacking style is perfectly suited to nicking a result on the road - just ask Watford, Bournemouth and Brentford.
It’s difficult though to imagine them keeping Norwich this quiet for another 90 minutes, ALEX Neil may be attempting to shield his players from the hype ahead of Saturday’s showdown at Carrow Road, but Mick McCarthy reckons only a trip to Australia will do the trick.
“We don’t read the press, we don’t listen to the hype,” said Norwich boss Neil, whose side go into their second East Anglian derby in a week with a slight advantage after yesterday’s 1-1 draw at Portman Road.
“We leave that to supporters and concentrate on the football.”
McCarthy laughed when told of his counterpart’s tactics. “Good luck,” he said. “Is he planning to put them in the Big Brother house for a week, then? Or sending them to the Jungle from I’m a Celebrity? You can’t protect them from everything.
“I get that you don’t want your players too hyped up. But you can’t tell me that his lads and my lads won’t be at home thinking about it every single day this week.
“It’s a big game, it’s just one from Wembley.You have to deal with it and I’ve got good, experienced men in the team who will do that. They certainly didn’t look worried about it today. especially if Wes Hoolahan starts. Without the twinkle-toed Irishman, dropped in favour of Alex Tettey’s muscle, the Canaries lacked a little inspiration. With him, they might just find a chink in that solid blue wall.
“I won’t change anything about my plans.We’ll be in Monday and Tuesday, off Wednesday - we’ll be preparing just like we have all season.
“That’s what’s got us 78 points and if you start doing something different, the players can get a bit unhinged.We’ll keep everything the same.”
Neil, meanwhile, is hoping his players can avoid a scrap and get back to the free-flowing possession play that saw the Canaries challenge for the title.
“I think it’s very difficult to get it down and play against Ipswich,” said the Scot, who hasn’t lost an away game since taking charge in January.
“Because when you do get it down, that’s exactly what they want so they can nick it and then hurt you on the counter. “It’s about getting the balance right but yeah, we want to try and stamp our authority on the game a lot more at Carrow Road.
“The fact that’s it’s a derby and what’s at stake makes it a bit more important.
“But we’ll be focussed and we’ll be determined to play our own game.”