Town midfielder Paul Anderson agrees there is room for improvement in his own form this season, his first at Portman Road following a swap deal that took Jay Emmanuel-Thomas in the opposite direction to Bristol City.

Anderson, who has started 18 league games and been a substitute on a further nine occasions, claiming three goals, said: “My own form has been okay but I feel I still have a lot to do.

“I think my performances have been consistent and I don’t think I have let the team down at any point, but I also don’t think I’ve shown any real moments of excitement.

"Hopefully, coming to the end of the season and if I’m still in the team I can produce something — maybe in the play-off final!”

Anderson feels part of the reason is that for each of the past two years he was unable to complete the pre-season programme so crucial to building up fitness.

He added: “In that time I missed a big chunk of the pre-season. Last year I was at Bristol City waiting to come here and I wasn’t playing in games or doing much of the training because they were worried about the transfer going through.

“For two years in a row I haven’t had full pre-seasons, which I think makes a big difference. I think I’m just putting a little bit of pressure upon myself to try to perform a little bit more.

"But I’m doing a good job for the team and I feel that in my last four games we’ve played really well in all of them and had a good shape about us.”

Although he would clearly have preferred to have featured more regularly in the starting line-up, Anderson takes a philosophical view of his involvement so far and sees no reason to confront boss Mick McCarthy about the situation.

He said: “I’m part of a squad and I don’t need to speak to the manager to know that I’m not going to play every game. I’m a winger who works very hard and I understand I’m not going to be able to play all 46 league games.

“The manager’s the manager so he can pick whatever team he likes. I understand he’s going to play different formations and different players at times. I’m happy to be part of a great squad and there’s a really good vibe about the place. I’m happy to take my opportunity whenever it comes.”

Photo: Action Images

tractorboyz82 added 08:14 - Mar 28 Anderson comes across as a real nice bloke but has been poor all season I think you've had one good game then you got dropped after that, if I was to compare you to anyone it would be lee Martin but not as good I think Anderson will have to up his game a lot to be part of next season
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BrettenhamBlue added 08:29 - Mar 28 He really needs more time to settle in. At the moment, I would agree with tractorboyz82 and say he is a poor mans Lee Martin. Hopefully, with time, he could become more composed and controlled and turn into a Stephen Hunt.
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Cloddyseedbed added 08:43 - Mar 28 I'm afraid he has shown nothing in his performances this season to prove to me he is good enough to stay in and around the 1st team. He describes himself as a winger. I have not seen one performance good enough to back that up. I also said a few weeks ago that Nouble would never make a footballer, his showing on Tuesday night clearly proved me wrong. That is what i would now like Anderson to do for the rest of the season.

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ipswichboi added 09:31 - Mar 28 Fair play to the lad for coming out and admitting he hasn't been quite up to scratch.
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dirtyboy added 09:35 - Mar 28 I like him, he's a McCarthy type player though, won't set the world alight, but does a job getting up and down and is more defensively minded covering than most which will never win hearts and souls unless you're the best in the world at it. I think we all simply expect players to do step overs and take people on, but that's not going to happen often, especially how we set up to play. Hence Williams is such a massive breath of fresh air and lauded so much here in such a short space of time.

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Simonds92 added 11:43 - Mar 28 Not really sure he's good enough tbh, to be a winger he doesn't need to do loads of step overs or anything, just knock it round the defender and get a ball in the box, but he doesn't do this nearly enough. My problem with him is he is a 'winger' who is more comfortable facing his own goal and running towards that than the oppositions, that's not really what you want is it. With regards to Stephen Hunt, after Tuesdays performance I'm not overly convinced he can kick a ball properly!

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Philip added 12:38 - Mar 28 I'm not sure where the blame should lie for the lack on crosses. I'm sure I remember ando saying in the past that muck requires him to play far more narrow a game than he's used to so it could be caused be micks team shaping. Anyhow, hope ando improves, he seems to have great character and worth having in the squad, if only for his fine beard.
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TimmyH added 13:11 - Mar 28 All part of a Bristol City team that was relegated...you can't tell me BOTH Skuse and Anderson are good enough to start here, Skuse maybe but not Anderson.
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SouperJim added 16:42 - Mar 28 He has been solid but unspectacular, pretty much what he says about himself. There is room for improvement and fair reason to think it may come given time, particularly if we can improve some of the other midfield positions. To compare him to Lee Martin is unfair, Martin had no end product going forward but couldn't defend for toffee either. It is a team game and Ando does some of the horrible stuff that contributes to the team, this means he has a solid platform to build on. Lee Martin was a liability, all bluster and no actual impact on the game, unless it was getting himself sent off.

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tractorboyz82 added 16:55 - Mar 28 Lee Martin had no end product(not all the time)but he use to get at his fullback run at people win the odd pen get a cross in win a corner.you won't see Anderson do this once at all it seems he's lost all confidence in his own ability he's to light weight for me.
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harlingblue added 20:34 - Mar 28 Anderson still has much to do, but is certainly not 'a poor man's Martin. The former tracks back and helps his fullback, the latter was a liability, flattered to deceive (no one), and was impetuous in the tackle. Anderson may have to take a place on the bench for the last part of this season, but with a good pre season might just have more to add next year.
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