Town boss Paul Lambert kept his squad in the dressing room for an hour after the Blues’ 5-3 defeat at Lincoln City for a meeting in which he said there were some “home truths” told.

The media were kept waiting until 6pm to speak to Lambert following the Blues’ third defeat in four league games.

“They started better than us,” Lambert reflected on the match. “They got a good goal [from their perspective] but it was from our throw-in, which was the disappointing thing.

“We started to play and got a grip of the game and Luke Garbutt scored a really good freekick. I thought that was what we deserved in the first half, I thought we were right in the game.

“Then we lost a really poor goal towards the end, one long ball and Will [Norris] got caught, maybe by his own admission he should have stayed on his line.

“But I would never criticise Will Norris as he’s been excellent for us. But those things happen, [and it] gave them the impetus in the second half.”

At 2-2 in the second half Town had again got a foothold in the game but let it slip, which Lambert said was the biggest frustration.

“That was the thing, that was the disappointing thing,” he added. “We came out and we got the equaliser and that that point you think it’s going to go either way.

“Again we had a throw-in on the left side, we never got hold of the ball. And then they scored to make it 3-2, then it went to 4-2, then we go back in and got another to make if 4-3. The fifth goal, we put everybody forward and we tried to get an equaliser.

“To lose five goals when we didn’t even look like losing a goal [in games earlier in the season], we have to get back to that. And [we shouldn’t be] scoring three goals away from home and still losing.

He added: “We have been pretty solid over most of the season but you can’t score three goals and lose five away from home, that’s too much.”

Regarding the meeting after the game, he said: “We just spoke in there, no raised voices or anything like that, but maybe some home truths and a lot of things like that.

“The guys are good. I cannot fault their effort. Were there some harsh words there? Yes, but not over the top where it becomes mayhem.”

Did the players have their say as well as him? “You have a relationship with the guys, they’re good guys. If you go in there in a crazed frenzy then people can be frightened or switch off, there are some young guys in there, 18, 19, 20-year-olds.

“It’s part of the game, it’s part of their upbringing and if you go in there and rant and rave I’m not so sure they’ll take it in. It was a meeting that hopefully will be beneficial.”"

Asked whether there are enough leaders or characters in his squad, he said: “I think you’ve got to step up to the plate now, I think you’ve got to step up regardless of whether you’re 18 or 19, you’ve got to step up to the plate, I think that’s important.

“Some of them are young, some are older and quiet, different personalities but you can have a different personality and be quiet but you can also be pretty nasty with it.”

Is that the type of player he might need to add to his squad in January? “I always think if you’re 19 or 20, played in 100-odd games, you’ve always got to have that desire, hunger, the eye of the tiger, the normal things of football.

“I was never 6ft 3in myself, never built massively but to beat me you had to go some and that’s what you try and instil in the guys. And we have to get that back.”

Town were without Cole Skuse and Jon Nolan due to knocks, Lambert confirmed: “Cole hurt his neck against Gillingham and he woke up the other morning with wry neck, he couldn’t turn his neck, he was robotic.

“Nolo hurt his foot against Portsmouth and it was showing because his coverage of the football pitch was well down, so he was struggling.”

In their absence Andre Dozzell and Flynn Downes started in the middle of midfield and Lambert felt they did some aspects of the game well despite the scoreline.

“I thought they were good,” he said. “They’re really, really good footballers, the guys, really, really good. Again, they need to step up to the plate, even though they’re young kids.

“I thought football-wise, passing, really good, really happy with the two kids. I don’t have a problem with that but the actual devilment, as I call it, to be nasty, to win things, win big trophies or titles or be champions, you have to have a little bit of a streak in you.”

Janoi Donacien limped off towards the end of the first half with an injury which had hampered him for much of the half.

“I think the guy’s head hit his knee, the back of his head has hit knee and so we’ll need to see how he is,” Lambert said.

Questioned on how worrying he feels the current run - seven league games without a win and no victories over 90 minutes in the last 10 in all competitions - he said: “Any run when you don’t win, even when you lose two it’s worrying. Do you know what the craziest thing is, we’re still in that bloody position, we’re still up there.

“I think Wycombe lost and Peterborough lost today, I think it’s going to go that way all the time. We’re having a run now which nobody wants but we’re still well in that mix.

“Everybody has to accept we’re going to lose games at competition level, you’re going to lose. OK, we lose but you have to try put it right as quick as you can. But you also have to concentrate on all the good things that have put you in this position.

“It can’t just be negative, negative, negative, it’s not good for anybody. Not good for anybody at the club, anybody that supports the club. You have to concentrate on good moments.

“But this is the time where you need everybody to group together and make sure that you become really, really watertight.”

At the end some fans reacted angrily towards Lambert as he went over to applaud them, something he says he understands.

“That’s football,” he said. “They’ve come in their thousands to watch, which is great. I’d never really criticise any supporters because they come and pay their money and for me I’ve played with massive clubs, I know what it’s like. I’ve played with clubs where you’re only as good as your last pass.

“For the young guys, they need the help from the supporters, and hopefully at the end of the season we can give them something to enjoy. but you take the upper cut that’s coming in your direction at the minute.”

He says it’s far from the first time he’s been on the end of criticism: “It’s not the first time and it’s not going to be the last. As I said before, I played with huge, worldwide renowned clubs where you’re only as good as your last pass.

“Me and the staff we try and help them the best that we can. People think the game is about managers. It’s not about managers, the game’s about players and supporters and that’s what people want to see.

“What I will do is stick with the players, they’ve given me absolutely everything in their bodies to do things right, for me no problem.”

Photo: TWTD

Dolphinblue added 20:54 - Dec 29 Throwing insults and hate upon manager helps no one.
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Henrietta_R_Hippo added 21:00 - Dec 29 Since I've had more than enough of just trying to compute this phony's (phony as in utterly on-the-field managerial clueless in this Day & Age! Period!) increasingly hollow, oh plus of course ALWAYS circling around his own merry but now very archaic former merits, ITFC *Public Relation* performances... I will simply let the always reliable Lieutenant Commander Data "translate" this latest verbal jive for us: :-) (-:

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cooper442 added 21:01 - Dec 29 Personally I find his comments totally unacceptable, how about an apology to the hoardes of fans who spent their hard earned money watching such a gutless inept display ..
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grumpyoldman added 21:01 - Dec 29 Passing not crisp enough, no passion, marking nonexistent. Some of the players are not as good as they think they are, Judge for instance. The revival starts from now on by playing the best team every game.
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 21:03 - Dec 29 Like everyone else, I'm seriously despondent about the performance and the result. But we need to hang in there. A couple of wins and the mood will change - I'm just not sure where they're coming from at the moment. I don't think a knee-jerk change of management is the answer. It didn't work for Sunderland, and I'm not confident it would work for us - not without significant investment, and we know that's not going to happen. We have to work with what we've got for now. COYB!

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TractorRoyNo1 added 21:16 - Dec 29 Blue86 - where is the evidence that Garbutt is a midfielder?
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Len_Brennan added 21:20 - Dec 29 TractorRoy - first few games of the season.
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StowTractorBoy added 21:23 - Dec 29 The biggest mistake Lambert has made is this stupid rotation of players. I said it at the outset and have been proved right. Team selection is vital and Lamberts selections are baffling. Judge is a very decent player but he is not a winger and should be in the hole behind the strikers. The midfield selections need at least one player who can pass a ball yet Lambert persists in the work horses i.e. Nolan (who has been poor of late) Skuse and Downes. Dozzell never gets a run in the team the one player possibly with Huws who can pass a ball but they never play regularly enough to cement their place and improve their football. It is no wonder that Norwood and Jackson get frustrated as no one feeds them with decent passes. After the stinker Norris had against Gillingham why did he retain his place as Holy should be number one and stay there until he loses form. The back four are also a concern apart from Woolfie who has been outstanding and there is no doubting we have greatly missed Vincent-Young. Lambert has much to ponder on but do I trust him to get things right - I'm not sure.

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dirtydingusmagee added 21:25 - Dec 29 more crap about what he did years ago. which is totally irrelevant. if players are struggling at bottom of league you could accept they are lacking confidence,That was said last year, however fortune favoured them early part of this season, they should have been on a high, no excuses, the stumbling point came with breaks and postponed games and the obsession with rotation , BUT as was the case with Mc Carthy, Lambert is blind to faults and sticks to failed tactics ,methods and ideas.

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herfie added 21:32 - Dec 29 Every man and his dog has an opinion on what's wrong, and how to rectify it. Funny how the one individual who has the ability to actually do it seems to be seriously struggling to halt what is clearly an inexorable slide into mediocrity. That, and having to manage a bunch of dysfunctional, possibly deluded, players who are a disgrace to the shirts they wear. ‘Home Truths' are long overdue. But what will their impact be? Probably, on current evidence, not as positive as we would all wish.

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multiplescoregasms added 21:36 - Dec 29 You just know that come the Wycombe game he is going to make probably 3 changes from the starting 11 from today, and that is where the problems are. He will then go to Exeter and change probably at least 9 players, when really he should stick with the strongest team possible, try and stuff Exeter, and get some confidence in these players. He is just as stubborn as MM. He has gone too far down the road now to admit to the media, us, the players, or even himself that his team selection policy has been a disaster. 2 defeats in the next 2 games and he surely has to go.

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Steelmonkey added 21:40 - Dec 29 Well done Lambert, something Sir Bobby did on many occasions.
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Pencilpete added 21:42 - Dec 29 "Norris has been great' .... has he ?? Looked dodgy against Gillingham and today. But then Lambert said "Toto Nsiala did 'great ' against Gillingham too when I counted him miskicking 8 times which you dont even get on a sunday league pitch. So I'm sorry PL but your idea of great and mine completely different. Dozzell when are we going to see some of this hype that's been talked about since his 4th Birthday ?? I've never seen him do anything spectacular. Alan Judge has scored once in 40 Games and is a supposed set piece specialist who cant get a corner off the ground. Norwood and Jackson I feel for cos it wouldn't matter if we had Messi and Ronaldo upfront in this team cos they spend 90 minutes running around like headless chickens chasing hopeful long balls into the channels. We cant defend as a team or individually- at the start of the season we had Kenlock at full back and Garbutt ahead of him, it worked so why have we disrupted it to try and anchor Alan Judge in somewhere ???? Nolan, Edward's... bring nothing. Donacien is crap as well Toto Nsiala - I'm sorry but he shouldn't even be a footballer he is so uncomfortable and out of place that it looks like hes just been pulled out from the crowd he is dreadful, he is clumsy and an accident / mistake waiting to happen every time he plays. Sorry but I've thought about this and while PL is not faultless these players are simply not performing and every week we get a different one coming out saying 'we've got to do this and we know we have to up it Blah blah blah" how about you stop talking about it and do it ?!!!

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TimmyH added 21:53 - Dec 29 "Regarding the meeting after the game, he said: “We just spoke in there, no raised voices or anything like that, but maybe some home truths and a lot of things like that". - We heard this cobblers a week back, what exactly does 'home truths' mean anyway!?! Still nothing from Lambert as to why we've completely gone off the boil, nadda!
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gippeswyk added 22:02 - Dec 29 Lincoln put 5 goals past us. Enough said. No excuses gloss. 10 points from 11 games. Relegation form.Cant get much worse. We didn't cut it in the Championship with Hurst and we are now showing the same dire form in League 1. I wasn't a fan of McCarthy's hoof ball but from what I've seen in recent games, nothings changed apart from the fact we don't have a big Murphy, Salmon or Noble to aim for and we cant buy a win. This is more than a blip and Lamberts not the man to sort it out.

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Kickingblock added 22:10 - Dec 29 How about a remedial instinctive shooting session. What would nowadays be called: Special needs training!
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BangaloreBlues added 22:11 - Dec 29 Wycombe lost one game all season, now suddenly three in a row... The match on Wednesday is going to be very telling. Regardless of whether you like him, or want him to stay, surely his time will come very soon. This is no longer a bad run but a serious problem. Teams have blips, but just look at the results, the play, and the confidence at the beginning of the season compared with now. Whether you agree or not, the responsibility lies with the manager, and there seems to be a problem that is much deeper than players not stepping up. It's not about confidence, there's something else going on. All Lambert is doing in his very odd interviews is trying to cover up these issues and to me he's not doing a very good job of that either. Some players are clearly not happy with something. Something HAS to change.... Everyone blamed the lack of 4-4-2 and now it's 4-4-2 we're still losing and playing bad, and I get the feeling a settled side is going to change nothing either. So, what's left? I think it's pretty obvious what's coming down the line. And on a side note, Oxford have come from nowhere and sneaked into second place! They are on fire at the moment.

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Kingfisher49 added 22:23 - Dec 29 For me the answer is to freshen up things in the transfer window with a two or three players going out and probably three new signings to go into positions that seem to be problematic. First Alan Hutton although 35 is a free agent so could be a good cover at right back whilst Kane Vincent Young is side lined and can be signed on a short term contract. At Central Defence Cameron Carter Vickers has left Stoke and gone back to his parent club Tottenham and could be worth trying to get back to Portman Road. In midfield Darron Gibson and Darren Fletcher are without a club and at Division One level could provide the type of forward ball the strikers could turn into goals. With a young side a bit of experience could be the answer to get the club promoted then look to improve even more once that has been achieved.

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londontractorboy57 added 22:26 - Dec 29 Weve gone back to the hoof ball similar to mm days only difference is MM teams did it better. I would like some of the exponents of we would be better getting relegated explain how anythings better!!
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blue86 added 22:27 - Dec 29 TractorRoyNo1 - as Len Brennan pointed out, he was used there earlier in the season. Garbutt has a great left foot, who could supply crosses/balls in the box. Plus he can shoot, so with him more advanced would be good. Would try kenlock at lb with garbutt lm, would like to see this regular team, until Vincent young back. Holy Donacien, wolf, chambers, kenlock. Dobra, downes, skuse, garbutt. Sears Norwood

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r1griff added 22:53 - Dec 29 Does not matter who the manager is this massive squad is not good enough wasn't last year and isn't this
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Kesblue66 added 23:08 - Dec 29 Think pl has lost the dressing room.When this happens,there is no turning back,its the end.Due to his rotation.players dont know where they stand.Now they dont care.
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eddiespearitt03 added 01:09 - Dec 30 Of course there is the usual managers arrogance . We had all that with McCarthy. All we want is to see good football played in order to score goals. Too many players at this club having a cushdee time,it is that kind of industry and it is that kind of club we have. It is an Ipswich thing. Too many average players hyped up to being superstars. We can not or will not even have a cup run....that is the club we,ve got.

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planetblue_2011 added 02:07 - Dec 30 Thing is we have 5/6 players who can change this mess Holy, Wilson, Kenlock, Huws & Keane/Sears Why isn't he starting Holy & Wilson? Don't get it!! Bring Huws in the team than sitting on the bench. Agree with people about playing Kenlock lb & Garbutt lw. Keane or Sears or both up top against Wycombe. It does mean another 5/6 changes but if we do get a result then stick with the team for a while without changing it. Also bring Dobra back into the frame. Team against Wycombe if Donacien, Skuse & Nolan are still injured that is!!! Holy Woolfenden Chambers Wilson Kenlock Judge Downes Huws Garbutt Sears Keane Subs Norris Cotter Dobra Dozzell Edwards Jackson Norwood 6 changes is a lot but get a result & keep the team as it is for a few weeks, Donacien, Skuse & Nolan will prob play their part at some point. The squad is really good the players have to just go out there & bloody play football. This is my last hope if we fail against Wycombe, I've got to throw in the towel for a while!!!

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Saxonblue74 added 06:47 - Dec 30 Can't all be "negative, negative, negative" ? But what if it actually is?! I have seen nothing positive this season with the exception of our incredibly fortuitous league position and our fantastic support. Both of those are surely under serious threat. I had faith at the beginning of the season as results were coming via poor performances, surely we'll be wiping the floor with the opposition when our performances improve thought I. But we're not, as they most certainly haven't improved! I really don't see where the next win is coming from, it most certainly won't be against Wycombe! And Mr Lambert, I thank you for the good work you've done off the pitch, please, please translate it onto the pitch! In the meantime, stop treating Ipswich Town fans like fools, admit your failings and those of your team and focus more on solutions than your next line of spin!

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