Loan signing Trevoh Chalobah had no problem with Town boss Paul Hurst’s scathing criticism of his team following the Carabao Cup penalty shoot-out defeat at Exeter on Tuesday.
Chalobah, who missed from the spot following the 1-1 draw, said: "I think we all know it wasn’t good enough the other night and the way the gaffer reacted shows how passionate he is and how much he wants to win.
"What’s important now is that we learn from it, move on and we’re ready for the next game against Aston Villa on Saturday. Hopefully Tuesday was a one-off.
"The good thing about the Championship is that you don’t have long to wait until you go again.
"The games come thick and fast, especially at this stage of the season, and we have an opportunity to put on an improved display against Villa.
"We have been working hard in training and hopefully the fans will see that on Saturday with a better display and result.
"It’s going to be a really tough game against Villa but it’s important that we give our all and work hard.
"We want to improve from Tuesday and if we could get our first league win of the season against a team who are fancied for promotion it would be a great boost for everyone.
"I’ve seen Villa on TV and they look really good but it’s important that we focus on ourselves and what we are doing.
"We want to show the fans that we are trying to achieve something this season.
"I think we played well in our previous two league games against Blackburn and Rotherham but we have only picked up one point and we know we need to do better than that.
"We are a new group and we are still getting to know each other but I believe we have the quality to improve. Everybody knows it is going to take time for so many new players to gel into a team but we are working hard in training to make it happen. We’re definitely getting there.”
Chalobah, 19, had no problem with taking a penalty at St James Park, adding: "I’ve taken penalties in the past and I was happy to take one on Tuesday but it was a huge disappointment to miss.
"I have settled in well, much quicker than I thought I might. The lads here are a great bunch and welcomed me on board straight away. The training has been good and I’m enjoying working for the gaffer.”
The Sierra Leone-born youngster opted to leave Chelsea, where he joined their academy at the age of eight, in order to further his career in the same way older brother Nathaniel, 23, did previously.
"Nathaniel went on loan to Watford when he was young and played a lot of games for them.
"He then went to Nottingham Forest, Middlesbrough, Burnley, Reading and Napoli before returning to Watford in a permanent deal last year,” said Chalobah.
"He always says how much it helped him to have loan spells away from Chelsea.
"His advice was to go out on loan and enjoy the experience. It worked well for him and he said it was a good way of getting game time and gaining experience.
"He told me to train the way I play and stay in the team. It’s a big step up from academy level and I’ll stay focused as well as working hard.
"This is a big part of my development as a footballer, to be playing real men’s football and very competitive too. It’s vital preparation for what hopefully lies ahead at Chelsea or, if not there, somewhere else.
"Nathaniel was also playing as a centre-back before being moved into midfield, the same thing I’m doing. He is always saying how much he benefited from going out on loan, mainly by getting games at a young age.”
Settling in at Portman Road was made all the easier by the fact that Chalobah already knew a number of his new team-mates from being on international duty with the England U19 squad. He added: "I knew Flynn [Downes], Tristan [Nydam] and Andre [Dozzell] and that was a big help.
"I was with the U19s both last year and again this summer for the European Championships.
"I got injured in the third game in 2017 against Germany when I went up for a corner and landed awkwardly on my ankle. It meant I missed out on the semi-final and the final, which we won.
"I was keen to go back this year. We had a new bunch of lads because a lot of our main players were unavailable and to be named captain was a great honour for me.
"It didn’t go our way but it was still a great experience. I’ve been captain at every age group since the U16s and it has meant a lot to me. I think it says a lot about me as a player but also the commitment I show in training.”
Chalobah admitted he was surprised to be in the starting line-up for the opening-day home draw with Blackburn and he has clocked up 90 minutes in each one of Paul Hurst’s first three games in charge, a clear sign of the esteem in which he is held.
He added: "When I came back from England U19 duty the gaffer called me the day before the West Ham game to see if I wanted to play. I said I was keen to be involved, just to get a feel for it, although I’d had a game the day before and I came on for the last 15 minutes or so.
"It was a pleasant surprise to start against Blackburn, which was my very first experience of senior football.
"It would probably have happened earlier because I was supposed to be going on loan last season but when I got injured in the Euros it didn’t materialise.”
Chalobah, handed the number six shirt for his temporary stint with Town, has appeared as a holding midfielder in each of his three first team appearances, was asked if he had a preferred position.
He replied: "I don’t really think I do. I’ve played central defence and central midfield at Chelsea over the years and I think it’s important to have that versatility.
"I’m not looking long-term and for now I just want to play well, wherever I’m playing. I think it will become clearer where my future is going to be once I’ve played a lot more games.
"Can I get among the goals? If I’m going to score it is more likely that it will come from a set piece — and I’m certainly not ruling it out.”