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Lambert: I Thought We Were Excellent - Ipswich Town News

Town boss Paul Lambert felt his side were excellent during their 3-0 home victory over 10-man Shrewsbury, a win which put the Blues two points clear at the top of League One.

Kayden Jackson, James Norwood (pen) and Flynn Downes scored the goals for Town, while Shaun Whalley dismissed for two bookable offences before half-time.

Lambert had said he wanted his team to get off to a strong start and was unsurprisingly delighted that they took the lead after two minutes and made it 2-0 after 10.

"I thought we were excellent, I thought in the first half we were so dominant, even when they had 10 men,” he said.

"I’m really pleased, we played a really good game, we did everything I asked the team and I’m really happy, some really good performances, but the team are very good at the minute.”

Strike pair Jackson and Norwood made it nine goals in four games and Lambert is pleased with their form.

"I’m delighted with the way they’ve started the season,” he added. "The team is going really well at the minute, the football club is going really well, the atmosphere is incredible.

"I’m not sure this place has been like this for many a year, the way it is. I’m really happy with everything that’s going on.”

He had praise for Downes’s third goal in the second half: "It was brilliant, right from the box. I think Kane was outstanding, it was a brilliant ball from Kayden, who was excellent as well and what a header it was.

"The move was brilliant, one end of the pitch to the other, unbelievably quick. The move was great and the header was exceptional.”

Regarding Whalley’s second booking, he said: "I’m sure [Shrews manager] Sam [Ricketts] will maybe have words to say on the red card from his point of view, he’ll probably not be happy.”

Would he be unhappy with one of his players making a challenge like that in such an unthreatening area? "Yes, there was no trouble. I guess Sam is the one to ask about that.”

Lambert was also pleased with Jon Nolan’s impact from the bench, the former Shrewsbury man coming on as a sub for the first time this season following his calf injury.

"He looked lively when he came on for the amount of game time, he’s played,” he said. "Nolo’s a really good player, a really, really good player and it’s great to have him back.”

Despite the Blues being top, Lambert says it means little to him at this early stage of the season.

"I never really pay much attention to it,” he insisted. "You just move on to the next one, it’s another one crossed off, move on to the next one but the performance and the way we’re playing is really good.”

Prior to kick-off Blue Action unfurled a banner across the Sir Bobby Robson Stand - which was meant to be displayed at the Sunderland match before the strong wind intervened - with Lambert mocked up as Rambo above the legend Lambo, something which the Blues boss was touched by.

"It was overwhelming,” he said. "It’s incredible really, I’ve only been here less than a year and it’s overwhelming.”

Is he happy with the Rambo comparison? "I wish I had Stallone’s money! Listen, it’s overwhelming, I can’t describe the feeling when the crowd do that here.”

"Did I imagine such a tribute? No, not here, I don’t think anybody would have visualised that, would they, coming from the past I had. It’s overwhelming.

"Things I’ve had in my career, massive moments, in my playing career and management career, it’s up there. It’s really nice.”

Will he be wearing the bandana in Town’s next game? "Ay, you’ll see that! No, bloody hell! As I said before, I can describe it because that’s overwhelming being here a short time. But you like to think you’ve given the fans the club back.

"I’ve always said that, that’s the most important thing, regardless of how the team does, the fans have to have the club back.”

Meanwhile, with the transfer window closing at 5pm on Monday, Lambert isn’t entirely ruling out there being some business at Portman Road.

"I don’t know,” he said. "We’ll check, we’ll have a look and [see] if anything comes up, I’m pretty sure things will fly in and it’s up to us. You can never rule anything out.”

Shrews boss Ricketts saw positives in the performance, despite the result.

"I think a bit of naivety from us has let the home side off the hook," he said. "You can’t give a goal away in the first minute of the game, especially when you’r trying to frustrate.

"And even after that, the penalty’s not a penalty, it’s outside the box.

"That naivety has cost us because you look back at the whole game, we played nearly an hour with 10 men and we still had more shots, more shots on target, more corners, so the game plan was there.

"I thought the game was there for the taking, if I’m honest with you. I know it doesn’t look like it because two early goals killed the game.

"But 10 or 15 minutes into the game I remember thinking we’ve had more territory, more opportunities, but they’ve been near our goal twice and scored twice, which isn’t exactly what you want, especially given our defence has been so solid this year. It didn’t really give us a chance in the game.”

Asked about Whalley's two bookings, Ricketts added: "It took 88 minutes for a home player to get booked, that’s all I’m saying on that.”

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