Town boss Paul Lambert was happy with how his team played as they were beaten 4-1 at home by West Ham in a behind-closed-doors pre-season friendly and put the errors which led to some of the Hammers’ goals down to rustiness after five months out.
The third and fourth in particular were down to mistakes by keeper Tomas Holy and skipper Luke Chambers but Lambert wasn’t too downcast about the display overall.
"Really happy with how we’re playing, the third and fourth goal, you can’t legislate for that, the errors,” he said.
"But that’s rustiness as well, that’s five months off, that can happen. You’d rather get them out of the road now rather than when it starts for real. But football-wise, I’m really happy.”
The Blues boss has got his side passing the ball out from the back during pre-season which had led to one or two hairy moments in previous games.
Asked whether he felt it would take time to instil the approach into his players, he responded: "No, not really because we started doing that when we first came in, so they know it, the lads know how we play, they know the movements of it.
"There was a lot of good stuff there, really, really happy with how we’re playing with the ball, we’re up against two Premier League teams. Especially first half I thought we were excellent."
"Really happy with how we played, third and fourth goal, really disappointing but happy with how we’re playing.”
He added: "The third goal, cross ball, Tomas lost his bearings a little bit. Fourth goal was just mistakes and sloppiness on that front, but again after five months off that can happen. We’ll try and implement a style of football here that everybody enjoys.
"Dominance of the ball is really important, if we do that, no disrespect, we’re playing a totally different level to West Ham and Tottenham.”
Has he got the centre-halves capable of playing in the manner he wants? "Aye, the lads have been really good. Nsiala has been excellent since he came back, really, really good.
"Luke [Chambers] knows it, Wilson’s just come back from injury, Woolfenden’s got to start to get going, he’s got to start to perform. I’m happy with how it’s going.”
Reflecting further on the errors, he added: "I take responsibility, no problem, absolutely no problem. I want to play football and make the guys better footballers.
"It’s a friendly, that can happen, five months off is a long, long time. Luke knows it was sloppy but he’ll not do it again, may as well do it now.
"Everybody knows, you don’t need to be Einstein to see who made mistakes, you can see it. But football-wise, the way we handled the ball, really, really pleased.”
At the other end of the field, the Blues were certainly more threatening than they had been at Tottenham when they hardly laid a glove on the North Londoners with Freddie Sears netting against his old club.
"Definitely, the main thing for me, because the guys have had five months off, it’s not a normal pre-season, it’s not normal this scenario. We’ve had to try and get fitness back as quick as we can,” he said.
"West Ham haven’t long finished their domestic season. But I’m happy with the way things are going, the understanding of the game is really good. Football-wise, really good. Just cut out the errors and see what happens.”
Lambert says he’ll give those who weren’t involved much today more time in the final friendly on Saturday.
"I said to the guys, it’s not the result that’s most important, it’s how you play and how you perform,” he said.
"Football-wise, I’m really happy with a lot of things. We’ll not be playing the calibre of West Ham and Tottenham.
"We’re still trying to find our feet, trying to get 90 minutes under our belts because we’ve had that long off. And plus with the social distance training, things like that, it’s been hard.
"Everybody’s been in the same boat, but West Ham and Spurs have had playing time, but football-wise really happy.”
The Blues manager says Gwion Edwards picked up a minor niggle before being replaced just before half-time: "Little groin, but hopefully he’ll be alright.”
The game was too early for James Norwood, who seems likely to be involved in Saturday’s final friendly: "He’s doing well, trained well this morning, we’ll give him a full week’s training and then see how he is for Saturday. Oli Hawkins is doing really well, settling in.”
James Wilson is also still to play a part in pre-season: "He had a calf problem and this is his first real week of training, so he’s not too far.”
"Kane [Vincent-Young] had a little niggle in his achilles, but he’s fine, we didn’t want to take a chance on him, and Woolfy’s fine, Woolfenden will play on Saturday.”
"Myles trained this morning and we’ll see how he is for Saturday, a little thigh strain, we’ll see how he is.”
Town started with a midfield three of Andre Dozzell, Flynn Downes and Teddy Bishop and Lambert says there’s no reason the academy trio shouldn’t be the trio when the season gets under way.
"If they keep playing like that, it doesn’t matter to me reputation or anything like that. Whoever plays well towards the start of the season plays,” he said.
"I think people like Andre need to step up but he’s played brilliant for us in pre-season. Flynn is as consistent as anything and Bishop has been great he hardly played last season.
"Judgey, Emyr, Cole, Nolan, they’re all pushing for starts. There’s a lot of good football at the minute, really good, really pleasing how we’re dominating games with the ball. The goals? They happen, but you’d rather get them out now rather than at the start.”
Lambert also had praise for young defender Corrie Ndaba: "He’s done great, Corrie, he really has. He’s got to keep that buzz. It’s OK doing it in the friendly games when there’s no crowd but he’s got to be big enough to do it when the fans do come back. But he’s performed really, really well.”
Idris El Mizouni again made an impact from the bench: "He’s done OK, he’s got millions to learn. He’s playing with a freedom because there’s no pressure on him, but he’s got a talent and there’s no pressure from me on him to really make a mark, just let him nurture himself and get him through.
"But football-wise, he’s got some really nice touches. Things he’ll need to learn about moving it more quickly than he does but that will come with experience.”
On Saturday Lambert admitted he needs to reduce the size of his squad and inevitably there will be players who will be disappointed once the season starts.
”The secret is get yourself in the team and you’ll be happy,” he said. "All over the world, get yourself in the team and you’re happy, if you’re not in the team you’ll not be happy.
"That’s football, the guys know that, so they need to get in the side and show me what they can do rather than stop-start, stop-start, so it’s up to the guys.”
However, Lambert had little to say on any ins and outs - "No, nothing happening” - including reports that Ayr United are keen to re-sign Aaron Drinan: "He’s done really well, even today I thought he was excellent.”