A win’s a win was manager Paul Lambert’s assessment after Town came from behind to beat 10-man Plymouth 2-1 at Home Park but believes the victory won’t “change the negativity” he said was attached to the club earlier in the week.
Jon Nolan and Kayden Jackson netted two goals in two minutes to see the Blues to the win after the Pilgrims had been reduced to 10 men after Danny Mayor’s red card.
Having seen the draw at Oxford as a step in the right direction, Lambert was asked whether he viewed today’s win as another.
"Yes, it’s a win, it’s a win,” he said. We move on to the next game.”
Was he happy with the performance? "Yes, we’re sitting third, I think, joint-third. That’s not bad. We move on.”
Was he not taken with the display? "No, there’s just things going through my head, it’s fine, it’s OK.”
Quizzed on whether he was pleased with the resilience his team showed to turn the game around, he responded: "As I said before, I’m proud of the guys, the way we play good football when we’ve so many problems back home.
"We had a good game, we didn’t deserve to be down 1-0. We should have had a penalty, that was incredible. The guys deserve so much credit.”
Asked how much character it took to stage the comeback, he said: "[From] the team, yes, but we’ll not change the negativity, not change it. But for those guys, brilliant.
"We lost two games and I think everybody thought we were going to sink to the bottom of the table and we’re sitting third.
"We don’t have the guys in the treatment room, they’re still to come back. We’ve so many guys injured, big guys. It’s not as if it’s the young guys you don’t rely on, it’s big guys that make a massive contribution. Will it change the negativity? No it won’t.”
Lambert had asked for his side to be more ruthless in both boxes and Nolan and Jackson both took their opportunities clinically.
"Great. I thought we started the game really well, we dominated the ball and they sat off us and they got a goal with their first real attack,” he said.
"We should have had a penalty [when Jack Lankester was fouled], how it wasn't a penalty I don’t know.
"And then it was just a matter of keeping doing what they were doing and try to force the game and then getting the goals, we were getting in some great areas. The contribution from the sub guys was big, we made the right calls and we got the win.”
Regarding the finishes, he added: "Nolo was really good, Nolan’s busy, he’s really good. Kayden, I thought maybe should have pulled the trigger in the first half when he was played right through. But the kid’s not played much football, so he’s still trying to find his feet. I thought his goal was excellent. Very good.”
Did he feel his side was getting on top even before Mayor, who Lambert tried to bring to Portman Road after he left Bury in the summer of 2019, was dismissed? "Yes, in the first half they were dropping off and we were getting in some good areas.
"I thought Kayden maybe should have pulled the trigger earlier than he should. Dobs should have done better when he went through [just before half-time], so there were good moments there, good possibilities. But it was just a matter of keeping going and keeping going.”
Lambert was pleased with Armando Dobra’s lively display, the Albanian U21 international having drawn the foul which led to Mayor’s red card.
"Yes, I think that’s what you get with him,” he said. "I think Dobs at the minute still plays street football, that’s probably a compliment to him. He plays street football.
Lambert says Aaron Drinan missed out having joined the already lengthy injury list: "That was bizarre because it was a recovery day so he never trained with us. He just felt a little twinge in his hamstring. As I’ve said to you, you can have all the best medical team in the world and things like that happen.”
Asked whether there is any chance of anyone being back for next week’s home game against Portsmouth, he said: "I don’t think so, no. I don’t know if any will come back. I don’t see it.”
One piece of good news yesterday was Andre Dozzell signing a new contract which runs to the summer of 2024.
"Yes, I never knew until yesterday morning,” Lambert said. "Great for the club because we don’t have the money to go and buy guys and Andre at 20 years old is getting better and better and better. He’s still developing.
"The club can’t go out and buy somebody in this environment. He’s a really good footballer.”
Lambert agreed that the 21-year-old has come on since becoming a regular in the side this season.
"Yes, without a doubt,” he said. "I think people forget when they look at him. He’s every bit as young as Luke Woolfenden, he’s a young guy who is learning and developing and he’s got to get physically stronger, which he will as he gets older. And he’ll get better. But regarding being a footballer, he’s got all the attributes.”
How good can the former England U20 international be? "Only he’ll decide how his future’s going to go but he’s a really good kid, a good footballer and hopefully his career goes the right way.”
Asked what the win means to him, he said: "I know what it means to me and to the guys and the staff. I know what it means to them.
"We came here, we had the team that we have and the guys that we have at the minute, it’s incredible how they’re doing. We just keep trying.”
Having said the win won’t change the negativity, Lambert was asked what would. A run of wins? "No, I know what needs to be changed but I’ll keep those thoughts to myself.”