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Chambers: Leeds Wasn't Good Enough
Tuesday, 27th Sep 2016 06:00

Luke Chambers says he fully understands the frustration of Town supporters who travelled to Leeds and witnessed Saturday’s 1-0 defeat.

The skipper, who has come in for a great deal of criticism from some sections of the crowd this season, made no attempt to shy away from the fact that the display at Elland Road, which saw Town drop down the table to 14th place, fell well short of what he would regard as acceptable.

Chambers, who will be 31 tomorrow, said: “Fans don’t want to go all that way and watch a team put in a performance like we did.

“We know we weren’t good enough and we need to improve, which we’re looking to do on Tuesday against Brighton.

“We definitely want to try to entertain. That’s our job; it’s the entertainment business, sport, at the end of the day. Everyone’s paying a lot of money to come and watch us play so we’ve all got to be better and try to improve.

“But if you are winning games sometimes that can, sort of, make things look a bit better for us, so we just need to start concentrating and going back to our basics and winning games.

“I think we have quite a decent home record so far and we’re looking forward to Tuesday’s game.


“It was very disappointing at Leeds. We felt we were making a bit of progress because we had quite a good result the previous weekend, against Aston Villa, when we felt we could have nicked it at the end.

“But the performance on Saturday wasn’t good enough, from start to finish really, and that was very, very disappointing. But we are looking to put it right on Tuesday night.

“I didn’t play very well against Villa last week. I had a few shaky moments and you do feel it coming through from the fans on to the pitch.

“I’ve been playing long enough now — I’ve played a lot of games — to know that’s part and parcel of being a footballer.

“Every now and again you take a bit of stick but you just have to get through it and continue to help the team, which I’ll always try to do.”

Asked how far Town are currently below their best, Chambers added: “There are always things you can improve, individually and collectively, so we’re just trying to work on a few different things.

“We’ve definitely got to try to play a lot more football because on Saturday we didn’t do any of that at all and that’s why we find ourselves in the position we are in.

“I think we probably passed it three or four times in the first half and made a chance out of it but after that there wasn’t really much else.

“We’ve sat and watched a replay of the game between us and we all know we need to improve. A lot of people come out to watch us and we need to be repaying the faith that they are showing in us.”

Chambers will switch to a central defensive role against Brighton tonight and also the visit of Huddersfield on Saturday, replacing hamstring injury victim Adam Webster with Josh Emmanuel coming in at right-back as boss Mick McCarthy copes with an injury crisis that sees him without the services of seven regular squad members.

He added: “I believe Josh has massive potential. He has all the physical attributes and technically he is very, very good.

“He showed a little bit of a glimpse of that at Leeds when he took the lad on down the right hand side later on and put a cross in. It’s an opportunity for him to play at right-back and we’ll see what he’s made of.

“We have some very good young players who have been travelling with us for the past 18 months or so and the majority of the time there’s only one who misses out and isn’t in the team or on the bench.

“In training on Monday the gaffer asked a few of the lads who aren’t playing to take it easy a little bit because what we had on the training pitch is literally what we’ve got to pick from against Brighton.

“We’ve been fairly lucky with injuries, in terms of numbers, over the last few years.

“We’ve lost some important players at difficult times of the season but the younger lads have the ability to play and it’s all about taking the opportunity when it comes along.

“They did very well last season, especially Josh and Myles [Kenlock] when they came in towards the end, and I don’t think it will be too long before we see them more regularly.”


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Penguinblue added 06:30 - Sep 27
Unfortunately you are part of the problem
3

marco007 added 07:06 - Sep 27
Can't remember the last last time I enjoyed watching us play.
We have grit, determination and battle hard but the quality of football has been dire for a very long time.
17

yerfdog87 added 07:32 - Sep 27
You have been shakey all season, Reading you got done like a kipper!!!
6

Surco72 added 07:54 - Sep 27
If your not winning and not entertaining its time to go and try something different MM hasn't got the capability so new faces required
3

Cloddyseedbed added 08:04 - Sep 27
It seems the phrase nicking the game has now become a popular word to describe how we play. For that I am appalled, both home and away. The mentality of the manager needs to change, but that will not happen.
11

carlo88 added 08:47 - Sep 27
Sounds like a Labour MP trying to defend Corbyn.
0

BrettenhamBlue added 08:49 - Sep 27
"Nicking the game" old phrase from the days of Wimbledon in the 80's
1

braveblue added 09:14 - Sep 27
You are not good enough. You were at fault again for the goal!!
5

Ferguson added 09:39 - Sep 27
We know that MM has faith in Chambers as a leader, and that he has the respect of his team mates.

However he doesn't come across as an inspirational motivating captain to me, either in interviews or on the pitch these days , and he didn't put in a captain's shift at Leeds for sure.

Hopefully going back into the middle will make a difference to his game and to the team in general. They need a quick kick up the fundament - then. Onwards and Upwards.
4

Mr_Evans added 09:47 - Sep 27
I'm surprised he's the captain. Yes he's loud and jokes about with the other players but he's certainly not an intelligent footballer. He was at fault for the goal at Leeds. He was so slow to get out to his man and failed to stop the cross.
Also, very poor management by MM last week when he was putting all praise on Chambers telling us that he's a guaranteed starter because he's a leader and nailed on for starting every game. God knows what Emmanuel must have been thinking! Especially now he is expected to play.
10

ArnieM added 10:05 - Sep 27
I'm actually bored of all the same old excuses and counter moans now. Never felt more like singing the Blues as they say. Appetite for going to PR at an all time low and I've been going since 1969.
4

BobbyBell added 10:21 - Sep 27
How about dominating a game so much that the opposition have no chance of nicking anything off us?? Lively, exciting new players like Ward and Lawrence are rapidly becoming 90% defence minded. Why not let our pacey exciting new players do what they want to do and attack? We worry far too much about loosing and are scared to go for it anymore. Joe Royal was the total opposite of MM with his attitude of "If they score 3 then we'll score 4". Those were exciting days with some great entertainment.
8

Lightningboy added 10:34 - Sep 27
@ marco007

The last time I enjoyed watching us play was circa 2007/08 in Magilton's 2nd season...9 years is getting beyond a joke.
4

dirtydingusmagee added 10:49 - Sep 27
There is nothing in present team that shows the fire and determination of old.Ex blues like Butcher,Beaty,Burley,Mills,Whymark, MarinerMurhen Thyson the list goes on played their hearts out ,Present team show nothing under McCarthy .There is no spark, no pride , just turn up and keep ''flogging'' McCarthy's dull ,tedious ,boring ''style'' of football .
4

BackTheBlues added 11:17 - Sep 27
I'm Curious why people think Chambers was at fault for the Leeds goal Soley...

So the ball Gets played to the Leeds Winger - Chambers goes to shut him down FIRST

Grant Ward our WIDE MIDFIELDER then comes from the middle of the pitch to help out
Why didn't WARD go to the overlapping Full Back to cover Chambers who was already dealing with a player?

Then - Berra got it horribly wrong - left Chris Wood 2 Yards and got WELL out Jumped!

So Solely Chambers fault?
Stop making the man a Scapegoat.


Oh and anyone who doesn't believe me - re watch the highlight of the goal after looking at this comment!
3

theblueginger added 14:12 - Sep 27
Well said BackTheBlues....at the time I thought Berra - who has had a good season but lost his duel with Wood on Saturday - was caught ball-watching and lost his man has the cross came in.

Chambers does come in for some deserved criticism, but its getting silly when he is moaned at for every goal we concede.
2

bluehook added 16:19 - Sep 27
My suggestion is to keep Chambo on the touchline with MM and TC, and he can do all his inspirational leadership sh!t from there. Then at the end, if "we nick one" and win, he can still run onto the pitch and give the fist pump. Everybody is happy, especially the fans.
2

Seasider added 16:24 - Sep 27
Back the Blues.Agree not solely to blame but slow to close the fullback down just dangling out a leg in token gesture.
Must say that he is more honest,and better than his Manager when talking to the press.

You can see the McCarthy influence though when talking about nicking a win.

Doubt very much though that things will change whilst this dinosaur is in charge,as he always has a negative outlook.
0

HackneyBlue added 18:09 - Sep 27
Luke please do us a favour,tell your boss your happy to play in the middle but no longer at right back as its affecting the teams balance,entertaining the fans means playing football and its not in your nature .
0


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