Town loanee Matthew Pennington has been ever-present since the arrival of new boss Paul Lambert but he admitted: “While I’m happy to be playing I’d be happier if we were winning.”

Pennington, who is on a season-long stint from Everton, has responded well to the arrival of Lambert in late October after Paul Hurst’s dismissal — but he accepts results have not been good enough.

Rock-bottom Town take on Millwall at Portman Road tomorrow desperate for the victory needed to move closer to the teams immediately above them. If they are going to close the seven-point gap — plus goal difference — between them and safety they must start banking points on a more regular basis.

Pennington added: “Do we have to beat Millwall? Yes, I think so. It’s a huge game for us — a six-pointer if you like — and with it being at Portman Road we can hopefully get the fans behind us and get a positive result.

“When we beat Wigan we were hoping to go on and get other good results on the back of that win. But it hasn’t happened in the last couple of games, which was disappointing, especially with the decent performances we put in.

“It’s all about results and we need to get them in the next couple of games, which are massive games for us, and hopefully we can get a win against Millwall tomorrow.

“I know we can do it, and we’ve got to have that belief in the squad, so it’s about the next game and seeing what we can do.”

Pennington, 24, believes Lambert has been a major influence over his 10 games in charge of the Blues and added: “The gaffer has improved my game in the short time he has been here. I feel like a much-improved player with the style of play he has brought in.

“I think it suits me and I’ve enjoyed his new ideas and seeing how he works with the team. I think everyone has seen the improvement.

“The gaffer is very hands-on with the team when he is showing us how he wants us to play and where we need to be. That’s very good for the players because he shows how we can improve individually and as a team.”

The central defender or full-back is certain supporters will see a different Town side tomorrow to the one beaten 3-0 at The Den just two days after Hurst was sacked. Caretaker-boss Bryan Klug was in charge that day and manager-in-waiting Lambert looked on from the stand alongside his new backroom team.

Pennington said: “We are a different team, 100 per cent. A more well-oiled team, I would say, and hopefully we can continue to get better results at home, which we have been doing recently. That’s the form we’ll be looking to take into tomorrow’s game to get the win.

“These games — Millwall, the FA Cup tie at Accrington Stanley and then Rotherham at home — are vital for us as we’re at a big point in the season. The league games are against two teams not too far away from us in the table, so they are huge.”

Pennington accepts a number of supporters have probably thrown in the towel and accept Town will be playing League One football next season. “I guess they do,” he added. “But as long as that mood stays away from our camp, and we can all keep the belief, I’m sure we will be fine.

“We’re obviously under pressure but the manager has been really good with us in that respect.

“He’s told us to play his way and taken the shackles off, and he’s said that if we do keep playing that way the results will come. We’ve shown we can create chances, it’s just the fine details we need to get right.”

Asked about the individual errors that have proved costly this season, Pennington added: “Every one of us is trying to do the right things and play the right way.

“Yes, we need to cut the mistakes out, but it’s not about individuals. It’s collectively, as a team, that we win or lose games. It’s not down to individuals.

“We need to keep playing the way we’ve been playing and hopefully the results will follow. Clean sheets would help. They are our bread and butter, and as defenders they are what we always look for.”

He may be a loan player, rather than none contracted to the club on a permanent basis, but when Pennington was asked if he and the other loanees cared as much as the others he was quick to answer: “I think so and I certainly do because I feel part of the club and the family. I’m putting all my effort into helping us to stay in the Championship.

“It is physically demanding at this busy stage of the season but because I’ve had a good run in the side I feel fit and healthy, so long may that continue.

“I’ve been lucky that my family were able to come down to Suffolk and spend a few days with me over Christmas, which has been nice.”

Finally, Pennington turned his attention to the Town supporters who have had so little cheer this season or, indeed, throughout 2018. “The fans have been brilliant,” he said.

“Despite the situation we find ourselves in they have been behind us all the way. I’m sure that will be the case for the Millwall game and I just hope we can get a positive result for them because they deserve it.”

Photo: TWTD

runningout added 22:48 - Dec 31 every games is and was Huge.. Onwards...
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KiwiBlue2 added 00:39 - Jan 1 This is obviously a must win as is the Rotherham game. The longer we leave putting some sort of run together the steeper the hill to climb. I have always regarded the January window as a dance of the desperate. Players clubs dont see as part of their core squads at that time are sent out to clubs who are usually in similar places to ours at inflated loan prices. The fact that PL is talking about '5 or 6 new players' rather than just 2 or 3 is very interesting. Effectively shows up Hurst's naivety. I hope that we see Huws playing very soon as he is proven quality at this level. Just hope he doesnt get injured again. Difficult to know if we will see Adeyemi before the end of the season. Anyway fingers crossed that we can get in a few players that will get us moving up the table.

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raycrawfordswig added 07:35 - Jan 1 Need to have a run of 10 wins in a row .
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ShropshireBluenago09 added 08:20 - Jan 1 Would be good if we could sign him permanently.
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Mark added 12:07 - Jan 1 Happy New Year everyone. 2019 won't be happy for long if we don't win this afternoon. Rotherham are home to Preston and may well win that, putting them 10 points ahead of us with a better goal difference if we lose today. We need to get three points. COYB!
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Bert added 12:10 - Jan 1 Thoughtful and realistic words from Pennington. Certainly one of the better players and giving it all as a loanee. If we stay up I would think of him as one who could remain.
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BlueandTruesince82 added 12:41 - Jan 1 Lose today and it becomes very hard for us to attract the kind of players we need.... a huge, huge game could be 10 points a drift come 5 o'clock, could be 4.... massive in terms of how we can be perceived inside and outside the club...... come on 2019.... give us some cheer
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Saxonblue74 added 13:11 - Jan 1 Huws and Adeyemi back to fitness would be great, would be like 2 new signings. Bishop yet to get back to full match fitness imo so we have that to look forward to. In respect of January being a "window for the desperate"? We kind of are! PL is the kind of manager who can make an average player a good player, I'm hopeful for 2 or 3 inspired signings and a miraculous transformation in form. Remember Leicester at 5000/1 for the title? It's a funny old game!

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