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Lambert: Huge Gap Between Sides But We Never Capitulated
Saturday, 27th Apr 2019 20:43

Town boss Paul Lambert admitted there was a huge gap between the Blues and all-but-promoted Sheffield United but was pleased his team never capitulated during their 2-0 defeat at Bramall Lane.

The win virtually guarantees the Blades Premier League football next season for the first time since 2007 with Leeds, who play Aston Villa tomorrow, needing results to go in their favour and an unlikely turnaround in goal difference to finish higher than their fellow Yorkshiremen.

“We hung in and hung in, we never capitulated,” Lambert reflected after the game. “I always knew it was going to be difficult with the atmosphere and them going for the promotion, so if Chris [Wilder] does it, congratulations to them.

“You can’t say anything other than to give them praise, they’ve had a fantastic season. Chris has done a great job. They’re a strong, strong side, the atmosphere in the stadium was great, but we never disgraced ourselves by capitulating.

“We’ve a lot of young lads, that will do them the world of good. I’ve just said them in there, ‘Remember this atmosphere. Hopefully in 12 months’ time you’ll get something like that’.”

Lambert felt the character his team showed against a rampant Blades team at a vibrant Bramall Lane was pleasing.

“It was,” he continued. “They’re entitled to have a lot of the ball because they’re the team they are. I thought they were the best team we played at Portman Road and my opinion’s not changed.

“I think they’re a really, really good side but we kept on at it and at it and everybody knows 1-0 is never enough.”

He says the scenes after the game whets his appetite for a successful Town campaign in League One next season.

“The young players have to bottle that up and make sure that they’ve got that next year,” he said.

“But I know this club is in a good place. You take your medicine at the minute, you rebuild it but Ipswich could be an absolutely fantastic place next year, that’s for sure.”

Promotion is the culmination of a number of years fighting back after several seasons in League One for the Blades.

“They were in League One for six years, that’s a long, long time,” he added. “You can just feel the stadium has moved, it’s had a lot of work done to it, the pitch was fabulous, everything about it is very, very good and the team has been maybe with each other for a few years. A lot of success here.”

Reflecting further on Town’s display, the Blues ended the game without any strikers with Will Keane having been forced off after eight minutes and Kayden Jackson in the second half.


“Will was really unfortunate and Kayden had some tightness and we couldn’t take a risk with Kayden so we had to bring him off and all of a sudden you’ve no strikers,” he said.

“But I can’t ask any more from the team, they gave me absolutely everything. To keep doing that, that’s all you can ask of people.”

Regarding Keane’s injury, he added: “It looks like [his hamstring again], it looks like the same sort of injury, maybe not as severe but it’s a hamstring, I think.”

Lambert hops Collin Quaner will be fit enough to play against Leeds: “Collin hopefully will be OK, we’ll see how he is, but I think he’ll be OK.

“And maybe Jon Nolan may be OK. I thought Flynn Downes did really well. I couldn’t ask any more, the effort was there.”

On Cole Skuse starting in a back three for the first time for Town, Lambert said: “I just think Cole’s a really good footballer and I think any position he can adapt to because he’s got a really good football brain and playing at the back, he’s comfortable with the ball, which we need in that aspect.

“I know he can do that role, I’ve never had problem with him, we worked on it during the week. He’s played that before, so it wasn’t new to him and I just felt him being as comfortable with the ball he could fit in there easily.”

He says he can see Skuse, now 33, playing that role again in the future: “I think he can, if we’re flexible, I know he can do it. That’s the beauty about him, I know he can play that role at the back because he is really comfortable with the ball.”

Lambert made no bones about the gulf between the teams: “You could see that, absolutely. I don’t think anybody should be deluded and say we’re near it, we’re not.

“We’ve not long come in, we have to rebuild the club. As I said before, this club, it feels really, really good and the way it’s going and it’s been a few years together, so it’s something we have to aspire to, the crowd has been really, really good with them, so this is what you want, this is the type of feeling you want yourself.”

He added: “It’s huge, we’ve got guys that are coming through the ranks of the football club. They haven’t been out on loan, OK, Flynn had a wee touch at Luton, Bish has not played much football, Myles Kenlock until last week played 17 games in a row for the first time in his career, that’s incredible.

“Toto’s first time [in the Championship], he’s getting better. There’s a lot of good things here but the gulf is really, really big.

“But effort-wise, I couldn’t ask any more. The lads gave me everything in their bodies. But we’ve got to start somewhere and, as I said before, it could be really, really good here.”

Next Sunday’s game at home to Leeds is now a dead rubber but Lambert wants to go out on a high note.

“It’s a massive game,” he said. “Obviously, depending on what happens tomorrow with Leeds and Aston Villa.

“It’s a huge game, a brilliant atmosphere and I’m looking forward to the game and looking forward to the break. I guess everybody is, our whole team, our whole club needs a break, supporters included.

“But again the supporters were brilliant. They come in numbers to watch is, they keep going and they keep going and I think them as well. We’ve got one more game and we’ll try and finish as strongly as we can.”

He says he has congratulated Chris Wilder on the Blades’ promotion: “Yes, I spoke to him before it as well and I’ll maybe see him before I go as long he’s not too busy.

“I’ve a lot of time for him, I think he’s done a fabulous job. He’s very humble, and congratulations to them if they do eventually get up.”

While the South Yorkshiremen are at the end of their journey, the Blues are at the start of theirs, Lambert added: “That’s it, and that’s what you aspire to, these seasons at the end of the day. As I said to the lads, ‘Just remember this because in 12 months you’ve got the chance to do it’.

“That’s the beauty of it, you’ve got the chance to have the feeling their lads are having. Don’t let that feeling go, that’s what you strive for.”

He says confirmation of relegation following the Birmingham game will have been difficult for the players to take.

“And they’re young as well, so they don’t know how to handle disappointment yet,” he reflected. “This has probably been the first major disappointment of their careers.

“There’s loads of factors, loads, disappointment with relegation, disappointment with the club going down, the older lads feel it as well, it’s the first time for some of them as well.

“It effects everybody and once it’s mathematically it’s done, that’s when reality creeps in. But again I can’t fault them. These have beaten better teams than us by four or five. But I can’t fault the lads for their effort.”

He says the earlier performances prior to that are those which should be taken into next season and been more typical of the Blues since he came to the club.

“Absolutely, that’s absolutely right,” he said. “We’ll come back and we’ll come out of the traps, that’s for sure. We’ll be fit, we’ll be ready to go. You can never guarantee anything but we’ll be ready to go, that’s for sure.”

He dismissed that the way today’s game went and the 4-0 Good Friday defeat at Preston might make him concerned ahead of next season.

“No, the good things make me excited,” he insisted. “But the Preston game, as I said before we’ve got a lot of young lads, they’ll love that, they’ll not feel it at the minute but the experience [will do them good].

“The great thing is, nobody was hiding from the ball and that was the beauty of it. It’s easy to hide when things aren’t going for you but the lads never hide and they keep taking the ball, which is great.”


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TimmyH added 20:45 - Apr 27
“We hung in and hung in, we never capitulated,” - that's what it's come down to now, we've sunk to great depths. I wonder if he'll be so kind with his words next season if results don't go his way and the pressure really is on.
5

alztar added 20:46 - Apr 27
Gosh we need multiple strikers for next season. Confident of us bouncing back but definitely hinges on that.


Please please please please please Marcus invest and make your words in actions!!!!!!
5

alztar added 20:47 - Apr 27
*Words into actions
0

ArnieM added 20:52 - Apr 27
One more game to go and then we can bury this effing season 6 foot under where it belongs.

I look forward to next season. Town were always going to be relegated this term with the ludicrous decisions made by Hurst. Lambert hadn't a hope in hell of changing this squad 8n a January window, and tbh the damage had already been well and truly done by the time he took charge.

But we move forwards now. Rebuild, and let's see what Lambert has in mind for HIS squad/ team next season.
19

MoscowBlueMule added 20:53 - Apr 27
That gulf is purely down to under investment and poor senior off pitch management decisions.

Mr Evens, while I thank you for the circa 8 million you put in each year, frankly in football terms, that loose change down the back of the sofa. If you have any aspiration for my beloved club we need 20 million a year for the foreseeable……….. Start with a proven striker acquisition or two.
11

unknown100 added 20:54 - Apr 27
I've been positive all season and thought even losing weve been unlucky and played good football but that was a disgrace and there was no positives to take from that except we only lost 2-0

Chambers and nsiala were absolutely terrible, since relegation has been confirmed they have lost their heads, Preston, Swansea and sheff united have been unacceptably had for a team of youngsters trying to set the world alight and take their opportunity and trying to sell season tickets next year

I was embarrassed to be an ipswich supporter for the first time ever
-2

londontractorboy57 added 20:58 - Apr 27
Oh how i miss Mickmas post match interviews used to get much more exciting response oh just one think why werent the fans singing about us having to wait 89 minutes to have a shot on goal?
0

dukey44 added 21:02 - Apr 27
Hahaha no it's because they missed their chances nothing to do with us... How can he be chuffed with that showing. The captain was just his normal rubbish self.. Should have been 2 in first 19 mins cause he kept on letting them have chances.. Most disappointing team I've ever seen wear our colours...
3

EssexTractor added 21:11 - Apr 27
Having watched tonight, please tell me which Ipswich player has been improved by Paul Lambert as an individual and a collective player ?

That's the concern for next year.?
How does he improve what we have?
How does he entice players with skill, pace, physique to join us?

Big big tests....
10

LWNR2013 added 21:16 - Apr 27
Hey-ho only eight days to go then on to the next chapter. Today meant nothing
2

bluemike1969 added 21:18 - Apr 27
We haven't had any strikers all season you idiot, that's why we are where we are.
My god man, sometimes your blinkered perception astounds me!
4

1RWR added 21:21 - Apr 27
Chambers again had 'another' mare today! How the fur kin hell does he continually get picked, whether he's a good captain or not, as a player he his totally dross! And we've got him for another two years, ye gods it's embarrassing!
1

Bluedandy added 21:32 - Apr 27
Accrington and Rochdale will be quaking in their boots.
3

Mr_Jingles added 21:38 - Apr 27
As things stand... league 2 awaits... this is the worst town side in most of our lifetimes, and no sign of any investment. Just confirms what a great job Mick did in keeping us up .... even if the footy was dire beyond belief. Where's the next George Burley?
14

bomber21 added 21:50 - Apr 27
"But I know this club is in a good place"" yes we are ,we are back to 1957 when I saw my first game,most of the present town fans were not even born,that's progress.
0

Cakeman added 22:00 - Apr 27
For sure there is a massive rebuild required. That could take years not months though.
We are miles away from Championship standard. I would send all loanees back and not try to sign any of them. Keane would be good if he stayed fit but that won't happen so he has to go. Also clear out Adeyemi, Huws and Collins for the same reason.
We need to recruit some power houses to go along with the promising youngsters. This really could take years!
17

Bert added 22:21 - Apr 27
A terrible start to the season and a wretched last few games. In between more enjoyable football but no strikers. Supporters need to remember why there was a decent atmosphere this year and move forward. Stop the blame game now and remember that a few hundred posters on here do not speak for the majority.
7

bobble added 22:48 - Apr 27
burley/butcher please..
-3

Carberry added 23:06 - Apr 27
Why does he think he can just pull the wool. Every week PR Paul comes out with this guff about how really, really good we are, this time by not losing more than 2-0. It's the idea that he can keep this delusion going and con us before and after every game. By the way, where's the big, exciting announcement he promised?
3

Taricco_Fan added 23:06 - Apr 27
We're going to be in League One for at least three seasons. The rebuild is that big.
2

Lathers added 23:31 - Apr 27
If you're going to pass it out from the back like you're Man City then you need to have players with the confidence and technical ability to handle that style. Watching our back 5 tonight was embarrassing... that for me is totally on the Manager. Really not sure what to make of the squad right now and how optimistic I can be for next season. We need a new right back as I don't believe JE is good enough. I'm still unsure about Kenlock, and Nsiala is a concern. Chambers at L1 standard should be fine but apart from him we are focked. I'm struggling to see why Downes is so highly rated, in every game he seems so average to me. Chalobah is going, Skuse is getting on but again like Chambers will be Ok for L1, Dozzell just hasn't stepped up, Bish and Nolan will be decent next season and then we have unproven strikers who have forgotten what it feels like to score a goal. We need 4 new additions in defence and attack and Lambert has a pre season and 15 games to turn things around...
4

StringerBell added 23:41 - Apr 27
1RWR - sorry sir, meant to mark you up. Agree totally that Chambers was awful as per usual today, how the hell he gets picked is beyond me. Dark times ahead with this shower of sh!te. Think I'm the only one who thinks Lambert is a complete fraud.
1

karl1426 added 05:16 - Apr 28
Although I hope to see this kind of celebration happening in 12 months's time, I am rather pessimistic based on the current squad we have. It took more than 5 years for Mick McCarthy to make us into a Championship side and a mere 4 months for Paul Hurst to transform us into a League One standard or even worst! The youth setup is good but if we do not have a major overhaul, we are going to remain in League One for a long long time. As I said, we are confirmed a League One side now. Watching the Norwich vs Blackburn game further confirmed my view! Blackburn was able to give them a good fight whereas we are just a bunch of toothless army! I really don't want to say this but honestly, the following seasons will not be easy if we do not have a major overhaul. After all, we are now confirmed a League One team! Really sad time for us! But as loyal supporters, we will keep on supporting this great football club of ours! COYB!
4

ArnieMsBigToe added 06:34 - Apr 28
Tarricco Fan. I think you're right. . . but hopefully the three seasons will be Autumn, Spring and Summer !!
3

thundercat600 added 06:58 - Apr 28
Commitment, energy, vision, chasing down, this was one thing that the town team were not doing. Unlike the Budgies game that followed, its painfully obvious why they have gone up and we have gone down. I don,t want to seen to negative, but if we play like that in league one we won't achieve anything.
3


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