Please log in or register. Registered visitors get fewer ads.
Lambert: No Complaints About Result But Some Positives
Tuesday, 13th Aug 2019 23:04

Town boss Paul Lambert had no complaints about the result after the Blues’ 3-1 Carabao Cup first round defeat at Luton Town but felt there was some positives from the display by a much-changed Blues team.

“It was tough because a lot of guys hadn’t played any football there, a lot of the younger ones were getting a game,” he said.

“Some good things there, and I’ve no complaints with the result. Some good moments there. I’m not sure it was a penalty and some refereeing decisions I thought were pretty bizarre, some of the things there.

“But, as I said, there were a lot of positives there as well. The result, OK, we lost, but that’s going to happen if you’ve a lot of young players.

"But there were a lot of pluses with Will [Norris] getting his first game, Josh [Emmanuel] getting his first game [of the season] as well, Bailey [Clements] coming in, [Armando] Dobra, who I thought was very, very good.

“Gwion Edwards, that’s his first game since we came back. Robbo [Jordan Roberts] as well, hasn’t done too much training, he missed a fortnight with us.

“Judgey [Alan Judge], two games back to back is a big call. Emyr Huws, that was his first competitive game in more than two years.”

Lambert was pleased that his team didn’t fold having been 2-0 down at half-time: “They kept on going, which is great. We had a couple of chances, Andre [Dozzell], he was coming back as well, which is a bonus. He had a chance to score, Robbo had a couple of chances to score.

“There were some good things there and we’ll take it and hopefully we’ll have more back. Jon Nolan was on the bench as well, which is a plus.”

The Town manager said he had no alternative but to make 10 changes: “We couldn’t lose any other players going into the league games and the league is the most important. We’ve started decently in the league and there’ll be changes on Saturday.”

Lambert had praise for 18-year-old debut goalscorer Dobra: “He did great. I like the way he plays, the kid. I like the way he goes about it. He’s not got a fear factor about it.

“Idris [El Mizouni], I couldn’t play because he hurt his ankle on Sunday in training, so he was another one. He’s a big talent as well.

“But Dobra did well when he came to Germany, so did Bailey, two 18-year-olds, Flynn is only 20. When Flynn came on he looked really assured, a lot of good things there.”


Clements had a tough evening at left-back which Lambert says the youngster will ultimately benefit from.

“Yes, but you throw them in and they’ve got to learn, they have to learn the guys. And that will be a great learning curve for him,” he said.

“You’d rather do this than play U23 or U18 football, this is what you want aspire to - being a footballer. No problem.”"

Edwards and Nolan’s inclusion in the squad was a surprise with the pair not having featured at all in pre-season or the opening two League One games due to groin and calf problems stretching back to last season.

“Gwion has been training longer than Nolo has, we had to get him some sort of game time,” he continued.

“I knew he couldn’t do the 90 minutes, he’s looked sharp in training but he’s only done that 60 minutes in six or seven weeks.

“Nolo’s just back, he’s trained for a few days, it was just to get him in the swing, back in a dressing room, back in the atmosphere again.”

He added: “Gwion’s probably a bit more advanced than Nolo, who has only trained for a few days, but he’s getting there.

“Gwion, that hour will have done him the world of good, I thought he did really well, Gwion.”

Asked whether he was disappointed or relieved to be out of the competition, Lambert said: “You’re disappointed to lose any game but I also know what the bigger picture is and we couldn’t take a risk with the strongest side, it was an absolute impossibility.”

He says his team will be changed again on Saturday at Peterborough: “A lot of lads who have been doing really well for us in the last two games, they’ll come back into contention for Saturday, so it’ll be different.”

Did anyone in tonight’s side make a case for a place in that line-up? “The team’s been going well, it’s been going really well, so I know what lads can do and what lads can’t do.

“But, as I said, there were one or two good things there, Gwion coming back, Emyr’s first competitive game in two years is unbelievable.

“Andre coming back has been good, Robbo getting minutes as well, Dobra I thought was very, very good. There were a lot of good things. Will Norris’s first game but the bigger picture is the league.”

Asked whether there were any developments on the transfer front, Lambert said not: “No, there’s nothing.”

Quizzed on whether former trialist Kane Vincent-Young at Colchester is on his radar, as has been reported, he added: “Somebody mentioned that to me the other day about that, but I’ve not heard anything. I know he’s Colchester’s player. I’ve not heard anything.”

The Blues boss said he wasn’t aware that Millwall striker Tom Elliott, who came close to joining Town on a season-long loan last month, was back in training after his hamstring injury and wouldn’t comment on whether he might renew his interest.

“He’s somebody else’s player, I don’t like commenting on somebody else’s player,” he said. “I didn’t know Tom Elliott was back training with Millwall.

“I was only concentrating on the game and the lads here. At the minute, as we stand, that’s the squad we’ve got.”

Luton boss Graeme Jones was pleased to set up a second round tie against Cardiff, who beat the Hatters 2-1 in the Championship at the weekend.

“I am delighted, absolutely delighted [about drawing Cardiff]," he told Luton's official site. "We had a post-match meeting yesterday, it took me five hours to go through it on Saturday and Sunday.

"The boys know what we’ve got to improve at for the next game, so in two weeks we’re going to measure that improvement. So I am really, really happy with the fixture.

“In the second 45 tonight we had a few forced changes to make — I don’t think we were as fluent. I really wanted to go for the throat, take the game out of sight, we didn’t. We gave a stupid goal away which is disappointing.

“But overall it’s the first win of the season, we’re off and running, it’s positive, I am happy really. We’ve been competitive in the first two games and then first win tonight, you take a minute out of the game at the weekend and we sit here a lot happier.

“It wasn’t difficult [to change the whole team] because we worked tactically on Sunday when I am sure most teams were off. We worked tactically yesterday and then we had a meeting about the tactical work we have done.

“So we gave the players every opportunity to perform. The group that have been playing since the start of the season, I think we have added to that group, football has made those decisions out on the pitch.

"I spoke at the end of the game about consistent football behaviour and I have seen that in four or five players tonight, so that means you can trust them. There were lots of positives.”


Photo: TWTD



Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.



TimmyH added 23:18 - Aug 13
Sounded like Dobra was the only positive and players getting there first games of the season doesn't really strike me as a plus if they played rather poorly...sounded like Dozzell is still underwhelming.
-1

algarvefan added 23:32 - Aug 13
Timmy H, what does Lambert know he is only a very experienced manager!
2

KiwiBlue2 added 00:00 - Aug 14
Dobra and El Mizouni are clearly very promising so we can look forward to much more from them as the season progresses. While tonight was clearly disappointing I am not losing any sleep over it and will judge progress by our league form. When we see Huws, Edwards and Nolan back up to speed we can look forward to moving up the league table and maintaining a push for promotion.
5

delias_cheesy_flaps added 06:09 - Aug 14
“El Mizouni hurt his ankle in training”....my god what the hell do we do in training, it's a never ending story of doom and gloom, I'm beginning to think we really are cursed!
8

RedDust added 06:30 - Aug 14
Red meat, diary & sugar are all major causes of inflammation which cause a greater chance of injury. Perhaps the club could take a good look at the dietary programme try provide for the players.
1

lightingblue added 07:07 - Aug 14
Even though this is no great issue, just extra unwanted games, personally I would like Ipswich to have a serious go at the checkatrade (or whatever it is called now). For the supporters it would be nice to have a day out at Wembley. In all fairness we are presently never going to win the league cup (I know we are out) or not he fa cup. I know there's a bit of a financial benefit but not massive and not really worth getting to excited about. But with the checkatrade thing, at least it will keep the fans on side.
Finally, I am still concerned about the lack of transfer activity. It is the defence that is my main concern. Shore up the defence and at least you pick up a point. 1 point gained is better than 3 dropped. You would like to think that with our midfield we will create chances up front and hopefully Norwood will start scoring,
3

blueconscience added 07:16 - Aug 14
With all these training injuries, perhaps we just shouldn't train at all!!!
3

Dissboyitfc added 07:28 - Aug 14
Perhaps get in a witch doctor to lift the curse! You could not make it up, our injury list must surely be a curse !
5

Dissboyitfc added 07:32 - Aug 14
Blueconscience..... good point, we make 10 changes for a game in order to prevent injuries, they get injured in training instead!
5

londontractorboy57 added 07:35 - Aug 14
Red dust I tried diary but found it rather indigestible easy to refrain from it.
1

Linkboy13 added 07:52 - Aug 14
Huws playing a full game is probably more important than winning the game. Big disappointment is Andre Dozzell we cant keep saying he's got great potential to me he always looks disinterested if it wasn't for the fact his name was Dozzell he wouldn't be getting so much game time.
8

Barty added 07:53 - Aug 14
Can things get any worse. sad sad times
-3

Naylorsboots added 08:20 - Aug 14
Lets move on to Peterborough and another defeat. Even our first 11 is cr@p.
-4

rugbytomc added 09:22 - Aug 14
I only saw the highlights. Hopefully in the week they will review how the guy got completely free for the first goal - and why there was no reaction from the players other than a bit of a shoulder drop and back to it.
Never a penalty - but Emmanuel will only learn from that and be less clumsy in future.
Unlucky with the free kick goal - again, we need to be sharper defensively.
Great goal by Dobra and assisted by Downes.
Great to see some players get some minutes - Edwards on the bench against his old team this weekend hopefully.

3 goals conceded - hopefully that will nudge the owner to get the 3 players in that Lambert wanted!

It was a cup game - did we ever really think we were going to win?! We don't win cup games, we don't win on telly - luckily we're not on telly that much this season!
2

ChrisFelix added 09:30 - Aug 14
Their chap was unmarked for the first crucial goal. I wonder who was supposed to be marking him !!!
2

Northstandveteran added 09:40 - Aug 14
I've never attempted to eat a diary myself Londontractor.

Apart from Virginia's.

I Woolfed it down.
2

Lightningboy added 09:56 - Aug 14
Wouldn't get too down about last night...Kenilworth road has become a fortress over the last few seasons & better teams than us have & will get a pasting there this season.

At least our kids & players returning to fitness got a run out & picked up no more injuries (I hope).

All that matters is the League.
2

BobbyBell added 10:17 - Aug 14
Are we all forgetting that Luton changed their entire 11 players last night. It shows how much better their squad is than ours. With so many injuries and now our only league goal scorer out for a month things are not exactly rosey are they.? I fear now that the same old pattern will emerge, a cup exit following by a run of poor league results. The first team (if we can call it that yet) are hardly shaking in shaking in their boots worrying about their team places after last night.
1

dirtydingusmagee added 10:42 - Aug 14
the positives ! our pies are better than theres. [allegedly] even that is questionable .
2

dirtydingusmagee added 10:47 - Aug 14
who could blame Lambert if he says sod this club im off . What a bloody state we are in .
1

oldbri added 11:24 - Aug 14
I have only seen the highlights but unless one of our players was having a fag, by the corner post , the first Luton goal looked offside. As for the penalty ,REALLY ref. Were you really fooled Still we looked inept for the third goal so would still have lost. I really hope things get better for us as the luck seems to have travelled North.( injuries , decisions, etc )
0

BurleysGloryDays added 11:40 - Aug 14
Result is a shame when you consider the quality on the team sheet, and the need for momentum and winning mentality - but it's going to take a wee while to get some of these players up to speed.

Essentially, this was a pre-season for some of them.

And I think Lambo is right to field that team for that purpose. Carabao Cup is very last of our concerns just now. Used as a good little run out.

Just glad there were no new injuries!
2

Nobbysnuts added 12:34 - Aug 14
Agree with you linkboy 100% about dozzell. His name is getting him in the team and not his football ability.
-1

nathitfc89 added 13:23 - Aug 14
people that are moaning about ITFC losing last night need to sort their priorities out, Our main priority is to get promoted, not to have a long league cup run. less fixtures the better! all last night was good for was to give the youngsters some game time and the players who are not match fit some game time.
3

Dire_Straits added 13:37 - Aug 14
Why don't we play our strongest side in every game as it seems the most injuries occur in training.
0


You need to login in order to post your comments

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls

About Us Contact Us Terms & Conditions Privacy Cookies Advertising
© TWTD 1995-2024