Lambert: Deserved Point, Some Good Moments, Some Not So Good Moments Saturday, 17th Aug 2019 18:40 Blues boss Paul Lambert felt his team were worthy of their point at Peterborough, grabbed via skipper Luke Chambers’s late, late header as the gameat London Road ended 2-2. The Town manager was pleased with some aspects of the display but less so with others, while he had praise for the 4,000-strong travelling Blue Army. “I think [we deserved the point],” he reflected. “I think we had some good moments, some not so good moments, battled back and showed a lot of grit and determination to get back into the game. “The football club, because of its size is going to have a massive target on its back, the atmosphere here was unbelievable, what a support we had, absolutely fabulous and if we keep carrying that support we’re always going generate that. “I’d rather have that than not have that. You saw the happiness on people’s faces when we got the equaliser. We kept on knocking at the door. “The penalty was a big swinging moment I thought, but [James] Norwood will score goals for us, obviously he scored in the first half. “I thought we started really, really well, in the first 15 or 20 minutes, I thought we were really at it. “And then we lost a goal though a bit of inexperience, [Luke] Woolfenden in the corner. Janoi [Donacien] should have been touch tight and he wasn’t and it was just a simple header. But there were a lot of good things there and that’s three games unbeaten.” He added: “Young Idris came on and did some really good things, Woolfenden again is getting better.” Lambert admitted he was disappointed not to have built on the early lead: “It’s a tough game and Peterborough are a decent side, they were up there last year. As I said, we’ve got the pressure with the target on our back, but we’d rather have it because the [size of the] club indicates it.” A week ago Chambers was the villain after his error led to Sunderland’s equaliser so it was perhaps fitting the captain should be the Blues hero this time around. “I always think big players always produce in certain moments,” Lambert continued. “I think it was a great header. I think Idris [El Mizouni] came on and did really well for us. “I think there was confusion with big Tomas [Holy] going up, he unsettled them a little bit and it was a great header, so I’m delighted with that. I think if we score the penalty and it goes to 2-2, there’s only one winner.” He added: “You’ve also got to remember when you’re 34 and there’s 46 games plus cup games that it’s impossible to play every time. “Without sounding disrespectful, you’re in the twilight of your career when you hit that age so he’ll need breaks at times Luke. “He’s done fabulous since I’ve been at the club and it’s a brilliant header. We’ll take the point and, as I said before, we’re undefeated.” Lambert was pleased that summer signing Norwood got off the mark with the first goal: “Great, what you don’t want is to have a millstone round your neck. His goal was great, he knocks the keeper and then he tucked it away. “I thought Jackson was excellent, I thought his running was excellent. Some really good things there, things we can work on, but it’s a decent start.” Lambert is in no doubt that the ex-Tramnere man will grab the ball next time the Blues have a penalty despite today’s miss. “I don’t think he’s too shy in coming forward, Norwood,” he added. “These things happen. As I said, that was a big moment. I think if it goes to 2-2, we go and win the game because the momentum’s with us. The Town boss believes Jackson will also score goals this season: “I do because he’s playing really well, he’s causing havoc with his speed. “Peterborough probably raised their game against us because of the sea behind the goal and that atmosphere that the fans generated was fantastic.” Regarding his decision to start Gwion Edwards on the left of midfield in place of the injured Luke Garbutt, he said: “He’s done a lot of training, he played that 60 minutes against Luton and I still think Judgey is still lacking game time as well. “Gwion is probably more suited to this game and being in a wide area, so it wasn’t a tough decision, it was just a decision I’ve made.” The Blues have five points out of nine from their first three games in League One and are eighth in the early table, a point off the play-offs. “It’s every bit as hard as I thought it was going to be,” Lambert considered. “We’ve got the expectancy level on us, but it’s a decent start and we look a good side and if we keep doing that consistently throughout the season we’re not going to be far off.” Lambert confirmed that Colchester right-back Kane Vincent-Young’s move is all but done with the £500,000 switch set to be rubber-stamped on Monday. Vincent-Young was with the squad at Peterborough but wouldn’t have played even if the deal had gone through before Friday’s noon deadline. “He came [to Peterborough], he wouldn’t have been fit anyway, he’s got a little knock on his toe, so I need to see how he is over the next couple of days,” Lambert said. “He’ll be a really good signing for the club. As I said before, we need the squad strength stronger than it was.” He says Vincent-Young could be involved on Tuesday if he is fit: “I don’t know, we’ll try him tomorrow, see how that toe is.” Lambert was pleased with the point which maintained the Blues’ early momentum - “absolutely” - adding that he was “happy with the team”. Reflecting further on the support, Lambert added: “The thing I always judge is the support, the support is unbelievable. I know it’s not too far, it’s a couple of hours up the road but I’m not sure this club will see that support for a long time. The support was absolutely unbelievable, it was brilliant. “The target’s on your back but the lads will learn to live with that as the season goes on. It’s an extremely long, gruelling season and, as I said before, as long as you don’t lose, you’re going to be right in the mix. “We came here and it was like a home game. I still thought we did some really good things, some things we can do better and if we keep playing the way we are, we won’t be far away.” Peterborough manager Darren Ferguson was frustrated that his side weren’t able to hang on for their first win of the season. ”It's disappointing to lose the two points in the last minute,” he said. “Given the performance we gave, we deserved to win the match. "But as I've said to the players, every game we've lost a set-piece goal, apart from against Oxford last Saturday. We're conceding far too many goals from set-pieces. We know the problem and we have to stop it. It's as simple as that. "An individual has lost his man, not that I'm going to blame the individual because it's a team game, but it's too easy. They put the ball in the box, it was a free header and a goal from an individual mistake. "But the reaction from going 1-0 down after three defeats was outstanding. The lads showed real good character and overall the performance between the goals was good." Ferguson had no complaints regarding the first Town goal and had praise for the way keeper Christy Pym reacted to his error. "He knows he made that mistake because he should punch it rather than trying to catch the ball, but his reaction after was very, very good,” he added. "I can't be critical of my players' performance, their desire, application and character, but I can be critical of the two goals we conceded."
Photo: TWTD Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.
You need to login in order to post your comments |
Blogs 295 bloggersIpswich Town Polls[ Vote here ] |