Boss Paul Lambert says he knew his team were capable of playing the type of football which saw them score their 25-pass winning goal at Gillingham on Saturday from watching them every day in training.

Kane Vincent-Young headed his first Town goal at the far post from Kayden Jackson’s cross after a long spell of patient passing as the Blues won 1-0 at the Priestfield Stadium.

Asked whether a side scoring a goal in that manner makes a manager particularly proud, Lambert said: “Delighted for them and everybody else at the club. But I don’t get caught up in the euphoria or self-praise or anything like that.

“I’m delighted for everybody else, that’s where I get the joy from, not for myself. I get it from the support or the players and them getting the rewards, and the football club itself.

“I know that’s what they’re capable of because I see it every day in training that they can be really, really good.

“There’ll be times when they’ll need to do the ugly side, which they have done in the last couple of games, when we’ve needed to defend, we've had to defend.

“We also know when we have the ball teams are under pressure against us, because it’s relentless at certain times.

“But I’m happy with the way we play, happy with the way we keep going and at the minute we’re going really well.”

Having started most games this season in a 4-4-2 system, Lambert's team has begun the last two matches in 3-5-2 formations, presumably as he has sought to get three men in the centre of midfield.

“On Saturday I thought that was the right way to go because of the way the game could have gone,” he reflected.

“Against the MK Dons, we saw their team and thought if that happened [they played one up front] we could do that [switch from 3-5-2 to a diamond], so the adaptability in the team is really good in the team.

“As I said before, it doesn’t matter who I play, they seem to be taking to everything I’m asking them to do. I think their confidence is so high they carry it out.

“As I said before, it’s the principles, it’s not the system, it’s the principles. Everybody knows how I want to play, everybody knows what I expect of them, but that’s where the principles come to fruition - that’s is what I expect to happen.”

He added: “As long as the principles are still there, and they know the principles because I’ve told them what they are, they know exactly what I expect of them.

“Don’t go away from that, regardless of what system we play because the football club at this minute in time, it’s got a massive wave of positivity behind it, the support it’s got behind it.

“Every game we go to we’re a target. Every game, the atmosphere in the stadium, the size of the club, the name of the club, every team wants to beat us. If we play the way I think we can, it will be hard for another team to match us.”

Photo: TWTD

Bluearmy71 added 20:26 - Sep 24 And for all those that moan about the ball being "passed backward or to the side too much" and abusing the players for it, its called "build up play" no team is gonn get it right everytime but when they do....well.....just watch the vid, fantastic football Town, most of us believe in you!!
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SohoBlue added 23:44 - Sep 24 In so many ways he is right. It's also a precious bubble to protect for all we're worth. With best respect Tomas, we could have drawn or lost as many as we've won 1-9. Paul knows it. I think deep down we know it. But the support and belief is the difference. I back us for automatic promotion the way it stands. We're playing for the badge and history again. And it makes me believe we can do it. UP THE TOWN!

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