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Lambert: Negativity is Incredible
Friday, 13th Dec 2019 13:18

Blues boss Paul Lambert has dismissed suggestions that the Blues have hit a bump in the road, despite having won just one of their last nine matches over 90 minutes in all competitions, and has criticised the levels of negativity which he believes are incredible.

Town won eight of their first 11 League One matches to hit the top of the table but have now been victorious in only two of their last seven in the league and are second, four points behind Wycombe, albeit with a game in hand on the Chairboys. They currently sit 11th in the form table over the last six games.

Asked why the wins have dried up, Lambert said: “Number one — we don’t have a divine right to win games because we’re a big club.

“The club was in an incredibly not good condition when we came in, and it’s come on a hell of a long way.

“What’s heightened it is the crowd coming back, everything coming back and the club in a really good place whether I’m here or not this football club is bigger than anybody.

“The fans make it, without a doubt the fans make the club because of the size of it. You were getting 12 or 13,000 in here, and I told you before it was like a morgue.

“Now, it’s totally different. You’re getting 20,000 into the football club, there’s been unbelievably great strides, but we’re a country mile from where we want to get to, but at least we’ve given something to the supporters which I said would happen.


“We’ll have our ups and downs and you need the support, there’s not a game without them.

“So you need the support to be really vibrant the way they’ve been through thick and thin, and that’s normal.

“You’ll have bits where you do go up and down but as long as they stay with that and stick with it, and I said before the community engages with the club great if you go back to 12 and 13,000 when it was like a morgue absolutely bored stiff, no atmosphere, no nothing.

“It’s a totally different ball game now. It doesn’t matter if they can see a that says let’s have a go at this, but we’ve not got a divine right to win games.

"Sunderland had a hard time with it last year, Sheffield United were in this division for six years, Leeds United were in it, Nottingham Forest have been in it.

“It’s tough. It’s really, really tough. We don’t have a divine right to win this league. We have to earn it. And to change the mentality from what it was last year to now has been incredible the way the lads have done it."

Lambert said in the summer that there would be bumps in the road at times this season but despite the lack of recent victories he insists the current situation isn’t one.

“No, we’ve lost two league games, we’ve lost two,” he added. “Two league games we’ve lost, we drew the last few, we’re sitting second a few points off it with a game in hand.

“I can’t believe the negativity here, it’s incredible. I’d love to have seen it when it wasn’t going well. I really would have.

“Honestly, I’d love to have seen it because dear oh dear when you have negativity and you have negative people around the place or negativity it isn’t going to work, it needs positivity the place. And the football club has lost two games.”

Lambert wants the fans to turn up at Portman Road showing that positivity, making noise and their presence felt.

“I said to the lads the people coming have been brilliant, they’ve been a major catalyst with everything,” he said.

“Why pay £30 a ticket and come in and sit on your arse absolutely doing nothing, just moan and criticise? I would rather be at home having your missus nagging the tits off you than watch a game of football [like that].

“That’s what I would do, so why come to the game and pay that money? Why do you do it, to sit and criticise somebody for 90 minutes?

“It’s not my type. I’d rather not be involved in that. I’d rather leave. Come and support the team, regardless of what happens, if you’re paying money go and enjoy yourself, Whether you have flares in the stadiums, if you have flags or if you want to jump about.

“I’ve said that before, I’ve seen it in Germany and I’ve been involved in it and I’d rather that happen than people come and sit there not getting excited.”


Photo: TWTD



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Stu_Magoo added 13:22 - Dec 13
Oh God, he's mentioned flares.... Over to the forum for the customary 10-pager
3

TimmyH added 13:28 - Dec 13
I've tried always to be realistic with my posts (maybe some would say a bit negative) but being 'positive' isn't going to get us back in the Championship and I'm talking about after the games and talking about performances and recent results on social networks. We have to stay positive in the stadium during the matches and get behind the boys as no doubt they are struggling currently whether this is due to Lambert and his constant tinkering and tactically not being influential during games is another thing.

Paul I feel is looking where we are in the league and bemoaning the moaning so to a degree he is right but that doesn't tell the whole story...
0

Bluebell added 13:29 - Dec 13
“Why pay £30 a ticket and come in and sit on your arse absolutely doing nothing, just moan and criticise? I would rather be at home having your missus nagging the tits off you than watch a game of football [like that]."

That comment annoys me. I have never booed and I try not to be negative but can't Lambert realise we pay our money because we are Ipswich Town supporters through thick and thin.

Just because the team are going through a bad patch (in my opinion because he cannot pick a settled side!) doesn't mean I am not going to go to games. I will pay my money and be there whatever happens. It doesn't mean I can't criticise what is happened on the pitch and he should accept that will happen.
2

Bluebell added 13:31 - Dec 13
*happening* on the pitch.

I have just realised I said the word 'happen' 3 times in the last paragraph!
1

BlueySwede added 13:36 - Dec 13
I love Lambert and think he has worked wonders here. However, he has to understand that asking questions is in a journos job description, doesn´t mean there is negativity. I think it´s a fair question for instance that our run with draws could be a concern. Another one is that we are finding it hard at the moment to create chances despite having a lot of the ball. That being said, some supporters really are over reacting.
1

SouperJim added 13:36 - Dec 13
Marine flares that burn at 10 billion degrees! People choking to death from the smoke! Oh the humanity!
1

SickParrot added 13:47 - Dec 13
Another manager who is very sensitive to any criticism! The 'negativity' he refers to is fans like me who don't agree with his rotation policy which has caused a loss of momentum and a number of poor performances. Fact is we need to start winning most of our games again and the best way to do that is to play the strongest team available.
2

Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 13:47 - Dec 13
Last night, Copenhagen vs Malmö, one whole stand seemed to be alight. Flares are quite common in Sweden as well (even though they are officially banned) and on the continent in general. And yes, they do look exciting. But it's certainly not pleasant, healthy, or safe to be standing there (and unable to get away). So it's a big "no" to flares from me.
5

Colin_Viljoen added 13:57 - Dec 13
Happens
0

handslikeplates added 13:57 - Dec 13
I've got an amazing pair of blue jumbo cord flares I could wear to the next game, if it helps the team I'll do anything.
6

poringlandblue added 14:04 - Dec 13
Tuesday night was my 7th visit to Portman Road plus a trip to Luton this season and every time I enter the ground I'm full of enthusiasm. After last seasons debacle I wasn't expecting goals galore and walking the league but have left the stadium very underwhelmed, in my opinion outplayed by the opposition, the lack of shots on target and chances created. After the first half dozen games I thought we hadn't got out of second gear and when we did we would steamroller teams but now am wondering if we have another gear. Atmosphere good considering the football on show. Mr Lambert all your spin is getting boring, what I see with my 2 eyes bares no resemblance to your post match reports.
3

Nazemariner added 14:08 - Dec 13
It's starting isn't it?

He is right about one thing though, the club has come a hell of a long way under his management. It's come a whole division downwards.

I'll give it 2 more months of under par performances before he runs out on us, just like he has at nearly every club he has managed.
-7

essextractorboy93 added 14:19 - Dec 13
We have lost two league games this season! People are actually mad. You cannot expect to play well every match, every weekend. Teams at this level just cant do that! its unrealistic expectations. I see people say we havent played well for 90 mins. I suspect that goes for every team in this league and many more around the country. If we played well for 90 mins non stop our players wouldnt be playing here.

Some people have very short memories. You cannot expect the club to just turn around in a few months after the worst season in our history. The whole culture at the football club needed to change, we needed to get back to winning ways. This is the problem with a lot of football nowadays. People expect instant results and think constantly chopping and changing the manager and staff will get instant results. There are peaks and troughs during any manager's time.

If Lambert doesnt get us up this season then yes it will be a real disapointment and questions will be asked but a bit of perspectve please. 2 defeats all season in the league. In the hunt for automatic promotion. A manager who cares about this club, home and away fans as positive and loud as I have heard for a long time. COYB!
14

Northstandveteran added 15:58 - Dec 13
Unfortunately, for the best part of 20 years, Ipswich fans have had very little to get positive about.

Don't take it to heart Paul.

Negativity and disappointment has become the norm and engrained into our hearts, minds and souls.

Yet as you say, 20,000 still turn up in hope, more than expectation every week.

Concentrate on getting us back to the dizzy heights of championship mid table mediocrity that many of us, myself included, weren't happy with under Mick.

6

Barhamblue added 16:04 - Dec 13
Lambo is 100% right. A little perspective please guys, I'm excited about the run-in. Under Paul, I have every confidence we'll make it, but I respect that we have no divine right to win every game. COYBs
8

Suffolkboy added 16:35 - Dec 13
He's dead right !!
Positivity is the name of the game for supporters,don't let the cold and rain get into the brain ; of course we shall all have differences ,but let's try to be objective rather than seemingly ‘inclined to moan at or about the manager ‘ .
PL will naturally be taking the long view,a whole season and only half way there – needing to develop and preserve the assets ,his objective isn't going to be helped by a return to ‘nonsense ‘and over emotive ‘stuff ‘ .
Little doubt our players are a relatively tight knit group who want to deliver ,so let's be intent on helping !
COYB
6

herfie added 16:43 - Dec 13
PL's an experienced and canny operator, hence his comments shouldn't be taken by supporters to be unduly negative! ☹️

A win tomorrow will blow all this away - a win, with a cracking 90 mins performance, and we'll be swinging from the rafters! COYB!
4

TractorRoyNo1 added 17:08 - Dec 13
He's getting a bit tetchy, criticism comes with the job
0

ITFCsince73 added 17:27 - Dec 13
Merry Xmas to you NSV.
1

Saxonblue74 added 17:33 - Dec 13
What happens on the pitch determines the feel good factor around the club more than anything else. Yes, second in the table with only 2 defeats but nobody can tell me that our level of performance is not cause for concern. You could go an entire season without a defeat but still finish on 46 points! We need to win not avoid defeat!
2

runningout added 17:44 - Dec 13
A lot of moaning isn't done to cheese players and coaches off. It's not supposed to be a pleasant read when fans of over 20, 30, 40 years plus are venting sadness at our plight. We have a great group of players at the moment that can thrive in the pressures thrown at them (including when on the blooming telly) playing for a gem of a football team, from a sleepy Suffolk Town :-)
0

TimmyH added 17:58 - Dec 13
Come on silly boy @rabbit and Suffolkboy why the down marks?
0

BlueNomad added 17:59 - Dec 13
So, if we had had better referees in the Blackpool and Wycombe games we would have been better off. Fine margins but according to some we are very poor as a result!
2

Northstandveteran added 18:09 - Dec 13
Nice one 73.

And to your good self.

Cheers mate.
0

Cakeman added 19:52 - Dec 13
Sorry but the negativity IS credible. I am sure I am not alone when I say this season just hasn't got into a stride at all. The international breaks (self-inflicted cancellations) along with Bury's demise plus our questionable interest in the cup competitions have certainly drained my enthusiasm.
I will be there tomorrow for the Bristol Rovers match but not really excited by it.
A run of a few home wins will no doubt perk me up but at the moment I do have some negativity.
3


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