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Lambert: I Know There are People Who Want Us to Fail
Saturday, 11th Jan 2020 18:33

Boss Paul Lambert felt his side could have scored five or six goals in the first half of their 4-1 victory over Accrington Stanley and again insisted it’s players that win matches not systems as well as commenting on owner Marcus Evans’s programme notes on the club’s footballing style going forward and stating that he believes there are those that want Town to fail.

“The first half I thought was excellent, really good, it could have been five or six. The first half probably got us the win,” Lambert said.

What was different from previous games? “Even the games we’ve lost or drawn, we’ve had most of the game, most of the ball, most of the game, most of the chances.

“It was just the intensity I thought, that’s going to happen because they’re not used to playing like that every single week. A good win.”

He added: “We’ve dominated games before without getting the break. As I said the other day, we had 73 penalty box entries against Bristol Rovers. Today we have probably had the same in the first half, I’ve not seen the stats, but we were clinical. That was the difference.

“We played a different way. As I said before, it’s a lot of nonsense about systems, a lot of nonsense, it’s about players.

“It’s nonsense, absolute bollocks it is. Bollocks, it really is. You’ve just got to get that out of your head, systems don’t win you games, players do. We work on it for one week and we win 4-1.

“[We worked] on a different way of playing, it’s amazing. The players were great, really, really good.”

Town’s overlapping centre-halves, the most notable change from previous games which he says was worked on for “a couple of days” this week, drew comparisons with Sheffield United’s current approach with Lambert a fan of the Blades having watched them last Sunday in their FA Cup tie against AFC Fylde, who are currently sixth in the Premier League.

“If we get anywhere near Sheffield United, we’re doing alright. [The centre-halves created a lot of opportunities to score goals], Luke Woolfenden did great for the first one [Chambers put the ball] in for Judgey for the third one.”

Asked whether that had any relation to Evans’s statement about the club playing “technical” football, he said: “Marcus wants us to play silky football, is that what he wants, and then we lose games? Is that what he wants?”


Might Evans take some credit for coming up with the system? “Marcus came up with that system? The next game Marcus can sit here, let me and Marcus swap roles, I’ll take that any day of the week. I’ll take all the yachts, I’ll take all the planes, I’ll take all the holidays. I’ll let him sit here and he can do what I do.

“Listen, I guarantee if the football club gets promoted and we’re not playing great football, he’ll be the first one to jump over the moon.

“You’ve got to try and win. Play silky, silky, silky, silky - lose. The game’s about winning football. What do we play football for? What do we play professional sport for?”

Lambert was reminded of NFL coach Vince Lombardi’s famous quote, 'If winning isn't everything, why do they keep score?’.

“Absolutely, take away the two goals,” he said. “You’ve got to win. Winning is the thing, I was brought up in an era when I had to win, and thank God I won trophies coming out of my ears.

“I won the biggest things in Europe, I won the biggest titles. I know what it is to win. But I can look back and I’ll see a lot of trophies.”

Asked why he hadn’t come in to his press conference bouncing after what was an important victory, Lambert responded: “I think people want us to fail, without a doubt. The football club is not used to winning all the time, ‘We have to win, we have to win, we have to win’.

“The guys aren’t used to it, the guys are young guys, some are experienced guys but it’s the first time in a long while the pressure’s on to try and do something.

“Two different pressures winning a title and staying in a division. Two totally different things.”

"Quizzed on who he believes want Town to fail, he said: “I know there are people who want us to fail, I don’t need no names, I know people want us to fail.”

Did he use that as a motivating factor today? “No, I’ve got my own feelings and I’ve got my own mind on it. I’m absolutely delighted the lads won, they played brilliant football, we looked really, really good, the way we played.

“And I’m happy with the support, it’s unbelievable, 18,000 against Accrington, the German lads coming over, absolutely brilliant. The football club as I said before is in a really, really good place, a really good place.”

Town were unchanged for successive league games for the first time this season and Lambert says it’s down to players to keep their shirts.

“Try and keep it, yes,” he added. “OK, barring one or two little knocks, we have to wait and see. We have another game Tuesday. We’re three points off the top with a game in hand, it’s a bloody good position we’re in.”

Questioned on whether it’s now a case of getting some momentum going having ended the winless run, he added: “I don’t want to play silky football all the time and lose or draw, I don’t want it. I’ve not been brought up that way. This is not my mantra, to play great, lovely football without having something at the end of it.

“You have to win. The winning is the main aspect of any professional sport. That quote is a brilliant quote, ‘why keep the score?’.

“You try and do the best you can to win, regardless of how you do it, and that’s professional sport.”

Might Evans’s comments about style be unhelpful that being the case? “Marcus has been brilliant, I’ve always said that, I’ve said that from day one that Marcus has been great. If Marcus has said that or not, it doesn’t matter to me.”

Are the two on the same page? “No, I can’t stand him and he can’t stand me!” he joked. “Of course, I get on well with him, I get on well with him, I fight with him, he fights with me.

“I say, ‘No, that’s not good enough’, he says, ‘That’s all I can do’. No problem, we meet in the middle, we try and do the same thing.

“He’s a good guy, he’s a good chairman [sic] to work under, will I agree with everything he says? No. Will he agree with me? No.

“He’s the one that holds the big thing at this club. He can do what he wants, hire, fire, employ, get rid of people. He can do what he wants with it. It’s his club, it’s his money, you have to respect what he wants to do.”

Reflecting on the positive result and performance, he added: “I think it’s brilliant, even the games we drew and we lost a couple here and there, which I said was always going to happen.

“But, my God, a couple of defeats here and you think the world’s caved in, it’s incredible. People will think that that’s fine, that’s why the guys deserve so much credit for today, because the way they played and handled everything that was coming.

“Accrington were in really good form, John’s done really well there and we knew it would be a hard game but the actual level we played today was very, very good.”


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r2d2 added 18:39 - Jan 11
It hasnt been a couple of defeats though has it? You can understand the negativity. 12 years of utter tosh since Evans walked in the door.
7

Gilesy added 18:42 - Jan 11
I can't work the fella out!
15

Kirbmeister added 18:43 - Jan 11
He's spot on there are lots who want us to fail. Including some idiots on here.
24

VanDusen added 18:43 - Jan 11
Well done Lambo. At the start of the season I'd have been utterly delighted to be right in the mix for play offs let alone auto. Barring Lincoln we've not been too far off in any game (Portsmouth was entirely the ref!) - and Gillingham's current run inc today puts that 0-0 in context.

Now - let's just make the one change on Tuesday to bring in Holy and I look forward to going to Oxford and hopefully seeing us play the same. COYB!
13

midastouch added 18:44 - Jan 11
He's a bit like a stand up comic performing the same ol' gags week in and week out! All joking aside, to be fair he got it right today. I'd lost patience last week and thought he'd totally lost the plot. But the win today has eased the pressure that had reached boiling point over the last couple of months. But if we don't kick on for here the pressure will soon be back on again quick smart. Still going to be plenty of twists and turns ahead and ultimately anything other than promotion will be deemed as failure this season. A big week ahead, we really want at least 4 points from the next 2 to keep us well in the hunt. But we've learned the hard way over the last 2 months that you can't take anything for granted even down here in ol' League One!
2

muhrensleftfoot added 18:45 - Jan 11
He's a dislikeable character with a massive ego. However I'll forgive him that if he gets us promotion.
0

carlo88 added 18:51 - Jan 11
Must be tiresome for PL to ply his trade in League 1 without all the yachts and holidays. Until he achieves something though that will be his level.
-9

Dolphinblue added 18:59 - Jan 11
Yep...there called thenegcrew!
0

Len_Brennan added 19:00 - Jan 11
He has a massive persecution complex, but has little substance in response to being pressed on what the hell he is talking about.
Good win today, by a good team, in a good system that had continuity from the Wycombe game.
12

algarvefan added 19:01 - Jan 11
One win, against a poor AS side does not mean we are out of the woods yet, but a step in the right direction. Chambers was excellent today.
11

bomber21 added 19:03 - Jan 11
Nail on the head Gilsey,definitely a strange fella with some of his answers and reactions to certain questions,but if he gets us promoted all will be forgiven.
2

Hiltzkooler added 19:05 - Jan 11
Flouncing child with repetitive reference to what he has achieved....boring...talk about the game you numpty....and stop making the press conference all about you....no one who is a supporter of the club wants you to fail..attendances up...Evans certainly doesn't want you to fail....he has got money at stake...so who ever Lamberts referring to is surely irrelevant....grow up Lambert and focus on doing a fantastic job Tuesday at oxford....
7

Suffolkboy added 19:05 - Jan 11
Already the misguided comments on this site indicate the astonishing depth and breadth of the ‘ black dog ‘ negativity that seems to colour so much of the regrettable negative scripts !
Can we , do we , really expect our team performances to be anywhere near perfect week in week out ? Do some of the correspondents have all the secrets of managing in any scenario,let alone in the competitive arena that is EFL ?
COME ON , look for the good , the positive and enjoy the effort ; can't think anyone really believes
failure is ‘the future ‘ ,BUT PL has hit the nail on the head !
As to the media ,
their agenda is always doubtful as they've papers to sell , and headlines to create ( as well as deadlines ) and anything edging towards the ‘sensational ‘ is attractive ,and they pander to readership in the course of duty !
Well done all at ITFC .
COYB
17

Bildestoned added 19:06 - Jan 11
As my old Mum might have put it.... 'He's a funny so and so
that Paul Lambert'.
7

Bert added 19:12 - Jan 11
Strange interview and at times strange answers but Lambert is right that there are those who want the team and the club to fail. Same in any organisation because there will always be people who hold a grudge or want to be proved right. The vast majority of supporters stick with the team and the club so for those who only ever have negative things to say with no balance, shame on you. Nothing will ever be perfect but after years drifting under successive managers, Lambert is going in the right direction under an owner who rations his money carefully, but wouldn't we ?
18

jas0999 added 19:17 - Jan 11
PL certainly doesn't seem on the same page as Evans!
1

backwaywhen added 19:17 - Jan 11
By the way Stanley results before today , 4 wins 2 draws and 1 defeat !
7

DifferentGravy added 19:19 - Jan 11
We all want to win every game, handsomely and playing stylish football. But i think the majority of us are sensible enough to realise that, in our current predicament, it isnt always possible. We accept there may be a poor performance here and there, we will incur losses. We are short on funds and find ourselves in the third tier.

But Lambert comments are unfair to fans and factually incorrect. Town were not creating plenty of chances, check the stats. We were devoid of confidence and cohesion and hadnt won in 12. Fans were expressing their frustration as a consequence and many felt is was directly down to the rotation policy.....because not all players are of the same ability....FACT.

We all want the best for Town. So whilst we may need to find a little more patience and a minority of fans more control over their emotional outbursts, Lambert needs to accept that the (mostly) well intended show of frustration from fans regarding his rotation policy......was actually warranted. A brilliant playing career does not automatically make you a brilliant manager yet.
19

Facefacts added 19:21 - Jan 11
So toucheeey. Just keep winning and we moaners will stop. That's all we want. Winning football matches. Play the best players. We should be walking this league. About time we put Accrington Stanley to the sword. Keep it going. None of us want you to fail.
10

Kirbmeister added 19:27 - Jan 11
This isn't directed at everyone on here but if there is a club in the football league with a more whining bunch of supporters I've yet to witness them.
7

BettyBlue added 19:36 - Jan 11
"I Know There are People Who Want Us to Fail"

The only two people I can think of who wants us to fail is the owner who wants to sell any player and won't spend and the manager who has played a different team every game this season.

Crisis, what Crisis. It's the one your managing. My mum could do a better job, Lambert.
-15

SickParrot added 19:39 - Jan 11
I have been critical of Lambert's rotation policy and very concerned about our long run without a win, but credit where it's due, no team changes today and a clever use of centre backs in attack. But then he goes and spoils a great day with this petulant nonsense about "those who want Town to fail". If he's referring to fans like me who have been critical of him, it's because we are desperate for the team to succeed. I'm my case I can't enjoy my Saturday evening if we don't win. If he doesn't mean fans, then if it's people that have some influence on team performances name and shame them. If they can't influence performances it's irrelevant, so shut up. His reference to negativity after 2 defeats is unfair and incorrect. We went 12 games without a win. I for one was getting very worried. The irony is that when he should be celebrating a really good performance and win, he is the one creating negative headlines.
11

GatesPerm added 19:39 - Jan 11
Lambert in 'no s##t Sherlock' statement shocker.

If he comes on here, he'll realise there's actually quite a lot who want him to fail.

Come on, get fully behind Lambert and the team for the promotion push. I can't take another season in this awful league.
5

Hegansheros added 19:39 - Jan 11
He is a total dickhead in the post match interviews. Its not about him , he will not be here forever. We will. COYB
4

broseleyblue added 19:40 - Jan 11
Just don't understand the negative parts of his comments.Surely he's not bothered about the usual whingers on here every match. They are such a minority. Real fans want him bouncing as commented in the post match presser. There's a big match midweek and he needs to show public positivity for players and fans alike. C'mon PL, you're doing okay for the club,don't be a miserable Mourinho.
1


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