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Chambers: It Would Be Failure If We Don’t Go Up
Friday, 7th Feb 2020 11:25

Town skipper Luke Chambers admits he will regard it as failure if he doesn’t manage to lead the club back to the Championship at the first time of asking.

The Blues’ prospects have dimmed recently as a result of successive defeats to promotion rivals in the space of four days. First of all to Rotherham, the current leaders, and then Peterborough, who leapfrogged Paul Lambert’s men with their 4-1 win at Portman Road last weekend.

Chambers, 34, said: “It would be failure if we don’t go up. We need to bounce back as quickly as possible. I think we have a strong group of players, one that is definitely still learning even at this level.

“A few of the boys still haven’t played consistently at this level and we need to produce. Yes, the pressure’s on, but no matter the division you are in, when you are playing for Ipswich Town the pressure is there.”

The long-serving defender, who has clocked up 347 appearances since being signed by then manager Paul Jewell in 2012, has also vowed not to trot out any excuses — injuries, bad luck, poor decisions by referees etc — if the mission does not succeed.

“”It’s exactly the same for every other club,” he added. “You can make all the excuses in the world but ultimately it will lie at our door and we just need to respond over the 15 games we have left.

“We had a fantastic run at the start of the season that put us top of the league and we’ll be trying to replicate that over the next 15.

Asked for his reaction to the defeats by the in-form Millers and Posh, Chambers continued: “I wouldn’t say worrying, I would say very, very disappointing. Obviously, you go into those games looking to take as much as you can out of them and to give a good account of yourselves.

“I think we let ourselves down a bit — well, definitely so, especially at the weekend.


“We felt we started well but gave two silly goals away and once you do that against a team that had been as ruthless as they had in their previous games it’s always difficult to get back into the game.

“We dwelt on that for a couple of days and since then we’ve been fully focused on the next one in front of us. That’s all we can do at the moment.”

Next up for Town is tomorrow’s trip to face seventh-placed Sunderland, who trail Chambers & Co by three points but also have a game in hand on them.

The Black Cats, who have lost just once at home all season in the league, ended a nine-game unbeaten run when they went down 2-0 at another side chasing promotion, sixth-placed Portsmouth, last weekend.

The Blues will be out to improve on a poor record against their main rivals for the step-up to the second tier. In 10 games against the other eight teams in League One’s top nine they have not registered a single victory, drawing six and losing four to bank a mere six points from a possible 30.

But, asked if Town are capable of registering a win against the sides around them in the table, Chambers added: “Yes, absolutely. We’ve had good stages in the season and we’ve had poor stages in the season, but we’re looking at the last 15 games to try to replicate what we did in the first 15.

“If I knew the answer to why we haven’t done it so far I probably wouldn’t be sat here.

“I don’t know, maybe we put so much emphasis on ourselves to beat them.

“Sometimes you can try too hard and do things that are unnatural to you. I haven’t really got the answer as to why we haven’t but we need to try to do that from now until the end of the season.

“We’ll probably have to beat one or more of those teams before the end of the season.

“We find ourselves in fourth place in the league, having not won one of those games against the top sides, but we’ve got to put a run together between now and the end of the season and that will require beating someone in and around us.”

Chambers, who has come in for plenty of criticism himself this season, has no problem with the supporters venting their frustration, adding: “I absolutely get it. They are well within their rights to demand better from us. I don’t really like sitting here and talking because it’s not going to help anyone.

“In fact, to be perfectly honest, I don’t really want to do it. But it’s a part of my job that I have to do. The talking’s got to stop and we’ve just got to produce on the pitch, simple as that.

“It’s a massive game at Sunderland. We’ve got a big week coming up with three games and I think we’ve responded to that quite well so far this season.

“We’re looking forward to it and I feel we’re better when we’re playing regularly with games in front of us.

“We’ve got something in mind that we want to take from the next three games and that’s what we’re looking to do.

“Our away record this season is very good and we’ve got to continue that. We also know we must improve our home form. We’ve got a lot of games left at Portman Road this season and after the next three games it will be clearer what we need to do from then until the end of the season.

“Is the pressure on Sunderland tomorrow? I genuinely believe the pressure’s on everyone in the bunch at the top of the league, no more so than us. It’s about how we handle it and how we perform.

“We haven’t done that in the last two games but before that we won three and drew two, and we ended up at the top of the league.

“Things can change so quickly. You lose a game and it feels like it’s the end of the world.

“For me, personally, I go home and for a couple of days after a defeat it’s awful. But it’s about refocusing and seeing there is another game coming up. We’ve got 15 left — 15 cup finals.”


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Radlett_blue added 11:31 - Feb 7
Chambers talking sense, as usual, but it really is time for Town to deliver on the pitch, especially in the bigger games, which we have completely failed to do this season.
3

TimmyH added 11:31 - Feb 7
More waffle...action please starting with beating a top 8 club!
4

BlueBlood90 added 11:57 - Feb 7
You can't dispute Chambo's determination to see the club do well but he's a big part of the problem in my eyes. He simply hasn't been good enough for several years now. I love him but I can't see us ever progressing while he's still playing every week.
2

ChrisFelix added 12:12 - Feb 7
Sadly Chambers showed last Saturday he is past it even in this division. Good players overcome lack of pace with the ability to read the game, John Wark a good example. Watching the Peterborough highlights illustrate our captain does not have a clue.
0

ITFCsince73 added 12:32 - Feb 7
I've got no real issues with Chambo the player. Although average on a good day.
It's Chambo the captain, team leader, driving force of the team, etc. I do have a problem with.
I haven't forgot about his howler when we last played Sunderland. 2 points dropped.
And if promotion isn't achieved this season. It's ok, Chambo can give it another go next season.
Which in itself, is staggering.
-1

raycrawfordswig added 14:47 - Feb 7
Thanks for all your efforts but hang the boots up .
Let someone else have a go.
4

BeattiesBackPocket added 14:58 - Feb 7
There is no doubt whatsoever that this guy is and will be a stalwart of the club and he deserves credit for that even during McCarthys days having to play at right back which everyone could see he was uncomfortable with but still did it however... as much as I like the guy he's saying the same thing he did after being absolutely outplayed by Rotherham for the same thing to happen yet again. I hate to say it but he is slower he doesn't read the game well enough like Mowbray, De Vos, Wark even and this is our problem. He does struggle in a few games this season and I think this is probably his level max now if we went up he'd be no good in the championship for those reasons. Just rally the troops chambo please stop saying the same thing after each defeat then nothing changing concentrate on Saturday and let PL do the press
0

JaySwitch added 15:08 - Feb 7
Chambers did an interview then.

1from1
0

Saxonblue74 added 16:29 - Feb 7
Chris felix, Wark was a legend but contrary to your comment he got caught week in, week out when he started to slow down in his twilight years.
2

Dolphinblue added 17:22 - Feb 7
Disagree with most...Chambers has had a decent season..
2

TractorRoyNo1 added 17:41 - Feb 7
It will also be P45
1

Saxonblue74 added 18:12 - Feb 7
Agree Dolphin, and all of those who work with him concur.
1

BlueNomad added 18:35 - Feb 7
ITFCsince73 - you bring up his mistake v Sunderland last August. Have you not made any mistakes at work since then?
0

Doctor_Earman added 19:07 - Feb 7
More talking yet again from 'great bloke' Chambo. Start delivering on the pitch if you're serious about what you say, or is this yet more spin and PR from the club?
2

ThaiBlue added 19:36 - Feb 7
Really,well theres a thought get out there and dont let it happen.
0

ITFCsince73 added 19:56 - Feb 7
Maybe Elmswell. But not on a regular basis.
I don't earn 10k per week.
And I don't hold hopes and dreams of tens of thousands of people in my hands.

Your point is?
1

bazgammon added 20:36 - Feb 7
No Sh**T Sherlock! I'm afraid Chambers and Skuse are part of the problem. Chambers too slow and should never be captain because he shouldn't be a regular starter, same with Skuse. Fed up of hearing all this BS before but the fact is we are currently in our lowest position since the 1960's, its pathetic. We have the squad and players to walk this league but Lambert seems clueless.
2

BlueNomad added 21:02 - Feb 7
He is a professional. His salary does not insulate him from mistakes. If your hopes and dreams depend on something which is, ultimately, a form of entertainment to the extent you are angry about a mistake 6 months ago you must have a wonderful life. That is my point.
0

blueboy1981 added 21:27 - Feb 7
Chambo - you're as honest as the day is long. You have loyalty in your heart, not the best of defenders granted, but in mitigation I cannot remember a CB at this Club ever being under the cosh you have been for season after season, and for far too long.
And it's still happening because we can't score goals.
2

ITFCsince73 added 21:31 - Feb 7
Your point is way off Elmswell. That's my point.
1

ITFCsince73 added 21:43 - Feb 7
And can't dominate games Blueboy. If we did goals would flow.
We've conceded high amounts in games, but haven't managed to beat anyone with conviction.
We've been comfortably beaten by Bristol Rovers, Accrington Stanley. Hit for 5 by Lincoln.
Gave Pompey and Posh easy wins conceding 6 in the process.
Easily beaten home and away by Rotherham.
And we're only just past the half way mark.
1

BlueNomad added 21:46 - Feb 7
I'm confused. The point of your first post is that I'm way off? I hadn't said anything at that stage.
-1

ITFCsince73 added 22:02 - Feb 7
You asked if I made mistakes at work and assumed my hopes and dreams was in Chambos hands.
I said I do my mistakes but not often. And people do have hopes and dreams. Not in my hands.
I asked what point was you making.
What's confusing?
0

ITFCsince73 added 22:25 - Feb 7
Elmswell look at your posts above. 18:35. 21:02.
Look at my post above. 21:31. It quotes you as being way off.
You say you had said nothing before 21:31.
You are confused, but hopefully now cleared up.
0

TractorRoyNo1 added 23:47 - Feb 7
Longevity does not equal legend.
Nelson, Baxter, Hunter, Beattie, Butcher, De Vos, McCauley, Berra all miles and miles above him
2


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