Boss Paul Lambert praised both Town teams after last night’s two 75-minute friendlies at Colchester, which they won 4-0 and 1-0, their first action for five months, believing they played some excellent football. Lambert also outlined the situation with some of the players who were missing at the Jobserve Community Stadium.

“I thought some of the football was excellent from both teams [we put out],” Lambert told iFollow Ipswich.

“I thought we played really good football, I thought we dominated the games, which was great. We got a few goals.

“Five months is a really, really long time to not play football and all credit to the guys, to go and do what they’ve done was exceptional.

“I think our last game was Coventry [on March 7th], that seems a light year away and it’s been really difficult for everybody on and off the pitch, the uncertainty, not knowing what was happening, everything really which has affected the game.

“But to come back and train the way they have in a really strange situation [has been impressive]. And playing games again without contact is really strange, then you have to go into contact, there’s getting used to that again.

“As I say, big credit to the team, they’ve done great and I think that’s evident from what they’ve shown tonight.”

He says it wouldn’t have been a surprise if there had been a few cobwebs after such a long lay-off.

“There’s a bit of that, you’re never quite sure because after five months off we don’t know what shape the guys are going to come in in,” he continued.

“They’ve worked hard, throughout the last few weeks, they’ve worked really, really hard but the shape and the condition [they’ve come back in has been good].

“We’ve tweaked one or two things from last year, we have to go again, we’ll try our best to have success and we’ll try everything we can to make the club get promoted. We’ll try again and we’re a really good side when we play like that.”

As well as the five goals over the two games, there were clean sheets in both and it was a solid night all-round for the Blues.

“It was, and [they were playing] 70 minutes for the first time, it’s the first time they’ve played in five months,” the Scot added. “That’s the way you view it, but there are a lot of tired legs as well.

“We’ve another proper tough game on Saturday but it’ll be great for us, a great experience going to Tottenham and we’re really looking forward to it. It’s a great game.”

Lambert was pleased with how keepers Harry Wright, 21, and Adam Przybek, 20, fared with Tomas Holy on the sidelines with a shoulder problem and David Cornell not involved having only joined the club on Monday.

“The two younger kids done great tonight, they had two big saves just before half-time, so I’m happy with them,” he said.

“Tomas being on the way back is a big bonus for us and Cornell is coming in after having a really successful season at Northampton, so we’re looking not too bad.”

Also missing were striker James Norwood, defender James Wilson and midfielder Jon Nolan, along with striker Oli Hawkins who is short on training, also having signed on Monday.

“James [Norwood] is on his rehab from the injury he had last season, he’s doing well,” the Blues boss confirmed.

“And Jon Nolan has picked up a calf injury, which he did last year, which has been frustrating. The lads are getting there, that’s the most important thing.”

Looking ahead to Saturday and the friendly against Tottenham at their new stadium, he added: “If you don’t enjoy that and you don’t enjoy going and playing against that level, then you’ve got a problem. The stadium alone, I think the lads will be taken aback by it.

“But if you want to get to the highest level in football, you have to aspire to play that and, first and foremost you have to be good enough to play it, so let’s see if they realise what it’s takes to get to the top level.”

Photo: TWTD

dirtydingusmagee added 21:30 - Aug 19 trouble is he kept saying that last season and season before that, and look at where we are now ! just saying !
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Bluearmy_81 added 08:40 - Aug 20 Town fans are very easily pleased... 🤣
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Carberry added 10:39 - Aug 20 Same old, same old. All the talk before the season starts is very cheap, let's see what happens when there are points at stake.
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Bert added 10:49 - Aug 20 Town's non attending non supporters are very quick to criticise ...... anything !
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aloanagain added 11:12 - Aug 20 No wonder we find it hard keep players and sign the better quality ones if they have a look at comments from supporters during the season and before they sign. Same old problems,yes over the last few years and same old moans and groans but no one comes up with a solution. Support the team.
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BettyBlue added 11:18 - Aug 20 Why on earth should we support this manager and team? We are in the third division.
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Bluearmy_81 added 14:58 - Aug 20 It's beyond parody. Most other club's fans would be apoplectic with fury following such a degeneration. And some fans have the gall to criticise some fans who are critical!! You couldn't make it up...
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Bert added 17:30 - Aug 20 I wonder if our non attending, broken record northern based detractor has ever thought for one moment that those who actually care about the club can criticise and support at the same time.It really is quite simple to do both. It's called balance.
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ringwoodblue added 18:29 - Aug 20 BettyBlue - ‘Why should we support this manager and team? We are in the third division' I'll tell you why - because you support your team no matter what league they're in -premiership or non-league if you are a true fan. If you can't do this, go and support Liverpool with the other glory seekers. As for the manager, we can disagree with his tactics, team selection or formation but whilst he's still the manager, we have to get behind him.

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BettyBlue added 10:06 - Aug 21 How about are useless manager and team put a hold on the all the hot air and endless promises and start delivering. Perhaps then there would be a reason to pay £30 to watch a team of rejects playing in the third division. The fans have done much more than this team deserves, how about fatty and his rejects started delivering?
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roystevensonsrocket added 14:21 - Aug 21 Well said Ringwood . I've never lived in ipswich but all my ancestors did as far back as the early 1800s so only went to matches when we were on holiday there at grandparents . I think I must be the original glory seeker as my dad first took me during there title winning season of 61-62 . My dad took me obviously when we were there thru the sixties.my fanatical following grew from there .ive lived in Rochdale since 1977 and was actually club doctor for a while . It was great watching Town in the away end and it was during there early surge last season . Also saw them the 5-0 rout of Bolton .But all thru the years I've only managed to get to see them when we were away in the North west . Paradoxically my fanatacism has increased since relegation . I'm fully behind PL as I think he will get it totally right for the whole season not just the first three months . MARK MY WORDS WE WILL GET PROMOTED THiS SEASON!

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