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Lambert Not Ruling Out More Signings But Admits Squad Size Needs to Be Cut
Sunday, 23rd Aug 2020 12:00

Town boss Paul Lambert was non-committal on whether last Monday’s signings - left-back Stephen Ward, goalkeeper David Cornell and striker Oli Hawkins - will be the full extent of the Blues’ incoming summer business, while he admits he needs to cut the size of his squad.

"I think it was important, we needed fresh faces as well, we’d lost five guys, so we needed freshness as well, guys who never really knew the club, so they came in,” he said when asked about the three additions, all of whom came in on free transfers.

“Stephen Ward’s been great, he’s been absolutely brilliant, a top pro, a top guy about the place, and Oli’s come in, as honest as the day is long, a good guy, Cornell’s the same. We needed a few faces.”

Quizzed on whether anyone else will come in, he responded: “With the pandemic, you never know, it’s really hurt everybody this pandemic.

“But we can only do what we can do. It’s not an ideal situation, the salary cap’s not an ideal situation, there are a lot of things I think still to go to see where that goes.

“But we are where we are at the minute, but I’m happy with how we’re playing football.”

Town fielded two different XIs at Spurs on Saturday, while Jon Nolan came on as a sub the likes of Hawkins, James Norwood, James Wilson and Emyr Huws missed out and Lambert admits the squad is too large.

“We have to bring it down a bit, some younger ones could go on loan as well,” he said. “That’s important. We have to get a squad where it’s manageable.”


Photo: Matchday Images



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jas0999 added 12:21 - Aug 23
Agree.the squad is still too large. That said, I'm still concerned with the CB position. Wolf is clearly the stand out, but Chambers struggled last season, whilst Wilson is very average. Toto remains a liability!
16

iaintaylorx added 12:31 - Aug 23
Alot of people saying Ndaba has looked solid, so hopefully he is given some games!
10

ChrisFelix added 12:31 - Aug 23
I remain puzzled as to why we needed another keeper. Maybe we have enough decent defenders to get out of this division.
Interesting that 2 gift goals yesterday & no Chambers on the pitch. Happy times ahead I hope
2

blue86 added 12:50 - Aug 23
Squad defo needs to be cut, would like to see a CB brought in to replace nsiala (sorry toto) just not up to it imo. We have far to many central midfielders dont we? Skuse, huws, nolan, mcgavin, judge, dozzell, downes, nydam (when fit) el mizouni aswell. Question is who would you look to try and sell/loan?

Loan - nydam
Loan - mcgavin

Sell - nolan maybe?

Dozzell for me is a mystery? Clearly talented, but where does he fit in?
2

bluesteal74 added 13:07 - Aug 23
As long as we don't sell or loan Norwood out
6

Cloddyseedbed added 13:14 - Aug 23
Norwood will leave. No smoke without fire. I agree far too many midfielders, without anybody standing out. Dozzell will not make it here, no position for him on his performances. Midfield needs trimming and somebody else.....a midfield general to be brought in. Centre back needs addressing badly. Chambers past it.
6

Ipswichbusiness added 13:27 - Aug 23
I have been pleasantly surprised by the summer business. Given our reduced circumstances and the financial consequences of the virus, I feared that the club would simply tell all the loanees and out of contract players to get lost and the manager to do with what he could with the remaining staff. Therefore it is good to see at least some new contracts and some new players.

I suspect that we have signed Cornell as the young ‘keepers have little experience and the club hopes to loan them out.

Ndaba has been played alongside Chambers, an old head looking after a young one. Let's give both some credit.
2

Len_Brennan added 13:35 - Aug 23
I think the uncertainty over Holy's shoulder is the main reason for Cornell's signing.
1

Suffolkboy added 13:42 - Aug 23
Views from last season : Nolan simply didn't look an influential player,nor a scorer ! Alan Judge seems destined to be a disappointment - doesn't score from identifiable opportunities and often doesn't show the cool head of a man of his experience .Huws has potential ,and whit, but needs to blossom again and show consistency ( is it a confidence factor ?).No question Dozzell is going ,has gone through a very inconsistent spell – again background circumstances may be the answer ,but ITFC need those cast aside and energy and sparkle brought back to his game.Nsalia simply has almost permanent questions hanging over his head – confidence again , or still technique and thought processes to be refined ?
Nydam : needs to be fit before any questions can be resolved ,simply that .
Keepers might be an area for slimming down but why can PL not be clear about our younger element ?
That leaves youngsters who need to be found loan placements to grow and mature ; CS and LC look like staying around possibly to develop as players coaches ?
Interesting !
COYB
0

runningout added 13:49 - Aug 23
We definitely needed another keeper. I reckon we need a big clear out for good of all concerned!! Mr Gill has it spot on with our need for different identity. With that we need more steel
0

Cloddyseedbed added 19:09 - Aug 23
We did need another keeper as cover for injured Holy. Not so sure we have signed the right one looking at the highlights of yesterdays game.
1

ArnieM added 08:56 - Aug 24
I suspect a CB could well come in once the squad / wages have been reduced . Not rocket science . PL should have reduced this squad two seasons ago. Unfortunately many quite highly paid players in it are also on contracts which won't end until next year , so in many ways his hands are tied - even more do now due to salary cap .

Interesting too, Town “ gift” two goals in a recent game . But there was no Chambers in the side ( although one tw@ on FB ranted that “Chambers “should be Dropped”. Who to blame shocker then for many Town “ fans”!
2

Razor added 10:27 - Aug 24
See that Bristol Rovers striker we were supposed to be interested in bagged a couple on Saturday-----sell Norwood and get him as he may actually want to be here.
0

ArnieM added 11:56 - Aug 24
Problem is Razor, who in league one or two is going to pay Norwood's £10k a week wages ?
1

Skip73 added 12:35 - Aug 24
Chelsea on the verge of signing Kai Haverz for £90m. This pandemic really has hirt everybody hasn't it. #boycottPremierLeague
1

runningout added 14:07 - Aug 24
Bring in good signings and others should realise where they need to improve. If Not they shouldn't be footballers
0

dirtydingusmagee added 16:25 - Aug 24
more signings to come ! scouts must still on Love island !LOL
0

therein61 added 17:06 - Aug 24
Reduce the squad by getting rid of our two biggest earners who go through the motions and finger point at every other player instead of accepting they have cocked up they are not worthy to wear the shirt and will continue to stroll around like it's a Sunday morning game and cost us more points sadly leaving us in this division again, TIME TO GET RID!!!.
1

OxtonBlue added 21:03 - Aug 24
Unless we do need to get the wage bill down, i think the following XI would be very competitive and exciting in L1 (and beyond!) playing 4-3-3, plenty of options on the bench and in reserve.

GK. Holy
RB. KVY
CB1. Chambers (or take a punt on 6'5" Hawkins at CB?!)
CB2. Woolfy
LB. Ward
RM. Edwards
CM. Downes
LM. Bishop
RF. Judge
CF. Norwood
LF. Huws

Subs - Wright/ Donacien/ Hawkins/ Skuse/ Lankester/ Sears/ Jackson

In reserve - Wilson/ Kenlock/ Dobra/ Dozzell/ El-Mizouni/ Ndaba/ Morris/ Cornell

Loans - Prszybek/ Nolan/ Nsiala/ Nydam/ McGavin/ Folami/
0

OxtonBlue added 21:17 - Aug 24
and Drinan of course in reserve/ on the bench??
0

RobsonWark added 21:25 - Aug 24
OxtonBlue Why the hell would you pick Chambers in the starting line up? Do you not watch any matches? Or is it because like someone else said in a previous post on another thread that he has experience? Paul Lambert has experience he has won the European Cup - would you pick him to play in midfield next season???
0

OxtonBlue added 21:50 - Aug 24
RobsonWark - not his biggest fan by any means. You will see I've said take a punt on Hawkins, got to be worth a go. We just haven't got many to pick from at the moment have we? Who would you have in the back 4?
0

KiwiBlue2 added 01:43 - Aug 25
OxtonBlue - A likely line-up. For my money I would have Dobra, if not starting,at least in the reserves. Would also have Jackson in the starting line-up ahead of Judge. Chambers would be on the bench with hopefully a new left-sided cb partnering Woolfie. Judicious use of the replacements should mean an attacking focus is developed and maitained.......
0

Sospiri added 07:06 - Aug 25
Our squad is fine. It just needs to be deployed properly Paul.
0


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