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Lambert: Really Happy With How We Played, Errors Due to Rustiness
Tuesday, 25th Aug 2020 17:40

Town boss Paul Lambert was happy with how his team played as they were beaten 4-1 at home by West Ham in a behind-closed-doors pre-season friendly and put the errors which led to some of the Hammers’ goals down to rustiness after five months out.

The third and fourth in particular were down to mistakes by keeper Tomas Holy and skipper Luke Chambers but Lambert wasn’t too downcast about the display overall.

“Really happy with how we’re playing, the third and fourth goal, you can’t legislate for that, the errors,” he said.

“But that’s rustiness as well, that’s five months off, that can happen. You’d rather get them out of the road now rather than when it starts for real. But football-wise, I’m really happy.”

The Blues boss has got his side passing the ball out from the back during pre-season which had led to one or two hairy moments in previous games.

Asked whether he felt it would take time to instil the approach into his players, he responded: “No, not really because we started doing that when we first came in, so they know it, the lads know how we play, they know the movements of it.

“There was a lot of good stuff there, really, really happy with how we’re playing with the ball, we’re up against two Premier League teams. Especially first half I thought we were excellent."

“Really happy with how we played, third and fourth goal, really disappointing but happy with how we’re playing.”

He added: “The third goal, cross ball, Tomas lost his bearings a little bit. Fourth goal was just mistakes and sloppiness on that front, but again after five months off that can happen. We’ll try and implement a style of football here that everybody enjoys.

“Dominance of the ball is really important, if we do that, no disrespect, we’re playing a totally different level to West Ham and Tottenham.”

Has he got the centre-halves capable of playing in the manner he wants? “Aye, the lads have been really good. Nsiala has been excellent since he came back, really, really good.

"Luke [Chambers] knows it, Wilson’s just come back from injury, Woolfenden’s got to start to get going, he’s got to start to perform. I’m happy with how it’s going.”


Reflecting further on the errors, he added: “I take responsibility, no problem, absolutely no problem. I want to play football and make the guys better footballers.

“It’s a friendly, that can happen, five months off is a long, long time. Luke knows it was sloppy but he’ll not do it again, may as well do it now.

“Everybody knows, you don’t need to be Einstein to see who made mistakes, you can see it. But football-wise, the way we handled the ball, really, really pleased.”

At the other end of the field, the Blues were certainly more threatening than they had been at Tottenham when they hardly laid a glove on the North Londoners with Freddie Sears netting against his old club.

“Definitely, the main thing for me, because the guys have had five months off, it’s not a normal pre-season, it’s not normal this scenario. We’ve had to try and get fitness back as quick as we can,” he said.

“West Ham haven’t long finished their domestic season. But I’m happy with the way things are going, the understanding of the game is really good. Football-wise, really good. Just cut out the errors and see what happens.”

Lambert says he’ll give those who weren’t involved much today more time in the final friendly on Saturday.

“I said to the guys, it’s not the result that’s most important, it’s how you play and how you perform,” he said.

“Football-wise, I’m really happy with a lot of things. We’ll not be playing the calibre of West Ham and Tottenham.

“We’re still trying to find our feet, trying to get 90 minutes under our belts because we’ve had that long off. And plus with the social distance training, things like that, it’s been hard.

“Everybody’s been in the same boat, but West Ham and Spurs have had playing time, but football-wise really happy.”

The Blues manager says Gwion Edwards picked up a minor niggle before being replaced just before half-time: “Little groin, but hopefully he’ll be alright.”

The game was too early for James Norwood, who seems likely to be involved in Saturday’s final friendly: “He’s doing well, trained well this morning, we’ll give him a full week’s training and then see how he is for Saturday. Oli Hawkins is doing really well, settling in.”

James Wilson is also still to play a part in pre-season: “He had a calf problem and this is his first real week of training, so he’s not too far.”

“Kane [Vincent-Young] had a little niggle in his achilles, but he’s fine, we didn’t want to take a chance on him, and Woolfy’s fine, Woolfenden will play on Saturday.”

“Myles trained this morning and we’ll see how he is for Saturday, a little thigh strain, we’ll see how he is.”

Town started with a midfield three of Andre Dozzell, Flynn Downes and Teddy Bishop and Lambert says there’s no reason the academy trio shouldn’t be the trio when the season gets under way.

“If they keep playing like that, it doesn’t matter to me reputation or anything like that. Whoever plays well towards the start of the season plays,” he said.

“I think people like Andre need to step up but he’s played brilliant for us in pre-season. Flynn is as consistent as anything and Bishop has been great he hardly played last season.

“Judgey, Emyr, Cole, Nolan, they’re all pushing for starts. There’s a lot of good football at the minute, really good, really pleasing how we’re dominating games with the ball. The goals? They happen, but you’d rather get them out now rather than at the start.”

Lambert also had praise for young defender Corrie Ndaba: “He’s done great, Corrie, he really has. He’s got to keep that buzz. It’s OK doing it in the friendly games when there’s no crowd but he’s got to be big enough to do it when the fans do come back. But he’s performed really, really well.”

Idris El Mizouni again made an impact from the bench: “He’s done OK, he’s got millions to learn. He’s playing with a freedom because there’s no pressure on him, but he’s got a talent and there’s no pressure from me on him to really make a mark, just let him nurture himself and get him through.

“But football-wise, he’s got some really nice touches. Things he’ll need to learn about moving it more quickly than he does but that will come with experience.”

On Saturday Lambert admitted he needs to reduce the size of his squad and inevitably there will be players who will be disappointed once the season starts.

”The secret is get yourself in the team and you’ll be happy,” he said. “All over the world, get yourself in the team and you’re happy, if you’re not in the team you’ll not be happy.

“That’s football, the guys know that, so they need to get in the side and show me what they can do rather than stop-start, stop-start, so it’s up to the guys.”

However, Lambert had little to say on any ins and outs - “No, nothing happening” - including reports that Ayr United are keen to re-sign Aaron Drinan: “He’s done really well, even today I thought he was excellent.”


Photo: TWTD



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Skip73 added 17:54 - Aug 25
Just as I predicted on the other story this afternoon, the usual "we played great" crap.
You've gotta be joking, you muppet. 1-4 at home and you're happy! What a w****r.
-6

timkatieadamitfc added 17:56 - Aug 25
You can legislate for errors as it's the same player making them every other week and conceding needless goals, then standing pointing at everyone as if it's there fault.
13

chorltonskylineblue added 17:57 - Aug 25
"Whoever plays well towards the start of the season plays" - just as Norris said. Getting worried we've learnt nothing from last season.
2

casanovacrow added 17:58 - Aug 25
That wasn't rustiness, that's players being asked to play it out from the back when it's a completely foreign concept to them. I hope they can pick it up quickly or we'll have more of the same this season
8

ntoms97 added 18:00 - Aug 25
Another long season awaits
2

stiffy501 added 18:02 - Aug 25
Been a rusty couple of years !!!
5

Pencilpete added 18:05 - Aug 25
If its rustinesscam someone spend the week spraying our Skipper with WD40 ??
16

unknown100 added 18:15 - Aug 25
Anyone who thought we'd outplay or match West Ham or Tottenham are fools, these games are fitness tests and Id rather get a proper game against premier league clubs than win 5-0 against Colchester's of the world because it helps raise their games
10

midastouch added 18:17 - Aug 25
I'm really happy I didn't pay £10 to watch it.
4

brendenward35 added 18:20 - Aug 25
Shop window for Downes ME dangling the bait see if anyone makes a good offer for him. Shame we can't add a few players as extra to get a good price.
0

herfie added 18:23 - Aug 25
The one consistent element of our performances is PL's post-match comments. Bless him!

1

jas0999 added 18:28 - Aug 25
Same errors, from the same ‘defenders' week in week out for two seasons. We MUST invest in a CB to play along side Wolf. Chambers, Wilson, Toto and Donacian are just not good enough!
8

ArnieM added 18:28 - Aug 25
Reckon it'll be Woolfie and Nsiala To start as our CB's , the former IS comfortable on the ball. However Ndaba doesn't have any experience for a regular backup and is still learning , so Id say we are still looking for another CB to play alongside Woolfie .
1

90z added 18:28 - Aug 25
They look shakey playing out from the back, Nsiala has looked fairly decent. Pair him with Wolfy!
3

TimmyH added 18:32 - Aug 25
'Errors due to rustiness' - well last season particularly after the first few months was riddled with errors...what was that down to Paul? Defence nowhere good enough and to be honest not sure about the rest.
1

Roola added 18:32 - Aug 25
RUSTINESS????? ahahahahahahahahaha. Lambert are you blind? Chambers is a liability. He's been a good servant to the club and could suit a coaching role
Well at town as he is a good leader and we'll respected but as a player he's over the hill. Grow some balls and drop him. Give another senior player the chance to lead and inspire.
6

Fixed_It added 18:35 - Aug 25
The one consistent is the morons who spout negativity as soon as we don't win a game irresepective of the type of match or opposition, whether they have actually watched the game.
2

MickMillsTash added 18:38 - Aug 25
The defenders are not good enough to play out from the back and Holy is not a footballer - and who do they pass to in midfield - Skuse? Stop it !

It was a shocking starting line up- there are no goals in it

Where is Jackson ?
0

multiplescoregasms added 18:41 - Aug 25
Not a fan of all this playing it out short from the back. Even watching the top teams it seems a dodgy way to play at times, so to try it with players that are of a League 2 standard seems to be asking for trouble. Obviously we don't want to be see the players whacking the ball long every time, but the occasional hoof to get us out of trouble isn't a bad thing either.
5

RobsonWark added 18:42 - Aug 25
This is Lambert's comments in the www.IpswichStar.co.uk

“The third and fourth goals you can't legislate for — they're errors. Tomas (Holy) maybe lost his bearings a bit for the third (misjudging a cross), then the fourth is just sloppiness (from Luke Chambers, as he turned into trouble in the box)."

"Mistakes can happen because five months off is a really long time. Luke (Chambers) knows it's sloppy, but he'll not do it again. He may as well do it now."

He has been doing it every game for the past 3 seasons!!! And he'll keep doing it because he is no good at this level. I'm not sure he would even get in a Sunday morning league team!! GET RID - BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!!
12

multiplescoregasms added 18:42 - Aug 25
And before anyone comments, yes I meant to say League 2. :-)
0

therein61 added 18:47 - Aug 25
If 4&8 are honest pro's(i know Skuse didn't play yesterday otherwise the defence would have been under more pressure) they should hold up their hands and go!!! for gods sake don't put them into coaching positions (which big gob had in mind for them thinking he had a job for life) just keep them away from our youngsters we have nothing to gain from teaching young players to give players hospital passes or show them how to do a turning circle slower than a double decker bus!!! and continually get caught out and blame all around them that really breeds confidence from better players on the sidelines, it is time fellow town fans for the muppet show to come to an end full stop.
5

ipswichdave added 19:09 - Aug 25
Who do we play on Saturday?
0

TractorRoyNo1 added 19:22 - Aug 25
The man is totally delusional, our defence is pathetic, against an under par WH XI who have only just started training again.
Ffs go man, go!
2

Dockerblue added 19:25 - Aug 25
Chambers is the worst CB at the club! Captain, leader, organiser??? Not a chance. That wasn,t rustiness, that was our totally hopeless Captain at his usual standard. Get him out of the team, play Woolfie and Ndaba or Wilson and make Ward skipper, at least he is vocal and could organise the defence. One other thing, play out from the back when we can but every time? Teams will soon suss that out and push players up to stop that. Sorry, said it before but l won,t watch my team while Chambers is in it. Get rid now!
11


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