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Judge: A Good Away Point
Sunday, 4th Oct 2020 16:46

Midfielder Alan Judge felt Saturday’s draw against the MK Dons was a good away point against a decent side who will win more games than they lose this season.

Jon Nolan put Town in front in the seventh minute but Daniel Harvie levelled for the home team in the 55th minute with Judge replacing Freddie Sears and Flynn Downes - who went off injured 13 minutes later with Town having used all their subs - taking over from Teddy Bishop as the Blues prepared to restart following the goal.

Town dropped from first to third as a result of the draw, while the Dons hit the bottom, but despite that will have been pleased with their afternoon's work.

Asked what he made of the game, Judge said: “I think it’s a good away point. I thought they were very good. But I thought we were very good off the ball, especially when we went down to 10 men, I thought we narrowed it up quite well and they didn’t really get through us.

“It was just one of those games, they were a very good team, they’ll cause a lot of problems his year, I think they’ll win more games than they’ll lose.”

He added: “Last year maybe would have lost that game. I know we’re only four games in, we’ve got three wins and a draw, we’ll just keep going from there.”

Town’s season started with three successive 2-0 wins in League One but Judge says the Blues knew they wouldn’t have it all their own way.

“There are a lot of good teams in the league this year, good players, so we’ve just got to keep ticking along, keep doing what we’re doing, keep getting used to the way we’re playing,” he continued.

“There are going to be bumps along the way, the way we’re playing now. It’s not always going to work, we’ve got to stick at it and maybe the next game will be better again.”


The 31-year-old says it’s difficult to assess how open the division will be this season: “I think with everything that’s going on at the minute, the virus, you don’t know.

"And a lot of teams that wanted the league finished last year have brought in a lot of players, funnily enough, so we’ll wait and see. The teams who said they had no money have been bringing in a lot of players.”

Does the Irishman believe the Blues are better placed to carry on the early season momentum this year than last season? “Yes, it’s important to keep it going, as many games as we can. Keep playing, keep going, get the points on the board as much as we can and the lads are confident at the moment.”

Judge was making his return after a hamstring injury having been in the starting XI at the beginning of the campaign.

“It was a bit of an annoying one in that 20 minutes against Fulham,” he reflected. “That just shows it can happen. I was feeling good, I’m feeling good anyway, I didn’t miss pre-season this year and it’s been massive for me.

“I’m feeling good, the lads have been playing well since I’ve been out so I’ve just got to bide my time and wait.”

He knew he wasn’t just going to waltz back into the starting line-up: “For obvious reasons - the boys are winning. I understand that, the older I get I definitely understand that more.

“But I felt like I was playing well, I was fit and I was doing well at right wing, the position I was playing at the time. I’ve actually enjoyed playing there because of the way we’re playing at the moment. I’ve just got to bide my time.”

Regarding the role he’s played this season, he added: “I think at the minute with the way we’re playing coming inside it suits me a bit more.

“We all know I obviously enjoy the middle of the pitch but the gaffer wants me to play there and it’s like at home when the missus says ‘Jump!’, you say ‘How high?’ and you go along with it. I’m happy just to do it for the team.”

Judge has been pleased with the addition of striker Oli Hawkins both on the field and off it.

“I think the big man’s been very good for us since he’s come in. He’s a great lad, he’s fun to be around, we call him Trigger already," he laughed.

“He’s a really good lad and we’ve got Kayden [Jackson] back as well, he’ll add that bit more pace. Nors [James Norwood] is a bit unlucky with the injury at the moment. It’s just competition for places.

“You look at our squad and it’s down to the players that are in the team to keep themselves in there. I got injured, I might be out on default at the minute but I’ve got to fight to get myself back in there.”

Judge says he’d very much like to be involved in Tuesday’s EFL Trophy tie against Gillingham: “I would love to get some minutes on Tuesday, personally.”

The Dubliner has been left out of new Republic of Ireland manager Stephen Kenny’s first two squads and says the situation has been explained to him.

“I spoke to the manager and he said he was going with players who have been playing,” he said.

“That’s just the way it really goes, that’s fair enough but he picked one or two players that hadn’t played for five months themselves.

“But look, I understand it, the young players are coming through, fair enough, and I wish them all the best.”

However, he says he’s not shut the door on his international career having won nine caps and scored one goal.

“Of course not, I’d never do that but I’m a realist, I understand the game, time for the young players to come through, that’s great and, honestly, I love watching them but you never know what will happen and I’ll always be there.”


Photo: Pagepix



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arc added 17:24 - Oct 4
An away point is never a disaster (especially this early in a long season), but a draw against the league's bottom club after taking the lead is not "a good away point."
7

therein61 added 18:09 - Oct 4
For whatever reason on or off the field(the guy has had awful problems with his daughters health) it just hasn't happened for him here so far, there's still a damn good player in there somewhere.
5

Billericay12 added 18:37 - Oct 4
Good that we were resilient when down to 10 men.
Good that we didn't lose.
Good that we have 10 points from 4 games.
But not a good point away to one of the league's worst teams.
8

dirtydingusmagee added 19:27 - Oct 4
or two points lost to a team we should be expected to beat , perhaps .
8

bluelodgeblue added 19:44 - Oct 4
61 so if he's head is elsewhere why play him before Lankester who is desperate to get on and likely able to change a game?
1

Saxonblue74 added 19:59 - Oct 4
A point away from home on an "off" day has to be seen as a good point. Anyone see Man Utds off day today?🤔
4

cat added 22:12 - Oct 4
Judge is a proper footballer but has failed to deliver so far. Good bloke to have around and agree that points on the road are vital if we are to achieve anything this season.
3

runningout added 22:20 - Oct 4
a draw v bottom ish club not good, although we would have lost it last season. I reckon we a desperate for s couple of new faces, that are hungry and ruthless. We still have a few players that don't seem to be up for it. If they turn their games around our squad would be decent
0

NorthLondonBlue2 added 22:40 - Oct 4
Oh come on! It's way too early to be saying 'we should have beaten the bottom club'.

For anyone who watched the game, MKD looked organised, sharp at times and outplayed 'the top team'.

And for anyone who hasn't been paying attention, you can concede goals, lose a bunch of games and still win this league.

And that's exactly what we're going to do!
11

multiplescoregasms added 22:47 - Oct 4
Yes, so a point away from home is ok, and MK played pretty well. However, we were poor for most of the game, and the fact our strikers aren't scoring is a concern. Maybe Bennetts will add that something we are missing, but we still need the strikers to find the back of the net. The forwards are our biggest issue at the moment.
6

DifferentGravy added 23:17 - Oct 4
Judge actually played well when he came on and caused Dons a few issues.

10 points is very good and coming away with a point considering we played with 10 men is also a bonus. But as Alex Mathie correctly pointed out, although MK Dons passed the ball around well and had plenty of possession, they were very slow at the back and there to be attacked. They also didnt have a lot of bite up front(fortunately for us). So the manner of Towns performance and delayed change in tactics(yet again Lambert) are a concern. We wont always be playing teams in the bottom 5 of the league.

Ward a huge loss as will be Downes. Need to be more attacking and strength in midfield if we are to continue our unbeaten run against Blackpool
4

TimmyH added 23:22 - Oct 4
I had reservations about Judge when he came here after seeing him at Brentford as my Uncle is a season ticket holder - he just didn't do anything right when I saw him play and looked like the broken leg he suffered at the hands of our own Luke Hyam had well and truly set him back. Initially he looked okay when here and got some nice passing play down the right side but after a month or so just reverted back to being the invisible man. I'm not sure if he's capable of much more than what we're witnessing now.

As for MK Dons winning more than they'll lose this season...I'll be surprised, maybe it's an Irish thing about a point away from home being good? :)
3

ThatMuhrenCross added 00:57 - Oct 5
Good in so far as we didn't lose a game that we were thoroughly outplayed in.
Good that we are still unbeaten
Good that we showed resilience for the final third of the game after we lost Downes
Good that we didn't allow ourselves to become downbeat about losing two key players to injury.
Good that Nolan is continuing to show he could be the goalscoring midfielder we've lacked.

But that's where the good news ends.

It was a thoroughly poor performance for the most part, but I'm willing to accept it was probably just a bad day at the office. The team has to re-group and come out all guns blazing in the next two games.
1

ThatMuhrenCross added 00:57 - Oct 5
Good in so far as we didn't lose a game that we were thoroughly outplayed in.
Good that we are still unbeaten
Good that we showed resilience for the final third of the game after we lost Downes
Good that we didn't allow ourselves to become downbeat about losing two key players to injury.
Good that Nolan is continuing to show he could be the goalscoring midfielder we've lacked.

But that's where the good news ends.

It was a thoroughly poor performance for the most part, but I'm willing to accept it was probably just a bad day at the office. The team has to re-group and come out all guns blazing in the next two games.
0

thundercat added 07:32 - Oct 5
Lack of vision and lack of pace with no energy for 90 minutes, look at how the top teams in the Premier League play. The ball is zipped all over the pitch from defence to attack, I have been a town supporter since 1960, take a look back on U Tube at how Town played under the great late Bobby Robson, no comparison.
1

trncbluearmy added 08:22 - Oct 5
Good point,down to ten,not on top of our game against the best team we have played so far showed fight in difficult circumstances losing Ward, especially with his replacement, was a real blow
COYB
2

ChrisFelix added 09:10 - Oct 5
If MK Dons are a good side then i fear for us when we play a top side such as Hull or Peterborough. It was because of their inability to score that we luckily got a draw.
Small point watching their goal wasnt Chambers social distancing again. We badly need Woolfden & the Arsenal loanlee in our 18 match aquad
1

Linkboy13 added 10:25 - Oct 5
They will win more games then they lose, but will we. Still think we look mid table to me. The Hawkins, Jackson partnership is crucial if it comes off we will be a different proposition. The midfield is also very lightweight and will struggle against the good sides. Think you will find the team will look different this time next month barring injuries of course.
0

Razor added 10:41 - Oct 5
Look at the table-----if we want to go up these are the games we should be winning in any circumstances.

Hope the new guy plays and is not left sat on the bench as is usually the case------we definitiey need him as our current forward line is not up to it.
-1

Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 11:42 - Oct 5
Not sure it was a "good" away point, but an away point it was.
1

oldegold added 13:34 - Oct 5
Sorry...but I think we should be looking to beat teams like the Dons,and they were bottom of the table too. If we want promotion then it's a no-brainer.We have to be shooting high and no accepting mediocrity. Judge by all accounts was poor..once again...and his bad pass created the foul situation on Downes. Not good enough....
0

Nobbysnuts added 13:53 - Oct 5
No it wasn't Alan. It was a bad point.....
0

therein61 added 18:31 - Oct 5
"bluelodgeblue" i didn't say his head is elsewhere just stated that he's had family problems(re his daughter) and while his inclusion ahead of others is open to question in your opinion, if you want an example of heads being elsewhere then look at Downes who has roared around like a headless chicken whenever he gets on the park(which doesn't help him in going to where he thinks he should be)
0


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