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Chambers: Too Many Players Weren't at the Level We Set
Friday, 23rd Oct 2020 11:44

Skipper Luke Chambers is looking for Town to recover from their midweek defeat at Doncaster when they travel to second-placed Lincoln tomorrow.

The Blues had gone six games without losing, and occupied top slot in League One, before the 4-1 setback at the Keepmoat Stadium saw them replaced by Hull at the summit.

Chambers, 35, said: “Every footballer will tell you that when you’ve suffered a defeat you look at the mistakes and you look to bounce back.

“You get a bit bored of saying it but after losing a game you look at what you got wrong and try to put it right at the first opportunity.

“The goals we conceded at Doncaster were very much avoidable. I think we had too many players who weren’t at the level we had set over the previous few weeks and that can happen.

“If you look at the league leaders, Hull, it happened to them when they went to Fleetwood and also went down 4-1. It shows that if you’re not on your game from one to 11 you are going to struggle to win games.


“But we’ve set a very high standard over the first few weeks, with everyone playing very, very well in their own individual positions, and I just think we let ourselves down a little bit on Tuesday night. It gave us a jolt and I think you’ve got to look at it like that.

“I don’t want to say complacency or anything like that because I think we’ve had a really good, encouraging start, but in the back of our minds we’ll always be thinking about what happened last season and we need to eradicate that. We need to look at beating a top-six side and we need to do it quickly.”

Chambers has been in excellent form this season, playing every game and scoring twice, the opener in the 4-1 win at Blackpool earlier this month being his first in the league and in his view the very best of a lengthy career with Town and previous clubs Northampton and Nottingham Forest.

Asked if he knew his early shot at Bloomfield Road was headed for the back of the net, he laughed: “I did, after I opened my eyes. It was just one of those opportunities — they don’t usually bounce up in that area too often. I’m just looking to get as high up the pitch as I can and get involved in attacks.

“It was just one of those things. It dropped nicely for me and, believe it or not, I’ve always had a nice technique for things like that. It was a good one to see fly in and get us off to a good start.”

Chambers is revelling in what he has constantly said is not his favourite role, adding: “I’m strong, I’m fit and I know the position because I’ve played there, and at a higher level, for a long time with some success. I don’t feel that I’m any different in terms of fitness than I was seven or eight years ago.

“I’m enjoying it and like to get forward. I’m allowing whoever is playing on the right side in front of me to be able to tuck into pockets, while I’m being the overload, and I feel the best form of defence is attack at the moment.”

The skipper has also turned creator this season, with the long diagonal pass that paved the way for Gwion Edwards to score his second, and Town’s fourth, at Blackpool a particular highlight.

He also sent in the low cross that led to Town breaking the deadlock early on at Doncaster when home defender Joe Wright’s attempt to clear instead saw him concede an own goal.

“I’m just enjoying playing football, that’s all I can say,” Chambers continued. “I enjoy playing in that position and I feel I’m giving more to the team in that role than I could do at centre-half.

“The boys playing there at the moment have been great. I’m just enjoying my football and the first few weeks of the new season, how we’re set up to play and in the position I’m in it allows me to really affect the games.”

Chambers is confident he could continue in his present role for the remainder of the season, but admitted: “At the end of the day it’s not down to me. It’s something that everybody else needs to talk about and make a decision.

“If I’m playing at the level I’m playing at right now I like to think I’ll be in the team so I’m just trying to do that as often as I can.”

Like so many players, Chambers is not enjoying the absence of supporters at games, which explains his goal celebration of cupping his hands to his ears.

“It’s not ideal playing in an empty stadium, is it?” he said. “It’s so bizarre and I don’t see why we’re playing without fans when last season was ended due to not having fans present. I’d like people to be there and cheering when I volley one in from 20 yards.”


Photo: Matchday Images



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