Town are under pressure to beat Burton Albion at Portman Road tomorrow night after a well-below-par display in losing 2-0 at home to Portsmouth at the weekend, as loan defender Mark McGuinness has been quick to acknowledge.

McGuinness will take the hurt from being turned over by Pompey on Saturday into the visit of League One’s bottom side and confessed: “We need a win. The three points are vital and we know we need to play better than we did against Portsmouth. That’s what we will be aiming to do.

“I know the fans will be expecting us to win but every team, every game in this league, is difficult and there are no pushovers. They all have their own particular styles of play that works for them. Yes, on paper we probably should beat Burton and we definitely have the quality to go out and do it. But we can’t be thinking the three points will come easily.”

Boss Paul Lambert has been the main target for supporters’ flak recently, with Town suffering three successive home defeats to promotion contenders Hull, Charlton and Portsmouth, conceding seven goals without replay, and winning just two of their last nine games in all competitions.

McGuinness has sympathy for his manager, adding: “It’s easy for everyone to blame the manager but at the end of the day it’s us, the players, who are performing out on the pitch.

“We need to improve, train well and go out against Burton tomorrow night to make sure we do better. I feel it’s harsh to believe one individual, whether it’s the manager or a player, when it’s a team game and we need to improve as a collective.”

Asked if the players continued to back the under-fire Lambert, the 19-year-old Arsenal loanee continued: “Definitely. This isn’t the time to point the finger and apportion blame. Everyone needs to stick together and remember that the situation could be an awful lot worse.

“We’re still sixth in the table and it’s a long season with 28 games still to play. We should forget about blaming anyone and get on with the games.”

Town’s poor record against League One’s better sides has been a major problem, both last season and in the current campaign. The statistics in that time make for depressing reading — of their 25 games against top 10 sides they have recorded just three wins and from the 75 points available they have banked a mere 18.

No matter tomorrow’s outcome, with Town travelling to face fourth-placed Peterborough at the weekend McGuinness said: “We know how vital it is that we beat the teams in and around the top of the league, but it’s just as important that we beat the teams around the bottom of the table because every point counts.

“Winning helps to build confidence and I think we were a bit unlucky in some games nearer the start of the season. Overall, though, I know we would definitely be in a much better place if we could beat at least some of the top teams in this league.”

On a personal note, McGuinness has become a regular choice at the heart of Town’s defence with nine starts and an off-the-bench appearance in 10 of the club’s last 11 first-team games, only missing out altogether when Lambert fielded a very young and inexperienced line-up in last month’s EFL Trophy defeat at Crawley.

How has he been finding it in League One? “It has been difficult and I’m not surprised because I never came here thinking it would be a pushover,” he said.

“Every team is different and every game is hard, and the relentless of the games coming Saturday-Tuesday, Saturday-Tuesday, is something else I have to deal with. But I’m really enjoying the battles and the experience.

“It’s never going to be a straight road and it’s never going to be easy from one game to the next. That was never what I expected from coming here. It’s all about learning and trying to get back on the straight and narrow if you’ve had a disappointing performance like we did on Saturday.

“It’s all part and parcel of the experience. This is real-life football, playing for the three points, and there are no excuses about development or styles of play. At the end of the day we need the three points and there is no room for errors.”

Photo: Matchday Images

WhoisJimmyJuan added 12:10 - Dec 14 Poor lad. He was signed after dominating our forwards for Arsenal U21s. Playing against our front line would make anyone look good. He's been getting real tests since. A good player for the future, just not ours. I just hope for his sakes Lambert doesn't ruin him. All I want to hear is a certain resignation......
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spanishblue added 12:50 - Dec 14 No s. T Sherlock there's 10,000s of Town fans could tell you what's wrong, a ship with no rudder is going no where, it won't be long before it gets a big hole and sinks to the far off depths, from one sad depressed Town fan,
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BettyBlue added 13:09 - Dec 14 Stop please STOP this. We've all had a enough, Give it a break.
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BettyBlue added 13:11 - Dec 14 What is the point of developing other team's players? We can never afford them if we want them. And they don't want to sign after they've been here for a seson. Please stop this. Send him back.
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 14:29 - Dec 14 Several games have been "vital" but so far we haven't won any of them. McG has done pretty well. But I've been impressed with what I've seen of your man Baggott. I reckon he could soon do a job in the first team, and for the moment anyway, "he's one of our own."
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Linkboy13 added 14:59 - Dec 14 BettyBlue Other teams developed Wolfenden and Downes .
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timkatieadamitfc added 15:22 - Dec 14 @bettieblue, who you going to play as centre back when you send him back
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Dear_oh_Dear added 15:22 - Dec 14 Yaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwn
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juniorblue added 15:50 - Dec 14 These player "it's vital we win the next game" statements every Monday are becoming tiresome. I think McGuiness has done ok and will probably go on to play at a higher level, but it is getting embarrassing to read. Unfortunately it all sounds like excuse after excuse. We have a bigger squad than other teams, so despite the injuries, should perform better than we do. PL needs to change his game plan, as we just don't have enough players who are capable of passing the ball from the back into the opposition's net. We struggle to get it past the half way line before passing back again. My opinion is that PL has had enough time and should now go.

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grow_our_own added 15:57 - Dec 14 Great for Arsenal that he's learning, not so great for us. I count four goals that he's been at least partially at fault for since he arrived due to being outmuscled or outpaced. McG is a ball-playing CB in a similar mould as Woolfenden. Personally I'd prefer if we had a warrior-type CB alongside Woolfenden. Ideally Wilson, but if not Chambers now KVY is returning, or can see if Nsiala and Woolfenden can strike up a partnership.

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VanDusen added 16:05 - Dec 14 Tbh - I don't quite see how he's retained his place as he's been at the root of a lot of the downturn in form. Agree he should go back to Arsenal - particularly when KYV gets back to it and I imagine Chambers will revert to the centre.
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Lathers added 16:08 - Dec 14 Yet another 'must win' home game for Town against a L1 struggler, following a defeat against a 'promotion' rival! We need a new script writer! I like McGuiness, thought he had a decent game against Pompey. We can blame the manager however, as he is totally to blame for the squad he has put together which has NEVER performed at any point in the 2+ years he's been here. I'm not a massive fan of Donacian and Kenlock, but how much worse do Chambers and Ward need to play before they get their chance. Change the full backs and start 4-4-2.... but I doubt we will see any change despite the continuing decline.

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StavangerBlue added 16:20 - Dec 14 Why has it come to an away game at Burton being a "must-win". Oh, how we have fallen.
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johnwarksshorts added 16:22 - Dec 14 Bettyblue Stop! Please just stop your negativity is like a virus...let the lad have his say.
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inghamspur added 17:03 - Dec 14 Vital, it's more than that. It's a must, must win or we can consider ourselves not even good enough for League One.
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RobITFC added 17:05 - Dec 14 StavangerBlue - Because we are at HOME, although we should be winning away at Burton too ?
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RobITFC added 17:07 - Dec 14 Poor lad being his turn to be rolled out to the press to give the same old pre-match bla bla bla.
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BettyBlue added 17:23 - Dec 14 What did he have to say that isn't so blatantly obvious that it didn't need saying? He's not even an Ipswich player.
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therein61 added 17:49 - Dec 14 I feel sorry for him being pushed forward to state the obvious it's not his fault he's not our player and apart from a few mistakes is doing quite well when on the park, it's strange that the Skipper and his sicknote mate are very quiet they usually love the sound of their own voices.
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Vanisleblue2 added 17:52 - Dec 14 We have other options in centre defence: Hawkins, Donacien, Nsiala, Chambers Plus how much longer is Wilson out for? Anyone heard about his injury?
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timkatieadamitfc added 18:53 - Dec 14 @vanisleblue Donacien-really nsialla REALLY, REALLY we may as well start either a goal down or with 10 men People are saying he's prone to mistakes and costing us goals so LETS PLAY CHAMBERS THERE INSTEAD - did anyone see 2nd Pompey goal, you couldn't make it up as he's never cost us a goal or 40 has he Not sure about Hawkins as not seen him play there so for me it has to be no nonsense Wilson despite PL appearing to not fancy him This just about sums lamberts ineptness up, Woolfenden is clearly our best defender and couldn't even get in to our team early doors- please no one respond with well we were playing well as as last season what is happening again was always likely to happen as Lambert is clueless with no plan a let alone b or c and even with the law of averages don't look like beating a decent team in this league. Scrappy win against Burton but I really fear for Saturday which is a sad thing to say but can anyone see our defence coping with a free scoring team(obviously hope I'm wrong)

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Blue_Meanie added 19:00 - Dec 14 God, how far have we fallen in 13 years; a must win game against Burton. 13 years ago our reserves would have beaten them. Thank you Mr Evans, thank you.
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dirtydingusmagee added 19:05 - Dec 14 its a conveyor belt of players rolled out with same crap every time, must be time for the cuddly toy soon .
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BcarefulwhatUWish4 added 19:06 - Dec 14 People are saying he should return to Arsenal once our injury situation is over? (KYV return etc) Has our injury situation ever been over? Yes, injured players will come back. But we are Ipswich, we can expect more.
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ringwoodblue added 19:08 - Dec 14 Do the players really think we've forgotten the last time we've heard all this cr@p? We're not goldfish! He looked promising while playing against us but not performed since. Can't wait to have the forgotten man James Wilson back alongside Woolfie.
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