Town manager Paul Lambert felt Saturday’s first half display as the Blues were beaten 3-2 at home by Swindon was his side’s worst 45 minutes of the season.

Lambert watched the match from a box as he was continuing to feel the effects of Covid-19 but hopes to return to the dugout at Burton this weekend.

“Saturday, I was watching it, it wasn’t good enough,” he admitted. “We never fought, we never ran, we never did the hard yards, never did the other side of the game.

“It doesn’t matter what type of footballer you are, you have to put the work in and I don’t think we ran hard enough on Saturday. We just relied on us maybe creating something or us trying to do something ability-wise.

“But ability-wise doesn’t always win you games, you’ve got to put the hard work in. Like any job, you’ve got to put the hard work in.”

Asked if that was a concern, he said: “I think that’s the worst we’ve played, that 45 minutes [in the first half], I think that was the worst we’ve played all season. The lads know.

“I’ve never labelled them that since I’ve been here, they’ve always given us everything they’ve had but I just thought Saturday’s first half wasn’t good enough.”

Town have had a lengthy injury list which is finally beginning to shorten. After it was suggested his message to fans is ‘judge me when all of these players come back’, he responded: “No, it’s up to other people to judge. I just try and pick the team and try and get the best out of the guys and try and get them to win games. That’s what’s in my mind, what my focus is.

“The guys hopefully give you everything they can and apart from the first half on Saturday, they were fine.”

Lambert was asked about Emyr Huws, who has started the last two league games, which were separated by 25 days, and said: “Like everybody else was off the boil on Saturday. He’s got to hit the heights where he’s got to try and get into that mode where he’s got to go out week in, week out and I think that’s important for Emyr. I think that’s really important for his career.”

Photo: Matchday Images

Smithy added 12:40 - Jan 15 and then Saturday will be the worst of the season, and the following game the worst of the season and so and so on until you go
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Bramidan added 14:12 - Jan 15 Perhaps you need to consider whether the fault lies with you? Team selection, poor training medical staff leading to the number of injuries we seem to suffer, needlessly passing the ball about whilst moving backwards inviting pressure when the players at your disposal are not proficient enough to play that style of football. An inability to play on the front foot, lack of confidence in our players means they always look for a sideways or back pass. Where does the buck stop?

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Upthetown1970 added 14:13 - Jan 15 Let's see how many keep their shirts then Paul. Remember you saying that if you play well you keep the shirt if you dont then someone else will get a chance. Let's see how honest you are.
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therein61 added 17:55 - Jan 15 Who's fault was that then? you are killing the club i love with negativity you and your inept so called coaches should just get on your bikes.
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WonTheCupin78 added 21:41 - Jan 15 I can think of worse 45 mins this season, last season and the season before. We were poor but we've been poor a lot.
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RobsonWark added 22:58 - Jan 15 Paul Lamberts comments “Saturday, I was watching it, it wasn't good enough,” he admitted. “We never fought, we never ran, we never did the hard yards, never did the other side of the game." Summed up Chambers well there. Like we've been saying for the past 3 or 4 years!!
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RobsonWark added 23:00 - Jan 15 Upthetown1970 added 14:13 - Jan 15 "Let's see how many keep their shirts then Paul. Remember you saying that if you play well you keep the shirt if you dont then someone else will get a chance. Let's see how honest you are." Doesn't matter how crap Chambers players (and he keeps getting worse every week) - he will STILL keep the shirt!!
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PortmanTerrorist added 12:48 - Jan 16 The "keeping the shirt" line was always going to come back and bite PL. Chambers will start today, even after the debacle of last Sat, and that might be right but it undermines the philosophy and belief in the leadership. I think there is something up with our Captain as he can be accused of many things but lacking fight....not before. Nor did he get into the other players...and yet again the younger lads are getting no guidance from the senior pros. We have quality but we are dysfunctional from top to bottom. 4 nil away win today no doubt! lol

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