Please log in or register. Registered visitors get fewer ads.
Lambert Won't Compromise Beliefs
Friday, 15th Jan 2021 12:40

Town boss Paul Lambert says he’s not going to compromise the Blues’ footballing approach as he looks to put the season back on the right track as a number of senior players return from injury, admitting that his side have lost too many games in their absence.

As was the case in 2019/20, Town were quickly out of the blocks and were the early season pace-setters as they won five and drew one of their first six.

However, in a table based on the 13 matches since then they sit 16th and have lost four of their last five at home.

Despite that form, the Blues remain eighth, only a point off Accrington in the final play-off place, eight off Hull City in second and 10 behind leaders Lincoln.

“We’ve lost too many games,” Lambert said. “Hopefully the guys coming back will help us we’ve been really light on a lot of aspects of it, we’ve had too many injuries, far too many.

“But that’s the nature of the game, other guys have to step up and we’ve just lost too many games.

“If there’s a good thing about it, nobody’s running away with it. Everybody’s feeling the same sort of thing. It’s a different type of season than you’re normally going to have because there are no fans and the level of injuries that people are getting.


“But that’s football, as I said before, I never surround myself with negativity. I never surround myself with worrying or anything like that because I know how to handle it and I know how to deal with it.

“The players, we have to get them into a mindset of not worrying what happens on the outside, they just have to concentrate on what happens on the field, so that’s what we try and do with them.”

Quizzed on what he thought the crowd reaction would have been after Saturday’s loss to Swindon, he said: “They wouldn’t have accepted it, but not just that game, there are games where we’ve not performed and when you’re at a big club, you don’t expect to get a round of applause when you lose. That’s normal.

“As I say, I was fortunate enough to play for big clubs, so I know what it’s like and you’ve got to win more than not, that’s the nature of being at a big club in a division where everybody expects you to be out of it.

“It would be different if Ipswich were in the Championship and we were finding our feet again but when it’s in a division where people are expecting you to win, you have to cope with that criticism over it.

“You have to surround yourself and be really mentally strong and see it through because you will come through it and it will certainly make you mentally stronger.”

Many fans see this season going the same way as the last campaign, when Town started strongly before finishing 11th on points per game, and Lambert says that is something that he and the players have talked about.

“We spoke to the lads about that, we did exactly the same last year, got off to a whirlwind start and January time it tailed off,” he reflected.

“The same thing has happened now but the good thing is that nobody has run away with it, everybody’s quite nip and tuck at the minute.

“We’re hoping that the guys coming back from injury are going to give us something as well. As I said before, we’ve had too many injuries. There have been times when we’ve played without a frontline because we’ve not had any strikers. We’ve missed the wide guys, the midfield was decimated.

“But ultimately, you have to work hard. It doesn’t matter who comes in, you have to work hard, you can’t hide behind anything. Do the hard work and the hard yards, then you’ll not go too far wrong.”

Lambert has been steadfast in keeping to the same passing approach utilising 4-3-3/4-2-3-1 systems this season and he has no plans to take a more pragmatic approach in order to get results.

“I learned my lesson about five or six years ago, trying to change systems left, right and centre and it never got me anywhere,” he said.

“I’ll never do that again, I spoke to loads of managers and they asked me why I changed the system and I said I was trying to get a win.

“But [they told me] it just confused people. And they were 100 per cent right, and I’m talking about top managers, they were 100 per cent right and I’ll never make that same mistake again.

“We have our own beliefs on how we want to play and I’ll never make that mistake again of trying to win at all costs where it becomes horrible. Yes, you want to win, but also you’ve got a job to help players become better, so I won’t change.”

He added: “We’re hoping the guys coming back from injury will give us that help. I think it’s important that we get them back fit.”


Photo: Matchday Images



Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.



BildestonBlue added 12:52 - Jan 15
And here is the exact problem, too much ego, to little ability!

5

Guthrum added 12:53 - Jan 15
But can it become a forward-passing system, instead of a backward-passing one, please?
8

itfcjoe added 12:55 - Jan 15
"“I learned my lesson about five or six years ago, trying to change systems left, right and centre and it never got me anywhere,” he said.

“I'll never do that again, I spoke to loads of managers and they asked me why I changed the system and I said I was trying to get a win.

“But [they told me] it just confused people. And they were 100 per cent right, and I'm talking about top managers, they were 100 per cent right and I'll never make that same mistake again."


This must be a joke, how did he learn his lessons 5 years ago when he changed shape and system every game last season. How can Evans not see that this bloke is a fraud?
11

MonkeyAlan added 13:09 - Jan 15
Footballing? We don't get over the half way line. Try doing that Lambert, it may help. Evans you muppet.
3

backwaywhen added 13:15 - Jan 15
Nobody's running away it ..... oh dear Paul Lincoln 10 ahead and that gap will only get bigger , for gods sake man , if your tactically inept (as you are ) then please be honest in your assessment.
Deluded fool .
1

ArnieM added 13:30 - Jan 15
Fine Lambert, play it out from tgff eg ha k but okay it QUICKER, and FORWARDS . ATTACK OPPONENTS BOX !!!
2

ArnieM added 13:31 - Jan 15
...” play it out from the back”.....🙄
0

MickMillsTash added 13:33 - Jan 15
we've lost too many games because the defence leaks too many soft goals and we create too few chances- Not many signs of improvement
There is a hiding coming.
5

aloanagain added 13:40 - Jan 15
The trouble is his beliefs are not working. This is why we need to change them. Be more positive when attacking,get that right then we might just buy into what you are doing. Don't seem to mention that he managed Wolves,Villa,Stoke etc. Wonder why. Support the team.
3

Chrisd added 13:47 - Jan 15
It's not necessarily compromising beliefs, but recognising aspects that aren't working and adjusting accordingly. The fact our passing is so slow and laboured can be seen by all, even the Sky Sports'' commentary team made reference to it and they rarely watch us, that's been a constant problem since he's been here. The fact we don't create much in games and generally lack ideas in the final third is yet another issue, but once again little is done about it. Also, we don't always have to play out from the back either, mix things up and go long at times, it doesn't mean we're a long ball side. I'm just not convinced he knows how to address and rectify these issues which is more the concern, rather than it's actually compromising his principles.
1

Len_Brennan added 14:14 - Jan 15
I'm not saying this as an I told you so, but those of us who were calling for change (a, system/tactics, b, manager) back in October, did so while pointing out what would happen over the following 2+ months if that change wasn't made. It has panned out exactly as was suggested, and not just in terms of results; down to performances, loss of confidence, loss of momentum compared to rivals & as reported, dressing room atmosphere. If anything it's worse than envisaged.
There is no scenario; no transfer business or players coming back from injury, that is going to improve the fundamental malaise that has engulfed the club, while Paul Lambert remains as manager.
6

Len_Brennan added 14:23 - Jan 15
OK, that does read a lot like an 'I told you so'. Apologies.
It was just meant to highlight that both he and his beliefs/footballing approach are not working for the club & it has been obvious for some time.
2

Europablue added 14:42 - Jan 15
There is no worse footballing style than a focus on possession. I'd rather be like Leicester and have a counterattacking style. George Burley had us playing an attacking game. We don't want hoofball, but we don't need tika taka.
3

WhoisJimmyJuan added 15:18 - Jan 15
Well if its all on the players coming back from injury Lambo you are simply going to have to deliver because that is the only excuse you have left. But don't worry, you've played and managed at the highest level and don't feel the pressure.
2

dirtydingusmagee added 15:24 - Jan 15
well there you have it , more of the same then , those poor cardboard cutouts .
2

Scuzzer added 15:50 - Jan 15
We're doomed Capt Mainwaring, doomed!
0

TimmyH added 15:58 - Jan 15
'I never surround myself with negativity'. - no let me do that for you then Paul, you're rubbish as a manager and haven't achieved anything since you left Norwich.
1

therein61 added 16:08 - Jan 15
We win the possession stats every game because the opposition will let us pass to ourselves all game long in our own half!! and when we finally get over the 1/2 way line we lose the ball and then the match on break a ways if these are your beliefs they are not shared by the majority of Town fans Mr Lambert it's time you had a long honest look at yourself dear boy.
5

Lightningboy added 16:37 - Jan 15
Believe me Paul - what you've got us doing is not playing football.

Sir Bobby once said a backward pass is a wasted pass - shame all you're doing is brainwashing the players into knocking it sideways & backwards for most of the match - I could sit there & do that as could most of our fans.

It's without doubt the most boring brand of football i've ever witnessed (and we're not alone,there are many other clubs out there “playing” this way at the moment)...it's dreadful,you need to be thankful there are no fans in Portman Road to tell you what they think.
4

Berts_chin added 17:28 - Jan 15
Lambert claims that he learnt his lesson not to change systems 5 or 6 years ago. All of his managerial success was achieved before then (with Ian Culverhouse as his no. 2).
3

PulhamBlue added 18:05 - Jan 15
Well Paul, perhaps you should worry about a few things. It helps to stop complacency...
1

bbg added 18:22 - Jan 15
Lightning Boy - the fans opinion of Sir Bobby was that he was an idiot, we found out who the idiots were, and I very much doubt he said that;

I remember Brian Clough saying sometimes you need to go back to go forward, every coach knows that when one part of the pitch is crowded, there is space elsewhere and to retain the ball and find the space, sometimes you need to first go back before changing the point of the attack.

Maybe we have lost games because our available players were not good enough. Chambers form has dipped in alarming fashion. He was one of our best players early in the season, he made a schoolboy error for the first goal last week. He is playing like he has an agenda with the manager. If so he needs to quickly snap out of it and do his job.

Dozzell needs to develop a better defensive instinct if he is to have a future in the holding position, though no one can question his football ability. Downes looked eager and ready to make a big contribution as did Norwood.
-2

Swailsey added 18:52 - Jan 15
Lol.
0

brittaniaman added 20:13 - Jan 15
I think that the players play in our own half as Lambert says so, because if they cross the halfway line they will go Offside because all the opposition players will be in our half to try and get the ball
0

BlueySwede added 20:52 - Jan 15
"As I say, I was fortunate enough to play for big clubs" Surely, he hasn´t mentioned this before??
1


You need to login in order to post your comments

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls

About Us Contact Us Terms & Conditions Privacy Cookies Advertising
© TWTD 1995-2024