Centre-half Cameron Burgess admitted that last night’s 1-0 Carabao Cup defeat to Colchester United was a frustrating one to take but felt it was a game the Blues hadn’t deserved to lose.

Luke Hannant’s 29th-minute goal from a Rekeem Harper error saw the League Two U’s to victory with Town unable to take a hatful of chances.

“It was a frustrating one,” Burgess said. “I think you can see that, the fans that were here, we didn’t really deserve to lose the game and the stats show exactly that.

“It’s a frustrating one to take but all we can do is move on and look forward to Saturday.”

Have the players rallied around Harper following his mistake, a pass across his own area between Burgess and Greg Leigh which Hannant gleefully seized upon.

“Yes, it’s a mistake and we’re all part of it, it’s going to happen throughout the season, not just to Rekeem but to other boys,” the 26-year-old said. “That’s football, sometimes football slaps you in the face and that’s what’s happened tonight.

“You’re going to concede goals, obviously it’s not nice to see that you can concede one shot on target and it’s a goal.

“But that’s happened since I’ve been here on a number of occasions, so we have to take it on the chin and put things right at the other end and put the ball in the back of the net.

“It’s a squad game and we have to take it on the chin, the whole night, the disappointment, and use it to fuel Saturday.”

The former Australia U23 international was the only player to start last night who had been in the XI which began the 2-1 win at Forest Green on Saturday, but he says the changes weren’t a reason for the defeat.

“No, there are no excuses, it’s one of those things,” he said. “Like I said, football slaps you in the face.

“I was in that situation where I’ve not played for a number of games last season and ended up coming in and I think the intensity that we train at day-in, day-out takes that out of the equation - we’re all ready to play, everyone wants to play, so there’s no fatigue or anything like that, everyone’s ready to go.

“We’ve have had a tough pre-season and we’re all ready for it, so there’s no excuse on that front.”

Town wanted a run in the competition to give the players on the fringes a chance of regular football.

“Definitely, but we’ve got other competitions to play in, we’ve got the league, we’ve got plenty of games to play this season,” he continued. “We have to dust ourselves down and go again, that’s all we can do.”
Reflecting on the Blues’ start to the League One season, the home draw with Bolton before the victory at Forest Green, Burgess is happy enough.

“I think so, we’ve got another opportunity to go again on Saturday and hopefully we can put three points on the board again,” he said.

“But I think it’s been a positive start so far in the league, so long may that continue.”

The Aberdeen-born centre-half was a surprise inclusion at the Bolt New Lawn on Saturday, coming into the team for Luke Woolfenden, who was out ill.

“I think we’ve all got to step in and be ready when the time comes,” he added. ‘Obviously, I’m prepared to play at every opportunity so I’m never surprised on that front, I’m always ready to go and I need to get as many minutes as I can personally and help the lads where I can, and that’s the same for everybody in the squad, everyone’s ready to go.

“I think everyone’s in the same boat. I see myself as being able to play in this team week-in, week-out and all I can do is do my best on the training ground and take my opportunity when it comes on the pitch.”

Can Town be challengers this year having ended in mid-table in all three of their previous League One campaigns? “I think so. I think we’re quietly confident. If we implement our style and play the way we know we can for the most part, we can do well this season and that’s the aim, there’s no shying away from that, we have to do well.

“With the squad we’ve got with the training and the hard work we’ve put in, there’s no shying away from that. We’ve got to get it right on the pitch and do things well.”

Quizzed on manager Kieran McKenna wanting to add a more experienced centre-half, 35-year-old Richard Keogh’s signing on a one-year deal having subsequently been confirmed this morning, Burgess said: “Obviously that’s their decision, I think we all pitch in with our input. I don’t think it’s ever a bad thing to have experience in the room, that’s for sure.

“I think that’s something that everyone can bounce off if that’s the case. I don’t know the plans, it’s not something that I have to concern myself with, but if that is the case then we’ll welcome it and I’m sure it will be a good thing for the group.”

While Keogh has come in, young centre-half Elkan Baggott has gone out on loan to GIllingham and fellow central defender Corrie Ndaba is set to join him with Kilmarnock, Fleetwood and Burton all keen. Burgess has been impressed with the pair.

“They’ve got bright futures in the game, that’s for sure,” the former Accrington man said. “They’ve put up a good challenge in pre-season and last season as well with Elkan being here and playing really well and made phenomenal strides to improve.

“Long may that continue for them and as long as they’re here under this management and these coaches, then they’ll continue to do that, I’ve no doubt about that.”

Looking ahead to Saturday and the visit of Liam Manning’s MK Dons, with whom the Blues drew twice last season, 2-2 at Portman Road and 0-0 at Stadium MK, Burgess said: “Similar sort of style of play to us, that can see us cancel each other out at times, I suppose.

“It’s on us to show we’re probably a better team that we were last year. I think we all in the building believe that, that’s for sure, and it’s a good chance to go and show that to the fans and everybody outside that we are a better team and we’re ready to make that one step better this season.”

"What’s better about the team? “Just building on what we had. We’ve had a good pre-season together, new players are in the building, that belief and just knowing that our way of playing and the players that we’ve got in the building and things like that are definitely going to work.

“It’s just implementing it now and just putting the last pieces of the puzzle together and making it three points on a Saturday.”

Photo: Matchday Images

martin587 added 12:03 - Aug 10 No excuses we should have won.Enough said.
6

abandon_hope1978 added 12:20 - Aug 10 Once again a very frustrating and disappointing performance which we should have won comfortably. Also, can everyone stop saying that we are better off out of this cup and be so dismissive of it. This cup is an opportunity to get a few wins under our belt to try and re-build a winning mentality which we have been lacking for a very long time. A few wins breeds confidence which we really need.

7

irishtim added 12:56 - Aug 10 Just Leave it and move on. League for me is No1.
0

Bluearmy_81 added 13:14 - Aug 10 Doesn't matter, we did lose. Completely unacceptable. Better to say nothing
7

featherhead added 14:14 - Aug 10 Ipswich 80-81 season Ipswich play 66 games that season. They played in the old first division, league cup, the FA cup and UEFA cup. They finished second in the league, reached the semi final of the FA cup and won the UEFA cup. They played a total of 66 competitive games. Paul Cooper, Terry Butcher, Russel Osman, Arnold Muhren, John Wark, Alan Brazil, Eric Gates and Paul Mariner played in over 58 games each, that season. Mick Mills and Frans Thijssen over 50 games each. Russel Osman played in all 66 games !!! So 8 out of 11 players featuring in over 88% of games. In addition, some factors worked against the players back then. Whilst the football was no heavier at kick off compared to todays ball, if it was damp/ wet weather , the football then became significantly heavier during the game. The state of some pitches looked like ploughed fields. It was hard going. Not the powder puff state of todays game. Explain to me why we can not have at least 8 of our first team squad, playing most competitive games ? that includes the EFL and FA cups. Our current team might then stand some chance of playing with the telepathic , mesmerising manner that Sir Bobbys teams did. They played a very similar backbone to the team , week after week after week, regardless of the importance of the match. It's not rocket science, oh and please buy an actual goal scoring forward.

14

norfolkbluey added 14:40 - Aug 10 I concur with you 'featherhead', I saw most games during that period, and you could tell they all knew each other so well on and off the pitch. Their team spirit was incredible, and stamina was unquestionable. Week in, week out the same team and if there was an absence, we knew it was a bad injury. Bobby found strikers from all over the country that suited his style of play, and it was very rare for us not to score. Of course, there were some disappointments but usually against worthy opponents. We have many players now who are just too content to draw a decent salary and that's a sad fact. Keep the same team and if there's a weakness don't chop the team about wholesale!!

10

Edmundo added 15:02 - Aug 10 "You're going to concede goals, obviously." Incorrect mindset a defender. There are some who need to think hard about whether they really want to succeed here at the Club.
3

Suffolkboy added 15:03 - Aug 10 It's a new season and KM and MA have determined the way forward , implemented plans and coaching ,put in a demanding pre- season and so have built a fresh platform to go forward . KM's tactics and strategy with the team ,and individuals will have moved on too ; patience and good humoured attention to detail will surely continue ,BUT there'll be a more steely and demanding set of standards . It'll be interesting to watch what comes about ! COYB

2

runningout added 15:05 - Aug 10 League maybe priority but we have been throwing away games like that for a very very long time. We know we need some sh*thouses up front. Are we being stubborn and reckon it will fall into place
0

ButchersBrokenNose added 15:23 - Aug 10 Once again, I question the decision to get rid of Norwood. Even if he had been relegated to last night's second XI, he would've got a goal.
0

OldClactonBlue added 16:25 - Aug 10 Goals can always be conceded. Whilst we don't want to be making mistakes and gifting a goal by far and away the biggest concern is that we could not score even one against a fourth division side that concede to almost everyone in that league. We simply have to find a way to score more goals, and quickly.
4

SickParrot added 19:11 - Aug 10 At the moment we're dominating possession without creating many really good scoring opportunities and wasting most of the good chances that we do create. We're also gifting the opposition a goal a game. This is obviously not a recipe for success. These problems must be sorted very quickly if we're to mount a promotion challenge. It is also now essential that we win on Saturday to retain the faith of all the fans.

1

billys_boots added 20:24 - Aug 10 Featherhead agreed in part. However our inability to rest tired and injured players in 80-81, due to very small squad size was probably the reason we didn't win the treble. And also the reason why most of the great players from the 70s/80s hobble around as a result of constant use of painkillers during their career. From what I saw yesterday, Colchester wanted it more.

2

hyperbrit added 20:42 - Aug 10 ...if you lose you deserve to lose obviously....sick of hearing that loudsr excuse!!
0

hyperbrit added 20:44 - Aug 10 "lousy" sorry
0

Karlosfandangal added 06:59 - Aug 11 Featherhead You missed out the fact that they were at times playing 3 times a week and sometimes they were all away game. And in them days if you were 17 and good enough you were in the side now we have to send them out on loan for 4 seasons then be told they are youngsters and not ready for more than 2 games a month
0

Karlosfandangal added 07:05 - Aug 11 Featherhead John Wark said My debut was in the quarter-final of the FA Cup against the Leeds team of Giles and Bremner. He [Robson] said, 'I wouldn't put you in the team if I didn't think you were good enough'. He was a father figure as well because I was homesick. If it hadn't been for the boss I would have been straight back to Glasgow."[19]
0

Ipswich1977 added 15:53 - Aug 11 Never seen anything like it before! So very, very one sided and still lost! Ruines the rest of the week things like this!
0

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls