Please log in or register. Registered visitors get fewer ads.
Lambert: The Way We're Playing is the Most Pleasing Aspect
Sunday, 13th Sep 2020 15:34

Boss Paul Lambert said the way his side are playing was the most pleasing aspect of the Blues’ 2-0 victory over Wigan Athletic on the opening day of their League One campaign. Goals from Teddy Bishop and Gwion Edwards saw Town to the three points.

“I think any win is [pleasing from the first game of the season], but I think the way we’re playing is the most pleasing aspect,” he said. "I think we played some really good football and I’m really happy.

"We might have been three up at half-time. If we’d scored that goal where Freddie had a shot saved, it would have been one of the best team goals we’d scored. But the move was great. The football we’re playing at the minute is really, really good."

Lambert said before the match that the Latics would be tough opposition which may have surprised some fans, given the exodus which has taken place at the in-administration club over the summer.

“I don’t know why, you look at their team and they’ve got some really good players there,” he said. "Joe Garner is a real handful, Lee Evans, who I had at Wolves, is a top player, Gary Roberts has been a top player, they’re decent side.

“I knew it was a dangerous game, I knew it was before it, I always knew it was going to be and it proved to be.”

How important was it to get three points on the board immediately? “If you asked me that last season, the same. We’ve 45 league games to go, it’s a good start, but the football we’re playing at the minute is really, really good. The understanding, the link-up play, the rotation, the movement was really, really good, I’m happy.”

Despite losing Luke Woolfenden to a knock and with Corrie Ndaba also out with a thigh injury, Lambert was pleased to see his backline claim a clean sheet.


“James Wilson got told the other day he would play when Woolfy went out, and like I’ve said, ‘Take your chance’,” he said.

“I thought Wilson was excellent, thought he and Toto Nsiala were first class because they were up against a really dangerous centre forward. Credit to those two.

“I thought Jon Nolan was exceptional, I’m delighted for Bish with getting the goal. Andre Dozzell was getting better and he got man-marked, which is a new thing for him.

“He has to learn how to lose people, which will happen. But it’s a compliment to him that people want to man-mark him. My job is to try and help him shake those types of marker.”

Regarding Woolfenden and Jack Lankester, who also missed out due to injury, he said: “Jack had a bit of concussion on Friday, it was an accident in training and he was concussed a little bit but he’ll be OK, it’s not his back or anything like that, that’s football, that’s what happens. Woolf just tweaked his groin a little bit again, so we couldn’t take the chance.”

Lambert also confirmed that Aaron Drinan was subbed due to a minor injury: “It wasn’t tactical that’s for sure as he was brilliant. He got a little knock or a strain on his thigh. We made the decision to take the lad off, he wanted to continue but I just thought there are too many games. It was never tactical because he was excellent.”

James Norwood came on, knowing he has a battle to win a place in the starting XI: “I think he knows he has a fight on his hands. As soon as you become complacent as a footballer, you lose your edge, so Drinan and Hawkins coming in and with Kayden, although he’s still injured at the minute, there’s a fight there and you have to want to be involved in that fight to stay in the team.

“There are some guys don’t like competition and can’t handle it, but I’m pretty sure he’ll want to have a fight at it.”

Lambert says Norwood will be better for the half: “I’m pretty sure, I don’t think he’s match fit to the level I look for but he came on and did well, he gave it a right, good go. I think he’s still behind, as is Oli Hawkins. That will be a good 45 minutes for him.”

With the season only nine days old already five players have got on the scoresheet, Freddie Sears with two against Bristol Robers in the Carabao Cup, Luke Chambers with the other in that game, Nolan against Arsenal’s U21s and Bishop and Edwards today.

“Really happy with Bish’s goal,” Lambert continued. "A really good footballer, a good move. He was unlucky not to get a second with the one that hit the post and Gwion came on and gave us something as well.

“Emyr came on and gave us something. I was really pleased with the team, really pleased how they played.”

Regarding Edwards, he added: “He did great, I think the team that has been starting games has done really well but we need everybody, we can’t just have 11 guys, we need every guy when they’re asked to play to perform. He came on and got his goal. I think he’s been doing really well in training as well, Gwion, which is really important. Really happy.”

Lambert says he wants to see more goals from Bishop and given the way he plays they ought to be forthcoming: “I think his game dictates that he’s midfielder that can go forward. If Bish can add goals to his game then we’ve got a player.

“I thought Jon Nolan was exceptionally, I really did, I thought he was really, really good.”

Looking ahead to Wednesday’s Carabao Cup tie at home to Fulham, Lambert was asked whether he’d be able to field the same side again.

“Six months off is huge, so we’ll look and see how they are and how they feel,” he reflected. "It’s a great game, it’s a brilliant game, it’s a really good game against a Premier League team. A really tough game but we’ve earned the right to play them, so we’ll go and try and win.

“We two goes at it against Tottenham and West Ham albeit in pre-season and this is a real game. Scott Parker has done great at Fulham. It’s a tough, tough game. I know they lost yesterday [3-0 at home to Arsenal], I watched the game, but they were up against an incredible side. It’s a game where we’ve got nothing to lose.”

Lambert wasn’t sure whether any of his injured players will be able to return on Wednesday: “I don’t know, I’ll wait and see tomorrow and Tuesday, then we’ll decide."


Photo: TWTD



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



backinbeige added 15:45 - Sep 13
Delighted with the points, happy with the result, great day at the office.

...if I had a dictaphone put in front of me I perhaps wouldn't have picked out our style of play as the number one success of the afternoon and I probably wouldn't have described Nsiala after that game as “first class”, but you can only beat what's in front of you and we did.

Dozzell showed great passing and composure, this could be a great season for him. If he sits slightly more forward rather than a defensive screen he'll be able to spray a few more balls around. I also don't think Norwood deserves the pelters he's getting on the forum, his roaming link up play was a better alternative to Drinan who wasn't making the ball stick up top.

Good result, we/they should enjoy the success, then let's move on to the next one.
3

Dolphinblue added 15:52 - Sep 13
Fantastic! Well done Lambert and the players.....Coyb
5

Len_Brennan added 16:00 - Sep 13
The defence was poor & while we could have been 3-0 up at half time, you could just as easily argue that we could have been 1-3 down based on the really good chances Wigan had.
Ward has been a great signing & Dozzell is showing plenty of the ability that marked him out as a special player 3/4 years ago; we need to let him play there, even if he makes the odd mistake while getting back to full fitness & comfortable with those around.
Despite doing alright & what Lambert has to say about him, I don't think Nolan is the right man to complete the midfield three, along with Bishop. It's clear that we need the strength & tackling ability of Downes in there, or we can be bullied & overrun. I would start Huws over Nolan, for what he would bring to the midfield to compliment Dozzell & Bishop, although a motivated Downes would make a massive difference in that formation & play.
9

TimmyH added 16:05 - Sep 13
It looks like Lambert is trying to get us to move the ball around quicker which could be seen today at times and last Saturday, how we'll fair against tougher opposition will be the test (as we know we were dismal against the top 8 last season). Will also be interesting to see how we defend, at times looked a bit fragile today.
2

MonkeyAlan added 16:42 - Sep 13
Nsiala first class? What were you watching Lambert?
9

RobITFC added 17:00 - Sep 13
The game could easily been 3.3 at HT , (Lambert says 3.0 to us ?) , the performance reminded me of the start last season , a decent win but obvious concerns at the back again, on another day and perhaps better opposition we could have lost this game ? Credit to Wigan to putting in a good performance and wish them well with the off the field problems.
4

billlm added 17:07 - Sep 13
A bit fragile at the back but then our best two defenders were out, so not all doom and gloom
5

WhoisJimmyJuan added 17:25 - Sep 13
Dozzel was brilliant today. Whole midfield was good. But it gives me no pleasure to say Chambo and Toto were poor today. We will be punished by better teams if we defend like that going forward. But I'd rather find these things out in a winning performance than a losing one. I just hope Lambo takes note. Also, whilst there's definitely goals in this team, I still wish we had a real fox in the box. But a good start to the season for sure.
0

TractorBoy1935 added 18:48 - Sep 13
Really glad we started the season with a win, some of our passing was outstanding, midfielders making forward runs and our defense keeping opposing players at bay. There were times when Toto would dwell on the ball and make constant back passes and lump ball out of play, but i'll give credit when its due as he did make some vital headed clearances. Overall I do feel we need one or two more bodies to come in to give us more strength, preferably a midfielder that is a set piece specialist and another striker - if Jackson should depart.
Happy to finally end our live Sky TV drought, glad with a great start so lets push on and put a few wins together.

Come On You Blues !!!
1

ipswichdave added 18:51 - Sep 13
Have a look back how we kicked off you idiot, worked on that for months. Lambert clueless and that's polite. Supported. Ipswich since 1969 but what that was today was hard work and very sad.
-8

delias_cheesy_flaps added 19:14 - Sep 13
I see nothing has changed from last season with Lamberts post-match press conferences!
We had some bright moments but our defence looks so dodgy as always.
Second half my pet hate came into play....we were on the edge of their box and we end up passing the ball all the way back to Holly to hoof aimlessly up the pitch.
Nice to get 3 points but we need to do a lot better especially in defence, but we already knew that!
1

Linkboy13 added 21:13 - Sep 13
We haven't got a big dominant centre half the last one being McCauley. And even with Downes in the team the midfield is too lightweight people seem to have forgotten last season's failings.
0

afcfee added 21:18 - Sep 13
They didn't have a ball in box without being a clear header or spilled chance
0

afcfee added 21:20 - Sep 13
Lost every pyshical battle also they started exploiting weakness of Chambers at rb last 20 mins we need to buy a RB if young is never going to be fit.
0

KiwiBlue2 added 06:19 - Sep 14
I think that Wigan were well aware of our issue at right back and appeared to be directing much more play down that side. Fortunately we did not gift anything and it was great to see a 'returning ' striker not get on the score sheet against us as has so often happened in the past......
1

blues1 added 13:03 - Sep 14
There really are some idiots post on here. How can our defence have looked dodgy, when we kept a clean sheet, and without our keeper having to make a single save in the whole 90 minutes? Apart from those 2 headers early in the game, wigan never had a,chance to score. That suggests the defence was pretty sound and never in any trouble. Nsiala played well, anyone saying different is just doing so bcse they have to have something to moan about. And kiwiblue2. We didnt have a problem at rb. Cham wes was excellent. Why cant we all just be happy that weve won, and cut out the need to constantly slag certain players off.
0

afcfee added 15:12 - Sep 14
Blues1 that suggest you didn't even watch the game 🤣 defense was awful in the air and Chambers at rb we are screwed, you'll see (or hear on BBC Suffolk) when we are not facing a makeshift team like Wigan or a team with no strikers like rovers.
0

blues1 added 09:53 - Sep 15
Afcfee . They had 3 chances in the whole game, one of those wasnt even a chance, made by a good bit of play by garner. Defence won everything 8n the air bar those 2 early headers, which was down to them losing their man. If the defence played as badly as you think, how come Holy never had 1 single save to make? Amdchambers played well at rb. Of course we need kvy back, or even donacienJust another fan who has to have something to moan about.
0


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