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Lambert: We Rode Our Luck
Saturday, 31st Oct 2020 18:21

Town boss Paul Lambert admitted his side rode their luck as they defeat Crewe Alexandra 1-0 at Portman Road via Oli Hawkins’s first goal for the club.

The Blues were second best, particularly in the first half, and Lambert said that was partly down to his team underperforming while also giving credit to the Railwaymen.

“Both, we never turned up in the first half,” he said. “We expected things to happen but [they don’t] if you don’t do the basics in football.

“First and foremost you have to work hard and run and fight, they’re the basics, everything else comes after that.

“We rode our luck to go in at half-time 0-0, they were the better team, and Tomas Holy made a great save to keep us at 0-0.

“We never played well in the first half, but there aren’t many times I’ve said that this season.

“I’ve been in the game long enough to know you’ll get things when you don’t deserve it, and when you do deserve it you’ll lose.”

What was his message to his players at half-time? “We don’t have a divine right just to turn up, we have to be bang on the money every week, we can’t turn up being off it, in any game of football.

“It doesn’t matter what game you play, you have to be bang at it, you have to respect the opponent, respect what you’re up against, knowing you’re not going to get it all your own way.

“It’s a blessing in disguise sometimes because you think it’s not going to happen again.”

He added: “I’ve been here nearly two years and there are games when I’ve walked away not believing we’ve lost them and we’ve got nothing.

“You take the three points. I’ve played football a long time, I’ve been a manager a long time and there are times when you’ve been really under the cosh and you win. And there have been times when you’ve been absolutely flying and you lose.

“That’s the secret, don’t get too high when you win and don’t get too low when you lose.”

Lambert was pleased to see summer signing Hawkins get off the mark: “It was a great goal, we took the corner really quick. It was a great ball from Judgey and Oli’s header was great.


“I’m delighted for him because he’s a really good guy and he’s a lot better than a lot of people give him credit for.

“I’m delighted for everybody because it’s really, really tough situation we’re asking these situation, asking these guys, the Crewe guys as well, Saturday-Tuesday, Saturday-Tuesday, that is extremely tough, and you’ve got to go and do it again.

Lambert also had praise for Kayden Jackson, who made his first appearance after his positive Covid-19 test as a sub.

“I thought he did well when he came on in the last half hour, made an impact,” he said. “We’ve two young kids at the back [Luke Woolfenden and Mark McGuinness], Toto [Nsiala] and James [Wilson] have done great, but the way the situation at the minute is at the minute, we need everybody to perform, all the guys because you’re going to get game after game the way this is going.”

Keeper Holy made one crucial save in the first half and out in a solid display throughout.

“Great, he’s a big lad and he made some good saves there in the second half as well,” Lambert continued.

“Overall view, we rode our luck, we’ll take it but we know we can’t turn up and set a precedent that that’s going to happen for us.

“Ten games gone, we’ve played really good football and it’s more or less one game where we didn’t deserve to get anything.”

The Blues have won all five of their home matches without conceding and Lambert is delighted with all of his defenders.

“The clean sheets have been great, it doesn’t matter who has played, Chambers, Woolfenden, McGuinness, Wilson, Nsiala, Kenlock, Ward, they’ve been really strong,” he said.

“Listen, I’m really happy, I can’t be happier, it’s been really good, really good form, a long, long way to go.”

With prime minister Boris Johnson set to announce another lockdown following his press conference, Lambert wasn’t sure where that leaves Town and football more widely.

However, Johnson confirmed in his address that elite sport would continue during the new restrictions.

“We’ve got to travel unless the PM says otherwise,” he said looking ahead to Tuesday’s game at Sunderland. “You’re asking guys to perform Saturday-Tuesday, that’s not right.”

Is he concerned about the fate of the season? Might it be curtailed? “I really don’t know, like everybody else, if they are going to another national lockdown.

“How can we travel? We hardly get tested here. How do you travel? How do you go to the North East or the North West? Jump in your car and travel? I really don’t know. I think it’s in a really precarious season.”

Asked whether it is difficult to see the season being played to its conclusion if there is a break, he added: “Either that or you’re playing Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday.

“And, do you know what, the way it is, it wouldn’t surprise me if they did something stupid like that - you have to get the season finished so you play Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday… This is crazy, this is absolutely crazy.”

The 10-game mark is often said to be the point when a division starts to take shape and despite being happy with seven wins and one draw from those matches, Lambert isn’t getting carried away with matches continuing to come thick and fast.

“Ten games is nothing,” he said. “We have Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday, then to Crawley in the cup [on the next Tuesday] and then we have a free week because we were meant to play Blackpool and there are a couple of international things. I really don’t know what’s going to happen, but it’s a tough schedule.”

Crewe manager David Artell felt his side were unfortunate having played very well but paid for not taking their opportunities.

“It was a terrific performance from us and we were outstanding at times, but if you don’t put the ball in the net then it can turn into a cruel afternoon and that is how it turned out," he said.

“There were a couple of great chances in the first half and we got ourselves in some great positions and it was just that final decision or execution. Tommy doesn’t need telling that he should have scored. He knows and he has to keep getting into those positions.

“There were loads and loads of those little moments when we just selected the wrong option which has resulted in zero points and zero goals for us.

“That’s the most disappointing thing because it is the first time we have been in League One for a while and have come to another huge club for this league and played them off the park really.

“But putting the ball in the back of the net is the name of the game. The only consolation is that if we play like that every week then we will win more games but we have to take those chances more often.

“That’s football, isn’t it? You sometimes win football matches when you don’t deserve to and lose them when you don’t deserve to and today was one those. The performance is one element of it but we know that we have to put the ball in the net.

“It’s about scoring goals and as much as I can wax lyrical about the performance but we have lost the game.”

He added: "We were flat on Tuesday [as they lost 1-0 at home to Lincoln] but we were much better today and if we had scored three or four goals then I don’t think there would have been many complaints, but we haven’t and we have to pick ourselves up and go again on Tuesday.”


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Daniel72 added 18:29 - Oct 31
I wouldn't knock Lambert.. I think he is sound. We're surrounded with this Planedemic Certificate Of Vaccination 19 rubbish and he is just doing what he can.
0

jayessess added 18:47 - Oct 31
Maybe you could try giving them the "you have to work hard" speech before the match, Paul?
1

Sindre94 added 18:48 - Oct 31
Honest comments, at least. Would like to see us controlling games better; it's dramatic to go from 75 to 45 percent possession at home in a few days. Would like to see an older head in the team on tues.
6

prebbs007 added 18:58 - Oct 31
“We never played well in the first half, but there aren't many times I've said that this season” .....
No you utter numpty. You've lied to us after a lot of games. We haven't been “great” and if you're “really really happy” then you're obviously very easy pleased. We HAVE to be better. You need to get more from “the best squad in the division” and if we don't improve this will be a carbon copy of last season. We need to get the very best out of each individual from players to coaches to manager or we will start to slide.
I really hope you can get it out of them Lambert but I don't believe you're the right man for the job. Please prove me and the majority of our fans wrong ! Good luck.

COYB !
6

multiplescoregasms added 19:11 - Oct 31
Not sure we deserved anything today, but a win when not playing well is always good. I thought Crewe looked very good in that first half, and we were lucky to be level. If we moved the ball like they did we would be very happy fans. Still, a win is a win, but it doesn't change the fact we just don't seem to be a team that has a 2nd or 3rd gear. Sunderland could go just like Doncaster did. I hope I am wrong.
8

OriginalMarkyP added 19:27 - Oct 31
We won. Lambert did what people asked and was honest about the performance. We've not played great in the games after Doncaster. BUT Won 7 out of 10. Not a goal conceded at home in the league. I question the idea that we've got the best squad in the division. When everyone is fit maybe we've got one of the better ones. But they're not. And we haven't. Maybe get off his back. Take back to back wins and hope we get something at Sunderland. I'd take a point.
16

TimmyH added 19:46 - Oct 31
Just wait until the pressure cooker of the 2nd half of the season approaches...all very well scraping results at this stage. At least Lambert has been a bit more honest on this game and hasn't used the word brilliant' once - as it wasn't!
10

BobbyPetta11 added 21:15 - Oct 31
Paul Jewell
0

dominiciawful added 22:29 - Oct 31
Daniel72, what a moron.
-3

Daniel72 added 23:35 - Oct 31
dominiciawful.. be careful.. I have been researching what is lawful and what isn't.. You are welcome to your opinion.
0

FromIpswichToPhoenix added 00:23 - Nov 1
Ooh Daniel72 has been researching on Google. He's earned his MD and knows all about COVID19. I'll let my friend 's wife whose husband is currently in an induced coma with internal blleding know this is rubbish. I'm sure she will agree with you. Maybe the five people I know who have died from this will also agree with you.
0

dominiciawful added 01:02 - Nov 1
News commenters are a different breed.
0

Murphys_Law added 07:45 - Nov 1
Phil @twtd can we get back to including the opposition's manager's comments in this section please? It gives an interesting balance to the view of PL
3

dirtydingusmagee added 08:42 - Nov 1
at least he didnt say the usual ''we were brilliant'' with umpteen really's. Somehow we got 3 points that is good,, but only the D crew will think the way we have played last few games will get us promoted.We need to up our game ,and we need a striker to earn his corn.
3

MonkeyAlan added 09:28 - Nov 1
Let's face it. We have been rubbish all season.
-3

Monkey_Blue added 11:09 - Nov 1
Not many managers win their first 5 home league games in a season and have idiots in their fanbase criticising them. SMH
0

Northstandveteran added 11:21 - Nov 1
MonkeyAlan.

It's not a new thing.

We didn't outplay one single team in the whole of last season.....Or the season before.

-2

brockleyblueboy added 11:54 - Nov 1
We win and people are still not happy. I am really shocked by some of the comments. We are joint top and have only lost 2 games. Come on everyone turn those frowns upside down.
0

Linkboy13 added 12:46 - Nov 1
Ninety percent of fans don't care how we win as long as we win. But those of us who have played the game can see the bigger picture and it's not looking good. We do not look good when we are not in possession, Sears, Dozzell, Judge and Bishop are not going to offer much when we are trying to win the ball back. Downes will help when he comes back, but unless we sign one or two players who can get about the pitch and tackle, the better teams will nearly always punish us.
4

Europablue added 12:57 - Nov 1
While I take on the comments of some of the skeptics, and I share some of the concerns, I have to applaud the team for getting the results so far. For sure we rode our luck yesterday, but came away with win. The game against Lincoln was unlucky, that wasn't really a penalty and that game should have been a 0-0 draw.
It definitely feels like we are mentally stronger than last season and we have a number 1 who isn't being undermined and a lot of players are proving their worth this season. It is a bit concerning that we aren't as free scoring as we would like, but we are still the second top scorers in the league. We haven't passed the test against the two best teams that we have come up against this season, but at least for Lincoln the performance deserved a draw. Against Doncaster we deserved what we got. Sunderland will be a real test. A win with a great performance will be lovely, but I'll be happy with a scrappy undeserved win if it means a win against one of the teams fighting at the top of the league.
0

Daniel72 added 14:26 - Nov 1
Sunderland is a big one. IpswichtoPhoenix I am sorry to hear you have known people who have suffered and even died whilst testing positive within 28 days. There's no way to make anything better about that, I'm sorry.
1

BettyBlue added 17:09 - Nov 1
Let's face it. We have been rubbish before and since Lambert arrived.

Peterborough are pursuing the right approach to this league. Young, fit, physcial and direct.

What approach is Lambert trying? Weak as water mid field, isolated striker, no width, and carrying 5 players over 35.
1

dirtydingusmagee added 18:38 - Nov 1
trouble is of those out injured who is likely to remain fit very long ? ....... none of them, we have a team built with issues, we sign players with a history of injury setbacks .Look back at all the players we have had recent years that spend more time in physio than playing . We always hear things will be better when these players return ,but it dosnt happen .
1

Razor added 10:38 - Nov 2
I think we are missing key players which will improve us if and when they return----KVY is an obvious one but he just seems to have disappeared, a fully fit and firing Norwood would obviously help but is that ever going to happen?

With a very young mid field I think Col Skuse (remember him) would be a big help and Flynn Downes would stop the opposition bossing the midfield.

So thats 4 and we are still second in table-----will take that.
0

Linkboy13 added 11:14 - Nov 2
Razor Flynn Downes didn't stop teams bossing midfield last season,he tries to give the impression he's a hard man that's not his game. We need to sign one or two physical midfielders who can get about the pitch this would give Downes more Freedom to express himself and get rid of the fancy dans in midfield, otherwise its another season in division one.
0


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