Skipper Luke Chambers says he’s a fully fledged right-back now having picked up his fourth assist of the season as the Blues beat the MK Dons 1-0 at Stadium MK on Saturday.

The 30-year-old, who has primarily been regarded as a centre-half, sent in a 10th minute cross for Brett Pitman, who stooped to nod home what proved to be the winner from close range.

Four assists puts the Blues captain level with Freddie Sears at the top of the Town assists table and joint-eighth in the division as a whole.

Chambers, who has also scored once this season, said: “I think I’ll have to say I’m a right-back now, I’ve had a few assists this season!

“But I’m just doing my job for the team. I’m captain of the football club and it’s a pleasure, so wherever I’m playing on the pitch I’ll do it for the lads and the football club. It’s good.”

Chambers says it was good to get back to winning ways at the weekend as the Blues prepare to go into the busy run of fixtures around Christmas and New Year.

“We look to win every game so it’s a good start for us,” he continued. “We had a disappointing result last week against Middlesbrough, who are in my opinion one of the best teams in the league.

“But I felt we matched them for large periods of the game, if anything in the first half we were better.

“They had two bits of quality which undid us but today we had the quality when we needed it and we’ve come away and won and we’re looking forward to the game on Tuesday, another game we’ll be looking to win away from home.

“We’ve won our last three away games now, which is something that the club hasn’t done for six years. We’ve been trying to improve our away form, and that’s been good so far.

“Our home form hasn’t been great of late, we’ve drawn too many games, so we know we can improve on that.

“We’re just taking each game as it comes and if we perform to the level we know we can and with the way we set up, we’re going to win games.”

He added: “Teams know about us this year, we’re not a surprise package. We’re aiming to be up in the top six at least, so we’ve got to deal with that sort of pressure.

“Our fans have stuck with us from day one, even when we had a sticky couple of months a while ago. I think we’ve come through that and our last few results and form speak for themselves at the moment.”

The former Northampton and Nottingham Forest man is delighted to see a number of players becoming available again after injuries.

“Looking at our squad now, we’ve just had Ryan Fraser come back through the door, David McGoldrick’s out on the pitch again, we’ve got Teddy Bishop to come back, so I think we’re only going to get stronger,” he insisted.

“We’ve just got to keep believing, keep grinding out wins like that and we’ll be up there.”

Chambers says he expects the MK Dons to stay up having been impressed with the way they played at the weekend.

“I hope they stay up because they’ve got some good players, some good attacking threats and the way they play football is pleasing on the eye for their supporters, I’d imagine,” he said.

“But I think when you come up against a team like us whose strike force is pretty ruthless - Brett Pitman’s got on the end of one today, Murph’s always a threat, we’ve got David McGoldrick coming back - perhaps that’s a different test that they’re facing this year because last year they did very, very well.

“But when you step up a division the strikers are that little bit better and you’ve got to make the most of your opportunities with the ball, which I think we did.”

Looking ahead to Tuesday’s visit to Craven Cottage when the Blues have the chance to make it four away league wins in a row for the first time since March and April 2004, he added: “I haven’t seen much of Fulham this year. I know they’ve got rid of their manager so it’s all going to be up in the air a little bit.

“But we know they’re a good team, they’ve got good players, they’ve spent a lot of money on players, so we’ll be going down there buoyed by this win looking to do the same.”

Photo: Action Images

Sir_Bob added 06:23 - Dec 14 As it's panto season, ''Oh no you're not'' But to contradict myself, that's a great effort with the assists though. Start cutting out the left wingers crosses & you may just be able to start calling yourself a RB
4

bedsitfc added 07:24 - Dec 14 After Mk game he was getting on the coach when he see a disabled kid in a wheel chair, he got all the players on the coach to sign his shirt got off bus jumped the barrier to give the shirt to this kid, had photo and chatted to kid and his parents. Chambers you are a classy bloke and a true gent.
29

Dissboyitfc added 08:08 - Dec 14 Chambers is a top guy, sorry just not a top RB, although was a great assist. After the game MM says he is a central defender, everyone knows it including MM, but nothing is done about it. Can you imagine if we reached the top flight? Chambers would struggle... But good bloke and captain, agreed.
10

prebsa added 08:49 - Dec 14 bedsitfc, as lovely as that is something you wouldn't see from many players that dosent make him a good RB. True gent yes, but a true right back, its definitely a no!
3

bedsitfc added 09:09 - Dec 14 My comment was not about being on the pitch. I also agree he can struggle with a tricky winger brightons lualua for instance. This is why I believe we should play 3-4-3 or 3-5-2 jonas and parr as wing backs
3

bedsitfc added 09:11 - Dec 14 We are blessed with 3 very good CB's
1

cornishblu added 09:17 - Dec 14 Frightening that he now thinks this .....anyone watching him knows how vulnerable he is down on that side .....don't look at assists as a measure look how many goals have been scored against us with moves starting from that position ......many times on Saturday he was in the CB position leaving the oppositions left hand side completely free ....are you spouting this drivel to ensure you remain one of MM favourited....selling your soul !!!!

-2

prebbs007 added 09:53 - Dec 14 No you're not !!!!!! End of chat jog on..
-2

Pilgrimblue added 10:09 - Dec 14 he had a better game against MK and should have scored against Borough so I think he's getting there. He's a great captain
4

Vizslaraner added 10:37 - Dec 14 I'm with you Bedsit - pure class and I think he's on a par with Micky Mills and Matt Holland as a great ambassador for this club although not as talented! No, he isn't a right back but plays there and does the very best he can as instructed by MM. The same goes for Tommy Smith playing out of position. It's the same as being asked to do a job at work that is not something we normally do! Give him a break and get behind him and the team. I for one would want him in my team.

3

jert16 added 11:30 - Dec 14 Captain fantastic!
2

carsey added 12:02 - Dec 14 Good bloke, passionate, seems to love the club but NOT a full back. His boss is telling him to play there and he is doing his best but as a club it is detrimental. McCarthy is the problem
0

warktheline added 12:08 - Dec 14 @ Bohslegend, read dissboyitfc, you might start considering the whole picture,instead of the 3 points and league position! More acid test ahead this week, we shall see!
2

afcfee added 13:04 - Dec 14 I can't believe we have people still moaning about MM we have best chance going up since we come down
2

BlueandTruesince82 added 13:09 - Dec 14 He's not a RB he is a make shift RB who I think is getting better there all the time. He's doing a good enough jon to mean that it's not a priority. Top captain. Huge cheers for the triple fist pump. Nice to see the fans waiting for that rather than beating the traffic
3

alfromcol added 13:43 - Dec 14 Top bloke and top Captain but still not a RB!
4

afrodids added 14:16 - Dec 14 let's put this into perspective Chambers is a professional sportsman although his chosen position in Centre back he has now played 100 times at right back he should as professional footballer be able to adapt and play the role after all he wasn't born a centre back, he should be able to play anywhere really.anyway MM will not change and yeah he's not the best RB in the however he's all we've got. Maybe in another 50 games he might have got the hang off it!!

0

ArnieM added 15:17 - Dec 14 Nice try Chambo, and very good support for your manager, who appears blind to the need for an out an out right back. You are clearly a CB and Id prefer you alongside Berra.
1

blueboy1981 added 18:51 - Dec 14 ......... in fairness he is looking better now he is overlapping more - although still weak down that side, and opposition teams will always look to capitalise on that. Acid test will be the next few games, against teams with a bit more about them that what we've played recently. Good professional and Club man - cannot be denied. Another who's life at Portman Road has been made more difficult, and less effective, by having to play out of position - another cannot be denied.

1

bohslegend added 00:31 - Dec 15 Why do I get the sense that Warktheline, Blueboy et al, look forward to opportunities to have their predictions of doom proved right?
0

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls