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Lambert: A Brilliant Win
Sunday, 5th May 2019 16:12

Boss Paul Lambert hailed his side’s 3-2 victory over play-offs-bound Leeds as a “brilliant win” of the type the Blues deserved during their spell of 1-1 draws during February and March.

“It’s a brilliant win, it really is a fantastic win, but I think that’s what we’ve deserved in all the draws we’ve had,” Lambert reflected.

“In all those draws we had, even in those draws I thought we deserved to win games and if we’d won at least another six I don’t think anybody would have begrudged us because we were playing that well, we’ve been playing that way.

“It’s only the last three games or so that I thought the wind was taken out of our sails once relegation sunk in.

“But that performance was like pre-Birmingham really, the way we performed. The only difference was that we took our chances.

“Performance-wise and effort and commitment, I can’t ask for any more. There’s been a bit of bad luck in the draws, if we turned the six [1-1] draws in [seven games] into wins, which I thought we deserved to do, against good sides we’d have been out of it.”

When Town got their breaks today they took them clinically, something which wasn’t often the case during the run of draws.

“Which you need,” Lambert added. “Leeds United have been in great form, a really good side, we wish them luck in the play-offs, and not many teams have beaten them.

“We’ve played really well, we got the breaks in the right moments but we played some really good energetic football ourselves and I think we matched them for a lot of the game. They had a good spell in the second half but we always looked dangerous, I thought.”

Lambert was pleased to see Andre Dozzell net only his second goal for the club, his first came on his debut three years ago last month, and his first at Portman Road.

“I don’t know if it’s been tough for him or not, the kid, because he’s not long back from an ACL injury which is an incredible injury,” the Blues boss said when asked if it had been a difficult season for the midfielder, who turned 20 this week.

“He’s missed a lot of football that kid. If there are two players coming in from the right-hand side on their left foot, for me it would have been him or Jack Lankester. They’d either hit the target or score. When I saw him going in on that side I thought it was a great chance for him to score.

“But the move was brilliant. I think Myles Kenlock started it and Cole Skuse played a brilliant first time ball around the corner to Flynn Downes and then we break out and we cut them open and the finish was a world-class finish.

“He’s a big talent, as I’ve always said with Andre, a huge, huge talent and it’s another game for him.”


Lambert was also impressed by Flynn Downes, who netted his first senior goal to give the Blues their first lead: “I thought he was outstanding. He’s not been well during the week, he’s had a sickness bug.

“Teddy Bishop pulled out, I had to change the team this morning because Bishop was sick, so I couldn’t play him, which made me rethink and change personnel, so that threw us a little bit. I think everybody needs a break.

“Flynn was [due to start] but I knew I wasn’t got going to get a full 90 minutes out of him. But I had him in my head to start and Bishop pulled out this morning, so I couldn’t play him.”

Reflecting further on Downes and Dozzell, two of several youngsters who are set to be important players in League One next season, Lambert added: “I think it’s great, I think it’s exciting, they play the game with real quickness, real energy.

“It’s great working with younger ones at certain times. They have a lot to learn, they’ll have a lot of ups and downs in their careers.

“But they’re big talents and some time the talent’s going to come to fruition. I’m looking forward to working with the guys because I think they’re really good players and they’re good guys. It’s more important that they behave right, they do things right and that’s important for me.”

Was he glad to end such a miserable season on a high note? “I think I’ve said before there’s no way this place feels like a relegation club. It’s extraordinary that support we’ve had, right through my time here the support’s been outstanding and I can’t thank them enough for their support.

“It was a proper game, the Leeds United fans made it a great occasion as well. Our support has been outstanding, the season tickets are doing great, I’m led to believe, more season tickets next season than this season.

“We’ve been relegated - more season tickets, which speaks volumes for the support. I think people want to come to the stadium now to watch exciting football.

“I don’t think they want to come and watch and criticise or boo if things are not going their way. The big marker is season tickets, I think that speaks volumes, and hopefully we’ll get more in. It’s important we get the fans in, that’s for sure.”

Lambert says he’s looking forward to next season already: “I love the club, I think it’s brilliant, I don’t like seeing it in the position it’s in, I think there’s a lot of things on and off the pitch everybody wants to be better.

“But you see the support, the support has been absolutely brilliant for us and you wouldn’t think it would be the case we’re getting relegated when the support’s the way it is.

“The season ticket [sales] speak volumes that people want to come back and watch the club. I think they were starting lose fans and I could see why they were starting to lose fans - there was no connection, so I could see how it could happen.

“The great thing is that the younger generation are coming to watch as well. The people that have been here for years and years are wanting to come back.

“I think it’s brilliant, the whole thing is great and I’m looking forward to a break. But I’m mostly looking forward to what’s going to happen next season because it could be really exciting.”

Has he learnt a lot about the squad in recent weeks? “I thought after the Birmingham game there was a lull and I think that’s normal, human nature, because we’d just been relegated.

“Today was how we had been playing in a lot of games without getting the rewards. They’re young, 18 or 19-year-olds in the team, and they’ll be in a better place for it next season, that’s for sure.”

Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa said his side's performance didn't deserve conceding three goals, while he felt they should have scored more themselves.

"At the end of the game you couldn’t think that this opponent could score three goals against us," he said. "It was impossible that we couldn’t score three or four goals.

"It’s not an analysis that I made before the game, it's one I made after the game.

"We conceded three goals, and this is something that is impossible to explain. We also only scored two goals, that is also difficult to justify."

He added: "If you put aside mistakes that were avoidable that we made in this game, apart from these mistakes, the performance of the team was good enough.

"But in both boxes we had actions. In the opponent's box we built offensive play that was difficult not to score and this problem was evident because the chances we had to score were even more than usual.

"But what we are not used to seeing in our team is that out of four actions, they scored three goals and we are also not used to the fact that the opponent, in order to score goals, gets help from our team.

"We have a strong defensive side in our team. We had two centre-backs that have been the best of the Championship, a very good number four in front of Kalvin Phillips, we have a number four who can be a number eight and an eight that can be a number 10.

"So that’s why we had defensive structures linked to the recovery of the ball. If we analysed the defensive behaviour of the teams in the Championship, we have to put the defensive efficiency as one of the strong points of the team.

"The fact the we conceded three is linked to specific actions and we can’t draw conclusions from the team and these players because of these specific actions.

"The reason why we haven’t been directly promoted is we missed many chances and one of the reasons that we finished third and not lower is the quality of our defence, and thanks to the collective effort.

"The negative new thing about this game usually we defend with strength but it was not the case today. For me, I think that’s an exception but I have to admit it."


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MVBlue added 16:14 - May 5
Nice one Paul keep us playing the right way and one day we will be a really good side again.
12

floridaboy added 16:23 - May 5
Absolute agree Mr Lambert. With the right signings over the summer it could be a really good season.

Will be interesting to see who moves on!

Assume it will all come out tomorrow after he has spoken to all the players!
9

northblue added 16:24 - May 5
Great game. The fans took insults from Leeds fans and gave back three fold. Same type of football next season and we'll be back
8

BeattiesBackPocket added 16:32 - May 5
Build on this Evans, build on the positivity even after a disastrous season and gradually getting worse under your tenure, no more “I'm sorry it's my fault” that won't do, time to back a manager not necessarily with millions but a decent wage budget so we're not losing out to smaller clubs than us like we have the past few seasons and having to hope for the best with less than average lower league players and journeymen. We get a decent team and our fans will be back in droves meaning even more money for the coffers. Please not another preseason of losing out to smaller clubs because we won't pay the wages please!
3

leroy2488 added 16:36 - May 5
What an amazing, memorable moment when we scored our third goal.
Will be smiling about that all summer and all the way to Div 1.
A line from Escape to Victory, which could have been written for Quaner today.... 'Fantastisch fantastisch!!'
4

Dolphinblue added 16:46 - May 5
Come on, after that....GET YR SEASON TICKETS, NEXT SEASON IS GONNA BE ONE U DONT WANT TO MISS 😀😀😀😀😀🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗😎😍😘😗
5

Pendejo added 16:49 - May 5
Mr. Lambert I sincerely hope that you are a massive success at Ipswich, you certainly talk the talk in terms of love, please now walk the walk in terms of performance.

Showing the love rather than disdain will earn you some loyalty but we desperately need to go back at first try... but you know this.

There's still a space for you to get a statue.
6

therein61 added 16:58 - May 5
Over to you Paul it will be interesting to read after Monday's meetings with players who's going to be here next season I hope that you have taken notice of Toto's performance today having to do 2 mens work in the middle of the back four!!!
2

BlueySwede added 17:07 - May 5
Anyone understand what Bielsa is on about?
6

warksonwater added 17:41 - May 5
BlueySwede: no, I don't, but nice to read him being so humble and gracious, and congratulating us on a fine and deserved victory. No sour grapes at all!
8

Chris_Knights added 18:25 - May 5
A good win yes.... unfortunately 1 from 5 the whole season.



0

itsonlyme added 19:00 - May 5
Im glad we beat that lot. Don't like them at all. I have no idea what their manager has said. Perhaps he needs an interpreter. Onwards to next season and hopefully PL will get us back up first time, but it won't be easy. Over to you ME.
4

Marinersnose added 19:34 - May 5
Having bought my season ticket I'm hoping that ME will financially back PL in the transfer market. Do not sell our young talent as they will develop and become better players under PL. Downes,Bishop, Dozzell and Lankester are not for sale make that clear and invest in the future. Exciting times ahead if ME buys into it.
4

Cakeman added 20:52 - May 5
BlueySwede, reading between the lines Bielsa was at a loss because he couldn't find our training ground before the match.
2

1psw1ch added 21:54 - May 5
@ cakeman,,you think he would have had his spies out to locate training ground,,,anyway a great win ,,,this time next year we will be celebrateing our promition :)
2

Town4me added 08:32 - May 6
Great way to end the season on a positive note. What is it with Leeds? They must put something in the water up there as it seems like every manager and player that goes there turn in to a bit of a d**khead!
1

jonnysuave added 08:33 - May 6
What is this speaking in tongues?

The Premiership and their gibbering media will be loving that...
0

Bildestoned added 09:19 - May 6
I was there with my youngest son (22) who I don't get to see that often but who, along with his brother have been willingly accompanying me to The Cathedral of Hope for a fair long while now. What an atmosphere that was on Sunday! What a bunch of supporters we are to behave as we have! How we all yearn already for next season! Huge kudos too to Lambert because, and let's not kid ourselves here, this positive atmosphere is very much down to him. Let's see how the coming player sort-out filters down cos we have WAY to many players for a League One squad. It's a shame Quaner has to go. He looks a part of the Club and would I suspect wreak havoc in a lower league. We go again!
2

roytheboy added 10:11 - May 6
The best I have seen from Nsiala he was excellent, I agree it will be a pity to lose Quaner, he had a good game too and he seems very settled at Ipswich now.
1

Razor added 11:58 - May 6
The boss has now healed the club and brought us all together.

Now he has to heal the team but he now has time to do this and no panic buys necessary.

Perhaps one or two young Germans, using his connections, and our very own Pukki would be nice.
0

Ipswichbusiness added 12:15 - May 6
Bielsa's remarks about the defensive side of the game are interesting. We went into the season short there and with late signings which cost us dearly. If we want promotion then we have to be defensively efficient.
0

ITFCsince73 added 08:31 - May 7
I'm afraid it boils down to the same thing.
With the great, almighty Chambo leading the team, there will be no immediate bounce back.
Anyone who thinks different doesn't understand football.
You can not have a captain playing and marshalling the defence who simply can't play football.
A shocking standard footballer, a shocking leader.
A shocking season.
-2

ITFCsince73 added 08:42 - May 7
And it's been one award after another for our great team captain.
As a club we really are odd in the way we do things.
New contract, player of the year awards.
We finished a shambolic, embarrassing season, so far from safety. Because of that final position, which clearly shows, zero leadership, unless this is changed how can anyone in their right mind expect us to all of a sudden become an organised side that plays good football?
Chambo couldn't organise a Merry dance in a brewery and certainly can't play football.

-2


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