Boss Paul Lambert believes one win could kickstart a Town return to the early season form which saw them top League One and has no doubt that the squad will bounce back from their current run.

The Blues, beaten 5-3 at Lincoln yesterday, won eight of their first 11 League One matches in an unbeaten start which saw them to the top of the table, then following their first two defeats of the campaign won twice more.

However, since that last league victory, at Rochdale on November 5th, Town have gone seven league games without a win, while in all competitions they have failed to win any of their last 10 over 90 minutes. Yesterday's loss to the Imps saw them drop to fourth in the table.

In a lengthy post-match press conference at Sincil Bank after the players and staff had talked for around an hour in the dressing room, Lambert was asked whether one win might kickstart his team’s faltering season.

“It definitely could,” he said. “We have to get back to that feeling where they’re just playing with the freedom of the first 15 games where they were blitzing everything in sight.

“They were great, no problem, nothing’s changed for us, for the staff or anything. But as a group, as a team, we have to come out of the traps again.”

Is intensity the difference between the first 15 games and later performances, Lambert was asked, having previously spoken about graft, fight and desire. Is it as simple as that, wanting it a bit more?

“Absolutely, 100 per cent,” he added. “We had a good chat in there - ‘Tell me what you think’. A lot of things were said, which is really good, and hopefully they stop the [downturn].

“And the thing is that they’re well in the mix. It’s not as if we’re sitting 18th or 19th, they sit in a really good position.

“OK, we’re disappointed we’ve not won in some games, but you don’t capitulate, you do something about it and the great thing is there’s so much time to do something about it.”

Lambert says the squad were demanding more of one another in their post-match meeting and that everyone at the club is hurting due to the situation.

“Absolutely, everybody is,” he added. “The staff, people who work at the training ground, the kit men, physios, the girls that clean the dressing rooms, everybody that works at the football club. Everybody hurts.

“And we want everybody to be part of something. If we can get success we’re part of it because without these people the club doesn’t go on.

“It’s the same with the supporters. We want everybody to be together and to go through it.

“Part and parcel of losing in any competition is that you have to accept that that’s going to happen at times, but you’ve also got a great opportunity to really kick on again.”

Looking ahead to the New Year's Day trip to leaders Wycombe, a game which is live on Sky, he added: “We’ll go there, we’ve had a good chat and if they perform the way they’re speaking then hopefully we’ll get a different outcome.”

Asked whether one of the more frustrating things at Lincoln was that twice his team had equalised and had got on top before letting the Imps take charge once again, he said: “I think we only started when we lost the first goal and then we started to look good, started to get in good positions, started to pick up a lot of balls and at 1-1 at half-time I thought maybe [was fair].

“Then when the second goal goes in if gives them a little bit of a lift. Then we get the equaliser then and then I think it can go either way from there.

“And then the third goal we should have done better with the throw-in. A simple thing like a throw-in can cost you at certain times.

“When it was 4-3 I thought maybe something might happen. We tried to push everybody forward and then we got caught which can happen.”

Is a lack of self-belief behind why his team isn’t taking things on in those circumstances? “There shouldn’t be that because you never win anything in December or any time like that, you never do it.

“Normally you think the edginess would come in in March, April, May time. But that should never happen this time.”

Reflecting further on the disparity between the early run of form and the current winless streak, he added: “It’s something we have to get back to, we have to get back to that.

"In saying that, we have to concentrate on what we’ve done well because you can’t go away from what you’ve done good because the first 15 games were relentless, so you can’t go away from what you were doing good.

“If you keep going negative, negative, negative it’s just going to eat away at you and then you become so down. So we have to concentrate on the other good things.”

He admits he’s not known a situation where such positive form has slipped so dramatically at the previous clubs he has managed.

“No, but I’ve had some horrendous runs that you never come out of,” he recalled.

“But other teams I’ve had have always bounced back. These will bounce back, I’ve got no doubt these will bounce back.”

Photo: TWTD

Dolphinblue added 11:33 - Dec 30 Keep going boys u can do it! Coyb
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runningout added 11:59 - Dec 30 Win would be nice :-)
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 12:14 - Dec 30 We're not the only team that is faltering: Peterboro', Pompey, and Wycombe have all had bad results recently. If we can regain some consistency, we're still in with a chance. But the early season euphoria definitely needs to be replaced with a bit of realism. We are not the stand-out team in the league. We are about on a par with about 10 others, any combination of which could end up in the playoffs.

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blueboy1981 added 12:14 - Dec 30 The only way you'll get that win PL is simple :- 1. Stop the stupid rotation theory, you're in League 1, not the Champions League ! 2. Only send out players who are prepared to play for the Shirt, be focussed on winning at 90 minutes, and be less concerned about messing their hairdo up, or receiving a broken finger nail during the game. Far too many of such on show at Lincoln, that was the main difference between the teams ! 3. Stop playing players radically out of position - no such thing as a player who can play anywhere effectively. 4. Start turning some of your many words into action, and decide post haste whether you are staying, or not, after deciding if you are up to the job, or of course not.

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Len_Brennan added 12:17 - Dec 30 "I've had some horrendous runs that you never come out of" he recalled. - Well that's encouraging.
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BettyBlue added 12:22 - Dec 30 Won't win again with Lambert in charge.
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martin587 added 12:28 - Dec 30 Well make sure it starts this Wednesday then Paul.
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ThaiBlue added 13:05 - Dec 30 Really!
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cat added 13:05 - Dec 30 Yeah agree and come on Lambo. I'd personally like to see him deliver promotion for no other reasons than 1/ his off field good work 2/ he's trying to make us play the proper way. Win tomorrow and it's game on.
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Saxonblue74 added 13:23 - Dec 30 Would just be good to see a bit of fight and passion, regardless of results. As for a return to early season form, there wasn't any! Somehow the results were there, the form certainly wasn't.
3

tractorboybig added 14:36 - Dec 30 Paul.. there is one downer to this....the one person not capable of kick starting us is YOU
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ITFCsince73 added 14:52 - Dec 30 With Wycombe falling away as I predicted, nearly as fast as us. And the fact they have lost the last 3 games. A defeat tomorrow for us, will leave serious issues to resolve. A situation we wont recover from. Not with current management and captaincy anyway. Already shown many times, in Chambos case over a number of years, theres a lot missing. And when the going gets tough....the tough disappear. Last year the captain blamed family issues. What's been the problem this season?? Individual, and team performances, surely cant get much worse.... Currently sit in our worst position since the world was black and white. The captain continues to be adored by many....very odd indeed.

5

tractorboybig added 15:02 - Dec 30 cat ???????????????????? play the proper WAY????????????????? you mean two shots on target per 4 games is the proper way
0

cat added 15:41 - Dec 30 tractorboybig - yeah trying to play football with the ball on the deck. Your stats (although correct) are not relevant when it comes down to style and system Lambert employes. BTW I'm always a bit suspect when a poster bigs himself up, point to prove big boy????????? (Lol) 😂
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dirtydingusmagee added 15:56 - Dec 30 we are NOT playing tomorrow, we are playing JAN 1st ,Wednesday, unless ive missed summat . More pain i suspect,sorry. Hope im wrong.
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ChrisFelix added 15:57 - Dec 30 Start with the defence, ensuring we dont concede. Score on a break away Puzzled as to why he picks Norris unless dosnt rate Holy & hopes to buy the former
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Woodbridgian added 16:53 - Dec 30 Talk is cheap its now all about delivery ,lets review the sitaution at 5pm on wednesday
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tractorboybig added 16:56 - Dec 30 cat if you think the rubbish we play is football you are blind or stupid
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Westy added 17:10 - Dec 30 Only if you stick with a settled team Paul.
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thundercat added 17:24 - Dec 30 What is lacking is speed of legs and thought and commitment, to much side to back passing with some players treating the ball as if it is red hot. Surely they must know that you can't just walk the ball into the net, why are the so frightened of taking chances.
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cat added 18:22 - Dec 30 tractorboybig- he's ‘TRYING' there's no denying that, whether your blind, stupid or both.
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ITFCsince73 added 19:15 - Dec 30 Totally agree #cat. It must be difficult, near on impossible to play the way he wants. He tries to get the team to play the right way. Over the past few games, he's had the likes of Skuse, Edwards and others who can't play the game he wants to play. I personally have no issues with Lambo. But have big issues with some playing staff. To many players not good enough, past there sell by date, to play the style he wants. Of course when the team crosses the white line, Lambo,s hands are then tied. Although he still kicks and heads his imaginary ball. Just a shame he only has 6 or 7 outfield players currently fit and good enough.

1

cat added 19:31 - Dec 30 Cheers and agree 73. Reckon it's best to keep the faith whilst we are top 6, falling out of that will be the game changer.
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heathen66 added 21:34 - Dec 30 As long as we do not play 5 at the back and two holding CMs as we did for the home game just to stop Akinfenwa then we may get something. We seem to be too worried what the opposition can do rather than play to our strengths. Play 4-4-2 with OUR keeper No holding mids, and wide midfielders that will attack like Garbutt, Dobra, Edwards, El Mizuni. Holy Donacien, Wolfenden, Wilson, Kenlock Edwards, Huws, Downes, Garbutt Jackson, Norwood

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Linkboy13 added 21:58 - Dec 30 Can't see where the next win is coming from the other night i dreamt we won a corner. Soon we will be saying we can still make the play offs.
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