Tuanzebe: One You Need to Win to Be Fighting For Promotion Wednesday, 13th Dec 2023 09:32 by Kallum Brisset Town defender Axel Tuanzebe admitted the prospect of promotion is in the back of his mind as the Blues went top of the Championship with a 2-1 victory over Watford at Vicarage Road. In addition to leapfrogging Leicester City ahead of their game against Millwall on Wednesday, Town opened up a 10-point gap to third-placed Leeds United after the Whites were beaten 1-0 at Sunderland. The Blues’ record-breaking 16th win of the campaign meant they have reached 50 points before Christmas for the first time in the club’s history, while becoming the first side in the Football League to reach that milestone this season. Tuanzebe says such victories — Town’s fourth in succession and seventh on the road in 2023/24 — are what is required to get to where they want to get to come the end of the season. “It's one of those wins where, if you spread out the season, it's one that you definitely need to win to be fighting for promotion,” he said. “It is on the back of our minds, but we’re focusing game by game. A win’s a win and we're happy with the three points. “It’s easier said than done. We’ve got a strong team who are believing in the journey, we’re enjoying the journey and we’re just taking it game by game. “Everyone’s on board and everyone’s enjoying the mission. We’ve got no bad eggs, we’re a bunch of humble lads that are just giving their best every time they get selected to play for Ipswich.” Once again, though, the Blues had to come from behind. George Hirst’s equaliser and Sam Morsy’s eventual winner came after Yaser Asprilla had given the Hornets the lead after 12 minutes. It was the first time Town had been punished with an error playing from the back, Vaclav Hladky’s poor pass gifting the hosts the opportunity to break the early deadlock. Tuanzebe says mistakes are going to happen, and heaped praise on Hladky, who has been one of the standout goalkeepers in the Championship this season. He said: “I think you’ve seen throughout the season how important and integral Vaz has been for us. He made a mistake, but we’re not going to point fingers and say ‘Vaz this’ and ‘Vaz that’. “We just help each other out and it’s part of being humble, being together and always helping each other out. “Even Vaz knows that our second choice keeper Christian Walton is very good. Vaz is performing at an exceptional level but he knows there’s competition right behind him so he’s got to keep performing. “The manager armed us well before the game, we’d done a lot of extensive prep on Watford. “We respected them and we knew what they had going forward, we just had to deliver our game and perform well.” Tuanzebe was a commanding presence on just his third league start for the Blues following his arrival on a free transfer in September. “I’m just building on the campaign of getting regular football,” the former Manchester United man said. “It’s something that I spoke to the manager about and we tried to create a nice, eased way back into playing football. “I’d been out for quite a while before so it’s not something I can just rush into, you’ve got to be patient with it. We’re all on board and we will agree with the plan and we’re acting on it. “Another 90 in the bank makes me a little bit stronger. My focus is on the next game, recover well and be prepared for Norwich at home.” Asked if he could play back-to-back games, Tuanzebe said: “It’s possible. That’s the demand of a footballer, I need to get to the level where I’m fit enough to be playing back-to-back. “I’m feeling good after this game so I’ll just recover well and be available for selection.” The DR Congo born man says everybody in the squad has been making the most of every opportunity, and highlighted the competition for places, particularly in central defence. He said: “Most definitely because the manager has made the environment feel at home for the lads. Everyone gets along in the group, it’s a good bunch of lads. We’re mates off the pitch as well as on the pitch, and I think that showed today. “We’ve got good players. There’s competition but we don’t take it aggressively in terms of we’re not sinister amongst us. We push each other and that competition will only help excel the team.” Tuanzebe praised his manager, who he had worked with before at Old Trafford, which the defender believes helped him settle into the group quickly. “I’ve obviously had past relationships with the management crew,” the 26-year-old said. “The transition was smooth, they made me feel at home and I’m enjoying playing my football again. “Things are going well, he’s definitely a football man. Even if you see him around the training ground, he’s football. It’s just showing how much he’s dedicated to the sport and dedicated in improving us. “We spent a lot of time on fine little details and I think that’s showing in our performances. He picks and chooses his games, but he’s the manager and what he’s doing right now is working. So you don’t change what’s working and we’re taking on board information and then we’ll be acting to put it into the games.” Town return to Portman Road on Saturday for the hotly-anticipated visit of Norwich City, a fixture Tuanzebe knows the players and supporters alike are looking forward to. “That one will definitely be one we’ll have to show up for the fans,” he said. “It would be my first East Anglian Derby, I’ll be looking forward to it and seeing the atmosphere at a packed out Portman Road. “They’re normally aggressive when you’ve got local derbies, but we’ll try and stick to our game plan and do what we’ve been doing all season — dominating games, dominating possession and creating chances. It’s in our backyard and we would like to do that on Saturday.” He added: “We’re professionals in the field, we can’t let the occasion dictate how we play. We need to play within our strengths and leave that side of it to the fans and let them enjoy it. It’s about getting the three points and moving onto the next one. “For us as players, we know we have to give that extra 110 per cent for the fans. I’m sure that’ll make their weekend.” Tuanzebe was asked whether local lads Harry Clarke and Luke Woolfenden had been telling everybody about the fixture, but stressed that the focus until now has been on preparing for previous matches. “We’ve been taking it game by game so that’s not even been a conversation,” he said. “Now we’ve put this one to bed, come tomorrow in training we will be building up for Norwich. “Again, we’re focusing ourselves and how we prepare for that game. We’re not playing the occasion, we’re playing the game. “It’s another football game, it’s another obstacle in our campaign and we want to quickly mobilise them.”
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