‘I can’t see past a Stoke win with our defending’
PAUL LAMBERT HAS A TOUGH JOB ON HIS HANDS AT PORTMAN ROAD, BUT HE HAS THE EXPERIENCE TO TURN THINGS AROUND, INSISTS STUART WATSON OF THE IPSWICH STAR.
What have you made of Paul Lambert’s impact during his first few games in charge Stuart? Paul has galvanised people on and off the pitch with his positive rhetoric He’s replaced the fear factor under previous boss Paul Hurst with a fun factor The players are expressing themselves more and the fans are enjoying the matches. There’s only one problem – they haven’t backed up some improved performances with a win yet.
What have been the major changes he has made to the line up and style? A lot of what we’re seeing is what Hurst preached but never really came to pass. There’s a desire to play through the thirds, full-backs push on and the forwards are expected to press high.
Does he have any realistic chance of turning things round, or are you already fearing the worst? Well, history shows that teams very rarely survive from this sort of position There was a real belief in the early weeks of Lambert’s reign that it would turn, but last week’s 3-2 home defeat to Bristol City – a game in which Ipswich twice led but somehow conspired to lose – felt like a major body blow.
The performances are muchimproved, but the fear is that Lambert is getting the absolute maximum out of a squad made up of inexperienced youngsters and players recruited from the lower leagues.
To stand any chance, the gap to safety can’t be too big come January. Lambert can then, hopefully, sign a few experienced players.
Top-half form is needed from here on in. Right now, it’s hard to see a team that’s won once all season suddenly stringing four or five victories together in quick succession.
How have the fans taken to the former Norwich manager? The Norwich City past was quickly forgotten. I think Ipswich fans realised that beggars can’t be choosers and that he was the best of the experienced bunch within the club’s reach. His name was sung from the stands from day one.
Paul has played the PR game superbly. He met with club legends such as John Wark, George Burley and Terry Butcher, invited fans to the training ground to discuss how the atmosphere can be improved at Portman Road and has attended a couple of supporters’ meetings.
If he were to stay on, I think it would make relegation that little bit more palatable.
There would be a sense he could lead the regeneration of the club, just as he did when taking Norwich City from League One to a mid-table finish in the Premier League. opposition or whether the game is home or away. It’ll be 4-3-3. They’ll give it a go because grinding out draws is not enough.