Ipswich Town assistant manager Stuart Taylor heaped praise on Armando Dobra and Jordan Roberts following the Blues’ come-from-behind victory over Tottenham Hotspur’s Under 21s tonight.
The hosts went a goal behind after Armando Shashoua put the visitors ahead, but Dobra and Roberts combined twice, with the latter converting two crosses from the former to turn the game around and secure three points in the EFL Trophy opener.
Albania Under 19 international Dobra was the star of the show, creating chances and causing trouble throughout, with Taylor impressed with the teenager's showing.
"He came up with us for training last season and the manager's taken him away to Germany in pre-season where, without a shadow of a doubt, he grabbed it with two hands," Taylor said.
"He was very impressive during pre-season, which is why he was in and around it at the start of the season. He was excellent.
MORE: Stu says: Five observations following Ipswich Town's 2-1 win against Tottenham U21s in EFL Trophy
"He's come in and got the respect of the dressing room without a doubt and has shown he's more than capable of playing in a first-team environment.
"He's bubbly, lively and full of energy. He's certainly a confident boy and you need that certain amount of arrogance to come on and play the way he plays and go about things the way he does. He's a great kid with a great attitude."
When asked if Dobra has a chance of pushing for a place in manager Paul Lambert's League One side, Taylor said: "He's in contention with everyone else but you have to look at the quality of the forwards and the wide players at this club because everyone is fighting to get a chance.
"The manager has spoken before about squad rotation and he's part of that rotation like everyone else."
MORE: Ipswich Town 2-1 Tottenham U21: Roberts strikes twice as Dobra impresses in Blues' EFL Trophy win
On Roberts, who opened his account for Ipswich in this game, Taylor said: "Jordan puts in so much effort and work that he always finds himself in a position to get chances. He had a few in the first-half and he was stretching for those but he took his goals really, really well, especially the second.
"A massive amount of credit goes to Dobs (Armando Dobra) for showing the desire to make those chances and be creative and it's great for Jordan to get those two goals.
"Jordan can come on and go and be a threat up top. He gives us a different dimension and he's showed that."
The victory was Town's fourth in succession in all competitions, with Taylor pleased with the manner in which it was achieved.
"It was really good," Taylor said. "Tottenham looked to go and play, they're one of the top academies so it was a great exercise for us to go and play our younger players and also to go and play lads that are coming back from injury, like Nolo [Jon Nolan] and Emyr Huws and to get Willo [keeper Will Norris] to go and get game time as well.
"It was a fantastic exercise, we got what we wanted out of it, which was to give them game time, get the young kids game time and for Tyreece [Simpson] to come off the bench and show what he's got.
"It's a great opportunity for us to give credit to the academy and bring up the players from the academy. They're good enough, that's why they're playing and it was a great opportunity for us to do it, it was a great exercise and it was also great to go and get the win."
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