‘People forget he’s come from League Two... There’s a lot more to come’ – Lambert assesses Norwood’s start to life with Ipswich

James Norwood has scored ten goals for Town this season. Picture: ROSS HALLS (Image: Archant)

That's according to Blues boss Paul Lambert ahead of the striker's return to former club Tranmere Rovers tomorrow.

Norwood has scored 10 goals in 22 starts and four substitute appearances since Ipswich beat off heavy competition to land the 29-year-old on a Bosman free transfer in the summer.

That's a very respectable return for someone who has never played regularly at this level before, but the charismatic front man, whose prolific goalscoring fired Tranmere to successive promotions from the National League to the third-tier, has taken to social media in recent weeks to say how he should have netted more.

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"I think he started the season incredibly well then he got his injury which set him back a little bit," said Lambert, Norwood having undergone minor groin surgery in October.

"I think he's had a little dip, up-and-down, since that time and I think the injury certainly hindered him.

"Overall I think he's done well and there's a lot more to come from him."

Lambert continued: "People do forgot he's come from League Two so that jump is big and the jump from Tranmere to Ipswich is big as well because it comes with a different pressure.

James Norwood is active on social media (Image: Archant)

"Sometimes people do take time to adapt so overall he's probably done well with a lot more to come.

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"I think he overthinks his game too much and gets annoyed by things he shouldn't get annoyed by, like maybe scoring more goals that he actually has.

"There are aspects of his game he has to work on to get to the top level but when he's playing and at the top of his game he's a handful."

On Norwood returning to Tranmere, a club where he was adored by supporters, Lambert said: "There's no time for sentimental ties. He'll know he's going back to his old club but he has to forget all of that because it's in the past. The past was great, you respect that, but you can never dwell on it. He has to go there with the mindset of wanting to win."