Ipswich Town boss Paul Lambert did not mince his words following this afternoon’s 1-0 defeat at League One side Accrington Stanley in the FA Cup third round.
Billy Kee headed home the only goal of the game from close-range in the 76th minute after Town gave away a poor free-kick which they didn’t defend.
It means the Blues have exited the competition at the first hurdle for the ninth successive season, have gone 13 games without a victory in the tournament and been dumped out by lower league sides on four occasions during that dismal run.
And this was a real wake-up call to anyone who thinks Town, who are 10 points adrift of safety at the foot of the Championship table, would find life in the third-tier easy given the hosts were full value for their win.
“Sometimes you have to play football with desire and we never had that,” fumed Lambert. “I think we turned up thinking it was going to be easy.
“There was nothing really in the game but we gave too many fouls away and balls into the box and, as I’ve said before, we’re not the biggest of teams and should defend better. We gave too many crazy fouls away which puts pressure on everybody.
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“Second-half was mostly us and we should have scored but you can’t keep making the errors.”
He continued: “What it does show me is that this club needs rebuilding. The players are not good enough and without doubt some will go – you have to have that level.
“I know exactly what will happen here. I know what it means, who lets it down and who doesn’t.
“The game will never wait for anybody and you have to step up to the plate. Hopefully one or two guys will come in and help us.”
Lambert, who made seven changes to his team following the 3-2 home loss to Millwall on Tuesday, said the FA Cup was a competition he wanted to do well in.
“Anybody who knows me knows I was really successfully as a footballer and I know what it means to win things and play in big games,” he said.
“Any competition we play in we play to try and win. It’s not right because we had an unbelievable support (1,224 away fans) and to go out again...
“This club should never be in the state it’s in.
MORE: Match report - Accrington Stanley 1 Ipswich Town 0
“I certainly won’t put up with some of the things (I’ve seen) and it’s not good enough for this club.
“That’s the reality of it. I won’t hide behind any rocks or smoking jackets, we have to be stronger and be more nasty with it.
“It’s my job to get players in here to help us with it but it can’t be an influx because of the way it’s happened. We will try and get one or two in who know what this football is all about.”
Asked if told his players some home truths today, the Blues boss said: “I always tell them the truth in the dressing room. Maybe I protect them a bit (in the press) but I always tell them the truth.”
He continued: “It’s an absolute disgrace what’s happened here and it should never have happened. It’s too big a club for this to happen but it does if you take your eye off the ball.
“I’m not going to stand here and say it’s a bed of roses because we have to get the club out of the situation it’s in. That’s the reality of it.
“All of the niceties go out the window.”
Asked if he regretted making seven changes to his team, Lambert said: “No, not really. Trevoh’s (Chalobah) not recovered from the knock he got against Millwall and Luke (Chambers) had a bit of a calf problem.
“Bart (Bialkowski) was always going to play and, while Myles (Kenlock) has done great for us I had to have a look at Callum (Elder). I think Will Keane is going to be a really good player for us and I thought (Andre) Dozzell did well for us in the middle of the pitch.
“We let ourselves down in both boxes.”
Flynn Downes was subbed at half-time after escaping with a booking for a hefty push on Sam Finley midway through the opening period.
Asked if the teenager was fortunate not to see red, Lambert said: “When you raise your hands you give the referee a decision to make. I had to watch that he didn’t get a red card.”
Lambert replaced lone striker Kayden Jackson with new signing Keane in the 66th minute and didnlt throw on a second striker in Ellis Harrison until the closing stages. Asked if he had considered doing that earlier he replied: “We did it at the end but then it becomes a long ball game and I don’t want to be that kind of team. We had chances to score, not just with two up top, in the second half.”
On the push to land more recruits this month he said: “We’re trying to do a couple and hopefully they will come at the start of the week. We’ll see.
“If I can I need half a dozen players who know the football that this Championship needs.”
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