‘He’ll be great for us’ - Lambert backs new boy Norwood to score vital goals

The Blues had 10 stalemates in Lambert's 32 games in charge last season, a failure to turn some good performances into points meaning a Championship survival mission never gained any momentum.

Norwood finished 2018/19 as English football's 32-goal joint leading scorer, alongside Manchester City's Sergio Aguero, firing Tranmere Rovers to a second successive promotion in League Two.

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The 28-year-old turned down Championship interest to sign a three-year deal at Portman Road on a Bosman free transfer.

Ipswich Town new boy James Norwood (right) scored 32 goals for promoted League Two side Tranmere Rovers last season. Photo: PA (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

"I'd watched him at Tranmere before the season finished and he did really well in the game," said Lambert. "I thought 'the lad is definitely a goal threat'.

"I thought his movement in the penalty box was really good and he got on the end of things well.

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"The good thing about him is he looks like he can score different types of goals. He's a different type to what we have.

Ipswich Town players pictured as they return to pre-season training and gearing up for League One. Picture: ROSS HALLS (Image: Archant)

"I think he's played a hell of a lot of games over the last three years, over 150, so he never really misses games.

"He's experienced and he's clever. If he does what he does last year then we've got a really good player on our hands.

"Listen, if you score 32 goals, in any division, that's something. I think he'll be great for us."

Looking back on last year's relegation, Lambert said: "We played so well and dominated a lot of games without getting our rewards.

"We had some great chances to put games to bed, but that never materialised. There's no blame attached to anybody there. That's football.

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"Anxiety creeps in. Young guys maybe don't know how to handle the occasion and certain situations.

"It was what it was. We move on. We'll now give everything we can to get out of this league."

Lambert's men travel to Germany on Thursday before starting their pre-season games with a match against SC Paderborn 07 at Delbruck on Saturday.