Lambert Proud Of Our Courage

Paul Lambert has hailed the courage of the team tonight after we dramatically, albeit not convincingly, saw off Swindon in the cup and denied Paolo Di Canio the chance to envisage shagging Madonna, or Maradona, it was one of them?

Speaking to the Official Site after our 3-2 win and progression to the quarter finals, Lambert said of the performance:

'We were really comfortable and then all of a sudden we became complacent for some reason and that gives the crowd a lift. I thought it was our doing because at two nil we were doing ever so well. They get the goal and then they hit us again. Then the crowd go up another notch, but I thought the team were brilliant to get the result and finish the game off after Swindon gave it a go. I thought Gabby's goal was world class, and Christian's last one was fantastic, the first one was great too.'

Listening to a few who attended tonight, no doubt greater details from all tomorrow, Swindon were in control BUT we were allowing them the possession in areas where they couldn't damage us and we punished them, as some would say, against the run of play, but ultimately we took the chances when they came along...isn't that something we've been crying out for lately?

From what I could tell going off the official site's coverage, Swindon were more than worthy of drawing level as well, but key for me tonight is, we then dug in, and then Gabby wasted a chance, Weimann then hit the post, and then Benteke got the winner. The team responded after sitting back.

Cup ties are tricky, very few teams 'rule' lower league opposition but tonight we did everything we needed to to get the win. Yes questions can be asked on why we took our foot off the gas at 2-0 and didn't try and kill them off completely, but when push came to shove, the foot went back on the gas and where most fans probably expected us to crumble, we forged on, had 3 more good chances, and converted the one that counts...the one that puts us and not Swindon into the next round.

We did our job tonight, it might not have been pretty or comfortable, but the job got done. Some fans don't give the team credit for their performances so far this season because the result didn't go for us, some fans tonight are focusing on the performance despite the fact the result went for us...pick your position peeps, can't have your cake and eat it can you.

Our performance was enough tonight, not fantastic, not brilliant and it wasn't a Newcastle nor a Norwich, it was enough for the team we faced.

Enjoy that and focus on the confidence boost Benteke, Gabby and the team will have gotten from the result, and then hope we take that into Sunderland game and make our former Messiah's (he's not the Messiah, he's just a naughty boy!) start to the season even worse.

Swindon Forum Thread - not a pretty sight between about 76 and 85 minutes :-)

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