Ipswich boss Paul Cook: We haven’t learned our lesson

Posted Sunday, August 29, 2021 by PA

Ipswich manager Paul Cook was disappointed his team failed to dominate the game after taking a 2-0 lead against AFC Wimbledon.

Opposite number Mark Robinson, however, had a mixed reaction to the final 2-2 result after Will Nightingale conceded a 52nd-minute penalty which gave Ipswich the lead.

It was a scrambled effort by Dons substitute Jack Rudoni in the fifth minute of stoppage time that helped secure a point for the visitors.

Former Dons striker Joe Pigott’s penalty was followed up by a superb strike from Wes Burns but Wimbledon hit back after 58 minutes through Ben Heneghan and Rudoni snatched a point at the death.

Cook said: “We have to learn from what we have done and unfortunately we haven’t.

“You could feel at 2-0 it was a lovely atmosphere in the stadium, it was jovial and everyone was euphoric but when Wimbledon got the goal you feel the tension come and you also feel the tension in the players’ decision-making.

“The best way to keep the pressure is to keep the ball.

“Again we have scored two goals at home and we haven’t won. We’ve had a lot of chances and a lot of great situations.

“Confidence in football is key…because the reality is our fans want to transmit positive energy and unfortunately if we don’t give them that energy to transmit, that energy will transmit the opposite way and rightly so.”

Robinson said: “I spoke to Will (Nightingale) and he knows he doesn’t need to make contact…and then they score again after that and you give yourself a mountain to climb. I’m very disappointed.

“As soon as we went 2-0 down I think you saw a different side. We started to play with some freedom, move the ball quicker.

“We’ve got to stamp our personality from the word go and I want to see more from us.

“There’s not many true cliches in football but ‘if you don’t concede you can’t lose’ is a true one. We’ve got to get better and play better and be expansive.

“Our detail wasn’t good enough and they’ve got good players and they are going to cause you problems and we’ve got to get our details better.

“It shows you where we are and that we are capable of playing exciting football, but we are a very young group and all growing.”