Boss Mick McCarthy says midfielder Luke Hyam has been “excellent” during his recent spell in the side, but believes he needs to add more attacking endeavour to his game. Former Northgate High School pupil Hyam signed a contract extension until the summer of 2014 earlier in the season.

McCarthy said: “Luke’s been excellent. We’re still trying to get him to be a bit more progressive and forward-thinking with his passing and maybe get a goal. I heard the shout ‘He scores when he plays’ or whatever it was.

“But overall I’ve been delighted with him. I think he and Guirane N’Daw have been a good partnership in there.”

Like his predecessor Paul Jewell McCarthy believes Hyam should be able to play more than just a defensive role in midfield: “Yes, because he’s got the energy, he’s got the legs to get forward, and get back.

“We just need to encourage him, he’s certainly trying to get forward. He’s just a young fella trying to learn his trade. He’s in on merit, he’s been great, I think. He’s been doing well.”

Hyam isn’t the only player who has impressed their boss since he came to the club, he’s pleased with the squad as a whole: “Everyone seems to think I go in and slaughter the lads, that’s very, very rare.

“I had some harsh words after Bristol City because that was the dopiest defeat we’d had in a long time.

“On Tuesday night I told them that we were beaten by a better side. On another day it might have been more but for the way they defended and kept going at their jobs.

“Actually, Aaron Mclean had a good header saved near the end and we still have a good couple of chances ourselves.

“And if the league had started on November 1st , before the game on Tuesday night, we would have been fourth.

“So, that’s how well the players have done. They’ve been terrific. They need to just keep doing the same and let’s believe that we can get the wins that will keep us up.”

The Town boss has often praised the spirit in the camp and says this is helped by regular training matches between the more senior players at the club and the younger members of the squad.

“It adds a bit of spice that, of course it does,” he said. “The ones who are just in the middle that some weeks are in the old and some weeks are in the young, that’s the problem.

“But the young ‘uns spanked them [the other] morning, but they’re about five down in the series, so they needed a win.

“They’re hardly pensioners. They’ve got a bit of savvy. The young ‘uns can be pushing and pushing and pushing and they’re suddenly one down. It demoralises them and they’re pushing again and they’re two down and wondering what’s happened.

“If the older ones, the more mature ones, go one down they just keep playing and find a way back into it.”

Photo: Action Images

RYITFC added 08:53 - Feb 23 It's nice to see a manager actually sticking with him, in the past under Keane and Jewell if we ever had a bad game and changes needed to be made, he would always be the one that missed out. His work rate has been terrific and probably one of the main reasons why were not shipping 3+ goals a game anymore. Do agree with Mick, would be great if he could just add a bit more going forward, although the same could be said about the rest of the midfield.

0

Garv added 09:02 - Feb 23 Drop N'Daw instead. Back to Drury and Hyam.
0

DinnernotTea added 09:05 - Feb 23 “But overall I've been delighted with him. I think he and Guirane N'Daw have been a good partnership in there.” This worries the hell out of me.
0

Wickets added 09:42 - Feb 23 No doubting our midfield have been great defending but very little going foward, Mick can see this as well as we can! I hope his gamble of settling for this way of playing will be enough to keep us up. In fairness to him i think he more or less had to settle for this way of playing after we lost DJ,i'm sure he will play it diffrently next season but for now we will have to hope the gamble pays off! you have to feel a bit sorry for our strikers though, no support and having to work socks off defending from the front. Best of luck today lads.

0

taylor15 added 10:09 - Feb 23 hyam was without doubt the man of the match against watford, playing it simple and getting stuck in. i think n'daw has had a great season with us too, he just had an absolute shocker against watford, because the game was too quick for him, and he tried to do everything first time. as many other ipswich fans would like, i would love to see a playmaker come in the summer - a player that gets you on your feet. come on ipswich, 3 points today! COYB!

0

Keaneish added 10:18 - Feb 23 Ha! Woke up and posted this on the Brown thread, 'I wonder if Mick has seen something else in Hyams game of late and he'll start using him as a box to box midfielder rather than protecting the back four as much and give this responsibly to Brown. I've seen Hyam popping up in good positions in the box or continuing his forward runs when the move looks to be breaking down on the odd occasion so maybe brown is in as a direct replacement for N'daw which id welcome.' Looks like this may be the plan!

0

Chicago_Blue added 10:22 - Feb 23 I'll probably get slated for saying this - but I really do not understand all the fuss about him. So over-rated. Man of the match against Watford?! Were you there?!
0

hollywoodginge added 11:12 - Feb 23 Garv - Drop N'Daw?? For Dri
0

runningout added 11:15 - Feb 23 Agree.. The manager giving him the 'Arm round' poo.. This is where I seem harsh again.. To be a decent professional footballer you need inner motivation, and ability to improve even when you think you've made it.. The likes of the although young Jack Wilshire and Steven Gerrard have it.. a bit of arrogance helps too
0

hollywoodginge added 11:15 - Feb 23 Oops, Drury I mean, N'Daw has been the better of the 2 and is more likely to create than Hyam, Drury doesn't exactly set the world alight either.
0

Karlosfandangal added 11:31 - Feb 23 It goes to show how close this league is if we would be fourth in the league, we have played well since November but still in danger. 4 more wins should see us safe
0

itfc94 added 11:56 - Feb 23 Big Mick Mac and TC at the back then for the oldies? Scowcroft up front I presume?
0

Michael11 added 13:38 - Feb 23 Love Luke Hyam, works so hard for the team and has bags of quality too. If he can turn into the box to box midfielder that Mick suggests he's trying to make him then we have a real player on our books!
0

Keaneish added 13:51 - Feb 23 Agree with you Garv - drop N'daw, he's been poor of late. He looks tired and his distribution is poor. Grateful that he's done a job for us but it's time for a change now we have a solid back four. No doubt his presence has helped steady the back four and he's done a great job for us but we need more and i'd welcome a change to play alongside Hyam. No way in my opinion he's been the better of the two Hollywoodginge. Hyam has been far superior of late and does all the little things that go unnoticed. Maybe unotcied by Chicagoblue by the sounds of it! Drury and Hyam were decent last season. Time to go again.

0

MattinLondon added 13:59 - Feb 23 I really rate him but I think that in order to get the best out of him N'Daw isn't the ideal midfield partner. I think you need someone creative with a good range of passing - hopefully Wordsworth is that player.
0

AdScHi9678 added 14:42 - Feb 23 Completely agree with you Garv and Keaneish.
0

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls