Hyam was the glue that kept us as a unit the other night. Snappy tackles ,simple passes,bright and alert for his goal. Do not underestimate the importance of Hyam to the team.

Spot on bluefeast, although I think Drury would still be an improvement on Nigel "whinge at everyone else" Reo-Coker.

Let's hope Andy Drury is up to the challenge.

Bluefeast - Absolutely - everytime LH puts on an Ipswich shirt he does a job for us - keeps it no nonense - and gives it 100% . He is not only a local lad - but he is a very good footballer - having seen him at Youth , Reserve and in first team he always just does a good job without ever going missing
He is key , in the middle for us in the future - jewell let him down
As far as RC goes - get him on the Rosemary Schrager diet - he is so out of condition it is ridiculous - shouldnt be anywhere near the first team - had it all and blew it all Im afraid - offers nothing to us

Bowyer , Bullard ( once he signed) , Reo Coker , Thatcher , etc etc - there are many many more and a common thread with them all

All the above comments are spot on. There is nothing like pulling on the famous shirt of your very own local team and giving 100% all the time. We now need to give Luke the longest and most lucrative deal that we can afford. Make no mistake, this lad is going places and will play at the highest level for a long time. Just hope it is with us!

Hopefully he will be fit. This lad is a major player for us.

Hyam is a good player with plenty of potential to improve.

His energy and entheusiam are exactly whats needed in our engine room. A real team player and would sweat blood for the team.

Hyam is a good player with plenty of potential to improve.

His energy and entheusiam are exactly whats needed in our engine room. A real team player and would sweat blood for the team.

Got a sneaky feeling he'll play on Saturday. Still, keeps the opposition guessing and why not ?

Bluefeast mentions that he was alert for the goal, not just alert but also spot on with his timing. If you watch the mobile phone footage on YouTube from the Cobbold stand you can pause it just as DJ is about to take the penalty. Now, normally when a player follows up you will find that, if you look closely, they have encroached into the area before the ball is played, which would mean the goal could be ruled out.

If you check on Hyam, he doesn't actually step into the area until the moment DJ strikes the ball, there is one of our players on the other side that makes the step early and if it had gone that way then the ref could quite easily have disallowed the goal... That shows he has good discipline and is thinking about it, because go the other way, and be slow off the mark, and the defenders get there first to clear. So much Hyam does is done in the right way and I think this says a lot about him, much like Matt Holland 10 (and a bit) years ago, who I suspect may well be one of Luke's old heroes...

Not the first niggly little injury Luke's picked up this year and it will be a shame if it means he misses out on Saturday. His consolation is he is now playing under a manager who won't choose to bring in another 2 players in his place, who haven't played for 6 months.

Wouldn't mind seeing Emmanuel-Thomas play in the centre of midfield, I know he's being trained to play up front but maybe N'Daw could sit with Emmanuel-Thomas pushed forward a bit and pulling the strings, a bit like the Sandro and Dembele partnership for Spurs, one holding the other setting up play.

We have lacked midfield bite for a long time, but Hyam and N'Daw certainly gave us that Tuesday. I didn't understand why Keane dropped Hyam a couple of years ago, and ditto with Jewell after Hyam did well for us. It's not as though we've been blessed with great midfielders, some have been really poor (unfit Reo-Coken and Wellens being the latest examples) yet still Luke hasn't been selected. Let's give him a long run in the side now and see if he can make it as a regular ITFC player.

I can't help but feel, amidst the fully deserved praise that Hyam is getting, that Guirane N'Daw's contribution and importance is being slightly overlooked. He was immense on Tuesday night and, particularly baring in mind the size of Bolton's team, Saturday might not be a game that Hyam would fare so well in anyway. Would rather have Drury in there than Reo Coker.

(Edmunds5)
I quite like that idea of yours with jet but not sure can trust his attention span just yet! in what is a very fast and furious position on the pitch maybe month or so down line when hopefully MM&TC have got him playing with abit more focus & energy.bolton away not the place to try that one out!!

half fit hyam be better than reo coker any day

We need to get Hyam signed up long term as I'd hate to see him go the way of Trotter and Rhodes. With Jewell we could have lost him but big Mick seems to like what he sees. What about N'Daw too because if he keeps inproving then the scouts will see him and his parent club may want him back. Action needed on both asap.

As the old adage goes, you need someone to carry the piano so others can play it, too many of Jewell's team selections neglected Hyam when he was carrying the piano, keeping possession ticking over, filling in the gaps when players went forward, he does the dirty side of football that is so important (similar to Geraint Williams from Town's past or a Darren Fletcher at Man Utd now)!

You can't build a team round Hyam, he won't win you games but you can allow players to express themselves with him in the side, he makes us a better team just by being there. Its just a shame Jewell couldn't see this, at least MM has realised this pretty quickly.

Hope he's fit, he could quickly become a key player if he can consistently play at the level he did the other night! We should get him signed up on a long term deal and hopefully sign N'Daw permanently too.

Luke is a great asset to the team and must not be left out of the team.I'm sure Big Mick is aware of his skills.as for NRC.a total waste of time,too fat and does not understand the meaning of pass the ball forward,bait like Ray Wilkins.Things are beginning to look good,you can see the change in the team.Just give Mick time.This time next year we will be top of the league.COYB.

Another defeat on saturday for us then

If Drury plays then God help us

Hyam will play sat. So lets stop fretting.

Ben Thatcher's name cropped up there. Of completely forgotten about him! Now THOSE were dark days. He was a total chancer.