Manager Mick McCarthy says striker Frank Nouble has thrived in the three-man strike force he has employed in recent games. The 22-year-old, signed from Wolves for a bargain £25,000 a year ago, has started six of Town’s last seven games.

Fans have been impressed with the former Chelsea and West Ham man''s workrate, which McCarthy is delighted to hear: “He has to do that, that’s expected every week, then if you can play well with the ball, that’s a bonus.

“I think he’s thrived in playing the way we’ve played, Big Frank. He’s not had a lot of football. He’s been one of those lads, I think people have seen something in him, taken him [on loan] and then thought ‘Hmm, maybe not’ and sent him back. He’s had more loans than Wonga, but he’s settled down now.

“I wanted to sign him at Wolves. We talked about him and when I left TC signed him and I think they’ve got a good bond between them and TC certainly gets the best out of him on the training ground.

“And he’s improving. He’s a young fella, he’s only a young man. You see this young, powerful athletic fella and expect [too much of him], he looks beyond his years, but he’s just a young fella learning his trade and he’s now getting worked and coached and nurtured and is playing in a team and is feeling better.

“It’s only a few weeks ago I chewed his ears off, it’s not that long ago he nearly didn’t play for having a face on because he wasn’t in the team.”

He says Nouble, who has scored twice so far this season, has needed regular first team football: “You can coach them all you like but they have to play and they pick it up.

“I remember some of the most valuable lessons I learned weren’t somebody talking to me on the coaching ground, it was when it happened to me on the pitch and afterwards you’ve asked and they’ve said 'This is what you needed to do, that was what you needed to do', and you don’t let it happen again.

“Should I have got across the man? Should I have gone in behind? What’s my movement? I think you pick it up from playing. You’ve got to play.

"Jack Marriott will be a better player for playing down at Woking. I’m glad Frank’s being appreciated because he does work hard.”

Photo: Action Images

MichaelRockyLavelle added 19:18 - Jan 9 I think people are being overly negative about Frank, he's on the pitch to put the defense under pressure and time and again has made them make errors. He's got a decent finish one on one but I do agree that he needs to make much more use of his height and improve his composure on the ball. But quit moaning guys, he does a job for the team, albeit not the scoring one!

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tractorboyz82 added 19:27 - Jan 9 Mick sees a players defending ability and work rate only before anything else look at all the players he's signed jet has ability and goals if we hadn't have had him we'd all want mick to go in for that player at Bristol City scoring all them goals in jan window as for Anderson he couldn't beat an egg let alone go past his man
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neillrumsey added 19:28 - Jan 9 Sorry but I wanted him to be a success but sadly he has no first touch cant win headers and cant score goals. To compare him to JET is insulting the latter who has great touch, great awareness, lethal shoy but is very very lazy. Frank close the door on your way out...
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tractorboyz82 added 19:46 - Jan 9 I was not a jet fan but he has more ability in his little toe than Anderson and nouble put together would have loved to see jet mcgoldrick murphy as the front three teams just double up on mcgoldrick and leave nouble and murphy to do as they please what ever anyone says we are very predictable tactics wise would love to see us have a right go against QPR but sadly I think we'll be defending a nil nil from the off

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