Blues boss Mick McCarthy says striker Tom Lawrence was playing “brilliantly” before his enforced two-game break and will be looking to quickly get back to that level when he returns to the Town side for Saturday’s home game against Brentford. However, McCarthy believes his side is no longer quite so reliant on the 23-year-old on-loan Leicester man.
Lawrence missed the Leeds and Norwich matches having picked up his 10th booking of the season in the Brighton game but has used his time out to get over an ankle problem which had hampered him since the 3-0 home defeat to Derby when he was subbed at half-time.
"Tom’s just had a bit of a problem with his ankle so he’s had to take care of that, but he’s trained today and he’s looked good,” McCarthy said.
"I’m sure he’s desperate to play. He was playing brilliantly, wasn’t he? He’ll want to get back to that level.”
The Town manager admits the Blues relied too much on Lawrence’s goals prior to his absence but believes his resurgent side, who went through their tough February unbeaten claiming seven points, are now far more than a one-man team.
"His goals were carrying us, there’s no doubt about that because he was the only one scoring,” he reflected.
"But Freddie Sears looks better having had a break from it, he’s come in and I think anybody playing up front with Didzy at the minute would benefit from him because he’s been excellent.”
Meanwhile, McCarthy has reiterated that midfielder Teddy Bishop has to show him he’s worth a place in his side, once the 20-year-old is over a slight injury problem which will keep him out of Saturday’s match.
"He’s just got a bit of a tight groin at the minute, so he’s not available. He may well train on Friday,” he said.
"He’s got to get in the team. I was asked about how players responded that weren’t in the team or were in the team or in the squad.
"I think they’ve all got to ask themselves, everybody that was here, I was asking myself, ‘What am I doing? How can we get results? What have I contributed to the team in terms of creating goals, scoring goals?’. This is everybody before we’ve had this turnaround.
"And Bish is one of those. Has he scored one? Has he created one? Kev Bru, Dougie had [one in the net, which would would have been brilliant, against Norwich which was disallowed]. Tom Lawrence’s goals were carrying us.
"So Bish has got to get in the team, he’s got to get back in it, and it's only him that can do that. I love him as a kid and a player, but he’s got to get in the team.”
McCarthy says another of his strikers, on-loan Reading frontman Dominic Samuel, is having to be patient while he waits to make his Blues debut.
"He’s repairing his broken toe,” the Town boss added. "That’s one of those injuries you can’t rush, it’ll be ready when it’s ready. I think he’ll be out doing some work next week.”