Hutchings: Martin Thriving in New Role
Saturday, 10th Mar 2012 08:15

Assistant boss Chris Hutchings says midfielder Lee Martin has taken to his new position behind the main striker like a duck to water. The 25-year-old has been in a rich vein of form lately and was nominated for the Championship Player of the Month award for February, although eventually losing out to Reading keeper Adam Federici.

Hutchings said: “We’ve found that little bit of a role for him and he’s taken to it like a duck to water. He’s got to embrace that. He’s playing with confidence and energy, he’s scoring goals, he’s creating goals and every team needs them. A credit to him for doing that.

“His workrate off the ball is phenomenal. He’s always one of the top workers in our team in terms of distance covered and sprints.

“It’s not always about when you’re on the ball it’s when you’re off the ball as well and how you contribute.”

The former Manchester United man played as an out-and-out winger last season but wasn’t involved during the decent run of form earlier in this campaign.

“Last season we were playing him out wide and he did very well out there,” Hutchings added. “Earlier in the season we were playing a diamond, so it wasn’t really effective to have widemen at that particular time, but he’s come into the side and has done very, very well.

“That’s credit to him but that’s a credit to the team as well. It’s not about individuals, it’s about the team. If the team weren’t performing well, he wouldn’t get the recognition.

“But he’s done well and the challenge to him is to continue with that. People know he’s in good form and they might go man to man on him and try and keep him quiet as he’s a bit of a strength for us, but that’s another development stage in his career.”

Photo: Action Images

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Happy2bBlue added 09:10 - Mar 10

Brilliant, Lee is a really exciting player to watch. With his energy he is so difficult to mark he creates the space for the rest of the team to exploit. I think that that playing in this role he is a key part of the jigsaw and one of the main reasons for our current success. I have to admit I couldn't see this coming, a year ago he looked like one of our worst ever signings!

ernie added 11:41 - Mar 10 Martin in taking-to-his-role-well shock horror...zzz
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NoCanariesAllowed added 12:00 - Mar 10

I think Hutchings makes a very good point about Martin being good off the ball as well as on it.

If there's one thing I often find frustrating about Ipswich these days, it's our lack of movement off the ball and creating passing options, but I think Martin does that very well. I also think he's one of our busiest players on the pitch whenever we lose possession, chasing the man with the ball here, there and everywhere, and often winning it back.

I think few would disagree that despite a very slow start, he's proven to be an excellent signing by Roy Keane. And I don't think there were many of them.

alfromcol added 12:37 - Mar 10 “It's not always about when you're on the ball it's when you're off the ball as well and how you contribute.” I hope someone is telling JET!
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tractorfact added 14:18 - Mar 10 on the bench today kiddo McCarthy, Edwards, Delaney, Smith, Cresswell, Drury, Leadbitter, Emmanuel-Thomas, Murphy, Scotland, Chopra
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