Boss Mick McCarthy says Nigel Reo-Coker’s hamstring injury could give Luke Hyam the chance to show he is worth a regular place in his line-up. The 21-year-old looks likely to replace Reo-Coker, who is out for two or three weeks, when Nottingham Forest visit Portman Road on Tuesday.

McCarthy said: “It gives Luke an opportunity. As one door shuts, it opens up for somebody else. It would appear that [from the reaction when] he came on, he’s club man and he got a good, warm welcome, so it would be good to see him play.

“He has impressed me in the U21s, which is the reason he has been on the bench and he’s been around [the first team].”

The Blues boss says that ideally he’d like to bring some stability to his side, but feels that’s not always possible when a team is struggling: “When things aren’t going well you just keep changing players, ‘I’ll move him, I’ll move him’, but they get no continuity at all, never a chance to play together.

“Nigel Reo-Coker and big Guirane N’Daw have done fine, they’ve done all right in most of the games. I could have changed 11 last week, that’s how ordinary we were.”

He added: “The longer players play together, they get a feel for each other, they know where they are, they get an understanding of each other’s game.

“You try and get that but if you get beat often you can’t keep that continuity, you’ve got to make some changes. But we’ll keep cracking on.”

N’Daw received a cut to the head in the first half against Peterborough which required treatment on several occasions as well as a change of kit, something his manager felt was wholly unnecessary: “That didn’t help, having him coming off the pitch. We went down to 10 men three or four times, for quite a while at one stage.

“The rule is just unbelievable. I see rugby players swathed in blood and they’re grappling with each other. He got a speck of blood on his shorts and he had to come off and have his shorts changed. It’s beyond me.

“It’s a nasty cut, it’s right on his eye line, which was why it was difficult to patch up. I thought he was excellent in his approach to the game.

“At times he can pass it better, but if you get that commitment out of all the players, we’ll be all right.”

McCarthy was impressed with centre-half Tommy Smith - “I was pleased with Tommy, I thought he did well again” — and feels new loan signing Tyrone Barnett, who was unavailable against his parent club, will benefit from the type of balls which were going into Posh’s box in the second half on Saturday: “If we get service like that in to him he’ll thrive on that, that’s for sure.”

After what had been a woeful first period, McCarthy said he had rather simple instructions for his team at the break: “I did ask if it was at all possible that we could pass it to someone in the same colour shirt. I’m deadly serious.

“The passing was that bad. It was nervy, it was awful at times in the first half. In the second it was much better and I was pleased with the response.

“Both teams are languishing in the bottom three, but I thought both tried to pass it and play.

"The more games you win, the further up the league you are, the better it gets. That’s what you have to strive for, and we’ll keep trying.”

Photo: Action Images

MattinLondon added 06:10 - Nov 26 Hopefully Luke can grab his chance. I would like to see a few more of the young players being given a chance as well as its the experienced players who have made the mess which we are in.
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Len_Brennan added 06:17 - Nov 26 Finally it looks like Luke will get a run of games. This is your chance to shine, with a manager who will recognise & reward you for it. Prove right all the fans who have been calling for your inclusion in the first XI for the last 18 months+. We'll support you.
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bluefeast added 06:52 - Nov 26 Over to you Luke ,time to grab the chance ,for in MM you have a manager who wont drop you if you do the business. Good luck lad.
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paulcooperisgod added 06:56 - Nov 26 No pressure then?
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oscarwhiting added 07:19 - Nov 26 Yes please and maybe drury too.
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bluelady added 07:37 - Nov 26 Ndaw got some serious stick sat but can't have been an easy game for him getting injured so early! As for Drury sorry he simply isn't good enough!
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Greybritain added 08:12 - Nov 26 It will be good to let players who are young and actually signed to Town, into the team at the expense of random loanees.
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brian_a_mul added 08:42 - Nov 26 Hyam is impressing and deserves a chance in the first team. Best of luck to him against a very strong Forrest!
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muhrensleftfoot added 09:04 - Nov 26 Good, Hyam has done little wrong whenever he's been called upon. However Reo-Coker has looked very poor to me. Short of pace, poor passing - I can't see what he's added to the side.
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blueherts added 09:12 - Nov 26 I am so pleased for Luke - He was very unlucky under Jewell , when we played our better football with him in the side and then he was left out completely. I may sound a broken record about him but he is the best young Ipswich Player I have seen in a while - seen him in ressies alot afew years back and he stood out then He always looked at home in the side when he played and how he is behind a donkey like Reo Joker is beyond me . NDaw and him good base . Although Saturday was painful to watch at times and we were wasteful when we got in good positions - i believe MM will turn it round Reo Choker getting injured - probably due to being about 18 stone - is a great start

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bluefeast added 09:54 - Nov 26 Saturday was painful. We looked at our absolute worst. I expect a much better performance on Tuesday v Forrest. However not a better result sadly. We will be playing a team with better players than us ,they are full of confidence .Its going to be hard. However if we score first we have a massive chance. COYB
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tcblue added 10:04 - Nov 26 If having these loan players isn't helping, then why not give the younger players a go anyway? By rights they should be more hungry for a chance anyway, and when January comes and the loan spine is ripped out we won't have to field am unfamiliar side. I know it's often said here but really can't see the reasoning behind the large amount of loanees now - they haven't help stop the slump, so we need something more substantial. I don't think the squad is incapable of getting out of relegation trouble without the loan players anyway, so start playing these young players. Then even if we do go down, we've got a scalable foundation of younger, cheaper waged players to form the rebuilding process. Actually wondering - finances aside - if relegation wouldn't be an altogether bad thing.

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Wickets added 13:47 - Nov 26 Hi bluelady i for one am not sure what you have against Drury ok he is never going to set the world alight but nor is Martin, Drury at least gives you energy plays with a high tempo all the time he is on the pitch can challenge and tackle, non of which Martin does with any sort of regularty, Drury is often first to the 2nd ball as you have said in posts yourself its rare for any end product with Martin,if only there was!! and dont forget Drury was playing during our best spell last season.

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UhlenbeekDownTheWing added 14:53 - Nov 26 I have got to agree with Wickets on Drury. What we are missing is someone who has the balls to try and dictate the way a game is played. Too many of our CMs in the recent past have appeared too frightened to try and take the game by the scruff of the neck. Whilst Drury is not a reliable performer, he is the only player we have in the squad who demands the ball - especially off the CBs. It is very frustrating seeing Smith and Higginbotham pass sideways then hit it long, but with Reo-Coker and N'Daw hiding behind the nearest opposition player, they have limited options.

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jas0999 added 15:28 - Nov 26 Luke is a good player and hopefully he will shine - as in fairness he did last year; helping to keep the previous manager in a job. Sadly for him, after one poor performance we didn't see him again. I predicted at the time it may have an adverse effect on his confidence and still believe it did. MM's words here, will hopefully encourage Luke to do well.
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