Assistant boss Terry Connor believes there's plenty more to come from striker Frank Nouble, who he says has improved his all-round game during his year with the Blues. The 22-year-old was signed from Wolves for a bargain £25,000 in January 2013, Connor having taken him to Molineux during his brief spell as boss.

Nouble is one of a number of frontmen manager Mick McCarthy and Connor could turn to during 16-goal top scorer David McGoldrick’s 10-week absence with a torn knee ligament.

“Frank’s definitely improved,” Connor said, speaking prior to McGoldrick suffering his injury. “He’s improved his all-round game I think when the lads like you it shows you’re doing something in the group.

“We just want Frank to continue the way that he’s going, learning about himself, learning about the game of football and being an effective player when he plays.”

The Blues assistant believes Nouble, who has scored five goals in 19 starts and 28 sub appearances for Town and signed a contract until 2015 earlier in the season, didn’t get the best grounding in the game as a young player.

Having been with Chelsea's academy, the Londoner moved on to West Ham, who sent him on short loan spells at West Brom, Swindon, Barnsley (twice), Swansea, Charlton and Gillingham prior to his permanent move to Wolves in the summer of 2012.

“I think there’s a lot of potential still to come," Connor added. "I think probably in the early part of his career perhaps Frank wasn’t coached effectively.

“I think people saw a big, strong boy and he needs to understand how to play centre forward, how to play in a forward position. And I think he’s understanding that a little bit better now as he gets older.”

In addition to Nouble and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, who played 63 minutes for the U21s as they were defeated 2-0 by Charlton last night, another of the strikers who could get his chance in the weeks to come is Paul Taylor, who has enjoyed only fleeting appearances in the first team since returning from almost a year out with a foot injury.

“We want him out on the training pitch, training consistently well and contributing in games,” Connor said of the £1.5 million signing from Peterborough.

“There’s a pool of strikers there now and in many respects it’s every man for himself. If you want to play, you’ve got to do more than the other four.

“And, if you do that on a consistent basis, the way the gaffer works, he’ll put them in the team.

“One week you’ll be missing one, like Paul Taylor was missing through his tooth, or there’ll be an injury to Sylvan or one or two of the other players. We’ve got a pool of them and it’s up to us to use the wisely and get the best of them.”

The Town assistant boss says the lack of goals from midfield this season - six in total - hasn’t been a particular worry while the strikers and defenders have been netting more than their fair share.

“As long as you’re winning games, it’s a concern but not a great one," the 51-year-old former striker continued.

“If there were no goals going in [from elsewhere] and there were no goals coming from that central area we’d be looking at that as even more of a worry, but the team has got its identity and David McGoldrick and Daryl Murphy have carried the brunt of the attacking play and we’ve had defenders who have chipped in with goals as well.

“As long as we’re winning games and we’re producing performances which are good, the midfield players are making their contribution as well.”

Photo: Action Images

Seasider added 16:34 - Feb 18 Worry that TC is bigging him up to take over from DM,especially as it was him that took Frank to Wolves and not MM.I don't think that you can make a silk purse out of a sows ear Terry. Like most on here feel that Paul Taylor is a more natural replacement than Nouble ,and his off the field antics shouldn't proclude him from at least being given a chance on the pitch,which hasn't been the case up til now.Mick comes over a bit old school when some of the characters in his days as a player liked a drink to say the least.I wouldn't think he would want a team full of teetotallers who go to church every Sunday,if the colourful language language he uses is anything to go by. Jay Tabb is a very nice bloke I am sure,and I know he likes classical music;but its on the pitch that counts,and it would help the entertainment value if the Manager doesn't tell the players how tough the opposition are,and set his teams up to negate them whoever they are especially at home ie Blackpool etc.Give their defence something to worry about for a change! Having said all that expect will 'Park the Bus' on Saturday against Leicester.

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bluey123 added 16:46 - Feb 18 You lot should except he is USELESS just ask all the club he has played for then they don't know as much as Connor or some of you
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Tractamatt added 17:03 - Feb 18 When we get absolutely spanked at Leicester on Saturday then we will see. Some activity in the loan market and I believe the wait might be to cover the play offs incase Didz isn't fit by then ( like that dreams still alive)I like Frank he gives his all but we need the finished article now and that's not him.
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jas0999 added 17:08 - Feb 18 To be fair, for £25k Nouble was worth a punt. However, despite his optimism and effort, he simply isn't good enough. To think we may play a front two of Murphy and Nouble really is worrying. Nouble has scored just once, whilst although Murphys goal scoring record has improved, he is still very inconsistent. Both are triers and I like that. But moving forward, both are not really good enough if we want to challenge for he play offs. Without McGoldrick, our strike force is very average!

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Keaneish added 18:19 - Feb 18 My feeling is this, no... What we should do now is this.... Bring back Hewitt, Bring Back Marriott, Start Taylor and start Ebanks-blake... Go for broke. Attack. Attack. Attack. Nobody will turn on you for trying to win games of football...
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Letchworth_Blue added 18:40 - Feb 18 Agreed Keaneish. Those of you who say to keep the faith with Nouble for his development, that is what the U21's are for, not the Championship. If he was showing promise then sure keep at it, but he is absolutely embarrassing, and with others Taylor, Marriott, SEB as yet untested, they should definitely get the nod over him.
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blueboy1981 added 18:58 - Feb 18 ..... there is certainly much room for improvement in Frank Nouble's game - however, to be fair even the very best of strikers would struggle in our team, whether we play one, two. or three up front the service to these players has been, and is, virtually NON EXISTANT. I personally cannot see our style of play changing - it's MM/TC's way, whether we like it or not. SIMPLE - defend the 'point' from the kick off. Oh Well ........... we pays our money and takes our choice - looks like many are starting to do just that ............ and next season beckons !!!!

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blueboy1981 added 19:00 - Feb 18 Good point Keanish - what have we to lose ??
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blueboy1981 added 19:02 - Feb 18 .... forgot, we could lose that point we start with - but then we may gain Three, yes, Three ...... !!!
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Letchworth_Blue added 19:08 - Feb 18 So come on then Rabbit, what's your point, other than down-voting everyone?
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Letchworth_Blue added 19:15 - Feb 18 How did that get a downvote blueboy?
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blueboy1981 added 19:24 - Feb 18 ..... just a slip of the finger - I'll blame the age factor !
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IvorFeeling added 19:32 - Feb 18 Move, hold the ball up, link up play, create space and score. FFS if Frank doen't get it now he never will.
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jimsanders added 19:49 - Feb 18 WTF is wrong with the majority of you on here! it was for comments on here that made shayne quit the club he was a good friend of mine and it angers me to see the same sh*t on here! it doesn't matter how good or bad OUR player is, a true fan should give OUR players confidence and the backing they need to progress.
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Letchworth_Blue added 20:22 - Feb 18 So your only a true fan if you follow blindly and don't have an opinion you can share. Brilliant.
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Elizabeth added 20:39 - Feb 18 Give the lad a chance .. Too many negative comments on here as usual.
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ldg21foot added 20:43 - Feb 18 Give him time and I think he'll turn into another Dalian Atkinson type of player
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blue_moon09 added 20:56 - Feb 18 opinions on this site don't mean nothing, idiots post negative rubbish on here every day, There all probably on half term this week, Muppet's keeping slagging our own players off it's disgrace
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william121 added 21:03 - Feb 18 Right, I couldn't give a s**t about the hate this May get. However frank he is only 22 ?? He has a whole carrer ahead of him... It takes strikers time to get a run of form together right look at mcgoldrick, look at his statistics before Coventry, there pritty crap let's be honest and he is only 26 ye ? And back then he would of been around franks current age, so give frank time he scored some pritty good goals last season against crystal place when he chased everything down and got 2 that night ? He needs to be more consistent that's what he needs to improve on in my opinion. And I don't see any of you guys doing a better job than frank does now .... But I totally agree with Gingerblues it is a blessing in my opinion # rant # rant over

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thebeat added 21:09 - Feb 18 So are we supposed to lie and say he's the best thing since sliced bread. Ive been going to Portman Road for 28 years, seen lots of players come and go, am i supposed to say they were all brilliant? People are entitled to their opinions, this boy doesnt have an ounce of natural abilitybin him, i dont like to see my club wasting valuable resources on somebody who anybody with 2 good eyes can see is just not good enough and never will be. You cant teach instinct, natural ability or a footballing brain,all of which Frank doesnt have, i dont doubt Franks effort but efforts not enough and you cant expect paying fans to be positive for the sake of it.

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Langdon_Blue added 21:40 - Feb 18 Best of luck to you Frank....keep learning your trade under TC. Every time you pull on a Town shirt it means you have been selected to do a job by the manager and you will have the support of our fans because that is what Ipswich is about...it's a 'proper' club.
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thebeat added 21:50 - Feb 18 Langdon Blue i always support every player that pulls on that shirt but it doesnt mean i agree with them playing. He clearly isnt learning anything, not improved one jot in 13 months, Mick took a punt probably cus TC persuaded him to, it hasnt worked, Taylor is a far better player but gets overlooked for him all the time and its just wrong. Gloss over it all you like but if you put lipstick on a pig its still a pig. No amount of time spent at this club will make Nouble into a championship level player no matter how much some fans want it to happen deep down having watched him you all know im right,you cant make a career out of chasing keepers down for scraps.

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Dozzells_Bobblehat added 21:54 - Feb 18 Ormey - in his prime Heskey was a great striker, I remember him giving a fantastic performance at PR in GB's reign, and try reading some articles or autobiographies of players that played alongside him, he was very highly rated by them. Also think there is a clear indication in TC's comments that Taylor isn't producing in training, or maybe it's just me reading it that way.

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DerryfromBury added 22:29 - Feb 18 Keaneish. Spot On.... Dropping to 9th this evening, what have we got to loose.
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Warkys_Tash added 23:45 - Feb 18 @thebeat & most of the posts on here. I despise booing any a Town player. However, most of the observations of Big Frank are true & the dry wit has tickled me pink. Athlete yes, footballer no. I played schoolboy football with better strikers that never made Pro.
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