Town boss Paul Lambert has confirmed that midfielder Teddy Bishop will be out for a number of weeks with the ankle injury he suffered against Shrewsbury, while Freddie Sears, who picked up a hamstring problem against Hull on Tuesday, Jon Nolan, Gwion Edwards and James Wilson won't be back to face Charlton at Portman Road on Saturday.

Sears limped off in the first half of the 3-0 defeat to the Tigers and it’s anticipated that the striker will be sidelined for around a fortnight.

“He’s got a strain in his hamstring, which will probably keep him out for a couple of weeks,” Lambert said. “I need to speak to the medical team, I just found out yesterday afternoon. We need to see how Freddie is and hopefully it’s not too bad.”

Asked whether Bishop, Edwards (hamstring) or Nolan (groin) might be back on Saturday or would they stand more of a chance for the Oxford or Plymouth games, Lambert said: “I don’t think those guys will be back, certainly not Bish anyway. Nolo, I’m not so sure, and Gwion’s doing OK. I wouldn’t visualise many of them coming back.”

Regarding Bishop, he added: “It’s funny because I spoke to him the other day, obviously his ankle was really swollen. We were just chatting and he was saying it’s the best he’s felt in five years, which is an incredible thing. He’s doing alright, but he’s going to be out for a number of weeks.

Quizzed on whether Bishop will be back before Christmas, Lambert said: “I’m not sure. It’s going to be a few weeks anyway, I don’t know the longevity of it, but it’s going to be a few weeks.”

Centre-half James Wilson has been out with a knee injury which Lambert says is making progress.

“He’s got a problem with his knee,” he said. “He hurt it in training, it was a slight twist actually, and he’s nicked his cartilage a little bit. I think he’s okay, he’s doing okay, and it’s settling down, but he’s still struggling with it.”

Asked about the impact of the injuries, Lambert said: “Listen, when you look at the whole midfield, it’s virtually wiped out. The only one we’ve got back is Andre [Dozzell, after his three-match ban] and everybody else is out.

“So that in itself — your midfield is your engine room. But the guys have given us everything, they’ve given me absolutely everything in their bodies, and whoever plays tomorrow I’m sure they’ll do the exact same.”

Regarding Dozzell’s return, he added: “As I said before he takes that risky pass. Brett McGavin has done really well in there with it, but Andre is a little bit more advanced than him.

“But Brett has done well. But Andre, as I said before, he takes that risk and I think now he’s starting to perform how people at this football club and area thought he could perform, it’s just taken him a few years to find his feet and now he’s starting to play.”

James Norwood made only his second league start of the season against Hull, is the striker OK to be in the XI again on Saturday? “He was excellent. I’ll see how he is this morning, but I thought his performance was really, really good. Hopefully, he’s okay this morning, but yesterday he felt okay.”

While the likes of Kane Vincent-Young (achilles), Cole Skuse and Flynn Downes (both knee) are still not ready to make their returns and Tristan Nydam (ankle) and Ben Morris (knee) remain long-term absentees, Lambert now has all four of his strikers back with Aaron Drinan having joined Kayden Jackson and Oli Hawkins on the bench on Tuesday.

“Aaron is a wee bit because he’s not done anything,” Lambert said. “Oli’s done little bits and Kayden the same.

“Those three guys, the four of those guys are probably not up to 100 per cent match speed because every one of them has been out at certain times.

“Every one of them was out at the same time not that long ago against Accrington. But they are getting there and it’s a really unprecedented situation because nobody knows.

“Six months out without playing any football is a long time, but the guys are trying everything they can to stay fit.”

Photo: Matchday Images

Portman_Pie added 10:51 - Nov 27 Let me translate - Teddy's likely to be out for 6-9 weeks, and Sears 3 monthsd after we finally realise it requires a minor op.
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Linkboy13 added 11:04 - Nov 27 Our midfield is our weakness even when everybody is fit and Bishop is a big loss. Sears wont be so much of a loss as he is like so many of our players too lightweight. I think bearing in mind with the players we have at our disposal a more route one approach is required in other words 442 or even 433 with Jackson playing wide and Hawkins and Norwood down the middle if fit of course. This would give opposing defenders something to think about for once they have it far too easy when they come to Portman road.

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Carberry added 11:04 - Nov 27 “I need to speak to the medical team, I just found out yesterday afternoon''. What an astonishing admission, is this a professional football club?
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ArnieM added 11:41 - Nov 27 ...and how many of these injuries were sustained in "training"??
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Nobbysnuts added 11:42 - Nov 27 Thank god sears is out... offers nothing. Absolute waste of space....I've never understood how he gets in the team.👊👊👊
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belgablue added 11:58 - Nov 27 Midfield wiped out, true, but please don't play Judge. That is all.
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ArnieM added 12:02 - Nov 27 as Ive said , Lambert can effectively "hide" behind our current injuries. He has a ready made excuse.
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grow_our_own added 12:17 - Nov 27 "they've given me absolutely everything in their bodies" - there's the clue to why there are so many injuries in training. We've seen the squad players aren't good enough to win promotion, so our best chance is to keep the best eleven fit. Training should be within the fixed contraint that these players don't get injured. Ultimately Lambert must carry the can for the failing sports science at the club.

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CokeIsKey added 12:28 - Nov 27 Have the club just given up on KVY?
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Blue_Meanie added 12:31 - Nov 27 When was the last time there was any good news coming out of PR?
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Skip73 added 12:38 - Nov 27 So throwing the FA Cup resting 9 players was a great idea, wasn't it. Fools!!
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multiplescoregasms added 12:42 - Nov 27 More players injured huh? Now there is a shock.
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jonju11 added 12:44 - Nov 27 There is an underlying problem at our Club surrounding injuries. Firstly, how come the Manager is unaware for 2 days after a game just how bad injuries are. Is there any two way communication with the Medics or is it left to the "kitman". I've long thought that the training regime is probably too intense with a lack of "warming down" & time with the physios. Taking our injury list, if this happened at a smaller Club they would soon run out of first team players. This area needs urgent investigation by Evans & with an independent view. Good luck on Saturday lads, chin up the tide WILL turn!!

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MonkeyAlan added 13:19 - Nov 27 Probably won't see Bishop again this season. Never mind they are all a bunch of lightweights anyway.
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Linkboy13 added 13:42 - Nov 27 Cokelskey KVY's injury is dragging on far too long with no date set for his return. As i said about a month ago i can see him having surgery which will probably mean we won't be seeing him this season. When i was playing i had Achilles injuries and was actually treated by ex Ipswich physio Brian Simpson the longest i was out was 3 months, and he told me it was something that would always be a bit of a problem.

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norfolkbluey added 14:10 - Nov 27 That's a loss on Saturday then. Charlton will be sending their team up to us with their plan B unlike PL who will stick to passing it back and forth in the mid field ready to be hassled into mistakes. If this makes it too obvious surely somebody in training could point this out to PL , pleeeeeeese! So many injuries. I am gutted for the team especially losing Edwards and Nolan. COYB

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Northstandveteran added 16:37 - Nov 27 And people posting on here call Evans Scrooge! Bishop must have earned £100k per game he's played!
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