Blues boss Paul Cook says striker Joe Pigott did exactly what he should do in order to stake a claim for a place in the team at Gillingham on Tuesday night - as Janoi Donacien did at right-back earlier in the season - but says at present eight-goal top scorer Macauley Bonne has made himself undroppable.

Pigott joined Town from AFC Wimbledon in the summer and started the season in the League One XI but subsequently fell behind Bonne in the pecking order with the on-loan QPR man finding the net on a regular basis.

Maidstone-born Pigott scored his third goal for the Blues against his former loan club Gillingham on Tuesday and Cook felt the 27-year-old did everything which was required of him.

“I just think it’s great for Joe,” the Town manager said. “Joe’s a lovely lad, he doesn’t lack confidence, he’s a really confident boy. I think [it was great] for him and Conor Chaplin to get on the pitch the other night.

“And for an Ipswich team to play and perform like that, was everything that we expected from the games with Newport and West Ham.

“I felt the performance against Newport was very much acceptable, I thought we were excellent on the night against Newport, we just couldn’t score. Against West Ham, we were disappointing, it was a different type of performance.

“For all these lads, it’s how you train, how you play. Macauley Bonne’s come in and just taken the jersey, Macauley’s made it impossible to be left out.

“Macauley’s been one of the big pluses in terms of saying ‘When I get my chance, I will take it and I will keep it’.

“And that makes it harder for the other strikers at the club to get in. What Joe did Tuesday night is exactly what people should do, to stake a claim to say ‘Gaffer, I’m ready if you need me to play’.

“And that’s what we want at our club, we want lads champing at the bit to say ‘If I’m selected, I’m ready to play’.”

Cook says Donacien, who started the season out of the team but is now a regular at right-back, is an example to other players.

“Janoi’s been outstanding since he’s come back in the team,” he said. “He’s probably been one of our brighter performers in terms of consistency and we know what he’s going to do on the pitch.

“I think for all the good teams around the world and the country, doing what it says on the tin is important.

“For us at the minute, we’re still establishing the rules in terms of what players bring to the team. What are the ingredients to make a good team? What is our best team? What is our best formation in and around what we do.

“And JD’s come in and staked that claim for himself at right-back and done it really, really well.”

Photo: Pagepix

itfchorry added 12:18 - Oct 8 Play two upfront - Pigott and Bonne
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Barty added 12:26 - Oct 8 itfchorry. I totally agree
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Linkboy13 added 12:59 - Oct 8 Why play two up front when it's working so well for Bonne at the moment. In the past it never worked out playing the lone striker because who ever played there lacked the necessary work rate and physicality to carry it out. Pigott for me although being big and strong dosent seem to use these attributes to the best of his ability and should be winning far more balls in the air. You could play three up front dosent neccessarily mean you will score more goals. Bonne has been a revelation this season and with out him we would have been struggling. Pigott has to work much harder if he is going to get a regular place in the team.

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blue86 added 14:14 - Oct 8 Cook said everything right here......apart from about different formations? Its seems its 4231 only? we need to be, and should be more adaptable imo. When the chips are down, what about a 352 or 442? Need more than 1 option when things arent working, could use subs better at times aswell. Still, let's hope for 3 points this weekend! Coyb
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bedsitfc added 14:37 - Oct 8 He did well considering he ain't a loan striker type of player! He has always been part of a 2 man attack so why buy him if he won't use his strengths
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