Boss Paul Jewell says young striker Connor Wickham isn’t yet suited to playing the lone central striking role he currently employs. The England U21 international has been playing on the left of a forward three since the change of management at Portman Road.
Jewell says that while he believes Wickham isn’t his best option in the centre in his current formation, he does ultimately expect the 17-year-old to play in the middle: "I don’t think lone striker would suit him at the moment. We went 4-2-2 in the last 10 minutes against QPR and I think playing alongside someone suits him more.
"Since I’ve been here Connor’s been terrific. I eventually see him playing down the middle alongside AN Other.
"He’s only 17 but he’s learning the game, he’s learning new facets to the game - he’s working defensively. You saw on Tuesday when he picks up the ball and runs at people he’s like a Rolls Royce.
"He’s got that in his locker and we’d love him to be doing that — running at central defenders — more often. He’s got a lot to learn but he’s got a lot of time to learn it in. I think he’s a forward player and that’s where he’ll end up playing.
"But I don’t want to say he’s a centre forward and nothing else because he can play left and right. He’s a forward thinking player. What he’s doing at the minute is really working hard defensively and doing a great job for the team.”
If Wickham remains at Portman Road, he will probably end up in a front two with Jewell keen to revert to the formation he has preferred at his previous clubs once he has added to his squad: "With the players that I had at Wigan and the players that I had at Bradford 4-4-2 suited us. I think at the moment the 4-3-3 suits us better.
"Eventually I’d like to play with two wide players and get the ball down and get more bodies in the box.”
Jewell says he's not one to following changing footballing fashions system-wise: "What happens is when a World Cup comes around and teams play different formations all those coaches go ‘You can’t play 4-4-2 because it’s not sexy any more’.
"What system do Man United play? What system do Arsenal play? They rotate. I’ve been looking at Portsmouth’s system in the scout reports - 4-2-3-1 with two holding midfield players.
"It’s 11 against 11, it’s not quite as simple as that at certain times but it’s not quite as complicated or as difficult as we all like to make it.”
Meanwhile, loan midfielder Jimmy Bullard says he’s loving his time at Town but is yet to make a decision on his future: "Come the end of the season, ask me again and I should be able to give you a more positive answer.
"But I hope that finance is not a big stumbling block. Finance is not everything that I am about. Football is my main prerogative.
"I’m enjoying my time here, but at the same time I have a lot of respect for Hull. I’ve got two-and-a-half years left on my contract, and I respect that contract.”
The 32-year-old’s wages at the KC Stadium are £45,000-a-week, terms which are well beyond the Blues, who are currently only paying a proportion of his salary.
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