Ipswich Town supporters should have patience with Frank Nouble.

So says his strike-partner, Daryl Murphy, ahead of tomorrow’s visit of Birmingham City to Portman Road.

Murphy has partnered David McGoldrick up front for much of the campaign, but the latter – topscorer with 16 goals – has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a knee injury, and it was Nouble who was selected as his replacement for last weekend’s 3-0 defeat at Championship table-toppers Leicester.

The powerful 22-year-old – a £25,000 bargain-buy from Wolves last January – has always played with real energy and commitment for the Blues, but in a poll held by this website earlier in the week he gained just 9% of the vote when supporters were asked who they would like to see play alongside Murphy up front.

When it was put to Murphy that Nouble has come in for some criticism, he replied: “I’ve heard that, but it’s hard on players when you’re getting on the pitch for 15/20 minutes and expected to make an impact.

“People don’t understand that you do need a run of games to get your fitness levels up and to get your confidence up and just to improve your game really. He’s not had that.”

Nouble’s raw physical attributes are there for everybody to see, the 22-year-old former England youth-team international having been on the books of both Chelsea and West Ham in the past. A series of short-term loan spells did little to aid his development though and Blues boss Mick McCarthy believes a run in the side could help polish a rough diamond.

“He’s a big lad, he’s obviously a lot quicker than I am, and he’s a handful,” said Murphy. “We’re quite similar but I think it can work. We train together every day and know each others’ game.

“On his day he’s a very, very good player. He’s been unlucky not to get a run in the team and he’s got a chance now to prove what we already know – that he’s a good player.”