England Under-21 interim coach Ben Futcher has heaped praise on Liam Delap as he goes into Tuesday's game against Azerbaijan in Bristol without the in-form striker.
Striker Delap is absent for the final European Championship qualifier of England's campaign through suspension after being booked in Friday's comeback win over Ukraine.
The 21-year-old stayed with the squad over the weekend but is understood to have now returned to Ipswich, for whom he has scored four Premier League goals already this season.
A throwback No 9, Delap's combative approach unsettles defenders and offers England - now qualified for next summer's Euros - something different in a position where they are not developing a wealth of talent.
'If you want to go and fight him, he will match you,' said Futcher. 'If you want to race him, he'll win the race. Liam's a top No 9 and he's going to keep developing.
Young Lions interim boss Ben Futcher praised the striker, who has returned to Ipswich
'It's a good aggression. He needs to learn to control it.
'He's football intelligent, so he knows when to be strong. When he's on a yellow, he's learning not to get a second booking and be silly. I wouldn't be trying to take any aggression out of him because that's one of his strengths.'
Futcher has Tottenham's Dane Scarlett or Birmingham's £10m signing Jay Stansfield as potential replacements - unless he plays a false nine, where Morgan Rogers could flourish.