Jack Wilshere wants Notts County to feel Kenilworth Road at its noisy and intimidating best when Luton host for the first time in League One this season, as Town look to ride a wave of positivity.
In what will begin the club’s penultimate season inside their 121-year-old stadium, the Hatters head into tomorrow’s lunchtime kick-off, still feeling the afterglow of their extraordinary 4-3 comeback victory at Reading last weekend, where they trailed 3-1 before scoring three times in the second half.
Now Wilshere wants that momentum, plus the previous 11 unbeaten league games last season, to transfer to the stands as well as the pitch, calling on supporters to create the kind of atmosphere which he believes can make the ground an intimidating place for the visitors.
“I’m excited for it,” Wilshere said, adding: “The last time we were properly at home — I think it was Barnsley — that was a tough game. The crowd saw us through.
“We’ve created such a connection with the fans now and I’m really excited. I want Notts County to come and feel that Kenilworth Road is at full throttle — a full stadium, fans singing, the team on the front foot right from the start, giving the fans something to cheer about. Because we’re going to need that.”
Wilshere is under no illusions about the challenge facing his side, with newly-promoted Notts County arriving having already impressed against Championship opposition this season.
They held Burnley to a draw in the Carabao Cup before losing on penalties, then produced another strong performance in a 1-1 draw with recently relegated Leicester City in their League One opener.
“In my opinion, it was a tight game and Leicester had a lot of the ball, but probably Notts County had the better chances to win it,” Wilshere said.
“So they’ll have loads of confidence. Obviously the game before they drew at Burnley — they lost on penalties, but that would have been a big result for them.
“So they’re full of confidence. This is their first away game in League One, and we have to be ready for that, especially after the positivity we’re coming off.”
The Luton boss is also relishing the prospect of leading his side out in front of a home crowd for the first time in the league this season, having enjoyed last weekend’s victory in front of almost 2,500 travelling Town fans at Reading.
Wilshere believes his players have earned the backing they are now receiving from supporters following the remarkable end to last season and their performance at Reading.
“I am [excited], and I want the players to feel that too, because it’s always been that way since I’ve been here,” he said.
“The players have earned that. They can go to the stadium and we still have to make sure we’re playing with purpose, really hungry to try and win — if we lose the ball, we go and get it back — and doing the things the fans want to see.
“The players have earned that feeling of going into the stadium and having complete support from everyone.”
Wilshere has also been impressed by the aggressive approach adopted by Notts County, particularly against Leicester last weekend.
The Hatters boss expects a side willing to press hard and compete for every ball, something he says Luton themselves are trying to establish as part of their identity.
“They are aggressive, very aggressive,” he said. “I loved it. We want to be a team that presses hard, wins the ball back high. There are actually some things I think we can bring into our own game. We have to be ready for that. They were like that last season as well.”
Wilshere acknowledges that Notts County have had less possession than they became accustomed to last season, with their opening two opponents both from the Championship.
But he believes their performances have shown they possess another side to their game which Luton will need to match.
“I understand why, against Leicester and Burnley, they didn’t have as much of the ball as they did last season,” he said.
“They were more possession-based last season. But they also showed a side of their game where they’re aggressive, where they want to win duels. And they’ve got the spirit to come back into a game as well.
“So yeah, [they are] a good team coming to Kenilworth Road, full of energy and full of confidence. It’s their first away game in the league.
“They might do something different, we’ll have to wait and see, but we’ll be prepared for both. It should be a good game.”
The Hatters are hopeful that Hakeem Odoffin and Kasey Palmer will be able to feature against the Magpies after both being withdrawn from last weekend’s victory at Reading, though Shayden Morris has been ruled out “for some time” with a hamstring injury.
The Reading game saw the introduction of Emilio Lawrence just 24 hours after his season-long loan return from Manchester City was confirmed.
Wilshere acknowledged the youngster had a quiet start, saying: “One thing I’d say about Emilio, and this is why I wanted to get him in early, is that experience tells us he takes a few games to get going and settled. I wanted more from him last weekend. He knows that.
“He trained well this week. I think he was really tired from the game as well, because you can play under-21 football or train with under-21s, but nothing prepares you for the battle and the intensity in League One. So yeah, he has to get up to speed. And that was my thought process — playing him, getting him minutes so he can get up to speed quicker.
“He knows that he can’t take four games again. He needs to find his way and find his rhythm quicker. But I brought him here for his quality, and I have no doubt. He showed that towards the end of last season. He went through a tough time where he was out of the team, he got back in and fought his way in and showed fight, showed spirit, which eventually earned him the right to show his quality.”
Prior to Lawrence’s return, academy product Benny Benagr impressed in the Carabao Cup win at Gillingham and he replaced the City loanee for the final 30 minutes at Reading to make his Football League debut.
“That’s credit to Benny, because you can only do that when a young player takes an opportunity that’s put in front of him, and that’s all he’s done,” Wilshere said.
“Every opportunity he’s had, he’s taken. And I think he did that on Saturday as well. Credit to him, credit to the academy for preparing him. I have complete trust in him. In my opinion, the best way to develop a player is — yeah, they have to train and work on certain things — but they also have to play.”
Fans’ view
Here’s the Luton v Notts Country match preview episode of The Tried To Kill Us Off — the independent Luton Town podcast, featuring The Lutonian writer James Cunliffe….
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