Izzy Brown could be fit to face Derby County tomorrow night, with boss Graeme Jones insisting that Luton’s form and some surprising new stats show just how much Town have missed the playmaker.
Earlier in the the season, the Hatters chief emphasised how important the Chelsea loan ace was, saying he needed to play if Town were to see themselves to Championship survival.
That was given weight last week when it was revealed that, despite ten games on the sidelines with a hamstring injury, Brown has still created the most chances per minutes in the Championship, with one every 21.8 minute.
Reading’s John Swift was closest to the forward with one chance created every 28.6 minutes
Since Brown hobbled off during the disastrous 7-0 defeat at Brentford in early December, Town have lost eight times, with just one win and draw to show for their efforts.
But, he’s trained for the last seven days, after Jones revealed earlier this month that he was on track to return sooner than the mid February prognosis, and that could be a big boost to Town’s survival hopes.
Jones said: “I got slaughtered for saying we need to keep Izzy Brown fit to stay in the Championship and now two months on, it was proved right, because we are a different dimension as a team when he’s in it.
“That’s just a fact, that’s not me saying it, that’s a fact.
“We’re talking about the top creator in the Championship, so we’re talking about numbers, we’re talking about stats, we’re talking about facts, and we’ve missed him, is the truth.
“But I’d rather look on the positive side, we’ve got him back now and let’s see where that takes us.”
Brown’s injury came with Luton already dead and buried and 5-0 behind at Griffin Park, but Jones insisted any suggestion the forward should’ve been substituted to protect him against injuries, is revisionist thinking.
“Everybody’s a great manager in hindsight, ‘take him off, no problem at all,’ said the Luton chief, adding: “I was still trying to get back in the game at 5-0.
“We had a small-sided game today and there was a five goal deficit, a two minute game and the red team scored five goals to get back in it, because in football you never know.
“You have to be optimistic and you think ‘come on,’ so rightly or wrongly, everybody’s a wonderful manager in hindsight.
“You have to see it before it happens, and if I had my time again, of course I would (take him off).”
By the time Derby roll into town tomorrow night, the whole Luton squad will have benefitted from a nine-day break between competitive games.
Jones hopes that the rest, plus a heart-to-heart with Brown with prove dividends.
He said: “I’d like to think we’ve made him robust now, as I had a conversation with him a month ago and said, ‘come on, you need to knuckle down here.’
“Izzy’s one of these free spirits that turns up because of his talent and can just play, but he’s really, really worked hard in the gym and in his rehab to become robust and to stay fit.
“You need to have a good measurement of his physical output daily, not just in games.
“You can’t overstretch him, otherwise he’ll get re-injured, so there’s a real skill in that between the coaching staff and James Redden, who’s the head of sports science here.
“We’ve got to make sure that we measure that well, because the temptation is just to play him, because we know the quality he can bring.
“He gives you a different dimension, so that’s the frustrating part where you’ve got to do it gradually.”
