The hunger shown by Luton’s fringe players in the 4-0 Vertu Trophy win over Exeter proved why Jack Wilshere trusts the group to step in and deliver League One intensity when called on.
The Luton manager made wholesale changes on Tuesday night after a heavy week of fixtures and the fringe players dominated their division rivals as Lasse Nordås bagged a brace and an assist for Shayden Morris, while Zack Nelson scored his first goal since August.
Wilshere said the only reason the rotated side could produce that level of performance was the way they have trained while stuck behind the starters, with their work fuelled by frustration but channelled the right way.
“The only way that they’re able to perform like that and deliver a performance like that is because of the way they train,” the Hatters boss said. “They’ve been outstanding, their attitudes, their energy, their desire to help the players that have been playing prepare for a game, they’ve been outstanding.
“And it’s been frustrating for some of them, of course it has. But they’re all good lads and they all want what’s best for this club, but they also want what’s best for them.”
He said the conversations in the dressing room after the weekend convinced the staff to make the changes, with players “deserving” a real opportunity to put their case forward rather than being given routine cameos.
“They deserve it,” Wilshere said. “After the weekend and talking to the staff, we decided that we were going to do it. They’ve been through a lot last week and we’ve got another tough week coming up, so them players have to be ready to step in when they can.”
Wilshere said the performance was proof the high press and front-line aggression he has been demanding all season can work beyond the core of his league side. He said the best chances came not just from tidy build up but from triggers executed with full commitment.
“You can do things in training, but you can’t replicate everything,” he said. “You can’t replicate the game, the feeling, the intensity that you need, the intensity of the opposition. And they delivered on it. A lot of the time it’s through a high press and winning the ball back high and the opposition are then open. I think they’ve experienced it now and they can see the success from it.”
The win also gave individuals who have been shuffled in and out of squads a chance to reframe their season. Goalscorer Nordås hasn’t played a single minute in the league under Wilshere, with the manager explaining why the Norwegian has not even made the squad in recent weeks.
Winger Milli Alli also caused problems all night after a run of cameos, while Nelson responded to being taken off at half time in the 5-0 drubbing at Barnsley last month with what Wilshere called a smart, controlled performance after detailed video work with the coaching staff.
“Zack is someone who we really like and it was difficult for him at Barnsley, but we sat down with him, showed him some stuff and just said keep going and wait for your next opportunity, and he got that tonight and took it,” Wilshere said.
There was praise too for Reuell Walters and Joe Johnson, who both returned from lengthy injuries. Wilshere said the former, in particular, brought pace, power and intelligence to a right back role that demand bravery. He said both youngsters showed qualities that do not always reveal themselves in training, where space, pressure and expectation are different.
The night also ended with a nod to the club’s pathway, with academy aces Jack Lorentzen-Jones and Zach Ioannides were awarded with senior debuts off the bench, while Harry Fox earned his second first-team appearance. Wilshere said the youngsters did not look out of place and backed the club’s belief in developing its own talent under pressure.
“They come and train with us, they help us in training and they deserve their opportunity as well,” he said. “They didn’t look out of place. They looked comfortable. They were aggressive in duels.”
The challenge for the players who impressed against Exeter is now to force their way into the league picture, though an FA Cup second round trip to Fleetwood on Saturday, could provide another platform for players to stake a claim. Wilshere said Tuesday’s performance gives him trust that rotation will not dilute the identity he is trying to build.
“It means they’re able to produce a performance like that with the same energy, the same hunger that you see from the guys on Saturday,” he said. “It wasn’t always the plan, but the players deserved it and they took it.”
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