Bloomfield explains where he sees Fanne's best role in his Luton XI
Town midfielder starts in the holding role against Sheffield Wednesday
Hatters boss Matt Bloomfield has explained just where he sees Town’s new signing Lamine Fanne’s best position in his starting XI going forwards.
The 20-year-old joined from Swedish top flight side AIK back in August, before returning to finish the domestic season with his Allsvenskan side where he played in his defensive midfield role as the club gained Europa League qualification, making 20 appearances in total. Moving to Bedfordshire on a full time basis once the campaign ended, once available to play, he was then handed his full debut by former manager Rob Edwards for the 2-1 defeat at QPR, although surprisingly started in a far more advanced role than expected, playing just behind striker Carlton Morris at Loftus Road.
He grew into proceedings in west London, and had two good opportunities during the second period, sending two fierce drives over the top, the second of which he should have at least tested home keeper Paul Nardi. Staying in an advanced role when Luton went to Premier League Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup third round, Fanne then suffered an ankle injury just moments into the second period, ruling him out of Bloomfield’s first three games in charge, before he was available to take his place against Sheffield Wednesday at the weekend.
Immediately, he was situated in a far more natural defensive midfield berth at Hillsborough and looked comfortable from the word go, winning a number of second balls in and around Luton’s area, also having a hand in the Hatters’ opening goal, his powerful advance upfield leading to possession heading via Jacob Brown and Carlton Morris to Alfie Doughty’s left peg some 20 yards out, where it was thundered into the net.
Although he was adjudged to have fouled Djiedi Gassama for the penalty that saw the hosts level on the hour mark, Fanne got through his maiden 90 minutes in English football and first since playing for AIK against Halmstads BK on November 10. Asked for an evaluation on his efforts and where he sees him playing in future matches, Bloomfield said: “I think that Lamine needs the game in front of him to come on to.
"From what I’ve seen of him so far, I watched the two games back before I came where he played slightly higher and I just feel that he can imprint the game more from slightly deeper with his energy, his physicality and that felt like the right role for him. I thought he did really well. He tired as well because he hasn’t played for a few weeks and is still getting up to speed, but Lamine is going to be a real good player for our football club. I thought that role suited him quite nicely and it was fantastic for him to get through 90 minutes.”
With Luton not having a game this weekend due to Plymouth Argyle’s FA Cup involvement, it means Fanne and his team-mates will get the chance to really boost their fitness at the Brache ahead of the trip to Sunderland on Wednesday night which starts a run of four games in 18 days. It will be an essential period for Bloomfield to drill his players further on just what he wants from them to try and prevent Luton suffering a second successive relegation and find themselves back in League One next term.
He added: “I’m really looking forward to this period of time, really, really looking forward to it because it will allow us to get some good training days. We’ve got seven training days and only a couple off before we get to Sunderland, so we’ve got to make sure that we do lots and lots of work. The ones that need a little bit of fitness work, can, and the ones that need little bits and pieces, it’s got to be individualised as well, but I’m really looking forward to the week.”