Hatters chief happy with the displays of Town midfield duo Saville and Walsh
Fanne also impressing Wilshere as well
Hatters boss Jack Wilshere has declared he is more than happy with the performances from his current first-choice midfielder partnership of George Saville and Liam Walsh.
The pair have begun Luton’s last five league matches as the two deep-lying players in front of the back four, while they are also on a run of six starts from seven as a duo, Saville only missing the goalless draw against Rotherham United due to a mixture of suspension and international duty. The stats would show that the Northern Ireland international has been in impressive form since joining from Millwall on a free transfer, with three assists to his name, also creating the most big chances with three, joint with Nahki Wells, while he has also been the architect of 29 chances as well, the highest from those in a Luton shirt, also making the most interceptions too.
Walsh meanwhile, has now managed two assists in the last two games with corners headed in by Gideon Kodua and Mads Andersen, putting him up to three for the campaign, as he has also created two big chances and 17 general opportunities, the second most for the Hatters. Although Town struggled to really get a grip of the midfield battle against both Leyton Orient and Port Vale, taking just two points with a 1-1 and 2-2 draw, then asked about the duo’s efforts, Wilshere said: “They’re two very good footballers, two good players that understand the game.
"They try and help us put the ball down and play, we try and attack using them to play, to attack the next line, to create better, more structured attacks and I think they’ve helped us with that, they definitely have. The Huddersfield game and the Bolton game, those two players were outstanding and also without the ball I thought they were really good. At times it’s difficult when you play against a low block for the sixes to have an influence in the game and sometimes you’re just trying to get them in positions where they can attract players so you can play past them into the next line.
"I felt like definitely the Port Vale game and Leyton Orient, we just struggled to find our rhythm, we never really got going. The Port Vale game it’s hard for sixes when you’re in a low block as how do they get on the ball? Then when they receive it, there’s not much space for them to play through and there’s not much space behind. You have to find different ways of attacking using the sixes, but I’ve been happy with them.”
With Walsh one of Luton’s most adventurous midfielders in the squad, the third most accurate passer, with the second most accurate long passes per 90 minutes as well, then asked whether he felt the ex-Everton youngster could play in a more advanced role to make the most of his vision when in possession, Wilshere continued: “I like to think he can do both and when I think about me as a midfielder and okay we’re probably slightly different players, but we’re both small and both have to find different ways of beating players or playing.
"I always used to think that I liked being behind the ball and having the game in front me and having control that way. I think Liam’s very good at that, he can dictate a game from those positions, but also, technically he’s very good. He can receive the ball on the half turn, it’s difficult again against low blocks as there’s not much space.
"I also know Liam’s the type of player who wants to feel the ball, wants to touch the ball and be involved. When he plays a little bit higher sometimes it’s difficult to find him in those pockets and you might need a little bit of a different profile to run behind, or do something a little bit different, but I think he can do both and we’re trying to work with him to get him to understand that.”
Another player who has become far more of a regular under Wilshere is Lamine Fanne, before being dropped to the bench at the weekend, as although only coming on for the final 20 minutes against Vale, created the most chances out of any of his team-mates with three. He is someone who Town’s boss believes can compete with Saville and Walsh for the number six role and also step into a more advanced position as well, as Wilshere added: “Him, Sav and Walsh are probably the three I can see that can play in that six role and we’re going to have to find ways of giving them all game time, rotating them and making sure they’re fit, especially going into this period.
"We’re happy with Lamine, Lamine’s also played higher which I think he can do. I know he’s more of a deep-lying midfielder, similar to Walshy in terms of what he prefers and having control that way, but he’s obviously a different profile physically, where he can give us something higher. He can run behind, he can also find himself caught up the pitch, but he has the physical capacity to recover and help the team. He’s someone I’ve liked since I’ve come in. He’s scored some important goals for us, Northampton away, Forest Green at home, so I want him to add more goals but he’s also scored some important ones for us.”