Hatters chief insists there is more to come from Fanne as recalled midfielder stars in Rovers win
Youngster is named as man of the match against Doncaster
Luton boss Matt Bloomfield insists there is even more to come from midfielder Lamine Fanne after his starring role in Saturday’s 1-0 victory over Doncaster Rovers at Kenilworth Road.
The 21-year-old has had a very stop-start beginning to his life in Bedfordshire, as after signing last summer from Swedish club AIK, he finished the Allsvenskan campaign before heading to the Hatters permanently some six months later. Since then, Fanne had made just 18 appearances, as tipped to play a bigger role in League One this term, he impressed with two goals in the 3-0 friendly win over Boreham Wood in July, but then had to sit out the rest of pre-season due to a concussion injury suffered during Town’s training camp in Slovenia, also then ruled out after earlier this month due to a bout of sickness.
Beginning just one game so far this term, that coming in a 2-1 loss at Bradford City over a month ago, the last time Fanne featured in a league contest for Town, he was then handed a 10th start on Saturday when Doncaster Rovers were the visitors. With Bloomfield altering his formation, it saw Fanne play as one of two holding midfielders alongside the experienced George Saville, although clearly given the license to get forward whenever possible, something he did on numerous occasions in the first half, having two shots parried away by visiting keeper Ian Lawlor.
After the break, he displayed the other side of his game, breaking play up impressively as Town ensured they kept hold of the lead they were given by Kal Naismith’s 40th minute header, until he was forced off with around 15 minutes to after picking up a slight knock, the experienced Marvelous Nakamba on his place to help close out the victory.
Bloomfield has often spoken about Fanne becoming a big player for the club, despite plenty of transfer interest for the youngster in the transfer window when it looked like his future could like away from the Hatters, but now that has shut and he has remained with Luton, then asked if he had been impressed by his efforts at the weekend, Fanne demonstrating just why Town had been so keen to sign him a year ago, he said: “Very. He’s someone we had a big role planned for in pre-season, but unfortunately for us he missed a big spell with his concussion.
"He then had an illness and it's just taken him a little bit longer to get going than we hoped but he’s someone I think a lot of as a boy and as a player. If we can keep him in that fitness and form then I think there’s more to come from him. The more games he played, the fitter, the stronger and sharper he’ll get so he played very well today.
“Him and Zack (Nelson) as young players with the fitness levels that they have to be able to get up and down the pitch, I think Lamine probably offers more of a physicality than Zack, although I also thought Zack was very good again, better in his duels and the physical aspect that comes with being a midfield player in League One, but Lamine’s got both sides of the game. There’s lots to tidy up with him again, we’re working hard with him, but it was a good start for him.”
On the decision to take him off late on, with one eye on tomorrow evening’s trip to Blackpool, Bloomfield added: “It just felt like the game was getting stretched. He’s someone who’s not started loads and another game on Tuesday night having someone with Marv’s experience sat on the bench behind us, and he got a knock so all those considered it was the right decision to bring him off.”