Hatters duo to miss Port Vale clash but striker could return
Richards and Odoffin are both absent once more
Hatters boss Jack Wilshere has confirmed that Town will be without both Jake Richards and Hakeem Odoffin for tomorrow’s clash against Port Vale at Kenilworth Road.
The pair missed Tuesday night’s 1-1 draw against Leyton Orient, Odoffin also absent from the FA Cup second round clash at League Two Fleetwood Town on Saturday, as the Hatters were knocked out on penalties, a game that Richards began, only to be taken off on 63 minutes after struggling to really influence the fixture on the north Fylde coast.
After coming into the starting line-up for Wilshere's second game in charge, the 1-0 win at Northampton Town, Richards had been in the side for three of the next five third tier games, plus the FA Cup triumph over Forest Green Rovers too, while Odoffin had just started to get back into the reckoning after a lengthy time out when joining in the summer, a number of impressive cameos leading to the former Rotherham player beginning both home games against Huddersfield Town and Bolton Wanderers.
They will both now sit out once more when Town go up against the league’s bottom side, as Wilshere said: “Jake is ill, he had a sore throat, I think it’s tonsillitis which is obviously frustrating for him, and for us, but we have to remember he’s young and we have to look after him. He’s done really well since I’ve been in, a player we obviously really like and think can help the team, but we also have to look after him, so he’s not available.
“Haks is not available either. He injured himself in training maybe 10 days ago and it’s not a long one but he’s not available yet. We know this league and I’ve said it so much, we’re going to need everyone, and that’s the case. When Haks came back he left enough of a taste in our mouths to go, ‘well we want to see more of him, we want to see him again, and how much he can help the team.’
“So that’s frustrating, especially for him as well. I know he missed a long while when I wasn’t here and then he came back, he did really well to come back and perform at a high level. He had to wait a little bit to get into the team and then he did get into the team, so he’s been down, but it’s not a bad one and he’ll be back soon.”
Asked if anyone else was a doubt following on from the midweek contest, as Town head into their seventh game in 21 days, the boss continued: “There’s a few question marks over a few sore bodies, which I think is mainly because of the extra time at Fleetwood, so we have to check on a few later, but not any clear issues from the game.”
With midfielder Jordan Clark available once more on Tuesday night, then there is a slight chance he could be joined by Nahki Wells in being back to face the Valiants, although disappointingly Izzy Jones is still out, as Wilshere said: “It will be a little bit too soon for Izzy. Nahki’s been in and around the team in training, Izzy not yet, so let’s see, we’ll check on Nahki later.”
Meanwhile, with Luton switching to a back four for their last three games, Joe Johnson and Reuell Walters taking the full back berths in the cup matches with Exeter and Fleetwood, before Cohen Bramall and Nigel Lonwijk got the nod at the BetWright stadium in midweek. Asked if the young duo are in his mind when it comes to the upcoming League One fixtures, Wilshere added: “They always are and I’ve said it before to the players and probably some of them believe me and some of them don’t, you can be out of the squad and then start the next game.
"That’s just the demands of the league and what we’re allowed on the bench, so that will always be the case. They’ve had two good games, different games, they experienced a little bit of everything that we talk about all the time and they did well in certain moments. There’s some moments where they have to improve, but we need them. They’re going to be in my thoughts now, so hopefully they can stay fit and help us all season.”