Kodua fit for Plymouth clash as Wilshere looks to end Town's poor away form

Luton attacker Gideon Kodua has been declared fit to try and continue his scoring spree against Plymouth Argyle tomorrow afternoon.

The Hatters’ leading marksman moved up to 10 for the campaign when netting for his fourth successive match as Town drew 2-2 against Lincoln City last weekend, becoming the Luton first player to do so since Elijah Adebayo scored five in five during the 2022-23 campaign. However, the West Ham attacker came off with 77 minutes on the clock against the Imps, but when discussing the trip to Home Park this afternoon, Town boss Jack Wilshere insisted there was no worried over Kodua.

He said: “Gids is fine. Well I say he’s fine, he’s doubled the minutes he’s ever played in his career already this season (1,718 minutes from 28 games), so he’s someone that is obviously so important to us. He gives us a threat, a goal threat, he’s our top goalscorer so we’re looking at ways to help Gids and protect him and trying to also develop him because he’s still young. He needs to understand that you’re not always going to feel perfect, your body might not always feel great. Of course in an ideal world we want it to and we don’t want to take any risks with him, but that was the reason he was taken off.”

With Kodua fit and Jake Richards back in the squad again following his six week lay-off, then giving an update on the rest of his squad’s availability, Wilshere continued: “Teds (Teden Mengi) is closer, he’s been on the grass, so we’ll have a conversation with Chris (Phillips, head physiotherapist) and the medical team after to see where he’s at. Ali (Al-Hamadi) and Eli (Elijah Adebayo) are back part training with the group, too soon for them, but everyone gets a boost when they see players like that coming back to training and the quality they can have. Izzy Jones, no, Haks (Hakeem Odoffin), no."

Those who are fit to take the field for the Hatters will be charged with ending a four game winless streak outside of Bedfordshire as Town have taken just one point from a possible 12 on the road, with defeats at Barnsley, Reading and Exeter, also knocked out of the FA Cup on penalties at League Two Fleetwood Town as well.

At home it’s a far different situation though, Luton unbeaten in eight league matches, as asked if he will alter anything on the road to try and improve his side’s fortunes, especially against a Pilgirims side who have now picked up some real form themselves, with nine wins from 13 games in all competitions, Wilshere added: “We spoke about that in the week, I don’t think we change anything, we just have to be aware that things are different when you go away from home.

"Even small things like on a home game, we come here (training ground) before the game and the players have an opportunity to relax, play pool, try and switch off a little bit before we actually get into that zone we want them in before the game. When you travel away from home, you have to find a way of finding a little bit of comfort in the discomfort. Some players might actually really like playing away from home, but still we have to understand that things are going to be different.

"We’re travelling down today (Friday), we won’t be in our own beds, we’ll wake up in the morning and everything then is about the game. We get off the bus and you then walk into a dressing room that subconsciously people might not even think about it, but it is a little bit different how we prepare. So we won’t change anything, just make the players aware of it and try and support them with everything they need.”