Luton boss explains why it was the 'right time' to drop Irish international
Town make a change between the posts against Bradford
Hatters boss Jack Wilshere explained that he felt it was the ‘right time’ to drop goalkeeper Josh Keeley to the bench and bring in the experienced James Shea ahead of yesterday’s 1-0 home defeat against Bradford City.
The 23-year-old Republic of Ireland international had started all but one of Wilshere’s 39 third tier games in charge since he took over from Matt Bloomfield just over a year ago, with Shea deputising once, that in the 1-0 loss at Exeter City on New Year’s Day. However, this term, Keeley’s six matches between the posts had seen Town breached 13 times, far too many for a side who have ambitions of being in the promotion mix this term, with the stopper disappointingly beaten from range at Stevenage in their last game, a goal that echoed Jack Marriott’s strike in their 4-3 victory at Reading on the opening day.
With an xGA (expected goals against) of just seven, putting Luton third in the table, behind Reading (5.4) and Bradford (6.6), in reality, the Hatters have been breached seven times more than they should have been this term, a stat that does take into account Bobby Pointon’s header for the Bantams yesterday.
That rather damning figure played a factor in Wilshere’s decision to make a change, as he said: “I feel like it was the right time. We did a lot of work on defending in pre-season and we’ve conceded a lot of goals, but when you look at the expected goals against, we’re quite high in the table, which shows we’re doing a lot of good things.
"The defence also needs to help Josh and vice-versa and I just felt it was the right time. I had a good conversation with Josh, I love Josh, I think he’s a top young goalie, and I think also it can help in the long term that he steps out of it a little bit, he reflects a little bit and I’ve always said as well at this level, you genuinely need two number ones competing all the time. We don’t have a one, two, three and there’s a pecking order.
"Since I’ve been here, Josh has been in the team, he’s done really well and he’s earned that spot, but Sheasy’s been working in the background, working really hard when called upon, produced some good performances, so I thought it was the right time. We had a good conversation, me and Josh. Of course it’s not a nice conversation, it’s not an easy conversation, but I always said I try and be as honest as I can with players and from my experience, that always works best.”
Although Shea came in, he couldn’t prevent yet another disappointing goal being conceded yesterday as with four minutes on the clock, Town went back to the keeper, whose second rushed clearance in the matter of 60 seconds didn’t get the distance required. Attacking on the right, Hayden Matthews then slung in a deep cross that saw Harrison Ashby switch off at the far post and allow the diminutive Pointon a free header, Shea not covering himself in glory either as the ball passed over his outstretched glove and underneath the bar.
Wilshere added: “It’s not a good goal, it’s not a good goal to concede. You can take it further back from that, we missed an opportunity to play forward, we end up circulating and playing back to Sheasy, then Sheasy is under a lot of pressure. He goes to kick it, we don’t drop, we don’t land on second balls and we’re open when that happens. They transition quick, they put a good ball in the box, we have to recover quicker, and deal with that situation.”