Powell insists Luton have other plans when Walsh is a marked man
Midfielder is finding himself doubled up on at times
Town assistant boss Chris Powell knows that Luton need to have different plans in place if midfielder Liam Walsh continues to be a marked man for the Hatters this term.
The 28-year-old was one of two players who the club were determined to extend their future at Kenilworth Road in the summer, as joining Jordan Clark, the ex-Everton youngster penned a new contract to remain in Bedfordshire. A huge reason as to why Town finished last season in such terrific form, going 12 games unbeaten, Walsh then made an impressive start to the current campaign, as Luton beat Gillingham and Reading, also putting in a fine effort when defeated just 2-0 by Premier League side Chelsea in the Carabao Cup.
However, recent matches have seen teams wise up to the importance that the Hatters place on the former Coventry and Swansea player, as they have often got tough tight as soon as the ball goes into him, even doubling up when he receives the ball from his own defenders in a deep-lying role, which is hindering his ability to be the playmaker boss Jack Wilshere requires.
It happened last Thursday evening against Stevenage, Walsh caught on the ball by Daniel Phillips, although clearly fouled by his Boro opponent, as when the decision somehow wasn’t given by referee Andrew Humphries, home attacker Dan Kemp raced away to put the hosts 1-0 up.
Speaking following the 2-1 loss, Powell said: “I think teams know that he’s a key player and he’s one that we like to play through, but we’ve got others and we’ve got to recognise sometimes that when they’re on him, maybe we go through, whether it’s a (Dan) Gore, whether it’s a (Kasey) Palmer, whether it’s another player. He’s brave, he accepts it in tight areas and that’s the way Jack has built this identity. We’ve got to keep working, it’s still quite early, can we be better, yes, will we improve, absolutely.”
Those thoughts were then echoed by Wilshere in his Friday press conference, as he stated that his side’s gameplan doesn’t resolve entirely around Walsh’s undoubted ability on the ball, possessing other methods of attack as well, as he continued: “There’s always a plan B and always a principle if Liam’s being marked and a lot of the time he is. Liam is also good enough to play in tight situations as well, which he’s done very well this season.
"I thought he was excellent the other night in terms of his retention of the ball, finding the players higher up, the Gideon Kodua’s, Jamie Donley’s, sometimes playing wide, but of course there is a plan B, there always is. How we work in possession, it’s principle-based and without giving too much away, one of the principles is to play off the highest possible, line.
"Now the highest possible line might be if Liam Walsh is, but there’s a plan B, there’s a plan C. There’s different ways of progressing the game, over, round, through, whatever it looks like and we have to give the players the information, but also the freedom that if things do change in a game and they’re man making Walshy or whatever it is, there are other ways of playing.”
Having suffered two defeats and a draw in their last four games, then going into this afternoon’s home match against Bradford City, Luton’s start to the campaign is now a mere steady one rather than spectacular. Town struggled in front of goal last time out, managing just two shots on target, so when taking on a Bantams side, who sit third in the table and have conceded just four times in their opening six games, keeping four clean sheets in that sequence too, how they will improve in the final third, Powell said: “Work, work at it, and that’s one thing we’re not shy of.
"Jack (Wilshere) will look at the game and we’ll work hard in training. We have to get better as we’ve got goalscorers, we’ve got people who can create, we’ve got people who can score. It’s not only Nahki (Wells) and young Callum (Marshall), who have both done really well of late, but if we want to get to where we want to get to, we’ve got to create more chances.
"When you look at the Orient game (1-1 draw), we didn’t take enough of them and I would say it was very similar, but it’s a hard one as I can’t really remember Josh Keeley making a save. So on the balance of play you’re looking to take something, but we’ll have to dust ourselves down, see what the weekend brings. It’s been a tough schedule for everyone and we’ve got to get ready for a tough game against Bradford.”
Meanwhile, one other issue from Town’s last match was the manner in which Luton were breached for the opening goal, as Irish international Keeley clearly had to do better when beaten to his right from range for the second time this term, as it had also happened in the 4-3 victory against Reading on the opening day of the campaign.
Asked if he should have done better, Powell added: “It was a good strike. I haven’t spoken to him, but everyone’s very disappointed. Maybe when we look back we’ll see what could have happened, but it shouldn’t have got to that, that’s how I feel. It’s a disappointment for everyone connected with the club, but we’ve got to improve, got to stay positive and look forward to the game against Bradford.”