Wilshere wants more of the same from Guyana international after O's display
Wingback impressed during 1-1 draw at the weekend
Luton boss Jack Wilshere urged Izzy Jones to consistently replicate the kind of display he gave against Leyton Orient on Saturday as he bids to win what is expected to be a real battle with summer signing Harrison Ashby for a place in the Town starting XI.
The 27-year-old had struggled so far this term, as after beginning the opening game of the campaign at Reading, playing as a more orthodox right back, he had 81 minutes at the Madejski Stadium before making way for new loan addition Ashby. Jones kept his place for the 2-2 draw against Notts County, while after Ashby was given the nod against Chelsea in the Carabao Cup, the Guyana international was back in the side for the embarrassing 5-2 demolition at Mansfield, hooked at half time when giving the ball away in his own half for the Stags third goal.
With Town swapping formations for the 2-0 victory over Stockport County, Jones was dropped to the bench for the visit of the fellow Hatters, although came on at the interval, replacing an injured Benny Benagr, moving to the left-hand side. He then began in that position at the weekend, with a hamstring issue keeping the teenager out, switching to the right after 20 minutes once Ashby went off injured with a groin problem.
It was there, he produced without doubt his best display in a long time for the Hatters, showing speed, a newfound confidence to run at his man, and no little skill either in driving away from his opponents, taking the ball into some dangerous areas, with the visitors often reduced to bringing him down.
Displaying the sorts of characteristics that persuaded Town to sign him for an undisclosed fee from Middlesbrough in January 2025, then discussing his efforts afterwards, Wilshere said: “I think the good thing about Izzy and I’m not even sure he knows what his best position is, but he’s got a lot of good attributes to play in many positions. Izzy knows how much I love him. I was frustrated with him and for him against Mansfield because sometimes Izzy’s calmness and sort of arrogance on the ball can be mistaken and I love it about him.
"Obviously against Mansfield he lost the ball and they scored which we don’t want, but that’s (Orient match) the type of Izzy we want, with that aggression, with that drive to get the team forward, defensively, one v one he’s excellent, but also with the ball, driving at a defender, he’s really quick, he’s really agile, he can go outside, he can go inside, so he needs to keep building on that.”
Although Jones is expected to stay in that role now with Ashby set for a spell on the sidelines due to his groin issue, when the Newcastle loanee is fully fit again, Wilshere is expecting there to be a real battle for that berth. In his pre-match press conference last Friday, asked about the duo getting a chance to stake their claim for that position, he continued: “They both have (the opportunity). With Ash, when he came in, his flow was interrupted with a bit of an ankle knock which was frustrating for him and for us.
"I know he was frustrated that he didn’t play at Mansfield and he was probably frustrated that he didn’t start the season in that position, but that’s football, that is football, there’s competition for places. I thought Izzy started the season really well. Izzy had a really good pre-season, so now we’re in a position where we’ve got two really good players in that position.
"I thought Ash was really good the other night (against Stockport). I thought he brought something different to the team with his energy, with his enthusiasm, with his drive, how he drove the team up the pitch at times, and his energy out of possession as well. So many positives from Ash but also from Izzy, so they need to fight each other for the position and they’ll do that.”