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New signing Lawrence handed first start against Stevenage
Hatters boss Jack Wilshere insisted he wanted new signing Emilio Lawrence to get an instant taste of life in League One after opting to start the Manchester City loanee against Stevenage at Kenilworth Road yesterday, although admitted it was a ‘harsh’ call to drop Cohen Bramall to the bench.
The 20-year-old hadn’t ever featured in the Football League before during his time in the academy at the Etihad, the closest he had come to senior football was when making seven Vertu Trophy appearances for his parent club’s U21s, including three this term. Despite that, Wilshere put the Scotland U21 international into the Town XI in place of Bramall when going up against one of the Hatters’ play-off rivals, forming a new-look front three containing Nahki Wells in the middle and Gideon Kodua on the opposite flank.
It naturally took the youngster a while to find his feet in the contest, as too often the Hatters were guilty of overplaying in their own half and giving possession away, but as the first period wore on, he did begin to visibly grow in confidence, showing a few glimpses of his potential when getting on the ball when possible and trying to create something, winning a corner, while seeing another cross eventually fired against a defender by Nigel Lonwijk.
Emilio Lawrence looks to get a cross in agaist Stevenage - pic: Duncan Jack / PRiME Media Imagesplaceholder image
Emilio Lawrence looks to get a cross in agaist Stevenage - pic: Duncan Jack / PRiME Media Images
He carried on in the second period, although with the scores 1-1 was replaced by Bramall on the hour mark, Town going on to triumph 2-1 thanks to Kodua’s ninth goal of the campaign, but discussing his maiden outing for the Hatters, Wilshere said: “He’ll definitely learn and I said that to him after about ‘welcome to League One’ and that was kind of the thinking behind it, to try and let him experience it.
"I speak a lot about players experiencing things rather than explaining things all the time, let them experience it and go through it and he’ll definitely be better for it. I thought he had some nice moments where he was really clean and then some moments where he got caught out a little bit, probably with the tempo, but he’ll definitely learn from it. Our job now is to show him that, show him the moments where he can do better and try and help him with that.
With Bramall having been one of Luton’s top performers so far this season since his free transfer move in the summer, also proving a dead eye from free kicks, scored three truly wonderful attempts so far, then although he, like the rest of his side, didn’t have their greatest outing in the 1-0 loss at Exeter City on New Year’s Day, it was a big surprise that he was the one to make way.
Wishere admitted it was tough on his former Arsenal club-mate as well, adding: “I felt harsh on Cohen as he has been outstanding for us. I thought probably the last game against Exeter, he wasn’t at his best, but neither were a lot of the players. It was a little bit harsh, but I wanted Emilio to experience it and also I don’t want them to feel like it’s Emilio against Cohen.
"As I think Emilio can play on the right, Emilio can play as a nine, Cohen has been outstanding for us and gives us something different on the left and I thought his reaction when he came on was really good. Competition for places makes my job harder, but I need everyone, all the players on the front line to be hungry and when they get their opportunity to take it.”
It wasn’t just Lawrence who came into the team following that disappointing afternoon in Devon earlier this month, as he was one of seven changes made by Wilshere, with Josh Keeley, Christ Makosso, Mads Andersen, Lamine Fanne, Wells and Kodua all recalled, as James Shea, Reuell Walters, George Saville, Shayden Morris, Jerry Yates and Bramall dropped to the bench, Teden Mengi missing out with an injury.
On making so many alterations, Wilshere added: “We spoke about how we had to make changes to try and look after players (against Exeter). A few players were carrying knocks, and we then gave the players a few days off as the pitches were frozen. We wanted to see how they came back, they trained Thursday, we had a really good week and it’s always difficult, as we added Emilio and Cohen came out of the team but it’s going to be like that.
"I’ve said that all along, players are going to play and of course if they’re in form they always have the opportunity to play but there’s going to be times where they dip out of form or they're a little bit tired and we need everyone. I thought Nahki was outstanding, but when Yatesy came on he gave us the energy too. Of course he’ll be disappointed at the end not to get his goal, but he did everything we asked of him.”
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