Lawrence had a slow start on his second debut at Reading
Town manager Jack Wilshere wants to see ‘more’ from summer signing Emilio Lawrence when the Hatters line up against Notts County at Kenilworth Road on Saturday.
The Manchester City attacker was one of Luton’s main transfer targets throughout the entire summer, as Wilshere finally got his man on a season-long loan, the deal being announced last Friday, around 24 hours, before the League One opener at Reading. Having finished last term as a key component of the Hatters’ XI, Lawrence was thrown straight into the starting line-up at the Madejski Stadium, but struggled to really show just why he became such a hit with Town fans during his first spell, limited to 14 touches of the ball in his 60 minutes on the pitch, failing to create anything of note, as academy graduate Benny Benagr looked far livelier when taking his place.
Asked what he now expects when Luton host the Magpies tomorrow, Wilshere said: “I hope better. One thing I would say about Emilio and this is why I wanted to get him in early, is because experience tells us that he takes a few games to get going and settled. I wanted more from him last weekend, he knows that.
Emilio Lawrence is back with the Hatters once more this season - pic: David Horn / PRiME Media Imagesplaceholder image
Emilio Lawrence is back with the Hatters once more this season - pic: David Horn / PRiME Media Images
"He’s trained well this week, I think he was really tired from the game as well as I’ve said it so many times, you can play 21s football or you can train with the 21s, but nothing prepares you for the battle or the intensity in League One, so he has to get up to speed. That was my thought process, play him, get him some minutes, so he can get up to speed quicker.”
Lawrence’s slow start was nothing to be too worried about either, as having joined Luton last season, he played four matches before being taking out of the side, returning to score two goals, including netting in the Vertu Trophy final at Wembley, and grab six assists, as he showed just why he is so highly rated at the Etihad and has won five Scotland U21 caps too.
Wilshere knows it can’t be that long before they see the best of him again, continuing: “We know that and he also knows that he can’t take four games again. He needs to find his way and find his rhythm quicker, but I brought Emilio here for his quality, and I’ve no doubt. He showed that towards the end of last season, he went through a tough time, where he was out of the team, he got into the team, he fought his way into the team and he showed fight, he showed spirit, which eventually meant he earned the right to show his quality.”
Lawrence’s team-mates were certainly pleased to see him back in Bedfordshire, and for the full season too, as skipper Kal Naismith felt his arrival was a huge boost for the way the club is being run by Wilshere and his coaching staff, added: “I’m delighted, absolutely buzzing. There’s obviously been little whispers about it could potentially happen, as a few of the boys are still in contact with him.
"I just wanted to give him his space as I knew he would make the right decision for his career. I think that’s credit to us, credit to the staff, credit to everyone, that a young player from Man City, who was here before, usually their career path would then take them a step up, which would maybe be a higher league. I think he was just desperate to get back here, he knows that here is best for his career moving forward, working with the staff every day, so it says a lot about the staff at the club.”