Attacker is the Hatters’ second top goalscorer this term
Luton boss Jack Wilshere admits he remains unsure just what the best position is for attacker Gideon Kodua.
The 21-year-old, who initially arrived under previous manager Matt Bloomfield in the summer on loan from Premier League side West Ham United, played eight times for the now Oxford United chief who lost his job in October, with four starts and four from the bench, scoring two goals, also playing as a wingback at times.
Once Wilshere took over though, Kodua became a first team regular in early December, as making a name for himself by scoring several late goals, he began 12 out of 13 third tier fixtures, initially moving further forward on the flanks, before a spell over Christmas when he went into the central role just behind the striker. That shift led to a prolific stint in front of goal, scoring in six out of eight matches, including a sequence of netting in four successive appearances, as he reached double figures for the campaign, becoming the top scorer in the process.
Gideon Kodua looks to get on the ball against Stockport at the weekend - pic: David Horn / PRiME Media Imagesplaceholder image
Gideon Kodua looks to get on the ball against Stockport at the weekend - pic: David Horn / PRiME Media Images
However, when looking at his best, Kodua, whose loan move to Kenilworth Road was also made into a permanent one, was then moved out to the flank again as Jordan Clark, Kasey Palmer and even Jake Richards at times, switched into the central roles, before the last few matches has seen him deployed at wingback once more.
Not looking at his best when asked to do so, it has seen the youngster experience something of a dip in form too, coinciding with a spell out of the side, starting just three out of the last eight League One fixtures, and is now without a goal since the 2-2 draw against Lincoln on January 17, a sequence spanning 13 league matches, his worst run of the campaign, Jordan Clark usurping him as the club’s leading marksman.
Asked if he believes Kodua is a wingback by trade, Wilshere didn’t think that was the case, although stated that he is still unsure just where he is at his optimum, saying: “No. I spoke to him about it as a good place to be for any young player is to have the trust of the manager and he has my trust. I trust him to fill in to a place at right wingback, not fill in because he can play there, but he’s probably more a winger profile. I’m not saying that’s Gids’ best position or his favourite position, but he’s played there.
"I trust him so much defensively as well to come back, to track back, to defend his back post, not get beaten in one v one duels, and it’s a good thing for Gids to be versatile as any young players needs to play. It’s the best place for them to develop. You can do anything in training, we can sit down and speak to him about certain things, but we speak about experiencing things before explanation so many times, so it’s a good place for him to be where he’s versatile.
"I don’t know where his best position is. I liked him off the left early on the season and then we put him inside into the pocket and it’s good for him to develop in each position, develop, but also deliver, which he has done. So I’m happy with Gids, happy with how he performed at right wingback. Is there more to come from him in other positions? Definitely.”
When pushed about whether being utilised through the middle is a better role for a player who has played far more minutes this season than ever before in his fledgling career, the Town manager added: “When I say I don’t know his best position, if I had to say one right now it would probably be there, inside. However, there’s a lot of competition in there, Jordan Clark has arguably been our best player, definitely our most consistent player, he can come up with goals.
"He’s got 11 goals this season, and Kasey has been playing in the opposite pocket, so there is competition and that’s why I say about being in a good place where the manager trusts him and the coaches trust him. When we sit down and have conversations about the team, there is the feeling of, how can we get Gids in the team? As he is going to come up with goals and magic moments.
"He probably has dried up a little bit, that’s fine, he’s a young player and we spoke before about going through that dip and coming out, by fighting, by playing in a role, doing a role in the team, that you just have to do to be in the team and get minutes. But he’s coming out of that and he’s got his smile back in training, hes got his bounce back in training. It won’t be long in my opinion before you see Gids back on the scoresheet in a position that he likes.”
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