Wilshere admits Luton must assess bench impact
Jack Wilshere has admitted he will need to review the effect of their substitutions, even after Luton Town beat Peterborough United 2-1, with the Hatters once again losing momentum after changes were made.
On the face of it, this was a positive afternoon for Luton. They led through Jake Richards, then looked set to run away with the game after Jordan Clark made it 2-0 early in the second half. Nahki Wells had chances, Davy van den Berg missed an opening he probably should have taken, and for a while it felt as though goal difference might get a healthy boost.
Instead, the game became more uncomfortable after Wilshere turned to his bench. With Easter Monday’s game against AFC Wimbledon in mind, he introduced fresh legs, but the flow changed and Luton were unable to keep the same control they had shown before that point.
“We and the coaching staff will have to look at the impact being made by the substitutions.”
That kind of honesty is not always common after a win, but it does give some insight into where Wilshere feels his side can improve. Managing energy through Easter is one challenge, yet making changes without damaging rhythm is another, especially for teams trying to build momentum at precisely the point where the season becomes unforgiving.
Luton remain one of those sides capable of influencing the wider picture, even if their own position has fluctuated over the course of the campaign.