Jack Wilshere admits the level of fan frustration at Luton Town are worse than he expected after boos in recent matches.
The Hatters boss did however say his players must learn to cope with a hostile atmosphere at Kenilworth Road following the 2-2 draw against bottom-placed Port Vale.
Cohen Bramall had given the hosts the lead with a first-half free-kick, but Vale – who hadn’t scored in the league for over nine hours across six games – hit back with a leveller equalised thanks to Ben Waine on 42 minutes.
Then Vale went ahead through Devante Cole, but Mads Andersen’s 70th-minute header rescued a point for the hosts, extending their unbeaten run to four league games.
The result left Luton sitting 7th in the League One table, 29 points from 20 games played, Port Vale remain 24th, with 15 points from 19 games played, and are 7 points from safety.
Jack Wilshere said after the game, per thelutonian: “For me, I just think about the players and worry about the players in them moments because what we want is the players to do well,” Wilshere said. “What we want is the players to win and that’s definitely not helping the players. You can see that, it’s clear.
“But that being said, the players, and I said this after the game, we have to find a way. Either we’re going to step up and in those moments we’re going to face it and try and be even more of ourselves, or we’re going to go under. It’s going to be very difficult in moments.
“We have to keep looking at that. We knew that. I knew that when I came in and probably didn’t understand it was as bad as it is at times.
“But, as players, we have to deal with that. As coaches, we have to find a way to help the players deal with that and we will.”
Wilshere said: “One thing that I would like the fans to know is, I like to think I’m not stupid.
“I don’t want to try and overplay. I don’t want to put the ball in dangerous positions where we’re going to lose it. And if there’s space behind them and we’re going to go behind them.
“When you play against teams that don’t press and they’re in a low block, there’s not that much space behind them, so you have to find better ways to attack.
“We didn’t do it well enough and, actually, at times, I thought we could have moved the ball a little bit quicker, because sometimes if you’re waiting, waiting, waiting and they’re not coming, it’s not the moment to do it.
“You have to put the ball out wide, try and open up some more spaces. We try and win the game in the best way we think possible. We didn’t do it.”
Jack Wilshere faces Luton fans after unacceptable display for 1-1 draw at Leyton Orient
This is the reaction on Twitter after Jack Wilshere admits the level of fan frustration at Luton is worse than he expected after recent boos…
@sman3d: Has @JackWilshere spoken to supporters not involved with the club or friends wit the CEO to understand where the anger is coming from? Don’t agree with booing mid game personally but it’s not something people are doing lightly imho.
@wearelutontown: He’s got a point, but if we’ve just come off the back of two relegations and still being served up sub par football, then fans have every right to voice their opinions, the players are obviously taking the brunt of it and it’s not all their fault. It’s one big vicious fuck up cycle. Catalog of failures that come from the top.
@RodMurrell1: What’s gone before needs to be put behind us now. Let’s not ruin another young manager by failing to give him and his players the support they need.
@mattyjh11: Thing is, the booing has been happening since about a month into our Championship season. At what point do people wonder if it’s contributing to the shit performances?
@AJH85_: ‘Picking up points when not at our best’, more ridiculous questions. A 2-2 draw at home to a team without a goal in 6, nor win in 8, is not a fucking positive!
@gavin_coop: He should just say we was shit! 🤷♂️
@chrisnev166: If only we had a tall proper centre forward on the bench we could’ve brought on! Instead we bring on Wells, who hasn’t exactly been good 🤯😂
@PCollinson24: Banal questions: Predictable, meaningless, turgid responses – bit like ‘our style of play’ 🙄
@Jonnyd19890: Frustrating! It’s utter bollocks fucking another weekend ruined. There bottom of the table. We are worse than average. I fucking give up up it’s breaking me heart
@saul1972: Not going to have any urgency to go forward with Saville and walsh in that team ,all Saville does is passes the ball sideways and walsh has ro go back before he goes forward all the time
@0190dw: Today was jack, how defensive do you want to go against bottom of league, until today a team that hasn’t scored in league since October. Shit line up and subs was poor, how you seen wells should be on instead of Nordas. Sort yourself out. Total rubbish
@bigevltfc: The real question that needs to be asked is why does nasmith still get the starts, yes he’s our captain but we can give the armband to another person and sort out the mess of a defence we have, 2nd goal today was nasmith fault didn’t track his man when does it change. #ltfc
@O_DAWG_UK: We are massively overplaying for this league. Endless needless passes in our own half only to just lump if forward to no one. Play in their half, attack down the wings. Stop fanning about trying to walk it in from our own goal line ffs. When we do that we look half interested.
@EllTFC96:
Falling apart
Recruitment has been nothing short of shit
GS get your shit together in January or pack your bags
@LTFCShirts: Club has fallen apart, Naismith worst Luton captain in years