Hatters boss explains why he didn’t bring on summer

Luton boss Rob Edwards has explained he didn’t bring on Ryan Giles to play in the left wingback role during yesterday’s 3-1 defeat against Brentford, as he views the summer signing’s future at Kenilworth Road as more of an attacker than a defender.

The 23-year-old was brought in by Edwards in the summer from Wolverhampton Wanderers, for what is believed to be a club record fee, and played in that role during his pre-season outings

He then started the opening three games of the Premier League season in the same position, but since the 2-1 home defeat to West Ham United, had only featured three more times, gaining just 33 minutes of first team action.

Even in the last few weeks, with Luton missing Issa Kabore for the home contest with Crystal Palace and then Alfie Doughty at the Gtech Stadium yesterday, Giles has remained on the bench, Amari’i Bell coming back in, while Doughty played out of position against the Eagles.

However, yesterday, with Doughy absent due to a hip injury and then Tom Lockyer going off at half time, it meant Edwards was forced into yet another defensive alteration at the break.

Instead of Giles, he opted to move Kabore over to the left to try and deal with Bryan Mbeumo, bringing on forward Jacob Brown to play in a right wingback role, something he has never done, at least for Town, in his career.

The changes saw Brentford score twice inside the opening 11 minute to take full advantage, Giles eventually coming on for Teden Mengi who suffered a knee problem with 16 minutes to go after making a terrific sliding challenge.

Although Brown went on to score the Hatters’ only goal of the day, netting his second in as many games, asked why Giles hadn’t been introduced at the interval, Edwards said: “Gileo, I see more as a winger at the moment to be honest, and I’ve told him that. At the moment, I think his attributes are crosses and final third actions as well, so that’s his challenge, to try and get into the team in that position, that’s why.

“Browny I felt will do the running, that was needed, Issa to be able to deal with Mbeumo, defensively, that’s not Gileo’s biggest strength. We knew that when we brought him in, we thought Issa would be able to deal with their most dangerous player probably better than Gileo.

“It was good for him (Brown), two goals in two, I thought it was a really good goal as well, from the wingback position as well. I put him in a position that I don’t really want to play him in, but he gives everything for the team and he had a real positive impact on the game Browny.”

With Lockyer taking a knee to the back inside the opening 60 seconds of the contest, he managed to produce a terrific display in the first period, but then went down once more on the stroke of half time and after receiving attention on the pitch, couldn’t carry on.

During the latter stages of the second half, Luton were left with another makeshift back three for the closing stages when Mengi went off, Kabore dropping in to join Gabe Osho and Bell.

On the duo’s injuries, Edwards added: “Tom hurt his back in the first minute, so he was in a lot of pain, and he had another knock right at the end of that first half.

“He was down and had to get treatment, he was just not able to carry on, so we’ll have to assess him and see. Teden Mengi’s hurt the inside of his knee so we’ll have to assess him.

“It doesn’t help that we’ve already go a few centre halves out and missing, to lose two more and Amari’i Bell has played centre back for us a lot, but to only have Gabe Osho as an out and out centre half on the pitch in the second half makes it really difficult for us.”

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