Manager apologises to Nottingham Forest winger as exile continues

Luton Town boss Matt Bloomfield has apologised to Josh Bowler amid the on-loan Nottingham Forest winger’s lack of game time.

 

Bowler is spending the second half of the season with the Hatters after a previous loan spell with Preston North End was cut short. The 25-year-old had dropped down the pecking order at Deepdale, but his luck hasn’t exactly changed since his January switch.

In his first month at Kenilworth Road, the wide man has managed just 75 minutes on the pitch across a total of four substitute appearances. Bloomfield has acknowledged his decision to change formation soon after Bowler’s arrival has made it tough for the Reds player.

I feel a bit for Josh as he left a club playing 3-5-2 to come to a club that was playing 4-2-3-1 and near enough the game after that we changed formation,” he told Luton Today. “So I feel for Josh.

“We’ve had to find different ways to try to get him involved. Later on in the game, once or twice we’ve gone to a four (at the back) and he came on in central midfield as one of the eights last Sunday (in a 2-0 defeat to Watford).

Josh’s instinct is to attack so I think you have to know there is a trade-off if you have him in midfield. He’s an attacking player with that attacking instinct, but we brought him here as we believe in him.

“I don’t regret changing the formation as it complements the group we have available. We can’t just play it for one player. We have to do what’s best for the group, and what’s best for the group – as we saw against Sheffield United and Plymouth – was to play three at the back.

So my apologies go to Josh. We brought him in, but it soon became apparent we needed to change. We’ve now got Alfie Doughty in his best position, Amari’i Bell in his best position. We’ve had two forwards playing in their best position, so it was a change that was right at the right time.