Bolton have been dealt with a blow after Peter Kioso was recalled from his loan by parent club Luton today.
Kioso had signed a season-long loan deal at the end of the summer window, when Wanderers had initially lost Gethin Jones to injury. Kioso has performed fairly well, by and large becoming forst choice in the right wing-back role. There has been talk throughout his spell that he could be recalled at almost any moment, with Luton having problems in that area.
Even just a few days ago, it seemed from both ends that Kioso would stay with us for the rest of the campaign, but this morning it was announced that Kioso would be heading south again. It looks like James Bree’s injury in Saturday’s FA Cup tie against Reading was the final straw.
While there’s no denying it’s a shame, it doesn’t have to be the disaster some are making it out to be. While Kioso has put on a number of really good performances, he didn’t even play in our one win since the start of December. Gethin Jones can do well in the right-sided role, and he might actually be able to play there once again, now that in Declan John, we’ve signed a left-back that could be up to standard. We’ve also got Jak Hickman (remember him?) – and on top of that, if Ian Evatt is going to move towards a back four, that opens up even more right-back options, with Harry Brockbank and Alex Baptiste able to play there.
It also even frees up a space for us to get a new man in for an area of the park where we need some reinforcements.