The midfielder has been badly missed during his three-game absence, but with an international break immediately around the corner, is there any reason to take a risk with his fitness?
Saša Lukić’s potential return to the Ipswich Town starting XI is one of the biggest selection questions facing Gary O’Neil ahead of Sunday’s meeting with Bournemouth at Portman Road.
The Serbian midfielder has missed the last three matches with a groin injury, and his absence has been noticeable. Having started every Premier League game prior to his injury, Lukić had quickly established himself as an important component of Town’s midfield.
Indeed, there is a strong argument that Ipswich simply haven’t looked quite the same without him.
But should O’Neil rush him back, particularly with an international break following the Bournemouth fixture?
The argument for playing him
There is little doubt that Lukić has been badly missed.
His ability to break up opposition attacks, retain possession and provide a degree of composure in midfield gives Town something that has been difficult to replicate during his absence.
He brings experience, discipline and an understanding of the game that is particularly valuable in the Premier League. His presence also appears to bring balance to the midfield, allowing those around him greater freedom to influence proceedings.
O’Neil himself acknowledged just how important the midfielder is when discussing his fitness ahead of the Hull City game, admitting: “He’s an important player for us. We’ve missed him a lot in the last few weeks.”
Those comments tell their own story.
With Bournemouth visiting Portman Road, this is potentially a game where Lukić’s qualities could make a significant difference. Leaving an influential player on the sidelines when he is potentially available is not an easy decision for any manager.
And there is another consideration: match fitness.
At some point Lukić needs to return to competitive action, and there is an argument that giving him minutes against Bournemouth could be the ideal way to ease him back into the side.
The argument for waiting
However, there is an equally compelling argument for exercising caution.
Groin injuries can be notoriously troublesome, and the last thing Town need is for Lukić to return prematurely, suffer a recurrence and find himself facing another extended spell on the sidelines.
There is also the timing of the fixture to consider.
Following the Bournemouth game, the Premier League takes a two-week break for international football. If Lukić is not sufficiently fit to feature against Bournemouth, it seems reasonable to assume that he would also be unavailable for Serbia during the international break. Serbia have today, called up Saša to their international squad where he is a regular starter for them.
That could effectively give him another fortnight to recover, work on his fitness and return to full training without the pressure of competitive fixtures.
In other words, missing Bournemouth might actually put him in a much better position for the demanding run of matches that follows.
It is a tempting opportunity to give a key player the additional recovery time he needs rather than risk losing him for considerably longer.
What do we know about his fitness?
There was some encouraging news following Saturday’s draw at Hull.
O’Neil revealed that Lukić had been close to making the bench, but the decision was taken not to rush him back.
The manager confirmed that his groin was feeling fine and that he had been working hard on the training ground. He was expected to join the group for full training on Monday, giving him a full week to prepare for Bournemouth.
O’Neil was also optimistic about his availability, saying: “If the game was on Monday, Sasa would have played a part, so we expect to see him next weekend.”
That is certainly encouraging, although being available for selection and being ready to start a Premier League match are two very different things.
The verdict
Personally, I think this is a decision that needs to be made with the bigger picture in mind.
Lukić is undoubtedly one of Town’s most important midfielders, and his absence has demonstrated just how much the team benefits from having him available.
However, we have already seen O’Neil take a cautious approach to his recovery, and there seems little point undoing that good work by taking an unnecessary risk.
If he is genuinely 100% fit, then there is a strong case for bringing him straight back into the starting XI. But if there is even the slightest doubt, the international break offers a natural opportunity to give him another two weeks of recovery.
Town need Lukić for the long haul, not just for 90 minutes against Bournemouth.
The question is whether his importance to the team outweighs the risk of bringing him back too soon. Would you start Lukić against Bournemouth, give him a place on the bench, or leave him out altogether and allow him to recover during the international break?
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