2020/21 General Match Thread

[That Fat Centre Half]

Bradford a lot better in the second half and probably deserved a goal for their efforts. We just couldn’t get the passing game going and Bradford seemed to work hard to stop it. The number 10 who came on really should have been on from the start and looked their best player to me. Perhaps a slightly better side may have gotten back into the game and made it competitive. Still managed a goal though and nice it was Cornick after he missed out on one on Saturday!

Not sure about this getting carried away stuff. BH semi scolded Kenny pre game, prnounces concerns we haven’t done it against anyone considered “good” and I called a 3-1 win a “poor game” and compared the feel of the build up to the conference games and saw “shock defeat” headlines!

 

[Judge Dredd]

I'm with Belize Hatter, if he's meant it Cornick's assist for the third goal is absolutely unbelievable technique. I'm sure if he tried that 100 more times he wouldn't manage to pull it off again.

Love Elliot Lee, he's a class act and great to see him becoming a regular goalscorer. There were some doubts or at least uncertainties over whether Lee and Collins could do it at this level before the season started based on previous attempts, but both are looking absolutely class acts at the moment.

Got to enjoy these spells while they last, it's very rare that everything clicks on and off the pitch like it is for us in the last 12 months or so.

 

[Judge Dredd]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1067515253934690304

Decide for yourselves if he's meant it or not...

 

[Craig]

Got a 8 hour shift of listening to my colleague James sing the praises of Herbie Kane and John Marquis to look forward to tomorrow, fml.

 

[nelsonpfc]

Extremely professional win v Walsall tonight without really getting getting into top gear. Could have scored a hat full and for all of Walsalls decent build up they never really created a clear cut chance. Should have had a pen. Best defense in the league, not too many sides are going to score more than one against us this season. Massive month ahead, but we look like a team full of confidence and always looking under control. Just wish we'd put a few more chances away.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

I'm with Belize Hatter, if he's meant it Cornick's assist for the third goal is absolutely unbelievable technique. I'm sure if he tried that 100 more times he wouldn't manage to pull it off again.

Love Elliot Lee, he's a class act and great to see him becoming a regular goalscorer. There were some doubts or at least uncertainties over whether Lee and Collins could do it at this level before the season started based on previous attempts, but both are looking absolutely class acts at the moment.

Got to enjoy these spells while they last, it's very rare that everything clicks on and off the pitch like it is for us in the last 12 months or so.

Totally with you on Lee. Having a superb season so far and seems to just keep getting better, Jones is really improving all of this group of players. Really need to ensure we keep a hold of him.

In that vein, and in the spirit of self criticism to keep down our hubris, I'd just like to point out that I have been wrong in just about every one of my "takes" as the Americans would call them this season. So far ticking off the "dont listen to fatty list"
- Shinnie is a technically decent player but lacks real impact on a game
- Why did we sign Pearson and Bradley, 2 cloggers who will never fit in our system
- Collins isnt good enough for the level
- Lee isnt a very good number 10 and is better up front
- Not sure if Pelly is good enough to be our starting box to midfield player
- Rea isnt good enough as a DM at this level

And that along with me predicting we will slip up in just about every home game! Still not sure about us away from home though. Lets hope I continue to be hopelessly wrong on just about everything.

 

[Aberstone]

My first look of Luton this season and very impressed with what I saw. Granted Bradford did well to press them for so long in the second half and stifle Luton's passing play but the damage was done in the first half.

 

[Bottega Don]

I think Luton are a good side but I wouldn't crown them world beaters just yet. The highest placed team they've beat is 11th place Accrington.

They have been pretty dominant recently but that has included beating the following teams:

Bradford (24th)
Plymouth (22nd)
Bristol Rovers (21st)
Scunthorpe (20th)
Oxford (19th)
Gillingham (18th)

They have played some incredibly poor teams so far. You can obviously only beat what is put in front of you but I'm gonna reserve judgement until they've beaten someone any good.

 

[womble76]

We are full.of endeavour but lacking any quality especially up front. Nailed on for drop unless new manager is a miracle worker and we have an amazing Jan window.

 

[Don Tonberry]

We haven't been playing to our full potential all season yet find ourselves four points clear at the top of the table and potentially nine clear of the play-offs. We just get the job done and that's due to having the best defence in the division and plenty of players who can stick the ball in the back of the net.

I just wonder how good we can be when it finally does click into place.

 

[Kenneth E End]

Hardly been luck!! Consistency, lots of players chipping in with goals, and a solid defence.

Yeah but if we do it, it is luck and poor opposition.

 

[Kenneth E End]

I think Luton are a good side but I wouldn't crown them world beaters just yet. The highest placed team they've beat is 11th place Accrington.

They have been pretty dominant recently but that has included beating the following teams:

Bradford (24th)
Plymouth (22nd)
Bristol Rovers (21st)
Scunthorpe (20th)
Oxford (19th)
Gillingham (18th)

They have played some incredibly poor teams so far. You can obviously only beat what is put in front of you but I'm gonna reserve judgement until they've beaten someone any good.

We’re 20 games in and in touching distance of the automatic places. We must be doing something right. We played the tough teams in the early games; most away from home.
Our January is the reverse of August. That will decide if we last the course for the top 2.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

I think Luton are a good side but I wouldn't crown them world beaters just yet. The highest placed team they've beat is 11th place Accrington.

They have been pretty dominant recently but that has included beating the following teams:

Bradford (24th)
Plymouth (22nd)
Bristol Rovers (21st)
Scunthorpe (20th)
Oxford (19th)
Gillingham (18th)

They have played some incredibly poor teams so far. You can obviously only beat what is put in front of you but I'm gonna reserve judgement until they've beaten someone any good.

We have "made hay whilst has the shone" so to speak playing those teams its true. We started the season against all the top teams and did okish, most games we looked competitive at the least (Peterborough the only exception really). Also if you are of a statistical bent (I know some people hate it) we were underperforming against what the stats said we should be doing at the time. We have then had a run against weaker opposition and have made it count. The manner of the wins has been really pleasing and its just good football to watch as well.

Come mid/end of december those difficult games roll back around with Portsmouth, Sunderland, Peterborough and Barnsley all coming up and some tough looking away games at Coventry etc. What we are doing now is building some margin for error for ourselves in those games I think.

Worth pointing out that we did this last season, and were on a ridiculously good run this time last season (probably was better actually without looking it up) and then after January we tailed off a bit. Might a be "Nathan Jones team" trait perhaps.

I wasnt really expecting this to be honest, thought we would be pretty comfy relatively boring mid table this season so its just a pleasant surprise we are doing so well (at the moment of course!). Being honest and being a Luton fan, im sort of waiting for something to go wrong!

 

[James PAFC]

Awful again and we made Shrewsbury look like world beaters. Our defence is a massive liability right now and it’s far too easy for the opposition to score against us. Big changes needed in January otherwise we are heading for the drop.

 

[Bucket_]

*Something something Luton’s run of form is spellbinding Lionel Messi couldn’t tie Harry Cornick’s shoes something something*

 

[Kenneth E End]

So since we signed our new assistant manager we have PL10 W8 D1 L1 in the league - coincidence?

 

[CCFC_Charlie]

Do Portsmouth want Chaplin back?

 

[codaplenty]

Well I certainly did'nt expect this last night, 8 changes from the weekend, no starting place for Hunter who has had a superb season so far, Dempsey not even on the bench
Experience kicked in big time, Marney was terrific in the middle and scored a crackin goal but Coventry were well in it until early second half and then Fleetwood really clicked and ran out comfortable winners. To keep a perspective on the result MoM was Cairns who yet again made a series of outstanding saves, Barton called the changes, got it right and will be well pleased by what he saw

 

[Shrimpurh]

Needed win last night but we’ve had another player ruled out for the season - that’s now 5. Another had to come off last night this is getting beyond a joke

 

[Hooped Wizard]

Well our tough run is over now after Charlton in the cup, we’ll be in the top 6 quite comfortably by New Year.

 

[Bobbin']

Yep, annoyingly you do seem to have some favourable games coming up.

 

[WilsdenBantam]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1067515253934690304

Decide for yourselves if he's meant it or not...

It was a nice assist, but our defending was Benny Hill esk. It doesn't have to be one or the other in football, it can be nice play by one team and still be shocking and totally avoidable by the other, as it was in this case and every goal last night. But hey, that's because we are total turd, you don't get to our goal difference at not even the mid point without been garbage.

 

[WilsdenBantam]

We really are going down aren't we, ffs get out of our club Rahic you prick!!!!!!!!!!

All that work by Parkinson and the old regime chucked down the pan, for one c*** ego who thought football was a piece of piss.

As I was making this rant this was happening https://www.telegraph.co.uk/footbal...oint-chairman-co-owner-edin-rahic-keen-leave/

Maybe there is light at the end of the tunnel

Must be hard for firthy after defending him so much.

 

[Bucket_]

Do Portsmouth want Chaplin back?

That bad eh? Poor Conor.

 

[K-Win]

Do Portsmouth want Chaplin back?

From what I understand, Robins is playing him as a link man behind the main striker? Both Jackett and Cook before him tried to play him that way and he's just not effective in that role.

I can only see Chaplin being successful in a 4-4-2 playing alongside a powerful striker. It's just that so few teams play with two out-and-out strikers anymore, so it may be that he will disappear into the wilderness.

Do you still have an option to not buy him in January or is it already agreed? (fingers crossed)

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

It was a nice assist, but our defending was Benny Hill esk. It doesn't have to be one or the other in football, it can be nice play by one team and still be shocking and totally avoidable by the other, as it was in this case and every goal last night. But hey, that's because we are total turd, you don't get to our goal difference at not even the mid point without been garbage.

The defending is really poor there its true, and like you say its a bit of both, the quality of players you had available couldn't cope with the movement in that first half.

Your defence came in for a lot of criticism last night from what I saw on social media but that goal shows the midfield wasnt up to mustard either, Henry is just jogging back there whilst his man puts it in the net!

Was there any reason that Payne did not start? He looked like a really good little player when he came on. I wondered why he wasnt on from the start.

 

[WilsdenBantam]

The defending is really poor there its true, and like you say its a bit of both, the quality of players you had available couldn't cope with the movement in that first half.

Your defence came in for a lot of criticism last night from what I saw on social media but that goal shows the midfield wasnt up to mustard either, Henry is just jogging back there whilst his man puts it in the net!

Was there any reason that Payne did not start? He looked like a really good little player when he came on. I wondered why he wasnt on from the start.

I think it was fitness related. Tbh I think with our Centre Backs out Hopkin wrote this game off and wanted to make sure our only decent attacking player didn't get injured for upcoming "6 pointers".

 

[mowgli]

A superb 2-1 win at Accrington after being 1-0 down at H/T takes us up to 10th and 11 points above the relegation zone after the bottom 4 teams all lost.

 

[Caer]

Entertaining game yesterday. Barnsley simply forgot how to defend in the first half and then we simply refused to believe that letting the tall bloke free in the box may lead to goals being scored.

If Maja worked on his heading a bit more we could have been 5-0 up but in the same regard if some of the Barnsley chances went in it could have been 5-5. Luke O'Nien's transformation from deer in the headlights to an extremely useful engine in midfield has been a highlight recently.

Accrington Stanley away is our next league game. They haven't won for a few games but I imagine it'll still be a tough game and now we have Luton breathing down our necks.

We have now reached our highest points tally since the 2011/12 season.

 

[thewwfc]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1067515253934690304

Decide for yourselves if he's meant it or not...

um what? Man v 'Boys was played at Old Trafford last night surely?

anyway, as Mowgli says, great win for us over the Accystanis last night - god knows how we keep going with these late surges in the second half but long may it continue...although sometimes, just sometimes, it might be nice if we actually started well and kept it going, rather than cocked up at the start and had to pull it out of the bag later on...just a thought?