2022/23 Matchday Thread

[SF_]

Hull at home, it'd be nice to start with a win after a bit of a dull summer.

Olosunde is a few weeks away after getting injured at St Johnstone and obviously Izzy Brown is out long term, maybe even the full season.

Could see Jamie Thomas on the bench. Iversen, Van Den Berg & Lindsay were all re-signed from last season so no new faces in the first eleven.

Complete guess at a team

Iversen
Storey - Lindsay - Hughes
Barkhuizen - Whiteman - Ledson - Cunningham
Browne
Riis - Evans

Rudd, VDB, Earl, Potts, Johnson, Sinclair, Maguire​

Hopefully McAvoy can continue his clean sheet record.

​

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Peterborough at home for us. Should be a decent first game i think, they are obviously on a high having been promoted last season so will be interesting to see how we do as we are the now established Championship side they will be looking to measure against.

I suspect we might need some gelling time for the new players to really come in. We have also had a pretty disrupted pre-season especially the past 2 or so weeks with COVID causing issues for us, particularly in the centre half position where we have had multiple key players missing.

Its been 433 for us in pre-season so i expect thats how we will go but several positions up for grabs. My line up would be something like:
Sluga
Bree, Lockyer, Bradley, Naismith
Rea
Campbell, Pelly
Clark, Adebayo, Onyedinma

Must admit im a little trepidatious at how many positions are up for debate. In a way its a good thing as competition is strong, but i think we might take a while to find the formula as a result.

Real questions around left back as Potts is injured, Bell might not be up to speed yet having been with Jamaica until just a week or so ago, Centre Half as am really hoping Lockyer and Bradley are back and available, Central midfield also interesting as Pelly arrived late and Lansbury been one of the ones impacted by the isolation/COVID issues we have had over the past few weeks.

Would not be at all surprised if we start a bit slowly here.

 

[Kenneth E End]

Well our pre-season was going very well until about 2 weeks ago. It was reported in the Daily Mail last weekend that one club was suffering because one player who refused to be vaccinated, turned up positive and took players with him. I dearly hope that isn't us, but when you lose your three best centre halves and right back at the same time - it makes you think.

I'd hope that now Lockyer and Lansbury have been out for 2 weeks, they are now back in the fold. If we have to play Rea and Osho there, we have problems.

Although if we have this many players missing, really there should be a postponement on the cards?

Amari'i Bell will be fit if he's been with the Jamaican squad - so I can't see why he couldn't fit in at left back. If they are all available, I'd go for this side:

GK Simon Sluga
RB James Bree
LB Kal Naismith
CB Sonny Bradley
CB Tom Lockyer
DM Henri Lansbury
CM Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu
CM Allan Campbell
RF Jordan Clark
LF Fred Onyedinma
CF Elijah Adebayo

Subs: James Shea, Peter Kioso, Reece Burke, Glen Rea, Joe Morrell, Harry Cornick, Carlos Mendes-Gomes

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Club Statement | Not taking the knee - Luton Town FC

We can confirm that our players have made a united decision to not take the knee before matches at the start of the 2021-22 season.

www.lutontown.co.uk

We wont be taking the knee this season. Have to say i do not like the reference to the gesture being misrepresented for Political reasons in the statement, feels like its pandering to the dog whistle rubbish about "marxism" from certain sections.

Apparently the players have reached the decision themselves which if so then fair enough, was somewhat dreading it being booed tomorrow i have to say.

 

[Kenneth E End]

Dare I say it could be a good time to play Peterborough, but it doesn't take away from the fact that they'd be amongst the last teams I'd want to play on opening day. There does seem to be a bit of a chip on the shoulder of that club in recent years.

Jonson Clarke-Harris has only had 45 minutes of pre-season; Siriki Dembele also doubtful. Both players speculating about moves away too. They have other fitness concerns too in other areas of the park.

Not to take away our own possible Covid-related problems of course.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Comes from MacAnthony that sort of mentality I think. I guess his communication with the fans is laudible, Ironically given the conversation on the other thread about our secrecy on contracts etc, by contrast he is very open about those things, but he does come across a bit brash and self centred. Certainly pumped decent money in although I think its him and his approach thats kind of stopped them taking it further than he thinks they should be really.

Remembering that game early in the League 1 season when we got battered by Peterborough, Dembele one of the chief tormentors that day. With how that season played out eventually it shows you cant read too much into the early games and things will take a while to settle down.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Starting Naismith and Osho at centre half today so still seems covid affecting us particularly at the centre half position. Bit concerning

 

[Vanni]

Good luck Luton. Any sort of win would be awesome but is there any chance you could go for a 4-0 or why not a 5 or 6 nil? Ta.

All BBC Cambs(PISH) has talked about for the last hour or so is pish pish pish ffs.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Thoroughly deserved 3-0 win. Dominated them from the off and Peterborough never had a foothold in the game. Onyedinma with an electric debut, setting up 2 and scoring himself with the 3rd.

Said it quite a few times but the difference at the level from league 1 is the pressing and Peterborough had no answer for ours. Couldn’t keep up with the pace of the game as a result and by the end looked a beaten group with a few petulant fouls and misplaced passes. Going to need to learn quickly if they are to keep up this season I think.

 

[Kenneth E End]

Welcome to the Championship, Peterborough United. Making the cardinal sin of trying to play the same way at this level after just coming up from the division below.

I know they had fitness concerns, but after 70 minutes they were dead on their feet... justifiably it could've been 4-0 plus, which with a makeshift side, would've been a tremendous result (well, it still is).

For all of the front three to score, but to then have Muskwe and Mendes Gomes to come on too must've been a frightening prospect. Some of the pace on show today was something else.

Jones confirmed Covid issues being the problem in defence, but Lockyer got some minutes in a friendly earlier.

 

[Kenneth E End]

So Huddersfield lost 4 players due to positive Covid tests. Have the protocols changed this season then?

 

[Craig]

Happy with a point from that.

 

[Super_horns]

I don’t think POSH no any other way to play !

Will let loads in.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

True they are known for being an attacking side, and there defending wasn’t great.

The worrying thing for them is that they couldn’t do anything with the ball either as they simply couldn’t progress because they couldn’t play out of pressing situations. So they ended up being constantly crowded out or playing themselves into trouble. The difference in physicality was stark.

We had the same issues in our first season trying to play the way we had in league 1 here and it wasn’t transferable, the speed difference is very high and takes some getting used too.

As an aside I see the possession stat for the game was 49:50 in there favour. I’d love to know how that’s worked out as anyone who was there could see that is simply not accurate.

 

[Super_horns]

Blimey Swansea are going to get themselves into a real mess each game trying to play out from the back so often putting themselves under pressure !

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

It was what Martin did at MK Dons. It got lots of plaudits but seemed to often lead to moments like that.

 

[SF_]

Wow, so so bad.

Really hate this squad of players, just went through the motions as they have done all pre-season and last year. The performance couldn't have been any more flat and there are plenty of mistakes in the team and not many goals.

We were on top until they went 2-1 with a big deflection but this lot just folded after that.

Not going to throw a shit fit after one game but need a big end to the window.

 

[Super_horns]

Nice return to home for Coventry.

 

[CCFC_Charlie]

Unbelievable match, what a way to return to Cov.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

We have been really very bad but it’s 2-2 and has at least been entertaining. Lack of centre half partnerships beginning to tell as first goal was a simple long ball not dealt with. Back level with a set piece goal but very much second best and Stevenage deserved the lead albeit off a deflected free kick.

Finally put some passes together and muskwe scored what looked a very well taken goal. Maybe finding or stride but we’ve been poor, Lee, Rea, Lansbury not doing themselves anymore favours and Lockyer still a yard off the pace. Poor beckwith isn’t ready for this level yet and has struggled

 

[SF_]

Found our level and won 3-0 at Mansfield - Sinclair (2) & Riis.

Such joy.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

We were a bit better second half but Cornick unfortunately squandered our 2 best chances and we couldn’t find a breakthrough. You won’t see a worse set of penalties than ours.

Why they let Cornick take one let alone the first I don’t know, he just doesn’t have it as a goal scorer, literally everyone in the ground could have told you he would miss.

Oh well good a few players got some minutes but not many out there hand up for consideration really. A couple like area, Lee and Lansbury were downright dreadful I thought.

 

[BelizeHatter]

Im getting to the point Oaky was with Pelly on Cornick. Actually i got there. Waste of a starting spot. Absolutely hopeless in front of goal and at football in general if he has to think about it. Get him out the starting team. Clark better by a lot.

Im guessing Jones knows this and is playing his usual loyalty card before he shuffles the pack and Harry moves to the bench at best. Speed alone isnt enough at this level.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

To be fair to him we noticeably improved when he came on, much more positive, got himself into good positions and was more of a nuisance in getting in behind and turning the defence. Before that it was pretty in front of Stevenage. I guess it doesn’t really matter if you don’t make the most of those opportunities but he is a menace to defend against more so than others we have, just the key moment often let’s him down.

Clark has been playing as a 10 lately so may not even be his direct competition.

 

[SF_]

Reading away, dicked them 3-0 in this fixture last season, definitely can't see that happening again.

We need to get DJ & Sinclair back in this team, so Ledson out for me, decent squad player but he's not a starter at this level, he just can't control a game and he's a fucking retard. Think this is the type of game Brad Potts excels in too, just let him run his nuts off.

Storey can fuck off, sick of that clown, get Bauer & VDB in the middle. Lindsay benched too, the pylon.

Hard to leave out Barkhuizen but I think Browne is a better makeshift wingback until Olosunde is fit.

Iversen
VDB - Bauer - Hughes
Browne - Whiteman - Johnson - Cunningham
Potts - Sinclair
Riis​

Evans unlucky to miss out but feel like we need to rely on pace and running away from home. Riis is looking pretty confident in front of goal too, still got high hopes for the guy but he's a massive confidence player.

 

[Kenneth E End]

We have been really very bad but it’s 2-2 and has at least been entertaining. Lack of centre half partnerships beginning to tell as first goal was a simple long ball not dealt with. Back level with a set piece goal but very much second best and Stevenage deserved the lead albeit off a deflected free kick.

Finally put some passes together and muskwe scored what looked a very well taken goal. Maybe finding or stride but we’ve been poor, Lee, Rea, Lansbury not doing themselves anymore favours and Lockyer still a yard off the pace. Poor beckwith isn’t ready for this level yet and has struggled

I thought we were hopelessly bad defensively on Tuesday night. But at the same time, we didn’t look bothered by the game at all… there was no prep and was just used as another pre-season friendly.

If we defend like that against WBA on Saturday, we will be picked apart several times.

Disappointed in some of the fringe players like Lansbury too… trying to work their way into the side. Only Muskwe has given Jones food for thought. I also thought Kioso proved why Bree is preferred at RB.

 

[BelizeHatter]

Big test at WBA and decent benchmark to get an idea of where we stand against one of the league favs. Maybe its a good time to get this away fixture.

 

[BelizeHatter]

'Where we stand' meaning HOW far away

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

I thought we were hopelessly bad defensively on Tuesday night. But at the same time, we didn’t look bothered by the game at all… there was no prep and was just used as another pre-season friendly.

If we defend like that against WBA on Saturday, we will be picked apart several times.

Disappointed in some of the fringe players like Lansbury too… trying to work their way into the side. Only Muskwe has given Jones food for thought. I also thought Kioso proved why Bree is preferred at RB.

Interesting as I thought Kioso was more or less the only player on Tuesday to show something. Good cross for the second goal and strong in the tackle throughout I thought. He was often on for the switch ball only to be ignored by Rea and Lansbury which was frustrating. The rest pretty poor especially the midfield three. Osho took a step back from his previous performance against Peterborough and Lockyer is clearly a fair way from being fully fit. The defensive issues I felt were a result of the other 3, especially beckwith not being strong enough and Osho not winning his battle with there number 20 rather than Kioso for me. Muskwe scored a neat goal but offered little else imo

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Am not expecting a great deal from Saturday I have to say. Thought WBA looked impressive at Bournemouth and I’d expect them to be a level above us regardless of how far you think we have progressed as a side over the summer (some seem to be getting a bit carried away with that for me)

Could be a helter skelter type game if we employ the high press tactics as we did against Peterborough as they very much do the same, but ultimately I think our unsettled back line may tell.