2022/23 Matchday Thread

[That Fat Centre Half]

Hadnt seen enough of Fred to realise he was a natural right footer ;-)

Bell is the weak link. Good defender but absolute drivel going forward, which is his primary requirement when we play three centre halves. Continually gives it away and is then out of position. Cant find a player unless its a sideways or backwards pass and his crossing and shooting are dreadful. There are a handful of examples to counterfeit this esp his excellent weight and vision of throughball for Eli v Millwall and he found a cross once or twice thru the season for a goal and scored once.....but too few and far between.

In his defense he has nobody in front of him on the left eithe in midfield or up top for him to find regularly. As we know our left is a weakpoint. But please lets get Sheezdog helping him out on deliveries and I'll happily eat my Straw Boater.

Think you’re being really harsh on Bell there, he isn’t Bree but he is good enough in that respect plus i really don’t agree his primary role is to get forward. His job is different to Bree entirely and his defensive solidity on that side allows Bree to bomb forward on the other as he allows the defence to slide across to protect that space. Plus whilst Bree does those over lapping runs, Bell does underlapping ones in the other side (goal you point out v Millwall is classic example of this) and bolsters the midfield where we can get out numbered sometimes

It’s really far far more complicated what his job is than you are giving credit for imo and he’s pretty good at it, in the shape he has arguably far more responsibility than Bree, certainly out of possession. Is he perfect, no clearly not but for what we can afford he’s very decent if you ask me and a very important player in the 11.

 

[BelizeHatter]

I could see that being true esp the with shape and sliding across and strategic positioning. As an armchair fan i get the zoomed in camera tight angle and miss all of nuances and panarama of being there and seeing the whole thing play out. Plus i value your always balanced and smart opinion. So i am probably being unfair and wrong with a limited viewpoint

I see a good defender that is supposed to be a wing back and get forward and offer width on the left with the ball, or a danger coming in from the left as we attack on the right. The defensive aspect as we attack is surely with three centre halves and one holding mid dropping back. Unless he's playing sideways or backwards he rarely finds a pass, or creates a chance, cant beat a man and almost always gives it away on an attacking front, and then ends up out if position and we end up stretched down their right flank. I dont see any of that down our right flank.

 

[BelizeHatter]

Anyway. Its counter productive to slam him so ill try and stop but he drives me mad.......but ffs Nathan get him some help.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Our match with Fulham has been moved to bank holiday Monday at 5.15, meaning we no longer have any more Saturday 3pm kick offs the rest of the way this season due to TV commitments which is pretty mad. With all these TV games we already have had a taste of premier league treatment and can’t say I’m a fan! Be a lot of people who made plans for that game who have now been scuppered.

 

[SF_]

Mikey O'Neill isn't playing in our youth game this morning, hopefully he's on the bench, he's been impressing our coaching staff and scoring goals.

 

[Craig]

That’s us done.

 

[SF_]

Saw nothing of it but seemed comfortable despite a late penalty. Cameron Archer is very special.

Hopefully the injury to Riis isn't bad.

 

[SF_]

That’s us done.

Enjoy routine promotion

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

About as good a set of results as we could have reasonably expected today. Middlesborough losing to Hull being the real turn up and some nice draws for Sheffield United, Blackburn.

Makes the point at Peterborough not too bad now but 2 huge games coming up starting Monday night at Huddersfield. Huge game in the playoff picture. From that and Forest on Good Friday think we need 4 points minimum otherwise it starts to look like we will be the ones to fall away for others to take the place. Having said that, no one (Forest aside) is particularly consistent at the moment so you never know.

Having said that about the point not looking too bad, if we had managed to hold on (for an albeit underserved win) we could have a little eye on the automatic promotion spot that is still on offer as Bournemouth look very much on the ropes at the moment with a tough run in. Forest look like they are going to challenge them for it but with us having to play Forest still we would be right in that conversation too potentially as strange as that sounds. Probably thats beyond the realm of possibility now (if it wasnt already!).

 

[BelizeHatter]

Id rather have Bournemouth than Forest in the playoffs. We prob need ten points, maybe eleven, to secure a spot, with scope to pick that up even if we get a loss and draw in the next two biggies.

Really hope we go after Huddersfield tho. Get Eli and Harry at them, where we know Matty Pearsons strengths and more so his weakness, and make him turn and chase rather than scrap and fight.

 

[Kenneth E End]

I saw some post about "Luton fading" further up - Luton have 8 points from the last 4 games (or 11 points from 6 and just 1 defeat in that time)...

 

[Kenneth E End]

That’s us done.

Shite.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

I saw some post about "Luton fading" further up - Luton have 8 points from the last 4 games (or 11 points from 6 and just 1 defeat in that time)...

My comments were more of concern over future fading than it being the current situation.

Not picking up 3 points from 2 of our more "winnable" (in as much as any game is winnable at this level) looking games to start such a crucial period does rather mark us out as ones who might falter. But as mentioned, Forest aside - no one seems very consistent.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Id rather have Bournemouth than Forest in the playoffs. We prob need ten points, maybe eleven, to secure a spot, with scope to pick that up even if we get a loss and draw in the next two biggies.

Really hope we go after Huddersfield tho. Get Eli and Harry at them, where we know Matty Pearsons strengths and more so his weakness, and make him turn and chase rather than scrap and fight.

Agree about preferring Bournemouth to Forest in the playoffs if we make them. We looked good in both Bournemouth games this season and Parker is an awful manager who has relied on the individual quality he has at his disposal. Jones is a far better tactician and id fancy him to steer us through that.

 

[SF_]

Got a bad feeling that parachute money will do its job and it'll be Fulham, Bournemouth & Sheff Utd going up.

Two of the three promoted clubs definitely coming back down, who will no doubt be in contention next season.

 

[BarrieOwl]

Got a bad feeling that parachute money will do its job and it'll be Fulham, Bournemouth & Sheff Utd going up.

Two of the three promoted clubs definitely coming back down, who will no doubt be in contention next season.

Blades need to go back up at first attempt they sold the PL monies to a bank for cash injections last season.

 

[Super_horns]

w

Got a bad feeling that parachute money will do its job and it'll be Fulham, Bournemouth & Sheff Utd going up.

Two of the three promoted clubs definitely coming back down, who will no doubt be in contention next season.

Maybe but we will lose a few players as we will have to clear the squad out because the accounts don’t look good .

Won’t have Sarr to rely on next season !

 

[BelizeHatter]

Exciting day. Great to be here in with a shout and feeling good. Unusually everyone else has played and we know exactly where we will be with a win draw or loss. Could reasonably go with any of the options but as a optimistic romantic I'll plump for a 0-4 away romp. COYRRH

 

[BelizeHatter]

Won’t have Sarr to rely on next season !

I watched the second half of the Leeds game. He was absolutely dire. Flattered to deceive positionally but then all droop when it mattered.

 

[BarrieOwl]

Come on you Dog Botherers

 

[Super_horns]

I watched the second half of the Leeds game. He was absolutely dire. Flattered to deceive positionally but then all droop when it mattered.

Quite - missed a sitter too.

One playing with a move on his mind .

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Bradley back in for his first start in god knows how long. Bree staying at centre half and Onyedinma staying at right wing back. Probably as strong a team as we can name right now with Burke and Lockyer not available.

Key battle for me is midfield, that midfield 3 of Pelly, Lansbury and Campbell need to get through a lot of work here. Pelly not been quite on it in the last 2 games and Lansbury has been a bit hit and miss at times this season. I’d love to have had Clark available here but alas not. Berry on the bench though which is a good option if we need to inject some further energy later on.

Not sure if it’s just because it’s the next game but this feels a huge game in the context of the season

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Tight game so far, they have managed to convert their pressure to shots whereas it looks like Adebayo has 2 left boots on tonight and can’t sort his feet out. You have to say Huddersfield look the more likely but feels like whoever makes the fewest mistakes type gsme so far.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Good finish from the Huddersfield player but horrific defending from our point of view. Totally switched off, not sure what Snodgrass is doing there and Potts fresh on the pitch doesn’t engage either. Questions about if Shea misjudged it too but that’s maybe harsh.

Another injury too, this time to Lansbury. Just beginning to feel like this isn’t going to happen, not much going well

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Sums up Adebayo night that penalty miss. Had a total shocker I’m afraid

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

So…about Luton fading then..

 

[Super_horns]

Wasn't your night really.

Injuries and missing a penalty.

Huddersfield a tough side to break down.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Not really a huge amount in the game really, we switched off at 2 set pieces and thats what really made the difference. That first goal was so crucial in a game like that as whoever got it could sit and go on the counter. Hugely disappointing how its come about. Pretty cagey for both up until that point, at 1-0 we had to go for it which left us slightly open on the counter.

Bottom line is we just didnt create anywhere near enough. Adebayo was well marshalled by Colwill for them and in general had an awful night. Just couldnt get the ball to stick up there at all which is how we want to play and with that missing it all looked a bit toothless. Thats aside the penalty miss too, not his first particularly costly one this season either, his miss up at Forest which would have turned a 0-0 to a 1-0 win looks even more costly in retrospect.

Penalty miss was where i think the little bit of hope was extinguished. Only so many things that you can over come and with that and the injuries reaching silly levels once again it just felt like one of those nights. As mentioned, I think we will peter out now - we have run ourselves into the ground to get into this position and its taking its toll i think. Energy in the performances isnt where it once was and the injuries are racking up as well.

 

[BelizeHatter]

We get up and dust ourselves off. Eli's first very poor game all season and he will be back hard and fast and Harry due a good game. We will shoehorn players into the depleted midfield, as we have the defense.

We are fifth. Beat Forest and we are fourth, with four games to go, none of who will have anything to play for.

Easy game. We gonna get it done. We are Luton Town

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Hoping the Lansbury one isnt a serious one and just a bang as its looking thin in midfield for Friday. Berry on the bench today but i wonder how fit he actually is given he went too Potts and a back 4 rather than bring him on as the obvious one.

I guess strongest midfield for Friday is Berry, Campbell, Snodgrass at this point which on paper doesn't look that bad.