Accrington Vs Luton

[That Fat Centre Half]

First game of the season and I must admit that Accrington are something of an unknown quantity to me. I hope that doesn't sound big headed but the lack of fans about on here as left me somewhat in the dark about the goings on at their club this past summer.

I gather from Murphys pre season league they have had a strong pre season so should come into the game confident of another season defying the odds which say that with there budget they should by all accounts have been long relegated by now.

As for us, I get the feeling we haven't quite gelled yet, a collection of good players but not quite a fully formed team capable of promotion quite yet. I've still not seen any up turn in our attacking play yet but hopefully with the players we've signed that will come as the season rolls around.

For that reason I can see us struggling early on, I'll go for a solid 1-1 draw to start the year off.

 

[SVH]

Am fully expecting a Luton win. Also in my acca so i'll have one eye on this game.

 

[Chippy]

Think we will edge it 2-1. Fancy CMS to get a chance and to take it, and then a set piece goal to win it.

 

[Kenneth E End]

Accrington are probably one of the last clubs I'd have picked to play on the opening day. Definitely an unknown quantity and under John Coleman, very much a hardworking, committed, scrappy side. Played each other in August last year, and expecting a win, we found ourselves 2-0 down quickly, with Luton clawing their way back to get a point.

A couple of slight injury concerns: Mark Tyler, Pelly Ruddock, Mark O'Brien and Josh McQuoid aren't quite 100%. No long term absentees and they could all feature from the bench.

No idea what our side would be, but to guess I'd go with this team:

GK Elliot Justham
RB Stephen O'Donnell
LB Scott Griffiths
CB Scott Cuthbert
CB Steve McNulty
RM Danny Green
LM Paddy McCourt
CM Nathan Doyle
CM Jonathan Smith
CF Craig Mackail-Smith
CF Paul Benson

Subs: Mark Tyler, Dan Potts, Luke Wilkinson, Cameron McGeehan, Alex Lawless, Josh McQuoid, Jack Marriott

 

[Vanni]

Accrington are probably one of the last clubs I'd have picked to play on the opening day. Definitely an unknown quantity and under John Coleman, very much a hardworking, committed, scrappy side. Played each other in August last year, and expecting a win, we found ourselves 2-0 down quickly, with Luton clawing their way back to get a point.

A couple of slight injury concerns: Mark Tyler, Pelly Ruddock, Mark O'Brien and Josh McQuoid aren't quite 100%. No long term absentees and they could all feature from the bench.

No idea what our side would be, but to guess I'd go with this team:

GK Elliot Justham
RB Stephen O'Donnell
LB Scott Griffiths
CB Scott Cuthbert
CB Steve McNulty
RM Danny Green
LM Paddy McCourt
CM Nathan Doyle
CM Jonathan Smith
CF Craig Mackail-Smith
CF Paul Benson

Subs: Mark Tyler, Dan Potts, Luke Wilkinson, Cameron McGeehan, Alex Lawless, Josh McQuoid, Jack Marriott

Correct. Even though one never really knows what to expect after all the summer ins and outs at lower league clubs, imo, this applies more to the likes of Accrington and Morecambe. They're unpredictable enough during the season, let alone facing one of them on the opening day.

Having said that, I still expect a Luton win, most likely a hard fought 1-0 one.

 

[hellogregory]

2 sides that I expect to be down the bottom come the end of the season. I think Accrington will edge this at home. 2-1

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

1-0 Accrington, penalty converted after a challenge by Smith. Sounded like a stupid tackle and commentators haven't got any complaints. We've sounded poor to be honest.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Smith atones somewat and equalises, shot from CMS hits him and goes in.

Pretty fortunate for us, apart from
CMS, who has sounded lively on the radio, we haven't sounded like creating much at all.

 

[Kenneth E End]

Would've definitely taken a 1-1 draw first game of the season, before the game.

 

[Hatter86]

Was a tough game for us. I know it makes us pretty solid, but playing Smith and Doyle together in the center of midfield essentially gives us a back 6. Was too much to ask Green, McCourt, CMS and McQuiod to form the entirety of our attack. Need to drop one of them out for McGeehan. Incidentally Doyle looks massively unfit.
Scott Cuthbert isnt a rightback Really missed the attacking threat Harriman offered last season and O'Donnell has some glimpses of in pre season.
Can't expect CMS to play as a target man. Its just ridiculous. However there was enough there to suggest that we play to his strengths he score loads. Was unfortunate his goal bound shot hit Smith who claimed the goal today.
Jack Marriot looked a real handful when he came on, could have won it in the last minute for us. Would have been massively unfair on Stanley though.
Was actually incredibly impressed with Stanley. Tried to pay good football, were all really fit and committed. On the flipside, and I know everyone does it, the time wasting as soon as they scored was shameful. 6 different players went down with 'cramp' and many took to just hoofing balls over the stands when the game stopped. Somehow, despite there being the full 6 substitutes, the ref only played 4 minutes extra. Go figure.
Finally Accrington is a great little place. Really enjoyed the day out (despite the M6 road works) and spoke to some really good, honest Stanley fans before and after the game. Thanks for having us.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

I can see the thinking in having two defensive minded players in there to protect McNulty against direct pace and balls in the channel but it does make us very defensive. Doesn't help that Doyle has looked miles off the pace in pre season imo.

I thought that bringing in other options at centre half might mean the end of that "back 6". Might still happen of course when okuongae and obrien are fit perhaps, as I think by the end of the season O'Brien might be first choice.

The thing that surprised me most is that Cuthbert, who has been very impressive at centre half was shuttled out to right back. One game I know but I really hope that isn't a sign that Still is holding on to accommodating McNulty at all costs as Cuthbert is clearly the better player. Having said that, I think the issue is that O'donnell had looked very shaky defensively in Pre season so he wanted a solid/steady right back in the first game, don't buy that he wanted a "big back 4" as O'donnell is not exactly short, I think he went into the game with a conservative mindset, which I think is actually ok.

Definitely some interesting tactical questions for Still to work through, hopefully he'll crack it as he has before.

 

[Kenneth E End]

Such a stupid penalty to give away - it was a needless tackle. Have absolutely no complaints about that one.

 

[Hatter86]

Yea, Smudge said as much in his interview after the game. I can forgive him though as he is generally very consistent (until he tries to pass further than 8 yards).

This does seem to be the issue with O'Donnell. Clearly he is an asset going forward but he has shown he isnt entirely in sync defensively yet. I do hope he clicks soon as, with his attacking play, we could afford to play Doyle and Smudge together.

I've no idea what out best CB pairing is. It looks very difficult to drop McNulty at the moment as he is captain however he wasn't great yesterday. A couple of times he was trying to be too clever playing it out from the back and almost dropped us in it. I think Cuthbert will be a first choice CB before long. Who for, I'm not sure.

And Pelly should start. Always. Every game.

 

[Judge Dredd]

We were shockingly poor. Great day out though, I like Accrington (not the ground though, open terraces are crap for creating atmosphere). Personally I thought McNulty had a good game, he's the least of our worries for me. Very surprised a half fit McQuoid got the nod over Benson away from home, especially after seeing the number of times we went long. An exercise in futility until Benson came on. And then to take Green - the only guy in our team who can cross a ball - off straight after bringing on a target man was strange. I really like the look of Marriott though, I think he will force himself into the starting XI before too long.

Crowd figures were a joke. There is absolutely no way there were more Accrington fans in that ground than Luton. It wasn't even close.

 

[jacobncfc]

Pitch invading to celebrate nicking a late point at Accrington Stanley, though.

 

[Judge Dredd]

Yeah they were idiots. Especially the one who confronted the keeper, complete tool.

Accrington is the first ground I've been to in a while that serves alcohol during the game. There were a fair few fans who spent the entire 90 minutes stood in the concourse behind the stand getting hammered without watching any of the game. They probably had the right idea...

 

[Kenneth E End]

As I said before, Accrington are one of the last clubs I'd want to travel to on the first game on the season - they are an unknown quantity, with a management team that will ask their players to be physical, hardworking and dogged. I'm not going to read to much into yesterday - we got a point, so we move onto the two Bristol clubs and Oxford in the next 9 days.

I didn't get to see any pre season games after the Hitchin game, but it was very evident that team cohesion and getting the players to gel was going to be more of an issue than recent seasons. John Still's teams always start slowly too.

 

[RavenBish]

As I said before, Accrington are one of the last clubs I'd want to travel to on the first game on the season - they are an unknown quantity, with a management team that will ask their players to be physical, hardworking and dogged. I'm not going to read to much into yesterday - we got a point, so we move onto the two Bristol clubs and Oxford in the next 9 days.

I didn't get to see any pre season games after the Hitchin game, but it was very evident that team cohesion and getting the players to gel was going to be more of an issue than recent seasons. John Still's teams always start slowly too.

I count 3 cliches and 4 excuses.

 

[oakroader]

sitting at home I often have to grin and bear it
and hope for a reprieve in the way of a goal in the last minute.
I predict this season will be better than the last
as a top of the table place I've optimistically forecast.
the quicker that John Still settles on his best team
should mean I can stop waking up from a sweat inducing dream.

 

[Chippy]

He didn't confront the keeper, he ran through the area and the keeper grabbed him. Get your facts right before you start calling people who are having a good time "idiots" and "tools".

It was harmless fun. Who cares? I actually thought it was funny and as I said no harm was done.

 

[Judge Dredd]

He ran into the middle of the six yard box right in front of their keeper. Let's not pretend for a second that he was the innocent party in the altercation.

It's the kind of "harmless fun" that drives up policing costs for our games, results in reduced ticket allocations and clubs/police treating us like animals at away games and/or refusing to allow our away trips to be pay on the day. Not to mention the fact that clubs are very often fined for those kind of incidents. It's very naive to think that just because no punches were thrown that there are not consequences for the club.

I'm glad you find it funny. I - and everyone around me, incidentally - thought it was embarrassing, a load of people who can't handle their lager celebrating a salvaged draw against Accrington Stanley (although I'm aware that some of the people spilling on to the pitch were simply trying to avoid the crush at the front of the stand, that I have no problem with).

 

[Chippy]

"A load of people who can't handle their lager"

Ha. Give yourself a day off, pal.

The lad ran through the area same as a load of others, didn't touch the keeper didn't antagonise.

What was really embarrassing was the sheer negativity from 90% of supporters during and after the match. Mainly people like you, who hate anyone having fun and turn their nose up at people who try and make a decent atmosphere. I can only assume you're one of them Hatters Talk retards. Get a grip ffs.

 

[Chippy]

And just because it's Accrington does that mean you can't celebrate? Or shall we all just stand there in our fucking replica shirts and clap?

I would rather look at it this way - that goal could win us the league!!

 

[Judge Dredd]

What was really embarrassing was the sheer negativity from 90% of supporters during and after the match. Mainly people like you, who hate anyone having fun and turn their nose up at people who try and make a decent atmosphere. I can only assume you're one of them Hatters Talk retards. Get a grip ffs.

Ah, a classic deductive fallacy. How very droll. Don't like idiots invading pitch = don't like atmosphere or passion at football. I'm sure in your head those are the only possible alternatives. My two-day hangover suggests that I had plenty of fun on Saturday, thank you very much.

 

[Trapdoor]

This deserves a mention in the non-league tinpot thread

 

[Urban]

Luton fans in acting like Luton fans shocker???

It's not really behaviour you can defend really... I mean it's not despicable, but it's hardly acting like a normal human being either is it? You're there to watch a game and support your team, not get pissed up and enter the field of play.

 

[Judge Dredd]

You're there to watch a game and support your team, not get pissed up

Sorry, you lost me there.

 

[Chippy]

Ah, a classic deductive fallacy. How very droll. Don't like idiots invading pitch = don't like atmosphere or passion at football. I'm sure in your head those are the only possible alternatives. My two-day hangover suggests that I had plenty of fun on Saturday, thank you very much.

Two day hangover suggests you're the one who can't handle their lager, and not the idiots and tools who had a bit of fun on the grass for 15 seconds!!

Anyway I don't really care. I had a good time, those lads had a good time, you reckon you had a good time. Get over it. Far better things to talk about.

 

[RavenBish]

Maybe he was just a few days later than other Luton fans in celebrating promotion...

But seriously, stop making football shit, don't rob us of moments like Trevor Kettle shitting himself over a bit of smoke or a fat Rotherham fan trying to beat up Lee Hughes but falling over instead. If we get rid of the yobs, tribalism and anti-social behaviour we're left with summat crap like Rugby - no-one wants that.

 

[Chippy]

Maybe he was just a few days later than other Luton fans in celebrating promotion...

But seriously, stop making football shit, don't rob us of moments like Trevor Kettle shitting himself over a bit of smoke or a fat Rotherham fan trying to beat up Lee Hughes but falling over instead. If we get rid of the yobs, tribalism and anti-social behaviour we're left with summat crap like Rugby - no-one wants that.

Very well summarised.