Chris Wilder's wobbly play off chasers v John Still's wobbly play off chasers

[EricSabin]

Cobblers v Lu'un!

Rather big game, could be 2 points off by 5pm. Need to be really. Good to have Holmes back to full fitness, very important player for us.

2-1 Teyn

 

[LordJord]

Diego De Girolamo might be out through injury which is a shame as I thought he looked promising against Bury.

With Luton really wobbling at the moment and them having played Tuesday we have a definite advantage, although we are not really in form at the moment. I fancy us to win this 2-0 though! If we dont win I would say that is our playoff hopes gone!

Certainly want some pay back after the loss at Kenilworth Road, understand Guttridge relief at scoring after being out for so long but he certainly didnt endear himself to the Cobblers fans who applauded him onto the pitch!

 

[LordJord]

Assuming a lot of Luton fans will miss out aswell due to the reduced capicity of the away end at the moment. Apparently a lot were trying to get tickets in the home end but the club has clamped down on this.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Missed out on getting a ticket for this as was a bit slow off the mark in realising there was a reduced capacity, probably not a bad thing!

Looks like Lee, who was great Tuesday will miss out because of injury which I think sums up our luck at the moment and indeed our luck with injuries all year.

Think we'll lose quite comfortably.

 

[Kenneth E End]

Looks like Lee, who was great Tuesday will miss out because of injury which I think sums up our luck at the moment and indeed our luck with injuries all year.

Thank you once again Sam Saunders - spineless challenge.

 

[djs]

The sort of cowardly gutless deliberate challenge that deserves a red card, but doesn't usually get one.

 

[Judge Dredd]

Yeah, fuming about that tackle, never going to be a red in that area of the pitch but as the Wombles fan said in the match thread, it really should be - completely pre-meditated and with only one intention. Oh well, that's how it goes when you are on a bad run.

Managed to get a ticket (god bless diamond season tickets!) so I'll be there, but I'm definitely travelling in hope rather than any sort of expectation. God knows what team we will put out. Maybe our injury luck will finally turn and we'll get one or both of Smith and Doyle back in and battle our way to a point... I'd bite your hand off for one right now to be honest.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

I would be happy with any kind of draw, anything to stop the flow of defeats.

Apparently Doyle needs a dev squad game but hopefully Smith will be back. Who do you drop, McGeehan or Drury? Personally would go for McGeehan.

 

[Judge Dredd]

If it's Smith who's back then yeah, drop McGeehan. Doyle/McGeehan would be a better partnership than Doyle/Drury in my eyes, but Smith/Drury a better partnership than Smith/McGeehan. Smudger and McGeehan are too similar to play together effectively, both lack positional discipline and just charge around like headless chickens after the ball (not necessarily a bad thing with the right partner but not two together).

McGeehan and Drury have both been crap recently though so wouldn't be too bothered by either being left out.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Yeah been a tad disappointed in McGeehan so far. I don't think I was wer as high as others where but he hasn't really had any impact at all really. Certainly hasn't put in a performance as good as the one he did for Cambridge against us.

Hopefully next season is the one where he really starts to kick on.

 

[Chippy]

We're playing him 15 yards too deep - that's why. He's being played as a holding midfielder when he is anything but! He hasn't been 'crap' he's done ok, hasn't set the world alight. When he went off Tuesday we barely got the ball back.

 

[djs]

My forecast

Cobblers 0 Hatters 1 (Guttridge 90)

Deja vu?

 

[HertsCobbler]

Key to this game is how we start. When we start with a high intensity it normally leads to an early goal. I feel with some players who can really hurt Luton over and above last time we met. I really though hate playing sides on a bad run as that normally is the kiss of death.

Our best chance is to run at McNulty as he has good positional sense but not the quickest - for this to happen needs Holmes and Moloney to combine well.

 

[Judge Dredd]

We are the kings of conceding early goals recently, so you'll probably get one.

Wycombe (H) - we conceded after 3 mins and 22 mins.
Newport (A) - 21 mins
Pompey (A) - 3 mins
Morecambe (H) - 18 mins
Bury (A) - 9 mins
Wimbledon (A) - 28 mins

So we've conceded at least one within the first quarter of a game in the last 5 games, and one within half an hour in the last 6. Combined that with the fact that we haven't won a single game in which we have been behind this season....

 

[Kenneth E End]

Were going to lose.

 

[EricSabin]

Reckon we will score early

 

[BelizeHatter]

A LOT of changes with a lot of returning players without much game time. Think it's good though as if we're to have a crack at the playoffs they need half a dozen games or so to get back to peak physical and match fitness. Could be too early to expect much for today but who knows. Opitimisim springs eternal on a Saturday morning(for me) even after five defeats in a row. COYH

 

[EricSabin]

You've lost 5 on the bounce? Bollocks, we've lost this

 

[Kenneth E End]

Hello Smith and Doyle in the midfield.

A big gamble on playing a lot of players regaining fitness; we need it to pay off.

 

[BelizeHatter]

We are the kings of conceding early goals recently, so you'll probably get one.

Wycombe (H) - we conceded after 3 mins and 22 mins.
Newport (A) - 21 mins
Pompey (A) - 3 mins
Morecambe (H) - 18 mins
Bury (A) - 9 mins
Wimbledon (A) - 28 mins

So we've conceded at least one within the first quarter of a game in the last 5 games, and one within half an hour in the last 6. Combined that with the fact that we haven't won a single game in which we have been behind this season....

0-0. Beaten this if nothing else.......................

 

[Kenneth E End]

Northampton 0-1 Luton Town
Alex Lawless special within a minute of HT.

 

[Kenneth E End]

Penalty to Northampton - deliberate handball. Luton players, fans and John Still cant believe it. And Northampton's players didn't even appeal for it!

Edit: 1-1 Ricky Holmes.

 

[Kenneth E End]

Northampton 2-1 Luton - James Gray.

Gutted.

 

[BelizeHatter]

"We are top the league, say we are top the League"........ a League record six losses on the bounce - to go with our earlier seven wins on the bounce.

Sounded much better though and we didn't concede first and got some valuable minutes into some of our better returning players just in case someone waves their magic Wand and we can turn it around for a play off place.

 

[EricSabin]

Sounded like a much deserved win, Justham got through a lot of work this afternoon. Ricky Holmes was constantly mentioned on commentary, he's a real player at this level.

 

[LordJord]

A deserved win for cobblers, I thought Luton were really poor! Great goal from there lad to be fair, I think the wind may of held it a bit but can't complain about it. Other than that they had nothing other than aimless hoofs.

Ricky Holmes absolutely bossed the game, beat several men time and again, Maloney was threatening also from rb.

Happy gray got his goal in the end, got through a lot of work! Still feel we may just miss out on playoffs but giving it a good go!

Btw Luton fans, really surprised your away end today was dead quiet, is that more because of the run you guys are on? Seemed to lack any sort of spark both on and odd the pitch.

 

[Judge Dredd]

A deserved win for cobblers, I thought Luton were really poor! Great goal from there lad to be fair, I think the wind may of held it a bit but can't complain about it. Other than that they had nothing other than aimless hoofs.

Ricky Holmes absolutely bossed the game, beat several men time and again, Maloney was threatening also from rb.

Yep, we were nowhere near worthy of anything from the game. I felt we had been a little unlucky to lose a couple of the games on this run, but not today - we got exactly what we deserved.

Not sure why so many of our players seem intent on backing off players running with the ball until they get into our own area. Put a tackle in 40 yards out, foul them if you have to. We did it so, so often today and it meant we were penned back, when we did get the ball.... hoooooof! Awful.

Btw Luton fans, really surprised your away end today was dead quiet, is that more because of the run you guys are on? Seemed to lack any sort of spark both on and odd the pitch.

Combination of the shit run, shit football and the fact that the reduced allocation means only diamond season ticket holders and a handful of normal season ticket holders have a chance of getting in the ground - the younger lad types who generate the atmosphere mostly miss out. It was similarly shit at Wimbledon for the same reason.

 

[EricSabin]

A deserved win for cobblers, I thought Luton were really poor! Great goal from there lad to be fair, I think the wind may of held it a bit but can't complain about it. Other than that they had nothing other than aimless hoofs.

Ricky Holmes absolutely bossed the game, beat several men time and again, Maloney was threatening also from rb.

Happy gray got his goal in the end, got through a lot of work! Still feel we may just miss out on playoffs but giving it a good go!

Btw Luton fans, really surprised your away end today was dead quiet, is that more because of the run you guys are on? Seemed to lack any sort of spark both on and odd the pitch.

Good chance to get 6 from 6 over Easter though, if that happens who knows where we will be! See you at Wimbledon?

 

[LordJord]

Good chance to get 6 from 6 over Easter though, if that happens who knows where we will be! See you at Wimbledon?

Can't make Wimbledon but after that I'll be at all games for the rest of the season, hopefully WEMBLEY included!

 

[LordJord]

Good chance to get 6 from 6 over Easter though, if that happens who knows where we will be! See you at Wimbledon?

Can't make Wimbledon but after that I'll be at all games for the rest of the season, hopefully WEMBLEY included!