Luton v Notts - batelino de campiones

[Judge Dredd]

Where’s good to park? Anywhere good to go before the game?

Closest parking to the ground is probably the Beech Hill Conservative Club. Think it's a fiver to park maybe? They've got a bar there which is often allocated to away fans, it's a real dive but it's very cheap, has a pool table and darts board etc. Just down the road from the Oak Road.

Better drinking options are in the town centre (most accept away fans but the White House (a Wetherspoons) doesn't let you in if you've got away colours on) but that's about 10/15 minutes walk to the ground. If you go that way you can park at the train station or, a bit further out, the new car park at Power Court (site of our new ground if it ever happens) for a quid.
https://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/2017/december/power-court-matchday-parking-deal/

 

[Judge Dredd]

Guessing Notts haven't got that close to selling out as we've just put an extra 150 tickets on sale to home fans in the Oak Road.

 

[Judge Dredd]

I see Nolan has been talking about us spending "lots and lots" of money in the press - little bit ironic when it's come out in the same week that his team are paying out £40k a month in bonuses alone...

 

[LongEatonPie]

Where’s good to park? Anywhere good to go before the game?

As close to Nottingham as possible

 

[jacobncfc]

To be fair, the extent of our transfer largesse in the summer was a nominal fee on Lewis Alessandra.

 

[Kenneth E End]

To be fair, the extent of our transfer largesse in the summer was a nominal fee on Lewis Alessandra.

Yes transfer fees are the sole indicator of budget.

 

[Youpies]

To claim Notts budget is on a par with Lutons is quite frankly ludicrous. As is paying 40k per month in win bonuses.

Hardy has the cash to support us, he can spend his money how he wants. Its not like we're doing a Mansfield.

Back to the match. No Shola - no party. Without him I don't think we'll take much from this game. He's our best player (controversial) but I think he tends to stay in games for 90 minuets where as Grant can flit in and out

 

[jacobncfc]

Yes transfer fees are the sole indicator of budget.

Who exactly are we paying big wages to, though? Our signings weren’t exactly awe inspiring on paper - a couple of loanees, a lad released by Carlisle, a lad released by Chesterfield, someone from Lincoln, someone from Hartlepool, a keepers from Chelmsford City.

The headline bonuses figure is high for sure (no idea why Hardy felt the need to release it tbh), but if anything I think having a modest wage bill propped up by generous bonuses is pretty sensible.

We’re fourth in the average attendances table - our budget will be lower down than that.

 

[oakroader]

bonuses at our level is ridiculous...
players get paid for doing their job and any bonus,like any other business,should be paid on the result at the end of a year...
a bonus paid every month or quarter because a pre arranged target is met is no gtee that come the end of the season promotion is a given....fine if its the same first team/subs that are meeting the challenge....what about the fringe players that may have contributed a precious moment in only 1 or 2 games?
does the whole squad get a chunk of bonus? or only those that have played a minimum of games ?

 

[AFaceInTheCrowd]

Over 900 sold so far tickets on sale until 4pm.

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

We don’t have too many fringe players as Super Kev rotates more than any Notts Manager I’ve ever witnessed. Great way to keep a ‘squad’ happy if you can still get the results.

 

[oakroader]

a nearly full oak road end with a 50 - 50 split of fans...should be interesting before/during/after.....

 

[jacobncfc]

bonuses at our level is ridiculous...
players get paid for doing their job and any bonus,like any other business,should be paid on the result at the end of a year...
a bonus paid every month or quarter because a pre arranged target is met is no gtee that come the end of the season promotion is a given....fine if its the same first team/subs that are meeting the challenge....what about the fringe players that may have contributed a precious moment in only 1 or 2 games?
does the whole squad get a chunk of bonus? or only those that have played a minimum of games ?

No idea, whatever they’re doing though it’s clearly working!

 

[djs]

As for the game, draw now please. Nolan reckons he has been looking at Luton and has 'identified a couple of weaknesses', I suspect one may be a slightly susceptibility to high balls as mentioned above, so expect a fairly direct approach, especially if Shola is fit. Then all we have to work out is stopping you scoring 3+...

Just about everyone we play does that, even Crewe!, especially the longer the game goes on. Occasionally we concede from hoofs into the box, but overall we haven't defended them too badly. Mind you, Cuthbert being out doesn't help.

 

[Youpies]

Looks like we have sold our allocation. Will be a great atmosphere tomorrow

 

[Kenneth E End]

Looks like we have sold our allocation. Will be a great atmosphere tomorrow

After giving 150 back.

 

[Youpies]

Used to selling out all 1200 every week Kenny?

 

[Kenneth E End]

Used to selling out all 1200 every week Kenny?

The allocation is circa 1050 maximum for away teams due to policing/exits. So unless something has changed, Notts have struggled to only sell around 900.

This game (hopefully) will be pushing the 10,000 mark.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Really looking forward to this. Should be a decent contest though the very least and hopefully a big atmosphere to go with it.

I’d hazard a guess that the weaknesses that Nolan has identified are high balls and getting crosses into the box. That’s a definite weakness of ours, especially if we play the diamond. Said it before but this is a game Cuthbert would have been perfect for and I think he would have relished the challenge that Notts County will bring in that sense. A shame he is missing, really hope we don’t miss him too much.

Whilst a defeat for either side won’t define the season, it would be really disappointing to lose this. Really want to see us to win a truely big game for once, don’t think we have really done that under Jones and have actually done the opposite and self destructed on quite a few occasions. Want to see that big game mentality from us.

 

[Kenneth E End]

Really want to see us to win a truely big game for once, don’t think we have really done that under Jones and have actually done the opposite and self destructed on quite a few occasions. Want to see that big game mentality from us.

I mean seriously, have you suddenly forgotten the 4-1 AT Exeter?

Or the wins v Accrington, the 7-1 Stevenage and Wycombe, amongst others who were in the top 7 at the time.

We've lost against Barnet, Swindon and Coventry - that's it. The latter two real off days.

 

[Kenneth E End]

This game is now a total sell out of all areas.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

I mean seriously, have you suddenly forgotten the 4-1 AT Exeter?

Or the wins v Accrington, the 7-1 Stevenage and Wycombe, amongst others who were in the top 7 at the time.

We've lost against Barnet, Swindon and Coventry - that's it. The latter two real off days.

Calm down Kenneth no need for the tone. This is much bigger than those for me, certainly bigger than Accrington, Wycombe and Id hardly call Stevenage a “big game”, barely worth mentioning in comparison.

True Exeter was reasonably but this is first vs second a good chunk of the way through the season with a certain level of expectation on it given our form.

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

Not many teams have ‘on days’ and lose too often.

Prediction 3-1 home win. As an early home goal, as Notts start in their usual Luke warm sort of way, sees the Hatters relax and go 2-0 up around half time. Late consolation for the Stylish Magpies

Oh and comparing playing budgets, wages, transfer fees between the clubs is like comparing Luton to Nottingham. Hardly comparable.

To all the Magpies in attendance, get in , sing, get out, nowt to see around the ground

 

[jacobncfc]

Absolute travesty that we’re behind here, only team in it and Luton score from a corner from a quick thrown in taken at chest height. Such is life.

 

[oakroader]

Snooze and you lose

 

[jacobncfc]

Some application of the rules is all we need.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Think we weathered an early storm from them, they are exactly as billed physical and direct and up until the goal we were allowing them to dictate how the game was being played that being on their terms.

Don’t think the throw had much to do with the goal at all as it was genuinely an awful throw on! Straight at the Notts County player who had plenty opportunity to clear properly in my view. Mullins got up well for his header which was perfectly placed.

After that we have actually tried to play our game and have looked better for it although they still look a threat.

Going to have to weather another storm second half. Mullins looked like he picked up a knock which could be key Can definitely see them getting something from a corner where we are looking a bit shaky.

 

[Judge Dredd]

Think that's a bit exaggerated. No doubt Notts were well on top for the first 20 mins by we'd started to come back into it in the five mins before the goal, and were well on top for 10 mins after playing some nice football. County back into it towards the close of the half. So yeah 1-0 does flatter us a bit but most of our nervy moments have been the result of our own mistakes, lots of bad passes and decision making out there before the goal especially.

 

[jacobncfc]

You’ve had one shot of any description. What can ya do?

And yeah we had more than enough opportunity to deal with that after the foul throw, but they always piss me off, it’s a rule!

 

[jacobncfc]

Fair result, let’s all get pissed.