Luton Vs Mansfield

[That Fat Centre Half]

Don't think there is a thread for this one yet so thought I would get the ball rolling.

Unfortunately missed the game last weekend but good to get back to winning after 3 draws on the spin. Would be really good to start stringing some wins together now and get a decently long unbeaten run on the go and without wanting to sound too arrogant or big headed we really should be looking to get all 3 points in this one if we have aspirations of pushing for automatic spots this season.

The complication from our perspective is of course that our newly found talisman, Hylton is suspended again. So the big question will be who partners Marriott up front as I doubt we will change shape. You would have thought Vassell would be the one to come in, after some positive comments from Jones midweek about his play in training and the dev squad although there other options that no doubt people will clamber for as although I think Vassell has promise, he is very raw indeed and hasn't shown too much in front of goal either.

Not sure if Jones will look to change too much as he has been stung previously by changing things following a win but it wouldnt surprise me if Cuthbert got dropped again for Mullins who he seems to favour or indeed if Pelly or Gray came back in for Cook, who i think has been a fairly anonymous player so far.

Would like to think we will win this but the loss of Hylton is a big question mark. Really think Marriott will need to step it up and get a goal for us as I doubt we keep a clean sheet so i'll plump for a 2-1 home win with McGeehan and Marriott on target for us.

 

[Judge Dredd]

Really hope Marriott does step up. It could have been a very different season for him, he's had some bad misses but also some poor luck (dubiously disallowed goals in consecutive games, hit the inside of the post against Orient and nearly scored with a top quality turn and snap shot to allow McGeehan a tap-in etc). If he can just get a goal or two I can see him hitting a hot streak which would be nice, a player of his quality should be up there with McGeehan and Hylton's numbers.

Personally I'd like to see us give Banton a go as his partner, obviously not a direct Hylton replacement in any sense, but he'll get on the ball and is more likely to pick the pass to play Marriott in behind the defence than Vassell. I think Vassell will get the nod though.

 

[Baratheon]

We've been OK away from the Wonk but I would defo be more than happy with a point here. Always a tough place to visit but we've had some success there in the past. Green on the bench again? It's been a successful tactic so far, bringing him on against tiring defenders with Henderson supporting. Having said that, I think Loooouuun will have too much for us this season. 2-1 Hatters.

 

[Conker]

I'd say certain to lose if we was playing at home but maybe we can get a point.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Looks like Cook up front with Marriott? Possibly be Gilliead? Think Cook has said previously that that is his preferred position so we will see how he goes today, should be interesting as I think he has something but hasn't had enough impact on games so far for me.

 

[Kenneth E End]

So glad I don't have to watch Mansfield every week. Deplorable style of play; I see nothing has changed!

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Pretty frustrating that really.

First 10 or so minutes we must have had approaching 90% possession of the ball, but didnt really do anything meaningful with it and then give a truly crap goal from the corner. Jones I think will be pretty livid at that because that aside Mansfield really didn't have a great deal going for them, he must have been drilling into them all week to switch on at set pieces and crosses and we give away a goal just like that within 10 minutes. Poor, and becoming an ever growing issue now.

Felt like we had a great deal of possession without really doing much with it and I dont think we created anywhere near enough, didnt play with any great tempo, or urgency and didnt really move the ball quickly enough to break them down until well into the second half. I want to see us play with the ball like that but we have to be quicker with it if we want to break teams like that down, for much of the game it was far, far too easy to defend and I felt Mansfield for the majority of the game, whilst certainly not being adventurous largely kept us at arms length.

I don't think we did enough to win it, which is disappointing against what looked a fairly limited side. Nevertheless think thats 6 unbeaten now, just need to start turning the draws into wins.

 

[Conker]

Murray tactics make us limited.

Although much has changed in terms of style of play compared to the Cox era. You shouldn't make a judgement like that over one game.

Good point anyway.

 

[Baratheon]

So glad I don't have to watch Mansfield every week. Deplorable style of play; I see nothing has changed!

Yes, it's not exactly riveting. We are not too adventurous, even at home.

 

[Bosox]

Frustrating only to get a point against the poorest team I've seen against Luton so far this season but we probably didn't deserve anything more. Only got going when Pelly came on (he's still a must start for me because he's a game changer). Too many poor passes and too many people with the first touch of a brick wall (Jack Marriott especially guilty of that).

 

[Baratheon]

Frustrating only to get a point against the poorest team I've seen against Luton so far this season but we probably didn't deserve anything more. Only got going when Pelly came on (he's still a must start for me because he's a game changer). Too many poor passes and too many people with the first touch of a brick wall (Jack Marriott especially guilty of that).

Poorest team? I wasn't there but, in that case we must have been extremely lucky to score and only concede 1.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Being fair to Mansfield you defended reasonably well, although we definitely helped you out in that sense by just playing in front of you for the vast majority of the game. We almost seemed scared to make an incisive pass at times I thought.

I think why a lot of Luton fans will say you were poor is down to the circumstance of the game and the way it played out. You got the goal off your first venture into our half from a set piece after a innocuous bit of play. After that, as of course you would look to do as the away side, you didn't really show any desire to do much else except hold it and even after the equaliser you seemed happy to take a point.

Personally don't have a problem with that it's our job to make a game of it and all our sides have probably been their and done the same thing, but as a result the majority of your play was long clearances in the general direction of Green, which doesn't exactly display your attacking flair or any great ability you may have.

If anything it speaks to how bad we were at breaking you down until well into the 2nd half and even that was a pot shot from distance.

 

[BelizeHatter]

Superbly crafted put down while looking a self deprecating, semi compliment. Well played Sir.

 

[Hamez]

Luton were poor, had loads of the ball, but did nothing with it. Both goalkeepers were spectators. Presume Luton would be better with Hylton in the side as they had little to no threat up top yesterday.

We were happy with a point after we scored. Shame Murray is so negative as the game was there for the taking in my opinion.

 

[Hamez]

So glad I don't have to watch Mansfield every week. Deplorable style of play; I see nothing has changed!

Yet we're still in the same league, battling for the same 3 points. That must be tough to take Kenny lad.

 

[Kenneth E End]

Hmm, perhaps I wasn't very polite in my assessment last night. A team has got to do, what its go to do to win a game, or in Mansfield's case, get something from the game.

What Mansfield were doing yesterday was anti-football. I'd argue its not sustainable and if you have realistic ambition of going up a league (at least); better players/teams will work it out.

From the 10th minute, they were slowing the game down, feigning injury, taking ages over substitutions, goal kicks and throw ins. One player even jumped onto the ball, 5 yards from the touchline, to prevent a Luton player picking it up. It was pathetic to be honest.

But, Luton have themselves to blame... again. It was a soft goal to concede and a typical Mansfield goal. Have we as a club not learned anything over the years against them? They always score against us via set pieces.

 

[jacobncfc]

What Mansfield were doing yesterday was anti-football. I'd argue its not sustainable and if you have realistic ambition of going up a league (at least); better players/teams will work it out..

If our few years in League One was anything to go by fucking everyone plays like that, they'd probably fit in well.

 

[Bosox]

Don't understand getting mad with Mansfield for time wasting, it's up to the referee to stop it and he failed. I found it quite funny to be honest when they started time wasting with 10 minutes gone. The ref needs to be stronger and start booking people for kicking the ball away etc in the first half rather than wait until the closing stages to dish out a couple of yellows.

 

[AdamStag]

Hmm, perhaps I wasn't very polite in my assessment last night. A team has got to do, what its go to do to win a game, or in Mansfield's case, get something from the game.

What Mansfield were doing yesterday was anti-football. I'd argue its not sustainable and if you have realistic ambition of going up a league (at least); better players/teams will work it out.

From the 10th minute, they were slowing the game down, feigning injury, taking ages over substitutions, goal kicks and throw ins. One player even jumped onto the ball, 5 yards from the touchline, to prevent a Luton player picking it up. It was pathetic to be honest.

But, Luton have themselves to blame... again. It was a soft goal to concede and a typical Mansfield goal. Have we as a club not learned anything over the years against them? They always score against us via set pieces.

To a degree I agree.

We've only played 1 decent side this seaso. Away - Plymouth. We lost 2-0.

We've been fortunate that so far we've not played any decent side away - including yesterday - and haven't lost to anyone else in 7 games. Adam comes for a point away and usually gets it - it gets annoying when we keep taking the lead and keep ending up drawing.

His away tactics work well - they did last season and they're doing ok now.

Murray needs to start winning at home - and improved home record with his consistently good away record is a potential for playoffs. He also needs to change at home for us to do this.

 

[Baratheon]

Don't understand getting mad with Mansfield for time wasting, it's up to the referee to stop it and he failed. I found it quite funny to be honest when they started time wasting with 10 minutes gone. The ref needs to be stronger and start booking people for kicking the ball away etc in the first half rather than wait until the closing stages to dish out a couple of yellows.

You are correct Bosox. It is absolutely up to the officials. Every team that has gone in front at our place has done it so this is not something new. Some teams are better than others at this but all teams are guilty of it at some point.

 

[AdamStag]

Shame Oxford aren't still around.

They're the masters at it

 

[Chippy]

Regardless of time wasting, the better teams will find a way to win, and we aren't doing that. We really lack fluency and it's becoming a problem.

Fair play to Mansfield, came for a point and got it.

 

[AdamStag]

Regardless of time wasting, the better teams will find a way to win, and we aren't doing that. We really lack fluency and it's becoming a problem.

Fair play to Mansfield, came for a point and got it.

You don't need to complain about being unable to beat lesser sides at home.

We've Stevenage at home next week who are 21st - trust me, we'll find a way not to beat them

Like us at home, we're not good enough to beat these sides, nor were Luton yesterday.

Was interesting watching soccer Saturday yesterday - at one stage there was only 1 home side winning in the 2 leagues

 

[Kenneth E End]

Regardless of time wasting, the better teams will find a way to win, and we aren't doing that. We really lack fluency and it's becoming a problem.

Fair play to Mansfield, came for a point and got it.

We seemed to start yesterday with the "experimental 361" formation which seemed to flummox the players, let alone the fans.
I think it proves that the league is very much of a muchness.

 

[BelizeHatter]

I dont get the joy - or pain - of watching any more than highlights these days. However at least we're up there towards the top of the much of a muchness of our current level. We have a bright, forward thinking, committed young manager and team. All trying but not consistently managing to play the right way. Both will learn. I like how our future is shaping up AND we're still in with a shout

 

[WH_Stag]

Luton are a good side, but didn't use their possession and only had scrappy chances in the box and pot shots from range, one of which was very lucky to go in. Luton should be league one to be fair, when they get their new ground the will never be a league two side again.

We controlled the game for most of it without having the ball, that is something not many sides can do and why we have the second best defence in the league. A point here is a good one.

 

[Richard Cranium]

We more than matched Luton for the first 45, arguably the better side. We should have continued but Murray changed it and went too negative. We'd have all taken a point before and will look at it as a good point it we beat Stevenage but at 5pm Saturday it felt like 2 points dropped for sure.

 

[Kenneth E End]

I dont get the joy - or pain - of watching any more than highlights these days. However at least we're up there towards the top of the much of a muchness of our current level. We have a bright, forward thinking, committed young manager and team. All trying but not consistently managing to play the right way. Both will learn. I like how our future is shaping up AND we're still in with a shout

Oh absolutely. Its very easy to be frustrated; we live in an X Factor, Football Manager world where we're all "living in the now".

A platform, at the minimum, is being laid at Kenilworth Road. There are a number of young players at the club with huge potential, with a young, passionate, positive manager, who in my opinion will take the Wales job when Coleman leaves. Remember as part of this mini unbeaten run, we had the youngest team in our league history and certainly the youngest first team squad in the league. It may have been a bit of a stretch for so many young players to come together in such a physical league and go and win the league. But we're very much in it.