Yeovil v Luton Town

[Maple Hatter]

Time flies and all that. Doesn't seem that long ago we (us Luton fans) were enjoying an 8-2 victory at the start of the season. A game which you would have thought was a freak result but we couldn't stop scoring at the beginning of the season so perhaps not such a fluke. Sadly the second half of the season we have taken the foot of the gas and haven't matched those earlier performances. Yeovil of course had their own freak result away at Coventry. At least I hope it was a freak result and not a sign that Yeovil have become Barcelona overnight. An interesting game awaits and one that I hope continues in the same manner we finished the Mansfield game, that is a positive attacking style and a will to win. I'm sure Pelly will keep his place after his effective performance earlier in the week and hopefully in the same role further up the pitch. NJ does have a nack of moving players into different positions and in Pellys case far too often. Would also prefer Hylton and Collins alone up front and Elliot Lee on the bench otherwise not too many changes. Rea or Mullins in for Cuthbert and Potts and Stacey (or JJ) getting forward at every opportunity. 5 games remaining and I see this as potentially the least difficult of our 3 remaining away games and one I sincerely hope we don't lose. Not the end of the world of course but just being able to get some consistancy for the final run in is so important at this crucial stage of the season. Yeovil have of course improved a great deal of late and this will be a far more difficult game than that barmy afternoon in August. On paper and looking at our position in the league indicates that we should be the better side. I hope the players go into the game believing it.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Would be nice to start winning away games again, as you say probably the easiest left to do that on paper but they must be very confident coming off that win last week. Lets hope they back it up in the same manner we did having beat them 8-2, with a 1-0 defeat!

Like you say perhaps not too many changes but Im not entirely sure the Lee at the tip of the diamond experiment worked all that well last week, not sure if you bring Shinnie back in to replace him though as to be honest I think he is next to useless away from home.

Verging on the sacrilegious but I wonder if it might be worth dropping Hylton to the bench and having Lee and Collins up front. Hylton has not looked right since coming back from injury and I thin both Lee and Collins have each done better than him individually up front of late. Cornick perhaps too chomping at the bit to be involved, which he hasn't been of late.

 

[Maple Hatter]

Would be nice to start winning away games again, as you say probably the easiest left to do that on paper but they must be very confident coming off that win last week. Lets hope they back it up in the same manner we did having beat them 8-2, with a 1-0 defeat!

Like you say perhaps not too many changes but Im not entirely sure the Lee at the tip of the diamond experiment worked all that well last week, not sure if you bring Shinnie back in to replace him though as to be honest I think he is next to useless away from home.

Verging on the sacrilegious but I wonder if it might be worth dropping Hylton to the bench and having Lee and Collins up front. Hylton has not looked right since coming back from injury and I thin both Lee and Collins have each done better than him individually up front of late. Cornick perhaps too chomping at the bit to be involved, which he hasn't been of late.

Agree about Lee he didn't play well in that role. This game could be very open with lots of goals. Yeovil are capable of scoring against our, at times, suspect defence so its a case of scoring more than them which we know we can do. Cornick is a good option as he creates space as well as goal opportunities for our strikers whether it be Elliot Lee or Hylton alongside Collins. Hyltons form has been a little worrying of late, just not the same striker he was before his injury. But we all know what he is capable of and even if he's not scoring he creates chances and is a bloody nuisance for any defence. I'd rather have him start and if it looks like another one of those days then Elliot in to replace him. Certainly not all three as NJ selected last week.

 

[Judge Dredd]

I didn't think Lee played very well Either, but then on another day he scores his two chances rather than the keeper making excellent saves for both and it puts a very different reflection on it.

I'd rather him play than Shinnie for sure. Both surrender possession far too easily for a #10 but at least Lee offers that goal threat.

It'll never happen under Jones but away from home I wouldn't mind seeing us adopting a more conventional 4-4-2 and look to stay more solid and counter. Stacey ahead of JJ down the right perhaps. Maybe Gambin left and look to get crosses in to Collins who thrives on that service. Jones has actually switched to a conventional 4-4-2 in a few matches of late (when JJ came on vs Mansfield and second half vs Colchester) and it's got to be worth trying something different given our away record of late. Won't be holding my breath mind you.

 

[GloverGing]

I imagine we'll be unchanged from Coventry, although I'd be tempted to start Gobern who'd be more of a nuisance to Luton's midfield.

---------------------Nelson
James - Sowunmi - Donnellan - Dickson
Green ----- Bird----------Wing------Browne
---------------Zoko----------Fisher

Which would mean only three players who were involved in the 8-2 will play.

While I'm certainly not expecting another Coventry result, I hope we take the same approach and be aggressive from the first minute, don't let them settle and force them into mistakes. If Luton do play with the diamond that should mean that there is plenty of space for our wingers to run into and get balls into Fisher who looks to be an excellent signing. At the other end, I doubt Collins or Hylton will be quite as wasteful as Coventry's forwards and I can't see us keeping a clean sheet, luckily we're not facing Vassell this time who tore our defence apart at Luton.

I would love to win, but I'd happily take a draw. 2-2 (Fisher, Browne. Collins x2)

 

[Kenneth E End]

Can't see any reason to make any changes bar those enforced.

A win today virtually takes us to the 80 point mark and almost there.

 

[Devon_Lad]

Come on yeooooovil do us a favour will ya lads

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Same as last week then bar the enforced change of Rea for Cuthbert . No issues with that to be honest!

Really hope Pelly backs up his performance from Monday, really want the boy to succeed here.

 

[Kenneth E End]

And Luton are off again after just 200 seconds.

 

[Kenneth E End]

Penalty to Luton and straight red for a blatant and deliberate pull back on Hylton... and scores.

10-2 on aggregate.

20 now for both Hylton and Collins

 

[oakroader]

Cmon col u ...

 

[Kenneth E End]

Yeovil now done to 9 men now for possibly lashing out at McCormack. Completely off camera. As a team they’ve been hopeless so far and Luton not got out of second gear.

Now 3-0 and Hylton on a HT

 

[Hatter86]

2 goals, a yellow for celebrating in front of the home fans and substituted on 40 minutes so he doesn't get sent off. The most Danny Hylton half of football ever.

But yea. 3-0 up, Yeovil down to 9. Results going our way. Unless Notts and Exeter do something in the next 45 minutes we can go up next weekend...

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Sounds like Danny Hylton is making friends again! Wish he wouldn’t spoil it for himself sometimes.

Would have thought Cornick is none to impressed about Jervis apparently leap frogging him in the pecking order, on the basis of.....

 

[Kenneth E End]

For a minute, I thought Hylton was going to get a second yellow. Completely the right decision to take him off; how stupid would that have been for him to be sent off in this position? It would have been the biggest amount of stupidity of the season and would some up our lack of discipline.

Luton in total cruise control and really haven’t had to play that well. Yeovil just can’t defend and look like they’re already on the beach.

Now 11 goals in 135 minutes against Yeovil for Luton. And I wouldn’t be surprised if that ends up being 13 or 14 in 180 by 5pm.

 

[Kenneth E End]

Hylton and Collins the first Luton pairing in 90 years to hit 20 each in a League season.

 

[oakroader]

I know it’s not like me to be contentious.....
But if jones can’t manage our flair players and go for the jugular against 9 men then it will show how inept in changing tactics he really is....
Fuse lit..walked away....fingers in ears...

 

[Kenneth E End]

Yeovil have made no attempt at doing anything in this half. Why?

Luton are not even out of first gear in this half.

 

[Kenneth E End]

Has to go down as one of the weirdest halves of football I’ve ever seen. Luton played it more towards their own net than Yeovil did. You may as well have called it 3-0 at half time and all gone home.

 

[Hatter86]

Exeter win means we can't be promoted next week. Jones out.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Sounds fairly routine then that 2nd half. Jones said on the radio just now that they may as well have called it at half time! Good to win away again, felt like its been a good while, wish we could play Yeovil every week!

Pretty much there now, a shame about the Exeter result, would have been nice to have it settled at home next week

 

[Maple Hatter]

Two very strange games of football between these two sides. The first a 10 goal thriller which had everything and the second a game which if it was a boxing match would have been stopped at half time. First of all no idea why it took so long to get started. Quite rightly a minutes applause for Ray Wilkins (RIP) but before that a lot of fussing around with photos and various other events. Then just before kick off the Yeovil players looked as if they did want to leave the the centre circle. The longest huddle I think I've ever seen but maybe they new what was to come. A quick fire start for the Hatters which as we know means we settle down and begin to play the way we know best. Could have been two before the penalty and sending off. No idea why the Yeovil defender put in that challenge but it proved costly for him and the match. Then a second sending off which I never saw but heard it was a punch which if true deserves a red card. The third before half time sealed the match and everyone might as well have gone home especially if they knew what was coming. Luton treated the second half as a training match and knocked it about at will without really making much effort to add to their tally. Fair enough game won and no point in exerting ourselves before the next crucial game.
A few special mentions. The ref looked as if he'd come out of retirement for this game. Looked too old and overweight and had trouble controlling the players. The Yeovil support for its constant moaning from the first minute to the last. I thought ours were bad but they took moaning to a new level. McCormack and Hylton were roundly jeered at every touch. In fact Hytlon seemed to relish his role as we know he does and looked disappointed at being subbed.
Results elsewhere meant this was a vital win. Now we have Crewe at home to get what really should be the remaining 3 points needed to go up..

 

[Kenneth E End]

I didn't realise that we've actually played Yeovil 4 times in the last 14 months...

Yeovil 0-3 Luton
Luton 8-2 Yeovil
Yeovil 0-4 Luton
Luton 5-2 Yeovil
Aggregate: Luton 20-4 Yeovil