How do you think the players will react tomorrow?

[Barling Magna]

I think the team will put in a strong performance tomorrow. They have nowhere to hide. Any uninterested, lackadaisacal attitude will lead to exclusion from the next games.

PLEASE play two upfront and go in with the attitude that we can stuff a team whose form is only slightly better than ours (16th in the Sky form table v. 23rd).

 

[RHB]

Well Done Rootshallbloke, 15000 Messages on your next post.
Come on you Blues, we just need a lucky break, which has been missing for some time, we are not a Div 2 Side.

Do you know I hadn't even noticed the post count. Bit of a non post to reach it I suppose.

 

[Jai]

So injuries were the reason we played 5 at the back at Wmbledon, injuries were the reason we lost 3-0 to 10 men Barnsley, and injuries were the reason we had no shots on target against Peterborough?

Yes, injuries are playing a part, but they are not the sole reason we haven't won for 11 games!!

Of course they are not the sole reason, just the main one. Powell lost his job because he didn't manage to deal with the problem well enough. Someone else might have done better, this is true, but they'd have had to deal with the same situation. I was as frustrated as anyone at Peterborough and we clearly could have taken the game to them, but that's easier said than done when you have no confidence or belief. Could someone else have installed better belief? Maybe.

Powell is a good manager in a terrible situation which he didn't deal with well enough. The next person will have to deal with it better if they are to keep us up.

 

[Danshrimper]

Macca. Has far more about him than he has been giving. The last game v Wimbledon was about the only time this season I've seen him perform to anywhere near his ability

Really? He's certainly been nowhere near his best but I don't think it's been down to a lack of effort. The effort has been there but the final delivery/finish hasn't.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Of course they are not the sole reason, just the main one. Powell lost his job because he didn't manage to deal with the problem well enough. Someone else might have done better, this is true, but they'd have had to deal with the same situation. I was as frustrated as anyone at Peterborough and we clearly could have taken the game to them, but that's easier said than done when you have no confidence or belief. Could someone else have installed better belief? Maybe.

Powell is a good manager in a terrible situation which he didn't deal with well enough. The next person will have to deal with it better if they are to keep us up.

I’m hoping the injuries are clearing up. Oxley, Demetriou, Kiernan, Hyam and Bunn should all be getting back to 100% over the next couple of weeks. They should improve match by match and that will be huge for us.

Obviously still without Hopper, Coker, Barratt etc

 

[Chris Powell's mate]

So injuries were the reason we played 5 at the back at Wmbledon, injuries were the reason we lost 3-0 to 10 men Barnsley, and injuries were the reason we had no shots on target against Peterborough?

Yes, injuries are playing a part, but they are not the sole reason we haven't won for 11 games!!

Yes, they probably are.
No injuries and therefore more goals from fit forwards as well as stout defending from a fit back line, with Coker impressing would have produced results.
Consequently, we get wins; the pressure is off, and players perform better.

 

[Chris Powell's mate]

This is more of a pressure game than last week.
Players will know Duncan is by no means the new man, and that air of uncertainty will hardly help.
Can I honestly see us recovering if Shrews go a goal up?
I'm just as worried if we go a goal up and start defending big time.

 

[Stuart W]

This is more of a pressure game than last week.
Players will know Duncan is by no means the new man, and that air of uncertainty will hardly help.
Can I honestly see us recovering if Shrews go a goal up?
I'm just as worried if we go a goal up and start defending big time.

So the ideal scenario is a 1-0 win with the goal being scored in the 95th minute?

 

[Jay_SUFC]

Yes, they probably are.
No injuries and therefore more goals from fit forwards as well as stout defending from a fit back line, with Coker impressing would have produced results.
Consequently, we get wins; the pressure is off, and players perform better.

No injuries!!! What club has no injuries!!

Injuries were not the cause of 5 at the back versus Wimbledon, with another 2 defenders on the bench.

That just smacks of a "I don't want to lose" mentality. What I want is a manager who will at least go out and try and win games. If we still lose so be it.

But I was fed up week in week out of seeing a side set out for damage limitation rather than attempting to have a go!!!

 

[tommy tucker]

hope its 442 sat and a win .

 

[mattytheshrimper]

I'd like to see us more organised, in set pieces in particular, both attacking and defensive as we've not been strong at either all season. I'd also like to think he may change our approach on being happy to let the opposition simply have the ball without any pressure. Our (if the oppo had the ball) tactic has been to get back in position and hold our shape but then pretty much let them have all the time in the world on the ball. They may well be what they do in the prem but you can't do that in league 1, you have to get in their faces which always leads to mistakes and usually getting the ball back. Problem with that is, you have to be fit and I'm not too sure we are.

Also, lets play to our strengths not smash it long to Coxy. We know we don't have much in terms of forward options so we have to live with that and counter attack but that means attacking in numbers and really showing desire!

It will definitely be interesting and I really hope we go home happy with all 3 points.

 

[Jai]

No injuries!!! What club has no injuries!!

Injuries were not the cause of 5 at the back versus Wimbledon, with another 2 defenders on the bench.

That just smacks of a "I don't want to lose" mentality. What I want is a manager who will at least go out and try and win games. If we still lose so be it.

But I was fed up week in week out of seeing a side set out for damage limitation rather than attempting to have a go!!!

I think we all were. That's what cost him his job.
You're right about the 5 at the back though. personally I would have played all our in form and fit wingers and strikers in a 4-4... oh.

 

[South Bank Hank]

So the ideal scenario is a 1-0 win with the goal being scored in the 95th minute?

No man. The ideal scenario is a 15-nil mauling.


In Southend’s favour. With us winning. Us getting those goals. Just want to be clear about that.

 

[Chris Powell's mate]

No injuries!!! What club has no injuries!!

Injuries were not the cause of 5 at the back versus Wimbledon, with another 2 defenders on the bench.

That just smacks of a "I don't want to lose" mentality. What I want is a manager who will at least go out and try and win games. If we still lose so be it.

But I was fed up week in week out of seeing a side set out for damage limitation rather than attempting to have a go!!!

The question asked was whether injuries made a difference?
Luton have used 47 players this season, albeit a few with just one appearance in the likes of the Checkatrade.
You deal with what you have. We were left with not a lot - especially in attack.

 

[Firestorm]

I'd like to see us more organised, in set pieces in particular, both attacking and defensive as we've not been strong at either all season. I'd also like to think he may change our approach on being happy to let the opposition simply have the ball without any pressure. Our (if the oppo had the ball) tactic has been to get back in position and hold our shape but then pretty much let them have all the time in the world on the ball. They may well be what they do in the prem but you can't do that in league 1, you have to get in their faces which always leads to mistakes and usually getting the ball back. Problem with that is, you have to be fit and I'm not too sure we are.

Also, lets play to our strengths not smash it long to Coxy. We know we don't have much in terms of forward options so we have to live with that and counter attack but that means attacking in numbers and really showing desire!

It will definitely be interesting and I really hope we go home happy with all 3 points.

What strengths are you referring to ?
Sure dont smash it long to a short striker, that's playing to a weakness, but so is , I would say, expecting non ball playing centrehalves to interchange short passes, as is playing it wide to the massively underwhelming (according to this site) wingers .

 

[RHB]

No injuries!!! What club has no injuries!!

Injuries were not the cause of 5 at the back versus Wimbledon, with another 2 defenders on the bench.

That just smacks of a "I don't want to lose" mentality. What I want is a manager who will at least go out and try and win games. If we still lose so be it.

But I was fed up week in week out of seeing a side set out for damage limitation rather than attempting to have a go!!!

The question asked was whether injuries made a difference?
Luton have used 47 players this season, albeit a few with just one appearance in the likes of the Checkatrade.
You deal with what you have. We were left with not a lot - especially in attack.

Jeez, how many threads can you two gentlemen have this debate in? Incidently, how do you think the players will react tomorrow?

 

[Firestorm]

I would like someone to react by taking on the leadership role .

Then it will be how the other players react to those players which will dictate our performance.

 

[Shrimper Brownie]

Many posts seem to be saying that we have been playing too defensive. I think Chris Powell’s idea was to use wingbacks as an attacking option. This hasn’t really worked as they get caught in the middle. This leaves us short at the back allowing opponents to get crosses in and not enough support for our forwards. I think we should play 4-4-2 and win the midfield above all. I truly believe if we can control the midfield the rest will take care of itself.

 

[RobM]

So the ideal scenario is a 1-0 win with the goal being scored in the 95th minute?

As I have £2 on Cox 1-0, oh, yes!!

 

[AndyT]

No injuries!!! What club has no injuries!!

Injuries were not the cause of 5 at the back versus Wimbledon, with another 2 defenders on the bench.

That just smacks of a "I don't want to lose" mentality. What I want is a manager who will at least go out and try and win games. If we still lose so be it.

But I was fed up week in week out of seeing a side set out for damage limitation rather than attempting to have a go!!!

Indeed and with the excuses in the pre-match rather than the post-match interviews.

The injuries didn't help our case if we were aiming to push for a play-off place, but they sure had nothing to do with sloppy defending and coasting midfielders. Or playing right back's at left back and so on.