Pre-Match Thread Southend Utd vs Luton Town

[RHB]

So, Luton this Saturday and both clubs enter into this one on the back of 4-0 wins. Will it be a high scoring game, who can say, but with our two newbies and some more confidence this should be a cracker of a game. Normal stuff please, team selections, formations, reasons to include/exclude certain players, and a week to do it all in.

 

[Floval Flyer]

Same team as yesterday, same formation.

Luton will be a big test, they attack with pace and aggression so 5 at the back, Hyam covering and Dieng and Mantom bossing the midfield. Coxy and our new ‘Freddy’ up top.

We can win this !

COYBBs!

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Same team as yesterday, same formation.

Luton will be a big test, they attack with pace and aggression so 5 at the back, Hyam covering and Dieng and Mantom bossing the midfield. Coxy and our new ‘Freddy’ up top.

We can win this !

COYBBs!

My thoughts exactly. Actually I can't quite believe that two Zoners would change the starting XI or formation!

Also Dru will benefit from a spell on the bench - it might only need to be a couple of games.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Also isn't Bunn injured?

 

[OldBlueLady]

No change - why would you when the side has just won 4-0 away?

 

[Bromley Blue]

No change - why would you when the side has just won 4-0 away?

Maybe because for instance Dru Yearwood might offer a bit more quality on the ball than Luke Hyam and being the home side the onus is on us to break down Luton more than it might have been in an away game.

It’s not a view I particularly share because Luton being promotion-chasers will have the lion’s share of possession despite being the away side and having the protection Hyam offers seems a good idea to me so I’d stay unchanged.

 

[Ricey]

No change - why would you when the side has just won 4-0 away?

Totally agree, if it’s anything different from the side who won it will be a complete joke. (Obviously injuries forcing his hand can’t be helped)

Luton are on fire and this is really the wrong time to be playing them but hopefully the new confidence and passion shown against Bradford won’t make it easy for Luton to win.

 

[Ayrshire Blue]

Team picks itself

 

[Clarky176]

Oxley and Bunn are both injured until further notice aren’t they?

 

[rigsby]

Cant believe Humphrys has got 100%. Surley Cox on his own is the best option at Home

 

[Fairport]

I would bring Yearwood back as an attacking midfielder where he can run at defences and create goals, remember Gillingham away this season? Dieng could then do the holding role in place of Hyam.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

I can see us winning this, especially if we keep the same XI.

Luton aren't that special away from home - about the same as us away from home, but worse if you look at their points distribution. Only Oxford and Shrewsbury (the two sides at the bottom of the away 'league table') are scored a smaller proportion of their overall points on the road than Luton. We're going to smash then 3-0 I reckon

 

[palexander]

Got to be the same again. With who we have fit, this formation just works. Only possible change I'd consider is getting Dru into the midfield 3, but with Hyam having a great game Saturday and Dieng/Mantom in form, will be hard to justify.

 

[Tommy2holes]

First game for me for a little while.

Hoping for a much improved display, 3 points and a very healthy crowd.

 

[HypoTypo]

For anybody who thinks we should change the formation or starting XI from the Bradford game need to slap themselves IMHO.

If you never went yesterday, you really won't get how well we played.
Leave it alone now it's been fixed please.

 

[geoffmundo]

I voted Remain. All the players who started yesterday should Remain!

 

[amsemp]

I think CP will stick with the 5-3-2 wingbacks formation going forward now, especially as it still allows plenty of width and suits us as we’ve got decent fullbacks and are short on wingers. It also means we can play three central midfielders with four decent players in that position to choose from and also allows us two upfront which is what we need, as one up top just doesn’t do it for us. All in all, it seems to be the most well suited system for us at the moment.

I expect him to go completely unchanged for Luton and so he should. But in future I can see some rotation between Dru and Hyam/Dieng depending on who we’re playing. If we want a bit more a defensive mindset in midfield, we can play Hyam/Dieng. But if we want a bit more bite going forward, we can play Dru and let him run at them. We’ve also got Kightly and Macca on the bench who can replace the fullbacks and make it a 3-5-2 if we’re chasing a game.

Hats off to CP, I think he’s actually got a pretty decent, balanced squad together. Once we get the injured lads back, I’m excited to see what this squad is capable of.

 

[Harry Bullocks]

I voted Leave......thought it was to leave Roots Hall

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

I voted Leave......thought it was to leave Roots Hall

But were you aware that that was what you were voting for? Or were you hoodwinked into it by Ron? Perhaps those nice Karer remainers were right all along!

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

This match has similarities with last seasons one with Wigan, albeit that was played in early Feb.
Wigan were top of the table, Luton are 2nd.
Wigan were unbeaten for 16 games, Luton for 15.
Therefore i'm going for the same score as that game, 3-1 to us.