Luton vs Derby

[Ram59]

I’m out of the country at the moment. Stats seem better...at least we had some shots...but please don’t tell me Marriott is injured again, and which one of the ‘new lads’?

Jozwiak, unfortunately.

[swaledale]

We did. Last season

Well is one season realistically enough if you have to build a team? Not forgetting Keoghgate and a run of injuries!

[Manofpride]

Well is one season realistically enough if you have to build a team? Not forgetting Keoghgate and a run of injuries!

Talking of Keogh I can't believe how much we've missed him!

[ramAnag]

We did. Last season

Harsh and unfair, Andy.
So...half last summer’s window, losing your four key players from the previous season, a January window when major signings are seldom made, a pandemic and all the disruption that caused and a summer transfer window totally dominated by the EFL charges, meaning that potential signings could not know what they would be joining until, possibly, four weeks (?) ago all go together to make a season of opportunity for ‘shaping a team and a squad’ do they?

[ramAnag]

or rather like brexit, we dont know what we are doing or even how to do it. Plus a growing group of us wish we werent!

‘...a growing group of us wish we weren’t’.

You changed sides - again - GP?
Perhaps you need to start that thread that Ram59 mentioned. You’ll be blaming you know who next.

[MadAmster]

A much more promising display than against Reading or PNE. I said last week after the Reading game that we looked like we still had 2 weeks of pre season to go. Not there yet but we looked sharper than in the previous 2 games.

Decent enough start, taking the game to them and bossing it. After the opening 15 minutes I was starting to think we might be heading for an away win. That was the point when they changed tactics and started to press us high and harry. They stuck close to "their man" giving us little or no time to control the ball and do anything constructive. The rest of the 1st half was theirs and they went in 1 up at HT, deservedly so. Having said that, Marshall should have come for that cross that was diverted past him off one of Berry's studs.

We started the 2nd half well enough and the equaliser was not unexpected. They remembered to press and harry following that and the game was even stevens. I was lulled into the though that a draw would be a reasonable outcome over the 90 minutes. An unnecessary free kick sees the ball launched forward. A couple of opportunities to clear it were missed and it ended in the back of the net.

Their first? The ball falls to a wide man who is probably surprised to find no full back within 10 yards of him. He had all the time in the world to put the cross in. Berry got a stud to it and diverted it past Marshall giving him no chance. As I wrote earlier, he should have come for the ball, either to catch or to punch. Just a yard further forward and Berry would have been penalised for foot up had Marshall missed the ball. An easily preventable goal starting with my old chestnut of our full backs not putting their winger under pressure and following that a wrong choice by the keeper.

Their 2nd? From their point of view a sweeping move that saw them keep possession despite a Clark header that only went to a Luton player and an attempted tackle from Jozwiak that didn't come off. Chap runs wide left, gets the ball with, yet again, time and space to think and then act. Decent cross to the back stick and........ there's a teammate in yards of space 5 yards out. He does the right thing and heads it back to the far post and it's the winner.

The stats will tell you we had 65% possession. 14 shots to their 9 and both teams had 3 on target. You can easily make a case for us deserving a point from the game. On the other hand, if anybody was going to nick it, it was them who looked the more likely.


Marshall - 6 - at fault for their first but played well after that
Byrne - 6 - played well but, as with all our FBs, doesn't get close enough to his winger and that led to their first. The cross for their 2nd also came from his "side"
Wisdom - 7 - another steady defensive performance from Wis and that one clearance was very much needed or that would have been a certain goal
Clark - 6 - twice went, unnecessarily, to ground giving them the ball which fortunately led to nothing
Fozzy - 6 - I expected Cornick to take him to the cleaners but he found an extra gear from somewhere when necessary in the 2nd half
Shinnie - 6 - shame he got that early head injury. It didn't stop him putting himself about though
Bird - 5 - Totally anonymous in the 1st half. Much better 2nd half
Knight - 6 - looked much happier on the right in the 2nd half and it showed in an improved performance
Rooney - 5 - for me, too ponderous in possession taking time he doesn't have. Another who had a better 2nd half
Jozwiak - 7 - Had a good 1st half and a better 2nd when he moved to the left. Assist for Marriott's goal. Worked hard. Tackled a lot. Good debut.
Marriott - 6 - took his goal well but his first touch was poor. Last season we could ping the ball at Martin and know he'd control it. Jack doesn't and he doesn't want that type of ball.

Subs
Sibley played better than he has this season so far. Harder to knock off the ball and involved in some good moves. Deserves a mention because he took a few kicks and just got up and got on with it. Has he learned to tame his demon? I hope so.
JHI came close to scoring with his first contact. That he didn't was, IMO, down to a defender taking a risk. He nudged JHI in the back when he got the ball which saw him get a heavier touch than intended and when he got to the ball the keeper was almost on top of it. Might he have had time to lift it over the keepr? Not sure. IMO both Jack and Waggy would have gone down under the same circumstances looking for a penalty. Kudos to the lad for staying upright and looking to score. One criticism of him, though, gave away too many unnecessary free kicks.
Whittaker wasn't on long enough to comment on

Nul points from2 games but still 3 places above the Red Dogs.

[Andy_Faber]

Harsh and unfair, Andy.
So...half last summer’s window, losing your four key players from the previous season, a January window when major signings are seldom made, a pandemic and all the disruption that caused and a summer transfer window totally dominated by the EFL charges, meaning that potential signings could not know what they would be joining until, possibly, four weeks (?) ago all go together to make a season of opportunity for ‘shaping a team and a squad’ do they?

Most of those mitigations applied to all/most teams, ok the EFL one was unique - my issues are around apparent lack of fitness, a style of play that even ignoring the fact it’s boring is beyond our players to achieve (Joe public twigged that 12 months ago) and lack of consistency in team selection. One positive is that the two new boys looked a step forward. I actually wouldn’t pay to see my team winning with that style of play at the moment...

[Geoff Parkstone]

Makes Billy ball look attractive, doesn't it

[swaledale]

Makes Billy ball look attractive, doesn't it

I wouldn't go that far, but its very sterile stuff and whilst the name of the game is to win, we aren't doing that at the moment. Apart from that flash in the pan of wins after lockdown, I'm not convinced Cocu is the man. Still I remember rA's wise words about this being the season and nothing is won or lost at this stage.

[mistaram]

Harsh and unfair, Andy.
So...half last summer’s window, losing your four key players from the previous season, a January window when major signings are seldom made, a pandemic and all the disruption that caused and a summer transfer window totally dominated by the EFL charges, meaning that potential signings could not know what they would be joining until, possibly, four weeks (?) ago all go together to make a season of opportunity for ‘shaping a team and a squad’ do they?

RA they still don't know what they are joining We have an appeal to go through yet T hats not plain sailing