Barceluton/Bayern Lunich/Galutasaray vs. Llieda Orient/Bayer Leytonkusen/Genclerbirleyton

E10rifle

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Yes, it's everyone's favourite League Two super power against no-one's favourite London club. We've already met in the JPT, but considering Orient had five players making their professional debuts that night, we'll not read too much into Luton's 93rd minute winner.

What you can read plenty into is the O's recent pisspoor form - which, the first 45 minutes on Saturday aside is actually nowt to do with performance levels and everything to do with the fact that we simply cannot defend adequately for 90 minutes. Our right back plays as a right winger, none of our succession of left backs stop crosses coming into the box, one of our centre backs is a puny beanpole who has the turning circle of an oil tanker and the other one is a Cruyff-turning Bobby Moore-a-like who will turn into Titus Bramble for 30 seconds a game and cost us a goal. Solid. Still, at least we've got Millwall reject Alan Dunne to come on and give away a penalty if we've not conceded enough.

Sensing a miserable 3-zip defeat, especially if Dean Cox plays as inexplicably badly as he did against Oxford. Away attendance probably won't be huge thanks to Luton's dumb all ticket policy. That, and the fact that Kenilworth Road is an absolute hole.
 

That Fat Centre Half

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We cant defend either so we could be in for some entertainment i guess. Pretty much all Im asking for from the next 2 games as i cant see us winning either, would be nice to see some good football for a change though.
 

The Terminator

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We cannot defend for shit, no clean sheet for well over 2 months. As long as we go back to 4-3-1-2 though with either Payne or James playing we'll create chances at least usually.

I'd still start John Marquis over Ollie Palmer, who appears to be a better impact player than a starter.

All set for Jordan Marriott to score the winner!
 

The Terminator

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Wouldn't suprise me if the same team that finished Saturday started, with Cox dropped to the bench and Marquis playing in the hole behind the front two - His form hasn't been that bad, he was just subbed Saturday at half time for tactical reasons.

This could well be a high scoring game, if Jay Simpson gets injured, we're fucked.

Not a big fan of the Kenilworth Road away end - The view is really poor.

We took 300 in the JPT, will be around 600 this time round. Our midweek followings are usually poor, plus we've been poor recently and the game is all ticket for us.
 
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We're more fucked if Baudry gets injured. I will be making a rare appearance at this game.

I think the obvious alternative to the diamond is:

Cox - Marquis - Simpson
Payne - Pritchard
James
Chicksen - Essam - Baudry - Clohessy
Cisak​

James making plays from deep and covering in for Clohessy when he gets forward, Simpson cutting in as a CF when Clohessy pushes forward...

Hendon will play the diamond though. If Cox is dropped I'm going to question it.

I think I'm in the minority of about one that still does not rate Sammy Moore at all. Don't think he's intelligent enough off the ball and he doesn't do enough with the ball to make up for it. Genuinely can not understand how he started over Payne or James.

I think we're going to grind out a fairly dull 1-1, and I'd take that.
 

Chippy

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Managed to get Luton @ 11/5 to win. Not entirely convinced we will but couldn't turn down better than 2/1 at home
 

Glasshalffullpools

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Thank you for pointing out 11/5 is better than 10/5 .....I was getting lost there for a minute
 

THE LAST WALTZ

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Personally I think Jack Payne is best deployed in a slighter deeper midfield role where the game played predominately in front of him.
He is such a good passer of the ball that he can pull the strings and dictate the game in there.
Marquis needs to be the central striker because he is strong and holds the ball up so well and brings others into the game.
In fact, looking at that squad of players how are you lot not top two?
 

Kenneth E End

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Well, Luton were there for the taking tonight. We played better than we did on Saturday, although that's not too difficult.

Leyton Orient were very impressive going forward; slightly suspect at the back and they allowed us a lot of space in front of their back four. They'd done their homework and exploited our weaknesses. You've got to feel for the two full backs as they were painfully exposed all night as Luton deployed a very narrow middle four. Little wing play at all. Orient's marauding right back Clohessy was virtually parked on the edge of the opposition penalty area all night. The goal coming from that flank was inevitable, although I'd argue that Orient should've been out of sight by half time.
 

Aberstone

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Fair assessment. Potts is a pony defender but was left completely isolated, it was evident from minute one. What worries me is the distinct lack of pattern of play from Luton, the midfield completely bypassed as Orient pressed as a team.

Paddy McCourt is an utter waste of space, he seemed to be the middle of a midfield 3 (Smith on the left, McGeehan on the right). What's the point of having a player who goes through the motions and doesn't backtrack at all!?

John Marquis was the best player on the pitch, with Adam Chicksen a close 2nd. Both very impressive for the visitors.

Edit: Bit unfair on Potts as he's not a Left Back, more of a Wing Back.
 

That Fat Centre Half

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Leyton Orient where the better side and should have won the game for me, especially with some of the chances they had at the end of the 1st half. Didn't think they where anything special but felt we were woeful.

We played this 442 diamond with a bunch of central midfield players again that I don't think I've ever seen us play well that left both full backs so exposed it was untrue. Potts was getting a load of abuse from those around me but what's he supposed to do with no support from those I. front of him? Midfield was complete powder puff. Smith and Lee offered nothing. I'm assuming he wants to play 442 to get Mackail Smith and Marriott in the side together but it's obvious the rest of the team isn't built for that.

We need to bite the billet and drop some players to get some bloody width in the side.

1-1 isn't a terrible result but I'm just not seeing any improvement from us at the moment, no clear cohesive team forming with a clear philosophy of how we're going to play, just a collection of decent players with no plan.

We've played a fair amount of games now and at this point you are who you are and at the moment that's a bang average mid table side
 

The Terminator

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1-1 was about right, The first half could've been 3-3, both sides had enough chances. Our problem is we simply cannot defend at all as team, we cannot keep clean sheets and we always give ourselves a mountain to climb. Despite Clohessy's marauding runs down the right side, it can leave us open at the back and Connor Essam was given a torrid time by Payne and CMS all evening with his lack of pace.

Luton were poor I thought second half, but in truth we didn't do enough to win the game and a draw was the right result.

The referee and Linesman on the away fans side was appalling on a few occassions, he missed 4 clear fouls and 2 for either side. I cannot belive Ollie Palmer got away with a blatent push in front of him!

I can't see either side with the managers they have at their disposal getting near the top seven, Still is a solid pair of hands but to take Luton further maybe beyond him.

Hendon looks to be repeating his tricks at Barnet but with a better team, we create chances and score goals although he does seem intend on getting the ball wide and delivering crosses - which isn't always effective. Fair enough we are good to watch in that regard, but his recruitment of defenders is being questioned.

Todays draw for us isn't frustrating as for me its a good result, but we give ourselves far too much to do for me and Hendon can't address it.

Jay Simpson has been excellent for us so far, the grief he gives opposition defenders......
 

The Terminator

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Leyton Orient where the better side and should have won the game for me, especially with some of the chances they had at the end of the 1st half. Didn't think they where anything special but felt we were woeful.

We played this 442 diamond with a bunch of central midfield players again that I don't think I've ever seen us play well that left both full backs so exposed it was untrue. Potts was getting a load of abuse from those around me but what's he supposed to do with no support from those I. front of him? Midfield was complete powder puff. Smith and Lee offered nothing. I'm assuming he wants to play 442 to get Mackail Smith and Marriott in the side together but it's obvious the rest of the team isn't built for that.

We need to bite the billet and drop some players to get some bloody width in the side.

1-1 isn't a terrible result but I'm just not seeing any improvement from us at the moment, no clear cohesive team forming with a clear philosophy of how we're going to play, just a collection of decent players with no plan.

We've played a fair amount of games now and at this point you are who you are and at the moment that's a bang average mid table side

It seems like still is trying to get every central midfielder you have in the team! Suprised Danny Green and Ryan Hall don't get more of a look in with Smith and McGeehan in the centre.
 

The Terminator

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Personally I think Jack Payne is best deployed in a slighter deeper midfield role where the game played predominately in front of him.
He is such a good passer of the ball that he can pull the strings and dictate the game in there.
Marquis needs to be the central striker because he is strong and holds the ball up so well and brings others into the game.
In fact, looking at that squad of players how are you lot not top two?
Our manager is a rookie.

Agree with your comments regarding Payne, he played like that this evening and did well I thought.
 
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Pretty fair assessments. Don't agree Marquis was the best player on the pitch, felt it was pretty clear he was being played out of position, but it may have been partly due to my annoyance and bemusement that Cox was dropped.

Payne looks very good on the ball, but I think defensively he was too quick to dive into a tackle, missing, committing himself and basically wave a nice big sign saying 'ATTACK HERE!' to the space behind him. Fortunately Luton were poor going forward. Thought Essam looked poor today, one real moment he was let off was on a 3 v 2 where he's come forward, slid in and missed it. Moore was also doing it as well. Don't understand why we were doing it, it's silly and creating holes for us.

Still worried that we don't seem to cope well when the opposition attack with their full backs, the midfield's defensive contribution worries me as much as anything else.

Still expect both sides to be top 7

Edit: Yeah, the width from both was mind boggling at times, lost count of the times there were 20 players in 20 square yards of the pitch.
 

Chippy

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Christ that was utterly depressing for all parties. The system we play and the players we play in it is a complete joke.

Optimism built up by that 4 game winning run has quickly evaporated. Abject performance.
 

Kenneth E End

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Starting to come round that maybe a change is required in the management team. Fresh ideas etc.

I'm a big John Still fan and think he's done a fantastic job in the last 3 years, but I'm losing a bit of optimism at the moment. Some of the decisions tactically have been a bit mind boggling really. I don't like playing not to win for example.
 

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nobody wishes our manager any ill,
but I also think the writings on the wall for mr still.
the time has come not to leave it too late,
we must be pro-active and the board shouldn't wait.
while there is plenty of time in some peoples eyes,
our team is getting further away from winning the prize.
the football being played leaves a lot to be desired,
surely its time now a new manager must be hired.
there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason,
why Luton Town is under-performing again this season.
no wonder it seems our supporters have got the hump,
our once attacking and exciting team is in another slump.
something must be done to turn our fortunes around,
we have the right players at the club and a passionate crowd.
the thing that is evident and is getting more obvious by the day,
we have a manager who is losing the plot and also lost his way.
 
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That Fat Centre Half

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I'm sort of coming around to the idea that a change may be needed also.

Not helped by Terry Harris coming out with comments like "we're a work in progress" and "stick with it". I mean we're a 3rd of the way through the season now, you should have he team going by now, not still working out issues. First it was give it 10 games and now it's "we're a work in progress".

To be honest I'd probably be fine with the situation and people saying things like that I I could see a clear plan going forward but I can't for the life of me see what Still is trying to achieve at the moment. It seems so confused and scattergun.
 

Kenneth E End

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100% agree with the above.

John Still's moto is "I'm not a quick fix", but everything this season seems short termist.
 
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Thought Essam looked poor today, one real moment he was let off was on a 3 v 2 where he's come forward, slid in and missed it.

Watched the incident back again (4.45 on player highlights), it wasn't even a 3v2, Chicksen is covering the left side, all he has to do is stop CMS turning, or, failing that, apply some pressure. Essam is tight to him in the first place, he's slid in as CMS is turning, completely missing ball and man creating the 2v2 situation. It's just such poor defending I can't understand why he did it.
 

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