Cheltenham v Luton

[Maple Hatter]

Hylton gets player of the month Jones gets manager of the month. We're doomed!
Joking aside this is the type of game we need to win, that is away from home against a team who will more than likely be in the bottom 3rd of the division. I expect them to pack their defence and man mark Hylton and Collins and play the long ball game hoping their forwards can outpace our defence. Seems to be an increasing tactic used when playing us. I hope we can get our quick passing game going tomorrow, dominate midfield and press for that early goal. A pretty much unchanged side again this Saturday. I feel we'll win this one by two clear goals. Cheltenham lost at home to a non league side last week which must affect confidence. I imagine the fans will be on their backs if it isn't going well early on. A sold out away end to cheer us on too. Lets hope they go home happy.

 

[oakroader]

Playing a team with a goal difference of 0 after 16 games should be an opportunity for jones to throw caution to the wind and load up on our formidable attacking options and go for the jugular.....
The disparity between the two teams should be well taken advantage of....

 

[Vanni]

Easier said than done Oakey. We'll be at theirs in ten days time so I was looking at their home record and it's quite decent I reckon. One doesn't beat the likes of Swindon, Lincoln and Mansfield amongst others with a poor side so tomorrow won't be easy that's for sure.

 

[longmover]

Depends which Cheltenham turn up? if its the Cheltenham that beat Swindon, Lincoln, Colchester, Mansfield and drew with Accrington and Wycombe then expect a tough game. If its the Cheltenham that lost 2-4 to Maidstone in the most inept performances I've ever seen then this game will do wonders for Luton's goal difference. If Luton score then I expect them score again within 3 minutes. Its buy one and get one free at WR, all season!!!!

 

[Si Robin]

Just looking it up and we have quite a decent record against Luton, 1 defeat in the last 7 games, and that was in the death throes of Mark Yates management 3 years ago. Our win at Kenilworth Road last season was probably one of our best of last season and we didn't even lose to them when we had Paul Buckle in charge. We've also never lost to them at Whaddon Road.

We tend to save our best games for the better teams and, Maidstone aside, we're playing brilliantly at home this season.

Standby for a 5-0 drubbing now.

 

[BelizeHatter]

Did you mow the grass?

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Dont know why but I always expect us to struggle when we come up against Cheltenham. In the home game last season, they looked pretty poor but they really did a job on us on the counter in particular and it was probably one of our worst performances of the season to be honest. Just one of those sides that im always a little wary of us putting in one of our dodgy performances that we seem to do.

Would be quite hard to change the team that played so well against Portsmouth I would suggest, but still think Cornick needs to got into the first 11 somewhere along the line although the player who you would think might make way for him, Shinnie, I thought was superb in that one and looked somewhere close to what we saw in the first couple of games this season before he went off the boil a little and then got injured.

Having lost our last league game I think its fairly important that we get straight back onto winning ways and as has been pointed out, if we are to gain automatic promotion this is the sort of away game you really want to be getting all 3 points from. If we play like we did last week then you'd think we would have too much for Cheltenham but just got a feeling after our nice little run last month and the curse of manager of the month we might be in for a bit of a regression here.

 

[oakroader]

why are we always so magnanimous in our posts ?
ok,some would say realistic....
but we need to keep the pressure on nj and the team by demanding the wins and
great style of football we know is there in the team...
the quality in depth should be more than enough to get promotion at the end of the season....
everyone else expected it before the season...why don't we expect nothing less ???
lets not settle for anything else....positive thoughts....
c.o.y.h.

 

[Kenneth E End]

Dont know why but I always expect us to struggle when we come up against Cheltenham. In the home game last season, they looked pretty poor but they really did a job on us on the counter in particular and it was probably one of our worst performances of the season to be honest. Just one of those sides that im always a little wary of us putting in one of our dodgy performances that we seem to do.

Would be quite hard to change the team that played so well against Portsmouth I would suggest, but still think Cornick needs to got into the first 11 somewhere along the line although the player who you would think might make way for him, Shinnie, I thought was superb in that one and looked somewhere close to what we saw in the first couple of games this season before he went off the boil a little and then got injured.

Having lost our last league game I think its fairly important that we get straight back onto winning ways and as has been pointed out, if we are to gain automatic promotion this is the sort of away game you really want to be getting all 3 points from. If we play like we did last week then you'd think we would have too much for Cheltenham but just got a feeling after our nice little run last month and the curse of manager of the month we might be in for a bit of a regression here.

Lost our last league game yes, but only lost 1 in the last 11 away games, only 3 in overa year and only 1 in the last 11 league games full stop.

It’s not bad is it?

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Lost our last league game yes, but only lost 1 in the last 11 away games, only 3 in overa year and only 1 in the last 11 league games full stop.

It’s not bad is it?

I didnt say it was bad? Actually quite the opposite, its been good, so good in fact that with my pessimist hat on that i usually wear with all things Luton, i'm sort of expecting us to take a step back! I hope not however as i really think this team has it in them this year, there is quality throughout.

Grass length permitting of course....

 

[Maple Hatter]

We've had some decent results on the road against quite a few of the teams expected to be around the promotion and play off spots. Cheltenham aren't really in the same catagory but they are of course capable of upping their game as they have shown this season. But we have a better team, more depth creating competition for places and we are in form. I expect us to win. Its not being over optimistic its just a realistic view of our chances. Like Oaky says we need to be more positive. Increase the volume when the team need it and I'm sure they'll deliver. Sometimes we've been guilty of creating a tense negative atmosphere, particulary at KR, which the players sense direct.

 

[Lance Stoe]

Sparked out Tommy Robinson a couple of weeks ago. He stated spouting racist shite so I butted the beandarthal

 

[SoutheySWFC]

Sparked out Tommy Robinson a couple of weeks ago. He stated spouting racist shite so I butted the beandarthal

I smell BULLSHIT

 

[Judge Dredd]

Well fuck me that was a sickener. Horrendous error from Stech to concede the corner that they equalised from, properly calamitous. Urgh.

 

[Kenneth E End]

Well fuck me that was a sickener. Horrendous error from Stech to concede the corner that they equalised from, properly calamitous. Urgh.

Was it Scott Flinders who scored? My stream froze at the inopportune time.

 

[CTFCfan99]

Was it Scott Flinders who scored? My stream froze at the inopportune time.

It was Boyle who scored from Flinders' flick on.
Really good game in the end, for the first half hour Luton were streets ahead and I thought we were in for a drubbing, but we grew into it well and second half was very even and competitive. Think we just about deserved the draw in the end although I'm sure Luton will feel they should've won it.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Disappointing as first half it sounds like were absolutely dominant and should have had a few more. Second half seems to have been a bit more even but to concede in that manner at the death is a sickener. We have actually improved a lot in terms of defending set pieces compared to last year too so to concede like that is hard. Cant be too harsh on Stech as he has been superb so far. Could have been top tonight but just have to hope that come the end those 2 points dropped dont cost us.

Jones sounded gutted on the radio and compared it to the Blackpool game last season. Dont think we should dwell on it too much and use this set back and learn to be bit more ruthless.

On another note, really pleased for Lee to get a goal off the bench, always looked lively coming off the bench so far this season.

 

[Si Robin]

I was absolutely gutted when Luton scored their second because for most of that second half only one team looked like they were going to get a winner, and it wasn't them. That being said, they could have been 4 or 5 ahead at half-time.

Amazingly, one problem we had today was our attacking set-pieces and the only time we really put a decent ball in was for that goal in injury time. Thought Flinders was going to get the winner, but if Will Boyle hadn't have got that touch it would have been cleared off the line. Absolute scenes when it did go in though.

 

[Maple Hatter]

I can understand Jones kneejerk reaction to the result. We had the game won and didn't see it out like he said. Stechs error invited a goal mouth scramble from the corner. Just sensed they would score. But we should have been well ahead at half time. Hylton uncharateristiclly missed an easy chance one yard out from goal. This was followed by Cornick failing to beat the keeper on a one on one with plenty of time to finish. A talented player he is especially when running with the ball but he really needs to work at his shooting. Not one on target in what were often good positions to score. Second half we let Cheltenham get back into it but I felt we would still do enough to win which we should have done.
This draw feels like a defeat. We are now out of the auto spots and need to get back to winning ways. Thankfully we have a couple of home games coming up.
As for Cheltenham. An extremely primative style of play. Never seen a team launch balls into the box as much as they do. Route one a la Watford and Wimbledon. I sincerely hope we don't have to play them next season. Their fans can't be happy with that style of play. Its 'kin so boring to watch even if today it proved effective. In my opening post I suggested they would play the long ball and so it proved. NJ needs to think about how to counter that style. He is right though that we should have been out of sight earlier on.

 

[jacobncfc]

As for Cheltenham. An extremely primative style of play. Never seen a team launch balls into the box as much as they do. Route one a la Watford and Wimbledon. I sincerely hope we don't have to play them next season. Their fans can't be happy with that style of play. Its 'kin so boring to watch even if today it proved effective. In my opening post I suggested they would play the long ball and so it proved. NJ needs to think about how to counter that style. He is right though that we should have been out of sight earlier on.

You are going to absolutely love us.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

You are going to absolutely love us.

We've played Lincoln this season already, you cant be any more route one than they were that day!

 

[Si Robin]

As for Cheltenham. An extremely primative style of play. Never seen a team launch balls into the box as much as they do. Route one a la Watford and Wimbledon. I sincerely hope we don't have to play them next season. Their fans can't be happy with that style of play. Its 'kin so boring to watch even if today it proved effective. In my opening post I suggested they would play the long ball and so it proved. NJ needs to think about how to counter that style. He is right though that we should have been out of sight earlier on.

The frustrating thing about it is that we don't need to be a long-ball team. We've got some decent footballers in the team and our best play comes from when we play on the ground with some good build-up play. It was worst when we were playing Grimsby and were constantly launching the ball into the box for their defenders to head it out as we were chasing from 3-1 down. When we made it 3-2 it came from some neat football on the edge of the box leading to Winchester smacking the ball in. After that, we went straight back to launching it onto the Grimsby defender's head again.

I had a good feeling about today this morning, and even more so when we went in drawing 1-1 at half-time, undeservedly. The Luton 2nd goal was a sucker-punch, so to pinch a point at the end really did feel justified. It also backs up my point from earlier in the season that we will battle our way to a lot of points at home this season, we're certainly no mugs this season.

 

[hellogregory]

I
As for Cheltenham. An extremely primative style of play. Never seen a team launch balls into the box as much as they do. Route one a la Watford and Wimbledon. I sincerely hope we don't have to play them next season. Their fans can't be happy with that style of play. Its 'kin so boring to watch even if today it proved effective. In my opening post I suggested they would play the long ball and so it proved.

They don’t usually play that style, but they had no choice today due to a misunderstanding from their groundsman.
He was under instruction to grow the grass long on the Whaddon Road pitch for the visit of Luton, but he grew it a bit too long, so much so that they couldn’t pass a ball without it getting lost in the long grass. By the time the players came out for their warm up and realised it was a bit too long, it was too close to kick off to cut it. So the only option was for the ball to travel in the air the whole match.

 

[BelizeHatter]

So pissed off. Cheltenham clearly a better side than last year - but fuck me, awful, awful football when they are clearly good enough to knock it about. Maybe just a tactic for today as they didnt feel they could outplay us but oh dear. Perhaps it reminds me of tWatford from tears gone by and I'm overly harsh but god I hate that style. Really does feel like a defeat. We should have been out of sight at halftime. How the Cheltenham fans think they were deserving of a draw is beyond me. What chances did you have? What game did you watch? We defended every hoof pretty much perfectly except both goals.....................and oh my god that was a lot of hoofs.

Even if wed have won there are two growing points that ]are starting to stand out for me, game on game. Our shooting and finishing are not clinical enough and nowhere near good enough. Do we prarcrtce long range shooting? We never ever get one that doesn't offer more danger to the gutters than the goal. I know we walloped a couple of sides but we are edgy in front of goal. Lot of room for improvement there. Make keepers work, not people in row Z, when shooting from outside the box

Secondly for a man mountain Stech is not commanding enough in his area to the high ball. Been thinking this for a while. He showed several times in the latter stages today he can come and command the box and collect it, but too often stays home. The mistake for the corner - meh shit happens. Really feels like a defeat.

Good to see Jones so upset. Thought he was gonna cry in his post match interview.

 

[Maple Hatter]

So pissed off. Cheltenham clearly a better side than last year - but fuck me, awful, awful football when they are clearly good enough to knock it about. Maybe just a tactic for today as they didnt feel they could outplay us but oh dear. Perhaps it reminds me of tWatford from tears gone by and I'm overly harsh but god I hate that style. Really does feel like a defeat. We should have been out of sight at halftime. How the Cheltenham fans think they were deserving of a draw is beyond me. What chances did you have? What game did you watch? We defended every hoof pretty much perfectly except both goals.....................and oh my god that was a lot of hoofs.

Even if wed have won there are two growing points that ]are starting to stand out for me, game on game. Our shooting and finishing are not clinical enough and nowhere near good enough. Do we prarcrtce long range shooting? We never ever get one that doesn't offer more danger to the gutters than the goal. I know we walloped a couple of sides but we are edgy in front of goal. Lot of room for improvement there. Make keepers work, not people in row Z, when shooting from outside the box

Secondly for a man mountain Stech is not commanding enough in his area to the high ball. Been thinking this for a while. He showed several times in the latter stages today he can come and command the box and collect it, but too often stays home. The mistake for the corner - meh shit happens. Really feels like a defeat.

Good to see Jones so upset. Thought he was gonna cry in his post match interview.

I think Jones felt the same way we did. Never a great time to do an interview so soon after the final whistle. Probably not great criticising our young players either. They are still developing and hopefully they'll learn from games like these. Having said that I like the passion and prefer that type of reaction to some of the laid back responses we have had from previous managers.
I also think Stech needs to work at commanding his area. A fantastic shot stopper but a keeper needs to catch every ball that is launched into the 6 yard box especially against a team like Cheltenham. The worrying thing now is that other teams will use this tactic particularly those who know they can't match our passing game. If we didnt have Cuthbert in the side we'd struggle even more.
NJ will certainly have a lot to work to do in training this week. Apart from Stech catching and defending the high ball he must focus on shooting. Cornick in particular was guilty despite creating space he tended to lash the ball rather than place it. We know in his case its just part of his development.
Don't want to be too negative. I expected the win but a draw isn't the end of the world. We still showed we can rip defences apart when we concentrate on attacking rather than defending and as the season progresses I expect our development to continue. I think NJ might make a couple of changes on Saturday though.

 

[Si Robin]

Am I missing something with the grass references?

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Am I missing something with the grass references?

Against Crawley where we drew 0-0 someone (may have been me or Kenny, I cant remember) mentioned that the grass on the pitch was quite long which made it a bit more difficult for us to knock it about as we normally like to. HG thought this to be amusing and has made it a bit of a "thing".

 

[Maple Hatter]

Am I missing something with the grass references?

No.

 

[AdamStag]

"Cheltenham celebrated like it was their cup final"

Nice to know nathan jones is still speaking shite then

 

[The Jovial Forester]

Team in celebrating late late leveller shocker.