Gas vs ( slightly less mad) Hatters

[Aber gas]

Gas are flying, Luton are , well a bit meh tbh. From a personal point of view I'm really looking forward to tomorrow, got a few Luton mates and I really enjoyed my trip to kenilworth road. As for the game I'm predicting a 3-1 Gas victory with at least 1 from Sincs. Hope you have a good time chaps ( just not too good eh? )

 

[Gassy]

Should be a good game. Like Orient, I wouldn't be surprised to see this go either way. I imagine Luton will be out for blood on that last minute winner earlier in the season too

 

[Kenneth E End]

At the time, I didn't think we'd play as bad as well did that day, for the rest of the season. We have many times!
It was a shocking performance earlier in the season.
Fortunately our away form is better; I'd expect us to push on from last week. And who knows? They could be playing in front of a new manager.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

For my money the reverse fixture is still the worst I've seen us play this season, and that really is saying something considering some of the "performances" this season. To be honest the last minute winner didn't rankle with me at all (I'd in fact forgotten it was a last minute winner, they all just blur into one after a while I guess!) our general non-performance that night did.

Fully expecting a repeat of the bus parking excerise from Portsmouth. We just need to get back to basics and not concede goals for a while.

 

[TheGas]

I'm negative and always think we'll lose I'm saying 1-2 but I said that last week so take no notice of my predictions. Possible 10,000 crowd if the weather doesn't put too many people off??

 

[GasAttacK]

Hope this awful weather doesn't put too many off going today. Unfortunately at the Mem nearly half the crowd get wet when rains and it's been pissing down all morning. I think we might have topped 10,000 on a nice day but these conditions are bound to put a few off so maybe 8k or 9k.

This could well be one of the toughest matches of the season. Luton are obviously better than their position suggests and with the squad of players at their disposal should probably be challenging for the title and not languishing in mid table. This won't be the same beast we beat at Kenilworth Road back in August and with a new manager potentially looking on the players will be eager to impress.

They come into the game on the back of an impressive draw at Portsmouth and have a very respectable away record having won 5 of their 12 fixtures on the road, losing just 4.

Not sure if we have any injury concerns apart from Puddy and Lines because the manager keeps that information quiet but hopefully the rest of the squad are fit and ready to play.

I think we'll need to be at our best to win this one and to be honest I'd be fairly happy with a draw.

 

[Vanni]

Hey Aber mate, I'm afraid the terms for a swap have changed. It's Taylor, Harrison and Easter now for Gaffney. Ta!

 

[Gassy]

We'll give you Blissett instead and let that he the end of it.

Didn't think it was the best of games today. Thought we edged the first half and deserved to be a goal up but didn't have any real complaints at 0-0. I actually thought our formation wasn't the best today, we didnt look the attacking threat that we did against Orient. Luton should have had a clear red too, an elbow on Taylor. A fan behind me recorded it too, on the replay it's still a clear red. 2 goals disallowed too, 1 was definitely offside, the other was clearly onside. However I think Gaffney was offside and even though even though he wasn't really near the ball.

2nd half I thought we actually started terribly - then about the 55th minute we suddenly seemed to play again and we never looked back. Overall, not at our best today, but we looked very solid. Luton weren't appalling tbf, but just literally had nothing going forward, did they have a shot on target?

 

[Kenneth E End]

What is really worrying, is that I think that's now 3 games in row we've recorded ZERO shots on target.

 

[Gashead]

What is really worrying, is that I think that's now 3 games in row we've recorded ZERO shots on target.

Funnily enough, Mackail-Smith was hassling our defenders a lot, thought he had a good game. McGheehan got into space a lot too, he should have done something and Hall's crosses from deep caused trouble. The latter also went close in the second half.

I can't really put my finger on why you're struggling to record shots on target, it's very odd. Not the worst team to visit the Mem this season, I think possibly a new manager needs to come in ASAP to breed some creativity and confidence.

 

[ComeOnIrene]

Big win today. It was always going to be a test against a side that are littered with good individuals and recorded a morale boosting goalless draw at Portsmouth last time out, but we put in yet another solid performance and deserved the 3 points.

I was disappointed we had been unable to score in the first half and I felt it was a complete injustice that Scott Cuthbert hadn't been sent off for his blatant elbow on Taylor. I have no idea what the ref was doing - he spotted the incident, whistled straight away and yet somehow decided that it was only worthy of a caution. Unbelievable.

Anyway, Luton offered zilch although we didn't exactly start the second half brightly ourselves. Thankfully we went on to dominate once again after taking the lead. It was a relief to see the ball fly in the back of the net and from that point on I was confident we would go on to win with few problems. We handled anything Luton threw at us (although suggesting they threw anything may be a little generous) and we managed to build on our advantage through good strike play from that man Rory Gaffney.

The standing ovation he received shows just how much he is appreciated here and whilst Cambridge are now trying to play silly beggars I hope we find a satisfactory conclusion to the saga. We want him, he wants to join us and Cambridge's chief executive has publicly said they want rid, only now they are trying to move the goalposts, no doubt trying to up how much we pay. They have every right to try it on with us as he's their player, but it's laughable really given Jez George's revelation that he Derry doesn't want him.

 

[SVH]

We've shout ourselves in the foot big time here. Fair enough loan him out but don't do a deal for a free transfer and then change your mind a week later.

We should have been asking for a free straight up on Gaffney. The boys heads gone so we need to get a deal done now, but Jez has well and truly cocked this one up.

 

[GEORGE]

Luton were very ordinary today and I cant understand the early season fuss regarding M-Smith. They had quite a lot of the ball but did nothing with it -- really made Mildenhalls job easy.Obvious they need a manager in soonest ( to sum them up they were like a rudderless ship ). Rovers are getting better and better and should now make the play offs.

 

[Aber gas]

Luton were very ordinary today and I cant understand the early season fuss regarding M-Smith. They had quite a lot of the ball but did nothing with it -- really made Mildenhalls job easy.Obvious they need a manager in soonest ( to sum them up they were like a rudderless ship ). Rovers are getting better and better and should now make the play offs.

Bollocks to the playoffs. I want top three now

 

[Gassy]

Is it wrong that I'd still be very happy with a top 12 finish?

 

[Aber gas]

Is it wrong that I'd still be very happy with a top 12 finish?

It's not wrong mate. After the last few years( last year apart) I would have been more than happy with a boring mid table finish. Not now though , we are fucking flying. I wasn't being entirely serious with my previous post though

 

[Gassy]

It's not wrong mate. After the last few years( last year apart) I would have been more than happy with a boring mid table finish. Not now though , we are fucking flying. I wasn't being entirely serious with my previous post though

Its a tough one. We're 6 points above 8th (a genuine 6 as well, no games in hand for them) and we're on form, looking solid and playing well. I just don't want to get my hopes up though if I can help it. I'm just enjoying the ride for the moment, after 4 awful seasons in a row, we deserve a bit of happiness.

The part that does concern me though, if, by some miracle we went up; we would have to seriously invest to survive in L1. although I rate the current squad, I think L1 would be a bigger step up again in quality

 

[Aber gas]

I've not thought far ahead tbh. Obviously if we went up we would have to spend a few quid to be competitive.
I think the game at Oxford is crucial, we win that and my top three predictions will get a lot more serious.

 

[gashead88]

Thought it was a good routine win today we looked comfortable against a side with no confidence which showed.
Now as much as I'd love to finish in the playoffs I'm not gonna get to excited yet as we have four very tough fixtures in our next six game (Oxford, Plymouth, Stanley and Portsmouth) but we are playing very well atm and if we can get Gaffney back before our next game I'd be well happy

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Sort of reminds me of our season last year, started off finding our feet a bit and then went on a nice run to be in with a shout of not just play offs but actually being top 3.

Now we did fall away pretty badly around February/March time, a slump we still haven't really recovered from in truth, so remains to be seen which way Bristol Rovers will go, push on or follow our route into the shit.

 

[AdamStag]

Bristol really have kicked on of late, well done lads

 

[Judge Dredd]

Luton were very ordinary today and I cant understand the early season fuss regarding M-Smith. .

Used to be a good player but a completely spent force nowadays, doesn't get in scoring positions at all. Sad to see really.

 

[Gashead]

Sort of reminds me of our season last year, started off finding our feet a bit and then went on a nice run to be in with a shout of not just play offs but actually being top 3.

Now we did fall away pretty badly around February/March time, a slump we still haven't really recovered from in truth, so remains to be seen which way Bristol Rovers will go, push on or follow our route into the shit.

Its our next five games after Barnet which will see us flourish/falter/whatever. March/April is actually very kind to us on paper.

Win at Barnet and I'll be happy going into those games, a nice cushion between us and those outside of the play-offs, low expectations ahead of those games.

 

[Gassy]

Indeed. January will determine how good we are. We have Barnet away (who have the 4th best home record), Oxford away, Plymouth home and Accrington away. If we get 7 points from that I'd fancy us for the play offs.

I see you had McQuoid on the bench, Luton. Is that Josh who played for Bournemouth? If so, why on earth wasn't he starting? He was awesome!

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Indeed. January will determine how good we are. We have Barnet away (who have the 4th best home record), Oxford away, Plymouth home and Accrington away. If we get 7 points from that I'd fancy us for the play offs.

I see you had McQuoid on the bench, Luton. Is that Josh who played for Bournemouth? If so, why on earth wasn't he starting? He was awesome!

Yes its the same McQuoid. He was starting to hit his stride a little bit i thought when our current poor run of form started but in truth he has been hit and miss and I think struggles from the issue some players do in that he doesnt have a position to call his own. He has played wide and down the middle and has had decent games at both but never nailed down the shirt at either. Personally feel he is better central but if we were going to drop Mackail Smith id prefer Marriott to be given a chance as he is younger and scored goals there and he cant really fill Bensons hold up role as thats not his game, hence him being on the bench.

With our current struggles id be intrigued to see him back in the side and maybe if we are going to be experimental a McQuoid/Marriott partnership, although they are perhaps a bit similar in style. Worth a shot though i would have thought in our current state!

 

[Chippy]

Josh McQuoid is technically the best player at the club, how he doesn't start is beyond me, personally.

 

[Turbo8818]

Not sure if it's already been said but Luton remind me of our first season down here under Buckle where lots of new players with big reputations came in and just never gelled. We used to get nailed by teams with much smaller budgets yet we'd lose games on sheer guts and determination. The fact that you have the likes of Patrick Mccourt and McQuaid on the bench shows you must have quality In that department, yet I never really at all felt threatened throughout the game as we went on to secure a comfortable win. I think out of all the mid table sides looking to go on a play off run that Luton given the right appointment are the most likely if they can get that squad to gell.

 

[Kenneth E End]

Well Paddy needs to start performing at some point this season or he's not going to France, simple as that.

 

[EricSabin]

Paddy McCourt bit of a spent force these days? And CMS. How long are their contracts?

 

[Judge Dredd]

Paddy McCourt bit of a spent force these days? And CMS. How long are their contracts?

Too long. Both until the end of next season.