Luton v Lincoln

[BelizeHatter]

Well, at least the pitch won't be bobbly and the grass will be cut .......but we are going to face the same sort of problems as yesterday and against arguably a better side.

Let's see what we've got. Will be a great test for our physical and mental apptitude after lots of games in a short period and a major hicup.

 

[BelizeHatter]

Test for Jones as much as the players. Think he got lots wrong yesterday too.

He's really impressed me though. He kinda mirrors his fav son Rea. Makes mistakes, but learns and improves. We - OK let's make that I - suddenly think he's God and he has a stinker. Picks himself up, dusts himself down and goes good again, having learned a little something. We're in a great spot. Just missed 100 goals for the calendar year ninr points clear of playoffs........lfg

 

[oakroader]

another chance blown for the"ex west ham" mpansy to change my opinion of him....
shouldn't be anywhere near the team sheet ...
queue response from mpansy appreciation society ???
happy new year to my fellow hatters....
and all other foes/friends too.....
oakey

 

[Luke Imp]

We'll need to improve our performance significantly to get anything, and I'm not expecting anything either. Under normal circumstances I'd not have been worried about the quick turnaround but this illness thing has obviously put us in a really bad position these last two games and particularly yesterday. The drop off in energy at around 70-75 minutes was very extreme for an incredibly fit set of players.

I think we'll see Waterfall come in for Dickie, maybe Arnold dropping out for Stewart or Ginnelly. We've been able to take Rhead and Green off and give them a breather in the last two games so they should be relatively fresh. Luckily, this is our final game for 10 days (14 until our next league game) so if we can battle through this one then it'll round off a good Xmas period for us.

Away end sell-out of 1,032.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

This will be a very tricky game, us coming off the back of a bit of a hiding and Lincoln in some good form. From previously seeing them this season they were the sort of side who cause us problem with a very direct approach that puts us on the back foot and takes us out of the game we want to play, with a very astute manager controlling it all. Jones is improving greatly as a manger for me, but an interesting test against a fellow young manager who look destined to go up the leagues.

In the reverse fixture Lincoln were incredibly direct, probably the most direct team I have seen at this level for some time, to the extent that we changed our shape to try to nullify that threat, which is something we very rarely do (we are not averse to changing shape per se, but changing shape to explicitly nullify something the opposition do, rather than make a change to exploit something we want to do isnt something Jones normally does). Ended up in a rather drab and ugly 0-0 with both teams rather cancelling each other out.

You would expect/hope that Berry, Olly Lee and Collins come back into the starting 11. Berry for me is the really key one that I would like to see come back, i think he is very important to how we want to play, especially at home. Think Stacey is back from suspension and id get him in replace JJ, sounds like he had a bit of mare at Port Vale (to be fair who didn't! But with a quality player like Stacey there and ready to replace him, it makes sense)

Big test for Sheehan and Mullins to weather the aerial barrage i think, to be fair they have done very well up until yesterday. Have to hope they are all eager to put things right and start 2018 on the right footing.

 

[william death]

Has Raggett gone back to Norwich yet?

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Has Raggett gone back to Norwich yet?

I read that this was his last game before going to Norwich.

 

[Judge Dredd]

Big test for Sheehan and Mullins to weather the aerial barrage i think, to be fair they have done very well up until yesterday. Have to hope they are all eager to put things right and start 2018 on the right footing.

Yes, this is my concern. In the reverse fixture we weathered the long balls well, but that was mainly down to one man - Cuthbert, who was man of the match on that day by an absolute mile. He was a huge miss yesterday against a good standard target man who absolutely bullied Sheehan and Mullins all day, and I suspect he'll be a big miss tomorrow too (although Lincoln don't have a striker of the pedigree of Pope to be fair).

 

[Luke Imp]

Has Raggett gone back to Norwich yet?

Last game tomorrow.

Because Norwich have got Chelsea in the FA Cup, they're keen to get him into L1 by all accounts, so I can't see him coming back here so we've got a couple of weeks before our game to find another CB.

 

[Luke Imp]

This will be a very tricky game, us coming off the back of a bit of a hiding and Lincoln in some good form. From previously seeing them this season they were the sort of side who cause us problem with a very direct approach that puts us on the back foot and takes us out of the game we want to play, with a very astute manager controlling it all. Jones is improving greatly as a manger for me, but an interesting test against a fellow young manager who look destined to go up the leagues.

In the reverse fixture Lincoln were incredibly direct, probably the most direct team I have seen at this level for some time, to the extent that we changed our shape to try to nullify that threat, which is something we very rarely do (we are not averse to changing shape per se, but changing shape to explicitly nullify something the opposition do, rather than make a change to exploit something we want to do isnt something Jones normally does). Ended up in a rather drab and ugly 0-0 with both teams rather cancelling each other out.

You would expect/hope that Berry, Olly Lee and Collins come back into the starting 11. Berry for me is the really key one that I would like to see come back, i think he is very important to how we want to play, especially at home. Think Stacey is back from suspension and id get him in replace JJ, sounds like he had a bit of mare at Port Vale (to be fair who didn't! But with a quality player like Stacey there and ready to replace him, it makes sense)

Big test for Sheehan and Mullins to weather the aerial barrage i think, to be fair they have done very well up until yesterday. Have to hope they are all eager to put things right and start 2018 on the right footing.

Yes, this is my concern. In the reverse fixture we weathered the long balls well, but that was mainly down to one man - Cuthbert, who was man of the match on that day by an absolute mile. He was a huge miss yesterday against a good standard target man who absolutely bullied Sheehan and Mullins all day, and I suspect he'll be a big miss tomorrow too (although Lincoln don't have a striker of the pedigree of Pope to be fair).

If you both think we were direct earlier in the season, you wait until tomorrow. Although there's no Paul Farman in goal so there'll be no box to box GK's! It's been real 'up and at 'em' stuff in these last handful of games but it's working well as it stands. We've kinda adopted a mid-season siege mentality since the loss at Colchester to get through to January and re-assess.

Agree on Cuthbert. As soon as he went off against us things started happening in our favour.

 

[Maple Hatter]

I'm hoping Vale was a blip and not the start of a bad run of form. Tomorrow will I am certain see the same XI that have been so successful of late. I accept NJ wants to rest players and we have strenght in depth but perhaps 4 changes was two too many against Vale. We need to dominate possession against Lincoln and focus on getting that early goal to settle any nerves and reinstall the confidence we have had of late. Not to mention getting the crowd on board. Will be interesting to see if NJ recalls Stacey or sticks with Justin. Either will do. Expect Collins, Olly Lee, Berry and Shinnie to be recalled. Should be a sell out crowd tomorrow and lets hope they see the Town back to winning ways. I think the Vale loss might have done the club some good in that we can't take anything for granted. Still a lot of work to be done to get promotion and that begins I hope with a win tomorrow. 2018 could be a very important year for this club on and off the pitch. In fact one of the best ever.

 

[Judge Dredd]

Suspect Stacey will be given the nod, JJ was awful yesterday, worst I've ever seen him play. Not the only one on the day mind you...

 

[jacobncfc]

Sort yourselves out Luton Town, another 7-0 would be ideal.

 

[Maple Hatter]

Suspect Stacey will be given the nod, JJ was awful yesterday, worst I've ever seen him play. Not the only one on the day mind you...

Everyone had a bad day yesterday so it would be unfair to single him out. Stacey has also had the odd below par game. A difficult decision and to be honest I can't choose between the two. I feel however like you that Stacey might well get his place back.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Don't think its singling him out necessarily. Just so happens that we have a quality player to come in for that position who also has had a 3 game rest. There will be other changes to you suspect, so its not really a case of JJ being the scapegoat.

 

[Kenneth E End]

We need a response. I can't see us putting in two poor performances in, in a row. But everyone in this division will drop a lot of points again between now and the end of the season and certainly each of the top teams' form will dip at some point.

 

[Maple Hatter]

Don't think its singling him out necessarily. Just so happens that we have a quality player to come in for that position who also has had a 3 game rest. There will be other changes to you suspect, so its not really a case of JJ being the scapegoat.

Don't think JJ will see it like that. Played terrific against Swindon and Grimsby and we know he is a class act. If he is dropped tomorrow based on that performance then I think he will be unlucky. He is a player who is still learning his trade and needs to be given time and the opportunity to redeem himself. I hope NJ keeps faith in him in the same way he has with Stacey after his couple of below par performances earlier in the season.

 

[Davidimp]

Big physical dirty Lincoln...

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Big physical dirty Lincoln...

We are a bit dirty actually, we don't half give away some bloody stupid free kicks sometimes!

Need that bit of edge to you if you want to play passing football in this league IMO, need to show you wont be bullied just because you have technical players.

 

[Davidimp]

Both our goals came from crosses into the box yesterday, is this not allowed?
Our opener on boxing day was a through ball on the floor, the second from a free kick and the third a good passing move involving 4 players.
We mix it up for me, put into the big man or knock it around.
Rather we did that than pass it around and get nowhere like fgr yesterday, must drive their fans bonkers?
Get to edge of the area then pass it backwards or sideways again or lose the ball.

 

[Kenneth E End]

We are a bit dirty actually, we don't half give away some bloody stupid free kicks sometimes!

Need that bit of edge to you if you want to play passing football in this league IMO, need to show you wont be bullied just because you have technical players.

Don't Luton have the worst disciplinary record in the division? Not quite sure how.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Don't Luton have the worst disciplinary record in the division? Not quite sure how.

Yeah we do I think, think teams want to rough us up a bit and we give as good as we get. We also have a few like Hylton and Rea who like a booking, Potts too! We encourage that sort of game where things can get a bit niggly between the teams.

I also think we do a lot of tactical fouls, Olly Lee and Glen Rea seem to pick up a lot of bookings from pulling back there men if they get passed them to stop counter attacks.

 

[Judge Dredd]

Both our goals came from crosses into the box yesterday, is this not allowed?
Our opener on boxing day was a through ball on the floor, the second from a free kick and the third a good passing move involving 4 players.
We mix it up for me, put into the big man or knock it around.
Rather we did that than pass it around and get nowhere like fgr yesterday, must drive their fans bonkers?
Get to edge of the area then pass it backwards or sideways again or lose the ball.

I don't pretend to know how you play every week, but I was at the return fixture so I do know how you played on that particular day, and I don't recall much "mix[ing] it up" - literally every single attack of yours was started by Farman launching the ball from your box to ours and looking to pick up on the second ball. On that day you made Pulis-era Stoke or even Westley-era Stevenage look like Guardiola teams stylistically.

No-one's saying it's "not allowed" (and indeed it can be very effective) but if that day was remotely indicative of how you often play then you can't really be too indignant about people referring to you as a direct team.

 

[Davidimp]

Well Farman warms the bench now so the goal kicks are about 15 yards shorter lol!
It might be what other teams like to see but it gets us results and surely that's what its all about?
As one bloke regularly says on our vitals message board, results end of.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Well Farman warms the bench now so the goal kicks are about 15 yards shorter lol!
It might be what other teams like to see but it gets us results and surely that's what its all about?
As one bloke regularly says on our vitals message board, results end of.

I dont think anyone on this thread has disagreed with you there. Just stated that you are a direct side and will be bloody difficult to play against tomorrow as a result because its very effective and you do it well.

As you say, its not to everyones tastes necessarily, and there is a fair bit of snobbery about it, but if its effective and gets results, then no one can have too many complaints.

 

[Davidimp]

Indeed think it'll be good game tomorrow but we did look like the flu bug the team have had was taking it toll in the last 20 mins. Might be the case you'll just have too much for us but only notts have hammered us this season.

 

[Imp in Branston]

I expect a comfortable Luton win.

 

[Kenneth E End]

Something I want to know - why did so many of our players have off days up at Port Vale, all at the same time? Reliable players too.

Too many matches played in a short period of time?

 

[Davidimp]

Same for everyone though Kenny, maybe you have the same bug we have or they're thinking about the cup tie?

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Both JJ and Stacey playing then which is a mild surprise given that Potts has been good of late and is a major threat from set pieces. You’d think JJ switches to left back.

On paper the team looks a lot better than on Saturday with Berry, Olly Lee, Shinnie and Collins back in the 11.

Just seen Potts isn’t even on the beach so got to think he has a knock or something