Luton v Stevenage

[StagsForLife]

In here please.

 

[The East Terrace]

Doesn't look like there will be many of us as most of our fans seem to be throwing some sort of hissy fit, about what I don't think they even know. Can hopefully build on the point at Oxford but our record against Luton is pretty shite.
Hopefully no repeats of the hooligans? from December. Doubt any of the scumbags that were in our end that day (they weren't fans so cant call them that) would make a journey to Luton, I imagine most of them struggled to get to the home game. Hoping the game will be better than the dross served up in December, even by this seasons standards that was dire.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

I think with the defeat on Monday means whatever outside hopes of the play offs we had have gone so be interested to see if we try anything new starting Saturday, you'd think we're not quite at that stage yet but with Mackail Smith out its an opportunity for the returning McQuoid to get himself in Jonesys good books for next season you feel.

Just hope its a game played with a bit of intensity and not have an end of season feel to it. Would be more than happy with a repeat of the performance against Crawley in the last home game where we played really well and unfortunate to lose.

 

[Judge Dredd]

The play-off hopes, faint as they were, are probably gone after Barnet, but win the next three home games and you never know how the league may look. Given our home form this season though that sounds distinctly unlikely!

Above all I hope McQuoid gets a run-out over Benson or Piggott, neither of whom should be here next season. We should be planning for next season now, pointless playing the ones who are on the chopping block and I'd be amazed if Benson wasn't one of those given his age, lack of goal threat and expiring contract. McQuoid has another two years left I believe so like it or not we'll likely be stuck with him - personally I think he has something to offer and would like to see him in a Jones team. Wouldn't mind seeing one or two of the yoof involved as well (specifically Musonda at centre back... anything to avoid seeing Okuonghae wear the shirt ever again).

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

The play-off hopes, faint as they were, are probably gone after Barnet, but win the next three home games and you never know how the league may look. Given our home form this season though that sounds distinctly unlikely!

Above all I hope McQuoid gets a run-out over Benson or Piggott, neither of whom should be here next season. We should be planning for next season now, pointless playing the ones who are on the chopping block and I'd be amazed if Benson wasn't one of those given his age, lack of goal threat and expiring contract. McQuoid has another two years left I believe so like it or not we'll likely be stuck with him - personally I think he has something to offer and would like to see him in a Jones team. Wouldn't mind seeing one or two of the yoof involved as well (specifically Musonda at centre back... anything to avoid seeing Okuonghae wear the shirt ever again).

Read that article yesterday about Magnus looking forward to an extended run in the team.

Rare to see a player quite so out of touch with their ability, don't often see players who have been as terrible as him making comments like that in the press!

 

[Deepcut Cobbler]

We had one called Alistair Slowe...

 

[djs]

Anyone know the best odds on Wilko getting a red card whilst conceding a penalty?

I wouldn't even think about playing Benson or Pigott tomorrow. Just get Marriott, McQuoid, Pelly, etc running at Wilko and Franks.
Carnage.

 

[Hatter86]

Looking forward to welcoming Keane, Franks, Henry and particularly Wilko back for this one. All put in a good shift for the club and they have to make a living somehow. Aaron O'Connor however...

As an aside, Stevenage selling about 400 of an allocation of 1200 for a match 10 minutes down the road is frankly pathetic. No, its not a derby. Yes, they have nothing to play for. True, some may have been put off by the minor trouble at their place in November. However if our roles were reversed, we'd comfortably sell out.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Looks like Magnus calls for a run in the side have thankfully fallen on deaf ears, not even on the bench.

Pigott starting however, not keen on that really. Must be one of the final chances he has to make an impression, seen enough of him personally!

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Awful first half of football, Stevenage probably had better of play and ball but that's not saying much by any means. Done their homework in shutting down the short goal kicks and we don't seem to know what to do to counteract it leading to some dodgy moments.

Don't know how Mulraney has stayed on the pitch either, took a swing at the ref and didn't even get a yellow!

 

[BelizeHatter]

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

As bad as any performance that we put in under Still. Fair play to Stevenage they did their homework and stopped us playing but we had no idea how to combat a fairly basic pressing game. That's all it was and we couldn't cope.

Looked like it was heading for 0-0 as Stevenage had nothing up front really but gave away a silly penalty that was all of our making.

Very poor, I know Jones wants to play a certain way so it's surprising he didn't really have any answers for what is a pretty basic Technique for shutting down a passing game.

 

[Hatter86]

A bit of house keeping. We were terrible. We deserved nothing from that. Season is well and truly over and I can see Justham, Magnus, O'Donnell, Cuthbert, Howells, Smith, Lee, Green, Benson, Pigott, Griffiths, Hall and Doyle at least going in the summer. Not good enough.

That said, where do I start with Stevenage. I thought they were bad under Westley but fuck me. Seven minutes injury time was gfrankly not enough, even though there was not one injury during the game. Usual box of 'game management' tricks from the keeper and Ronnie Henry in particular. But a special mention goes out to Ben Kennedy. His swan dive in the 88th minute conned only one person in the ground. Sadly, that person was the referee. I sit 15 yards away from where it happened and it was frankly embarrassing. I'm sure Luton players have done it before and it's easy for me to take the moral high ground now. But watching fist pumping and screaming at the Stevenage fans at full time knowing full well what he had just done is sickening. Well done, 1-0 in your cup final. We'll see you next year.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Im not as close as you but I thought it looked a penalty i must say. Looked like he made the most of whatever contact there was but it looked like he went over a lazy leg to me. Be interesting to see it later.

 

[Hatter86]

There was nothing mate. I'm in block J of the enclosure and was dead level to the incident. He's gone back inside and then thrown himself on the floor. Not in a million years was in a penalty.

 

[Judge Dredd]

Three consecutive games where we have conceded from every shot on target the opposition has had (Crawley - 1 shot, 1 goal; Barnet - 1 shot, 1 penalty, 2 goals; Stevenage - 0 shots, 1 penalty, 1 goal). How we've managed to take 0 points from those three games I will never know - just not good enough and sums the season up!

Amazing that despite how shit we have been all season, if we'd taken even 5 points from those three games (which is the minimum we should have had on the basis of chances missed) we'd be 5 points off the play-offs with a game in hand.

 

[Hatter86]

Lee sticks his leg out, then grounds it, then he goes over.

 

[BelizeHatter]

Hope there's some more concrete proof than that. No way its possible to tell from that. Irrelevant though. A point has the same outcome - season over.

 

[BelizeHatter]

.........although it already was.

 

[Vanni]

Hard to tell but looks like a dive. But I will reserve judgement till I see the incident again from a different angle.

 

[Hatter86]

http://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/teams/luton-town/10228183/luton-0-1-stevenage

This ones clear enough for me...

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Does look soft but just poor all around from Lee, gives the red the opportunity to give it really. I'm probably one of the few who actually likes Lee but he made right mess there.

Also I saw Michael Tonge in Zizzis in Hitchin. Eating on his own he looked rather sad, almost felt sorry for him!

 

[Hatter86]

I keep changing my opinion on him. Sometimes he's very assured, others he's anonymous. However that lack of consistency probably means he won't be here next year.

 

[GrahamSFC]

A bit of house keeping. We were terrible. We deserved nothing from that. Season is well and truly over and I can see Justham, Magnus, O'Donnell, Cuthbert, Howells, Smith, Lee, Green, Benson, Pigott, Griffiths, Hall and Doyle at least going in the summer. Not good enough.

That said, where do I start with Stevenage. I thought they were bad under Westley but fuck me. Seven minutes injury time was gfrankly not enough, even though there was not one injury during the game. Usual box of 'game management' tricks from the keeper and Ronnie Henry in particular. But a special mention goes out to Ben Kennedy. His swan dive in the 88th minute conned only one person in the ground. Sadly, that person was the referee. I sit 15 yards away from where it happened and it was frankly embarrassing. I'm sure Luton players have done it before and it's easy for me to take the moral high ground now. But watching fist pumping and screaming at the Stevenage fans at full time knowing full well what he had just done is sickening. Well done, 1-0 in your cup final. We'll see you next year.

You seem a little annoyed mate, glad to know we still get under your skin.

Penalty was very soft, but don't hang a leg out in the box if you don't want to concede a penalty, simple!

 

[Hatter86]

Tend to get pretty annoyed when players con the ref and time waste, yea. Don't you? Certainly not what I pay to go and watch. And honestly, no more than any other side gets under my skin. I'm not one of the Luton fans with an anti Stevenage agenda.

See, that thinking really annoys me as it's impossible to make a tackle without 'sticking your leg out'. Defending teams should be able to attempt to make tackles without the fear of some mutton haired teenager throwing himself over their leg. But then this isn't exactly new.

 

[Urban]

Bit ironic seeing Luton fans moaning about Henry after the antics he put in when he was with you!

I can see huge changes at Luton next season.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Yep yesterday made me realise what big a rebuilding job is required, so many players just don't look up to it at all and worse some don't even look all that bothered.

Problem is a number have another year, or even 2 left on their contracts so even if we pay a few off we're going to have at least some dead wood hanging around.

Given that and the fact he also wants to implement a new way of playing, I'd be surprised if Jones was able to turn us into a promotion caliber team from this steaming pile of dung squad in just 1 summer.