Newport County AFC v Luton Town 17/3

[Kenneth E End]

So the big news ahead of today's game is that Nathan Jones may well drop his No.1 goalkeeper Marek Stech, with James Shea taking his place. A massive call after nearly 40 league games where Shea hasn't played a single minute, but has been impressive in cup matches.

For me, this has been a long time coming. He is a fine goalkeeper Stech and you can see why he's played for West Ham and the Czech Republic. But his confidence is rock bottom and is probably contributing to the leaky defence we've had since Christmas. He should've been dropped after the Newcastle and/or Notts County game. His ball handling has frankly been appalling.

As for the rest of the team, Luton came back from 2 goals down at Coventry in midweek. The first half a total abomination, but real character shown in the second half. And if decisions had gone our way (it hasn't at all recently), we could've easily come back down the motorway with 3 points.

Our season is on a knife edge now. 1 point off the top, albeit having played a game more, but because of mid table form of late, we've almost been drawn back into the pack. The equaliser against Wycombe last Saturday was a real let off and allowed the deficit to not reduce as much as we initially thought. But we need to stand up now and get across the line. For me, we need 13 points from our last 9 games for me and we should do so looking at our remaining fixtures. But we've come unstuck against a number of mid-lower table sides; its time to turn that around. Get the deficit above 1 point per game and we're almost there.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Today is the day we have to start winning again in my view. Got ourselves out of jail a bit against Coventry, if that hasn't given them the confidence to get over the line then we have a serious, serious issue with mental fortitude. This team should not be limping over the line as we are.

Stech must be dropped in my view, both goals on Tuesday were his fault and he looks incredibly shaky on balls into the box at the moment. If you can’t cope with that at this level then... well. Wouldn’t surprise me if he gets one more chance though.

 

[Roger Stone]

Should be a good game and test today. Well beaten away at Luton earlier in the season so need to avenge that. Was good to get back to winning ways last week at Yeovil. Looks like we are over the FA Cup hangover and have steadied the ship with the draws v Notts / FGR / PV. Pretty much at full strength again with Labadie and Bennett back. Will be interesting to see if we go with a more attacking 433 rather than the normal 532. Weather is Baltic down yer - lets hope Luton dont the fancy the cold and pitch.

Hope we give it a good go for the rest of the season - we have 7 home and 3 away fixtures left and 2 of the aways are at Chesterfield and Barnet, so just about still in the hunt for the play offs. Regardless, Flynn and the boys have done a great job this season after the last couple of years.

 

[Kenneth E End]

Could the game be in doubt today - if not at the start, during the game? With snow forecast early afternoon onwards.

Not exactly going to help us.

 

[Roger Stone]

Could the game be in doubt today - if not at the start, during the game? With snow forecast early afternoon onwards.

Not exactly going to help us.

Game will be fine. No problems there. How many Lutoners coming ?

 

[Maple Hatter]

Agree with my fellow Hatters. Stech needs a rest. He's obvioulsy lacking confidence and while he has still proved what a great shot stopper he is, the mistakes have been far too frequent and costly. Hoping the Coventry comeback is a bit of a turning point. Its all about confidence in this game and something which when we are a joy to watch. Newport as always is a difficult fixture. They have proved a lot of critics wrong this season and their performances in the Fa cup particularly have been impressive. We need to come out all guns firing today and dicatate the game from the off. We can't let teams impose their style on us. One last wish is that we start to play with more width. We look far more dangerous when attacking from wide posititions. Frustrates the hell out of me when we knock it long to the front men and expect things to happen or when we allow teams to crowd us out in midfield.
Not sure how many Hatters fans are making the trip. Probably not as many as was first thought with the weather conditions and our dip in form. My guess would be around 700. Lets hope they have someting to cheer.

 

[Kenneth E End]

I'd go for this team today - needs to be a few changes IMO, as well as the battling experience.

GK James Shea
RB Jack Stacey
LB Dan Potts
CB Scott Cuthbert
CB Alan Sheehan
DM Alan McCormack
CM Olly Lee
CM Luke Gambin
AM Luke Berry
CF James Collins
CF Danny Hylton
Subs: Marek Stech, James Justin, Lloyd Jones, Flynn Downes, Andrew Shinnie, Elliot Lee, Harry Cornick

 

[Kenneth E End]

Marek Stech retains his place! Not sure what he has to do to get dropped to be honest. Differences in bold from the team above...

GK Marek Stech
RB Jack Stacey
LB Dan Potts
CB Scott Cuthbert
CB Alan Sheehan
CM Glen Rea
CM Luke Gambin
CM Luke Berry
LF Elliot Lee
CF James Collins
RF Danny Hylton
Subs: James Shea, James Justin, Johnny Mullins, Alan McCormack, Olly Lee, James Jervis, Harry Cornick

I got it totally wrong then...

45 goals between them for the front 3.

Also a 4-3-3, which was how it started against Coventry and went so badly. I guess on a smaller pitch and a more physical side it might be a bit more effective than the diamond.

 

[BelizeHatter]

Let's go Danny Hylton. Time to start scoring again and turn in a top drawer 90mins and make us purr.

 

[Kenneth E End]

No captain Joss Labadie nor Paul Hayes in the Newport squad - 2 key players missing. Opportunity knocks...

Mark O'Brien is the captain and Wobbie Willmott is playing.

 

[Kenneth E End]

Luton 1-0 down again early on.

Sheehan scores. Not our one

 

[BelizeHatter]

As someone above said. Please play some football rather than tip tap among back four then centre halves take turns to hoof it forward. Get it down and play

 

[Kenneth E End]

Started slightly better today than we did against Cov. That isn’t saying a lot.

Edit: so nearly 2-0 as Newport hit the post. Our defence... it’s just so meek. It needs to get aggressive.

 

[Kenneth E End]

Newport 1-1 Luton
Dan Potts 7th of season

 

[oakroader]

James should come on for Stacey 2nd half....something’s not right with him lately....

 

[Kenneth E End]

Think that’s probably the correct scoreline at the moment. Collins should’ve squared a ball for a Hylton tap in shortly after they equalised and Collins himself hit the bar.

Our defence does look timid, but they’re giving the Newport front line far too much room. The lack of a 4th midfielder, like up at Cov is our undoing at the moment.

Luton will have the wind second half.

 

[Vanni]

Mind the gap. Cheating Accy currently with a 3 point cushion above you lot with a game in hand. And quite frankly, little cheating Stanley beating you lot to the title is unthinkable and not exactly good news to the football community.

 

[BelizeHatter]

Sounding a little spiteful and jealous there Vanni. They have consistently been up there year on year and fallen away previously perhaps due to the small budget and depth of quality. This year have ridden it out and are certs to go up in my book - prob as Champs - and it's on merit and deserved

 

[BelizeHatter]

PS. We're prob going up too as everyone else is slightly shittier than us. We're so fucked next season tho.

 

[Kenneth E End]

Pretty dire second half if I’m honest. Neither team doing anything to say they deserved to win.

Newport slowing the game down despite a draw not being any good for them. Why?

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

This is like last years team has reappeared again. So many draws and dont have the guile or where with all to win games.

Whatever Jones has done to prepare them for the run in has clearly not worked. So frustrating, this team is far better than it’s showing.

We might have enough in the bank to get ourselves up at this point, but what a waste of all the work the early season. Leaves a bad taste.

 

[Vanni]

Sounding a little spiteful and jealous there Vanni. They have consistently been up there year on year and fallen away previously perhaps due to the small budget and depth of quality. This year have ridden it out and are certs to go up in my book - prob as Champs - and it's on merit and deserved

Not at all Belize. Used to admire them consistently achieving on a shoe string budget but changed my mind after watching replays of most of penalties they got this season - a handful are what I consider very soft - and then there was their game at Barnet. Another very soft penno and a Barnet pen not given for a foul on Akinde, and their keeper should have seen red too. Then of course there was that shove on Taft that lead to their winner against my lot at their ground.

Lucky or what?

 

[BelizeHatter]

Meh. It works. I hate it but we have all seen some form of borderline immoral tactics over the years from teams looking for that edge. They have a spirit and it's up to the officials to weed out the cheating. Everyones at it these days sadly with diving, yapping to refs, feining an elbow, trying to get people sent off etc. Modern game has sadly moved that way. Miss the old blood and thunder days where you could tackle

 

[Kenneth E End]

What does a "win" feel like?

 

[Roger Stone]

Decent game with little between the teams. Suspect Luton will be pleased with the point. Felt like 2 dropped for us but overall a decent point esp without Labs. Willmott should’ve buried the header first half to make it 2-0. Collins v sharp on the left wing for us and gave their RB the run around.
We struggled against their long balls and crosses particularly first half and only a matter of time before their headed goal.
Officials fell for the Luton play acting hook line and sinker. Sheehan was embarrassing but then that’s some modern footballers for you. Ref and the lino on the Hazel side didn’t have a scooby.
Crewe up next week.

 

[Kenneth E End]

Officials fell for the Luton play acting hook line and sinker. Sheehan was embarrassing but then that’s some modern footballers for you. Ref and the lino on the Hazel side didn’t have a scooby.
Crewe up next week.

I thought the ref had a very decent game if I'm honest. Don't know what incident you're referring to.

 

[BelizeHatter]

Pleased with a point and playacting........bwahahaha

 

[BelizeHatter]

Sadly I'd have liked to bwahaha at long balls too - but it's become our Achilles heel and seems to be our needed go to escape route bullshit.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Don’t want to be overly dramatic but fail to beat Barnet and you really have to question what the hell Jones is doing. Wasting, and failing to set up and win games with a very talented squad at the moment. Performing way below way they were previously, surely has to be on him.

 

[oakroader]

His excuses are wearing thin week after week....
He has everything at his disposal to get promotion and yet he can’t seem to grasp the tactics of the opposition...and adapt accordingly..
He seems so confident and arrogant that his decisions come right in the end and therefore vindicate himself from criticism.....
I questioned previously that promotion will happen in spite of his management and not as a consequence of it...
Nothing has changed in my opinion..