Luton Town v Newport County AFC 16/8

[Kenneth E End]

Games come thick and fast this time of year. Yesterday, we were clearly lethargic and tired after our exploits in midweek, so recovery ahead of this game is absolutely crucial. Looking through our fixture list, it seems we've got a game every Tuesday night until September; I'm not sure how the League are expecting teams to carry on at the same intensity - there's bound to be a few surprise results because of this.

We'll have to rotate the squad accordingly - fancy about 2-3 changes from yesterday's game.

 

[djs]

The good thing about this squad is that there are plenty of options in most positions. The bad thing is that when we need to stiffen midfield with a tough tackling and more defensive minded player, we don't have the options.
I don't buy this 'tiredness' excuse, but if that's how they feel perhaps McGeehan could have a rest and we could try Cook in the hole - this is the position that he says that he prefers so give him a go.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Is it an "excuse" if it is objectively true? Noticeably Pelly, McGeehan, Marriott, Hylton looked absolutely knackered in the second half. Even thought Gray looked a bit leggy for his sub appearance. That's just the ones showing visible signs.

 

[Judge Dredd]

Agreed, and it was majorly noticeable because in the first two games Pelly, McGeehan, Marriott and Hylton were the ones most central to our high-energy pressing game. They just weren't capable of it in the second half, which had several notable consequences: midfield dropped deeper, strikers weren't pressing high up the pitch so Yeovil had more time on the ball, Rea became more and more exposed without Pelly/McGeehan's energy, we lost our threat on the counter as neither Hylton nor (especially) Marriott (he could barely jog by the time he went off) could run the channels (which allowed Yeovil to worry less about committing forward).

We shouldn't blame the result entirely on that factor by any means (Yeovil went to extra time after all so even with the additional rest day they were hardly likely to be much fresher). Bottom line is Yeovil looked a very decent side (their form since last February is actually pretty sensational) and deserved a point. But the performance drop from first to second half was very noticeable particularly in the four mentioned.

Dunno how we should handle rotation though - not sure how comfortable our midfield back-ups are in the diamond set-up. The first choice combo looks ideally suited... Smudger just doesn't fit that system in any of the four roles though. If Marriott needs a break (he looked the most tired of the lot on Saturday) I'd probably advocate switching up to a 4-3-3/4-2-3-1; main strength of the diamond is getting our best front two both playing through the middle, without Marriott that's not such an issue as McQuoid/Vassell/Cook can all play wide (and none are good enough to build the rest of the formation around which is essentially what we are doing with Marriott in the diamond). Hopefully Marriott is fit enough to start though, the kind of player you genuinely look forward to watching every week.

 

[Judge Dredd]

Absolute state of Pelly's dive for that last minute pen, no wonder the Newport players got aggro!! Ref absolutely suckered was my first impression.

No less than we deserved though. Didn't really click tonight, but we still created more chances than we did in entire months last season. Pelly and Marriott especially should have scored in the second half. Newport also deserved the last minute pain for showing such a lack of ambition after we went down to 10. Playing for a draw 11v11 is one thing...

 

[LeonTheGreen]

Not a huge amount, but Luton won me £45 from a £1. Cheers lads

 

[Super_horns]

Think Nathan Jones enjoyed that win quite a bit going by his post match interview - was there a bit of needle?

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Thought it was going to be a frustrating night, we created so much but were so wasteful it was untrue. Marriott, Hylton, Pelly x2 all will be disappointed with misses. Cook perhaps too.

Didn't have a great view of the Pelly incident, looked like a trip that Pelly made the most of (Would like to see it again as my angle wasn't great!), understand the Newport players frustrations up to a point but think it went a little too far after the whistle. Looked like all of them crowding Pelly and weirdly Famewo.

Jones interview after was something else, think he might want to calm down next time!

 

[Kenneth E End]

Absolute state of Pelly's dive for that last minute pen, no wonder the Newport players got aggro!! Ref absolutely suckered was my first impression.

I had a pretty good view of it; it looked like he got a slight nudge, but it was certainly a very bold decision. He was being fouled across the pitch throughout the game; Newport being masters of niggly fouls and trying to frustrate.

 

[Judge Dredd]

Jones was going mental at full time, he's going to have an aneurysm at this rate! Certainly can't fault his passion!!

What did he say after? On a train so won't be able to listen for a while.

 

[Super_horns]

Just how much he loved the players and the way they played/kept going.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Jones was going mental at full time, he's going to have an aneurysm at this rate! Certainly can't fault his passion!!

What did he say after? On a train so won't be able to listen for a while.

He pretty much had not calmed down from the game and came straight up for the interview so he was in full on chest pounding Nathan Jones mode.

He was raving over how we played, best he had seen at home. Really pleased how we dealt with Newport tactics. Stated numerous times that he LOVED his players and his group, that the crowd need to get behind us and not "fucking moan when we misplace a pass early" (pretty sure he actually swore but not sure, Trashmead apologised after).

Recommend seaking it out, it certainly was something!

 

[Judge Dredd]

Well he's bang on about the moaning at misplaced passes, typical "patience" from the Kenny massive tonight, very disappointing really. Also reckon a disturbing percentage of our crowd will just never understand or warm to the idea behind possession based football, old fella behind me loudly greets every sideways or backwards pass with "get it FORWARD". Bet he loved Still's anti - football last season...

 

[Urban]

Luton in cheating shocker

 

[Judge Dredd]

Urban in butthurt about Luton shocker

 

[Hatter86]

Not sure what to make of all that. Firstly, lets spare a thought for the groundsman who will presumably have to relay the pitch after 90 minutes of Newports burly 'footballers' throwing themselves on the ground every five minutes. Must be craters everywhere
Really unenjoyable game to watch. I'd be interested to know just how many fouls there was as the game never seemed to flow. Newport were content to try and win free kicks and then lump balls into the box and we were happy to oblige with needless fouls.
Pelly had a really good game I thought and if the boy could finish he would be a top player. Sadly he has no composure and could have had at least two today. Wrong end of the ground to see the penalty. If he did dive then you can't condone it, however Newport spent 94 minutes doing it so what goes around I suppose.
One little gripe about the way we are playing. Dan Potts. He is a solid enough defender however I'm not sure he is the best full back for this formation. Playing the diamond we need our width to come from the fullbacks. O'Donnell is perfect for that and loves getting forward however Potts is almost the polar opposite. He needs to be encouraged to push on and whenever he receives the ball he stops, checks and passes sideways. Really kills our momentum.
Nathan Jones. Probably a bit mental, but I think I love him...

 

[oakroader]

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Not sure what to make of all that. Firstly, lets spare a thought for the groundsman who will presumably have to relay the pitch after 90 minutes of Newports burly 'footballers' throwing themselves on the ground every five minutes. Must be craters everywhere
Really unenjoyable game to watch. I'd be interested to know just how many fouls there was as the game never seemed to flow. Newport were content to try and win free kicks and then lump balls into the box and we were happy to oblige with needless fouls.
Pelly had a really good game I thought and if the boy could finish he would be a top player. Sadly he has no composure and could have had at least two today. Wrong end of the ground to see the penalty. If he did dive then you can't condone it, however Newport spent 94 minutes doing it so what goes around I suppose.
One little gripe about the way we are playing. Dan Potts. He is a solid enough defender however I'm not sure he is the best full back for this formation. Playing the diamond we need our width to come from the fullbacks. O'Donnell is perfect for that and loves getting forward however Potts is almost the polar opposite. He needs to be encouraged to push on and whenever he receives the ball he stops, checks and passes sideways. Really kills our momentum.
Nathan Jones. Probably a bit mental, but I think I love him...

Have also noticed this about Potts, he will often just check inside and either pass sideways or back to Cuthbert/Mullins. Certainly not your typical young full back you see these days who tend to be attack first and defending a distant second.

I do wonder if it is intentional though, provide a bit of stability to the defense and allow O'Donnell to bomb on on the other side. When he does come inside he tends to dump it off to Pelly, who usually has a bit of space as either Mullins or Potts has brought the ball forward therefore drawing a man to close down, and its then Pelly who looks to play a ball forward, so we build a move that way, a bit more patiently, with O'donnell its more straightforward get in a cross type approach. That might be intentional or it might just be a symptom of Potts not being as attacking as O'donnell, im definitely not a great tactical mind just something ive noticed.

 

[Judge Dredd]

Jones on the fans (from 6:10 onwards):

Absolutely bang on there Nathan. Let's hope the moaning old shites who don't understand the concept of possession listen to that. I really do enjoy away games so much more these days, the same old voices shouting the same old shite at the Kenny drives me to distraction sometimes (it does still have its moments though - the spontaneous "fcuk the FA" chant right at the end was fantastic).

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Its annoying to be sure but think its actually better than the end of last season, where people got really REALLY pissed off with Justham and the short goal kicks routine (to be fair he was dire at it). This year, the people around me seem ok with that building from the back type stuff, its when we get half way up the pitch and come back that people still haven't "got" yet. I think they will if we start getting consistently good results.

Without wishing to be rude it does seem to be the older blokes whose understanding of football appears to stretch to the word FORWARD, that are still to be won over by it.

 

[Judge Dredd]

McGeehan not holding back in his post-match assessment either, blimey!

McGeehan, whose penalty brace took his early season tally to three goals in four games, said: "Obviously they're angry. I think they cheat, in terms of how they play; they elbow you off the ball, stamp on your foot, they're big, nasty and they're cheats themselves."

He added: "They're a rough team and they foul a lot. If Pelly feels contact, he goes down and that's kind of what happened. Obviously they're aggrieved but they've not come here to play football. They're a horrible team and it's a good test to come through."

Twice the County players scuffled with Luton stars over the penalty incident, with Town boss Nathan Jones having to intervene after the final whistle.

"They're sore losers," McGeehan said, adding: "They came with a game plan and it didn't work because we won the game. All they wanted to do was scrap it out, time-waste, kill the game and they're the type of team that give League Two a bad reputation because they just kill the game and play long. It's not nice but, obviously, they have to do what they have to do because they haven't got the quality of players that we have."


Just seen the penalty incident again and it is a horrendous dive from Pelly ("manufactured contact" in the Ashley Young style would probably be the nicest possible way to describe it). It is pretty amusing to see the wailing from Warren Feeney and his players however, considering the equally blatant dive to get Mullins sent off, the Newport player getting booked for diving a minute earlier etc etc. If diving is a routine part of your game plan, which it clearly was last night for Newport, you can't complain too much when the favour is returned.

Also their goal was soft as shit, Walton needs to learn from that and I'm sure he will. He did look a bit shaky last night, dropped a routine long ball out for a corner not long before the goal too. Maybe just a momentary lapse of concentration, he's been excellent the first few games so hopefully it won't knock his confidence.

 

[oakroader]

Its annoying to be sure but think its actually better than the end of last season, where people got really REALLY pissed off with Justham and the short goal kicks routine (to be fair he was dire at it). This year, the people around me seem ok with that building from the back type stuff, its when we get half way up the pitch and come back that people still haven't "got" yet. I think they will if we start getting consistently good results.

Without wishing to be rude it does seem to be the older blokes whose understanding of football appears to stretch to the word FORWARD, that are still to be won over by it.

as one of those "older blokes" you refer to mockingly....other than ray harford and his team...my expectations for luton's attacking flair and qualities were long gone after the demise of alec stock,harry haslam and david pleat...all managers who helped to maintain luton's tradition and reputation of playing positive attacking football...not the boring/embarrassing shit thats been produced for the majority of the past 2 to 3 decades,masquerading as professional football !! they may well just be memories of old farts...but those with them are now far and few between.
LOL
(Love Our Luton)

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

McGeehan not holding back in his post-match assessment either, blimey!

McGeehan, whose penalty brace took his early season tally to three goals in four games, said: "Obviously they're angry. I think they cheat, in terms of how they play; they elbow you off the ball, stamp on your foot, they're big, nasty and they're cheats themselves."

He added: "They're a rough team and they foul a lot. If Pelly feels contact, he goes down and that's kind of what happened. Obviously they're aggrieved but they've not come here to play football. They're a horrible team and it's a good test to come through."

Twice the County players scuffled with Luton stars over the penalty incident, with Town boss Nathan Jones having to intervene after the final whistle.

"They're sore losers," McGeehan said, adding: "They came with a game plan and it didn't work because we won the game. All they wanted to do was scrap it out, time-waste, kill the game and they're the type of team that give League Two a bad reputation because they just kill the game and play long. It's not nice but, obviously, they have to do what they have to do because they haven't got the quality of players that we have."


Just seen the penalty incident again and it is a horrendous dive from Pelly ("manufactured contact" in the Ashley Young style would probably be the nicest possible way to describe it). It is pretty amusing to see the wailing from Warren Feeney and his players however, considering the equally blatant dive to get Mullins sent off, the Newport player getting booked for diving a minute earlier etc etc. If diving is a routine part of your game plan, which it clearly was last night for Newport, you can't complain too much when the favour is returned.

Also their goal was soft as shit, Walton needs to learn from that and I'm sure he will. He did look a bit shaky last night, dropped a routine long ball out for a corner not long before the goal too. Maybe just a momentary lapse of concentration, he's been excellent the first few games so hopefully it won't knock his confidence.

Really hope we dont become one of those teams who piss and moan about standard League 2 antics (Plymouth im looking at you).

As for the pen, don't think it was a horrendous dive. The bloke sticks his leg out, Pelly goes over it. It is virtually the same challenge that Mullins gets booked and sent off for earlier, which I also think was a foul. Its not a challenge you can make now, especially in the penalty area, its a stupid thing to do.

Makes the demonstrations of the Newport players look even more embarrassing frankly.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

as one of those "older blokes" you refer to mockingly....other than ray harford and his team...my expectations for luton's attacking flair and qualities were long gone after the demise of alec stock,harry haslam and david pleat...all managers who helped to maintain luton's tradition and reputation of playing positive attacking football...not the boring/embarrassing shit thats been produced for the majority of the past 2 to 3 decades,masquerading as professional football !! they may well just be memories of old farts...but those with them are now far and few between.
LOL
(Love Our Luton)

Being fair then, you aren't one of the older blokes i'm referring too.

Unless you sit there bellowing "FORWARD" for 90 minutes, thinking your are some sort of tactical genius.

 

[oakroader]

Being fair then, you aren't one of the older blokes i'm referring too.

Unless you sit there bellowing "FORWARD" for 90 minutes, thinking your are some sort of tactical genius.

i think thats more like the problem...following "tactics" based on computer analysis or modern coaching indoctrination ..rather than having the right people in their right places being told to go out and show the skill and flair that follows our teams history and that our fans deserve and remember. no wonder some of the older generation cant understand and get frustrated at "tactics" that generally, with our team, set us up not to lose..rather than to go out and win...and with our defense and goal keeping at this moment, the quicker the ball is played and kept up front the less harm is normally done!!

 

[Kenneth E End]

It's a bit rich coming from Newport re diving; as one of their players clearly dived about 5 mins before.

 

[Vanni]

Nice one Pelly

 

[Hatter86]

I really don't think they have any right to moan. As Jones and McGeehan said, Newport spent the whole game trying not to play football. Stopping the game. Diving all over the place. Elbows everywhere. That's fine, but don't moan when you get undone by it yourselves.

Here is part of the slightly more mental interview Jones gave to 3CR before the official one. It seems the sweary bit at the start has been missed.

https://twitter.com/catchingthem/status/765664928250400768

 

[Bosox]

It's not a dive. He certainly could have stayed up if he wanted to but why would he in that situation? The defender made a mistake and left his leg out, Pelly saw his chance and went down as soon as there was contact.

 

[PaulHaddock]

Looking at the video, he clearly goes down before he reaches the players leg.