• Key points from today

Posted: **Sat Aug 06, 2022 5:13 pm**

- We need a new younger striker that’s mobile and can score us goals. Barnes doesn’t fit this system.

-We will concede soon from a Muric error.

-Defensive wise we look soft and weak we are all over the place from set pieces.

-We can have all the possession in the world but it doesn’t win you games.

Big wake up call, Luton was always going to be a different test. We beat a bad Huddersfield side and people thought we would p1ss the league. We are a long LONG way off in my eyes.

What was the attendance ? The stream I watched it on announced it as 16,414 which surely was wrong ? It looked full.

The fans sounded loud today on the TV.

UTC !!

Posted: **Sat Aug 06, 2022 5:16 pm**

Is it a big wake up call? Really? A big one? We were the better side. I'd say a big wake up call would be if we'd have lost by a large margin. Two games played, unbeaten, four points. On we go.

Posted: **Sat Aug 06, 2022 5:17 pm**

Take his eye's

Posted: **Sat Aug 06, 2022 5:20 pm**

Pretty even game against a pretty **** Luton side. I think we need 2 serious quality additions in the attacking areas, not cheap signings. Cornet scores twice today, 2015 Andre Gray scores twice today. Barnes scores 0 and Benson scores 0. That's the difference really

Posted: **Sat Aug 06, 2022 5:20 pm**

We desperately need at least one new striker.

Posted: **Sat Aug 06, 2022 5:23 pm**

Pickles wrote: ↑
Sat Aug 06, 2022 5:16 pm
Is it a big wake up call? Really? A big one? We were the better side. I'd say a big wake up call would be if we'd have lost by a large margin. Two games played, unbeaten, four points. On we go.

Judging by the reaction after the Huddersfield game we were going to win 3-0 today and go the season winning every game so yes it is a big wake up call.

Posted: **Sat Aug 06, 2022 5:25 pm**

ArthurShelby wrote: ↑
Sat Aug 06, 2022 5:23 pm
Judging by the reaction after the Huddersfield game we were going to win 3-0 today and go the season winning every game so yes it is a big wake up call.

No-one thought we were going to go the whole season unbeaten and it isn't a big wake up call.

Posted: **Sat Aug 06, 2022 5:25 pm**

Apart from a spell in the first 10 mins of the game we dominated without being too threatening.

But Luton were ultimate shithouses and were time wasting from the minute they scored.

We didn’t have enough movement ans pace to open up their low block, it was only the addition of Benson which changed things.

A fast pacey striker is a must to play in the shoulder or pull defenders out of position.

A reasonable effort. We dominated the game again but just lack that killer instinct at the moment. It will come once the lads start gelling .

Posted: **Sat Aug 06, 2022 5:27 pm**

Really isn’t a big wake up call. It’s a point against a side that got into the play offs, which we probably could have won, and without us having enough attacking quality available.

Posted: **Sat Aug 06, 2022 5:27 pm**

Tall CB as important as a striker for me. Luton played on that for their goal, and had other chances following ill- advised (on our part) bouts of head tennis.

Posted: **Sat Aug 06, 2022 5:28 pm**

Big wake up call

Posted: **Sat Aug 06, 2022 5:31 pm**

Don't think it's a big wake up call at all. Most supporters I speak to recognise patience will be needed.

Posted: **Sat Aug 06, 2022 5:37 pm**

Young players

New system

New team

Shorter pre-season

Playing against a top 6 side who are established and pretty much a side that reminds me of the SD Burnley.

No need for a wake up call unless you were already thinking this league was ours and thought we were the finished article already.

Posted: **Sat Aug 06, 2022 5:37 pm**

It was a must win game.

Posted: **Sat Aug 06, 2022 5:39 pm**

*Most of us realise we needed to sell the players before we can buy replacements.

The next three weeks or so will see the forwards areas strengthened massively, hopefully the players are of the necessary quality but going off the business done so far I'm confident that'll be the case.

Just adding Twine and Rodriguez to today's squad gives us more options, hopefully by the end of August we have serious competition for places.

The hope for me was being in the mix at the top end of the table once we have brought in the new players and they've had time to gel, it looks to me that we are on course to do that.

I'm pleased with what I've seen so far in the two games.

Posted: **Sat Aug 06, 2022 5:39 pm**

Troll's paradise on hete tonight.

Posted: **Sat Aug 06, 2022 5:44 pm**

Encouraging overall I thought. Some folk need to remember this is a complete squad overhaul and we’re transitioning to a completely different style of football. There was so much good movement in and space created in that game. The players just aren’t tuned in enough to know where their teammates are going to be. That will come.

I think if we play that game again in 3 months time we win comfortably.

Posted: **Sat Aug 06, 2022 5:47 pm**

ArthurShelby wrote: ↑
Sat Aug 06, 2022 5:13 pm
- We need a new younger striker that’s mobile and can score us goals. Barnes doesn’t fit this system.

-We will concede soon from a Muric error.

-Defensive wise we look soft and weak we are all over the place from set pieces.

-We can have all the possession in the world but it doesn’t win you games.

Big wake up call, Luton was always going to be a different test. We beat a bad Huddersfield side and people thought we would p1ss the league. We are a long LONG way off in my eyes.

What was the attendance ? The stream I watched it on announced it as 16,414 which surely was wrong ? It looked full.

The fans sounded loud today on the TV.

UTC !!

If you think that was a long long way off, I’d say you’re the one with unrealistic expectations. We’re not going to win every week, that just doesn’t happen.

Posted: **Sat Aug 06, 2022 5:50 pm**

Luton were solid, organised and a typical decent championship side. That in the end was a good pt as we are a team in transition, with new faces still to come in and some important squad member’s missing. They deserved their point for sticking to their game plan and threatening on occasions. We deserved ours for being the one constantly probing. It reminded me in some ways of the early games of our last champ season (when we had no pace up top) until e signed Andre. Andre was a bit of a game changer and that’s we need now, I actually think we need two, be it 2 strikers or one and a 10.

Posted: **Sat Aug 06, 2022 6:08 pm**

If Mr Nixon is correct then the plan is:-

Striker
No. 10
Winger
Centre Half

If we buy/loan well that will give us a very competitive squad.

Posted: **Sat Aug 06, 2022 6:14 pm**

25 undefeated

Posted: **Sat Aug 06, 2022 6:17 pm**

Attendance from Luton site
19,628 (1,026 away)

Posted: **Sat Aug 06, 2022 6:17 pm**

Once we got it down and played we were a different class to Luton. We just need to turn that dominance into goals, which I believe will come, especially with a couple of extra signings. All the signs are very very positive. Just need to learn to not let teams like Luton drag us into their game, which they did a couple of time.

Posted: **Sat Aug 06, 2022 6:18 pm**

Pickles wrote: ↑
Sat Aug 06, 2022 5:16 pm
Is it a big wake up call? Really? A big one? We were the better side. I'd say a big wake up call would be if we'd have lost by a large margin. Two games played, unbeaten, four points. On we go.

Wake up call is a fair assessment. We were not the better side, Luton had more shots on target than us for a start. Luton will probably repeat last season’s impressive feat of reaching the play offs. If we are to achieve top 6 we need to improve on this display.

Posted: **Sat Aug 06, 2022 6:18 pm**

We're up 1 place!

Posted: **Sat Aug 06, 2022 6:19 pm**

giveusaB wrote: ↑
Sat Aug 06, 2022 6:17 pm
Attendance from Luton site
19,628 (1,026 away)

Really good effort from them.

Posted: **Sat Aug 06, 2022 6:23 pm**

FFS talk about an absolute total over reaction to a point against a very solid,well drilled team who have played this way for years with virtually the same players.
Going off the OP Liverpool won't qualify for Europe and will be in a relegation battle as they only drew at newly promoted Fulham.

Posted: **Sat Aug 06, 2022 6:39 pm**

2 things I found out today which I PROBABLY already knew. 1. Huddersfield really were utterly dreadful last week. 2. Many Championship sides are going to select their starting XI based on height/weigh/physicality rather than actual talent and that's a reality we're going to have to combat and we're going to have to combat it rather better than we did today. (Let's be honest Luton reminded us all of Burnley v PL opposition and they actually did their impression rather too well) A draw was ultimately fair imo and we need to find more than one way past these teams.

Posted: **Sat Aug 06, 2022 6:44 pm**

Burnley could have won comfortably with good chances created, we took one. Luton played as we can expect many other teams to attempt to play us. Luton are a good team and will be around the playoffs again, I expect. We saw today what we all already new deep down; and for warned is for armed… we need to take our chances, seventy percent possession does not win football matches without conversions.

We can expect a lot of teams to adopt similar tactics (perhaps not many as effectively)… that is what we are going to have to beat.

Posted: **Sat Aug 06, 2022 6:51 pm**

Can't believe some of the posts on here. The last 2 games I have seen has been a revelation and long may it continue. This is a complete rebuild in every sense, and the strategy and ethos will only get better as will the players understanding of each others game. For me absolutely top drawer and good to see

Posted: **Sat Aug 06, 2022 6:56 pm**

Are we going to have these kinds of overreactions after every game? It’s been a great start to the season!

Posted: **Sat Aug 06, 2022 6:57 pm**

We still need a centre half and a striker, as we have done for a bit now.

Posted: **Sat Aug 06, 2022 7:00 pm**

ClaretAL wrote: ↑
Sat Aug 06, 2022 6:51 pm
Can't believe some of the posts on here. The last 2 games I have seen has been a revelation and long may it continue. This is a complete rebuild in every sense, and the strategy and ethos will only get better as will the players understanding of each others game. For me absolutely top drawer and good to see

Completely agree. My post was observational only. I’m more than happy with the way we have started. How often have they played together? Doing fantastically, look forward to seeing what it should become.

Posted: **Sat Aug 06, 2022 7:04 pm**

Dark Cloud wrote: ↑
Sat Aug 06, 2022 6:39 pm
2. Many Championship sides are going to select their starting XI based on height/weigh/physicality rather than actual talent and that's a reality we're going to have to combat and we're going to have to combat it rather better than we did today.

I'm not buying this reality check nonsense, but this ^^^ was specially apparent today. This has always been my thinking behind the squad we're building: we're committed to technical proficiency, and I think this is a good thing and I wouldn't change that at all, but while we have athletes and stamina everywhere, it comes at a necessary expense of the $hithouses that made us so difficult to play against back when we were playing not to lose every week. We're going to be frustrated by this until we're pinging passes around so fast and with such fluidity that the opposition never even get a chance to drop the ball in the air in midfield.

It was actually a very good away performance from Luton, I thought. They knew how we play through the lines, and so made it a scrap. Well done to them for doing that, we did it for ten years. They're a good outfit, our lads are still feeling one other out. I was expecting the opening two games to be borderline horror-shows, so I'm chuffed we're undefeated, actually. Just one scrappy goal against us over three hours of football, two nice goals taken, loads of possession and chances, this is going well so far, I think.

Posted: **Sat Aug 06, 2022 7:09 pm**

A win wouldn’t have flattered us today. We certainly need a striker but that’s been apparent for a while not just today. We’re a work in progress, but I’m happy with the progress so far and if anyone had offered me four points from the first two games before the season started I’d have snapped their hand off!

Posted: **Sat Aug 06, 2022 7:11 pm**

I thought our biggest weakness today was a lack of tall players given we were playing against “the land of the giants”. Having said that, it was so much more enjoyable watching a team passing and moving like we did. I am very happy with our start.

Posted: **Sat Aug 06, 2022 7:12 pm**

ArthurShelby wrote: ↑
Sat Aug 06, 2022 5:13 pm
- We need a new younger striker that’s mobile and can score us goals. Barnes doesn’t fit this system. - Barnes like everyone else needs to be given time to learn his new role. I expect another striker is on the way

-We will concede soon from a Muric error. - We conceded from Pope errors too. Players will improve offer more and better angles for each other and get more comfortable as they play their ways into the system/season.He gives us room to push up, there will be more offsides because of it.

-Defensive wise we look soft and weak we are all over the place from set pieces. It’s a new system… far too early to judge individuals or units… we can only judge creativity, agility and effort… all a A+ for me.

-We can have all the possession in the world but it doesn’t win you games. Completely agree. But that side created a host of chances, 3-1 would not have flattered Burnley

Big wake up call, Luton was always going to be a different test. We beat a bad Huddersfield side and people thought we would p1ss the league. We are a long LONG way off in my eyes. Could not agree less TBH. This team shows so much promise I cannot wait to see if it comes together as it should in the next couple of weeks

UTC !!

Posted: **Sat Aug 06, 2022 7:13 pm**

Dingo wrote: ↑
Sat Aug 06, 2022 6:56 pm
Are we going to have these kinds of overreactions after every game? It’s been a great start to the season!

Haven't been on here long, have you?

Overreaction is this boards speciality.

Posted: **Sat Aug 06, 2022 7:14 pm**

Stats in our favour- 71% possession, 13 attempts, 594 passes with 82% success, 137 attacks (69 Dangerous). They caught us cold but after that they weren’t a significant threat.

Posted: **Sat Aug 06, 2022 7:19 pm**

WTF. 2 games and some winging already. Unbelievable Jeff !

Posted: **Sat Aug 06, 2022 7:20 pm**

4 points from two potentially tricky opening fixtures is a very solid start. Friday worries me a little I must admit.

In terms of reality check, the first 10/15 minutes today were definitely that. We were basically bullied by a much more physical outfit, and that is something we need to counter going forward. But we dominated the last 60 minutes of the game and probably did enough to win.

Main take aways for me are that we seem to have quite a soft underbelly and it’s going to be difficult adjusting to seeing us lose more aerial battles than we win. Also, as good as Barnes was against Huddersfield, today showed how limited he is in this system. We have so many technical players who are good in and around the box, we need a player in a similar mould who has pace and plays off the shoulder.

Still, a good point having gone behind and a team that has gelled much quicker than I expected and will surely improve as the season progresses. Definitely a few players short and hopefully that will be rectified in the next couple of weeks.

Posted: **Sat Aug 06, 2022 7:20 pm**

Stopped reading after agreeing with the new striker point.

Posted: **Sat Aug 06, 2022 7:23 pm**

Luton virtually man marked Cullen and Brownhill first half – their no. 22 and 30 following them everywhere and jumping on them as soon as they got the ball. We continued for some reason to try and play through the middle a lot and this stifled our game with those two unable to pass forward on most occasions. Other teams may now try this having seen it work. Lesson to learn.

Posted: **Sat Aug 06, 2022 7:25 pm**

No need for over-reactions but it certainly was a reality check, especially for those who were on here last week saying we would "**** the league" and that Cornet and McNeil wouldn't get a game in our side now etc etc.

What the stats don't show is that our passing and movement was far slower and less effective than at Huddersfield last week - ponderous at times in the first half.

The major plus was Benson who looked very lively

Posted: **Sat Aug 06, 2022 7:26 pm**

ArthurShelby wrote: ↑
Sat Aug 06, 2022 5:23 pm
Judging by the reaction after the Huddersfield game we were going to win 3-0 today and go the season winning every game so yes it is a big wake up call.

Only idiots thought that

Posted: **Sat Aug 06, 2022 7:35 pm**

Luton did a Burnley on us.

If we were 1 nil up after a good start at a fancied top 6 side in the Premier League, we would have done EXACTLY what Luton did to us, restricting us to 1 shot on target all game with their GK not making a save, we would be waxing lyricsl about our defensive shape and performance.
Dont forget, they didnt offer ziltch, they had us scrambling a few times 2nd half.

It was very nearly a perfect away performance by them.

A wake up up call?
Kind of, just makes you realise there's no easy games in this league and if you don't do the basics in both boxes, you will get punished.

Posted: **Sat Aug 06, 2022 7:37 pm**

We need two quality strikers, one of them with experience of the Championship. Lets bear in mind where we started this journey at and how far we have come in a short space of time. 10 players leaving the club, 10 players coming in I think? And we have four points on the board after 2 games. We will get better in the coming weeks and months to come, I'm sure of that.

Posted: **Sat Aug 06, 2022 7:42 pm**

One lad behind us screamed “f****ing sh*te this, get it forward”. The talk under the turnstiles from some shortly before half time was similar.

A question asked earlier in the week was ‘how long does VK get before some fans start running out of patience, despite him asking for patience?’

The answer to that question is 41 minutes into the 2nd game of the season. We really do have some drongos following us.

Posted: **Sat Aug 06, 2022 7:43 pm**

Please change header to “Negative person attempts to take the shine off a generally decent start to season”.

People are under no illusions that we have a young side 6 or 7 who have never played at Turf Moor before today.

Posted: **Sat Aug 06, 2022 7:44 pm**

BigGaz wrote: ↑
Sat Aug 06, 2022 7:42 pm
One lad behind us screamed “f****ing sh*te this, get it forward”. The talk under the turnstiles from some shortly before half time was similar.

A question asked earlier in the week was ‘how long does VK get before some fans start running out of patience, despite him asking for patience?’

The answer to that question is 41 minutes into the 2nd game of the season. We really do have some drongos following us.

Someone behind me bellowed our ‘get it forward’ after about 15 minutes. Trouble is we struggled to find that forward pass in the first half.

Key points from today - Reality Check

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