Luton Game

ElectroClaret · Post by **ElectroClaret** » Sat Sep 30, 2023 4:59 pm

Ridiculous to refer to any game as "must win" at this really early stage of the season.
However, it should give us a good marker as to where we're at. (And I know it looks like Luton have beaten Everton but that's not a particularly high bar.)
But if we get a bad result, it's not looking good.

Pearcey · Post by **Pearcey** » Sat Sep 30, 2023 5:00 pm

100% a must win game for me.

HahaYeah · Post by **HahaYeah** » Sat Sep 30, 2023 5:01 pm

I think we will get a win.

jedi_master · Post by **jedi_master** » Sat Sep 30, 2023 5:01 pm

Yes, must win. Mainly for belief really. If we lose there then who do we even think we can beat? A draw doesn’t help us either.

Cork must start.

HahaYeah · Post by **HahaYeah** » Sat Sep 30, 2023 5:02 pm

Get Odobert and Bruun Larsen starting.

Andreshotboots · Post by **Andreshotboots** » Sat Sep 30, 2023 5:02 pm

Foster back who has been massively missed for all aspects of his game. First win of the season at Luton..

Guller Bull · Post by **Guller Bull** » Sat Sep 30, 2023 5:03 pm

It's a 10 pointer!

ksrclaret · Post by **ksrclaret** » Sat Sep 30, 2023 5:04 pm

Not a 6 pointer, too early for that, but we really need to win this one. Even more so after their win today.

TsarBomba · Post by **TsarBomba** » Sat Sep 30, 2023 5:04 pm

Just started another thread saying the same.

I have to say, it’s a must win.

We’re not going to get much from the Top 10, which is fair enough with the gap in riches, but it certainly piles on the pressure when playing the teams around us.

Arguably VK’s biggest game since he’s been with us.

jedi_master · Post by **jedi_master** » Sat Sep 30, 2023 5:05 pm

————————-Trafford
Roberts——O’Shea—Beyer——Taylor
—————Cork—Cullen-Brownhill
—Larsen—————-——————Koleosho
——————————-Foster

Neil · Post by **Neil** » Sat Sep 30, 2023 5:06 pm

It's definitely massive. Lots of posters (correctly) saying continually "look who we've played"
Well that ends on Tuesday and as the OP says, it's a chance to see where we're at.
The huge worry is now the dust begins to settle after a very bad opening fixture list, are we going to be able to compete against the lesser teams?

ClaretAL · Post by **ClaretAL** » Sat Sep 30, 2023 5:08 pm

Odobert left wing and koleosho right wing would terrify defenders. Just not sure how we get zaroury in the team, who has so much to offer

Guller Bull · Post by **Guller Bull** » Sat Sep 30, 2023 5:09 pm

————————-The lad that did well last year
Roberts——Al Dhakil—Beyer——Taylor
—————Berge—Cullen-
—Odebert———Amdouni————Koleosho
——————————-Foster

Woodleyclaret · Post by **Woodleyclaret** » Sat Sep 30, 2023 5:10 pm

We've now got games in our mini league
Luton and Chelsea are winnable games but Muric must start in goal

Newcastleclaret93 · Post by **Newcastleclaret93** » Sat Sep 30, 2023 5:11 pm

Haha how can anyone watch that game today and not want Trafford in net.

Our best player by a country mile today

Newcastleclaret93 · Post by **Newcastleclaret93** » Sat Sep 30, 2023 5:12 pm

jedi_master wrote: ↑
Sat Sep 30, 2023 5:05 pm
————————-Trafford
Roberts——O’Shea—Beyer——Taylor
—————Cork—Cullen-Brownhill
—Larsen—————-——————Koleosho
——————————-Foster

Take Brownhill out for someone else and that’s probably the team I go for

Guller Bull · Post by **Guller Bull** » Sat Sep 30, 2023 5:13 pm

Newcastleclaret93 wrote: ↑
Sat Sep 30, 2023 5:11 pm
Haha how can anyone watch that game today and not want Trafford in net.

Our best player by a country mile today

Ha ha because the composure is not quite there yet.

ElectroClaret · Post by **ElectroClaret** » Sat Sep 30, 2023 5:15 pm

Newcastleclaret93 wrote: ↑
Sat Sep 30, 2023 5:11 pm

Our best player by a country mile today

He had to be. It'd have got embarrassing otherwise.

Newcastleclaret93 · Post by **Newcastleclaret93** » Sat Sep 30, 2023 5:16 pm

Guller Bull wrote: ↑
Sat Sep 30, 2023 5:13 pm
Ha ha because the composure is not quite there yet.

How can any of you even be remotely concerned by the keeping position whilst our defence is as bad as it is.

The defence parted like the Red Sea on at least three occasions today. Regardless of who is in net that defence needs to be urgently addressed

CombatClaret · Post by **CombatClaret** » Sat Sep 30, 2023 5:16 pm

Put it this way. Winning home and away against the bottom 4 only gets you 24 points, where do you find the other 12?
You have to pick up a few results either away at mid-table sides or against a top side at home.

If we can't beat Luton, who you'd expect to be one of those bottom four, I don't know where points are coming from.

BurnleyFC · Post by **BurnleyFC** » Sat Sep 30, 2023 5:17 pm

It’s as close to a must win as you can get so early in the season.

It’s going to be a huge task for VK to keep the morale up.

jedi_master · Post by **jedi_master** » Sat Sep 30, 2023 5:18 pm

Newcastleclaret93 wrote: ↑
Sat Sep 30, 2023 5:12 pm
Take Brownhill out for someone else and that’s probably the team I go for

To be honest it was flip of a coin him or Berge. Berge’s height may help in such a game, I was just disappointed with him today. Brownhill shouldn’t be starting many more for us at this level, but we are just lacking in options there (hence good old Jack Cork being considered again despite spending £100m plus!).

Guller Bull · Post by **Guller Bull** » Sat Sep 30, 2023 5:23 pm

Newcastleclaret93 wrote: ↑
Sat Sep 30, 2023 5:16 pm
How can any of you even be remotely concerned by the keeping position whilst our defence is as bad as it is.

The defence parted like the Red Sea on at least three occasions today. Regardless of who is in net that defence needs to be urgently addressed

I would agree to some degree but if you know that if you have a calm collected keeper who can find a pass and comfortably play out comfortably then the defence ahead of you relaxes. Trafford is a top shot stopper and will be phenomenal as he learns to assimilate into the team he plays in but at the moment in a team that is struggling to compete against big quality attackers and pressurised offensive situations he is not as commanding as he will learn to be. Muric has that fearless (but occasionally reckless) factor

JohnMcGreal · Post by **JohnMcGreal** » Sat Sep 30, 2023 5:25 pm

Massive game against Luton on Tuesday and I have a feeling we'll batter them.

Carwin261 · Post by **Carwin261** » Sat Sep 30, 2023 5:31 pm

Newcastleclaret93 wrote: ↑
Sat Sep 30, 2023 5:11 pm
Haha how can anyone watch that game today and not want Trafford in net.

Our best player by a country mile today

His ball out was atrocious,he made 3,or 4 decent saves ,but we paid all the millions to do more than just stop the ball going into the net.

NickBFC · Post by **NickBFC** » Sat Sep 30, 2023 5:39 pm

It is a bit ridiculous to say it's a must win. But it's a must win for me.

DCWat · Post by **DCWat** » Sat Sep 30, 2023 5:41 pm

It’s most definitely not a must win.

It’ll be a bloody relief to get one though!

ArmchairDetective · Post by **ArmchairDetective** » Sat Sep 30, 2023 5:43 pm

Too early for your typical must win. We have plenty of talent and plenty of time to catch up. But it's a big game for belief and confidence. I think that first win will really help us kick on, whenever it comes.

BurnleyFC · Post by **BurnleyFC** » Sat Sep 30, 2023 5:46 pm

ArmchairDetective wrote: ↑
Sat Sep 30, 2023 5:43 pm
Too early for your typical must win. We have plenty of talent and plenty of time to catch up. But it's a big game for belief and confidence. I think that first win will really help us kick on, whenever it comes.

I fear we’re top heavy with talent in wide attacking positions but also severely lacking in others. Central midfield is a huge concern and is probably the most important position in the Premier League, hence why we’ve seen two £100m+ transfers for central midfielders this summer.

We made a bit of a balls up in the summer transfer window.

mkmel · Post by **mkmel** » Sat Sep 30, 2023 5:46 pm

I would start with Foster, Koleosho and Odobert

Newcastleclaret93 · Post by **Newcastleclaret93** » Sat Sep 30, 2023 5:51 pm

jedi_master wrote: ↑
Sat Sep 30, 2023 5:18 pm
To be honest it was flip of a coin him or Berge. Berge’s height may help in such a game, I was just disappointed with him today. Brownhill shouldn’t be starting many more for us at this level, but we are just lacking in options there (hence good old Jack Cork being considered again despite spending £100m plus!).

Must admit the thing that has concerned me the most this season is just how out of depth our midfield has looked.

I am honestly not sure cullen made a forward pass all game today.

Hedontplayforyou · Post by **Hedontplayforyou** » Sat Sep 30, 2023 5:52 pm

We’ve got to go out and win that game.

Same lineup as today barring the front three.

Foster Amdouni and Koleosho or Larsen from the start for me

StayingDown4Ever · Post by **StayingDown4Ever** » Sat Sep 30, 2023 5:56 pm

I’m say more of a must not lose than a must win.

Paul Waine · Post by **Paul Waine** » Sat Sep 30, 2023 6:12 pm

I'm going. Who else is going on Tuesday?

Swizzlestick · Post by **Swizzlestick** » Sat Sep 30, 2023 6:29 pm

Thank god Foster is back for this one.

RVclaret · Post by **RVclaret** » Sat Sep 30, 2023 6:31 pm

Paul Waine wrote: ↑
Sat Sep 30, 2023 6:12 pm
I'm going. Who else is going on Tuesday?

Me. Any tips for parking?

4midable · Post by **4midable** » Sat Sep 30, 2023 6:33 pm

Dont care what any1 says
Its a must win
We need points on the board ASAP

agreenwood · Post by **agreenwood** » Sat Sep 30, 2023 6:34 pm

Certainly could do without losing it. If we could pick up 4 points in the next 7 days, it’d be a massive boost going into the international break.

ervi34 · Post by **ervi34** » Sat Sep 30, 2023 6:44 pm

Anyone who thinks this game is not a must win needs a reality check. We had similar discussions two years ago when some people thought we didn't need to win against Norwich and Watford and I don't think anyone needs a reminder how that ended.

jedi_master · Post by **jedi_master** » Sat Sep 30, 2023 6:46 pm

RVclaret wrote: ↑
Sat Sep 30, 2023 6:31 pm
Me. Any tips for parking?

Sainsburys 5 min walk from the ground when I did it last season. Booked it on the Just Park website for about a fiver. Easy to get away from afterwards.

ElectroClaret · Post by **ElectroClaret** » Sat Sep 30, 2023 6:48 pm

Suppose we lose against Luton but win the following three or four.

Then it won't have been a must win, would it?
(Not that I'm saying we WILL win the next three or four, but you see my point.)

Spijed · Post by **Spijed** » Sat Sep 30, 2023 7:04 pm

If we can nullify their crosses into the box we'll give ourselves every chance as their defenders don't like players running at them:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n17qtyncbkQ

fidelcastro · Post by **fidelcastro** » Sat Sep 30, 2023 7:09 pm

jedi_master wrote: ↑
Sat Sep 30, 2023 5:01 pm
Cork must start.

Why? He wasn't good enough last time we were in the PL.

jedi_master · Post by **jedi_master** » Sat Sep 30, 2023 7:10 pm

fidelcastro wrote: ↑
Sat Sep 30, 2023 7:09 pm
Why? He wasn't good enough last time we were in the PL.

I just think for this specific game we could do with a bit more meat in the middle. Particularly for set pieces etc, it’s Luton’s main threat.

fidelcastro · Post by **fidelcastro** » Sat Sep 30, 2023 7:13 pm

jedi_master wrote: ↑
Sat Sep 30, 2023 7:10 pm
I just think for this specific game we could do with a bit more meat in the middle. Particularly for set pieces etc, it’s Luton’s main threat.

If he's the answer, then we really are struggling.

Murger · Post by **Murger** » Sat Sep 30, 2023 7:28 pm

fidelcastro wrote: ↑
Sat Sep 30, 2023 7:13 pm
If he's the answer, then we really are struggling.

In the middle of the park, we are.

fidelcastro · Post by **fidelcastro** » Sat Sep 30, 2023 7:30 pm

Murger wrote: ↑
Sat Sep 30, 2023 7:28 pm
In the middle of the park, we are.

Agreed, but I don't see Cork making us any better.

Murger · Post by **Murger** » Sat Sep 30, 2023 7:34 pm

Certainly a better option than Cullen or Brownhill on current form.

fidelcastro · Post by **fidelcastro** » Sat Sep 30, 2023 7:36 pm

Murger wrote: ↑
Sat Sep 30, 2023 7:34 pm
Certainly a better option than Cullen or Brownhill on current form.

It's a really strange phenomenon how players become better players when they're not playing!

Murger · Post by **Murger** » Sat Sep 30, 2023 7:37 pm

fidelcastro wrote: ↑
Sat Sep 30, 2023 7:36 pm
It's a really strange phenomenon how players become better players when they're not playing!

So you keep on playing either of the other 2 in the hope their combination actually starts working?