Thoughts on today v Luton

Just looked at stats
AFCB possession 60% attempts 6 on target 2 corners 4

Luton possession 40% attempts 9 on target 3 corners 7

Looking at other teams stats , many have made well into double figure attempts,think we have to do better.

SP said himself there is a lot more to come from this squad.

Christie's effort, whilst the scores were 0-0, whilst a daisy-cutter, was clearly on target. Easy to see from the Main Stand, saved by Sluga. The web stats are incorrect (and mostly irrelevant)

Edited to add:
Their goal was an own-goal by Kelly. Given as such in the report on the BBC but still showing Burke as goal-scorer at the top of the page.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/58606187
 
Last edited:
Apologies, I misread the bit where you said second half. Just thought that in the context of the entire game it was strange to pick out the only player to create anything.

He was the symptom not the cause. He isn't a winger. But that side was vulnerable insofar as everything ground to a halt.

Needed Brooks for Christie at half time. After ten minutes of the second half it became a necessity. Same as Blackpool. Both they and Luton made a change and we went on the back foot. We should have changed on 55 minutes, instead we didn't and (surprise surprise) we went a goal down shortly afterwards. A goal that was no surprise.

Our response to that was to sit further back.
 
He was the symptom not the cause. He isn't a winger. But that side was vulnerable insofar as everything ground to a halt.

Needed Brooks for Christie at half time. After ten minutes of the second half it became a necessity. Same as Blackpool. Both they and Luton made a change and we went on the back foot. We should have changed on 55 minutes, instead we didn't and (surprise surprise) we went a goal down shortly afterwards. A goal that was no surprise.

Our response to that was to sit further back.
Agree we needed to make a change. However I also feel that the players on the pitch needed to take more responsibility to look after the ball and allow us to build a bit of pressure. Solanke and Billing in particular were surrendering possession frequently. We needed to get more bodies around Solanke though.
 
Sometimes you judge a game on it's own, sometimes it forms part of an overarching pattern to consider.

Slow start? Check.
AFCB goal against the run of play? Check.
AFCB dominate and score a second? Check.
Opposition make tactical changes at half time? Check.
The balance of play completely changes in the second half? Check.
Parker doesn't make changes? Check.
They score? Check.
Parker then looks to shut up shop? Check.
Nail biting finish? Check.

There are always unexpected games when you need to sit in to protect a lead. It shouldn't be happening in virtually every match though. It's a sign something isn't quite right in the tactics. Especially with that regular pattern.

Having said all that, we're top of the table and remain unbeaten in the league. Still, that doesn't mean we shouldn't recognise where we have an issue. That was the mistake with Tindall, a belief as long as the points came it would all work out in the end. Let's not allow history to repeat itself.

Postives: Christie's first half performance

Negatives: Christie and Billing's second half performances. Anonymous would be kind. Plus, the second half tactics.

Its like you've read my mind. Spot on
 
It’s a tough one to pinpoint. We looked so slick after the first ten but too many balls flash across the box.
With the dominance we have had in a few games we should be out of sight but we never are. Dom has been excellent this season and scored well but he doesn’t positionally read a lot of those chances we create. Anthony and Christie are even less prolific and Lerma and Pearson just don’t score unless it’s one for the cameras a season so we don’t maximise our periods of dominance like Eddie’s championship winning side did.

We are always likely to concede and then mentally a one goal lead in any league is tough and I think we have Cahill to thank for why we’ve started holding on to leads.

The key though is to maximise the good spells and to do so in absence of a lethal centre forward we need Brooks to play as he has goals in him and potentially Stan if we can get him fit. Maybe Lowe as well. We won’t take enough chances against the top teams with the front three we had today in my opinion.

That said, we really shouldn’t grumble as our start has been excellent and our good spells are a joy to watch.
 
Phew....judging by these posts ..looking down from the top of the table...we are not long from starting the free fall !
I guess Luton's intentions were far removed from heading to the coast to watch Cormorants dive off rocks to get their lunch.
Nah..they is a football team looking for points in a competitive League !
 
It’s a tough one to pinpoint. We looked so slick after the first ten but too many balls flash across the box.
With the dominance we have had in a few games we should be out of sight but we never are. Dom has been excellent this season and scored well but he doesn’t positionally read a lot of those chances we create. Anthony and Christie are even less prolific and Lerma and Pearson just don’t score unless it’s one for the cameras a season so we don’t maximise our periods of dominance like Eddie’s championship winning side did.

We are always likely to concede and then mentally a one goal lead in any league is tough and I think we have Cahill to thank for why we’ve started holding on to leads.

The key though is to maximise the good spells and to do so in absence of a lethal centre forward we need Brooks to play as he has goals in him and potentially Stan if we can get him fit. Maybe Lowe as well. We won’t take enough chances against the top teams with the front three we had today in my opinion.

That said, we really shouldn’t grumble as our start has been excellent and our good spells are a joy to watch.
Agree with elements of this but our main striker in Solanke has six goals in nine games and our main attacking midfielder in Billing has four goals in eight games. I’d say that both are pretty prolific so far this season. Maintain that and both are getting 20+. Has Brooks really looked like scoring in the league this season apart from at Forest?
 
Agree with elements of this but our main striker in Solanke has six goals in nine games and our main attacking midfielder in Billing has four goals in eight games. I’d say that both are pretty prolific so far this season. Maintain that and both are getting 20+. Has Brooks really looked like scoring in the league this season apart from at Forest?


But we ain't gonna win promotion with two 20+ scorers.We need at least another 50 goals from the rest of the team/squad.
 
Unacceptable lol.

They went long second half and we looked complacent. Though we needed Mepham earlier as the midfield was just being bypassed. Also felt Lowe might have come on earlier to hold the ball up better.

First half we seemed to move up a gear when we needed to. I thought JZ was getting beaten quite often when he tried to tuck inside.

But unacceptable? That just the King of hyperbole talking.
 
Showing good consistency which helps create confidence. Interesting that we are top but 4th in the table based on home games and second (on gd) in the table based on away matches.
 
There does seem to be a bit of a pattern forming in recent home games. Would love to see us break out of that by being more positive at times, but can't argue with the ability to dig in.

Luton are no mugs I think. I gather they had a few out today so that wasn't their strongest side.
 
It’s a tough one to pinpoint. We looked so slick after the first ten but too many balls flash across the box.
With the dominance we have had in a few games we should be out of sight but we never are. Dom has been excellent this season and scored well but he doesn’t positionally read a lot of those chances we create. Anthony and Christie are even less prolific and Lerma and Pearson just don’t score unless it’s one for the cameras a season so we don’t maximise our periods of dominance like Eddie’s championship winning side did.

We are always likely to concede and then mentally a one goal lead in any league is tough and I think we have Cahill to thank for why we’ve started holding on to leads.

The key though is to maximise the good spells and to do so in absence of a lethal centre forward we need Brooks to play as he has goals in him and potentially Stan if we can get him fit. Maybe Lowe as well. We won’t take enough chances against the top teams with the front three we had today in my opinion.

That said, we really shouldn’t grumble as our start has been excellent and our good spells are a joy to watch.
where's your reports Neil? :(
 
Sometimes you judge a game on it's own, sometimes it forms part of an overarching pattern to consider.

Slow start? Check.
AFCB goal against the run of play? Check.
AFCB dominate and score a second? Check.
Opposition make tactical changes at half time? Check.
The balance of play completely changes in the second half? Check.
Parker doesn't make changes? Check.
They score? Check.
Parker then looks to shut up shop? Check.
Nail biting finish? Check.

There are always unexpected games when you need to sit in to protect a lead. It shouldn't be happening in virtually every match though. It's a sign something isn't quite right in the tactics. Especially with that regular pattern.

Having said all that, we're top of the table and remain unbeaten in the league. Still, that doesn't mean we shouldn't recognise where we have an issue. That was the mistake with Tindall, a belief as long as the points came it would all work out in the end. Let's not allow history to repeat itself.

Postives: Christie's first half performance

Negatives: Christie and Billing's second half performances. Anonymous would be kind. Plus, the second half tactics.

I think that sums it up perfectly. Sooner or later our luck will change and a team will score in the first 10 minutes so it will be interesting to see what SP s tactics are then.
 

;