BFTG - Luton

[Hound]

Honestly I’d be interested to see the stats for the game. Personally I didn’t think we were that amazing first half - we didn’t ‘create’ those chances or that much else really, and didnt think we were that awful second half - still created a few situations - DK, Wing had a chance, some good crosses etc. maybe 15 mins or so from about 30 to half time we got some good momentum but can’t remember a lot outside of that. A lot of of that was Luton self combusting as well

We definitely lost a bit of confidence and fluidity and I felt fitness played a big part but I didn’t think it was ‘that’ different

[Royal Rother]

Wing had a shocker - had a decent chance at a shot he fluffed from a corner near the end as well

Bit harsh. The ref got in the way.

[South Coast Royal]

We got our goals in the first half by pressing strongly and forcing Luton into mistakes and by having a striker who thrives on very few chances-we don't create goals by flowing passing movements.

So, the pressing was a real plus but we paid the price of easing off the pressing game and relying on our defence-big mistake.

For the past 8 or 9 months (however long LR has been our manager) he must have been thinking that our no.1 priority during the Summer would be to sign a number 9 (or two) for so many obvious reasons.

Decent strikers come at a price and I am convinced that the only reason that we haven't got one (or2) is that Femi Azeez has yet to be transferred from Milwall thereby giving us the funds to address the problem.
There might even be enough over to get another centre-back and left-back.

[Extended-Phenotype]

While I would argue it was more down to lacking the players on the bench to maintain the momentum that Luton could, I would happily concede that Luton exposed Richardson’s main weakness - his ability to adapt to changes during the game.

I don’t think I would have argued with his starting line up, nor the style of play. It’s more positive, there is a better flow and balance in midfield, there is an improved press and less time being spent on the ball; some of this is undoubtedly due to new signings and a decent preseason of experimentation.

But while that worked out of the gate, Luton’s half-time changes sought to neutralise our advantage and we needed our manager to react to that. I sympathise with the fact that stylistic changes beyond substitutions are very difficult in-game (which is why Luton struggled until such changes could be made at halftime), and second-guessing how a team might change in the break isn’t easy. Luton killed our lead within 10 minutes and that’s not a lot of time for us to have seen and reacted to their changes.

However our substitutions weren’t particularly inspiring. Partly due to the lack of quality and depth on the bench, but Richardson seemed to swap like-for-like; I’m not sure this would have even yielded positive results if we HAD the players on the bench to happily step into the same positions as their departing colleagues. We needed more than fresh legs, we needed a fresh approach.

I think plan Bs should be within reach of managers even at this level. Even if it is as simple as considering what would defeat our plan A, and designing a system to cope with that. I’d imagine anything would be better than just persevering with plan A. But then I take my own assessments with a pinch of salt as it’s perfectly possible we DID change tactically and I am just lack the football-smarts to spot it.

Ah well. Tough game, showed a lot of promise and there is no reason we can’t bounce back from it and consign this game to a bad memory. But Richardson is going to need some good performances from the next few games if he’s going to avoid a total collapse in confidence from the fan base. He was already on thin ice, and this was not a great start.

[windermereROYAL]

Looks like the aim is to attack 1871 in the second half now with the switching of the dug outs and warming up in the other half now. I would expect the oppo captain will switch ends when they win the toss to attack their own fans in the second half too.
That appeared to happen yesterday, and it worked.

[ILoveMoonPig]

I actually quite like the idea floated by clubs a few seasons ago, of classing players as Starters as Finishers. You train the starters to handle the first 60 minutes of a game, build a lead, claw back a bad start etc etc. Train the finishers how to maintain aggressive pressing late into a match of you're chasing, or how to defend resolutely whilst legally using up as much time as possible when winning. It's just efficient game management.

We already know that at least 1 winger, 1 striker and 1 defensive midfielder will probably come off at around 60-70 minutes, so plan for that change.

Trying to just replace like for like every game when were definitely not the more effective of the two teams is a waste of time.

If Luton were starting to pack out the midfield to stop us playing, I would have been inclined to push more of our players into the midfield to stop then from playing too and force everyone to have to go long (which far more suited us than them) or play out a stalemate.

[Hound]

I think to an extent that is what did happen. I cant remember Luton having a chance between 52 and 97 mins. It’s not like they were peppering the goal - thought both teams cancelled each other out and we actually had reasonable control over the match

Problem is we lack concentration and maybe ability at the back. Dokes - who was generally very good - went down with cramp a few mins before and he didn’t do his job at on that 4th goal - maybe due to that

We tried to still press but the reality is that the starting front 4 got knackered and their replacements simply didn’t do it well enough (though thought Randell did ok on the wing later on)

[BRO_BOT]

Did you pcunts get beaten again?

[Vision]

I think to an extent that is what did happen. I cant remember Luton having a chance between 52 and 97 mins. It’s not like they were peppering the goal - thought both teams cancelled each other out and we actually had reasonable control over the match

Problem is we lack concentration and maybe ability at the back. Dokes - who was generally very good - went down with cramp a few mins before and he didn’t do his job at on that 4th goal - maybe due to that

We tried to still press but the reality is that the starting front 4 got knackered and their replacements simply didn’t do it well enough (though thought Randell did ok on the wing later on)

Thinking about it, think the only criticism I'd level at Richardson was initially bringing Williams on and playing him at 10 when Savage had been doing that fairly well in pre-season.

[Forbury Lion]

We looked good before the break and we looked good after the break..... the first refreshment break that is.

[Hound]

I think to an extent that is what did happen. I cant remember Luton having a chance between 52 and 97 mins. It’s not like they were peppering the goal - thought both teams cancelled each other out and we actually had reasonable control over the match

Problem is we lack concentration and maybe ability at the back. Dokes - who was generally very good - went down with cramp a few mins before and he didn’t do his job at on that 4th goal - maybe due to that

We tried to still press but the reality is that the starting front 4 got knackered and their replacements simply didn’t do it well enough (though thought Randell did ok on the wing later on)

Thinking about it, think the only criticism I'd level at Richardson was initially bringing Williams on and playing him at 10 when Savage had been doing that fairly well in pre-season.

Agreed. And possibly Lane for Dorsett but then I’d have taken off DK as well so less sure about that