Match Thread Luton Town - Coventry City Match Thread - Saturday 28th Oct (4 Viewers)

Nick

Administrator
Discuss the Luton Town - Coventry City match, tactics and predictions :)
 

oucho

Well-Known Member
Time to debunk some nonsense:

1) it's been suggested Kelly should be put to right back. Grimmer is the RB and probably been our best player in recent weeks. Kelly does a good job in the centre and arguably does better there than Doyle.

2) Haynes for left mid. See the Jones injury thread. How often does an overlapping fullback do a good job when played as a winger. Can't think of a single time that's happened. Pick him at left back or not at all.

3) Wing backs with three at the back. Why change our back 4 when we have one of the best defences in the league? Do not compromise a strength to make up for our weakness in attack.

Time to get real. We need to move to 442, with Duck and McNulty as the main front two, a little and large partnership. Jones if fit and Vincenti as the wide players. Ponti as first change striker. I have seen some of Biamou and Beavon now to convince me they are never going to do it for us.
 

standupforcity

Well-Known Member
Time to debunk some nonsense:

1) it's been suggested Kelly should be put to right back. Grimmer is the RB and probably been our best player in recent weeks. Kelly does a good job in the centre and arguably does better there than Doyle.

2) Haynes for left mid. See the Jones injury thread. How often does an overlapping fullback do a good job when played as a winger. Can't think of a single time that's happened. Pick him at left back or not at all.

3) Wing backs with three at the back. Why change our back 4 when we have one of the best defences in the league? Do not compromise a strength to make up for our weakness in attack.

Time to get real. We need to move to 442, with Duck and McNulty as the main front two, a little and large partnership. Jones if fit and Vincenti as the wide players. Ponti as first change striker. I have seen some of Biamou and Beavon now to convince me they are never going to do it for us.
Vincenti wins everything in the air and has some skill with the ball....yes, he should start every game. Very useful in the box, which I suggest we are in dire need of.
 

Nick

Administrator
Wasn't that the whole point of your thread Kelly for right back ??

No, it was pointing out he spends most of the game there when he should be further up.

giphy.gif
 

Esoterica

Well-Known Member
Time to debunk some nonsense:

1) it's been suggested Kelly should be put to right back. Grimmer is the RB and probably been our best player in recent weeks. Kelly does a good job in the centre and arguably does better there than Doyle.

2) Haynes for left mid. See the Jones injury thread. How often does an overlapping fullback do a good job when played as a winger. Can't think of a single time that's happened. Pick him at left back or not at all.

3) Wing backs with three at the back. Why change our back 4 when we have one of the best defences in the league? Do not compromise a strength to make up for our weakness in attack.

Time to get real. We need to move to 442, with Duck and McNulty as the main front two, a little and large partnership. Jones if fit and Vincenti as the wide players. Ponti as first change striker. I have seen some of Biamou and Beavon now to convince me they are never going to do it for us.
1) Haven't seen anyone suggest kelly should play right back. Nick's thread was demonstrating that he does spend an awful lot of time covering there instead of in the middle which is at great detriment to our attacking play.
2) The difference with Haynes is that he can actually beat a man with the ball at his feet both running and from a standing start, rather than just run past his midfielder into space as an option, which is the usual benefit of an overlapping fullback.
3) The back 4 has already changed - Stokes has been dropped and Haynes' defensive positioning in previous seasons has been horrible. If he retains his place at left back then Luton away will be a good test for that side of his game. (I actually believe Robins will go back to the regular back 4 for Luton by recalling Stokes)
 

oldskyblue58

CCFC Finance Director
Just a thought but is part of the reason for the CCFC defensive prowess that teams, especially at the Ricoh, come and park the bus. That means our defence is not put under as much pressure as you might expect. Luton could be a more thorough examination

Conversely a more open game might allow us to score ................ or maybe not
 

oucho

Well-Known Member
Just a thought but is part of the reason for the CCFC defensive prowess that teams, especially at the Ricoh, come and park the bus. That means our defence is not put under as much pressure as you might expect. Luton could be a more thorough examination

Conversely a more open game might allow us to score ................ or maybe not
You think the leading-scorers in the division will put us under more pressure than Chesterfield, Vale and Colchester? If only I had your powers of deduction!

On a serious note though, I can see us snatching a goal as this goalless run has to send some time. I just do not see us winning.
 

oldskyblue58

CCFC Finance Director
wasn't really the point I was making. The defence is getting plenty of plaudits, but has it been tested that much if opposition is being generally defensive minded against us. So are the plaudits quite as deserved as they seem? Easily the best defensive record but is it aided by the way other teams view CCFC and set up not putting pressure on our defence because of It ?
 

lifeskyblue

Well-Known Member
A draw at best here. More likely a defeat by a couple goals. But I didn’t think we would lose to forest green...so who knows.
Seriously I just can’t see us breaking down any defence at the minute let alone the team top of the league. Robbins needs a different approach at home...move the ball quicker, a greater physical presence up front and a willingness to change earlier when things are not working.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Nick

Administrator
It would be a CCFC thing to do to go there and scrape a win after our awful results but I am struggling to see that :(

I'd take a score draw, maybe going down 1-0 and then getting an equaliser for confident (obviously Id love a win if possible).

It will all depend on the lineup and approach he chooses, if Jones is out we don't really have anybody to attack on the counter so where we have exploited teams like Notts County we wont be able to.
 

no_loyalty

Well-Known Member
Pack the midfield and park the bus, and escape with a creditable draw
 

Otis

Well-Known Member
Haynes at left midfield for me. He is much better at going forwards than he is at defending, he can beat a man and has a good cross on him.

If Jones is out I would play Haynes wide left and Vincenti wide right.

If Stokes is out then either Shipley at left back with Haynes in front, or the other way round.
 

Esoterica

Well-Known Member
With the exception of Accrington, we have played well against every team that has actually got the ball down and tried to beat us this season - Notts County, Carlisle, Exeter, Swindon. We're a good team against good teams. Even without Jones our strikers will look better against a higher backline - the one time Colchester got caught high McNulty got through the middle after a fine lay off and run and was only stopped with a last ditch tackle. I think we will sneak this one 1-2.
 

Great_Expectations

Well-Known Member
I would bring Stokes back based on their attacking ability. I would also push Haynes on to play in front of him, with Jones (assuming he’s fit) on the other wing, meaning we have two pacey wingers we can use to counter attack. I’d forfeit Beavon.

If Jones isn’t fit, then I would keep the team as is, but bring Stokes back and do as described above. Or, I’d still drop Beavon and play Vincente on the other wing to attack Haynes’ crosses and/or be an outlet at goal kicks.
 

Londonccfcfan

Well-Known Member
I just hope Hylton who plays on the right hand side of their attacking unit doesn't rip Haynes aoart defensively.

Woukd be alot more comfortable playing this one very tight defensively. Let them their get frustrsted. And hopefully nick it on the break.

Would gring back Stokes for this one. jy point being heing we shoukdht fear them, but a point at there woukd Be a very good point. But hopefullynick it by keping it quiet.

0-1 smash and grab.
 

oucho

Well-Known Member
My team would be 442 as follows

Burge

Grimmer
McDonald
Willis
Stokes

Vincenti
Doyle
Kelly
Jones

McNulty
Duck
 

Esoterica

Well-Known Member
With the exception of Accrington, we have played well against every team that has actually got the ball down and tried to beat us this season - Notts County, Carlisle, Exeter, Swindon. We're a good team against good teams. Even without Jones our strikers will look better against a higher backline - the one time Colchester got caught high McNulty got through the middle after a fine lay off and run and was only stopped with a last ditch tackle. I think we will sneak this one 1-2.
This one.
giphy.gif

Shows how we'll get the best out of McNulty (and will apply to Ponticelli too, think they're quite similar in their off the ball movement). He will drop short and make the runs back into space but it all came together because Colchester were high and McNulty had a midfielder actually in the middle and within 10 yards to pass to. When Colchester's defense and midfield are all within 6 yards of their own box it chokes the attack.
 

oucho

Well-Known Member
This is a good example of why I think Duck and McNulty could work together as a front two.
 

Otis

Well-Known Member
My team would be 442 as follows

Burge

Grimmer
McDonald
Willis
Stokes

Vincenti
Doyle
Kelly
Jones

McNulty
Duck
Make your mind up, sunshine. On another thread you said you would play Thomas or Ponticelli up front. ;)
 

Esoterica

Well-Known Member
This is a good example of why I think Duck and McNulty could work together as a front two.
It was also McNulty's touch and lay off for Haynes strike from the top of the box that flew just wide. Some of the criticism and player ratings he was given were unfair and clouded by his bad miss.
 

oucho

Well-Known Member
Make your mind up, sunshine. On another thread you said you would play Thomas or Ponticelli up front. ;)

No, I said i would be tempted to do so but would only change one thing at a time. If the team keeps firing blanks then i'd envisage a 442 with those two after others had been given a chance in that formation.
 

Otis

Well-Known Member
No, I said i would be tempted to do so but would only change one thing at a time. If the team keeps firing blanks then i'd envisage a 442 with those two after others had been given a chance in that formation.
Be better if Thomas was scoring in the U23's. I would say Ponticelli is ahead of him at the moment and the man in form.
 

oucho

Well-Known Member
Be better if Thomas was scoring in the U23's. I would say Ponticelli is ahead of him at the moment and the man in form.
Some mates of mine went to the Palace game yesterday and one of them emailed me with the following:

Interestingly, having seen two games in October (the other being at QPR) the team plays a 442 with Ponticelli and Thomas up front. Despite JP's two goals yesterday, I thought the much better striker in both games was Thomas, who played up front with JP playing off him. He scored a good goal for the first from inside the area, the second was a pen. IMO JP is not the main striker in Robins' 4231 system and would be wasted, as are the other first team strikers, playing wide.

My opinion of 442 is partly based on my natural prejudice in its favour as a system for all seasons, but also on evidence like the above. Also, if MR is so keen to build the season around his silly Champions League-style 4-2-3-1, whey isn't that being mirrored in the U23 side?
 

Otis

Well-Known Member
Some mates of mine went to the Palace game yesterday and one of them emailed me with the following:

Interestingly, having seen two games in October (the other being at QPR) the team plays a 442 with Ponticelli and Thomas up front. Despite JP's two goals yesterday, I thought the much better striker in both games was Thomas, who played up front with JP playing off him. He scored a good goal for the first from inside the area, the second was a pen. IMO JP is not the main striker in Robins' 4231 system and would be wasted, as are the other first team strikers, playing wide.

My opinion of 442 is partly based on my natural prejudice in its favour as a system for all seasons, but also on evidence like the above. Also, if MR is so keen to build the season around his silly Champions League-style 4-2-3-1, whey isn't that being mirrored in the U23 side?
I thought Thomas showed absolutely nothing in that QPR game personally and aren't we talking about our strikers not scoring. The only one scoring, albeit at U23'S level is Ponticelli.
 

oucho

Well-Known Member
I thought Thomas showed absolutely nothing in that QPR game personally and aren't we talking about our strikers not scoring.
Were you there? In any case, the praise above was for more recent game against Palace.
 

Paxman II

Well-Known Member
We have a solid all round game without much clinical finish. If the players are to be believed, they say we have very good strikers who will simple 'click' at any moment and are not too concerned. The manager says the same, so something is obvious in training?
Is it the formation or lack of chances created?
Haynes brings options we don't have with the ability to swing the ball in for people to he get on the end of.
Also think we need a midfield that has a sense of forward movement. Stephenson should be the answer but needs a run in the side.
 

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