United 2 Luton 3 - report

[Deaneandagana]

I'm not sure about that. 3 of big chances came in that scramble skewing the stats.

For all the XG stuff, I can't recall us missing any sitters really? Indeed did either keeper have a proper save to make all game?

I think Luton had 30-35 mins of the 1st half and the last 15 mins of the game up to stoppage time so around 50-55/98. We had the middle period of the game. I think a draw would have been fairer but its about putting balls in good areas and Luton worked harder and started/finished the game stronger.

In terms of ratings Doughty 1st half, Adebayo, Barkley, Townsend and Morris were all better than ours really and all of those were a 6-7 at least which only Souza and McAtee could really say were close to such scores for us.

Two really poor sides and looked a mid table Champ side which it may well be in a season.

The damage was done in the manner that we started the game, extremely sluggish, lacking penetration & energy.

The manager’s post match comments in which he references “chucked it away,” were brutal but accurate.

Recruitment & pre-season planning as well as general fitness levels have largely been responsible for results & performances.

Disappointing all round, but the writing was on the wall after PA’s lawyer’s embarrassing press conference surrounding the sacking of Slav - in which he naively admitted the lack of a strategic plan.

You reap what you sow / piss poor planning = piss poor performance.

 

[Booker4]

Not sure the core will be here though?

Archer and McAtee won't be here and Souza will probably move on too- can't see him playing in the Championship.

Foderingham, Bogle, Lowe, Baldock, Egan, Norwood, Fleck, Osborn, RND, McBurnie and Jebbison are all out if contract so there's a fair chance quite a few move on especially as it's reported none have agreed terms - granted only 2 or 3 I'd offer deals to from above.

We effectively will have to build a new team seemingly.

Last time we went down we had a fair bit of experience but those that are here are 3 years older snd as I say their time is probably up.

You could of course say the counter argument is that if we keep RND, Egan, Bogle or Baldock and McBurnie to add to Anel, Hamer, Brooks, Osula and Trusty then bring back Arblaster we prob only need a new keeper, midfielder and striker to be a top 6 side at the level below. There is no Ndiaye, Berge, MGW though and I think still have a fair bit of a rebuild.

We'll still have Trusty, Robbo, Anel, Arblaster, Brooks (I'd be confident he'll sign a new contract as he's in the team and he's a local lad) Osula, Souza, Traore, Brewster, Slimane. There's some decent players there. Souza might move on but he's not yet at the level where I'd be worried he'll move on. Maybe if he continues to do well till the end of the season. I think RND will sign a new contract and possibly Bogle. So too you would think Baldock. We'll need maybe another 5 players to come in. McBurnie may well stay also, I can't see many better offers for him and he's said he wants to stay. It's all up in the air right now of course.

With Wilder in charge I'm confident that we'll do well next season too.

 

[themaninblack]

Great report Deadbat as usual. Hamer is the biggest disappointment for me, I keep reading on here how marvellous he is but I just can’t see it. Anyone thinking he is an improvement on Berge needs their bumps feeling.

 

[Deadbat]

Great report Deadbat as usual. Hamer is the biggest disappointment for me, I keep reading on here how marvellous he is but I just can’t see it. Anyone thinking he is an improvement on Berge needs their bumps feeling.

He clearly has some ability and produced some big moments this season but a lot of games I forget he is playing. For someone with a good rangebif skills, he drifts too much. He is careless with the ball and defensively he is a liability as he cannot run. He is not fit enough and overweight. Needs to do a lot more for me.

Wes is rightly getting slated for the goal but Wilder will have been fuming with his apology of an attempt to stop the player.

I'm not sure I see a player that will ever be a regular at the top level. Would any clubs spend 15 million on him when we go down? Maybe Wilder gets him fitter and gets him more tuned in but he is another simply not doing enough. Either that or another probably not good enough and the jump up is too much? Probably more the latter as is the case for the whole team.

The notion we have signed players like him and Slimane, Traore and Trusty on longer contracts with sell on value only works if the players are any good / improve. 2 have been regulars in a side stinking up the league. The other 2 can't get in the team.

Not sure I've seen much in any of the signings we spent cash on to suggest there is real assets on our hands? (Souza, oddly, we might get a foreign team who give us our cash back after his recent improvements).

Think one of the biggest issues outside and even linked to the ownership is our dreadful recruitment/scouting. We never seem to bring in anyone (Anel apart last year and he's sadly proving why no-one took him) like the other Prem teams do who go out and you think what a pick up/they positively surprise us?

There is not one signing we have name where you can say 'he's been a great addition.' Hamer, Archer and Trusty had the odd good game and Souza has improved but on the whole for around 45-50 million. Throw in another 8-10 on Traore and Slimane and circa 55-60 million has been spent on very ordinary players who lack the attributes to be a success at the top level. Maybe it shows the finances you need to even compete as even this is not enough. However for all the criticism of the owner, we have spent some money (not enough) but the little money we have used has been squandered as it was with Brewster, Robinson/Burke, Bogle/Lowe etc before.

Not one players (jury out on Anel) value has increased since we signed them which worries me when the talk was of getting assets with contracts and resale value when we sold IN and SB. Long contracts are only useful if the players are any good!

 

[Fjortoft's Aeroplane]

Not sure the core will be here though?

Archer and McAtee won't be here and Souza will probably move on too- can't see him playing in the Championship.

Foderingham, Bogle, Lowe, Baldock, Egan, Norwood, Fleck, Osborn, RND, McBurnie and Jebbison are all out if contract so there's a fair chance quite a few move on especially as it's reported none have agreed terms - granted only 2 or 3 I'd offer deals to from above.

We effectively will have to build a new team seemingly.

Last time we went down we had a fair bit of experience but those that are here are 3 years older snd as I say their time is probably up.

You could of course say the counter argument is that if we keep RND, Egan, Bogle or Baldock and McBurnie to add to Anel, Hamer, Brooks, Osula and Trusty then bring back Arblaster we prob only need a new keeper, midfielder and striker to be a top 6 side at the level below. There is no Ndiaye, Berge, MGW though and I think still have a fair bit of a rebuild.

Why can't you see Souza playing in the Championship? I can't see him playing in the Premier League beyond this season.

(that said.. if we can recoup our money.. then yes happy to be rid and pick one one of the finer proven championship DMs)

 

[TJ blade]

He clearly has some ability and produced some big moments this season but a lot of games I forget he is playing. For someone with a good rangebif skills, he drifts too much. He is careless with the ball and defensively he is a liability as he cannot run. He is not fit enough and overweight. Needs to do a lot more for me.

Wes is rightly getting slated for the goal but Wilder will have been fuming with his apology of an attempt to stop the player.

I'm not sure I see a player that will ever be a regular at the top level. Would any clubs spend 15 million on him when we go down? Maybe Wilder gets him fitter and gets him more tuned in but he is another simply not doing enough. Either that or another probably not good enough and the jump up is too much? Probably more the latter as is the case for the whole team.

The notion we have signed players like him and Slimane, Traore and Trusty on longer contracts with sell on value only works if the players are any good / improve. 2 have been regulars in a side stinking up the league. The other 2 can't get in the team.

Not sure I've seen much in any of the signings we spent cash on to suggest there is real assets on our hands? (Souza, oddly, we might get a foreign team who give us our cash back after his recent improvements).

Think one of the biggest issues outside and even linked to the ownership is our dreadful recruitment/scouting. We never seem to bring in anyone (Anel apart last year and he's sadly proving why no-one took him) like the other Prem teams do who go out and you think what a pick up/they positively surprise us?

There is not one signing we have name where you can say 'he's been a great addition.' Hamer, Archer and Trusty had the odd good game and Souza has improved but on the whole for around 45-50 million. Throw in another 8-10 on Traore and Slimane and circa 55-60 million has been spent on very ordinary players who lack the attributes to be a success at the top level. Maybe it shows the finances you need to even compete as even this is not enough. However for all the criticism of the owner, we have spent some money (not enough) but the little money we have used has been squandered as it was with Brewster, Robinson/Burke, Bogle/Lowe etc before.

Not one players (jury out on Anel) value has increased since we signed them which worries me when the talk was of getting assets with contracts and resale value when we sold IN and SB. Long contracts are only useful if the players are any good!

Correct Deadbat, the signings have been piss poor all of them are out of there depth at this level and the one below, as for Anel shocking defending from day one if he's got aspirations of playing for a top side on this seasons form he's having a laugh! We need a massive clear out of the old guard and it's going to take time and probably more disappointment still we get it right, what a fucking mess we're in...thanks Abdullah!!

 

[Deadbat]

Why can't you see Souza playing in the Championship? I can't see him playing in the Premier League beyond this season.

(that said.. if we can recoup our money.. then yes happy to be rid and pick one one of the finer proven championship DMs)

I think his agent will ask for the club to get him out on loan. He does not seem to stay in one place very long and we will struggle to afford his wages/or he won't want to take a cut which will be in any contract if we go down. Reckon a club comes and takes him for a year and we get his wage off the books.

I'm not sure he stays in England though and expect he will move to another European league where the slower pace will suit him more.

 

[Fjortoft's Aeroplane]

I think his agent will ask for the club to get him out on loan. He does not seem to stay in one place very long and we will struggle to afford his wages/or he won't want to take a cut which will be in any contract if we go down. Reckon a club comes and takes him for a year and we get his wage off the books.

I'm not sure he stays in England though and expect he will move to another European league where the slower pace will suit him more.

All possible I guess, but for the money he cost us, I'd prefer the club take a tough stance and keep him as a decent Championship player or transfer him out and recoup a decent amount of cash. Loaning him stops us recouping his transfer money and means we need to bring in another player to cover him... feels like the worst of all worlds.