Luton looking to meet up with old boss who has ditched them twice!

Feb 07, 2023

FA Cup: Grimsby Town- Luton Town

Luton Town were regulars in my notes last season, but have not featured since early in this campaign, last away game I covered was a 2-0 win at Hull City at the very end of September.............

We championed Town for much of last season and backed them at odds against to finish top half of the table and at double digit odds for top 6th and they kindly finished 6th. This is a club who were non league in 2014, in League 2 as recently as 2018 and they got to within 270 minutes of the Holy Grail of Premier League football , that was a great achievement and it has been a hell of a ride! Not sure they are quite finished yet, they started the season slowly, which is not unheard of after making the Championship playoffs and they did not win any of their first four starts, or their second game until Matchday 7. However, they are now up to 11th and only two points off 6th spot. They have lost just 1/6 and have scored 2+ goals in four of those, including both road games, Town have won the last five on xG including over leaders Sheffield United and are building up a head of steam.

Hull City are heading in the opposite direction with 11 points from their first six starts, pointless subsequently with a 1-11 goal difference through those four defeats and posting just 0.8 xGF (0-7 BC's)through the last two combined. Town won 3-1 here at the KC Stadium back in March and City had kept back to back clean sheets coming into that. Away win.

Hull saw a lot of the ball, but could do almost nothing with it and the Hatters put in a great shift and defensive showing, giving up just 3 attempts ITB, none on target and 0.47xGA, the Town goalkeeper did not have to make a single save and barely touched the ball all night . Luton head coach Nathan Jones was buoyant with the result and performance when speaking to the club website ..........

“First half they had a little bit of play in wide areas, but we had all the best chances and once we got through the press, we smothered them, won the ball back and were aggressive in our play. We should have been more than two up at half time, Carlton had a great chance, we had a few situations that we could have done more with but in the second half our game management was fantastic.

“We always believe we have goals in us, we have game-changers and once we put in that level of performance in the first half then it was about trying to go after the third but if you can't, make sure you defend well and I thought we did. We lost Reece Burke, Gabe Osho came in and did fantastically well. Amari’i has been flying all over the place so it just shows the quality and what we have.

“I’m really pleased because it is a tough place to come and I’m delighted with the win.”

The issue is that once again Nathan Jones got tempted by the "brighter lights" elsewhere and made the switch to Southampton, which, after seeing his team play at Brentford on Saturday and watching his very strange post match interview, he might already be regretting, although his agent/accountant was probably happy with the move! There was no telling how that would work out for the Hatters, as when he left after his first tenure at Kenilworth Road to join Stoke City, Town struggled and clearly Jones and Luton have been the dream pairing, Jones and anyone else not and Town and a.n.other, the jury was still out on!

This time , however, Luton had a decent replacement and one nearby as Rob Edwards was sacked after just 10 league games (some clubs need to get a grip!) in charge at Watford, Luton's closest and most hated rival. I don't know the politics, but assume that was "ok" with Town fans , or at least is now, as he has done well and his time at the Hornets was so short. Anyway, Town are 4th and have been just great on the road, with only the top two, who look head and shoulders above the rest, having picked up more away points (Burnley and Sheffield United 28 and Town 26) amongst the top10. We can also add in a 2-1 FA Cup win at Wigan, after a 1-1 home draw and now they go to League 2 Grimsby Town after the two clubs shared four goals at Kenilworth Road ten days ago.

The Mariners have also been better on the road this season with only three of nine wins coming at Blundell Park. Having said that, the ground will be jumping this evening and it is not an easy place to go to on a cold midweek night in February (the wind blows in straight off the North Sea) and I know because I have been there myself (facilities are terrible and locals not that friendly either!) and the Town attitude will have to be spot on. But Edwards has plenty of lower level experience and Town are still only five years removed from the level Town are at now, despite being 60 places on the football pyramid higher currently, so will know all about BP. I expect the visitors to make their class tell, it will be tough,but the reward for the victor is a trip to Southampton in three weeks time and a face off with Jones, if he is still in situ and that feels like it would be a bonus for Town and their supporters.

2.25 units Luton Town -0.75 ball asian line.

Good luck!