Town versus Luton

[Bluemike]

The Blues face Premier League Luton Town in their final UK-based friendly at Colchester United’s Jobserve Community Stadium this evening (KO 7.30pm).

The game is being played at Colchester as both Town and the Hatters’ own grounds have been undergoing work this summer.

Kieran McKenna’s men will be looking for a more positive result after the weekend 2-1 defeats at Cambridge United and Stevenage.

“That’s definitely a game we’ve looked and said that that’s going to be a really good marker and a good challenge against a team who have been very successful in the Championship last year, but also the season before that as well,” McKenna said, speaking after the match at Broadhall Way.

“We think that will be a good challenge for us. We’re looking forward to the game. They’ll recover their bodies from today and get ready for that one.”

McKenna was quizzed on whether the line-up against Luton would hint at the team which will start against Sunderland on the opening day, Sunday 6 August.

“No, to be honest,” he said. “I think there are some players that everyone with an interest could probably guess will play if they’re fit at the start of the season, no big surprises.



“But we always plan a little bit for each individual team and we’ve started to look at Sunderland a little bit already, looking at their strengths and what we need to do well against them and where we’ll try to hurt them.

“That’s a very different game, they’re a very different opponent to Luton and you’re still managing the training loads and their bodies and making sure that there’s no risk in terms of picking people for Tuesday night, and we have two more games that week as well.

“I don’t think it’s at a point yet where we’re picking a team that we’re thinking is going go against Sunderland.

“Of course, we’ll be trying to get more of the players on the pitch at the same time who we think are likely to start, but we plan to, as we have over the last 18 months, be adaptable game to game in terms of picking players with certain strengths to help us against different oppositions.”


Wes Burns (calf), Janoi Donacien (tendon), who was brought up in Luton and was a schoolboy with the Hatters, and Harry Clarke (tendon) again missed out on Saturday but McKenna was hopeful that the trio would be involved in the final pre-season matches.

“They’re not far away,” he said. “If it was a league game, we probably could have pushed them. They’re all there or thereabouts and we’ll hopefully see at least one or two of them on Tuesday and we’d be hopeful that all of them will travel to Austria for the games next week.”

Cameron Humphreys was absent on Saturday having suffered a concussion at Preston last Wednesday. Due to the related protocols, the young midfielder is not expected to be available for this week’s matches.

Luton, who have just returned from a training camp in Slovenia, were last season’s surprise package, finishing third in the Championship and winning promotion to the Premier League for the first time - only nine years since they were in the National League - by beating Coventry 6-5 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the play-off final at Wembley.

Since going up, boss Rob Edwards has added added one-time Town trialist Chiedozie Ogbene from Rotherham, another wideman, Tahith Chong from Birmingham City, and centre-half Mads Andersen from Barnsley, while midfielder Marvelous Nakamba’s move from Aston Villa has been made permanent following last season’s loan.

The Blues and Hatters last met competitively in the Carabao Cup in August 2019 at Kenilworth Road when the home side ran out 3-1 winners, Armando Dobra netting a debut goal for the visitors.

The teams had faced one another two years previously in the same competition at the same venue when two David McGoldrick goals saw Town to a 2-0 victory.

The last pre-season friendly betwen the teams was in July 2012 when the then-non-league side ran out 2-0 winners on their home turf against a Blues side featuring Massimo Luongo, who had just joined on loan from Spurs.

Town will complete their pre-season programme with two 60-minute games against Bundesliga teams RB Leipzig and Werder Bremen on Friday at the Innsbruck Cup in Austria.

Going to this one tonight, I'm hoping we approach it like we did Preston with a proper full side out. The time for messing about and experimenting is over. COYB'S

[shabba]

A12 shut due to a car on fire! Urgh!

Could be logically fun this one with the road/traffic/parking situations, but also got a ticket so very much looking forward to it.

[Andym]

I was going to go but forgot to buy a ticket until it had sold out!

[Bluemike]

Good start By Town, 1-0:up and playing well. Broadhead scorer

[ipswichtownNo1]

Just seen broadhead subbed for harness, not injured I hope

[Bluemike]

Decent half, more than matched them, scored one and hit the bar, Walton not tested.

Morsy is just different class, running it, Hirst been good too, we look so sharp and dangerous going forward, need to be a little bit tighter at the back but nothing too serious so far.

Worryingly Broadhead off injured, hopefully as a precaution, he sat down with the subs so didn't seem to need treatment.

Taylor started slowly and gave the ball away three or four times but gradually grew into the game. Burns not looking a hundred percent fit to me. All in all a decent half.

[Cabanas Blue]

Just seen broadhead subbed for harness, not injured I hope

EADT saying looked like a knock, but he seemed ok.

[BLUEBLOOD]

Off: Davis, Woolfenden, Burns, Chaplin, Taylor, Donacien, Hirst, Morsy

On: Edmundson, Evans, Ladapo, Ball, Jackson, Hutchinson, Leigh, Edwards

[Bluemike]

Started second half very well

[ipswichtownNo1]

Just seen broadhead subbed for harness, not injured I hope

EADT saying looked like a knock, but he seemed ok.

Thanks, hopefully nothing to worry about

[Bluemike]

What a player we have in Hutchinson!!!!

[Cabanas Blue]

Burns goal it's on TWTD forum.

[Bluemike]

1-1 get rid of Edmundson ffs, we have an excellent squad and him !!! Ffs

[Bluemike]

Broadhead doesn't look good with the injury

[hallamblue]

I agree Edmundson is a liability . Have always said thus. But he’s not played for months so I’d completely rusty on top of that lol …. So no surprise if he’s at fault.

How’s Walton snd Woolfie ?

[Dazzz67]

Maybe this test will decide whether we need any further signings, still think we need a CB.

Hoping Broadhead is ok, would be a significant loss if he out for a while.

Sounds like we are in pretty good shape for the Chsmpionship, thoughts from those who watched the game?

[hallamblue]

My physio buddy just sent me a pic of Broadhead with an ice pack on his quads. I’m praying this is not quads tear , he’d be out for at least a month if that’s the case. Bugger! Hopefully just a strain snd ice to reduce secondary injury from effects of swelling ….

[Bluemike]

Very impressed with us tonight, we are in for a treat this season, better side for much of the game, going forward we look very dangerous, I can see Hutchinson and Edwards coming on with 70 mins on the clock and tearing teams apart, Luton couldn't handle them.

Defensively we were ok, even with the changes although we did clear one off the line and of course the penalty conceded by Edmundson who it has to be said just doesn't cut it, at fault for both goals at Stevenage and again tonight. We deffo need another quality CB then I think we are well set.

I too saw the picture of Broadhead and he was heavily strapped up and looking forlorn, someone reckons torn thigh 4-6 weeks but hopefully not.

[arana peligrosa]

At first glance it reads a real impressive score but the event was in Essex not Kenilworth Road. In any event to play a now EPL promotion team and take a draw is a fine result. Seems we put out a strong team, the starters were like regulars in the League, not only that but weren't overawed by the occasion or opponents and took a share of it away.

pre-season events and scores have been mixed. Not in disarray but one moment we lose two games on one day to lesser league opponents, next up a trip against a top level team and come away with a result. In between (a) tied game against some Austrians you can't quite recall. Just a mixed bag that's all, kind of relief when the real action gets underway, at least then you know where you stand, things easier to figure out etc.

[Bluemike]

McKenna playing down the Broadhead injury so hopefully nothing to worry about

[Shed on tour]

Really enjoyed the game last night as we played some really nice stuff at times. Not sure if Luton are behind us in terms of pre-season work as they kickoff their season later than us but we were certainly more than a match for them in terms of fitness and overall play.
As has already been said Edmundson is a concern and imo Evans is another who might struggle to get game time this season. Must admit McKenna’s comment about Harry Clarke’s injury didn’t sound good, apparently a Achilles problem that hasn’t responded to treatment and they are going to have to look at the next step, whatever that means.

[Bluemike]

I agree regarding Evans Tony, getting a bit left behind I think where as Harness has stepped up and improved.

I was not too happy with the Clarke comments either, thankfully we have Donacien and Ball who are more than capable of playing there, we lose a little going forward but I think we have enough offensive fire power anyway.

[Andym]

Due to my own stupidity I couldn’t get to the match. It sounded very positive, but I would make a a couple of points.
As Shed said, Luton will be a week or two behind us as the Prem starts later. Last night was their first friendly in front of a crowd.
Also, their stats last year - as in many previous years - regularly showed less than 50% possession. Unlike Ipswich, they aren’t a possession-based side. They are quite a physical team, owing their success to good defending and quick, accurate breaks. They will definitely fall apart this season as their defending won’t be good enough at that level. I’m still a Luton fan at heart, and what they have achieved is fantastic, but they cannot survive in the prem with such limited funds and small attendances.
So it was good that we could play good football, but most teams can against Luton. They aren’t a team of spoilers, just good at defending. We will meet better footballing sides in the championship.
I’m not being critical of us - or Luton - but just trying to point out that their style of play is not one we will meet very often.

[Bluemike]

That doesn't detract from the fact we played some lovely football and bossed most of the game, irrespective of their normal style of play and tactics ours had them all over the place at times, Morsy outbattled them in Midfield throughout the first half which you say is part of their game, we created far more than them which suggests our game plan is better than theirs. It could be they are behind us in terms of build up to the season but we can only play what is in front of us and from what I saw that wasn't much. You are correct in that they will not survive, not a chance.

[marko69]

It sounded very positive, but ........

Crowd goes, "OHHHHHHHHHHH!" ......, hit the post, Andy!

[shabba]

Other than the fun of getting out of the car park / a12 closure - what a brilliant night.

We were brilliant - If I was a Luton fan I’d be rather demoralised as they got played off the park. I Spent most of the game applauding lovely moves from town.

We should have killed the game off, that is my only concern - as you’d be miffed if that was a league game in which we dominated so much and didn’t take full points.

What surprised me was how well we did after making so many subs, the tempo went up which was good to see.

Morsy was immense, and Woolfie again stood out - he is just a class act on the ball and reads the game well.

Harness looks well up for it, and Omar looks very promising / but I would say is a typical youngster - ie exciting on the ball but a little lacking in decision making and final product, but he has time and the right manager to coach him.

JD - I love him but he IS a drop off from Clarke, just a lot slower in the way he plays.

Anyway - you’ve all summed it up nicely, brilliant night - I had great seats and could really see the whole game beautifully - it’s so pleasing to see us playing such good football, the way we stay calm and work the ball out is incredibly satisfying to watch.

[Bluemike]

Spot on Shabba, regarding Hutchinson, yes he needs to pass it sooner on occasions and I'm certain KM will instill that in him Within days but man what an exciting talent we have on our hands.

[Cabanas Blue]

It looks like good news regarding Broadhead

Forward Nathan Broadhead picked up a minor quad injury against the Hatters and hasn’t made the trip, remaining behind to undergo treatment on the knock. Yesterday he posted a photo from inside what appeared to be a hyperbaric chamber.

“Broady was excellent for the time he was on the pitch,” McKenna said at Colchester. “He’s getting stronger and hopefully he’s not got too much of an issue with the little quad injury that he came off with and he’s looking forward to the season.

“He just said he felt something tight in his quads, so when that’s the case in pre-season, you don’t take any risk at all, so we got him off and we’ll see how it is tomorrow [Thursday].

Another player who hasn’t gone to Austria is Cam Humphreys, who took a blow to the head at Preston last week.