After another infuriatingly timed international break, the rough and tumble of the Championship resumes on Saturday 19th October. And it doesn't get much rougher than this one as coachloads of Hornets take the short hop north to the town named the 2023 UK's worst place to live: https://www.bedfordshirelive.co.uk/news/bedfordshire-news/luton-named-worst-place-live-8119390 Looking forward to seeing what intimidating branding the buses will have this time around for our trip into the Bedfordshire favelas - Barbie? Dora the Explorer? Following a couple of very strange seasons where they were actually better than us, the rightful order has been restored and we travel up the M1 riding high in the play off spots, three points from the top and with a head coach that the fans are right behind. In stark contrast, the Hatmen are turning on Rob Edwards, disappointed that their Championship super team is hovering just outside the relegation zone. Edwards' change in appearance perfectly encapsulates the difference between the two clubs: from a handsome and debonair young manager with the world at his feet to someone who looks like he lives under a flyover and has seen terrible things in just two years. How it started... How it's going... It's nice to see the garishly clad orange lot have their turn bemoaning a manager persisting with a formation that doesn't seem to work, putting round pegs in square holes and turning the squad into less than the sum of its parts, something that has been all too familiar a refrain around West Herts in recent years. There's undoubtedly pressure on Edwards as their pitiful one season effort in the Premier League only grants them two seasons of parachute payments, with a substantial drop off in the second year. Still, at least they got to do numerous laps of honour for their *checks notes* 24 plucky defeats. Depending on any injuries to the players away on international duty, we should be close to full strength. I presume they don't have any international players because... why would they? Team selection will be interesting for Cleverley and presume he will go for bigger characters who aren't going to be intimidated by being in close proximity to a crowd full of angry, gurning simpletons (Bayo ahead of Jebbison, Porteous over Morris etc). Edwards will undoubtedly be thinking up plans to deal with the threat of Bayo, a player he confirmed he definitely wanted to sign whilst here, having presumably spent all the previous season watching videos of him in Belgium whilst managing in League 2. Will likely be a closer affair than the table suggests, they probably haven't been as bad as their results suggest and we have probably been a bit lucky so far. They will inevitably try to drag us down to their level on their big day. Away form remains a concern and something Cleverley needs to get a grip of quickly if we are to stay in the top half. Here's a couple of game highlights chosen completely at random from the 122 encounters between the clubs: And here's some reminders of the scenery you can expect to see on the trip up there:, along with an article posing the unnecessary question 'Is L*ton the dirtiest town in Britain?' - a question we all know the answer to... https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...-streets-fly-tipping-soars-outside-homes.html And finally, here's their forum if you want to feel like you've been transported back in time to the dawn of the internet: https://members.boardhost.com/lutonoutlaws/ Come on you 'orns! Get into this lot (not you Porteous, you calm down).
Excellant preview, though i feel a singing section is missing, so let me provide some lyrics: If i had the wings of a sparrow If i had the arse of a crow I would fly over luton tomorrow (why not today?) And **** on the bastards below below **** on **** on the bastards below My old man said be a luton fan I said **** off ******** you're a ****! He's only a poor little hatter His face is all tattered and torn He made me feel sick, so i hit him with a brick And now he don't sing anymore Any i have missed?
See the line above my name. A song for the older generation that I can't remember some of the lyrics of now
It's absolutely poetic that Edwards will get the sack after this game. He looks like a PE teacher going through a rough divorce.
Our away form is a concern but it's not impossible to fix. We haven't won since Millwall away from the Vic, but we have been creating chances in these games which is a plus. Lootown will be up for this one despite their really poor start to the season. Edwards may or may not fear the sack if they lose, but it's not about him. It's about is going there and putting in a performance on the road and keeping them in the mire. This season is just as bonkers as the others have been, as even though we are sat in sixth with a rancid away record, we are still only three points off the top. I agree though that we need to play our switched on players. Porteous is a must, he cares but needs to keep his game and feet in check for 90mins. I would start Bayo as I think the atmosphere may get to Jebbison and although he showed a slight improvement against Boro' he still needs confidence. Sissoko, Sema and Chak and TDB with the possiblity of Ince and Baah later on. Form goes out the window in these games, it's a Derby for a reason and the Beds/Herts is always the game I look for first on the fixture lists. A draw would not be a terrible result and better for us than them. It would keep our PPG ticking over. Hopefully the break has done the squad (who were not involved in Internationals) a nice reset to get their fitness up. Would absolutely love it for Edwards to get the boot if we won say 3-0, but considering it takes the opposition to score for us to play, I'll go for a solid point. Great preview @Steve Leo Beleck 1-1
We all know this is the game either Jebbison scores the winner or gets sent off and becomes a hate figure forever.
I disagree regarding Porteus. Luton will target him knowing that he is likely to lose his head. I think we need calm heads.
Never could or still can't understand why they enjoy having a forum designed as if we are still doing the internet over 56K dial up modems. Whatever floats your weird boat though I suppose.
Looking forward to it but my anxiety levels are already sky high. They were absolutely horrendous against Sheffield Utd but I can't see that happening again. Edwards set-up was simply comical. So I'm hopeful he's completely lost it and does more of the same. Paramount we start on the front foot and go for the jugular. All that matters is the win.
If we were a normal non-bonkers club, we’d smash these out of form losers 4/5-0 and cause our cast-off manager of theirs to be sacked in hilarious disgrace, making it truly a perfect day. But we’re a bonkers club.
I predict at least one red card for us. I see the knuckle draggers are already getting their excuses about key player injuries in Our poor away form worries me. If they do win it will be pyrrhic in a away as itll put a plaster on RE saying with them and dragging them further down.
Think their club insiders have already told 3 Counties radio that they won't sack him regardless of the result in the derby as they don't want us to be able to hold that over them. Imagine being so tinpot that you wouldn't make a decision that was in the best interests for your club as you were worried about your rivals being able to gloat. #rentfree (Suspect this will be a moot point as they'll battle their way to some sort of result)
We will buck our recent away form and do this scummy lot. Even the Harry Potter buses won't stop us. Got my ticket and cannot wait.
With our away form that just isn't going to happen though. I would certainly take a draw as I think a defeat is more likely than a win.
If Porteous starts, you can bet your literal house on a red card; possibly even spice it up by further specifying the wager with a record, like 'fastest ever red card', say.
Certainly seems to gaining traction. No confirmation yet but for them it’s probably the best time to do it. For us it’s not great timing at all
Nothing ever happens on a Thursday! On one hand you'd think that this would have happened on Monday, but I suppose a few days to thrash out an exit plan would make it possible.
