Luton Outlaws - Independent Message Board for Luton Town FC

Reluctant to say this because I don’t want to come across as though I’ve been waiting for this but I’ve never really bought into the Wilshere lov in. I’ve deliberately not said much because he clearly deserves credit for that excellent run at the end of last season. But ultimately it was a very good 12-week spell with a very, very expensive squad.

And, as has been said to death, 7th was a fucking shite outcome for Luton given our wealth and notions of being well run a club with parachute payments and the biggest budget in the division. That’s a catastrophic underachievement and for me it inevitably taints how I view that late run. It was good, absolutely, but it was also pretty much the bare minimum we should have expected from that squad by that point.

He’s got a lot to prove for me, and there are some really worrying signs already. We seem to be getting echoes of Rob and Matt at their worst — a complete inability to be pragmatic, some very hard to understand line ups and an inability to set the team up defensively and do the basics.

It’s far too early to write him off course. And the media wankfest over him at times is a bit much, but that’s not his fault either. It happens with every big name former footballer cutting their teeth in the lower leagues.

Three games in and Stockport at home now feels quite big. Didn’t think we’d be here as only a few months ago we were saying how dull the fixture list was!

I find all the social propaganda from the club to be a bit much.

I would expect the club to support their manager but it comes across as trying too hard to convince. “The fans are everything”, “We’re connecting with the fans”, “This club means so much to the boys” etc., etc… Heard it all before. Change the song.

That flippin’ cup win served to paper over the crack last season. We ended up just outside of the playoffs but our football, aside from the occasional glimmer of brilliance was mostly unconvincing.

Overall, I’m not sure about Wilshere. I suspect we’re a vessel to help improve his profile but it honestly looks as if it’s backfiring at this point.

Clough is a savvy manager and not only prepared his team but got them up for the fight.

Despite that, our lack of fight and inability to defend is worrying. The spine of the team is poor and I hope is a work in progress. I think everyone can see the imbalance in midfield.

As for the fullback situation, this is farcical. In my own opinion, I do not think Jones wants to be here and if he were to depart I would not lose sleep over it.

Lawrence has been poor in every game. Very static and doesn't track back when the opposition attack, a luxury we cant afford. Donley started despite not being fit as we had no body else to play there. Embarrassing all round.

Playing Thursday would not of benefited the side for sure versus Mansfield at home and fresher. They are probably pound for pound one of the best team in the league, Punching above their weight.

Other fancied sides will get turned over there.

Agree with all that ...and Lawrence is a bang average player. He makes us worse when he plays.