With EFL Championship football our bread and butter this season, it’ll be interesting to see what starting XI’s the gaffer fields in the first few fixtures.
Although the Hatters have been, so far, relatively quiet in the summer transfer market, I’m still of the opinion there will be a raft of deals done, in the coming months, that will see some players arrive and others leave.
Indeed, our most recent poll asks you to vote for what position you feel needs strengthening the most:
Luton Town - Which Position Needs Strengthening The Most?
Defence!
Midfield!
Attack!
and it will be interesting to see if your views match mine.
However, when it comes to the defence, if injuries can be avoided, I reckon we are well covered, even more so if young Joe Johnson can continue the progress he has made since making his Premier League debut last season.
A recent article – a-difficult-decision-needs-to-be-made – contained a poll asking for your views on whether Joe should be kept at the club this season or sent out on loan, questioning whether he would get more games out on loan than he would in the Hatters first team.
The result of the poll shows that you are in no doubt as to what the decision should be with a huge 72% reckoning he should be kept in the Luton Town squad this season while the remaining 28% feel a loan move, probably resulting in more game time, would be the best option.
As the original article suggested, it is a hard decision to make, but I’m under no illusion that if Joe is given his chance he’ll grab it with both hands and give Rob Edwards no option other than to keep him in the starting XI.
COYH
Previous article by Mad Hatter
Luton Town – Not In A Million Years
This is a difficult poll to participate in. We don’t know the thoughts of the management regarding our OWN players. Do we need to strengthen forwards – depends whether we keep Adebayo, Morris, Taylor, McAtee and Woodrow. Defence? Depends if we keep Mengi and on long term fitness of in house defenders. We probably need one CD. We also probably need another RWB as Hashi doesn’t look ready yet and is injured anyway. Midfield – we have to replace Barkley and Lokonga with a dynamic box to box to box offensive MF and a solid goal to half way line interceptor/attack catalyst. In addition we need direct replacements for any first team players who leave especially a quick RW progressive provider if Doughty goes.
A very perceptive post Scotty. Until the people already signed commit everything is up in the air.
makes you wonder how the management cope. just like a game of chess.COYH.
Whilst I can’t be specific I can say the club have and are very busy they have identified the players it’s getting clubs and players agreement that’s clogged up the system at the moment as many as well I don’t want to reveal but by august the team could look unrecognisable nough said.
That looks v positive Chris. As you say, the hard part is sealing deals against fierce opposition – it seems like we’ve already lost out on Ozoh. But Rob & Co came up with some great bargains this time last year, so we’ll sit with bated breath to see who comes in (and who goes out – hopefully not Kaminski, Mengi or Doughty).
we may possibly see 2 or 3 coming in but no big changes to the group
Is it not time to loosen the purse strings just a little? Not go mad on nobody’s like a team that have replaced us in the PL have done but, we are close enough to London that we should be able to recruit/loan from major clubs in the capital
Young Alfie Gilchrist, at Chelsea is available for loan, promising young defender who can play across the back, he’d be a good start!
I don’t wish to be a party pooper but elementary logic tells me that we will struggle to get in the play offs; having ten players from the main squad go or definitely be going, up to a further four who may go, Locks’ future unclear and starting the season with several players injured. Aside from the two freebies, ostensibly zero attempt has been made to bring in players despite good opportunities to compete for credible ones. Drameh, for instance, was ĺlignored, Paddy McNair (free agent) is a competent centre half-and-half full back and he’s got his fitness back. Sheaf and O’Hare went off the radar.