4 things we learned from 3-0 win at Blackpool: Kaldini corners, the new Kante and understudy stars step up

Luton Town got back to winning ways in emphatic style at Bloomfield Road when they brushed aside Blackpool 3-0 on Saturday. Here are four top takeaways from the match. 

Sluga has competition for the number one spot

Simon Sluga missed the win because of an illness which meant he didn’t make the journey to Lancashire and that gave his deputy James Shea the chance to impress. It is fair to say the former League 1 Golden Glove winner did not disappoint in that regard. 

At a time where the Croatia international has been questioned for his role in a couple of key goals against Luton recently, Shea now has successive clean sheets in his two Championship outings.

Although he was largely unworked at Nottingham Forest last month, he pulled off three brilliant saves in the first half at Blackpool and another in the second period. His handling in extremely foul conditions was pinpoint and his kicking good. He has laid down a serious challenge to start against Fulham. 

Burke gives Luton unprecedented defensive depth

Reece Burke replaced Tom Lockyer in the starting XI for the win at Blackpool and he slotted in on the right side of a three-man central defence as if he has been playing there for the Town for years, rather than the bit part player he has been in his first season at Kenilworth Road. 

The former Hull City man mopped up everything that came his way and regularly looked to get on the ball and bring it out of defence despite the slick conditions. He didn’t put a foot wrong and the days of Luton fans having to fear a defensive injury are long gone. Burke provides incredible strength in depth in the centre-back position. 

Naismith could be the answer to the set-piece dilemma

Much has been made of the set-pieces the Town have put in over the course of recent matches. While some of that was unfair on James Bree, at the same time his final corner kick against Cardiff last week will live in the memory for the wrong reasons. 

Town switched corner takers at Bloomfield Road with Henri Lansbury and Kal Naismith on them. Whether Naismith was due to be on them or a late change happened because conditions were so brutal and the wind was severely impacting the flight of the ball only those involved will know.

However, the corner Naismith took found the head of Sonny Bradley who thumped his header in off the bar to give Luton the lead. Don’t be surprised if ‘Kaldini’ gets more dead balls from here on in. 

Campbell warming to the task very nicely

Although Jordan Clark was the standout performer on the day for Luton, with a goal and an assist to his name, it was impossible to ignore the relentless pressing and display of Allan Campbell in the centre of the park.

Having had his best game for the club in his last start at Nottingham Forest, only to be surprisingly left out of the starting XI last week, the Scot was back in from the off and picked up where he left off at the City Ground. 

When Campbell was signed he was likened to N’Golo Kante and shoots of just why are beginning to flower. In conditions which the former Motherwell man seemed to relish, he never gave the home midfield a minute of peace and regularly drove Luton forward.

With Lansbury in behind him, Campbell had the freedom to get up the pitch and win the ball in the attacking third, something he did regularly. He looks like he is going to be a fine acquisition for the Hatters.