Matt Bloomfield expects Luton’s penalty box will face a bombardment by Millwall today, so has been working to address Town’s persistent defensive problems after conceding calamitous goals from crosses in midweek.
For 60 minutes at Oxford, the Hatters played some of their best football of the season. They took the lead, and though they got pegged back with Tom Holmes not close enough to goalscorer Michal Helik, they quickly struck again to retake the lead.
But in the second half, Luton’s predilection for self-destruction returned and they again gave Oxford the freedom of the Kassam Stadium to score two goals, with the winner seeing Grant Leigh head home without a single Hatter within five yards of him.
It saw Town slump to their 12th consecutive away defeat in all competitions and left them languishing in the Championship drop zone, increasing fears of back-to-back relegations. Today they host an equally out of sorts Millwall, but still fully expecting a Lions side that is traditionally quite direct and powerful.
“It’d be sensible to put some focus on it because the evidence suggests that we didn’t do it well enough Tuesday evening and Millwall will be putting balls in our box, so we have to make sure we’re better than on the Tuesday night,” said Bloomfield.
“We’ve worked really hard. We’ve discussed it in here [team meeting room] in a couple of meetings. We’ve been out on the training ground and we’ve been practising in training.
“I have every confidence in the boys, I really do. I know it’s disappointing on Tuesday night and I was frustrated and disappointed after the game, and rightfully so, because I know where this group are capable of going.
“And I’m really, eager for them to have that soon because of the work they do. So we have to be better 100 per cent, but I believe we can be better.”
Oxford was not the first time this term that Town have scored twice on the travels but still ended up on the losing team.
And with the division’s second highest number of goals conceded it’s not difficult to see that defensive issues have blighted their season.
Asked what he can do to address that, after just two games in charge, Bloomfield said: “So, [there’s] probably a couple of things. One, they’re human. So they’ll have the same frailties and frustrations and weaknesses and strengths as everybody else. They’re human. Mistakes will concern them and confidence will bring them up.
“Secondly, I believe that habits are the thing that change performance, so it’s about us changing our habits and getting better habits, which again comes back to repetition, in and out of possession.
“I believe it’s repetition. I don’t like leaving anything to chance. It’s about having clarity on what we’re trying to do and habits and repetition.
“That’s how we believe in our work. That’s how we go about things and if you can make those things habitual, and it goes well, confidence grows.
“Confidence grows, habits become more ingrained and you get on the upward curve. That’s where we need to head.”
That needs to happen quickly, not least because of the teams around Town at the bottom of the Championship have started to pick up points, with Hull shocking Sheffield United 3-0 last night, preventing the Blades from taking top spot. With 18 games remaining, Luton can’t afford to get cut adrift at the bottom.
Bloomfield said: “It’s another game that’s worth three points, the same as anyone else, and one that we’re looking forward to. We have to approach it with freshness. We can’t be dredged down by the situation. We have to be aware of the situation.
“We have to play with a freshness and and enthusiasm about the game, because it’s an industry that we all love. That’s why we’re in it. You have to enjoy it and you have to make the most of it. And if we can do that and work hard, as we need to do to win the game, then hopefully it can be a good day for us.”
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