Glen Rea admits the relentless football schedule is “too much” but feels that Luton have the manpower to cope.
Today Town host Brentford sitting in the top half of the Championship table, with four wins and draw from their opening eight games.
Rea returned from a broken nose on Wednesday to score his first goal in 739 days, but then also net an own goal to hand ten-man Nottingham Forest a point.
This afternoon will be the Hatters’ fifth outing of an eight-game month and manager Nathan Jones, who has advocated for the need for five substitutes, said, “there’s a dangerous amount of games coming up.”
Asked about the congested schedule, midfielder Rea said: “I mean, it is too much but it is what it is. We’ve got a great squad and we hopefully feel like we can deal with it. We’re not moaning about the schedule or anything like that. We’re just focused on going out there and trying to get three points.”
Former Luton boss John Still was fond of insisting that the league table was not worth looking at until at least ten games in, which is where we’ll be next Saturday evening, but considering Town only survived relegation on the final day of last term, it’s a point of optimism that they’re now in ninth place, just one point from the play-off positions.
Rea said: “It’s unbelievable but it’s the start of the season. We are where we are and we’re happy with that, but we’re no way going to rest on our laurels, we’re going to keep going.
“I said it when I signed my contract (in the summer), I feel like there’s something good in the air that’s going to happen.
“At the minute we’re doing well, so let’s hope that it carries on. We’re not going to think, ‘we are where we are’ and take our foot off the gas. No, we’re not going to do that.
“We’re going to carry on and see where we can end up. It’s a long season and the games are coming thick and fast. It’s going to be tough, but who knows what can happen.”
Town are only too familiar with what can happen against Brentford after they were drubbed 7-0 in west London, but then beat the Bees 2-1 at Kenilworth Road, just before lockdown.
Rea was on a loan spell with Woking, losing 1-0 to Boreham Wood, at the time of Town’s biggest league defeat since 1966, as he made his recovery from a long-term knee injury. But the midfielder featured in the return fixture, not that he’s putting any stock in the two results about the Bees.
“It’s a big test and Saturday and we’re a million per cent ready for it,” Rea said.
“Last season was last season and this season is this season, so we won’t worry about what’s happened in the past.”
But asking if the turnaround from embarrassing defeat to beating Brentford gives Luton confidence this time around, the 26-year-old said: “100 per cent. We go into every game with confidence. We know that they’re a good team and a top, top Championship team, but so are Nottingham Forest.
“So, if we can go and play like we did in the first half then hopefully we can do well. We’ll go into the game with 100 per cent confidence that we can do well.”
