Graeme Jones admits that Luton were naive the last time they faced Brentford, so will study his players’ physical abilities in a bid to avoid another drubbing in tonight’s Championship clash at Kenilworth Road.
The reverse fixture at Griffin Park in November ended in a 7-0 humbling, Town’s worst league defeat for 53 years, and it has been used ever since by the manager as the benchmark of what not to do in the final match of a three-game week.
In west London, Jones named an unchanged side for the third consecutive time and they suffered badly, both on the scoresheet and because influential playmaker Izzy Brown pulled up with a hamstring injury that kept him out for eight weeks.
Jones said: “Was it a freak result? No, because it happened. We were a bit naive that day. It was the third game in a week, which is always the one, physically, where there’s questions.
“Players can normally go for two, it’s the third one that fatigues you. That’s another part of my job and planning. I’ll have a look into the physical aspect in detail and make sure we’re competitive.
“They (Brentford) were exceptional that day when we played them, so we need to be ready. Whoever’s picked and goes out on the pitch needs to be ready, physically, mentally and tactically.”
Striker Harry Cornick has spoken of the last Brentford game as leaving scars on the Hatters, albeit ones he believes that they have fought to eradicate.
Asked if he thought his players were still affected by the hammering in November, Jones said: “They better not be. It’s another opportunity for three points, no more than that.
“Everybody blew (Charlton) up because it’s bottom of the league. No, it’s another game. It’s about a points tally and our next opportunity to achieve points is Brentford at home.”
Jones was without Brown (illness), Kazenga LuaLua and Sonny Bradley (both with knocks) at The Valley on Saturday, while keeper James Shea has a broken finger.
The manager said: “I’ve got to have people available and capable of coming in and giving the level that our boys did against Sheffield Wednesday and Middlesbrough.
“I’ll only make those changes if I feel like that is going to be the case. At the minute, I’m four players down from where I was against Middlesbrough.
“I need to assess Brentford, asses our players and see where they are in terms of illness and injury and I’ll make a decision from there.”
Town are back at the bottom of the Championship and six points from safety, though that’s effectively seven because of the worst goal difference in the division.
But Town are unbeaten in their six evening clashes at Kenilworth Road this term.
“Our crowd have got a part to play,” said Jones, adding: “We’ve got to keep believing. Believe me, we’re still in here fighting one million per cent.
“The crowd have been very, very good this season, so we need a big performance from the crowd, a big performance from the players, the way Charlton got that, with their crowd.
“If we can get that, we can go close.”
