Nathan Jones knows Carabao Cup victory against Norwich today (3pm) could spell a hectic start to the season but without the financial impetus – even if they were to draw a big club like Manchester United.
The delayed Coronavirus end to last term and the start of the new season, a month later than usual, sees the unusual situation of a League Cup contest as the campaign curtain-raiser. And the competition will be condensed so the first four rounds will take place on consecutive weeks.
That means if Luton topple Norwich for the second successive time in cup competition – after 2013’s historic FA Cup giant-killing – they could potentially face three games in consecutive midweeks this month.
Boss Jones, said: “In all realism, it is a hinderance because it’s a lot of games and stuff but we have just come out of a really hectic period (last season) and handled it very well.”
Luton would have to get to the third round for the prospect of drawing Manchester United, on account of the Red Devils’ involvement in Europe, but with fans still shutout of stadia due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the usual incentives won’t apply.
Jone said: “We understand the predicament to getting football started on a real truncated basis is very difficult. We understand the problems we have so we have to deal with that.
“It becomes a habit because you want to win the games but the more games you play, especially with there being no fans at the minute, it is not like we can draw Manchester United in front of 75,000, it’s not like that.
“We could draw Man United but it might be in front of 300 people and none of those are paying, so it is not like there is a financial basis for it.
“It’s a difficult one but we are going to try and win the game regardless of whether it means we have to play three, four or five midweek games in a row. That is what we have a squad for and we believe we have a squad that can handle the trials and tribulations of a long season because that is what we do.
“We would love a cup run. We would love to do really well in the league, league is the priority, but I promise everyone we are going into the game with our best side and wanting to win the game.”
Last season only finished six weeks ago, and after a fortnight’s break, it left a shorter pre-season for Town to prepare and they have not played higher league opposition yet. Last term, they rounded off their friendly preparations with a match at home to then Premier League-bound Norwich City.
This term it’s in competitive action against a City side recently relegated from the top-flight and Jones said: “If this was the last pre-season friendly, which it effectively would’ve been, then we would’ve wanted a Norwich or a Premier League test, something different from a top end Championship test, and we’ve got that.
“For all intents and purposes, we want to win the game, it is a cup competition and there’s something on the game, so we want to win it but, effectively, it’s an extension of our pre-season programme as it’s the fifth game, the marquee game.
“We’re treating it as a cup game, but using it as part of our pre-season preparations, going into the Barnsley game, which is the season league opener.”
Norwich will be without 15 of their players due to injury and international duty. Former Hatters Academy ace Max Aarons is among that number after he starred in England Under-21s’ 6-0 romp past Kosovo last night.
Asked if a depleted squad will have any bearing on how the Canaries approach the cup clash, Jones said: “No, not really. I think they’ve got a strong enough squad and not far off 40 professionals who are of Premier League quality. I
“I’m not saying they’ve lost any quality, but they’re a top Championship side, if not Premier League side, so they’ll be fine. They’ve got a strong enough squad to be able to handle that.
“The only thing they could’ve done was bring it forward by a week, but then I think that affects your preparations.
“I would’ve rather have delayed it a week and gone in to play the strongest Norwich team possible, because it’s all about us and our preparation.
“A week earlier, are we as prepared as we’d be for a cup competition? But we’ll treat it right. We didn’t want to change it, Norwich didn’t to change it, and we’re happy with that.
“It will be an extremely tough game, regards of who plays because they have a fantastic squad and we’re in a better position than if we did have to change it to last week because, with all due respect, the Northampton game was a wonderful game for us, and gave us a test because of the way they approached it.
“So, we’re happy that we did that and Norwich didn’t want to change it as well.”
