Manager Nathan Jones blamed a lack of “killer instinct” as Luton paid the price for their profligacy when a quick-fire Cardiff double in four second half minutes cost them.
It’s now 13 times Town have failed to net in the Championship this term and top scorer James Collins is racking up his fair share of squandered sitters.
It’s not he striker’s sole fault that Luton lost yet again to a Bluebirds side that have notched six against them this season, barely having to break sweat to do it, but his big miss was symptomatic of almost half of the Hatters’ season, and certainly this contest.
Collins headed wide at the back stick with the goal gaping on 15 minutes, after being expertly picked out by centre half Tom Lockyer, who limped off injured after half an hour, followed by Matty Pearson at the break.
Between both boxes the hosts were better than the Welsh side for much of the game, but inside the penalty area they’re just not cutting it.
Danny Hylton glanced a header wide in a first half that Luton deserved something, having coped with an early bombardment from Cardiff’s giant team and then taking the game to them.
Jones said: “I think we’ve had a lot of opportunities and we’ve controlled the game. You’re never in total control because they play at their tempo and go back to front and can put it in your box.
“They remind me of Wycombe back in the day, so you have to generate the tempo. I felt we did that and we were brave in our possession, it’s just that we lacked the killer instinct in the final third.
“And then, the first goal was always going to be vital and I’m really disappointed with how we conceded it.”
But, as soon as Harry Wilson wrapped a worldie inside the post from 20 yards on 53 minutes, the jig was up and Jones was livid on the sidelines.
“I was really disappointed with the first goal because I thought there was a foul and there should’ve been two free-kicks in the build-up,” said the manager, adding: “Kieffer Moore goes over so easily and it looks like simulation, but apparently that’s not simulation anymore. So, I don’t know.
“Then, we felt Danny (Hylton) got pulled back and they hit the diagonal, knockdown and scored. But we need to be better. We need to be more clinical when we have chances and then there’s a real disappointment that we had to reshuffle and we got derailed.”
But having not closed down Liverpool loanee Wilson quick enough for the breakthrough, they gave even more space to Will Vaulks who had the freedom of Kenilworth Road to ram home Dan Potts’ headed clearance, with a devilish deflection off Sonny Bradley to help it on its way.
Jones added: “I’m really disappointed because we switched off. We wanted to do the basics right and we wanted to make sure we were right at it and we were for pretty much 50 minutes, but when you switch off against a side that’s in good form, with good players, then that’s what happens.”
And when it’s fine margins that settle tight tussles, it is sod’s law that similar situations don’t go Luton’s way, as Harry Cornick saw another chance to open his long overdue account for the campaign take a nick off a Bluebirds body and edge wide.
But that was nothing compared to wasteful shooting from Pelly-Ruddock Mpanu. The midfielder, too often inaccurate with his passing in the final third, sent one stinger past the post but then had it laid on a plate by Collins, only to miss the target from 18 yards out.
But, as frustrating as they’ve been at the sharp end, Town have been relatively solid at the back, but even that may now be put to the test with the extent of Lockyer and Pearson’s problems yet to reveal themselves.
PLAYER RATINGS:
SIMON SLUGA – 7
Got down well to keep out Will Vaulks’ edge of the area shot when City started brightly. He had no chance with Harry Wilson’s opener but did keep out the Liverpool loanee soon after, with a decent diving save. The second was heading his way before it hit his skipper and flew in.
DAN POTTS – 7.5 (star man)
Won header after header and linked up well with Kal Naismith, showing willing to run beyond the ball in the first half. He barely put a foot wrong and is starting to grow into his role.
SONNY BRADLEY – 6
Good sliding interception after Cardiff got in behind early on and dealt well with the early aerial bombardment. But he was slow out to Harry Wilson, who bent it around him for the opener, and then Will Vaulks’ goal took a nick off him on its way in.
TOM LOCKYER – 6.5
Delivered a glorious cross that should’ve been an assist for a James Collins opener, but injured his ankle soon after and though he played on for a while, was replaced by by Martin Cranie on the half hour mark. He could be a bit miss.
MATTY PEARSON – 5
Struggled with the ball at his feet and Luton’s right side wasn’t as effective as their left in their first half ascendancy. He was replaced at the break by Luke Berry after picking up a hamstring injury.
GLEN REA – 6
Wayward passing was a frustration, but he did break up play and sniff out knockdowns, so when he was forced to drop to centre back in the second half, after the departure of Matty Pearson, Luton lost some bite in the middle of the park and were punished.
KAL NAISMITH – 6.5
Got stuck in and looked lively going forward, linking up with Dan Potts, and winning the ball back inside Cardiff’s half in the first half. But he didn’t get near the knockdown that led to Cardiff’s opener and was replaced by Harry Cornick on 64 minutes.
KIERNAN DEWSBURY-HALL – 7
Saw a decent free-kick tipped over and was at the heart of Town’s attacking play but couldn’t find the killer pass through an obdurate City defence.
PELLY-RUDDOCK MPANZU – 5
Sizzled a shot just wide in the second half when Town were already 2-0 down and then blasted wastefully wide when well-placed from a James Collins lay-off, 18 yards out. It was a symptom of his imprecision throughout.
DANNY HYLTON – 6
Saw one chance skip off the top of his head at the end of the first half after he’d manfully put himself about, taking a clattering from Cardiff’s big centre back pairing. Replaced by Tom Ince on 64 minutes.
JAMES COLLINS – 6
Somehow headed wide and the back stick with Town’s first and best chance of the game, but his overall play, particularly in the first half, picked up where he left off against Birmingham on Saturday and he worked well in attack and defence. Replaced by debutant Elijah Adebayo in the 73rd minute.
SUBSTITUTES:
MARTIN CRANIE – 6
Whipped in a series of cross in the second period, but none hit their mark.
LUKE BERRY – 6
Broke reasonably well but couldn’t find the right pass.
HARRY CORNICK – 6.5
Was tasked with getting crosses in and fulfilled that role, but when his chance came in the penalty area his shot late on was frustratingly deflected wide.
TOM INCE – 6.5
Dropped deep to try to link up the play so saw a lot of the ball, but was forced to play with his back to goal, which Cardiff were comfortable with.
ELIJAH ADEBAYO – 6
Debut for the January transfer window signing from Walsall and his first ever taste of Championship football. It might not be one to remember as he was feeding off scraps, but it’s vital minutes, which will be needed as Town’s troubles in front of goal continue.
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Just as a follow-up, it was good to read Elijah Adebayo’s comments on his start with the Hatters. He says all the right things – and seems to believe NJ is the man to bring him on. Let’s hope he’s right – for both their sakes, and ours!
Years ago we didn’t have all these platforms for us – and the players – to air our views. You might get a letter printed in ‘The Luton News’, but that was about it. Bernard Streten or Ron Baynham in goal? John Groves or George Cummins at inside-left? Should Bob Morton lead the line or stay back at right-half? The trouble now, of course, is the abuse of the system by the so-called ‘keyboard warriors’. You couldn’t get away with that sort of thing in ‘The Luton News’ – and you shouldn’t be able to now.
The Town were in the second tier when I started watching – just as they are now – and I was at The Valley for our first ever game in the old Division One. We drew 2-2, with Gordon Turner and Peter MacEwan getting the goals. I suppose the aim now has to be to get into the Premiership – onwards and upwards! Could Elijah and James Collins get us there? Whatever else you might think, it would look good on NJ’s cv!
Unfortunate to lose two players to injury since it meant Rea had to be dropped back into defence. Lockyer was particularly missed. Wilson and Vaulks were both given too much space, which might not have happened if Rea had still been in his midfield defensive slot.
That said, our squad at this level inevitably has its limitations, which Cardiff were able to expose. Not much fun to watch, but this is still a battle for Championship survival, despite our present, reasonably comfortable mid-table position.
NJ is quirky in his attitudes to players, sometimes overrating them on past reputation – Naismith comes to mind – and sometimes inexplicably keeping them at a distance, saying they have to earn his trust to get into the squad. I find Morrell’s absence – and now Moncur’s – puzzling. Neither is on the HN injury list, and we could do with the former’s tenacity and the latter’s skills. Good to see Adebayo on for a spell and making a start on his learning curve.
And so to Stoke. How will NJ shuffle the pack for this one?
Last night was why I was so peed off with Saturday. You don’t build momentum or confidence scraping the barrel with a rubbish performance against Brum. That was our opportunity to play ourselves into some confidence. We didn’t and the result was last night. I wouldn’t recommend that any neutral fan watches a Luton game this season.
2 questions for Jones – despite the 2 best chances coming from headers, first why the tactic of throwing high cross after cross into the box in then first half against a team that big? Second, what is said at half time that so many second half performances fall flat?
And one for JC. What do you see in Naismith to score him 6.5? Was it the couple of crosses he sent over?
For our WhatsApp group Naismith was easily the worst player on the pitch. Pelly made errors and was poor but sought to get involved. Naismith mainly hid in attack and defence (playing a massive part in their 1st), showed no pace, had terrible control – just before their goal the ball pinged off him in Cardiff’s half like he was a concrete wall being used to play SLAM, which directly led to a good chance for Cardiff. And he barely won a header. Strange times to be starting a new job in any career so give him time and hopefully he’ll come good. But at the moment he is a very poor impersonation of the player Jones thinks he signed.
The final wider question for opposition managers now is, why not come out of the blocks rapidly, throw the kitchen sink at us in the first 15 and kill the game with a goal? Statistically you’d be extremely unlucky for us to peg you back to even a draw.