Luton go to Leyton Orient tonight looking to turn frustration into points after their FA Cup exit on penalties at Fleetwood, with Teden Mengi calling for more ruthlessness.
An injury time equaliser from the defender took Saturday’s tie to extra time before the Hatters lost 4-2 in the shootout to the lower league Cod Army, ending a cup run that looked within reach.
The focus now shifts back to League One, and a trip to east London where Brisbane Road has often been a happy venue. Luton have won four of their last five Football League visits to Orient.
Mengi told the BBC: “We will definitely look at how we can be more ruthless not just in their box but in our box as well. We will go over our mistakes as well and how we can improve and the special thing about this group is we are good at bouncing back.”
And despite going to extra time at Fleetwood, the centre half, said: “I think we are all in good positions physically so we will be ready for Tuesday.”
Mengi has been an ever present in the league under Town boss Jack Wilshere, who said the minutes shared by fringe players over the past week, in Vertu Trophy and FA Cup action, have been deliberate preparation for the season ahead, with a busy Christmas period upcoming.
“I have to find a way to make these players that played today comfortable playing with each other because there might be time this season that they do,” he said. “We are always thinking about that, the balance of the squad, the morale squad but also players that deserved to play.”
He added of his wider squad: “They are better for playing two games. We will reassess and go again Tuesday [tonight] but they are closer to it. They have had two 90 minutes and if we need them, they are ready.”
On the two previous occasions that the Hatters have lost under Wilshere, they have bounced back with a victory and they will seek to heap more misery on Orient who were also dumped out of the cup by lower league opposition on Friday, when they were thumped by Salford.
But it is likely to be a tougher test in the capital because, in the league, the O’s have won three of their last four games at home after going without a win in their first four. Though they haven’t beaten Town in four league games, with their last meeting a 2-2 draw in April 2017.
Fans’ view…
Our man James Cunliffe appeared on the Luton Town Supporters’ Trust podcast to look back on the Fleetwood shock and ahead to the Orient clash, with a focus given to whether the Hatters are better off as a back four or back three….
Be the first to comment