PL W FA Premier League

Luton Town 1:2 Manchester United

Post-match discussion


Sun, 18 February 2024

Redfrog

Full Member
Joined
Jun 22, 2020
Messages
2,864
Good job we got those two goals so early. Such a poor performance. People talk about us being a top 4 contender but we have been very lucky to win some of the games we have recently. The tide will turn on this.

Some bright moments of course but so poor seeing this game out considering the first 15 mins. Casemiro, Bruno and Maguire atrocious. Mainoo was a real highlight though and good to see Hojlund with another goal.
The win wasn’t lucky. We were bad after 15 minutes in the first half but the better team in the second and had the much better chances.
 

Scanny

Full Member
Joined
Jul 23, 2004
Messages
1,763
Location
London
Too many people are being nice to Garnacho. No doubt he has got talent and skills, but he is the most selfish player - even more than Rashford.
So was Ronaldo at Garnacho’s age. Give the kid a break.
 

Hugh Jass

Shave Dass
Joined
Apr 16, 2016
Messages
11,303
Made it difficult for ourselves, really should have scored two more in the second half.

Good win, but we need to be more clinical.
 

Scanny

Full Member
Joined
Jul 23, 2004
Messages
1,763
Location
London
Did anyone feel that Mainoo was about to score a worldie before the ref played the advantage? He was right on the edge of the area.
Yes and then I’ve no idea why advantage was played when a free kick would have been the better result for United.
 

ole@thewheel

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Dec 9, 2020
Messages
128
This game was a perfect representation of what exactly is our problem with our team which can be summarized over three main points below:

1. Recruiting - You can see how misbalanced the squad is due to the sheer incompetency on the recruiting end. Our star midfield signing clearly is off pace and doesnt understand our style of play and our record wing signing isnt even a standard bench option anymore, even if his 19 year old replacement has a weak game. We have a total of one (1) striker on our squad, who is 20 year old, and a championship level 36 year old CB still stars on our lineup even after a gigantic 200m investement on our defence. And no I will not excuse the injuries, as there should be a contingency plan for that on a properly run club.

2. Tactics- As if ETH took what was the worst part of our style last year, and emphasized it even more this season. Extremely chaotic on possesion, with no intention to control the game at any point and so easy to get outnumbered in any sector of the pitch. While this have obvious benefits on the attack, and makes our games entertaining, this is an obvious liability that comes directly from ETH.

3. Bruno/Rashford conundrum- what hasnt been said already? Our captain and our highest paid player have obvious limitations that do not fit a winning oriented team.This is also direct result from my #1 point above. And no, I will not say they should be dropped, given that they are still the best we have on their positions, but we should have not nvested on them as much as we did.
 

FlapR

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Apr 30, 2010
Messages
851
Couldn't watch the game but checked the score and saw it was 2-0 and hoped we'd smash a team for a change. Clearly too hopeful.
 

Dansk

Full Member
Joined
May 7, 2017
Messages
1,394
5% more clinical in front of goal and we would have won 4-1 or 5-1. While the performance wasn't great, we certainly didn't get outplayed in any sense except for raw possession. We had more than twice as many shots on target, and if not for several missed chances that these players would have scored nine times out of ten, we would have annihilated Luton. They didn't have many legitimate chances, just an endless cavalcade of hopeless shots from distance.

Very small margins and unlucky finishing turned a likely four or five goals into two. Replay those chances ten times and we'd score nine of those times. And this was with a ref who allowed them to wrestle Højlund out of the game completely, and booked our players for anything and everything.
 

Bertie Wooster

Full Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2021
Messages
2,975
Very relieved to secure an important 3 points.

A very entertaining but also frustrating game as we could have made it much easier for ourselves but for some poor finishing / decision making in the second half (especially Garnacho and Fernandes).

At the end of it all, an important and well deserved 3 points. But we really need to get more clinical. I was amazed that for once we scored two early goals and looked like we could quickly get a third! Then it all went wrong for the rest of the half and we were awful. The second half was much better again, but for our finishing and decision making on the break. Should definitely have had it sown up long before those nervy late Luton corners.
 

JediSith

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Jun 13, 2023
Messages
966
Good win. Other teams have struggled to beat Luton so credit for us. Also think we’ve won 6 of the last 7 , drawing once. Great run of form.
 

JediSith

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Jun 13, 2023
Messages
966
Bruno really was rubbish today though. Mainoo once again was class and composed. Don’t think I’ve ever seen such a mature and composed player at his age in that position.
 

Reiver

Full Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2016
Messages
2,552
Location
Near Glasgow
Well done to Hojlund. The 2 goals were probably the only 2 times he wasn't being held.
Mainoo... get him tied up on a long term contract ASAP. He's just class.
I thought we were the better team in the second half and we should have scored at least 2 more. Their keeper was their best player imo.
I think there's a bit of an overreaction about the number of shots Luton had, apart from their goal I didn't think they created much that was a clear cut chance. The comparisons to Arsenal, City and Liverpool against Luton, what do they prove? That we're not as good as them? I think we all know that anyway.
Yes, we shouldn't have collapsed the way we did in the first half and some of our senior players were shocking during that period. Its a tough place to go, we took 3 points, roll on next week.
 

Woziak

Full Member
Joined
May 8, 2018
Messages
3,652
Dangerous times ahead with Casemiro, Bruno, Varane, Maguire all ageing out of the team and needing replacing soon with so little money to go on replacements. Need Saudi to save us with some daft bids.
Or sell Bruno and Casemiro this summer to Saudi for £125m
 

Cloud7

Full Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2016
Messages
12,855
Performances aren't there but at least the results are back on track
 

AndyMUFC

Full Member
Joined
May 28, 2011
Messages
1,964
We still can’t control a game but another great three points at a difficult place. For all Luton’s possession second half, they didn’t have many great chances.

Mainoo is a baller and him and Hojlund are the future.
 

choiboyx012

Carrick>Hargreaves
Joined
Jun 13, 2006
Messages
3,960
Location
next to the pacific
Hojlund has been great at the number 9 position winning and holding up the ball. We really missed that. Martial and Rashford were never good as that target man.
 

groovyalbert

it's a mute point
Joined
Feb 14, 2013
Messages
9,698
Location
London
Should have scored 4/5

Could have conceded 2/3

Tough place to go and we got the win. On to the next.
 

Teja

Full Member
Joined
Aug 17, 2014
Messages
5,863
Martinez + a proper CM next to Mainoo would make a huge difference in games like these.

And yeah if Bruno can recycle sometimes instead of just trying to go back to front asap that would be great.

I think there's enough in the tank there to build a good side but I've said this before many times and was wrong each time so who knows.
 
Last edited:

NLunited

Full Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2015
Messages
3,803
Location
US
What an embarrassment. Liverpool, Cheaty and Arsenal rolled over them easily with big scorelines, while we are completely outplayed by fecking Luton.

Seriously though, we have not quite turned the corner yet despite winning 4 in a row.

We lose the ball too easily and missed too many chances. Liverpool got one up against Brentford like we did, with some luck, and saw them off.

We need to become more tidy and ruthless.
 

TwoSheds

More sheds (and tiles) than you, probably
Joined
Feb 12, 2014
Messages
12,997
What is wrong with our fans FFS? :lol:

Obviously we should have been more comfortable but we won it and played fairly well at times. Great for Hojlund to get 2 more goals.

Only problem for me is Ten Hag can't keep leaving it to half time to get a grip of things. Even without making subs he could have instructed Mainoo to drop a bit deeper when we were under the cosh first half.
 

Cantonagotmehere

Full Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2015
Messages
3,344
Location
Charm City, MD
Good win. Other teams have struggled to beat Luton so credit for us. Also think we’ve won 6 of the last 7 , drawing once. Great run of form.
We lose that game earlier in the season. Obviously frustrating not to put the match away, and the loss of composure in1st half was mind boggling. But, we could easily have won 4 or 5 to 1. There was some amazing link up play and inter-play around the box that we usually lack.

Thrilled to get the win, though it got me on the pints earlier than planned.
 

Woziak

Full Member
Joined
May 8, 2018
Messages
3,652
Bruno really was rubbish today though. Mainoo once again was class and composed. Don’t think I’ve ever seen such a mature and composed player at his age in that position.
He’s been rubbish since Christmas and I genuinely think we should cash in the summer if his form doesn’t pick up, he has a great engine but a 29 year old.
He gives the ball away so much like Casemiro so you need ridiculous stats from him, 3 Goal 5 assists as United pen taker in 24 PL games is not good enough for an elite 10.
Needs to improve or be rested and play Eriksen in the 10 soon. I think he’s more of a liability than Rashford right now.
 

Cantonagotmehere

Full Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2015
Messages
3,344
Location
Charm City, MD
Hojlund has been great at the number 9 position winning and holding up the ball. We really missed that. Martial and Rashford were never good as that target man.
No kidding, he has been great at that. He works so hard. If he takes a knock we are fecked. No one can do what he does for the squad.
 

Gordon S

Full Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2018
Messages
3,673
misrepresents things i think. they had 4 on target and countless nothing blasts from around the box.
The quality up front for these teams isn`t very good, thankfully! And we are pretty good at packing our box and make it difficult for them to find quality chances. But it is just a bit mindboggling that we can`t keep teams at arms length to save our lives. They have so much time and space when entering our half. Almost feels by design, to lure their team up the pitch and then kick it long to Garnacho and they wont know what hit them…
 

Cantonagotmehere

Full Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2015
Messages
3,344
Location
Charm City, MD
Too many people are being nice to Garnacho. No doubt he has got talent and skills, but he is the most selfish player - even more than Rashford.
What? He works his arse off and is lacking composure that will come more with experience. He screws up trying to make the extra pass, just as much as not finishing at times. Why rip on Garnacho of all players? He is for sure a bright spot of our poor season.
 

portrushred

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Jul 19, 2009
Messages
177
Location
best country
Scrappy, tricky away game that we got 3 points from. Job done.
All this hand ringing is ridiculous. There were hubdreds of matches like that during the championship winning years. Sometimes you have to grind it out.
 

Red in STL

Turnover not takeover
Joined
Dec 1, 2022
Messages
9,905
Location
In Bed
Supports
The only team that matters
So was Ronaldo at Garnacho’s age. Give the kid a break.
Exactly, the fun in watching Ronaldo was counting how many stepovers he could do before tying himself in knots
 

vanrooney

Full Member
Joined
Mar 13, 2006
Messages
2,163
Location
Austria
always thought our fan base would be more sensible but i should have known better when people were criticizing SAF in the later years when we "only" won 1-0. nowadays its sadly clear to see that our fan base is the same as everyones else. depressing how negative people are on here. i wonder why some even bother watching the team as it seems to give them no pleasure, even if we win, are on a good run and will get 4th or 5th and CL - i am sure of that. With ineos shaking it up, building a professional structure again, there is enough to be positive about.
 

Man of the Match

Rasmus Hojlund image Rasmus Hojlund 67% of 291 votes

Runners-up

Player Ratings

5.8 Total Average Rating

Highest Rated Player

Lowest Rated Player

Compiled from 283 ratings.

Score Predictions

158,8,9
  • Man Utd win
  • Luton Town win
  • Draw

Detailed Results

  • 25% Luton Town 1:2 Man Utd
  • 21% Luton Town 1:3 Man Utd
  • 18% Luton Town 0:2 Man Utd
  • 13% Luton Town 0:3 Man Utd
  • 4% Luton Town 1:4 Man Utd
  • 3% Luton Town 2:3 Man Utd
  • 3% Luton Town 2:4 Man Utd
  • 3% Luton Town 2:2 Man Utd
  • 2% Luton Town 2:1 Man Utd
  • 2% Luton Town 0:1 Man Utd
  • 1% Luton Town 3:2 Man Utd
  • 1% Luton Town 1:1 Man Utd
  • 1% Luton Town 0:0 Man Utd
  • 1% Luton Town 3:0 Man Utd
  • 1% Luton Town 2:0 Man Utd
  • 1% Luton Town 0:4 Man Utd
  • 1% Luton Town 0:5 Man Utd
Compiled from 175 predictions.
Show more results Score Predictions League Table

Match Stats

  1. Luton Town
  2. Man Utd
Possession
57% 43%
Shots
17 19
Shots on Target
4 9
Corners
3 5
Fouls
6 21

Referee

David Coote