Well! I didn't see that happening, especially after five minutes into the game. However, it just goes to show what can be achieved, even with a depleted team, when players are generally played in their strongest positions. Saturday's line up was balanced, something which cannot be said for the previous three games.
The general consensus after the recent dip in results was that too many players were being accommodated rather than played in their preferred positions and the change away from that certainly conjured a far more promising performance. To be honest, the manager should not have needed to be told that but let us hope he has now learned the lesson.
Let us look at the facts. Amari Morgan-Smith is the leading goalscorer and should therefore play up front, not out wide. That is not rocket science. When fit and available, Stuart Fleetwood should be up there alongside him. They will score goals, enough to allow for the defensive frailties shown with so many defenders injured.
In midfield, there has to be a mix of skills; a holding player, two out and out wingers and a playmaker. In defence a right sided full back, a left sided full back and two central defenders. 4-4-2, it is the Luton way! That line up provides balance and the ability to defend and attack. Putting too many eggs in some baskets and none in others leads to an imbalanced team and a lack of skills in some areas and too many in others.
We do not have wingers or full backs who are capable of doing both the roles of a right sided wing back apart from perhaps Keith Keane, although he is losing a bit of pace nowadays. On the left, Jake Howells, who has both the skills and the engine to cope with the task and Curtis Osano who has the pace going forward but doesn't get back quickly enough can be wing backs or out and out full backs. Freddie can do this when fit as well. Dance cannot defend, Ed cannot cross. Even when fit, Gleeson isn't the best crosser either. Willmott can't defend either, so why try to play the wing back formation down both flanks, when we don't have the right players fit to operate it, and it leaves us vulnerable to the counter attack?
So let's look at the options.
AMS and Fleetwood up front with Crow as back up and to be fresh legs.
Willmott and Dance on the wings.
Central midfield: Hand has proven to be a good defensive midfielder and so is Keith Keane, so one or the other for that role, (not both sacrificing a playmaker), and Lawless, Watson, Jake and Kissock to vie for the attacking midfield/playmaker role.
O'Connor can also play up front, down the right wing or behind the front two if tactical change is needed.
Gleeson when fit for right back, with Ed and Keane as other contenders. Jake, Osano and Freddie Murray and Blackett, when fit, to vie for left back.
When they are all fit and available we have Kovacs, Pilks, Antwi, Beckwith and Blackett for the two central defence positions with Keane more than capable of covering as he showed on Saturday.
Collin Samuel needs match fitness and we don't really know much about his strengths yet and similarly Charlie Henry other than he is a winger.
Between the sticks: We have arguably the best two goalkeepers in the division so that position isn't really an issue.
So now that I have cleared up where they should all be utilised, all Mr Brabin has to do is judge which are the fittest and in form and pick them. Simples!
This is a very strong squad when all are available and there is still room for James Constable to come in! ;-)
Next up Kiddy away. Let's go there and take the game to them and look to score some goals rather than sit back just trying not to be beaten. It's a tough game with the Harriers in form at the moment and with home advantage, but we have to get ourselves on a roll now. A victory there would certainly make a statement to the other teams at the top.
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