Line-up
Harry again plumped for a 4-4-2 formation, with fit again Delap and Wise coming in for the suspended Lundekvam and ineffective Belmadi respectively.
Niemi
Delap, Hajto, Powell, Higginbotham
Oakley, Wise, Quashie, Prutton (Walcott, 61)
Fuller, Jones (Blackstock, 65)
Subs: Smith, Cranie, Belmadi
The side lacked balance and width with utility man Delap at right back and central defender Higginbotham at left back, coupled with four similar central midfielders. Harry kept with the Jones, Fuller partnership that failed to gel against Wolves.
To be fair to Harry he had few options, with a very youthful bench and it served to illustrate the limitations of our squad and to emphasise that Saints can’t afford to wait for Svensson and Pahars to return to fitness without strengthening the squad, with games coming thick and fast.
Performance
All credit to Luton, they played like a team and, backed by a vociferous crowd, had the better of the game. They demonstrated the team spirit and will to win that helped make them League 1 champions last season. Their winner was a screamer from Morgan into the top corner, aided by the familiar sight of Saints defenders backing off.
There was an equally familiar lack of endeavour and passing from many of the Saints players who continue to seem overawed when a team throws everything at us. In this league, just as in the Premiership, you have to win the battle first, then play the football and, apart from a few encouraging spells, Saints failed to do so.
Onwards and upwards
After a solitary point in two games, what positives can we take from the season so far? With such high turnover of players, Saints will only improve as a team, backed we can only hope by some quality signings and the growing experience of our youngsters.
We have of course scored our first goals of the season through Oakley and Jones, although it seems that as with the exhilarating win over Norwich we need to score four to win. No doubt Kenwyne Jones will draw much confidence from his poachers goal and Fuller you only hope can only get fitter and sharper.
We now have a much more realistic picture of the effort required to do well in this league and a battling performance away to Sheffield Wednesday is a must to galvanise team spirit after the pain of conceding a late goal.