It has been a fluctuating week in terms of the good and the bad for Pool and one that ends in the visit of Luton to Bloomfield Road. First there was the overturning of Bola’s sending off from last Saturday, meaning he is available for the Luton clash, but this was paired with the Daniels decision being upheld due to his aggression towards Bola being displayed from a camera behind the goal. There was then the positivity of Ian Dawes being appointed new head coach as he was promoted from his youth role along with Gary Brabin being named new assistant manager, but the announcement that Jimmy Ryan would have to undergo surgery and could be out for ‘months’ was not the news that Blackpool fans would have wanted to hear when McPhillips spoke to the press.
For what has been a week of waves in extremities the only question that remains is will it end on a high or indeed a low?
Luton Town
The Hatters, who are currently in 11th position in League One, have endured a comfortable return to this division having picked up an automatic-promotion spot in League Two last year. Luton, founded in 1885, are a club on the up with plans to move away from Kenilworth Road to a new 17,500-seater stadium and results on the pitch giving the club the capability of going a long way.
Nathan Jones has really done a good job at Luton, so much so that they were tipped to be one of the favourites to go up this year. Even though they lost the experience of Scott Cuthbert over the summer, they strengthened immensely with players such as Jorge Grant and Andrew Shinnie being added to their arsenal.
When you take in the stats it is clear that the two teams are much differentiating, with Luton a more open team and Blackpool being more refrained. Blackpool have averaged just one goal per game so far, whereas at Luton they have enjoyed a better scoring record with 1.25 per game. Blackpool have also scored 50% of their goals in the last 10 minutes, making them masters, thus far, of recovering game as exemplified against Bradford. Luton, however, have seen no goals in the last 10 minutes and this has cost them so far moralistically and in terms of points.
The Hatters are reportedly taking upwards of 1,200 fans to the Seaside for what will make for a hotly contested rematch, as the two sides meet for the first time since THAT playoff victory
Club Website: https://www.lutontown.co.uk/
Last Meeting:
Score Prediction: 2-2
Manager previews:
Nathan Jones from https://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/2018/september/match-preview-for-blackpool-vs-luton-town-on-22-sep-18/
“On whether our play-off defeat to Blackpool has a bearing on the game: "No not really, I don't think so. It was a learning curve for me. I have watched part of the game the other day. There were a fair few things that happened in the game, decisions from certain individuals, nothing to do with team. That happens. Those two individuals aren't at the club anymore, so we hope we won't make the same ones.
"I have got a good record up at Blackpool to be honest with you, it's a place we are looking forward to going. It'll be a tough game because they're in real good form, they're a dangerous side they really are, the manager has done fantastically well there. For us it's another game, it's cliché, we're looking to get three points and that's all we can do."
On Blackpool being one of the form teams: "It was pretty similar the year before last when we went there, we went up there and won the game. So it's good we're playing a form team because they will want to come out and win the game, [think] that they should win the game, which we kind of enjoy playing against teams that do that.
"Let's see how the game goes. We go up there in good form ourselves, it'll be an interesting one."”
Terry McPhillips:
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