Luton Town FC vs Cardiff City (27th Nov 2021)

Report | Luton Town 1-2 Cardiff City

The Hatters slipped to a second successive home defeat as Cardiff City left Kenilworth Road with all three points this afternoon.

The Welsh side had former Town striker James Collins in their attack, but it was goals from Rubin Colwill and captain Sean Morrison either side of a Jordan Clark equaliser that saw them run out 2-1 winners at a freezing cold, windswept Kenny.

Simon Sluga was back between the sticks after serving his isolation period, while Amari'i Bell returned to defence at left-back.

Glen Rea was named in the side for the first time since the away defeat against Preston North End in October, alongside Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu and Jordan Clark in midfield - the latter of whom came off the bench in the midweek draw at Nottingham Forest.

Harry Cornick was the fifth change, partnering Elijah Adebayo up front as the Hatters go in search of a first win in four matches.

The visitors had the lead on ten minutes when Perry Ng crossed deep from the right, and Rubin Colwill was unmarked at the far post to head past Sluga, who clawed the ball away but goal-line technology had ruled the goal should stand.

The Hatters were struggling to get in the game, and Ng was the next to have a go at Sluga's goal, but his 35-yarder was well off target.

It took half-an-hour for the Town to get some decent possession in the Cardiff third, Clark and James Bree sending crosses in from the right that were well dealt with by City keeper Alex Smithies and his defence.

Adebayo looked to be in the clear on 38 minutes, only for City captain Sean Morrison to pull him down. Referee Oliver Langford showed a yellow card, deeming that Mark McGuinness was on the cover, and Kal Naismith's 20-yard free-kick proved too high.

Cardiff started the second half in similar vein to the first. McGuinness heading over, Colwill drawing a save out of Sluga and Marlon Pack firing over the bar from distance within the first six minutes, before Mpanzu drove one narrowly over Smithies' bar in the 52nd minute.

Adebayo found space on the right a minute later and crossed low for Cornick, who was denied by the Bluebirds' keeper at his near post.

Jones made his first change three minutes before the hour mark, bringing on Fred Onyedinma in place of Bell at left wing-back.

The Hatters' best chance of the game to that point arrived in the 62nd minute, as Naismith whipped in a cross from the left that Lockyer met with a glancing header that again was too high.

The breakthrough finally came when Naismith swung another one in from the left, Adebayo controlled and intelligently cut a perfect ball back for Clark to sidefoot calmly into the bottom corner of the Cardiff net.

Jones introduced Danny Hylton for Cornick a minute later, but it was Cardiff who retook the lead in thr 76th minute when Morrison met Ryan Giles' cross from the left with a firm header past Sluga from close range.

The Hatters, who had been by far the better side in the second half, went straight up the other end and created another opening for Clark, Naismith again sending a low ball in from the left but the midfielder couldn't direct his shot on target.

Bree shot high over the bar and into the top of the Kenilworth Road end with five minutes left, then Sluga had to race off his line and slide tackle Isaak Davies as the Cardiff sub looked to latch onto a through pass from Moore.

Goals:

Town: Clark 64

Cardiff: Colwill 10, Morrison 77

Att: 9,987 (1,032 away)

Nathan Jones' Cardiff reaction

Manager Nathan Jones took responsibility for defeat against Cardiff City this afternoon and said his side were a 'mile off'.

After Jordan Clark had equalised in the second half, there was optimism the Hatters would go on and find a winner but the away side seized their opportunity and took all three points thanks to a late header from Sean Morrison.

Reflecting on the match, Jones said: “I’m learning as a manager. I pulled people out from the team today that were excellent in midweek because I wanted to freshen it up with big and strong players. Ironically, we play three centre-halves and they scored from two crosses into the box.

“I’m better off going a little bit braver and bolder in my selection process. Some people were unlucky not to be picked today and in my mind I know they have done really well this season but we have a poor record against Cardiff here and other teams enjoying playing against them.

“They put two decent balls into the box and scored from them. We put two glorious balls into the box but we didn’t score. All over the pitch, we didn’t do what we do best, we weren’t aggressive enough and we weren’t dominant.

“We didn’t deserve anything today and if I’m honest with you, it is as embarrassed I have been as a Luton manager. I know we lost 5-0 to Birmingham here but today I freshened it up, we worked hard in training, but we were a mile off.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lb1iSpd5JyU – match highlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiN3nq4QDQ0 – NJ post match interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0KqNP3Dgd4 – Jordan Clark interview

Worrying signs for Luton as they fall to Bluebirds defeat

Championship: Luton Town 1 Cardiff City 2

Luton turned in a desperately disappointing performance as they made it four games without a win after being beaten by one of their new bogey sides in Cardiff City at Kenilworth Road this afternoon.

The Hatters got what they deserved as well, as bar a brief spell in the second period when they drew level through Jordan Clark's first goal of the season and began to look like they were capable of pushing for the victory, it was on the whole a bit of a shocker from Nathan Jones' side.

Up against a Bluebirds team who had struggled badly all season, Town just never got going, devoid of ideas for large periods, and second best all over, with a display that at times harked back to their first season back at this level, when they looked a few steps behind their opponents.

The manager had made wholesale changes for the clash against a Bluebirds team who had gone four without defeat in Bedfordshire, Simon Sluga, Glen Rea, Jordan Clark, Amari'i Bell and Harry Cornick coming in for Allan Campbell, Henri Lansbury, Admiral Muskwe, Fred Onyedinma and James Shea.

It was a side that looked like it had been picked for the conditions, a swirling wind hindering Luton in the first period, but they were still dwarfed by a giant Cardiff team, falling behind on just 10 minutes to the visitors opening attack, and quite remarkably the first the Bluebirds had scored in the opening half this term.

Former striker James Collins played a part too, finding Perry Ng, the full back's cross picking out a completely unmarked Rubin Colwill whose downward header was clawed out by Sluga, but not before it had crossed the line, referee Oliver Langford signalling it had gone in.

With the gusting wind stopping Sluga's clearances from getting past the half-way line, Ng picked up one that got caught and tried his luck from 40 yards out, his shot flying wide of the target.

Town struggled to get going in what was a pretty terrible first half, playing into Cardiff hands, with long balls devoured by the centre halves, players caught in possession and a general lack of urgency or bravery to go forward.

One brief foray saw Tom Lockyer and Jordan Clark have crosses cleared and then gathered by keeper Alex Smithies, which was about as good as it got for an increasingly frustrated home crowd.

A long ball then finally did pay off, Elijah Adebayo fouled by Sean Morrison who was booked, but Kal Naismith went for power from the free kick, disappointingly over the bar.

Sluga had a let-off just before the break, opting to punch a cross from the left as it hit an unsuspecting Collins flush on the head but fortunately for the Croatian, rebounded away from goal.

Town did immediately force a corner at the other end, the only real moment of real excitement in the the first period, but despite a good delivery by Bree which bounced in the six yard box, not one Luton player was there to try and convert.

Sean Morrison could have put the game beyond Town on the stroke of half time too, glancing wide after rising highest to meet a dangerous corner.

After the break, the visitors should have been further behind, Mark McGuinness putting a free header over the top, while some appalling defending saw Colwill with a chance of his second, Sluga saving low down.

Mpanzu's shot was always rising, while Cornick couldn't quite get to Adebayo's deflected cross as finally Town looked capable of actually ending their increasing goal drought, now standing at well over 350 minutes, with the home crowd beginning to believe as well.

They had a real chance to do so on the hour mark, Naismith's driven cross met by Tom Lockyer who had stayed up from a corner, but he couldn't divert his header on target, the ensuing kneeslide one of frustration rather than celebration.

However, Town were on level terms on 64 minutes, as Naismith's ball into the box was pulled out of they sky by Adebayo and he picked out the advancing Clark who sidefooted into the bottom corner for his first goal of the season.

Collins might have put City back in front instantaneously, latching on to Sonny Bradley's poor header, his lob caught by the back-pedalling Sluga, while Naismith stepped out to blaze well over, Danny Hylton coming on to try and cause some late havoc.

Rather than a grandstand last 13 minutes in search of a winner, Town had to use that time to try and find another equaliser, Ryan Giles' cross left by Bradley, with Morrison in glorious isolation to power his diving header beyond Sluga.

Town should have restored parity within 60 seconds though, Naismith's low delivery finding Clark who took a touch and then sliced wide

Bree went for an ill judged 30-yard blast, hitting the top section of the Kenilworth Road stand, Sluga preventing a third, decisively sliding out at the feet of sub Isaak Davies.

Winning a corner late on, the hosts then sent up Sluga, but Bree's set-piece was overhit and out for a goal-kick, summing up both his and the Hatters efforts.

Hatters: Simon Sluga, James Bree, Tom Lockyer, Sonny Bradley (C), Kal Naismith, Amari'i Bell (Fred Onyedinma 58) Glen Rea (Henri Lansbury 84), Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Jordan Clark, Harry Cornick (Danny Hylton 66), Elijah Adebayo.

Subs not used: James Shea, Reece Burke, Allan Campbell, Cameron Jerome.

Bluebirds: Alex Smithies, Mark McGuinness, Sean Morrison ©, Joe Ralls, Kieffer Moore, Curtis Nelson, James Collins (Isaak Davies 82), Marlon Pack, Ryan Giles, Rubin Colwill (Mark Harris 71), Perry Ng.

Subs not used: Dillon Phillips, Aden Flint, Will Vaulks, Leandro Bacuna, Ciaron Brown.

Bookings: Morrison 38, Rea 42, Smithies 85.

Referee: Oliver Langford.

Attendance: 9,987 (1,032 Cardiff).

'Embarrassed' Hatters boss regrets his decision to make five changes declaring he picked the 'wrong team' against Cardiff

Town chief on disappointing 1-0 defeat to Bluebirds this afternoon

An ‘embarrassed’ Luton Nathan Jones accepted full responsibility for picking what he felt was the ‘wrong team' against Cardiff City this afternoon, the Hatters making it four games without a win when going down to a 1-0 defeat.

The Luton chief made five changes from the goalless draw with Nottingham Forest on Tuesday night, restoring Simon Sluga, Amari’i Bell, Glen Rea, Jordan Clark and Harry Cornick to the team, James Shea, Fred Onyedinma, Henry Lansbury, Allan Campbell and Admiral Muskwe making way.

Although Clark drew Luton level midway through the second half, as he along with Kal Naismith, Elijah Adebayo and Sluga were the only four to avoid criticism from the manager, Town were nowhere near their best during the 90 minutes at Kenilworth Road, losing for a third game in a row against their Welsh opponents.

Speaking afterwards, Jones said: “We didn’t do what we do best, we weren’t aggressive enough, we ducked headers, we weren’t dominant, we let them dominate us, let them be more aggressive than us, fifty-fifty’s in the middle of the park, we lost, we pulled out of it, we didn’t do it.

"All over there were little bits, the margins and we were a mile off, we didn't deserve anything today and I'm a little bit, if I’m honest with you, this is as embarrassed as I’ve been as a Luton manager.

“I know we’ve lost 5-0 to Birmingham here, but there's rationale behind it.

“Today I freshened it up, we worked on our play, a mile off.

“For this game, I accept full responsibility as I picked the wrong team to win a game today, that was my fault.

“They’re a great group, to be where we are, we’re over achieving, let's not forget that.

"We want to push, want to push, want to push, but fundamentally we have to make sure that we are an established Championship side, that’s first and foremost.

“Today I’m saying, as they've been excellent and they are excellent, and they are a great group to work with, and I love working with them, but today against Cardiff City, again, I've picked the wrong team to play and to win a game against them and that's my fault.

"I’m regretting it (team selection) and I do it every time,

“I make the same errors and I’m learning as a manager, but I pull people out of the team that were excellent in midweek to freshen it up.

“I go big, strong, and ironically, we play three centre halves and they score from two crosses in the box, so I’m better off going a little bit brave, bolder in my selection process.

“I picked certain people today and in my mind, I’m thinking, 'they’ve done really well this season,' but against Cardiff they don’t and they haven’t done well against Cardiff.

“We’ve got a poor record against Cardiff here, and other teams enjoy playing against Cardiff at the minute in their run of form.

“We usually kick Cardiff’s run and that’s I think just a lack of bravery all over, whether that’s in the clinches, whether that’s in battle, whether that’s in bravery to get on it and dominate, we didn't.

"We’ve played Cardiff when we’ve been in good form and we've been beaten three times, 4-0, 2-0, 2-1.

"It's not from anything elaborate, they don’t carve us open, we haven't had to hold our hands up and go 'wow, they're a good side.'

"They just put the ball in our box and we don’t handle it and it wasn't set-plays today where they were dangerous, and I picked a side to combat set-plays, but I’m not doing that again.”

Luton chief accepts responsibility for Bluebirds defeat but slams the 'lack of bravery' on show from his side

Town boss annoyed with himself for picking the same players who had lost to Cardiff previously

Luton boss Nathan Jones slammed the majority of his side for showing a complete ‘lack of bravery’ during yesterday's 2-1 defeat against Cardiff City at Kenilworth Road.

The Hatters have now lost all five matches against the Bluebirds since returning to the Championship in 2019, with Jones in charge of the last three, beaten 4-0, 2-0 and 2-1.

He made five changes for the match, admitting afterwards that he regretted his selection, and going into more detail into just why his team were so poor, he said: “A lack of bravery all round, in every sense.

"In football sense, bravery on the battlefield can be you don’t stand up to a fight, that’s one form of bravery.

"Another form of bravery is getting on the ball, doing the right things, outworking someone, being brave in your movement, there was no bravery today, no bravery whatsoever.

"Being scared of taking a hit, pulling your head out, all those forms of bravery that I expect from our team, we didn’t do today.

"So I accept full responsibility, because I should have known, because they’ve done that in the past.

“We didn’t stand up to the battle, we lost two many fifty-fifties from pulling out, then we weren’t brave enough in possession to get hold of it and outwork someone.

"Then when there were opportunities in the final third, were we brave to really go at someone and take them on, cause them problems?

"No, so all those braveries added up to us being way off it."

The changes made by Jones saw Simon Sluga, Glen Rea, Jordan Clark, Harry Cornick and Amari’i Bell all come back into the side, but the manager felt it was the wrong call to trust certain players he had selected against City in the past.

Of the 11, only Sluga, Rea, Sonny Bradley, and Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu have have started all three matches against an imposing Bluebirds side, as although Jones absolved four of his team from blame, he had some strong words for other seven, continuing: "Jordan Clark was outstanding, Kal Nasmith was outstanding, Elijah Adebayo lived off scraps and Simon Sluga could do very little.

“If you can tell me different, then let me know.

“Making the changes I did today was to make us stronger, make us bolder and they didn’t.

“Jordan Clark was excellent, he was the one midfielder in the first half who got hold of the ball, who moved it, that was brave in possession and he was exactly the same second half.

"Kal Naismith is as brave as you like, if you can tell me anyone else who was excellent, I beg to differ.

“We were nowhere near today and I accept full responsibility for that, as I trusted some players that I probably shouldn’t have.

"Normally we’ve been really good and aggressive, we’re a front-footed side, but today against Cardiff who have got size and experience and a bit of aggression, I trusted players that I knew in the past have let me down against sides like this and that's my fault, so I have to accept full responsibility.

"I can’t remember Cardiff having masses of chances, they've had two crosses and scored from two as we haven't done the basics right.

"We’ve had umpteen situations, but we never did anything, that wasn't a Luton side.

"So I accept full responsibility for today’s game, because I didn’t pick the right team to go into today’s game, to match a Cardiff side coming away from home with the experience they’ve got.

Jones was quick to point out that his side don't always serve up performances like they had done though, as it was only a month ago they were sitting fifth in the table, with thoughts of a play-off push emerging.

He added: "Some days they’re courageous, they’re big, they’re bold in everything they do.

"We went to (Nottingham) Forest the other day and were courageous, bold, but today we weren't, on every level.

"We didn’t get hold of the ball, didn’t control the game, we didn't play with tempo, didn't stretch them, didn't play with aggression, didn't out-press them, didnt'r outwork them and that’s fundamental for us to stay in this division.

"To be a decent side at this level, you have to do that, because as I said, we haven't got better players than everyone.

"What we’ve got is a way of doing things and today we didn’t show that.”