Posh head to Luton for their penultimate pre-season match.
Luton Town -Vs- Peterborough United
Venue: Kenilworth Road
Date: Saturday, 2nd August, 2014
Kick-off: 15:00pm
Posh head south to take on last seasons non-League champions Luton Town in their penultimate pre-season match. Although Posh have one more match remaining, todays match against the Hatters is expected to be the last time Darren Ferguson plays all the players most likely to start next Saturdays League opener at Rochdale.
The squad looks a lot stronger in depth this season and contains some very good youngsters coming through who should get plenty of match action this season. Kgosi Ntlhe and Jermaine Anderson are the two most likely to challenge for a starting position next weekend and they should start the match against Luton today.
New number one goalkeeper Ben Alnwick should start between the sticks again and will be joined in the defence by new right back Michael Smith who is still behind the rest of the team fitness-wise but who is expected to be ready for Rochdale.
Jack Baldwin and Gaby Zakuani look to be Fergie`s preferred centre-back pairing and should start the match today, but teenager Ricardo Santos has really impressed during pre-season and although he probably won`t start today or next weekend, he will certainly be challenging Zakuani for his place this season.
The midfield four is an interesting area as there are a few players pushing for a starting place. Captain Jack Payne and Jermaine Anderson look like they could be the central midfield pairing, while newcomer Jon Taylor looks to have cemented his place as well which leaves just one other place.
Loanee Kenny McEvoy has started in recent matches but picked up an injury against Charlton on Wednesday. Although he has recovered from injury, Nathaniel Mendez-Laing could get the nod to start against Luton.
“Nat gave us energy when he came on against Charlton on Wednesday,” said Ferguson. “He has also looked really impressive in training and is showing a good appetite for the game.
“Nat is young and we have all made mistakes in our teens and early twenties. We will keep persevering with him and he has done enough to deserve another chance. I have a responsibility as manager to handle him the right way and get the best out of him.
“We know the talent and ability is there. I recall him being our best player in the final month of the season before last when we were relegated from the Championship, but we need to get him delivering consistently.”
Despite the goal scoring efforts of Kyle Vassell in pre-season, Britt Assombalonga and Conor Washington look the likely front-pairing that will start next week and also against Luton today. It would`ve been good to see Vassell partner Assombalonga in pre-season, but Fergie has opted against this for some unknown reason. Whether he gets a chance today is anyone`s guess but Vassell could see a few minutes towards the end of todays match.
Erhun Oztumer is still regaining fitness after picking up an injury a couple of weeks ago and will be disappointed to show Luton Town what they missed out on after they were pipped to his signing by Posh.
Despite playing three Championship sides, and remaining unbeaten throughout pre-season, Ferguson believes the match at Kenilworth Road could be the toughest challenge for his team: “Luton will provide arguably the toughest test of the pre-season so far. It will be a hugely competitive game and one that I am looking forward to. We have a lot of pace in forward areas at present and that excites me.”
The Hatters are also unbeaten in pre-season having won four matches and drawn three including a 2-2 draw with Colchester United on Tuesday evening.
There could be two familiar faces in the Hatters side today in the form of goalkeeper Mark Tyler and left back Scott Griffiths.
Griffiths joined the Hatters in March 2012 following his release from Posh while Tyler has been at Luton since 2009 and like Griffiths was after he had been released by Posh.
UP THE POSH
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