Post by Macmoish on Sept 27, 2011 5:41:25 GMT
Independent
Midfielder breaks hand in wall punch
Footballers are often encouraged to play with passion – but Luton Town manager Gary Brabin may ask his players to hold back following a self-inflicted injury at the weekend.
Midfielder Alex Lawless was so infuriated by his side's first-half performance in their 3-0 defeat to York City that he punched the wall at half-time, breaking his hand and ruling himself out for weeks.
Brabin, already dealing with an injury crisis, was not best pleased and is believed to have fined the player. And as for the hapless Lawless? "He's inconsolable." James Waterson
www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/football-in-brief-torres-thanks-fans-for-their-support-2361495.html
Bedfordshire News
Lawless out with broken hand
BY JAMES CUNLIFFE
Alex Lawless will be out of action for a month after breaking his hand at half time during Saturday’s first Conference defeat of the season at York City.
The midfielder wouldn't have been available for selection tomorrow night’s visit of Cambridge United after picking up his fifth booking of the season in the reverse but manager Gary Brabin confirmed the injury was self inflicted after he punched a wall at half time in frustration at being 3-0 down against his old club.
He said: “I’ve spoken to Alex at length, he is absolutely gutted about the situation and we’ve just got to push on from it."
The Welshman's absence leaves the Luton chief with more selection headaches. Centre back Dean Beckwith will sit out the final game of a three match suspension while top scorer Amari Morgan-Smith returns from his one game enforced absence.
But after former Hatter Jason Walker scored against Town in the 3-0 defeat at the weekend, Luton will hope some of their ex-United stars can have the opposite effect in the first of two home games in a row.
Brabin, himself an old manager of the Abbey Stadium side, has Danny Crow and Robbie Willmott in the ranks and up for contention for a run out against their previous club.
“We have a few ex-Cambridge lads here so it is always nice playing against your former club, so I’m sure they’ll be up for that,” said the Kenilworth Road chief.
“We’ve got to get back to the things we’ve done right and hopefully bounce back with a good positive result after Saturday’s performance.
But under former youth team boss Jez George, the U’s are in a rich vein of form and are unbeaten in seven games, and Brabin expects his former employers to one of the sides in the mix for promotion this season.
“I was only there 12 months but I know Jez well enough,” said the Hatters manager.
“There is a lot of competition this year. I think everyone has gained strength from the previous two less favourable sides in Stevenage and Crawley gaining promotions.
“People have seen how well they did and everyone is having a good go at it this year, Cambridge being one.
“They have got a good fan base. It’s a good club and they’ll want to be up there. They’ve had a disappointing last few years but they’ll want to get up there, challenging, and we are expecting another tough test.”
Brabin admitted that his defence is still a work in progress after they were clinically exposed on Saturday at Bootham Crescent.
“I said after the game that I saw it coming. We’ve got a good group of players but defensively, I don’t think we’ve got it spot on,” he said, adding: “Injuries haven’t helped.
“It’s alright being a good defender but it has got to work as a unit.
“We had three games and three clean sheets where I thought it was coming together a little bit but we lost a couple more defenders.
“It takes time for it to click but the things we worked on beforehand we didn’t do and we were punished for it.
“All the games in this league are tough.
“For me, the positives are and I know we’ve got a lot of improving to do. We are confident in terms of that but we need to get back to winning ways and we know we’ll get better and better.
“It starts in training. The lads are absolutely gutted [about their first defeat].
“We’ve got to keep up standards and if we fall below them, all of a sudden we don’t look the powerful team like when we were winning matches.
“I’d love to be in the position where I could pick the same side. We haven’t had that luxury.
“That’s something we’ve got to look forward to.”
Curtis Osano is one of the injured players that will be assessed today after three weeks out with a toe injury.
Shane Blackett and George Pilkington are back in training but it is too soon for the pair to return against Cambridge.
www.bedfordshire-news.co.uk/Sport/Luton-Town-FC/Lawless-out-with-broken-hand-26092011.htm
BBC - Luton Town's Alex Lawless breaks hand in wall punch
Luton Town midfielder Alex Lawless has broken his hand by punching a wall at half-time in Saturday's loss to York.
With the Hatters 3-0 down, the Welshman, 28, did not re-emerge for the second half against his former club.
He will be out for about a month and has been disciplined by the club, with the punishment undisclosed.
"He does care and it was against his former club, I can understand the frustration," boss Gary Brabin told BBC Three Counties Radio.
"But his act has now cost us for the next month or so.
"I've spoken to Alex at length, he's absolutely gutted. He understands [the punishment] but we'll be keeping that in-house. He realises he's let us down and he'll be dealt with accordingly."
Lawless was already suspended for the visit of Cambridge United on Tuesday.
Saturday's defeat sent morning leaders Luton crashing from first to sixth in the Blue Square Bet Premier.
news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/15063746.stm?+fc+barcelona
Midfielder breaks hand in wall punch
Footballers are often encouraged to play with passion – but Luton Town manager Gary Brabin may ask his players to hold back following a self-inflicted injury at the weekend.
Midfielder Alex Lawless was so infuriated by his side's first-half performance in their 3-0 defeat to York City that he punched the wall at half-time, breaking his hand and ruling himself out for weeks.
Brabin, already dealing with an injury crisis, was not best pleased and is believed to have fined the player. And as for the hapless Lawless? "He's inconsolable." James Waterson
www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/football-in-brief-torres-thanks-fans-for-their-support-2361495.html
Bedfordshire News
Lawless out with broken hand
BY JAMES CUNLIFFE
Alex Lawless will be out of action for a month after breaking his hand at half time during Saturday’s first Conference defeat of the season at York City.
The midfielder wouldn't have been available for selection tomorrow night’s visit of Cambridge United after picking up his fifth booking of the season in the reverse but manager Gary Brabin confirmed the injury was self inflicted after he punched a wall at half time in frustration at being 3-0 down against his old club.
He said: “I’ve spoken to Alex at length, he is absolutely gutted about the situation and we’ve just got to push on from it."
The Welshman's absence leaves the Luton chief with more selection headaches. Centre back Dean Beckwith will sit out the final game of a three match suspension while top scorer Amari Morgan-Smith returns from his one game enforced absence.
But after former Hatter Jason Walker scored against Town in the 3-0 defeat at the weekend, Luton will hope some of their ex-United stars can have the opposite effect in the first of two home games in a row.
Brabin, himself an old manager of the Abbey Stadium side, has Danny Crow and Robbie Willmott in the ranks and up for contention for a run out against their previous club.
“We have a few ex-Cambridge lads here so it is always nice playing against your former club, so I’m sure they’ll be up for that,” said the Kenilworth Road chief.
“We’ve got to get back to the things we’ve done right and hopefully bounce back with a good positive result after Saturday’s performance.
But under former youth team boss Jez George, the U’s are in a rich vein of form and are unbeaten in seven games, and Brabin expects his former employers to one of the sides in the mix for promotion this season.
“I was only there 12 months but I know Jez well enough,” said the Hatters manager.
“There is a lot of competition this year. I think everyone has gained strength from the previous two less favourable sides in Stevenage and Crawley gaining promotions.
“People have seen how well they did and everyone is having a good go at it this year, Cambridge being one.
“They have got a good fan base. It’s a good club and they’ll want to be up there. They’ve had a disappointing last few years but they’ll want to get up there, challenging, and we are expecting another tough test.”
Brabin admitted that his defence is still a work in progress after they were clinically exposed on Saturday at Bootham Crescent.
“I said after the game that I saw it coming. We’ve got a good group of players but defensively, I don’t think we’ve got it spot on,” he said, adding: “Injuries haven’t helped.
“It’s alright being a good defender but it has got to work as a unit.
“We had three games and three clean sheets where I thought it was coming together a little bit but we lost a couple more defenders.
“It takes time for it to click but the things we worked on beforehand we didn’t do and we were punished for it.
“All the games in this league are tough.
“For me, the positives are and I know we’ve got a lot of improving to do. We are confident in terms of that but we need to get back to winning ways and we know we’ll get better and better.
“It starts in training. The lads are absolutely gutted [about their first defeat].
“We’ve got to keep up standards and if we fall below them, all of a sudden we don’t look the powerful team like when we were winning matches.
“I’d love to be in the position where I could pick the same side. We haven’t had that luxury.
“That’s something we’ve got to look forward to.”
Curtis Osano is one of the injured players that will be assessed today after three weeks out with a toe injury.
Shane Blackett and George Pilkington are back in training but it is too soon for the pair to return against Cambridge.
www.bedfordshire-news.co.uk/Sport/Luton-Town-FC/Lawless-out-with-broken-hand-26092011.htm
BBC - Luton Town's Alex Lawless breaks hand in wall punch
Luton Town midfielder Alex Lawless has broken his hand by punching a wall at half-time in Saturday's loss to York.
With the Hatters 3-0 down, the Welshman, 28, did not re-emerge for the second half against his former club.
He will be out for about a month and has been disciplined by the club, with the punishment undisclosed.
"He does care and it was against his former club, I can understand the frustration," boss Gary Brabin told BBC Three Counties Radio.
"But his act has now cost us for the next month or so.
"I've spoken to Alex at length, he's absolutely gutted. He understands [the punishment] but we'll be keeping that in-house. He realises he's let us down and he'll be dealt with accordingly."
Lawless was already suspended for the visit of Cambridge United on Tuesday.
Saturday's defeat sent morning leaders Luton crashing from first to sixth in the Blue Square Bet Premier.
news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/15063746.stm?+fc+barcelona
