McGeehan praises patience of Luton supporters

Since boss Nathan Jones took over in January, the Hatters have become a far more possession-based team, preferring to keep the ball for long periods, rather than follow the lead of other sides in League Two, and just launch aerial assaults into the box.

Although aware that some fans might want the more direct approach at times, McGeehan believes the majority are on board as he said: “We’re a passing team, the fans want us to go forward, they like big tackles and balls into the box, but we’re trying to be a bit different, build it, keep the ball, possession.

“So you’ve got to be a bit more patient with us, and they are. They’re getting it now and it is helping because in the second half (against Mansfield) they were patient, the goal came and we were unlucky to not get a second.

“We’ve got to build that foundation, like we’re doing, we’ve got to get points on the board. We’re developing our play, we’re evolving as a team and we want to win games, but sometimes a draw is not the worst result.

“We’ve just got to be patient and goals will come, we’ve just got to keep working hard at getting those wins.”

McGeehan knows his side aren’t fully there yet with how they’re trying to play under Jones, but in his mind it’s improving game by game.

Speaking about the 1-1 draw with Mansfield last Saturday, Town’s goalscorer continued: “We are trying to build that passing reputation and we are doing that, and doing it well.

“It’s not 100 per cent full-flowing, great possession stuff but, as a young team, we’re learning, trying to blend and get that passing sharper.

“Teams come here and sit in so you’ve got to understand that we’ve got to try to break them down.

“If we’re going to just lump it at them, they’re better at lumping it than we are because we don’t play like that. They do.

“We’re not going to win the game playing their game, we play our game, they’re (Mansfield) better than us at playing that physical game.

“We’ve got to match that a little bit but then we’ve got to outsmart them and keep the ball. Obviously, the fans see that. It’s frustrating, I want to be playing forward, I want to be getting forward but we have to play a certain way.

“We can’t just go mindlessly at them and try to hit them, so the gaffer builds clever plans and the staff build plans to try to overcome those sorts of teams and it almost worked.”

The midfielder does know that that Luton’s Achilles heel of conceding from set-plays must be sorted out and quickly though, as he added: “The goal affected us because I think we were on top.

“Obviously, when we’re not doing so well, fans do get on you and try to rile you up a little bit, in the second half, we knew we had to come out and start well.

“The fans got behind us and when they’re sucking it into the goal it helps us a lot. It happened in the second half, there was a lot more energy, but that’s natural because they were sitting in.

“It was a much better second half in terms of energy and pressing, but I do think we played quite well in the first half as well.

“We had a lot of possession and started well but it was sloppy to concede from a set-piece. That’s all teams have really had against us, set pieces, a few long balls and pot-shots.

“We need to defend better as a team, as a whole unit, especially from set-pieces because that is something we work on.

“We’ve got to do better at it. I’m sure we will, I’m sure it will click into place and I’m sure we’ll start beating teams, three or four-nil.

“It takes time, we’re still blending as a group and we’re fourth still and we’re not really clicking into gear yet, so hopefully when we do, we can lift ourselves right up there. We want to be at the top of the table so that’s what we’ll keep pushing for.”