Luton Town began their 2025/26 League One campaign with a narrow 1-0 victory over AFC Wimbledon, thanks to a late own goal. While the match itself lacked excitement, it marked a positive start for the Hatters as they begin their climb back after a rapid fall from the Premier League to the third tier.
Following their relegation, manager Matt Bloomfield was highly critical of his squad’s performance. However, the opening-day win suggested a potential shift in mentality for the new season.
A major concern for the club has been the lack of attacking firepower, especially after the departure of Carlton Morris to Derby County. That issue was evident in the limited threat posed against Wimbledon. With new signing Jerry Yates now part of the squad, Bloomfield addressed the striker’s readiness ahead of their upcoming match against Peterborough United.
“Jerry’s been training with Swansea but hasn’t had any game minutes yet. He’s a bit ahead of Cohen in terms of fitness but still not quite where we need him,” Bloomfield explained. “We’ve worked hard this summer to reshape the squad, but we’ve lost several attacking options—Carlton moved on, Eli is injured, Brownie’s out, and Thelo Aasgaard has also left.”
Bloomfield emphasized the scale of the challenge:
“That’s a significant loss in terms of goals and attacking threat. Last season, we didn’t score enough, and fixing that will take time. I’m not the most patient person—I want results now—but we’ll need to be realistic and allow time for this team to grow.”
With Yates unlikely to start against Peterborough, others in the squad will need to step up. Luton’s ability to deliver effective service into the box has also taken a hit after Alfie Doughty’s summer move to Millwall, making attacking cohesion even more vital.
Despite the setbacks, Bloomfield remains a promising figure at the helm. As the squad gels, expectations remain high that Luton will push for promotion back to the Championship.
Yates’ durability during the 2024/25 season with Derby is a positive sign for Luton, and his eventual inclusion could significantly boost the team’s attacking edge as they aim for two wins from two this weekend.
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