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August 12, 2024

Vitinho completes Burnley’s demolition of Luton as Scott Parker’s team gets off to a fast start – EFL CHAMPIONSHIP

Although it has been nearly 18 months since Scott Parker last oversaw a competitive game, the former England midfielder appears to have learned a few managerial tricks. His Burnley team’s clinical performance against a Luton team that is also attempting to avoid relegation sealed a well-earned victory.

Parker has acknowledged that a conversation with Thomas Tuchel during Bayern Munich’s mid-season training camp in Portugal last year gave him newfound energy. Parker’s previous managerial appointment resulted in his dismissal by Club Brugge in their brief 12-game tenure. Parker was thrilled that Burnley’s players adopted his philosophy immediately. Vincent Kompany joined the German powerhouses in May and is more than capable of filling his shoes after leading Fulham and Bournemouth to promotion from the Championship.

“The most important thing is us all getting on the same train,” he said. “This is a team that has been relegated, I have been in that situation and there is a psychological element to go from that to try and become a winning machine. There’s going to be lots of bumps in the road but the most important thing is that we stick together.”

Luton’s fortunes looked to be improving on a warm evening in Bedfordshire, with chief executive Gary Sweet revealing in his program notes that the capacity of the club’s planned new stadium, scheduled to open in 2027, has been extended from 17,000 to 25,000. Except for Ross Barkley, most players who battled so hard to stay in the Premier League the previous season are still with the team. Possibly most significantly, they could also hold onto their inspirational manager, 

Rob Edwards. Joe Johnson and Zack Nelson, two teenagers chosen for his first team of the season, were described by him as “a celebration of our academy” in the absence of several first-team regulars. Still, he admitted that his side was second best against Burnley’s lightning-quick attackers.

“It’s a difficult first night – I’ve got to put emotions aside and look at the bigger picture,” he said. “But we showed some vulnerabilities, and they punished us.”

Another teenager, Reuell Walters, who joined on a free transfer from Arsenal, also received his first start from Edwards. The 19-year-old, however, was exposed in the sixth minute when Josh Brownhill raced through and beat Thomas Kaminski with a shot that went through his legs thanks to a perfectly weighted pass from Burnley’s recent acquisition, Lucas Pires. Parker has admitted that the bloated squad of 37 players he inherited from Kompany following their relegation last season will be “challenging.” Parker had to constantly push back his flowing locks as he prowled the touchline.

Despite Luton’s efforts to mount a counterattack, his team’s defense was well-organized due to the composed presence of Maxime Estève. They also appeared dangerous when Luca Koleosho and Wilson Odobert broke free. When Odobert was free to run around Kenilworth Road and score a second goal after Connor Roberts’ long ball, the home crowd’s spirits did not improve. “Easy, easy, easy,” the supporters of Burnley jeered.

The hosts came out more determined at the start of the second half, highlighted by a graceful pirouette from Johnson that set up Elijah Adebayo’s header, which unfortunately bounced off the crossbar and fell safely into the arms of goalkeeper James Trafford. Luton’s defense then required a timely block from Johnson to deny Vitinho after a dazzling run from Koleosho forced Nelson to earn a booking for pulling him back. Shortly after, Kaminski made a stunning one-handed save to stop a powerful shot from Dara O’Shea following a corner.

Just two minutes later, Luton appeared to have returned to the match. Alfie Doughty delivered a clever cushioned header from Shandon Baptiste’s deep cross, ideally setting up Tahith Chong, who couldn’t miss from close range. Despite this brief resurgence, Luton still looked vulnerable on the counterattack, with Pires breaking free at the other end and forcing Kaminski into another save.

However, it was Pires who created the game’s crucial moment moments later, delivering a corner that was met by O’Shea at the near post, with the Republic of Ireland defender finding the net effortlessly. Lyle Foster then made a decisive run through Luton’s midfield, allowing Vitinho to curl in the fourth goal, capping off a perfect start for Scott Parker’s side.

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