Mature Mengi didn't want to leave Luton in jeopardy when walking a disciplinary tightrope at Millwall
Centre half made sure he avoided a second yellow card at the Den
Luton defender Teden Mengi was determined not to leave his Hatters team-mates in jeopardy when walking a disciplinary tightrope during the 1-0 win at Millwall on Saturday.
After the centre half had put the visitors in front with 10 minutes gone, curling a wonderful strike into the corner of the net from Liam Walsh’s pass for his first of the season, he was then shown a yellow card by referee Josh Smith for needlessly kicking the ball away on 41 minutes. With the half-time whistle approaching, Mengi was in trouble again after fouling Duncan Watmore who was looking to get away, earning him a final warning from the official, who struggled throughout the contest, also incurring the wrath of the Lions fans, the home supporters baying for the former Manchester United youngster to be dismissed.
He wasn’t though and went on to help the Hatters pick up a first Championship triumph of the season, as speaking afterwards, Mengi admitted he hadn’t wanted Luton to be in the same position they were at Portsmouth earlier in the campaign, forced to play for over an hour with 10 men during the 0-0 draw due to goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski’s red card.
Speaking afterwards, the defender admitted he had feared the worst when play was pulled back, saying: “There's always that worry as he blew the whistle didn't he. I just knew that I had to be careful, I was on a tightrope from then, so I just had to play with maturity and I didn’t want the lads to be in jeopardy, being a man down and that being my fault.
“We've been in that position before where we've had a man less than the opposition. I know it’s not nice, so it’s not fair if I lose my head. I had to be smart, had to play with maturity and not do anything stupid, keep my cool but also play with aggression, controlled aggression I like to call it, so I was able to stay on the pitch.”
Mengi, who had joined Luton having played just 21 senior games during his time at Old Trafford and loan spells with Birmingham City and Derby County, thought his breakthrough year, in which he started 28 Premier League matches, helped him keep his cool, as he continued: “I took a lot from last season. I played a lot of games and as the games went on you just learn more and more things. The group is such an experienced group, so even now you learn so much from the players, just being there every day and being all around them.”
With Cardiff City centre half Mark McGuinness have signed during the transfer window for what was a club record fee, and Reece Burke back to full fitness again, Mengi took up a different role at the Den, named on the left of Town’s back three, switching over from his usual right-sided or central role. He didn’t have any trouble in helping Luton keep a second clean sheet of the season though, adding: “Everyone’s comfortable doing a shift at the back because we’re really well drilled Monday to Friday.
"Everyone knows what they’re doing, whether you’re on the bench or whether you’re on the pitch, everyone is clear what their job is and that’s a credit to the manager that as no-one is ever in two minds. Anywhere across the back three, I’m comfortable playing any of those positions. It’s just where the gaffer wants me to play, I’m prepared to do a shift and we got the win.”