Marriott expects Town to get their image right for new term

As soon as Jones took over from former boss John Still back in January, he tried to instil a far greater possession-based style to Luton’s approach, with an emphasis on controlling games for long periods.

The Town players showed they were keen to adapt to his tactics and ended up winning 11 out 21 matches, although couldn’t quite make it into the play-off places, despite threatening at times.

However, with the chance to fully hone their style of play before the League Two opener at Plymouth Argyle on Saturday, August 5, Marriott said: “I think pre-season will be really good as we can work on the things the manager wants to work on.

“We can really get a style of play and a real image of the way that we play and the way we go about our thing.

“The five or six weeks in pre-season we’ll work on that and come the start of the season everyone will know what to expect from us.

“As long as it’s drilled into all of the players that are playing, so whenever they’re called upon, they know what they’re doing, I think we’ve got a great chance.”

Building from the back is a big part of Hatters’ game-plan under Jones, so new keeper Christian Walton will be expected to begin a number of attacks with his distribution.

It’s something the on-loanBrighton stopper is more than happy in doing though, as he said: “I’ve worked a lot on it since I’ve been at Brighton having previously had three foreign managers in my time there.

“They all look to play out from the back and start from the goalkeeper.

“So it’s one that I’m not going to be a stranger too and it’s a skill I have in my game.

“It will be really good to work on that in the games and hopefully bring that style of play to Luton and people knowing that that’s how Luton football club want to play, the right way.”

Fellow new signing Glen Rea also knows just how vital it will be to use the upcoming friendlies as the chance to hit the ground running this term.

He said: “Hopefully it clicks in pre-season and we have a good season.

“We need to nail down a few fundamentals that the gaffer wants us to nail down and hopefully we can do that in pre-season and take that into the campaign.”

Meanwhile, despite making six signings already this summer, Luton will be operating with a far smaller squad, with Jones speaking of putting together an elite 20-man group.

It’s something that Marriott thinks will benefit them though, and he added: “We haven’t got as big of a training group so you haven’t got to worry about too much, you’ve only got to work around the initial squad.

“I think that will help and hopefully that will show throughout the season.”