Gao Bo knew where the team's problem lay.
The team had now established an attacking core player in the frontcourt, and Griezmann undoubtedly had considerable ability, but his problem was that he was still too young!
Griezmann, who was only eighteen years old, was not performing consistently, which also led to Luton's unstable attacking form.
However, Gao Bo was still determined to give Griezmann patience, after all, he knew where Griezmann's ability ceiling could reach. If he wanted to achieve success in competitions like the Europa League, Griezmann's role would be huge!
"Antoine, do you know where the difference lies between when you perform well and when you don't?"
In order to get Griezmann into the rhythm of professional league as soon as possible, Gao Bo often invited him to communicate.
"It's mentality!!"
Gao Bo patted Griezmann on the shoulder and said.
"Keep your mentality calm, don't be so impatient. I understand your ability, but you need a little more patience, understand?"
Griezmann nodded: "I understand, boss!"
The day after talking to Griezmann, Gao Bo's team won a 5-0 victory over Exeter City at home. Exeter City was also a team promoted from League Two, so this was a match between two promoted teams.
In this game, Luton controlled the game from the beginning, the team's state was very good, especially Griezmann!
He helped the team score in the eighth minute of the game!
At that time, Kevin Keane made a cross from the right, and Exeter City's defender cleared the ball in a panic, but the ball landed in an unguarded area in the penalty area. Griezmann's running position was very flexible, and he scored with a shot after he cut in, helping the team open the scoring.
Griezmann was very excited after scoring, he ran all the way to the sideline, and then hugged Gao Bo tightly.
"Thank you! Boss!! Thank you!!"
He roared in Gao Bo's ear. Although he had never doubted his strength, Gao Bo still chose to believe in himself when the team's state fluctuated, which made Griezmann quite moved. He felt very fortunate to have met such a head coach who almost unconditionally believed in himself.
Of course, Gao Bo knew Griezmann's future development. He patted Griezmann on the back and said with a smile: "You will become a big star, Antoine."
Griezmann grinned.
"Go back and continue the game! Kid."
Griezmann nodded and ran back to the court.
And the fact also proved that when Griezmann fully exerted his strength, the League One teams could not stop him.
Griezmann, behind Vardy, felt more and more comfortable in this position.
In the twenty-eighth minute of the game, Griezmann assisted Vardy with a through ball to score!
In the thirty-ninth minute of the game, it was Griezmann again!
After he took the ball in the attacking midfielder position, he passed the ball to Adam White on the wing, and then ran to ask for the ball, when the ball was passed over, he pretended to shoot, but he passed the ball to the other side of the penalty area.
Drinkwater, who had moved forward, also scored!
Griezmann made the opponent's defenders spin around.
Three to zero in the first half, Luton had already locked in the victory, and the second half of the game also entered Luton's rhythm.
Defensive counterattack was originally what Gao Bo's team was good at. When Exeter City tried to press up to attack, Luton's counterattack made them a little unbearable.
In the sixty-eighth minute of the game, Kante directly launched a counterattack after intercepting the ball in the backcourt.
Luton's frontcourt three-pronged attack, Adam White on the left, and Griezmann also pulled to the right, Vardy in the middle rushed forward at high speed.
Adam dribbled the ball all the way to the vicinity of the baseline and then crossed to the far post, and then Griezmann gently pushed the ball to the middle.
Vardy easily scored in the middle.
And only two minutes after this goal, almost the same routine, the counterattack connection between Adam, Griezmann, and Vardy,
Once again allowed Luton to score.
This made Gao Bo very excited, because he saw another possibility from these two counterattacks - perhaps Luton could line up three forwards to play a counterattack formation at certain times?
Adam, Vardy, and Griezmann are all quite fast!
However, this is just an idea. Currently, the team's main tactic is still 442, which continues the tactical thinking of last season.
Overall oppression, overall defense.
This is the team's most skilled aspect, and fast offensive and defensive transitions are a powerful tool for scoring goals.
In this game, Vardy staged a hat-trick, and Griezmann was exaggerated. He scored one goal in this game and assisted the remaining four goals.
Such a performance made Gao Bo smile. History will not deceive people. If Gao Bo had not brought Griezmann to England, Griezmann would have taken off at Real Sociedad this season and quickly become famous in La Liga.
However, Gao Bo did not think that he had delayed Griezmann's future.
This season, Gao Bo will let Griezmann shine even more in the Europa League!
However, after the game, many media in England still found a lot of faults with Luton.
"...The victory over Exeter City is of course gratifying for Luton, but don't forget that Exeter City, like Luton, is also a promoted team! Perhaps Luton will only show such a crazy performance when facing their former League Two opponents." The Daily Mail said in its sports section.
It is said that people are afraid of being famous and pigs are afraid of being strong. The same is true for teams. After winning the FA Cup, Luton can be said to be well-known in England, which also brings the attention of the media to them.
I don't know if this is a good thing or a bad thing.
Gao Bo naturally didn't bother to respond to these media outlets. For him, it was better to focus on the team's work than to argue with the media.
"Look at what these newspapers are saying? They say we only perform like this when we play against League Two teams!!!"
On September 12th, before the League One Round 7 match between Luton Town and Millwall, Gao Bo used the media's contempt to motivate the team.
Sure enough, feeling underestimated, the players gave Millwall a humiliating defeat at home!
Millwall was considered one of the most promising teams to be promoted to the Championship. Last season, they were just one step away from promotion—only to be defeated by Scunthorpe in the 93rd minute of the promotion playoff final, losing 2-3 and remaining in League One. However, it is undeniable that Millwall is one of the strongest teams in League One.
However, Millwall had a bad start to this season. After six rounds, they were in 14th place with one win, four draws, and one loss, while Luton Town was in 4th place with three wins and three draws, totaling twelve points. But for Millwall, after losing the first league game and then encountering four consecutive draws, they finally won the last league game and seemed to be back on track.
So before this game, Millwall had a lot of confidence in this match.
But when they encountered Luton Town, who were as energetic as if they had been injected with chicken blood from the start of the game, Millwall was stunned.
In the first half, right from the start, Luton scored just two minutes into the game!
Adam's shot after cutting inside on the wing was successful, helping the team open the scoring!!
Gao Bo applauded Adam's performance after seeing the goal. Adam is one of the most hardworking players in the team's training. After the team's training ends, Adam will stay to practice shooting.
Because he has good explosive power and the inside cut is very effective, Gao Bo suggested that he practice shooting more in the area in front of the left side of the penalty box.
This has indeed had a very good effect.
"This kid can be used as the left-sided Robben with more practice!"
Gao Bo said to John while applauding. Adam was a player he discovered, so the better Adam performs, the happier Gao Bo is.
Because this gives him the feeling that he has changed football history—in Gao Bo's previous life, there was no player named Adam. And now, if Luton is preparing to sell Adam, those big teams in England will definitely raise the price to over ten million!
Transfer fees are not what they were a few years ago. With inflation and more and more funds pouring into European football, transfer fees have naturally risen.
After losing the first goal, Millwall, confident in their own strength, decided to press forward to attack, hoping to equalize the score as soon as possible.
And Luton was naturally happy to oblige.
In the 28th minute of the first half, Luton had a successful counterattack. Vardy passed the ball to the right side in the penalty area, and Griezmann, who was rushing forward at high speed, sent the ball into the empty net!
Two to zero!
The game completely entered Luton's rhythm.
In the second half, Luton simply launched a frontcourt press in the frontcourt, which was also Luton's specialty!
In the 67th minute of the game, Kanté intercepted the ball near the center circle and immediately passed the ball to Kevin Keane. Kevin Keane immediately crossed from the right, and Vardy jumped high in the penalty area and headed the ball!
Three to zero!
Luton's goals were not over yet.
In the 79th minute of the game, Kanté intercepted the ball in the frontcourt and dribbled the ball forward a few steps, after which he also tried a shot.
As a result, the ball went in again!
Kanté scoring a goal is a novelty. Luton's players rushed up to congratulate Kanté on scoring.
This most important interceptor in the team's backcourt scored a long shot.
Gao Bo actually wanted Kanté to strengthen his long-range shooting ability as soon as possible, because many times if Kanté can intercept the ball in the frontcourt, if Kanté has a beautiful long shot, he can solve many problems!
Gao Bo hopes that the team can play simply and practically. Gao Bo doesn't like too much redundant ball control. His purpose is very utilitarian—scoring goals and defending!
This is Gao Bo's idea, simple, direct, and effective.
The four-to-zero score made promotion favorites Millwall leave the Vauxhall Road stadium with their heads down.
For Luton, the victory in this game brought their points to fifteen! And the goal difference reached twelve, so they climbed to third place in the standings, leading fourth-placed Bristol Rovers by virtue of their goal difference, and they are four points behind second-placed Leeds United.
Currently, Charlton and Leeds United, who are in the top two of the standings, have the same nineteen points. And Luton, with two consecutive big wins, has finally stabilized its position in the standings.
At this time, the media seemed to have forgotten what they said before this game, and they immediately praised Luton's performance again.
The media is like this, they always need to find some topics....
The two consecutive league wins have also reduced the team's pressure a lot. After defeating Millwall at home, the team began to focus on the European arena, the first game of the Europa League group stage is coming!