"Complete collapse" - Claim made on big Luton Town player disappointment | OneFootball

FLW's Luton Town fan pundit discussed Elijah Adebayo's struggles in front of goal this season

Elijah Adebayo's fortunes infront of goal for Luton Town have mystified many this term, signifying the broader surprise at the Hatters' demise.

Up until the current campaign, Adebayo had offered a consistent source of goals for Luton after arriving from Walsall in February 2021.

The towering forward has returned double figures across each of his three full seasons at Kenilworth Road, though the 2021/22 term bore his finest tally on a personal note as he racked up 16 Championship strikes.

Adebayo played his part in Luton's eventual promotion to the Premier League against all odds and emerged from the top-flight with real credit in the bank in spite of their relegation, having scored 10 top-flight goals including a notable hattrick against Brighton and Hove Albion.

But amid significant expectation - arguably for the first time in a very long time for Luton and their players - Adebayo has endured a miserable old season. The 27-year-old has mustered just five goals from 34 matches, yet the number of chances he has spurned is a larger cause for concern which has left many scratching their heads.

Adebayo has not added to his account since December and has missed a league-high staggering 26 big chances, accumulating an xG of 12.0 and a concerning conversion rate of just 7.7 per cent, too.

He has been in and out of Matt Bloomfield's side in recent weeks as the ex-Wycombe Wanderers boss bids to guide the Hatters to second-tier survival.

Just as shock remains over how Luton have wound up fighting against the drop to League One less than twelve months on from competing at the highest level, though, Adebayo's poor form all season has also offered a real surprise.

Surprised Luton Town verdict offered on Elijah Adebayo

There have been no shortage of surprises at Kenilworth Road this season. Unfortunately, mind you, they have been anything but the sort of shocks which the Luton faithful would lap up.

FLW asked our resident Hatters fan pundit, Simon Mills, to name one player who has surprised him either positively or negatively this season. Simon, rather unsurprisingly, did not opt for a positive and namechecked Adebayo, whose struggles so soon after impressing in the Premier League defy belief at this stage.

"The player who has surprised me most this season, and not in a positive way, has been Elijah Adebayo," Simon told FLW.

"Going from double figures in the Premier League and borderline unplayable at times to the complete collapse he's faced this season, with the most big chances missed in the Championship.

"He's still clearly getting himself into good positions, but he's completely forgotten how to put the ball in the back of the net.

"So for that reason, Adebayo has been the most surprising player at Luton for me this season."

Elijah Adebayo needs to step up for Luton Town

Adebayo is among a clutch of senior players at Luton who must now step up, rekindle their performances of old and help the side retain its Championship status.

He has been miles beneath what we all know he is capable of this season, but could still redeem himself if he can go on an all-important run between now and May.

Luton gave a much-needed boost to their survival hopes by claiming their first win of the year with a 2-1 home victory over Portsmouth last weekend.

With crunch affairs against Burnley, Middlesbrough, Leeds United along with three fellow strugglers in Cardiff City, Hull and Stoke in the next six, now is the time for Luton to start picking up results more than ever before and players like Adebayo really must begin to step up.