Rob Edwards on Luton 5-1 thrashing at Man City
Rob Edwards on Luton 5-1 thrashing at Man City as he looks to secure Premier League status
Etihad Stadium, Manchester UK
Etihad Stadium, Manchester UK
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00:00Yeah, today was always going to be very difficult. Without sounding very defeatist, I'd almost
00:24made peace with it at the beginning. We wanted a good performance today. We wanted to try
00:28and come out with some belief and confidence for the final five games. I know the scoreline
00:33suggests, and they were the dominant team, of course they were, they were better and
00:38they thoroughly deserved it. They were amazing. Yeah, we did. We stayed in the game as long
00:43as we could. We knew we were going to be forced low today. We wanted to try and be aggressive
00:48and even in the first minute we tried and then Harlan threw one-on-one. Then he knocks
00:53Hashi out with the first goal and you're thinking, wow, there's one of our few defenders that
00:56left knocked out on the floor and they're one nil down after a minute. What a start
00:59that is! It's tough. Hashi managed to battle on and get up. I'm proud of the lads, they
01:07gave us everything. Today was never going to knock us, derail us or anything like that.
01:11I've wiped it as soon as I walked into the changing room after the players. They were
01:14disappointed, of course, that no-one likes losing and no-one likes losing 5-1. But let's
01:18be realistic, they're a brilliant football team. They're way ahead of us at the moment.
01:22Back four consisted of one centre-back, one full-back and two wingers. It's always going
01:26to be difficult against that level of opposition.
01:28I guess the start was the last thing you wanted, wasn't it? Especially the unluckiness of it because that shot was going wide, wasn't it?
01:33The shot was going wide, yes. It was obviously a tough start but then we gathered ourselves
01:38and stayed in it. When they get the second goal, was it just after the hour mark or something
01:44like that? We were still in the game, we kept going and I've got to give the players credit
01:47for that. We had moments, Corley hitting the bar and obviously Ross scored from a high-press
01:51situation. But we didn't get many moments today. They were brilliant, they suffocated
01:55us, they controlled the game and it was a long day for us today.
02:00First off, they could have run away, couldn't they? But you were able to stay in it at half-time.
02:05Yes, and we needed to. So all our work this week, the vast majority has been out of possession.
02:10We've obviously not been able to work with the full team because we've not had everyone
02:14fit and available. So that was a challenge but no excuse at all. But a lot of our work
02:18has obviously been out of possession, that's what it's going to be. They force pretty much
02:22everyone back and low, don't they? And yes, they're a brilliant team, they're so hard
02:29to play against. As I say, the players gave everything, blocked things, defended well.
02:34Thomas had to make saves, ride our luck a few times. But yes, I'm sort of glad it's
02:43done now.
02:44Yes, 2-0 obviously, Corley hit the bar. 3-0, we kept going and got a good, nice high press,
02:54regained. Ross with a really good goal. But they wore us down. They wore us down, they
03:01shift us from side to side, side to side, looking for those spaces. One or two gaps
03:06opened up, they get Doku in a bigger space, running at Fred. And Fred, bless him, like
03:09you know, he's given us everything. But that's the level jump from where he's been playing
03:14this season, earlier in the season at Rotherham, to this. He's played at Arsenal and City.
03:18It's a huge jump and he's getting tired by that moment. Brilliant goal from Doku. They
03:25scored some fantastic goals, didn't they, as well? But yes, they wore us down and got
03:30those goals later on, which obviously made it look worse. But I'm not saying he didn't
03:34deserve them, because the performance from them was obviously excellent and made it
03:40a long afternoon for us.
03:41That's what we said to the players. Hopefully we get some bodies back. We're going to need
03:49them for the running. Now we go into five games where we believe we can. I'm not saying
03:53we're going to win all the games, of course I'm not, but I'm saying we can win. We can
03:57get results. So there was stuff out there we got wrong. There was lots there to like,
04:02the character, the defending at times, the goal was good. The lads tried to do the right
04:09thing. City were just too good for us.
04:11I have some ads for the end, I'm sorry.
04:14Yes, I'm just going to go and see them afterwards, which would be really good. That would be nice.
04:18Hello. Long day, you say. Looking at the Premier League in general, Liverpool, Arsenal,
04:31Liverpool, who do you think has the advantage?
04:35It's hard to say. After we played Arsenal, I thought they were good, and then we've played
04:38them and they're pretty good as well. Liverpool weren't bad either at Anfield. The three away
04:43games we've played, they've all been brilliant. Today was the hardest game we've had all season.
04:50I haven't seen the stats, but it felt like the game was in our final third on it the
04:56whole time, and we haven't had that against anyone else really. Maybe earlier in the season
05:00when we were playing slightly differently, they forced us so low and we couldn't get
05:03out. They were excellent, but all three of them are so strong, and I want to show respect
05:10to all three of them as well. All three of their managers have been very respectful to
05:15us and they've been very kind, and I'm not going to say I think one is better than the
05:18other. I think they're three amazing teams that are obviously ahead of us at the moment.
05:23Yes, hi Rob. You said Hashioka was knocked out there by the Harlow...
05:30No, he was just lying flat out. I was saying that in jest, but I was worried that he was.
05:38How did the conversation go then in terms of that?
05:40It was all right, he just got up then and I thought, thank goodness for that. Otherwise
05:43we'd have been put in a, I don't know, centre-forward at centre-back or something like that for the rest of the game.
05:49There was no concussion or anything like that, it was just obviously flawed by it.
05:55Rob, I know it was a long day in the end, but that 60-65 minutes where you really frustrated
06:02them, particularly after that early go and it could have gone wrong for you early on,
06:06and you see the fans' reaction and how together you play, you must be very confident that
06:13these last five games, particularly looking at your pictures, three at home, you can stay up.
06:17I mean, there's an unbelievable togetherness in the team.
06:20There is certainly. Today was never going to, like I say, it wasn't going to derail us,
06:24whatever happened. I'm glad we're out of it. But yes, you're right, the supporters have been
06:31incredible all season long, home and away, they're all there, standing and behind the players and me.
06:39And that is really special. I don't think any other club really can say that they've done that home and away this season.
06:45And I know it's unique for us, it's our first year in the Premier League and hopefully we can have more.
06:50It gives me belief, the fact that they're going, come on, we're with you.
06:53That's special, it really is. And I think that makes us unique in this fight that we're in at the moment.
07:01And the players, the staff, they give me that belief as well.
07:05We know we're capable in the next five games.
07:09And as I said before, that's not saying that we're going to win them all, but we feel we can win enough games.
07:14We've got three home games, we're at Kenilworth Road.
07:17I think it's difficult for any team to come to.
07:20And yes, we look forward to it.
07:23We are up for this challenge.
07:26And I think we're going to get stronger in the next few weeks because we will get more bodies back.