We wanted a win - Rob Edwards
Luton Town boss Rob Edwards reacts to tonights draw against Everton, which was not the result they wanted tonight in their relegation fight
Kenilworth Road, Luton, FC
Kenilworth Road, Luton, FC
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00:00 What?
00:03 No,
00:08 no, it wasn't. We wanted a win.
00:09 We threw everything at it. We tried.
00:12 I always say you can't guarantee the wins or the draws.
00:17 You can't guarantee the result, but we can guarantee how hard you worked,
00:20 the performance, trying to do the right things.
00:22 We did all of that.
00:22 We stood up to Everton's physicality really well.
00:25 They're running power.
00:26 I thought we did really well.
00:27 And then we were the team, obviously, that was pushing right towards the end.
00:29 And we could have been having a different conversation now.
00:32 The ball would have gone a couple of inches,
00:35 we're talking, aren't we?
00:36 A couple of big blocks that they made, but
00:39 now and then the draw wasn't what we wanted.
00:40 Yes, I was right behind Andros' one.
00:51 Bez's one just happened in a flash.
00:53 So, seeing that one back, I don't know who made the block for them.
00:56 It didn't look like he knew much about it, but it was a great block.
00:58 Obviously, very important.
01:00 And Brantthwaite got a bit of a shin or something on Andros' strike,
01:04 which I was right behind and thought that one might be our moment,
01:07 but it wasn't to be.
01:08 That's why I'm proud of the players and the club,
01:14 the supporters who were with us to the very end as well.
01:17 We went 1-0 down in difficult circumstances on a huge occasion,
01:21 but we came back, we showed real quality,
01:25 tried to do all the right things, as I say.
01:26 And, yes, look, we don't know as we stand, as I'm talking to you right now.
01:32 We're still in the mix, aren't we?
01:33 We don't know if other things are out of control now, and that's obvious.
01:37 But we'll keep going.
01:38 Yes, I've watched it back.
01:44 I don't think we've got too many complaints.
01:47 Tedden's going to have a phenomenal career,
01:49 just another bit of learning for him.
01:50 I think he's dead keen on stopping his man as well.
01:55 Probably just held for a bit too long.
01:56 Yes, he did.
02:03 Yes, he did.
02:04 He had a good performance, considering he's been out so long.
02:06 It's a fantastic goal.
02:08 It's hard for any team in this league when you're missing key players,
02:13 and we've missed quite a few.
02:15 And he showed there what we have missed.
02:17 But, again, I don't want to be disrespectful to anyone else.
02:21 The lads have given us their all, all season long.
02:26 But, yes, he's a big miss for us and it's good to have him back now.
02:29 Yes, we wanted to be able to work Pickford in those moments,
02:38 got into good areas.
02:40 Then we put a lot of crosses in, got into a lot of good areas on a lot of occasions.
02:45 We wanted to try and use the space on the outside a little bit more.
02:49 My initial impression is I haven't watched it back, obviously.
02:52 Then we might open up space to be able to go through a bit.
02:55 But we still created good chances, had good pressure, good momentum.
02:58 Left us open then to a couple of moments at the air.
03:01 Thomas made a couple of big saves for us, deflection in the header from Calvert-Lewin.
03:05 So that was important from Thomas's point of view.
03:08 But I thought, yes, the performance was really good.
03:10 I think he's been really improving now for quite a while.
03:18 And it's great because he's shown a lot of intelligence, he's taken on information.
03:22 He really understands now why he wasn't starting earlier on in the season.
03:26 And he's making a big impact now because he's doing the things that we've all worked together with him to do.
03:32 I thought, yes, it was an excellent performance from him.
03:34 I don't know what I'm going to do tomorrow now.
03:39 I don't know.
03:40 I don't know.
03:42 Between three and half five, I don't know.
03:44 I might just go into a dark room and just rock in the corner.
03:47 I don't know. I'm not sure.
03:49 Emile?
03:52 Ross Barth, he always has a lot of noise around him whenever he comes on to the team.
03:56 How actually he handled that today, are you pleased with his performance?
03:59 Yes, very pleased with him.
04:00 I thought it was a very mature performance.
04:01 Work rate was excellent.
04:03 Used the ball intelligently.
04:05 Really brave, typical Ross.
04:09 Yes, really pleased with his performance today.
04:10 I thought there was a lot of positives there.
04:12 Thank you.
04:13 Can I just follow up on Ross?
04:17 There were times when he looked like he was playing the game at his own speed,
04:22 that quality when players got extra levels.
04:26 How have you found working with him this year?
04:29 How much more do you think he's still got to do?
04:32 I know he's 30, but he's still a very, very good player.
04:36 He's an excellent footballer.
04:38 I've loved working with him.
04:39 It's great working with top players.
04:40 They challenge you, they make you better.
04:42 And hopefully, we've been good for each other.
04:46 He's given me a real platform to go and show what he's about.
04:49 He's taken that.
04:51 So, I still think he's got more to go.
04:52 He's going to continue to learn.
04:54 He's got a great mindset.
04:55 He wants to. He works really hard.
04:57 As I said from the very beginning, when people asked about him, he's been really humble and
05:01 got a brilliant attitude.
05:03 And, yes, you saw some of his quality there tonight.
05:06 Good players look like they do have more time than others, certainly on the ball.
05:09 Ross is certainly one of those.
05:11 Sven, you admitted yourself before the game that it was a must-win.
05:17 Given you haven't, is there a feeling in that dressing room now?
05:19 Can you see a feeling that we're still fighting for this?
05:21 Or does it feel like it's not?
05:22 Did those words actually come out of my mouth?
05:24 Yes, I believe they did.
05:25 I believe you asked, 'Is it a must-win?'
05:27 And he said, 'Yes, it is.'
05:28 Oh, right. OK.
05:29 Whether you said 'must-win' or not, he sort of agreed to it being a must-win.
05:32 Small print.
05:32 Of course, it was important.
05:36 Of course, it was important tonight.
05:37 That's why I feel the way I do right now, and the lads as well.
05:41 The performance was really good.
05:44 Could have, on another day, we could have won the game, couldn't we?
05:48 But we didn't.
05:51 But, again, as we're speaking, we're not out of it.
05:55 We're not.
05:55 And other things are out of our control, and we know that now.
05:58 But we've got to keep going.
05:59 So, before this game, if someone would have said, 'Look,
06:05 we don't know where we're going to criss-cross the ball.
06:06 We might need four points, five, seven.'
06:08 There's still an opportunity to get seven, including tonight, plus two other games.
06:12 That might be enough.
06:13 It might. We've got to believe it is.
06:16 So, we'll go again.
06:18 We'll go again.
06:18 What I'm seeing is a group of players and everyone, fans, everyone, the whole club is with it.
06:23 No-one's given up.
06:24 You can see that a team there has got belief, and that's how we have to keep going.
06:28 Thank you.
06:29 The Buffalo football game, have they given special attention to it?
06:32 Yeah, they're amazing.
06:33 They're amazing.
06:34 They've been so, so good this year in difficult circumstances,
06:39 because we knew it was always going to be a challenge.
06:41 It's been exciting for us, and it's been new for everybody as well, hasn't it?
06:44 But I think they're with us because they can see how the team's performed against massive clubs,
06:48 and they're giving everything to these players, and we'll continue to do that as well.
06:53 Thanks.
06:54 Thanks, guys.
06:55 Thanks.
06:55 [BLANK_AUDIO]