Potential for points against Palace? Rob Edwards ahead of Eagles' landing at the Kenny
Rob Edwards spoke about his injury-hit international break Hatters, as well as the opposition and standing across from the seasoned Roy Hodgson.
It was a switch of venue this Friday as we filed into the University of Bedfordshire post-graduate building. However, despite new surroundings, sentiments were widely still the same as ever as Rob Edwards approached the press.
Squad news was, of course, marred by several key absences. Nonetheless, ahead of Crystal Palace - Edwards provided an extensive update on his side after a mixed international break.
On a personal level...
“I’ve been on my laptop, trying to find a way to win a game of football. It’s been good, we had a little bit of time off, a little bit of family time. Friday, Saturday, Sunday - it was really nice, I enjoyed it. I got a bit of sleep. We got some good work in in training as well.”
However, as said - the squad admittedly took a few knocks, with Burkinabe Issa Kabore's head injury scare, as well as Chiedozie Ogbene's troublesome ankle taking centre stage...
Team news
“We’ve got a few of them who are on the way back (from injury) and are really progressing well. Then, we’ve got one or two that have come back from international duty and there’s one or two question marks."
“Not all of them (international players) have come back ok. There’s still one or two that we’re sweating on if you like. It’s not been an ideal international break. Issa’s one of those, I’m not going to go into too much detail. This is how it is with concussion, we’ll go through all the protocols with that and he won’t be available for this game. We’re hoping that he’ll be fine for next weekend.”
“Chieo’s been ok. Obviously, he had to have a little bit of time off. He’s had treatment as well. He didn’t get to represent his country, which he was disappointed about, but I’m hopeful with him.”
“We’ve managed to get him out on the grass. He has been sore and we’ve had to help him through a couple of days but obviously he’s going to keep playing for us as well (as Ireland) but he has been in a lot of pain.”
Opposition view
With the opposition, Edwards' first port of call was his opposite number. At 76-years-old, Roy Hodgson is the oldest manager in the league. When asked about him, Edwards comically made his respect for Hodgson and his longevity clear.
”I’ve a lot of respect for Roy (Hodgson), he’s having - and has had - an unbelievable football career. He’s at the top of the game still. I don’t want to be doing it when I’m his age. I don’t know how he’s still doing it to be honest. All I know is it’s going to be a tough game tomorrow and both teams will be really organised. He’s done a fantastic job back there again.”
“They’re always really organised and very clear with what they’re doing. They’ve also got some brilliant individuals, and individuals who could play for most teams in the Premier League. It’s a really young, vibrant team when they’re going forward and they’re very well organised and hard-working."
Despite the plaudits, Luton's manager understood that on the back end of a run of games that saw Liverpool and Manchester United, Palace potentially represent a change in playing style.
“We’ve had to have more of an in-possession focus this week. A lot of our work will be analysing possession, are we going to press? Are we going to when we’re defending lower? How can we transition out of that? We have done a little bit more work with what’s it’s going to be like with the ball and with spaces where we think we hurt them and exploit them."
"We have been improving and when we have another couple of players back, I think we’ll improve again and that’s exciting."
A winning feeling?
Crystal Palace have lost three of their last four games, conceding nine goals in the process. However, after a time to regroup, they could come out firing. When asked whether playing the Eagles was a good opportunity to get points on the board before a tough run of games, Edwards was pensively positive.
"I go into it, rightly or wrongly, expecting to win the game and I feel we’ve had a really good week of training."
"We’ve really emphasised that you can’t guarantee a win or a draw or anything, but the basics, the fight, the attitude we’re going into it with. We can guarantee all of that stuff and I think with Kenilworth Road and the noise and the crowd on our side - it can play into our hands. It can make it slightly different and more difficult for the opposition so we’ll want to take advantage of that. It’s certainly a game we’ve got to try and win.”
My questions
Hi Rob, this is the first meeting between Luton and Palace since the 2006/07 Championship season. Can you tell us a little bit about just how far you think both clubs have come?
“I think both have been a little bit different. Palace have had a little bit of up and down since then. They’ve got a lot more Premier League experience than we have, but Palace now are a Premier League side that have been here for a number of years. They’ve done well and grown. They’ve got fantastic players. Our journey is well documented, we’re really, really different to them so - you can’t really compare can you? I didn’t know it’s been that long since we played them. A lot’s gone on in that time hasn’t it?”
Alfie Doughty has made the second-most successful crosses in the Premier League this season with 26, how important could he be on Saturday as a creative outlet? Especially if Ogbene is struggling?
“Alfie’s shown his importance and value to the team for a while now hasn’t he? The whole year that we’ve been here (the staff), he’s been very, very instrumental for us. The exciting thing again, is there’s still more to come from Alfie as well. I think he’s been getting better and better throughout the season.”
“He’s growing in confidence and belief. He’s someone that should be here, playing Premier League football. He’s got the athleticism, he’s got the quality - now he’s got the opportunity and he’s taking it. We want that good form to continue. He’s given himself a real platform to really kick on and he’s got to stay consistent. If he stays consistent in his work rate and his attitude, then I think he’s going to have a really good career, Alfie.”
Last one from me, you’re struggling a little bit with a few knocks after this international break - have you looked at young players, or players out on loan potentially coming back in? How do you monitor them?
“Yeah, we monitor them. We’ve got a lot of staff that are out there keeping track. We had a meeting last week about all the lads we’ve got out on loan - going through their game time and who’s doing well and who’s perhaps having a little bit of a struggle. So, we’re well aware and keeping up to date with those boys. There’s nothing we can do right now as we’re at our max of a 25-man squad. There’s nothing we can change until January, but we’re always keeping up to date with what the boys are doing away from here.”