Football League World
·6 February 2023
Football League World
·6 February 2023
Luton Town strengthened their position in the Championship play-off positions at the weekend securing a 1-0 victory against Stoke City.
Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu netted what proved to be the winner in the sixth minute, and whilst being unable to extend their lead, they managed to keep their opponents at arm’s length for the majority of the game.
The Hatters have now accumulated 18 points from eight games under Rob Edwards’ stewardship, with the brand of football being played becoming more attractive since he took charge.
Speaking to Luton Today after Saturday’s victory about the perception of the club in the here and now, Edwards said: “I’m not buying that underdog stuff anymore.
“I don’t like it, our players don’t like it, as we’ve got really good players here that are capable of playing at a very, very good level and they’re showing that now.
“So I want to sort of knock that away at the moment.
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“I get it, I know from the outside, but there’s big plans at the moment for the club to keep progressing and moving forward.
“But I’ve got to stress here, I believe in these players, these lads are top players and they’re showing it.”
The verdict
When looking at the budget constraints that Edwards is working under, this ‘underdog’, ‘over-performing’ tag is a label that is hard to shake off.
However, when considering how long Luton have been exceeding expectations and the squad that Edwards has at his disposal, they are positioned exactly where they deserve to be.
From a financial perspective, it is clear to see why the ‘underdog’ tag is thrown about but from Edwards’ perspective, who works closely with the players every day, he will know exactly what Luton are capable of doing.