In a week where events elsewhere in the world suggest people have gone slightly mad, could the unthinkable happen at Luton Town? A terrible defeat in Middlesbrough and a post match interview suggests Super Robbie Edwards may well be approaching the end of his two years in charge. The most successful period in the club’s history.
Three games in a week. This latest one less than 3 days after the last. And you could understand the need for changes to freshen up the legs. What was more difficult to understand was the midfield of Walsh and Baptiste. And the presence of Woodrow up front.
In fairness first thirty minutes were decent. Woodrow had a shot straight at the keeper. And Walsh fired wide when it looked easier to have put it on target.
There was also in that opening spell thirty seconds that demonstrated why Walsh and Baptiste must never start as a midfield pairing for Luton (or indeed any club) ever again. A late tackle from Baptiste got a yellow from the ref, and in the same move Walsh put in another of his spectacular challenges that saw a 36 second red against Oxford. Luckily the ref missed it.
It was clear the 18 year winger from Liverpool was a real threat during that first half.
The two goals conceded then. First from a corner Woodrow appeared to be looking towards halfway when he should have been looking at the ball. Had he done so he would have seen the ball kicked to the near post, where a player he was meant to be marking stole in unchecked. The ball was then passed back to another Boro player who Walsh was meant to be marking. He had the freedom of the park to smash the ball home.
Second goal was quality from Lath who scored a hat trick in midweek. It would have been a great piece of skill for Teden to have filmed for his behind the scenes footage like he did for the game against Cardiff.
An unfathomable change at half time. Fair enough if Bell had to go off. But to switch Hashioka to face up against the fastest player on the pitch. When one on one defending is not his strong point.
Sure enough 10 minutes into the second half it was 4-0. Doak ran riot.
Woodrow, Walsh, and Baptiste were all then withdrawn. The revised side then showed some spirit and Jordan Clark scored a cracker. Which was then topped by the 5th Boro goal a great strike from some way out.
For this correspondent the core problem has been the signings in January and this summer have simply not been good enough. And it seems unfair that Rob shoulders that blame single-handedly. Unless he personally sanctioned the purchases of Baptiste, Walsh, Moses et al, other people should put their heads up and start speaking to the media.
Funny how last season in the Premier we couldn’t turn on the TV or radio without hearing from the chief executive.
Bigger picture as mentioned before is the stadium is going up. The long term future has been secured by the custodians of the club. It does look though that the eye has firmly been taken off the ball in terms of the playing side.
Rob showed last season if you give him four high quality players to bolster the existing side, you can achieve some remarkable performances. If you take those away, and replace them with freebies, bargain buckets, or players on exceptionally high wages given previous injury records, the spirit of your side suffers.
And results start to decline.
Two weeks to sort it out one way or the other. Then time to face Hull.
#COYH
Kaminski, Hashioka, Mengi, McGuinness, Holmes, Bell (C) (Moses 46), Baptiste (Krauß 55), Walsh (Nakamba 59), Chong, Woodrow (Morris 55), Adebayo (Clark 59).