Luton boss Rob Edwards completely understands the fans’ mixture of frustration and anger after watching their side fall to a thoroughly dispiriting 2-1 defeat against QPR on Friday evening.
The Hatters went into the game looking for a first victory since way back in April when they defeated AFC Bournemouth at Kenilworth Road on April 6, as they went on to lose five of their last six matches in the Premier League, taking a mere point from the 1-1 draw with Everton. With 14 losses from 17 overall, Town haven’t started the Championship any better, as they slipped a third defeat from four fixtures, also having been knocked out of the Carabao Cup by the same opponents in midweek as well, meaning they are now 10 matches without a victory in all competitions.
Boos greeted the final whistle on Friday, as although there was still a smattering of sympathetic applause when Edwards fronted up afterwards, going round all sides of the ground, as he always does whatever the result, the boss was quick to offer a hand of apology when doing so. Asked about the reaction from supporters, he said: “I get it, some fans, they’re mixed, I can feel it.
“On one hand they’re thinking, you know, we were in the Premier League, we got promoted, we did all that sort of stuff and they’re on our side, and some are angry, I get it. It’s one point from four games, it’s on me, I understand. I’m going round and saying thank you for your support, and apologising to the ones that are showing their frustration, I understand it, I’ve got to own that, I took the applause when we were winning.”
Although the visitors started the stronger on the night, once Jimmy Dunny put through his own goal with 18 minutes gone, Town were the better side for the rest of the first half, Elijah Adebayo unable to reach Alfie Doughty’s cross, while Jordan Clark curled too close to keeper Paul Nardi. After the break, Luton remained on the front foot, Adebayo missing a wonderful chance to double his side’s lead, hitting the legs of Nardi when slid clean through on goal by Shandon Baptiste.
Having scored just once in the league themselves this season now, and only twice in five matches, Zack Nelson with a stunner in the cup on Tuesday night, Edwards knows it must improve. He continued: “I thought the first seven and eight minutes were even and then I thought we had a lot of control. We started slower, one or two people just not engaging enough in the pressing, out of possession. We just allowed them one or two bits of play, but then I thought we adjusted it well, got more aggressive and then I thought we had a really dominant period in that first half.
