Luton Town: Rob Edwards should have double motivation v Watford FC at Kenilworth Road – View.
Rob Edwards is under some pressure in the Kenilworth Road hot seat. The recently relegated side were expected to be fighting for an instant return to the Premier League, but find themselves just a single place above the drop zone.
Edwards must start delivering results, and fast. The longer Luton spend languishing towards the bottom of the table, the harder it will become to recover.
If poor results continue after the international break, the Hatters will find themselves cut off from the promotion race very early on. However, with a big fixture against rivals Watford on the horizon, Edwards will be feeling doubly motivated to get one over on his former employers.
Luton’s unexpected disastrous start to the season
Luton Town corner flag
This has been Luton’s worst EFL start to a season in 22 years. The Hatters sit 21st in the Championship, just a solitary point above the relegation zone. With just two wins and two draws from their opening nine games, it’s hard to believe most of this squad were playing in the league above last season.
Of course, relegation will always knock the wind out of a team’s sails. It was a tough campaign in the top flight for the London club, as they only tasted victory twice in the second half of the season.
However, this serves as no excuse, as Sheffield United, who had a season far worse than Luton, find themselves in second place. Another relegated side, Burnley, also towards the top of the table, shows that Town are proving to be an anomaly with the demoted sides.
The frustration of the supporters has begun to grow, as a leaky defence and an attack missing a cutting edge has cost Edwards’ side so far. Talisman, Elijah Adebayo, has yet to get off the mark for the Hatters this season. After netting ten times last season, this is a bitterly disappointing return to the Championship for the striker.
With the transfer window firmly shut, Edwards must hope his players step up and show what’s expected of them. The club has always been seen as the underdog, but that’s no longer the case in this new era. If they fail to start picking up results, the former Forest Green Rovers manager could end up fighting for his job – something that, to anyone who watched Luton in the Premier League, is quite shocking.
Edwards will have a point to prove against Watford
Rob Edwards – Luton Town record (SofaScore)
Luton v Watford is a massive fixture for both sets of fans. The local grudge has been reignited in recent years after the two clubs that were once four divisions apart, now find themselves both playing at the same level in the English football pyramid.
However, this fixture will be of significant importance to Edwards. With his side stuck in a rut, a win over their fierce rivals will surely endear the 41-year-old to the Kenilworth Road faithful once again, and take some of the pressure off his shoulders.
Another factor as to why this fixture will be so significant to Edwards is one that neutrals would be forgiven for forgetting. Before his appointment at Luton, the legendary Forest Green manager had a brief stint at Vicarage Road. It’s no secret Watford have a reputation when it comes to managerial changes. After he was cited as the next long-term project for the Hornets, he would be sacked after just 10 league matches, with the Hornets sitting 10th in the Championship.
After an extremely harsh dismissal, Edwards would surely love to get one over on his former employers with their biggest rivals. The added stimulus of the miserable start to the season could see this be one of the most important matches of his managerial career to date.
Watford triumph could be the springboard for Luton
mads andersen and rob edwards
The relegated side is in desperate need of a big result to be the turning point in their season. A 1-0 away victory over London rivals Millwall looked like it could’ve been just that, but we were very quickly proven wrong.
It’s getting towards a month since the Hatters last tasted a victory, with a narrow win over Sheffield Wednesday at home on September 21st the last time Edwards secured three points.
With a tough fixture coming up against league leaders Sunderland on Wednesday, followed by a trip to Coventry City, who are in a similar predicament to Town. It’s vital that Edwards sees an uptick in results.
The squad’s talent is undeniable, some excellent players are more than capable of performing at the top of the Championship, or even further. Alfie Doughty and Adebayo are just two examples of the superb talent at Edwards’ disposal. For some reason, something just isn’t clicking on the pitch right now. But, with a big week ahead, the 41-year-old will be highly motivated to get one over on his former employers and get things back on track.
