This week, it's Wednesday night football as Luton Town replay their postponed fixture away at AFC Bournemouth. That game was of course halted when Hatters captain Tom Lockyer suffered a cardiac arrest. While he's been recovering and raising a young family, the Welshman inevitably rose as a topic of discussion ahead of the trip to the Vitality Stadium.
Manager Rob Edwards spoke with the media; briefly about that tragic day, the hope that has come from it, and how he approaches taking on Bournemouth with a much-depleted side.
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Looking back on a harrowing day on the south coast
As has been well documented, the league clash earlier in the season was postponed due to Lockyer's distressing collapse. While he has since been left in the lurch regarding whether he can play again, he's not wasted time in trying to make the best of a (second) near-fatality situation. It's been said that Bournemouth will welcome the centre-back with open arms as he will likely have a pre-match moment on the turf. Luton's boss was quizzed about Lockyer and that day back in December.
“He is going to be coming down tomorrow which will be great. He’s had bigger things on his mind at the moment, his new baby - new arrival. He’s in the position where that’s his main focus right now. That being said, going forward, we’d love to have him here on a weekly basis. Being around a bit more, we’ll be able to lean on his experiences and he’ll be able to help us. With the new arrival though, he’s been rightly looking after his family.”
Looking back on the game, Edwards continued by approaching the positives that Lockyer has managed to grasp - as well as a newfound link between both his and Andoni Iraola's clubs.
“It was really raw and the emotion was raw at the time. I think the two clubs will have a special bond now. The Bournemouth Supporter’s Trust raising money - to pay for the coaches for our supporters because they’re having to do the journey twice - I think that shows a lot of class. A big, big thank you from me and our football club. I know that both sets of supporters, again, have raised a lot of money for the British Heart Foundation. Some of the work that Locks has done since, and I know that the clubs will have done, will have raised a lot of awareness for CPR. Off the back of a harrowing experience, a lot of good will have come from it and again, I think a special bond between the two clubs.”
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Team news for Wednesday night's approach
With this replay's original place being December, this fixture now takes on a whole new form as 18th-placed Luton now require all the points they can get. With two games from the international break, and just 11 games from the end of the season - the Hatters' manager reiterated a front footed approach.
“We don’t want to be safe, we want to go for it and we’ve done that for the vast majority of the season. It’s difficult for a hundred minutes, to be at it all the time but we have to be. If we’re going to get the points required, we have to be at it. We have to have that intensity from the very beginning. That has been a challenge for us certainly, but it’s been a big message that we spoke about today (team meeting).”
So, Edwards made his team's outlook clear, despite the headline-grabbing injury list - but who exactly is still missing? Well, these days it might be easier to ask simply who's not injured for the Kenilworth Road residents.
“I think Teden (Mengi) should be ok. Gabe Osho’s unavailable. We’ll have to see how he is going forward. He’s ok (Ross Barkley). His nose is broken, but we’re hoping that he will be able to deal with it and not have to play in a mask. It was an option for him, but I don’t think he wanted to.”
“We’re up against it. We’ve had a lot of difficulties at the moment. There’s a lot getting thrown at us, but it’s not going to derail us, we’re not going to let it knock us. We’re replaying this game now because of a real serious situation that we’ve had to go through. (...) It’s going to make us stronger and I think off the back of Saturday’s result, hopefully we can really build on it. Our challenge now over the next two games before the break, is to try and put more points on the board.”
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Player focus: shrewd substitutes and a player regaining confidence
Focussing on the late rescue of a point against Crystal Palace in the 1-1 at Selhurst Park on Saturday, it felt right to mention a number of players who stepped up to the mark. Aside from man of the moment Cauley Woodrow, in the lead up to his goal Edwards made three changes that saw Luke Berry, 18-year-old Zack Nelson, and Andros Townsend emerge.
All three of those were involved in the late equaliser. Nelson helped win the ball back with Berry moving the ball up the pitch before Townsend grabbed that sumptuous, curling early-ball assist. Edwards had glowing words for Nelson and how he's been since his dramatic debut appearance.
“He’s not stopped smiling yet. He’s a great lad and a really good player. We’ve got very high hopes for him and it was great to see him coming on and taking his chance as well. He was involved in that recovery run and in winning the ball back for the goal. The couple of touches he had, he was secure with it and what a feeling for him to be involved and getting it in that box and getting that equaliser and then to go over and celebrate with the lads and the fans. Great moment, and certainly one that he’ll never ever forget. It’s just got to be the start for him. He’s got to really kick on.”
On making the decision to throw him in the Selhurst Park mix, Edwards continued:
“I spoke to him the day before and we said as a staff, 'we’ve seen how well you’ve been doing in training and there’s a really good chance you could make your Premier League debut in this next week. In the next three games, there’s a really good chance. So, when you do, go and be brave. Go and be you. Work hard as you always do and just go and be yourself.' I just felt it was the right time in that moment. (...) Andros and Bez were coming on at the time and it was just *clicks* Zack as well! And he was like 'ok' (laughs) ‘on I go’ and he did great. Those first few minutes will be something he’ll never forget.”
Luke Berry was an instant outlier from this writer's perspective on viewing the highlights. His arrival on to the turf was followed by chopping former-Watford foe Will Hughes, picking up a yellow, and then getting involved in vital build up. A player that has been at Luton for some time now, Berry caught some plaudits from his proud boss too.
“I can’t speak highly enough of Bez. We’ve got a few stalwarts here who have been a big, big part of this club’s journey from the lower leagues. Luke Berry is one of those lads and for him to now have seven Premier League appearances, is really special. It was great for him to come on and have an influence in the game but I think what it shows is how with it he is and how with it the whole squad are as well. If we’re going to achieve something this year, we’re going to need everyone and I know I keep saying it but it’s true. It has to be. There’s no superstars, we are a collective. The supporters, the board, the staff, the players - everyone in it together. I think he typifies that. When he’s behind me on the bench every matchday, he’s fully engaged. He’s like a coach there behind me and it matters to him. He cares and that’s what we need.”
A final mention has to go to Issa Kabore. While the Burkinabe Manchester City loanee was devastated after Aston Villa's late goal through his marking target Lucas Digne, he more than made up for it against Palace.
I’m big fan of Issa Kabore!
— Zac Neal (@NonLeagueZac) March 10, 2024
Another player has drastically improved since the start of the season. He can blow hot and cold and has got an error in him (as does everyone) but he was quality again yesterday. Brilliant block to keep the score 1-0 as well👏 https://t.co/g72Qi1gqUb
He managed a brilliant goal-saving block, as well as a key late clearance. Edwards' pride continued.
“We showed that today. He had a really good header late on, so we highlighted that in the meeting today at the beginning of it. His block, his header - it was a brilliant response to a disappointment for him at the end of the Villa game and that’s what we want. Anyone can make mistakes. We all do. I’ve made more than any of them. As long as we learn from them and try and get better, which he clearly has - what a response that is. Our supporters love him because they can see him giving it absolutely everything. He is like full tilt all of the time. The amount of times in training I have to say Issa steady on, calm! Because he’s like hitting match level sprint the day before a game. He’s brilliant and from a disappointment, it was a brilliant way to bounce back.”