Doubters were right: survival task ‘became too much’ for Luton

Edwards felt his squad was “just a little bit thin”.

STEP TOO FAR: Rob Edwards admitted the doubters were right about Luton after they were relegated from the Premier League following a final-day 4-2 defeat to Fulham at Kenilworth Road. Pic: Bradley Collyer/PA Wire

Rob Edwards admitted the doubters were right about Luton after they were relegated from the Premier League following a final-day defeat to Fulham at Kenilworth Road.

Adama Traore opened the scoring for the Cottagers with Raul Jimenez on target twice and Harry Wilson rounding things off midway through the second half. Carlton Morris (penalty) and Alfie Doughty scored to make it 1-1 and 2-3, but the visitors had too much.

Hatters boss Edwards, whose captain Tom Lockyer missed much of the season after a cardiac arrest at Bournemouth in December, said injuries played their part but acknowledged the task “almost became impossible” after the drop to the Sky Bet Championship was confirmed.

“We did our all,” Edwards said. “There are reasons for it and I think in the end we were just a little bit thin.

“We missed him (Lockyer) and we missed a number of players as well. The job almost became impossible.

“When you have eight, nine, 10, 12, 13 players missing… it became too much.

“I understand why we were the favourites to go down and ultimately people were right.” 

Edwards expects some changes this summer but wants to keep the squad together ahead of next season’s promotion push.

Asked how important it is to keep their personnel, Edwards replied: “Of course, that’s like every team. We want to keep the majority of the group together to attack the league.

“We have no financial worries at all so we don’t have to sell anybody. It’s inevitable there will be change – that happens. It has to be right for us, first of all."

On the future of midfielder Ross Barkley, who has impressed since joining from Nice last summer, Edwards added: “We’ve had a chat. The fans showed their love for Ross, he’s adored by everyone here, we will see what happens. He’s contracted to the club and I expect to see him in pre-season.” 

Fulham boss Marco Silva confirmed after the game that defender Tosin Adarabioyo, who is about to be out of contract and has been linked with Newcastle and Manchester United, will leave the club this summer.

“We can’t stand still at this football club as it is going to be much more competitive,” Silva said. “We are going to lose some players and one of them is clearly Tosin, who is at the end of his contract.

“For us to be at same level as a squad, we need to have a very good two months which are almost perfect.”

LUTON: Kaminski (Shea 76),Hashioka, Mengi (Johnson 17), Osho, Ogbene (Townsend 76), Sambi Lokonga, Clark (Mpanzu 70), Doughty, Morris, Adebayo (Woodrow 76), Chong. 

Subs not used: Berry, Krul, Onyedinma, Piesold. 

FULHAM: Leno, Tete, Ream, Bassey, Robinson (Ballo-Toure 79), Reed (Cairney 75), Joao Palhinha (Castagne 90), Wilson, Iwobi, Traore (De Cordova-Reid 79), Jimenez (Rodrigo Muniz 90). 

Subs not used: Rodak, Broja, Andreas Pereira, Willian. 

Referee: Matthew Donohue (Lancashire)