Disappointing loss but we can compete against huge football clubs on a big stage - Edwards
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00:00 Hi, everyone.
00:02 What's your overall assessment?
00:06 Obviously we're disappointed not to get anything from the game.
00:11 I think the assessment is United clearly dominated the opening stages,
00:15 the early exchanges were them with the ball, we rode our luck a little bit.
00:19 Thomas Kaminski made a couple of cracking saves, did his job,
00:25 but did very, very well, as I've been saying.
00:27 I think for Luton Town, a lot of teams, not everyone,
00:31 but a lot of teams, you come to Old Trafford, you're going to need your goalkeeper at times.
00:34 So it was really important to us to be in the game as we were at half-time, 0-0.
00:39 That being said, we retained a little bit of a threat and grew into that half.
00:42 I think Carlton had a good opportunity, a good save, one or two moments from set-pieces,
00:46 but at half-time we were pleased with it, we adjusted one or two things.
00:49 I thought the second half performance, in terms of possession and bravery with the ball,
00:54 it was almost level. For us, to be doing that here at Manchester United is pretty special.
01:00 It shows that we're building and progressing in the most difficult league on the biggest stage.
01:06 There's a lot to be proud of, for different reasons, first half and second half.
01:11 I think when we have more of the ball, they get more numbers back,
01:14 and it's harder for us to break them down and speed the game up and create chances.
01:17 That's good for us to be able to get a little bit of control, but then it's harder to create disappointment
01:24 with how we conceded the goal. Ultimately, that's what it cost us.
01:28 Coming in here now and talking about a moment, a set-piece, a second or third phase,
01:32 dropping to Lindelof, where we've got to be still touch-tight, aware of people.
01:37 When the ball was somewhere else, it could drop to anyone,
01:39 and we've got to make sure in those chaotic moments we just deal with that.
01:43 If we had have done that, we could be talking about another brilliant point,
01:48 but we've seen a really good performance and showed that we can compete again
01:52 with a huge football club on a big stage.
01:54 In terms of the looting story and how brilliant it is that you're here,
02:00 then for Jordan to come on and make his Premier League debut at Manchester United against Old Trafford,
02:09 given the career he's had and some of the clubs that are on his CV, including Hyde United,
02:14 from a personal perspective, what was that like for him?
02:17 I think it's incredible. Jordan is a Premier League footballer,
02:22 and just because of the journey he's had, it can be quite modest, I think.
02:27 But to see the level that he was performing at in the Championship last year,
02:33 what he did at Wembley, it's just such a shame that we've been missing him for this long.
02:37 He's a really important player for us, a brilliant human being,
02:40 someone who can play in a number of different positions and tactically very good.
02:44 We're going to need that, that's why we've recruited people who can play in two or three different positions,
02:49 because we've got to be flexible and be able to adapt, and we've shown we have.
02:53 I'm really pleased for Jordan. We've got a good number of lads who've got quite a good story
02:57 and are performing well in the Premier League now.
03:00 I think hopefully it gives a lot of hope to people out there who still have aspirations of playing at this level,
03:05 and people who dream or believe they can be there.
03:08 Look at some of our lads, and they're showing it now, they're living it and competing very well.
03:12 There's a break now, but do you look to the season in phases?
03:17 If so, are you where you thought you'd be and where you want to be?
03:21 I want to be with more points! I want more points, but in terms of where we are,
03:27 we're in the fight that we thought we would be in.
03:29 Everyone probably thought we were going to be in that.
03:32 I think maybe...
03:35 No, not maybe. We are progressing and improving in the way I hoped.
03:42 I think we learnt pretty quickly after the first two games,
03:46 and since then I think we've been harder to beat.
03:48 We've been in a lot of games,
03:51 could potentially have had one or two more points than what we've actually taken, especially at home.
03:55 So what I'm seeing is a team that are really committed, they're improving,
03:59 they're working very, very hard for each other, a team that fight to the very end.
04:03 Today we're still pushing, we didn't create any big chances,
04:06 but we're still putting the ball in the box and still trying to find an equaliser here at United
04:10 when they're seeing the game out.
04:12 I'm seeing a lot of good things, what we've got to do now is put that into points.
04:17 What we can concentrate on is the performance, and the performances in the main have been really good.
04:22 They have, because we're giving a lot away.
04:25 We're fighting really hard, I think the players have shown it,
04:28 they're tactically aware, they can adapt in-game.
04:31 And I think what they've shown in the last two games against two giants of football,
04:35 we've got some good players as well.
04:38 We showed that last week against Liverpool, we've shown it again today,
04:41 especially in that second half with how brave we were.
04:43 People talk about how lute and play, we weren't direct, we were good with the ball,
04:46 we looked to try and create some overloads and try to have some control in the game as well.
04:51 So I think we're improving and building the way I'd like us to be,
04:54 but I would like us to have more points.
04:56 Is this as good as...
04:58 Given your resources, or your lack of resources,
05:01 is this as good a performance as you could put in?
05:05 You defended very well, you could have had a header, you could have gone in...
05:09 You weren't thrashed, it wasn't a four-or-five deal,
05:15 you come away with a point against Liverpool,
05:19 and now they're defeated at Manchester United,
05:21 is this as good as your lack of wages?
05:25 Of course, we know we're giving a lot away,
05:27 this is one of the biggest clubs in the world,
05:29 and we're a newly promoted team.
05:32 I've said this before, we were a relatively small team in the Championship as well,
05:35 so today was always going to be a mountain for us to climb to get something from the game.
05:38 We were going to have to be excellent, United a little bit off it,
05:41 and we nearly did.
05:44 But I don't want to accept that, and I don't want to settle for coming away with a narrow loss,
05:51 and we take something from it.
05:53 We didn't want to take points, and the players wanted to as well.
05:55 We were disappointed in that dressing room,
05:57 we were flat after the game because we believed that we can,
05:59 and if it wasn't for one moment where we'd just switched off,
06:02 again in a chaotic scramble,
06:06 we could have been coming away again with something.
06:09 But again, I don't think...
06:14 It's great to get something from Liverpool, the performance was good.
06:17 It wasn't that we had to get something from Manchester United away,
06:20 we know we need to get more points,
06:23 but there probably are other games that we can target a little bit more.
06:26 But that being said, I go into every game believing that we can win,
06:29 or we can get something from it,
06:31 but it is just a huge challenge in the Premier League, it's so, so difficult.
06:34 It is, the players are really good.
06:36 I know this club are in a bit of a difficult moment,
06:38 but they've still got world-class players.
06:41 The expectation was on them today,
06:44 and credit to them, they won the game.
06:47 They had more chances and more of the ball than us,
06:50 but we fought really, really hard and showed a lot of good qualities.
06:56 Thanks, everyone.
06:58 Thanks, everyone.
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