Replacing Rob Edwards as Luton Town manager is Matt Bloomfield, ending the latter’s tenure as Wycombe Wanderers manager. A club icon leaving behind a positive legacy, his final match in charge saw the Chairboys triumph 2-0 over Portsmouth in the FA Cup.
Bloomfield also enjoyed a 19-year playing career with them before assuming managerial duties in February 2023.
His impressive second full season in charge probably couldn’t have gone any better.
He won Sky Bet’s League One Manager of the Month for October, helping Wycombe begin 2025 in second place:
- Played: 25
- Won: 15
- Drawn: 6
- Lost: 4
- Points: 51
‘Mr Wycombe’ will never be forgotten for his efforts and commitment to the club. Yet a new chapter awaits in Bedfordshire.
We’ve put together a Scout Report looking at what Bloomfield could bring to Luton.
The Hatters’ woes this season
It’s been well documented on our Fantasy EFL page how Luton aren’t having the season many expected. Following their brave battle in the Premier League, the relegated Hatters were expected to be a strong contender for immediate promotion.
However, they sit on 25 points after 26 games, just two points above the relegation zone, with a goal difference of -17. This is despite losing virtually no stars throughout the summer.
Following four straight Championship defeats, Edwards’ time at the club was over.
“I’m really proud of what we achieved, not only winning a play-off game which the club had struggled to do, but winning the final and gaining promotion to the Premier League at Wembley was the most amazing experience!
“I take with me some incredible memories, not just the victories against Watford or Sunderland in the semi-final, or Brighton, Newcastle, Palace or Everton. But the way we did it, how we played against Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, Villa and Manchester United, we were brave and brilliant to watch, how the Kenny bounced and roared! That’s what I’ll remember.” – Rob Edwards’ departing statement
There’s little doubt that the 42-year-old will shortly return to a dugout. Nonetheless, there’s a new chapter awaiting at Kenilworth Road.
What can Bloomfield bring?
Initially, the expectation will be to re-discover previous form and steer clear of relegation. At home, they sit a respectable 13th in the table, accumulating 21 points from 13 matches. But away form has been abysmal. They languish in 23rd for this, securing only one win on the road.
However, Bloomfield’s stats will be music to the ears of Luton fans. Wycombe have netted 50 times in 25 games, more than any other side across England’s top four tiers. According to playmakerstats, in all competitions, Wycombe have scored 69 goals – again, the most.
Bloomfield has spoken to Coaches Voice about his preferred playing style.
“I want my teams to play fast, convincing football, and not have possession for possession’s sake. I want to know why we are moving the ball around the pitch. What is the purpose and what is the move we are building towards? I’m not trying to reinvent the wheel, or be the cleverest manager in the Football League. What I am trying to do is what’s right for my group at any given moment.”
Tactical Breakdown
Although Wycombe are one of many EFL sides displaying fluidity, Bloomfield usually set them up in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Depending on opposition however, we’ve also seen them in 3-5-2 and 4-1-4-1.
Encouragingly, it seems like Bloomfield is open to ideas and isn’t stubbornly set in his ways.
“There will always be strengths and weaknesses to an opposition’s formation, so our players need to understand what our opponents are showing us and what the formation consequences are. We must guard against the opposition’s strengths, of course, but mostly we try to go after how we expose their weaknesses.”
The Chairboys utilise the entire pitch, facilitated by their abundant talent. Defensive errors have been minimal, even though they build up play from the back. Meanwhile, the prioritisation of an attacking style means they’ve achieved just eight clean sheets, League One’s fourth-best.
Part of their success can be attributed to effective squad management, with consistent rotation and a dedicated group of players. Notably, only defender Joe Low (D) has played and started all 25 games, ahead of Daniel Harvie (D) and Franco Ravizzoli (G) on 24 and 23 appearances respectively.
As it stands, four Wycombe players have over 100 Fantasy EFL points: defenders Low (143) and Harvie (124), plus forward Richard Kone (118) and midfielder Cameron Humphreys (117).
Loanee Humphreys has excelled in the number 10 role, contributing four goals and nine assists.
Furthermore, there’s the truly inspiring journey of Kone.
From representing the Ivory Coast in the Homeless World Cup to signing with Wycombe, he has become a true fan favourite. What helps is that he’s netted 13 times, including a memorable hat-trick in Gameweek 13.
Their 19-game unbeaten run leading up to 2025 is a testament to their strength, even though the streak ultimately ended just before the change of year.
Which Luton players could thrive in Fantasy EFL?
For a struggling squad that’s waiting to see how Bloomfield sets up, this is difficult to call.
Edwards fiercely played 3-5-2 throughout his tenure, and while this handsomely paid off in previous seasons, it’s not going to plan this time.
Despite losing 2-0 away to Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup, interim manager Paul Trollope immediately switched to a 4-2-3-1 formation.
If we had to select three players who could significantly benefit under the new manager on Fantasy EFL, our choices would be Mark McGuinness (D), Alfie Doughty (M) and Carlton Morris (F).
Centre-back McGuinness is his side’s highest-scoring asset, although only four clean sheets (+20). He’s a defensive contributions magnet, making 120 clearances (+40). Additionally, he offers an attacking threat, grabbing two goals (+14) and four assists (+12) so far. He’s also nailed for minutes, starting all 24 matches. If Bloomfield can solidify their defence, McGuinness is a great option.
Moreover, given Kone’s success under Bloomfield, Morris can be confident of returning to his best. Leading by example, the club captain scored 11 Premier League goals last season and 20 in the previous Championship campaign, playing an instrumental part in their promotion.
2024/25 has been more of a struggle, though seven goals, one assist and 83 points is still some solid output. We’d expect him to soon reach double-digit strikes.
Wing-back Doughty was a tremendous FPL success story, scoring 101 points thanks to two goals and 10 assists in 37 appearances. He could replicate that feat in Fantasy EFL, playing the Luke Leahy (D) role under Bloomfield.
Although injuries have restricted Doughty to only 13 games – involving four assists and 21 interceptions – he is set to return in late January. Plenty of time to become a Fantasy gem again.
What does the future hold for Wycombe Wanderers?
At the time of writing, the Chairboys haven’t yet finalised a permanent managerial replacement and Sam Grace will assume the role of interim manager. Potential successors include Brentford assistant Claus Noorgard, plus Des Buckingham, formerly of Oxford United.
Star players like Low and Kone are likely to remain subjects of transfer speculation, gaining interest from Championship clubs due to their strong seasons.
Despite all this speculation, Wycombe’s current season has been fantastic. There’s a comfortable 13-point lead over seventh place, making at least a play-off spot seem likely.
Continued squad cohesion could even propel them towards automatic promotion, assuming they retain their stars.
From a Fantasy standpoint, their players remain valuable additions to our weekly squads.
