No matter how crappy life is, time doesn't stop for anyone or anything.
The Luton players, having suffered their first defeat of the season, were seething. Almost all media outlets had been discussing Luton's loss to Charlton in recent days, which greatly displeased everyone at Luton.
No one likes to lose, and the only cure for the wounds of defeat, besides time, is probably winning.
Luton's next league opponent was Southend United, and facing a fuming Luton after their loss, Southend United was in for a rough time.
There was no talk of being out of form after a loss; a determined Luton completely dominated Southend United away from home.
Griezmann's injury wasn't serious and only required two or three days of rest, but Gao Bo didn't start him in this match. He opted for a starting forward pairing of Adam and Matt. Adam could play as a left or right midfielder, and he could also play as a forward. Gao Bo really liked players who could fill multiple positions; he had frequently tried Adam in different roles last season.
Even without their two main strikers, Southend United still couldn't stop Luton's offense.
In the first half, Adam received a header pass from Matt inside the box and unleashed a shot to give the team the opening goal.
In the second half, Joseph Andel scored with a long-range shot from outside the box, once again breaching Southend United's goal.
In the eightieth minute of the match, Matt's header inside the box changed the score to three-nil!
Luton secured an away victory!
So far, after fifteen rounds of the league, Luton's record is eleven wins, three draws, and one loss, putting them in third place in the league with thirty-six points.
Charlton, in first place, has thirty-eight points, while Leeds United, in second, has thirty-seven points.
These three teams form the top tier of League One. In comparison, Colchester United, currently in fourth place, only has twenty-eight points, trailing third-placed Luton by a significant eight points!
League One has always been a league with a huge disparity between rich and poor teams. Teams relegated from the Championship, or those with capital group investments, can often acquire strong players, while teams with tighter budgets struggle.
The Championship and League One are worlds apart, which leads to less balance in team strength within League One compared to the Championship.
Therefore, a situation like the current one, with three teams forging ahead and the rest falling behind, is very common in League One.
It currently appears that Luton, Charlton, and Leeds United are the main contenders for the top two spots and direct promotion to the Championship.
Gao Bo wasn't worried about the competition, because even if Charlton and Leeds United were in excellent form, they would still have direct confrontations in the second half of the season, and Gao Bo would absolutely not allow his team to lose then!
Gao Bo was very confident about this. As Griezmann became more accustomed to the league, his individual skill also steadily improved. As the team's most talented player, Griezmann was now the focal point of the team's offense, and his individual ability was recognized by everyone. He was one of the team's most important members, so whether Griezmann could return for the fourth round of the Europa League group stage, away against Roma, became a topic of media discussion.
".....It is reported that Griezmann will travel with the team to Rome, but whether he can start is yet to be confirmed!"
"If Griezmann cannot start, this might be good news for Roma!!"
"Both Luton's coach and players are tight-lipped about Griezmann's potential start. It is rumored that Griezmann's injury has not fully healed, and Gao Bo might have different considerations about whether he will start in this match!"
The English media were abuzz with speculation, and the media in Rome were also very interested in whether Griezmann would start.
Griezmann's performance in the Europa League group stage had been perfect.
So far, Luton has won all three of their matches, scoring seven goals, and what's even more astonishing is that almost all of Luton's seven goals in the Europa League have involved Griezmann—the eighteen-year-old French youngster has scored three goals and provided four assists!
Such efficiency was astounding; Griezmann was freely showcasing his talent on the Europa League stage.
And now, if Griezmann were to be absent due to injury, it would undoubtedly be a huge loss for Luton's offense.
Will Griezmann play or not?
Currently, no one knows except for the Luton players.
Gao Bo saw the media discussions and didn't go out to refute them. Anyway, this wasn't a bad thing for Luton; on the contrary, Roma would be left guessing.
Griezmann could, of course, play in this match. Gao Bo was certain of this. Griezmann could have actually played in the previous league match, but Gao Bo decided to play it safe and excluded Griezmann from the squad list.
Many star players have had their careers ruined by injuries. Gao Bo knew very well that while players' bodies might look strong, they couldn't withstand serious injuries—injuries are the natural enemy of professional athletes.
When the entire Luton team walked out of the airport in Rome, they were greeted not only by middle fingers from some Roma fans and the cameras and microphones of the media, but also by their team bus.
In fact, this bus had set off from Luton after the team's match against Charlton, traveled through the Channel Tunnel, across the great plains of France, over the Alps, and journeyed thousands of miles to Rome. Indeed, all roads lead to Rome.
This was also a tradition for teams playing in European competitions; in Europe, unless going to distant places like Moscow, many teams prefer to travel by their own bus.
And on the bus, besides the team driver and a few logistics personnel, there was also a liaison officer from Lazio Football Club.
"Coach Gao Bo, my name is Casappa!"
Casappa warmly welcomed the Luton players, and under his guidance, the team entered Lazio Club's training base.
"Coach Gao Bo, this is our first-team training base, and it's yours to use for the next few days!"
Casappa pointed to a large section of the pitch.
"Thank you very much!" Gao Bo looked at the well-equipped training ground before him and expressed his gratitude for Lazio's enthusiastic help.
"It's nothing, as long as you beat those damn Romans!" Casappa waved his hand dismissively.
Gao Bo nodded: "That's what we're here for!"
Casappa's face indeed lit up with joy upon hearing this.
Gao Bo also smiled.
Lazio's hospitality saved Luton a lot of trouble, so he was in a very good mood.
Lazio and Roma are bitter rivals. For Lazio, the enemy of their enemy is their friend. Providing a training ground for Luton was a small favor, and if Luton were to beat Roma... that would probably make Lazio fans happy for a week!