Wordpress loop using wp_query category_name => category+textstring

Question

I have a wp_query getting all posts in a category with the same slug as the title as the current page.

Where i have become stuck is modifying wp_query category_name => $post->post_name plus a text string.

For example if page was to be called "Long Day" all posts with the category slug "long-day" will be shown. I need to bring in these posts in one loop and in another have post_name plus the text sting eg long-day-today.

This is what i have so far...

        <?php
            global
            $post; $args = array(
                'category_name' => $post->post_name


            );

$the_query = new WP_Query( $args ); ?>
<?php if ( $the_query->have_posts() ) : while ( $the_query->have_posts() ) : $the_query->the_post(); ?>
            <div class="entry"><?php the_content(); ?></div>
            <?php  echo $cat ?>
<?php endwhile; else: ?>
    <p>Sorry, there are no posts to display</p>
<?php endif; ?>

[EDIT]

I feel like a bit of a fool now, after a little playing i came up with this

 global 
            $post; 
                $exclude = "hello";
                $args = array(

                    'category_name' => "{$post->post_name} . $exclude"

        );

Which seems to do the trick, if there is a better way of achieving this i would still be interested to hear...

Thanks

Answer 1

 global 
            $post; 
                $exclude = "hello";
                $args = array(

                    'category_name' => "{$post->post_name} . $exclude"

        );