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Crossover Thursday - Wolves vs Chelsea
29 Plays10 months ago
This week we host Jake & Matt from Daily Chelsea to discuss some of the talking points for both sides ahead of this weekend.
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Transcript
Introduction and Episode Format
00:00:09
officialgspn
Hey, everyone. Welcome back for another episode of Daily Wolves. And it is, of course, our weekly crossover with this week's opposition. So welcoming in into the dugout, we've got the Chelsea boys, Matt and Jake from gs GSP and Chelsea are with me today. Hey, everyone.
00:00:25
Matt
Hey Chris, great to see you.
00:00:27
Jake
Your career is good to see, especially after stealing one of your best players.
00:00:30
officialgspn
Yeah, thank you. Yeah, yeah. the you You beat me to the punch. That is obviously one of the big talking points I'm sure that we'll get onto to in a moment. ah But yeah, welcome in guys. And just for anyone new to the show, cause it's obviously only like our second full week of this whole venture. The aim is that every Thursday we're going to have crossover Thursday and look at to the week ahead with the opposing team fans and get a bit of back and forth on what's going on and see what everyone's thinking and how it's all going to go down.
00:00:57
officialgspn
um Obviously, let's just touch on opening day results. We basically had a mirror image in some ways because we both faced the top two teams, arguably from the like will be potentially the top two teams in the division in terms of Arsenal and Man City. And we both lost two nil. So it's going to be interesting in because both of us are looking for our first points and potentially both seeing it as a game that we can take points from. I presume you're thinking the same thing I am.
00:01:28
Jake
Yeah, I'd say so. i think i i think I think we played well enough against City for Chelsea fans ah to go into this believing, definitely.
Chelsea's New Signings and Squad Depth
00:01:39
Jake
um And obviously, I know it's an away game and no away game in the Premier League is easy, but I'm hoping with the new additions, possibly Javelics on the bench, a bit of added pressure on the starting 11 if it's not the starting 11 which I want to see which obviously fantasy-wise would be like Felix, everyone we've signed basically.
00:02:00
Jake
um But yeah, I'd quite like to see, ah I think we should be, Chelsea fans should be going into this thinking we should get three points.
00:02:09
officialgspn
On that note, because you mentioned signings and the number of players, I can't not say like, are you sure if you haven't got enough players to field in 11, it is okay to forfeit just to put that out there. If you're struggling for numbers, that's okay.
00:02:24
Matt
Well, I think we'll swap for choice in terms of, you know, which 11 we want to put out. Um, ever a couple of times we've, we've, you know, made the joke that we could probably field four different starting 11s with the amount of, uh, squad players that we've got.
00:02:37
Matt
So I think we'll swap for choice for sure. Um,
00:02:40
officialgspn
You are, yeah, you are spoilt for choice and obviously the later one of the latest choices, additions, is one of our starlets, Pedro Neto. um So that's gonna be interesting.
00:02:49
Matt
Absolutely.
00:02:52
officialgspn
He's gonna, I think the Wolves fans will give him a warm welcome because it's so soon. and And to be fair, we all kind of expected him to move on this summer or last season.
00:03:02
officialgspn
There was very much talk around the fact that Neto will move on. ah Forgive me for saying, I think we all thought he would go somewhere else. and we and We didn't think he would necessarily go to Chelsea. um But so I think we'll give him a warm welcome. I'll be interested to see how much game time he gets against us because I know he came on as a sub the other other day and it's still early days. But ah from your perspective, if I start with you, Matt, how are you feeling about like, what do you think of Neto in terms of as a player, are you happy with ah you've got so many signings, like you said, but how is Neto for you? What do you think of that purchase from Chelsea's point of view?
00:03:34
Matt
I think it's um, arguably our best signing of the the summer so far, you know, it's right up there with signing felix Um, I would just probably say with netto. He's had a few more seasons in the premier league than felix Um, so he knows the league really really well And he's tried and trusted. so You know, it's not only Chelsea that would have been interested in him. Definitely, I'm sure, ask someone, Liverpool would have have been interested in signing him if they could have done.
00:03:59
Matt
um and And... He brings something ah you know sort of a real ferocious dynamic to the team that does does actually you know improve our starting 11. We've obviously made a lot of signings, which we probably would say they probably don't get in our starting 11. But I think Neto definitely does. I think he definitely brings a lot of competition to either wing. He's probably best on the right um and then cutting in with his left. um But I think he gives us options on both sides of the wing. So he creates pressure for, you know, Madrid.
00:04:30
Matt
matter where kids being on on the top of their game and You know last season he played 20 times scored twice got nine assists, you know, that's a pretty strong record The only thing I would say that makes me slightly um nervous about him is that He can be a little bit injury-prone and last season he was out for 16 league games with a hamstring injury and so that you know, that's That's basically half the season. ah So that is a real
Pedro Neto's Impact and Injury Concerns
00:04:59
Matt
worry. um So I think as long as we can he can stay fit and we can give him all the care and attention that he needs, he's going to thrive and be a great signing for us.
00:05:09
officialgspn
Yeah, I can see you nodding there, Jake. is it I take it you you reciprocate you feel the same.
00:05:14
Jake
yeah i think it i think it's a very good timing for us just because he has quality like upfront quality that i think a lot some of our wingers don't um like ah it <unk> we've not really seen much of him but like uh on sunday against manchester city where he put like this lovely dinked little cross in i was just like i've not seen that for so long like I've not seen a player get down the touchline think a little crossing like that that nearly leads to a goal in like just a very long time and it just feels like he's got a bit more star quality and I think probably coming in with a bit more confidence than what our wingers have at the moment, which I think is really important for us.
00:05:38
Matt
Yeah.
00:05:51
officialgspn
Mm hmm.
00:05:53
Jake
But yeah, i I share Matt's worry that We can't really keep having injury flow-prone players like that's messed up a lot of our seasons in the last five or ten years when we've had injury-prone players drop out at certain times and that's, yeah, I think the main worry for most Chelsea fans when it comes to the Neto.
00:06:10
officialgspn
Yeah, we've said on The Wolves to fill you in on our perspective, we said on The Wolves daily podcast in regards to the Neto sale that it's If it hadn't been for all the injuries, he probably would have gone for a higher value. And also on top of that, um the because of all the injuries, we're kind of, I think, where everyone's feeling that the value is fair. Because over the last two seasons alone, if you put it all together at something like less than 40% of the games over the last two years, he's actually played falls, given and even before last season's two separate hamstring injuries. Because he he got the hamstring injury, came out for like two games, and then was back out again.
00:06:46
officialgspn
um and the season before are the, like he's ah he' just, he is, like you say, he's injury prone. And so I think that is the one thing that, because we always have such a small squad at Wolves, it's like one of the smallest in the league, usually around 20 players or so. And so it really is an impact when he's out for half a season. So the one advantage that you have is you've got players that can fill in or maybe give him rest, like you could rest him more often if he needs it, because at Wolves he will play, if he's fit, he's going to play every minute.
00:07:14
officialgspn
um But maybe that's not what, because he's all about pace, he's all about speed, that's his entire game.
00:07:16
Jake
. .
00:07:19
officialgspn
But maybe that is a bit too much for him.
00:07:20
Jake
. .
00:07:21
officialgspn
Maybe he needs to not be playing necessarily every game. um I don't know, just putting it out there. But yeah, but we feel, I think, that it's fair. But yeah, his injuries are a thing that that is concerning all round.
00:07:33
officialgspn
Anyway, that's just my two cents worth on it. um All right, so we should get onto to the game though itself.
Wolves vs. Chelsea Historical Match-ups
00:07:40
officialgspn
And so I've got to say we generally do well against, I was going to say some of the biggest, like the top half of the division walls tend to always do slightly better too. We always lose against teams at the bottom. You can guarantee that we will lose to the teams in the bottom three every season and then do well against teams in the top half.
00:07:56
officialgspn
or some of the bigger clubs. So the last six matches head-to-head, Wolves of 1-3, Drawn 2 and Lost 1. So we've done pretty well against you guys overall. um And last season we did the double um with Kunya getting a hat-trick in the 4-2 at Stanford Bridge.
00:08:12
officialgspn
So I'm not trying to gloat, but we're feeling pretty positive, I guess.
00:08:14
Jake
Thank you.
00:08:16
Matt
not at all you know
00:08:17
officialgspn
Not at all. i but It's my podcast, so let's just put it out there. So But obviously you've got, like you said, so many new additions. How are you feeling in terms of the history of the fixture? And like you said, Molyneux, I think it's yeah it's our opening home game of the season. It's our first home game of the season. So the crowd should be up for it. So it should be an interesting, you know, ah a feel good factor, at least for the first 10, 15 minutes, unless it all goes awry um into the frying pan for you guys. How are you feeling about the history of the fixture and and coming to Molyneux?
00:08:50
Jake
um Yeah, it' um as ah as a Chelsea fan, I'm worried. I won't lie at all. um It just seems um wolves, especially for the last couple of seasons, I mean, I know we've probably taken one of them now, but they have you've always had a lot of players who can always break defences themselves and have really good like personal performances, if you know what I mean.
00:09:13
Jake
And our defenses, I think Matt would probably agree, really struggle when it comes up to players like that. Like it seems tactically that we've always been decent the last couple of seasons when we face any team, you know, sit for some blow. But when it comes down to it, you know, it it takes, you know, ah just a decent chance to split us open, and open us up and you have a goal conceded. So that really worries me considering how again we're coming with a new manager again you know we're coming trying to play a new style um and it seems that wolves no matter when what happens when they play us seem really well rounded and we just struggle against teams like that i don't know what you think
00:09:55
Matt
Yeah, absolutely. I mean, Molyneux, it's always a tough place to go to. um The crowd really lifts the the players for you, Chris. um And you're absolutely right saying you know sort of you you perform very well against the top teams, particularly at home. I always remember that you've taken plenty of points off City in the last couple of seasons and they've had a nightmare against you.
00:10:18
Matt
so I'm not sure anyone looks forward to going to Molyneux to play.
00:10:22
officialgspn
That's good to hear.
00:10:22
Matt
um Exactly, yes, yeah.
00:10:23
officialgspn
That's good to hear. Yeah.
00:10:24
Matt
or We're saying all the right things right now for you.
00:10:26
officialgspn
he Yeah, yeah.
00:10:28
Matt
um But it's um i I would still be quietly confident um because of the signings that we've made and because of the changes that are happening within the dressing room, as in, I mean, very, um absolutely really with this whole news about Sterling.
Chelsea's Manager Enzo Maresco and Team Strategies
00:10:49
Matt
um If you look back at the two games that we played against you last season, Sterling missed big chances in those games, particularly at Molyneux when he was clean through and he chose to shoot when he could have ah passed it or laid it off to Palmer or Jackson even.
00:10:54
officialgspn
He did.
00:11:02
Matt
And he has been really disappointing. And so to, you know, effectively replace him with Neto is a big win. um But Also, the I think with Enzo Maresco making these big big calls with essentially already booting Sterling out and stamping his authority down, I think that's great for the squad. um From all the news, it sounds like they're all buying into his philosophy and his way of play. And so I think we're really just going to grow into that.
00:11:32
Matt
I, I do back us to, to come away with a win. Um, and we'll, we but we'll probably get back into scores later on, but I do back us to, to get a solid result at Molyneux, despite, um, despite the challenges that it brings just because we will have Neto Felix and Palmer. And I think those are the kind of players that can really hurt teams and actually break your defense down.
00:11:57
officialgspn
Interesting. Yeah, im this the Sterling story is is interesting from an outside perspective. I was going to touch on that anyway, because I'm sure like it's big news of the whole press statement thing.
00:12:10
officialgspn
And I'm sure that he has some interesting stories to tell by the sound of it.
00:12:10
Matt
Mm.
00:12:15
officialgspn
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00:12:49
officialgspn
Now I'm sure that Sterling isn't going to talk about Zancaster, but I had to fit that in there, so thanks. But are you you you spoke about how the you think the coach is kind of improving, perhaps the the morale or like dealing with the Sterling situation. If I come to you, Jake, on that, are you worried about the cohesion within the squad cause I think it was a Danny Murphy or someone going on about the amount of players in the squad.
00:13:14
officialgspn
And, and so obviously from a, from a ball opponent perspective, second game of the season, I'm thinking, I'm hoping they're not together yet, not gelled yet, not, not a unit because we've got perhaps a more settled team and the Gary Leal for the last season and a half.
00:13:29
officialgspn
So are you worried about that?
00:13:33
Jake
Yeah.
00:13:34
officialgspn
Yeah.
00:13:34
Jake
Yeah, easily easily a worry for Chelsea fans, I think. um it The thing is, I think you'd find maybe half our fan base who would say that we've been so desperate for a manager to do this, as in not necessarily remove the specific players he's removing, but just coming in and being able to try and remove Deadwood um in terms of our squad, which I think Sterling is probably a player in that category, I would say. I mean, um I think it was probably what really really hurt Potter when he was with us is the his squad size and I think one of the examples that I always go back to is like when Potter um had Ziesh fail on his loan to PSG he was in the team within the next three days and I think it just showed that the manager didn't really have much control there um but whether this is coming from the board in terms they want to sell him or whether
00:14:24
Jake
it's the manager just wanting to rule out players i think i think the important thing for joseph and today was that he said that he's just working with a squad of 25 players that he wants to work with and i think we've been waiting for a very long time for a player for a manager to come in and be so strict and be so authoritative when he's come in um as harsh it may seem on certain players at the moment and i'm not saying all players are included in that because we know that for example shaloba I think I imagine Reska might want to use but wouldn't be sold, wants to be sold by the board.
00:14:57
officialgspn
Yeah, no, it's, it's interesting as say for, cause I'm sure there's lots of people like me eyeing the the stuff from the outside and thinking that is a lot of players and and it'd be interesting to see how they come together and what your final 11, like your your more solid 11 seems to be if it shifts throughout the season with that, with such depth, because, and keeping all those people happy that aren't necessarily going to be in the squad week in, week out, cause that's a lot of people to man manage.
00:15:22
officialgspn
from yeah it's just I'm yeah it's baffling it's interesting to see I have to say um all right so we should look at though a bit more in depth of this weekend I'm thinking in terms of the strengths and weaknesses of the teams you guys coming in this weekend
00:15:42
officialgspn
What do you feel that your strength is going to be in terms of what are going to be the keys to you guys defeating us? And also what are you worried about in terms of facing? What what do you think is going to be the thing that could possibly go against you?
00:15:55
Matt
Yeah, I think like sort of some of the we've got the we've got quality quality players that can really hurt you and I think within our midfield we've got all of our, all of our midfield, if so, we lined up as Felix, Neto, Palmer, and then Lavia, and Carcedo behind them. I think all of those players have got a strong through ball within them, um or a good pass and good vision within them to to find, whether it's in Cunco or Jackson up top, um or any of the fullbacks going forward as well. I think um we've got that, that ability and that technique within the team and
00:16:37
Matt
With, under Mariska, it's all about, you know, having the extra man within midfield and making the most of possession and almost, you know, similar to Pep trying to, I guess, suffocate teams and and run them into the ground with this possession style football. Yeah, we're in early days with that, but I think that works really well with the players that we do have. um And we are building that ah smaller squad around that, but something that will go against us is just that um a lot of the players haven't played with each other before. And also in preseason, there were a few times where teams just went through the middle of us and break down our defense very, very easily. And so I think there is still, it's more on the defensive side that I'm slightly worried about more, rather than going forward. I would say that.
00:17:32
Matt
particularly as well when we're playing out from the back, I mean, Man City's second goal effectively came from us playing out from the back badly um and just getting too much pressure and being pressed too much.
00:17:33
Jake
in the back. I planned.
00:17:45
Matt
And so I think because Wolves know we're going to play that way, they will want to capitalise that and press us a lot. um And that is where I can see you scoring um and where we just need to be really tight in possession.
00:17:59
Matt
But that's my thoughts on the game so far.
Comparing Team Strengths and Weaknesses
00:18:02
officialgspn
Yeah, i am yes you mentioned about playing out from the back and us pressing. I was going to put that as one of our strengths because under Gary O'Neill, we've seen him. He really wants them to push up, like they're pushing aggressively high up the pitch more and more. That's something they've really worked. You can see they've worked on him pre-season. We've shifted as well from the last season or two, we've we've always played with five at the back and he's changed it to, ah it's more of a,
00:18:27
officialgspn
With Gary O'Neill, again, it's never kind of one fixed formation throughout the game. It often shifts. It's like constantly fluid, but it's more of a back four, so to speak, most of the time. um But so my on the strength, the pressing, I think you're right, because we one of the best chances we got about against Arsenal at the weekend was that Konya kind of wasted was from pressing and then the it breaking loose from defence.
00:18:51
officialgspn
But likewise, I think our weakness is the fact that our back four is a new, like it's a whole new defensive system. um So that is also a concern because ah we sold Kilman to West Ham and whatever people think of Kilman, like he's, ah I think he's a really solid defender, but there was concerns over whether he's good in the back four anyway. um But now our back four is very raw and it's very well known. We're looking for a sense back in the market.
00:19:16
officialgspn
ah to go alongside mascara who seems to be the upcoming star in that new back line. But Totti next to him had his weakest game at the weekend and he's really good in a back three but looks very, I think he's the weakest link in that back four.
00:19:29
officialgspn
So I'm pretty sure that that that you, I'm sure if Chelsea, like you guys have done their homework that that's going to be one of the things that they press on because if he's caught in possession that's where the weak link is in that and that back line.
00:19:36
Jake
Thank you.
00:19:40
officialgspn
So that's my concern there. Jake, is there a particular person that you are worried about in terms of the walls team? Like who would you, there is it one person that you think would be the fear factor?
00:19:51
Jake
Um, a fear factor for us, I think automatically is someone from the attack, typically with Chelsea from the other team. Um, specifically Huang, he, he jumped.
00:20:02
Jake
Huang is it? Sorry.
00:20:03
officialgspn
Yeah, yeah.
00:20:04
Jake
Um, he, he always gives us trouble whenever he plays against us, whether he gets it on the stat sheet or not in terms of like goals and assists. Like he just torments us a little bit.
00:20:16
Jake
um and i saw a little bit of larson on the weekend i think it's that's your new number nine isn't it?
00:20:20
officialgspn
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:20:20
Jake
awesome yeah he seems to give a bit of trouble as well and i think One of the things that Mareska's teams have suffered from so far is we're just a bit scared when we don't have control of the ball, because I think it's part of Mareska's strategy to always expect to have the ball. um And the fenders so far, I think a lot of our goals have come from, but I think as Matt said earlier, being pressed, like our second goal against City on Sunday was from Fafana, being pressed by only one player, booting it out and in coverage it's going on and on and scoring.
00:20:53
Jake
um I think it's going to be really difficult for for us against your attack, but yeah, Larsen and Wang have a lot alike. Yeah, two players I'm worried about. If if they're on the score sheet, it genuinely would surprise me.
00:21:08
officialgspn
Yeah, it's it's really interesting to hear ah opponent opposition fans talk about Huang, because he's very much, I should have put it, like he's loved him, but he's a bit of a Marmite figure, because I think there's some some fans that that feel like he and he, and he can do this from time to time, where he kind of drifts out of games, if he's not, when he's not got the ball, his his work ethic is amazing, but it feels like there's large chunks of games, if he's not involved that he can just like, it's like he's not there, if that makes sense, like he's not,
00:21:34
officialgspn
involved. He's just he's just somewhere in the ether, just like vanishing. But, ah but then he can pop up when you least expect it. And he did get us double digit goals last season, like he's, and we didn't have a solid number nine, it was hanging anywhere across the front line. um So he is a fantastic player in his work ethic, I think he's great. But if it's not, if it's a very defensive game, he can kind of be like, cut out the loop, I think. So it's and and so that so Yeah, he's a bit of a Marmite sometimes, from but he also ah brings a massive amount of commercial money in from Korea in that part of the world. so yeah they made ah he someone Someone tried to buy him in the summer. I can't remember who. I think it was Marcel. Someone offered like $25 million and it was rejected and because he is he is really important. So it's interesting to hear you mention him.
00:22:23
officialgspn
um I have to say in terms of our perspective, I think the person we're probably worried about is Neto. Because it's going to be that typical thing of ah ah some your ex-player coming back and then it's just written in the stars that he's probably going to score if he comes on or starts. I'm pretty much sure that's written out there somewhere, like a movie.
00:22:43
officialgspn
It's going to happen without doubt. um All right, so we should think about
Match Predictions and Key Players
00:22:48
officialgspn
results. So, Jake, what do you think? What are you predicting for your result this weekend?
00:22:56
Jake
Um, for us, I'm going with a three two. I think we're to Chelsea.
00:23:02
officialgspn
To Walt?
00:23:04
Jake
Sorry to Chelsea.
00:23:05
officialgspn
Oh, just you just just clarifying there, just checking because, you know,
00:23:06
Matt
oh wow
00:23:08
Jake
Sorry, it's a bit sad that you cannot go either way really when you're doing the predictions. Most of the time you just sort of assume I was talking about Chelsea, but it's been a long time since you can do that, I suppose.
00:23:22
Jake
Yeah, I'd say I think we are definitely down to concede a couple, definitely scared of your attack in general, a couple of your players as I just mentioned,
00:23:30
Matt
Oh wow.
00:23:33
Jake
um Our defense looks a little bit shaky. um Something important for us as well is that tomorrow we play a Europa Conference League qualifier game.
00:23:42
officialgspn
Hmm. Hmm.
00:23:45
Jake
So as much as I think there'll probably be quite a few rotations tomorrow, I think a couple of our important players may not be rested because I think we've got that game at home and I think we'll want to settle it there. um So i can I don't think it will be too many first-team players dropped out.
00:24:00
Jake
who will then of course play again on a Sunday. um this These qualifiers are the first part of European competitions to kick off, so it's a bit we're not used to being in that and neither of most teams will be playing on a Thursday this early in the season.
00:24:13
Jake
um I think if you come into that game yeah ready to run us down and press us, I think you'll score a couple of goals. um I'm just hoping our attacking quality is a bit better than your attacking quality and we can get three goals rather than two out of that essentially. That's my hope as a Chelsea fan. yeah
00:24:32
officialgspn
hey And you said Europa League, right?
00:24:33
Matt
Wow.
00:24:34
officialgspn
Is that right? because ah just it Was it Europa League?
00:24:36
Jake
You're open at conference league. not
00:24:39
officialgspn
yep Yeah. Yeah. Cause we did that, uh, I think was it 2018, 2019 or the year or two after after we came up? Cause we got seventh and and got in Europa that, that league that season.
00:24:48
Jake
Yeah.
00:24:49
officialgspn
It is good fun. It is good fun. Um, but it is a ah long, long like process to get through the conference league. It's really bizarre. Um, Matt, what do you think, uh, are you going with Jake's three two?
00:24:58
Jake
Yeah.
00:25:02
officialgspn
Cause that's a, that's a big school line.
00:25:03
Matt
Yeah, that's a huge score line. That's super entertaining for the neutral. um i Like I said, I still think we'll win, but I think it will be 2-1. I'm still confident that you will score ah because you're at home and you do like to press us, but I do still think there will be long periods of quite caginess between both both teams and a lot of sort of pinballing of the ball around the pitch um just because of the nature of you trying to press us, us trying to clear it out. um But then also I think there will be transition and stages of us having some um some element of control and pushing up and pressing you and trying to to work around your defense and try and find that killer through ball.
00:25:53
Matt
So I still think we'll come away with a 2-1 win. i think um I think you'll score first though um and then we'll then come back into the game and get our goals later on in the game. That's what I think, yeah.
00:26:07
officialgspn
Interesting, interesting. Well, before i I give my result, I'll keep people on the edge of their seat and remind everyone that this podcast is part of the Global Sports Podcast Network, the only network bringing you exclusive daily news and views on your Premier League team, the Premier League, women's football and fantasy football. A unique listening experience that puts fans first, bringing you the very latest breaking news from your team. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and make us your first listen every day. Global Sports Podcast Network, every club, every day.
00:26:37
officialgspn
You guys both knew that, so I'm just preaching to the choir. But, you know, some people might not know.
00:26:41
Matt
Amen.
00:26:42
officialgspn
It's important. It's important to share the message.
00:26:43
Matt
Amen. There you go.
00:26:45
officialgspn
um I'm going to go with 2-1. two wolves, just to clari just to clarify.
00:26:51
Matt
Oh, so I thought you're backing me up there, you know.
00:26:53
officialgspn
Yeah, yeah, just to clarify. um I mean, I'd love it if it was ah Jake's 3-2 and I could say that it was another Konyahatrik, that would be fantastic.
00:27:01
Matt
Oh, wow.
00:27:02
officialgspn
But I'm gonna go with 2-1, two one to wolves. um knowing this we've all said a victory of some sort it's probably going to be like a 2-2 draw but um i'm which i think would be at least a point on the board for everyone but i'm gonna go 2-1 and i'm gonna get i'm gonna say larson gets his first goal for wolves as well somewhere in that i'm not gonna give the order but larson to get no let's say larson to get the winning goal
00:27:26
Matt
fifty Oh.
00:27:29
officialgspn
and a 2-1. There we go. And since you've named the other one, I'll say Huang to get the first. There you go.
00:27:37
Matt
And then and then they to to get our goal.
00:27:37
officialgspn
All right.
00:27:39
Matt
So it's actually all wolves goals all round.
00:27:40
officialgspn
Yeah, exactly.
00:27:41
Matt
There you go. Is that?
00:27:41
officialgspn
Neso to get the one. It's going to be a wolves trilogy. It's going to be amazing.
00:27:45
Matt
Yeah, yeah.
00:27:46
officialgspn
It's going to be fantastic.
Personal Anecdotes and Respect for Wolves
00:27:47
officialgspn
um Are either of you guys coming up to Molyneux on the weekend?
00:27:52
Matt
Unfortunately not.
00:27:53
officialgspn
Oh no.
00:27:53
Jake
No.
00:27:54
Matt
Are you going to be there?
00:27:55
officialgspn
um i live I live within a stone's throw of the ground. So actually, even if I'm not there, I can celebrate the the goals from my garden because you can hear hear the cheers go in every time.
00:27:59
Jake
Wow.
00:28:07
officialgspn
I should be there. But just to put that in perspective, it's great because I literally, it's like or it surround sound everywhere in my house. um It's fantastic. um Is there anything you guys wanted to share with the Wolves fans or the the the Chelsea fans since this crossover episode? I'm hosting you guys this week, but anything else you wanted to bring to the conversation I didn't mention? I'll start with you, Matt. Any parting words or any thoughts?
00:28:33
Matt
I think it's going to be a really tight game. um Like I say, we've started the season in similar fashion, going up um against the top two teams respectively. And so more than anything, I think this is where we both see us kick starting our season.
00:28:49
Matt
um We've got big respect hook for Wolves, um obviously over the last six results, you know, they've been a They've come up on top more often than not. um You know, the last time we we had to go back to a Chelsea win was under Graham Potter, which feels like an eternity ago.
00:29:04
Matt
um And.
00:29:06
officialgspn
Jake's face just went, yeah, yeah.
00:29:08
Matt
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. We we did win that goal that that match 3-0, although the gold came from Havoc, Pulisic, and Broja, all out of the club now. So um very different time back then, very different time. But ah yeah, we're on to new times. So I hope Netto comes back to give you nightmares. That's what I'm hoping.
00:29:31
officialgspn
I'm sure he will. I'm just going to hope that we've seen enough of him in you know weekly training every week that the players all know how to just just just put him to sleep for the game somehow. um Jake, what are you any parting words of wisdom or just any fun farewells for for everyone?
00:29:46
Jake
and No, just shout out to the Wolves fans, I guess, like I've been to the Molyneux a couple of times, it's always a great atmosphere um and I think I'll definitely work in your favour in this game as well. Charles had some questions about their atmosphere against City on the weekend, um so I'm sure they'll be a bit nervous with a 12 man sort of crowd that usually follows Wolves to the stadium.
Final Thoughts on Pedro Neto's Future
00:30:07
Jake
Um, my only, I was going to, my only, I had one small question, which was for you, Chris, which was how big of a loss does Pedro Netto feel? Do you think he's, do you think if walls wanted to replace him, could they, or, or in terms of the quality you have seen when he's not been injured, do you think he's quite a big loss or.
00:30:26
officialgspn
That's a really good question, I think. Obviously, it's going to vary person to person, so I'll just give my my like personal opinion, because I'm sure there's some people that will say he's irreplaceable.
00:30:30
Matt
Would you take sterling?
00:30:37
officialgspn
um Personally, i think I think given the... I think he's fantastic, and and I think he's improved the last season or two, particularly the last season over under O'Neill, because I personally felt that the first few seasons... You've got to remember, he's still actually quite young, relatively speaking, despite the fact he's done, what, five or six years in the Premier League. um But the first few seasons, he was very much...
00:30:59
officialgspn
I fell head down and would often not look up and often just go for goal himself wait when there was a better option to cross the ball. And you saw from the number of assists last season, I think that's drastically improved over the last season or two. And and even in the short span last season, Gary O'Neill seemed to have a massive impact on on players in a very short space of time. So I think he's definitely improved, but I do think given the amount of injuries we had with him you've got to look at the fact we actually still managed to win some great games without him on the pitch during those periods so even though i think people are scared because he he is in a way irreplaceable because there is no one else with that pace on the pitch we've got some really quick players don't get me wrong and when Kunya gets running like running from deep with the ball he's
00:31:45
officialgspn
He's he' fantastic, but Nesso's like a different different kind of speed. So whilst he is irreplaceable in some ways, I think the fact that we have managed to play as a unit, cohesively and still pull off great victories without him, shows him shows me that there is not a need to panic that and and the value is there for good.
00:32:05
officialgspn
And I think i think we'll be OK. As I've mentioned to people this week, I think we'll be OK.
00:32:11
officialgspn
There was a bit of a long-winded answer, but I hope that helped.
00:32:12
Jake
Fair enough. Well, I think Chelsea fans are a bit not always confident in the signings that we made recently. So we like to get a fans views from the club that we bought in probably.
00:32:24
officialgspn
Yeah, if he's fit, he's great. and And he gets bums off seats. We spoke this week on our show a couple of times about, cause we did our like fantasy nostalgic wolves team, like our dream team from our own history.
00:32:36
officialgspn
And a lot of that was just choosing around not who's the best, but the people that get bums off seats that get you excited and you know, and um create those moments of of like, oh my God, something's gonna could happen. Cause this guy's got the ball, you know, or just gives you the, he gives you those moments because there's always, ah you know, when he's on the counter particularly,
00:32:52
Matt
Hmm. Hmm.
00:32:54
officialgspn
he's going to be, he's going to be ah exciting. I'm actually curious to see how he does. Like you spoke about doing more, because i really love we've added an extra few minutes here, but I'm on the flow. You spoke about possession football. I'm curious to see more of him in that style, because we've very much been a counter attacking team with Neto. Wolves have been very much like five at the back, sit deep, break on the counter. Under Nuno, that was very much the style. It was a counter attacking format.
00:33:19
officialgspn
And even last season, O'Neal wanted to go forward at the back, tried it the first couple of games, realised the squad couldn't do it, shifted to five at the back and went back to a little bit of that counter-attacking style. And Neseau therefore has always been like breaking from deep. If you look at some of his goals last season, it's pretty much all him starting in his own half of the pitch, running the full length and either crossing for the goal or scoring the goal. It's always like full length of the pitch stuff.
00:33:41
officialgspn
And so if you're doing possession football, that's very different dynamic and it doesn't necessarily need a speed as much. So potentially less hamstring anxiety, but because first he was like doing like full sprints all the time.
Wrap-Up and Thank You
00:33:54
officialgspn
Anyway, that's just ah just some wild theories bursting out of my head as we have have this rumble. Thank you guys. You're both smiling at me taking that in. I think i i think I've bored them to death with that note.
00:34:07
Matt
no at all.
00:34:10
Jake
We'll see how good that's been in the weekend and then we'll judge.
00:34:10
officialgspn
Thank you, Grim. Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly.
00:34:12
Matt
Yeah, yeah exactly.
00:34:14
officialgspn
Yeah. ah Thank you very much, Matt and Jake, for joining me today on the Crossover. um We'll see next week. We'll find out in the weekend who's right or wrong in our predictions, or maybe we're all wrong. And we'll see you all tomorrow on another episode of Wolves Daily.
00:34:27
officialgspn
And be safe, everyone. Take care. Bye-bye.
00:34:31
Matt
Thanks everyone.