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Episode 351: Matchday Review: Toothless against the Lions
48 Plays4 days ago
Southampton – In what was described by Greg's wife as one of the most boring games of football she's ever seen, what can be seen as a disappointing draw to Millwall, but is there still positives to take?
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Transcript
Introduction and New Year Greetings
00:00:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome back to the Daily Southampton part of the Global Sports Podcast Network. My name is Greg Elliott and as always today, joined by my good friend and wonderful co-host, Zach Ingo Finch.
00:00:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
And happy new year, everyone. Happy new year, Zach.
00:00:30
Zak
Happy New Year, mate.
00:00:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
How you doing, mate?
00:00:31
Zak
It's nice to have
00:00:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
You alright?
Holiday Confusion and Mishaps
00:00:32
Zak
you back.
00:00:32
Zak
we've been like We've had a little bit of absence. We've had breaks and not knowing what day it was. And you panicking and me, luckily, pre-empting the fact that we both probably would have forgotten what day it was over New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.
00:00:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:00:44
Zak
It's just a shame it's not like a really fun, incredible win to talk about, right? Like, we didn't preview it.
00:00:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Look, mate,
00:00:50
Zak
I'm also kind of glad for that because we had got the lineup completely wrong.
00:00:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Completely. Look, I didn't know what day it was. I didn't know what time it was. i rocked up at St. Mary's at like quarter past ten this morning. It was, to be fair, by design. and The kids wanted to go and see if they could meet the players for the game. And, well, that was definitely a cheerier and affair than if we'd have waited around afterwards, I think. So...
00:01:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I mean, it was a nice day out, but I
Southampton's Game Performance Analysis
00:01:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
don't know, mate. I've got contrary opinions on the game. and
00:01:23
Zak
Did you know we are we were the only draw today in the championship? Oh, don't tell lie.
00:01:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
well I did do know that one of the results was Pompey getting battered 5-0, so it could have been worse.
00:01:28
Zak
I'm wrong. I'm already wrong. We were one of two draws in the championship.
00:01:39
Zak
that That's true. That's true. But arch rival Nathan Jones managed to draw at Coventry. i was completely wrong. I'm just bad at reading, apparently.
00:01:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. But yeah, I don't know, mate. I've got conflicting opinions on the game and on how I feel about it because it's like the...
00:01:52
Zak
Mm-hmm.
00:01:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think it was the Coventry game I talked about and I'm like, outside of the actual performance and the actual game, paper... a nil-nil draw against a team that beat us previously and that are, you know, pushing for playoffs and in a good position in the league and are always going to be a tough team.
00:02:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
And, you know, what, five unbeaten on the bounce at home now? Like, that's not sounding too bad, but... Yeah,
00:02:28
Zak
Yeah, okay. So how how how does three points from 15 sound?
00:02:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
it sounds miserable, doesn't it It's not...
00:02:34
Zak
that's That's where... that's That's unfortunately where I kind of land
Comparative Analysis with Championship Clubs
00:02:38
Zak
on it. And and also, I think the most upsetting thing, i know what's i don't know what's recently happened with the way that we're playing.
00:02:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:02:46
Zak
And like we've we we've talked about a little bit off... off air about what what our opinions are and how we think we've landed into this position. Because yes, despite doing a, up until this week, daily podcast for the last year and a half, we still have enough like time outside of this to also talk about football.
00:03:05
Zak
But even in like, it just it's just everything's fallen a bit off. And you were talking about how it's a lot of games over a short period of time. And I said to you, i concur with your point that it short period of time of a lot of games.
00:03:17
Zak
However, that's the same for every other championship club. And there are other championship clubs that are winning football games.
00:03:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, but mean...
00:03:24
Zak
They don't just go into every game and, oh, I'm tired.
00:03:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah...
00:03:28
Zak
I'm tired. They can still score and be tired. Like, that's one of my problems.
00:03:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, but it's the same... But I mean, i would argue that Millwall also looked to be suffering the effects of a busy Christmas period. they They seemed as fatigued. And, you know, we're back to exactly the problem that we were talking about sort before this festive period of...
Tactical Criticism and Goal-Scoring Issues
00:03:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
if it's not our first 11 firing all guns blazing at a frankly unsustainable pace, wasn't even sustainable for two halves, let's not forget it, you know, we don't really have a lot of depth or or options and, and that, that showed,
00:04:09
Zak
na
00:04:12
Zak
We've from like Azaz winning, you know, scoring every game after a while to Armstrong firing on all cylinders, Sienza to back to the, oh, that was an almost chance.
00:04:24
Zak
That was an almost chance. But even then, like the the kind of early Tonda, like wrecking ball football has just completely died down. And we we managed, we mustered as many shots as Millwall, despite having 66% of the ball over that game, right?
00:04:40
Zak
Like, that's what I find absolutely insane.
00:04:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. One of those was Jack Stevens, only, presume, out of pure frustration, because...
00:04:44
Zak
that Literally. Yeah, and that was that was early into the first half, and this is what I don't understand, is like, you've had, well, before, do we want talk about the lineups before we get into conspiracy theories?
00:04:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, mate. let Let's...
00:04:56
Zak
Because that was very surprising.
00:04:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Absolutely, let's... let's Let's go back to the start. Let's see the lineups. The team sheet came out. Five changes. And I think I described it to you as bold, which is normally my maybe more politically correct way of saying don't really agree with
Impact of Lineup Changes
00:05:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
that. It's a bit stinky. don't know. It I mean, sure, Archer got goal...
00:05:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
donn know it was it wasn't i mean sure archer got gold against Blackburn, against Birmingham, sorry.
00:05:32
Zak
very last minute girl and a very, yeah, not, as you could tell from my feedback, mate, I was kind of like,
00:05:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:05:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Dubious goals committee aside, but sure, he got a goal and, you know, he should be hungry to play for this place in the team, right? Which is a bonus. and Matski coming in, right?
00:05:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
which is going to be hungry, good you know good performances earlier on in the season, disappeared. He's going to be fighting for his place. Fine. That's an argument here.
00:06:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Can Bragg slot an inter-midfield? Didn't have a problem with that. When he came on at Birmingham, he was solid. That was fine.
00:06:09
Zak
You also managed 90 minutes.
00:06:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was just, yeah, it's just... And do you know, the thing is, actually, that... The lineup itself, I think Matsuki had a really good game.
00:06:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
He was driving the ball forward like you'd want the player in that position of the pitch to do.
00:06:20
Zak
Yeah.
00:06:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
He was picking the ball up and winning the ball in ways.
00:06:26
Zak
Yeah, but... It's trying to bed in.
00:06:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh,
00:06:30
Zak
It's like the whole bedding in new signings period. They've been out of the team for so long, both him, Angela, and everything, that if we're supposed to be playing this certain way, but we've we've we've almost
Playing Style and Strategy Concerns
00:06:39
Zak
reverted back to possession for the sake of possession.
00:06:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
o
00:06:43
Zak
I don't want to say it specifically like a Russell Martin style, but again, like we got 66% of the ball, and throughout game, we had many shots.
00:06:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
oh yeah, definitely. It was...
00:06:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was slow.
00:06:49
Zak
And it was just boring, mate.
00:06:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was slow.
00:06:51
Zak
it was boring me
00:06:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was the lethargic.
00:06:52
Zak
It was boring.
00:06:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:06:54
Zak
was such a boring game to watch.
00:06:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:06:56
Zak
There was like a 15-minute spell in the second half, right? that was That was basically it.
00:07:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:07:01
Zak
Sometimes we come out and we we we hit him on the front foot in the first two minutes of the game. And then it was just, oh, oh, and back. Oh, oh. And I could have just been watching a really slow tennis match.
00:07:14
Zak
And I think that's its biggest crime.
00:07:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know what it was, mate? I can... You know, in computer... This is niche. You know, in computer algorithms, right, where you look for similar patterns, and if you've got that pattern, you compress it. I can compress an entire description of the game into a couple of sentences, because what happens is...
00:07:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
We gain possession. We recycle it back. It ends up with either Stevens or Baz. They push it out to Wood. He goes to pass it to Manning, but can't. Turns around, passes it back to Harwood-Bellis, who passes it out to Stevens, who plays a big...
00:07:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
diagonal looping ball straight to the Millwall centre-back, and then we go again. Like, that was it. And I don't know why he kept trying to play that same ball to Cameron Archer, because, I mean, it it didn't take genius to see that Cameron Archer was half the size of both Millwall centre-backs.
00:07:56
Zak
What?
00:08:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like...
00:08:10
Zak
This is the same problem we had in the Will Steele era, right? of like, why are we passing to non-target men balls where we're flying up in the air and then not passing it through? and like, again, is because trying to make something happen. But if you if you want to know, like the distribution, Greg, our total passes, 591.
00:08:31
Zak
Millwall's 281. Our backward passes, 88, which is almost more than double of Millwall's backward passes. And I understand that that's going to be the case, because but it's just, I don't understand what's changed.
00:08:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's ridiculous.
00:08:44
Zak
Like it's,
00:08:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then you get to a point in the second half where Harwood-Bellis turns around and once again passes it across the 18-yard box to Nathan Wood, and the entire northern end groans and goes forward, and he waves his arm up like, what do you want me to
In-Depth Tactical Analysis
00:08:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
do?
00:08:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm like, I want you to go and score a goal! it's not...
00:09:00
Zak
I want the game to be won. Like, the absolute fear of losing possession is such a problem because, like, the whole point is we started to wanting to play better on the counter where play te play like teams came up and so we'd hit them on the counter.
00:09:15
Zak
And now we seem to have reverted back just like, oh, we can't do that. And, like, I just... It just was just baffling to watch. It was just... But, again, like, its biggest crime is just how boring it's gotten. And, like, I would understand if if we'd lost, like, attempting to win...
00:09:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
feel
00:09:29
Zak
I'd have felt better. And it's like going to be like, oh, that's good. It's two two draws in a row. And I'm like, nah, man, we're not going to get promoted on draws.
00:09:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
well good enough.
00:09:36
Zak
And I understand that I still feel like what I said last time is promotion's getting to a point it's just a little bit out of reach now, right? but it
00:09:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:09:45
Zak
And I said how important this Christmas period's going to be. And i was correct, because like you know you looking at you're looking at Coventry with 52 points, mate. We have 33, right?
00:09:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:09:54
Zak
right Preston now with 40.
00:09:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
will we we
00:09:56
Zak
Like...
00:09:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
We described it coming into the period as make or break. And if you summarise games that we've had across this period... We broke, right?
00:10:07
Zak
yeah
00:10:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
like there's no There's no other way to put it. I lost to Oxford. you know Sure, a draw to Birmingham who haven't won haven't lost a game at home in like 38 games is maybe slightly more forgivable.
00:10:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then, you know, disappointing performance today. It's just, yeah. I mean... I mean, I saw a stat before, you know i don't want to get ahead of ourselves too much. I saw a stat before we came on about our next opponent, Middlesbrough, that said it's now been seven hours of football since they scored a goal.
00:10:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Now, realistically speaking, after today, you know, three days of turnaround until Sunday, can we even possibly predict anything for that game other than the most boring nil-nil you've ever seen?
00:10:53
Zak
No, or it's going to be turned around. I'm still baffled
Managerial Decisions and Style Critique
00:10:57
Zak
that Armour is still top scorer, by the way, for the Championship. And it just it feels like a lifetime ago. And then you look at all these exciting games that happened around us, you know, Pompey getting batted 5-0, which we always love to see.
00:11:08
Zak
But, you know, you've got like Watford beating Birmingham 3-0, Preston beating Sheffield United 3-0. Oh, sorry, Sheffield Wednesday, which is, you know, Sheffield United beating Leicester 3-1. And, like, we we were those exciting scoring games.
00:11:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:11:19
Zak
Like Oxford, art since they beat us, they didn't go on a run after that. They lost twice in a row. They lost today to Ipswich. Like, it just seems so bizarre that we we were kind of, you know, and i I don't, again, like, do we want to get behind the conspiracy theory?
00:11:34
Zak
What you mentioned earlier, or we were we were chat in chatting off stream, which is like, you know, is this Is this some sort of like directive from the top? Because people are talking about you know the new manager bounces over and it's seven supposed to be seven games. I made that joke last episode.
00:11:51
Zak
But I just don't get why he's having to change. like at this At this point, if it's all about managing these minutes, they've managed the minutes so poorly that like it doesn't matter if Sienza's only, oh, well, we've managed to get Sienza on the field for all four games.
00:11:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, well, I can...
00:12:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:12:05
Zak
Great. And how many have we won? Like, i'd rather I'd rather have him played 90 minutes, us won at least a game, and then him gone out for two or three games and us drawn or lost, like, another two.
00:12:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Look, I mean, there's...
00:12:16
Zak
At least I've been slightly more excited than just the most bore draws and awful losses.
00:12:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, the theory theory being right, that we've we've lost this dynamic edge that we had under Tonda, and now where maybe it's we've reverted to what people call it a very Sports Republic style, right?
00:12:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
And is there some sort of involvement from higher up to that that's sort of causing this and and doing making making these things happen?
00:12:37
Zak
you
00:12:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
But actually, I think... If you think about it and observe it, it's not really that, in my opinion. you know i know the one i was I know I put that out there, partially joking to you, Zach, but I think when you observe it, it's it's pretty clear that it was unsustainable in the first place and we just don't have it anymore.
00:13:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Part of that was shock and And, you know, there's video on that now, right? Other teams can go on and see what they start off strong and batter out the gate.
00:13:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
So here's how you sort of mark them out of the game for that.
00:13:16
Zak
you saw it with the You saw it with the comeback from West Brom, right?
00:13:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:13:19
Zak
Like they realised that we slowed down the second half and then they came out guns blazing, managed to, you know, peg us back a little bit.
00:13:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:13:25
Zak
And then we're sat there having to hold on to that win. And then that was what, like our last win? And then since then, it's just sort of just been painful.
00:13:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
But actually, I think the real answer, more condemningly than that, is that it's what's happened to...
Systemic Issues and Solutions
00:13:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
I guess all of our managers, right, is where they they want to bring this exciting, dynamic football that scores loads of goals. And it's like, great, but we can't just outscore teams all the time. We can't rely on scoring three goals. We need to shore up the defence. And then it's like, well, all of a sudden, to shore up the defence, we've just got all of these defenders on the pitch. And it's like, well, actually, that's just not working for me anymore. Like, if...
00:14:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
if
00:14:09
Zak
Do you say we need better defenders or do we just need a change of formation entirely?
00:14:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
You think about no
00:14:14
Zak
Because again, like, because it's a struggle to kind of get players now who are so used to playing specific positions to go back to how they were before.
00:14:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
both of those things, probably. i mean, look, okay.
00:14:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, right. You think about the the most effective, you know, the meta, right? The most effective tactic in football for decades has been a four-at-the-back formation, right?
00:14:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
And one of our favourite catchphrases on the show for a long time is, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Why, all of a sudden, we playing a three-back?
00:14:41
Zak
Mm-hmm.
00:14:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Three centre-backs and two full-backs. Three or a five-back, however you want to look at it. It's just... it's It's what slows things down, right? And sure, one of the things that was happening a lot today and has been happening, sort of being a trademark of Tonda, is one of those three defenders takes the liberty to stroll up the pitch and drag the ball forward and almost step into midfield. And today, normally it's Harwood-Bellis.
00:15:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Sometimes it's Wood. Today, it was Stephen's turn to you know take up that mantle and try and drive the game forward. But at the end of the day, There are other people that I would prefer to drive up the pitch than Jack Stephens.
00:15:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
And that's no disrespect to Jack Stephens. He was... i think he had a very good game today. And he was very captain-y on the pitch. That was observed by us.
00:15:31
Zak
Agreed. I think he was just, a he was i probably best I'd seen him play in a while.
00:15:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
But...
00:15:36
Zak
And, you know, even if he's taking a shot on, at least he's doing, but then why would you not have forward players doing that or midfielders?
00:15:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. But, like... Yeah. like an actual player Like an actual player who, you know, like why can't we have on the pitch all at the same time Archer, Armstrong, Azaz, Sienza and Fellows, right? And play a four-back. That would just, you know, it would be that extra option. It would be the extra pass. And like the amount of times today that Archer did receive the ball and tried to flick it onto someone one who wasn't there,
00:16:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
And it's infuriating. I'm like, why are you flicking it? Just grab the ball and shoot. You know there's no one else there, but it's because he's a player who plays better as a striker with another striker with him. And we know that about him. That has always been the case. It's the same with Adam Armstrong. He plays better and scores goals. Sure, he scored goals this season. Do you know when he scores better? When one of the wingers steps inwards and plays like another striker partnering him to give him the ball.
00:16:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like, it's crazy. Like, I'm not saying that 4-4-2 is the only way to play football, right? we're We're past that, and there's so many, like, iterations on it.
00:16:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm just saying, if our players, if our attacking players play better in a different shape, why are we so stuck in this formation that, I mean, it hasn't consistently worked any of the times that we've tried playing it?
00:16:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
LAUGHTER
00:16:59
Zak
or just Or just like maybe play players in their positions because i like like to my knowledge, Fellows isn't a right back.
00:17:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Crazy, right?
00:17:07
Zak
i and i And I get like, when it worked, it worked. But like the crux of it is it least to it needs to change. Like i don't want us to be looking at like, I think that's the other thing, you know, I know that you've talked big about philosophies, but it's like you look at Ruben Amarin, like refusing to change his style and then just Man U proceeding to topple down the table and then like, you know, had had a bit of a good run.
00:17:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:17:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:17:28
Zak
And then it turns out that he had one good game where he changed his style. And the fact that it's so insanely controversial,
00:17:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know what's similar about his rigid style that's bad? It's a three at the back formation. I'm just saying, like...
00:17:43
Zak
But, like, i thought i just I just don't know because what I worry is that, you know, I know we talk about it being a conspiracy theory, but what I what i do worry about is that, okay, so we ended up with somebody instead of Eckert, right?
00:17:54
Zak
I still think that, you know, given what he's done so far out of this season, and he's been our most successful manager for forever, right?
00:18:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:18:01
Zak
It is what it is. But what... i I don't quite get it. I don't think it would have mattered who we brought in. I somehow feel like we would end up falling to three in the back because I'm wondering if they even know how to play in a different way anymore.
00:18:15
Zak
That's genuinely what it feels like. They haven't been told, is how you're going to do that, this is how to that. Or it's just, you're right, it was working really, really well and because of the unsustainability of it, it's now dropped off because they're all tired.
00:18:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, I mean, the reasons I've heard is that he feels without that three-at-the-back structure that we'd leak goals. And the answer to that is maybe we just need better centre-backs that can play as only...
00:18:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
if You know, if we need three of them because they're that's how they collectively strength, maybe we just bring in some that we only need two of to free up something to be a bit more creative....
00:18:49
Zak
and and there you And there you go. But like because of how many centre-backs we have, does it feel like we're going to swap them out anytime
Player Performance Critique
00:18:56
Zak
soon? No. We're day one into the the window and we're already apparently getting a goalkeeper for Bayern Munich, whatever. Sure, I'll believe it when it's on paper until that point.
00:19:05
Zak
I just know that it's it's everyone trying to drum stuff up. And that's, that's the, bear in mind, Baz had a really good save today. But you also, you know, many have sent me a text mugging him off with a comment from YouTube that was like, that's great.
00:19:18
Zak
If he could just like come on the box and do it more often, that'd be, that'd be guy grand. And like, you you got you've got to say when he had a good game, he had a good game.
00:19:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Do you know what, though? That is one thing.
00:19:27
Zak
And that was a good game to me. But yeah.
00:19:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
I've got to say, that's one thing that would probably help push towards back four, though, right? Because I've never seen someone as stuck to their line as Gavin Bozzu when it comes to crosses and set pieces.
00:19:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like, McCarthy is much better at at that and managing his box and coming and claiming it. It's just a shame about the entire rest of his game. Like...
00:19:50
Zak
yeah yeah and also you' you've said things like he's much better at that and i genuinely remember him running out and then them like pipping it over the top of him and it just rolling into the box all that time it hit the post and he just kind of forgot you can
00:19:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. And that's... and but you've got to well yeah But you've got to think that if if you've got a goalkeeper that's going to come and claim corners successfully with a high success rate, that would A, shore up the the fewer defenders that we could muster on the pitch, and B, give the players more confidence to play in a four-back formation.
00:20:02
Zak
yes
00:20:10
Zak
Mm-hmm.
00:20:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
like you know Sure, they are used to playing a three-back, but Stevens has played in a four-back before for us. Hartwood Bellis played for a fallback in a fallback formation for us and got promoted from this league. Like... Yeah.
00:20:37
Zak
So do do you reckon with a new keeper that might be why? Do you reckon it's just extra defence for Baz? Like, there's so many...
00:20:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:20:43
Zak
There's so much we don't know, but you're right. Like, that was the problem. And also, Tonda would have paid attention to what happened to Will Still when he went four at the back. And every other time we tried to do anything, like, oh, like, that time that Martin brought on, like, Suleymane and switched things around.
00:20:57
Zak
And then immediately, what, seven minutes into the game, collapsed back, brought him off, tried to go back to what it was before.
00:20:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:21:03
Zak
And, like... You've got to wonder, but you know how how you know, when is the right decision to go, well, actually, let's massively change things up now. And then, you know, if it's a risk and it pays off massively, happy days. If we go into a game, we do 4-0, all it's going to do is then perpetuate, well, we should just not do that.
00:21:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, i mean, look let's let's try and come at it from a different viewpoint slightly, right?
00:21:23
Zak
That's the issue.
00:21:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Because five changes today, okay?
00:21:30
Zak
Big changes.
00:21:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
But the same formation.
00:21:33
Zak
Yep.
00:21:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Of those five changes, right, Yilla looked very good. I think had a good game.
00:21:40
Zak
Yep.
00:21:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Matsuki looked good and promising. Almost looked like he was fighting a bit too hard. Needed to, like, chill out a bit.
00:21:48
Zak
Yeah. so but Some of his tendencies to like, so to the thing that we talked about in his profile, right, about where he was like, randomly take shots on that he's never going to score.
00:21:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
But promising.
00:21:57
Zak
And that paid off for him like once this season.
00:21:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:22:00
Zak
Really don't want it to happen again.
00:22:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:22:01
Zak
But then again, maybe I would have liked to have seen more shots, you know?
00:22:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, i definitely wanted more shots. Cam Bragg came in and I think was excellent in midfield and also good at picking the ball up and trying to drive the ball forward. Yeah.
00:22:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Archer didn't receive the service that he needs. And when he did, was too busy try and flick the ball.
00:22:23
Zak
But then, then I,
00:22:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
But to his credit, was also marked by two blokes who were the size of three blokes more than him.
00:22:32
Zak
When it comes to that, though, like, i know we've talked about this and how, well over and over, you know, you've got different strikers who have their different profiles and this than the other. Is it not up to them, just a little bit, mate, adapt their game?
00:22:44
Zak
because
00:22:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, definitely.
00:22:44
Zak
Because it does feel like that is always the gat of JL Freecard for, like, Archer and previously, like, Downs and stuff.
00:22:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah.
00:22:50
Zak
It's like, oh, you know, well, you know we're treating Downs like Ross Stewart, but he's actually more like an Archer and an Armstrong.
00:22:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:22:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like,
00:22:57
Zak
I'm like, yeah, but also, the reason they're kicking the big ball at Downs is because he's tall.
00:23:01
Zak
Like,
00:23:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah like Yeah, he should be doing work to adapt his game to that, and that's fine.
00:23:02
Zak
The reason that Archer has he to get a deep
00:23:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
But also, that's the same argument as why can't we play someone that's not Jack Stephens to make these darting forward runs, right? like know It's just square pegs around holes.
00:23:19
Zak
out. And I wholeheartedly agree with you that as well.
00:23:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
but So, you know of those changes, and I can't even remember who the fifth would be,
00:23:29
Zak
You've got Matsuki, Archer, Jalert, Bragg were the changes. So I think you said five, but in actuality, there was four.
00:23:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:23:38
Zak
Tiense
00:23:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Is it because Sienza didn't start the last game he did this time? That's why I had five in my head.
00:23:42
Zak
didn't start the last game, but started this game and was okay.
00:23:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
And, right. so So that's four four players coming in.
00:23:46
Zak
But... Mm-hmm.
00:23:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Four players who I think individually had pretty good performances. So if all four changes had good performances and we still didn't win, then it's the system that's broken and not the players, right?
00:23:53
Zak
Mm-hmm.
00:24:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
like that's
00:24:02
Zak
Well, we... we we we sub Subs changed a few things, though, right?
00:24:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's as objectively as I can look at it.
00:24:07
Zak
You said when they brought the big guns, when we brought on Tom Fellows and Arma, we had a bit of, you know, a spell of dominance, but, like, that spell of dominance didn't really amount to anything.
00:24:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
We
00:24:18
Zak
Like, it was just sort of...
00:24:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
had a couple that came close and then got a couple of corners that almost came close. and
00:24:25
Zak
Yeah, it' the it's the set-piece thing again. Like, we went through this period where, you know, we were doing really well with them and, you know...
00:24:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
e We were never we never going to do well from a delivered corner or a set piece against Millwall because their goalkeeper was about eight foot tall.
00:24:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Their number six centre-back looked like they pulled him straight out of the Rugby World Cup. Like he was an absolute tank and about six foot three.
00:24:49
Zak
And we're entirely reliant realistically on the Taylor Harbour Bellis to be the one and to always score those set pieces at this point, which, you know, is bad.
00:24:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah.
00:24:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. And I joked when, you know, we we queued up outside players' car park today and met the players as I came in and, you know, chatting away to them as they were signing the kids' autographs and taking photos. And I said to Howard Bennett, was like...
00:25:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
you're on to beat Armour's goal scorer record at this rate, aren't you? And he sort of laughed it off and went fair way away from that. And, you know, not as far away as you think. like
00:25:18
Zak
Mate, he had three shots today, one of which was on target.
00:25:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:25:21
Zak
That is 25% of the total shots taken for our team. That is the reality of the situation.
00:25:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. And again, of the other 75, at least one of them was Jack Stephens. So, like, it's just, yeah.
00:25:33
Zak
Yeah.
00:25:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like...
00:25:36
Zak
Do you know how many shots that Archer had the entirety the game, mate?
00:25:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
None?
00:25:40
Zak
One. It was off target.
00:25:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, alright. did That was that the volley that he hit Rose Ed with. Probably.
00:25:47
Zak
I believe so, yes.
00:25:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
right that's It's just... It's just... it's just Maybe we just play a shape that puts, instead of a shape that encourages our defenders to strike the ball, which is fine and great. Maybe we just put players to do that that are more suited to that. And, you know, if you want to play Cameron Archer, that's fine. But if you're playing him against two 6'4 centre-backs, maybe just let him run off the shoulder because chances are he's got them beat for pace. Right? Like, maybe let's not keep knocking the same ball up to him in the middle of the park that he's never going to win. Or if he does win, he's only going to bounce off of him to the absolutely nobody around him.
00:26:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's just... I'm finding it very hard because
00:26:32
Zak
Agreed.
00:26:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
it I think and if you break down the individual performances, of of all the changes, i think Archer was not was the worst. like he He definitely struggled, but I find it very hard to blame anything other than the system because I think I saw the players trying.
00:26:44
Zak
agreed
00:26:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
I saw the players making the move.
Expectation vs. Performance Gap
00:26:52
Zak
But is it is it also just we're not that good anymore?
00:26:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
I saw them putting it in.
00:26:56
Zak
We're like, we're not good enough.
00:26:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:26:57
Zak
I keep saying like, oh, it's the beating around the bush we constantly do.
00:26:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:27:00
Zak
And it's the thing that that baffles me when you look at Saints from the Outside In. and And Saints from the Outside In is a bunch of pundits sat in room, like anyone from Sky Sports, for example.
00:27:12
Zak
There's no disrespect. Like, I can do their job. But like, when they're When they're all, what they know of Southampton is that we are a demoted team, that some of those members were part of the promotion squad under Russell Martin.
00:27:23
Zak
Some of them have been, had good spells elsewhere. You know when they talk about Archer being a £15 million pound strike on the bench, they had a little bit of success on the Sheffield United and like Villa and whatever.
00:27:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:27:32
Zak
And they talk about all of the like the money spent and you know what we should expect from Azaz and Fellows. Like, Azaz has scored a bunch goals. Armstrong the championship has scored a bunch of goals. that's That is correct.
00:27:43
Zak
But like the collective unit of what Southampton Football Club is in comparison to what people's perception of us is that we're not actually as good as we'd like to think. And it's like baffling that when you get people coming, well, we need is a strong manager to come in.
00:27:56
Zak
And it's like, we've done that. We do that. We keep bringing in managers. We keep bringing up, you know, but then none of them can really quite change the system. And that No one really is quite able to get the best out of the players. And, you know, the only real player that I feel like doesn't need the coaching is Sienza.
00:28:10
Zak
And that's, again, because that man seems to be driven by something else, right? And, like, who knows how sustainable that is, realistically? You know, you could see him getting frustrated today.
00:28:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, I mean, I think you saw, i think I think that you're seeing that it's not, and that's why we're having to manage his minutes. And if we're being honest, as
00:28:25
Zak
so he he had He had the second most shots in comparison to Taylor Harbour-Bellis today, right?
00:28:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah I don't think, it it wasn't, it wasn't,
00:28:29
Zak
With two. Yeah.
00:28:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
it wasn't his best heart you know he played for forty five minutes It wasn't his best game for us by any stretch of the imagination. But the fact of the matter is that taking him off, you felt the atmosphere deflate in St.
00:28:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mary's when they were like, and our substitution at halftime, off Leo Sienza and on Azaz. And her everyone was like, ugh.
00:28:52
Zak
Yeah, but also, don't know, obviously you didn't get to see it, because i but Azaz's face, mate, was just like, cool, okay. like I'm so glad, I'm really excited to get into this half knowing that everyone is mad that I've been replaced with another player.
00:29:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:29:07
Zak
And like that's got to have psychological impact.
00:29:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Let's give this credit to Azaz, right?
00:29:09
Zak
is
00:29:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like, he scored a hatful of goals, and but also, he seems to be a very hot and cold, streaky player, and he, at the moment, is on a cold streak. But to his credit, he came on and he was he was pretty decent when he came on.
00:29:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
he had a couple of decent through balls and and a couple of good chances created, but at the end of the day, not enough not enough to do anything other than draw 0-0, and that's
00:29:27
Zak
it's It's also the lack of urgency, mate.
00:29:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Maybe the most deflating thing of all, right?
00:29:37
Zak
It's the lack of urgency. Like you're looking at five minutes before the end of the game, seven minutes added on. It didn't feel like in those seven minutes we were going to score. And then they're doing the thing where you were talking about the passing back between the centre-backs for a solid, like, I don't know, like 30 seconds to a minute.
00:29:50
Zak
you're like, there is like four minutes left on this clock. You need to move that ball forward towards the goal. And wasn't happening. Again, like one of the biggest crimes at the moment is we've won from this exciting dynamic team, which will seem to be on the absolute ascent.
00:29:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:30:04
Zak
where they've they've seemed to have just dropped off a a little bit of a cliff. Like, don't know if it's confidence-wise, tiredness-wise or whatever. And then, again, like their biggest crime being the fact that it's just really boring to watch on top of that.
00:30:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Honestly, mate, I just think, I think, I think it's just that the directive changed, right?
00:30:17
Zak
And that's what I'm saying.
00:30:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like, Tonda came out in the press and said, we need to stop leaking goals, that's the next thing I'm working on.
00:30:22
Zak
Hmm.
00:30:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
And so now our way of stopping leaking goals is, and it is, okay, it just, it feels like we're just,
00:30:30
Zak
But then... I would rather win and lose two games. Again, i guess I guess this is also, though, that he's right. And we're also we're also hypocrites in the sense that this was also the whole problem with Russell Martin's football.
00:30:44
Zak
is We were able to score goals under Russell Martin.
00:30:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:30:46
Zak
They weren't pretty. they were They weren't great. They were usually Ryan Fraser in the 96th minute to get a draw or a win. But we were able to score goals, but we would leak loads. And obviously then once we got to the Premier League, it was a massive problem. The issue we've got now is like, I don't look at our team. And even if we get to the playoffs, I don't think we look a Premier League squad.
00:31:05
Zak
Like, i don't I don't think, you know, again, like, and I don't want to mug off Oxford United. Like, we completely underestimated them and they put us to the sword, but they've gone on to lose both games after playing us and we completely underestimated them. And it's like, we also watched us play in the Premier League last year with a handful of these players that were still there.
00:31:24
Zak
And we yeah, okay, we've spent some money on supposedly good like championship players that are supposed to strengthened the squad and stuff.
00:31:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you.
00:31:29
Zak
But a lot of the core is what we talked about early in the season is far more the same than we would like it to be, right? And it's not that I have any disrespect for the the the vast majority of the players we have, but i just the reality of the situation is we are not as good as we think we are.
00:31:47
Zak
And we're not as good as we the perception of us is. And it's going tough to take. But i don't see us getting out of the championship this year with what's happening at the moment.
Team Dynamics and Internal Issues
00:31:58
Zak
And and that that might change. We might go on a massive run. But even if we go on like a massive run, I'm not going to be able to like not think about that massive patch at the beginning of the season. And this patch now where when it's mattered most...
00:32:12
Zak
we've kind of just gone, we've run out of gas. and
00:32:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:32:16
Zak
Or maybe you we're overthinking it and maybe they're all just knackered from Christmas.
00:32:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, look.
00:32:19
Zak
Like, we think about it more than they probably do, to be honest.
00:32:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Definitely. And, and that you know, that's a factor in all of it.
00:32:25
Zak
This is their job.
00:32:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
And, uh, I mean, look, at the end of the day, maybe not getting promoted this season is probably for the best because, you know, frankly, with how hot and cold we've been in the this league, think,
00:32:28
Zak
Hmm.
00:32:34
Zak
and
00:32:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
we'd be at risk of challenging wolves for how dire our season is, right? So it would likely be. So maybe another year in the championship to get it sorted out properly.
00:32:51
Zak
but Nice little drive-by in Wolves there.
00:32:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
isn't the end of the world.
00:32:54
Zak
but Poor Wolves. They held the mighty Manchester United to a draw the other day, mate.
00:33:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think I saw someone describe that as an absolute disgrace that they someone wasn't beating a team that terrible and that the manager should be sacked. Rob Edwards.
00:33:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:33:13
Zak
Yeah, but he's taken charge because he knows when they go down, he's got he's in charge of Wolves with probably a slightly bigger budget than he expects. But it's not it's not as easy to go down and go back up as it used to be And like I think you've got to look at a team like Sunderland and to you to show, man, this is what we could have done if we'd had the planning.
00:33:31
Zak
And you know and this and the the thing is, is what's not going to happen you know what's going to start to happen again
00:33:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:33:35
Zak
which we've already kind of like thrown around conspiracy theories in this episode, is people are going look past the manager and they're going start looking at the institution again, right?
00:33:47
Zak
And you're going start to get the criticisms of Sports Republic come back up if we're not able to recapture that form. And again, like we always knew it was going be unsustainable because again, you can't have a guy just live at Staplewood nonstop, eat, breathe, whatever, football.
00:34:00
Zak
And also you can't expect that from the players. They've got to have lives and stuff. But I just think you're right.
00:34:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Hmm.
00:34:05
Zak
We're probably going need maybe some more time to rebuild. We're going to need time to gel. Because as much as I'm a big fan of sort of like... big fan of of Leo, big fan of some of the you know the individual performances, it doesn't seem like you know you look at our squad and go, that's something special. The way you're looking at teams like Coventry right now, there's like they're always trying to find a way. And even to an extent, like I know Middlesbrough have already struggled, but obviously like after Rob Edwards left, it was like he hadn't really left. And that's when you realise there's like a togetherness in the team far more than elsewhere. And I think that as much as I love Southampton and I love Saints and, you know, and that there doesn't seem to be that quite level of like, we are all in this, we all want to do better, we all want to, you
Future Improvements and Speculations
00:34:51
Zak
know.
00:34:52
Zak
i don't i don't know if you if you get what I'm putting down here, but like, you know, i'm not it just feels it feels a bit weird, right?
00:34:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:34:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
I do. And, you know, think it's... I just think it's got to be baby steps. Like, like say, we went to the ground early today, and I'll say that... all of the interactions with player and the players and the overall atmosphere was leaps and bounds ahead of the last time we went to the stadium at a ridiculous time of the day to to do the same thing, on which, to be fair, was in in the Premier League.
00:35:18
Zak
Of course. There's still a lot of goodwill in the bank, right?
00:35:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
But even you know from the players, like they seem happier together and more together than they have been. it's just It feel still feels like it's coming together.
00:35:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
and i mean, look, i mean we can only wait and see what
00:35:37
Zak
Maybe it was just premature then.
00:35:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
maybe we can only wait and see what January brings, right?
00:35:39
Zak
That's what it was.
00:35:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
and you know We're probably in for a busier window than Spores was willing to let on
Episode Wrap-Up and Listener Interaction
00:35:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
to. Yeah.
00:35:51
Zak
And also, mate, clean sheet. Like, that's, I guess, as like i guess a a benefit we can take.
00:35:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. yeah
00:35:57
Zak
and As you said, undefeated at home for a while. It's not all doom and gloom. It's just like, it's riding this emotional rollercoaster of like being...
00:36:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. It's just frustrating, isn't it? Because it's a week where we... It's a week where we wanted nine points and actually we got two. So it's it's tough.
00:36:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's tricky. But, you know, we...
00:36:17
Zak
Sorry, though, we got another game coming up.
00:36:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's it, mate. We got such a short...
00:36:20
Zak
They all come sick and fast!
00:36:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's it. Like an incredibly short turnaround and, you know, maybe we can beat Middlesbrough. Who knows? We'll see. and maybe, maybe we'll talk about it before, but I'll tell you what, mate, that is, uh, that's all we've time for tonight.
00:36:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Can you believe we've waffled on for all this time?
00:36:39
Zak
No.
00:36:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Uh,
00:36:42
Zak
so it Turns out, listeners, if we don't have ad transitions, we just like forget how long the episode's been going until at one point, one of us would look up at how long we've been recording and go, oh, and that has certainly happened today.
00:36:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
i Indeed. That's it.
00:36:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
But look, that is all we've got time for today. Let us know how you're feeling in the socials, in the comments. Let us know. We are GSPN Southampton everywhere on Blue Sky X, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube.
00:37:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hit us up, drop a like, comment, subscribe, all of those things. We love hearing from you. We love interacting with you. We will be back.
00:37:21
Zak
be back to normal soon.
00:37:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
We will be heading back into whatever normality looks like as we work out what day of the week it is. i don't know. I've only been knowing how far into the...
00:37:34
Zak
Friday to Friday. This is released, Greg. Friday.
00:37:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Goods. Yeah. Because, of course, all good game reviews come on a Thursday. i don't know. right
00:37:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Is it any wonder I've lost the plot?
00:37:49
Zak
I think you're all good, you all good.
00:37:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Look, we'll be back. for sure. Until then, though, everyone, have wonderful day, Happy New Year, and we'll see you then.
00:38:10
Zak
Up and do it, woo!