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Daily Premier League in English: Episode 87 - Forecast Friday: Is there hope for Leicester to stay off Championship? Plymouth Argyle eyeing up Manchester City for another FA Cup upset
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Ruud van Nisterlooy's Leicester City are on the verge of succumbing to the Championship curse as their trip to London Stadium ended in another defeat. Will Foxes find a way out of the foxhole? Join Michał Czarniecki and Tom Elkins from Daily West Ham as they discuss Hammers' victory as well as the upcoming FA Cup matches in the fifth round, including Manchester City, Plymouth Argyle, Manchester United, and more!
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Transcript
Introduction and Guest Welcome
00:00:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
hello Hello and welcome to the newest episode of Daily English Premier League here at GSPN. My name is Mihoj Czarniecki, based in California. So glad to have you with us. Jump in, grab something to eat, grab something hot or cold to drink, whatever you wish or whatever you desire. And please, please just get ready for 30 minutes of just pure football talk.
00:01:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
I am joined by a special guest today. That is Tom Elkins from Daily Western. So good to have you here.
00:01:12
Tom Elkins
Thank you very much. I'm excited to get started. I'm very happy. Obviously, we're going to get into it, but happy West Ham fan. So, yeah, I'm really excited.
00:01:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, needs to be to be honest, like it's super refreshing to see a happy football fan as a Man United fan. like you know like I just want to recall what it's like to be happy as a football fan. and seeing your happy face, ah ah it just takes me back to 2013.
West Ham vs Leicester City Analysis
00:01:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, you know, and okay, but just all of this nostalgia aside, let's just jump straight into reviewing West Ham taking on Leicester.
00:01:45
Tom Elkins
Thank
00:01:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
A lot of experts predicted that this would be like a catwalk, really, for for West Ham and for Graham Potter's side. And actually, that's what happened. Leicester had nothing, basically nothing to show, and and and like nothing to show up because they did not have anything to provide for.
00:02:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
And because of that, well, Leicester... defeated 2-0 at home at London, away at London Stadium. What are your thoughts on this performance, Sam?
00:02:11
Tom Elkins
It was ah strange one for me because this season we've looked so inconsistent and most of the time it's not been good. Under Potter, we've definitely been better, but there hasn't really been a game where we've been afforded the space and the ability to close through like we did in this game.
00:02:26
Tom Elkins
Leicester looked really poor. Jamie Vardy up top looked really isolated and we were able to quite comfortably have the possession of the ball and kind of just pass it across our back line.
00:02:37
Tom Elkins
And then when there was an opportunity to to make a forward run or to hit a diagonal pass, we were able to do it under no real pressure, which meant that when we did play and when we did take those opportunities, we were in a much better position to
Aaron Wan-Bissaka's Performance
00:02:52
Tom Elkins
actually capitalise. I think...
00:02:54
Tom Elkins
I really like how our fullbacks are getting so high.
00:02:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hmm.
00:02:57
Tom Elkins
I'd love to talk to you about the whole Aaron Wan-Bissaka situation because the fact that you even let him go seems ridiculous. And the price that we paid for him is is unbelievable. He's been an absolute revelation for us this season.
00:03:09
Tom Elkins
Going forward, I don't think anyone knew that he had this sort of attacking ability, but he's been absolutely tearing it up. He looks confident. He looks so loose on the ball. He's just trying so many creative things that...
00:03:23
Tom Elkins
as a a player that you kind of associate with one-on-one defending. When he picks up the ball, he's just comfortable and he wants to go forward and he's, you know, doing step-overs and he's beating people and he's bombing down the line. So, yeah, that's really amazing to see. And then on the other side, you have Oli Scarls, who has been amazing this season. Academy product is part of our ah youth setup that have done really well over the past couple of years.
00:03:47
Tom Elkins
And he looks amazing. he's He's come into the team and he started really well. And now it's him and Emerson are kind of fighting for that spot, which... you know At the start of the season, he was he was barely even a fringe player. And now he's, I think he probably starts, to be honest, because because he's been so good.
Man United's Club Culture Issues
00:04:03
Tom Elkins
But but yeah, to summarise, very happy.
00:04:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, not to mention that, and but what like when you mentioned, of course, Iron One Bissaka. And yeah, we did have a couple of those episodes when we were playing for Man United of him springing down the wing and giving something in attack. But we didn't see it very often.
00:04:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
And you know what? the The second you told me that, well, how could you let that kind of guy go? I mean, he's got such um attacking prowess on the wing. Like, how could you let a guy like that go?
00:04:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
I just have this allegory in mind that if you are very bad in some toxic relationship, once you get out of a toxic relationship, all of a sudden your wings grow back.
00:04:43
Tom Elkins
Yeah.
00:04:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
And this is exactly the case with one, and not only with one, but second Marcus Rashford, I mean, oh my gosh. I mean, he's found himself like his like so second career and he feels like he's really feels super rejuvenated.
00:04:55
Tom Elkins
Yeah.
00:04:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah,
00:04:58
Tom Elkins
Mm-hmm.
00:04:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Sadly, I would say that it wasn't the players. It's the club. The club is like right now like I'm sorry to say, but a cesspool of toxic relations, toxic club.
00:05:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
And well, more power to the guys like Juan Bissaka because right now they're happy at West Ham. And I really feel happy for them. I really do. And on on the side note, I really do not understand some of the United fans ah screaming at Juan Bissaka and at Rashford being like, oh, like we've had enough of this skank.
Aaron Cresswell's Role at West Ham
00:05:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
in our team. And I'm like, yeah, and this skank is performing well now. So what the hell are you happy about?
00:05:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Sorry. You know what? promise that it wouldn't be super salty about Man United. I'm sorry. It pulls through.
00:05:38
Tom Elkins
Yeah, that's my fault. I brought i brought up one for Saka, didn't I? So that's my fault.
00:05:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's fine. That's completely fine. You know, I want to talk little bit about the impact that Aaron Cresswell had on today's match, because his rating on um on one of the, like, of course, stats websites, they didn't pay us for tim for making this episode for the assets, so well I will not mention the name.
00:06:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
But their final rating is 8.6 out of 10. ten And this website that I'm actually currently looking at, they've they've decided to award Aaron Cresswell with the Play of the Match award.
00:06:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Is that deserved?
00:06:16
Tom Elkins
I think it is, to be honest. You know, he he's 35 now, so he's very much in the kind of dying embers of his career. And he's probably playing some of the best football we've seen him play for West Ham, to be honest.
00:06:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:06:27
Tom Elkins
It's only since Graham Potter has come in that he's trusted him with that left-sided centre-back role in the back three. And obviously, because of his age, he's not necessarily physically as...
00:06:39
Tom Elkins
as agile and doesn't have the pace that he may be used to but his experience and his positioning and his decision-making are all so good that when things are getting tough and maybe not so much in this game, but in other games, he just knows what to do because he's been in the Premier League for so long, so many years.
00:06:59
Tom Elkins
He's always been a really integral part of our squad. Maybe never never necessarily got the headlines, but he's always been someone that you can rely on. So, When we have relied on him, he he's been really good. And then in this game, when we start to have a little bit less pressure on us, his experience and his leadership really shines through. Because throughout the whole game, you see him dictating the back line. You see him pointing. You see him shouting.
00:07:22
Tom Elkins
gets the ball. moves it on. He calls for it. He brings other players into the game. And yeah, just a really overall really solid performance.
Leicester City's Ongoing Struggles
00:07:30
Tom Elkins
And someone that deserves it. Because he has been very under the radar, I think, as...
00:07:36
Tom Elkins
English left backs go I think he probably should have played for England at some point to be honest because you know we've not always been blessed with quality in in the left back area so i think he definitely should have got an England call up at some point but yeah definitely deserved he's someone that I just love to have at the back because of how calm he is and how experienced he is so so yeah really happy for him
00:07:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, ah thanks to his contributions and thanks to the, basically, the overwhelming um posture of West Ham, of course, from Leicester's perspective, and now the Foxes have lost 11 of the last 12 Premier League games.
00:08:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
And in his 14 games in charge, Rud van Nistelor has picked up just seven points, three fewer than previous Foxes' boss, Steve Cooper, managed this season. 10 in 12 games.
00:08:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think if that alarm, that that really like this critical alert, hasn't sounded yet at King Power Stadium, it definitely must be ringing now. Isn't that right?
00:08:39
Tom Elkins
Yeah, it's a really tough one, isn't it? Because it's the question of, is it the players or is it the the coaching staff and the tactics and the way that they're approaching the game? For me, I think it's probably a bit of both. I think it's difficult to place all the blame on the manager because...
00:08:57
Tom Elkins
There's no excuse for not pressuring teams and not fighting until the end. I think there was there was a chance really late in in this game where I think it was Soler who was a substitute.
00:09:08
Tom Elkins
So maybe had a little bit more fresh legs than some of the other players on the pitch. But he...
00:09:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right.
00:09:14
Tom Elkins
is making such an effort to to make an attacking run to try and pull the defenders out to make space for his teammates. It's not even really a run where he's looking for the ball. He's purely doing it to make space for his teammates. But he sprints past about three Leicester players, which is just, how do you defend that? What do you say as a coach to say,
00:09:35
Tom Elkins
you need to work hard. That should be something that just happens. So the fact that that hasn't happened and that is so typical of how this whole game played out because West Ham looked comfortable. And I think any team this season knows that West Ham haven't been good. So if you want to get something out of them, put them under pressure because...
00:09:54
Tom Elkins
They just haven't been good enough this season. And the likelihood is that there is some sort of frailty in us as ah as a
Graham Potter's Impact on West Ham
00:10:01
Tom Elkins
football team. So the fact that they didn't press as much as they could have done and they didn't work as hard and they didn't fight as hard is not really defendable.
00:10:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hmm.
00:10:09
Tom Elkins
So does it come down to the coach? Does it come down to the players? think the blame has to kind of lie somewhere in the middle, to be honest.
00:10:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, and that that those are going to be very hot upcoming months for Leicester. well they are Well, basically, I do not want to put them in the same category as Southampton just yet, although I do think that they are joined with Southampton as those two teams which will definitely see a championship next season.
00:10:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
But with that being said, they still have a chance of turning this around. Whether they will do it or not, it remains to be seen. But I actually want to ask you about Janik Vestergaard, who is just the third player to score an own goal on his 100th Premier League appearance after Jonathan Walters for Stoke versus Chelsea in January 2013 and gather Gareth McCauley for West Brom versus Stoke in May 2014.
00:11:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Talk about disastrous 100th appearance, but maybe, just maybe, and there is a little body in the English football, apparently. I didn't even know that actually existed. It's called Premier League's goal accreditation panel.
00:11:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
And this panel could actually overturn this decision to award that own goal to Vestergaard and give that goal to Jared Bowen. what's your What's your thoughts on that?
00:11:22
Tom Elkins
Yeah, I hope so, to be honest. For me, my my opinion of whether it should be awarded to the player who takes the shot which results in the goal is that if he's kicking it in the direction of the goal, then for me, it should register as a goal to the player who kicked it towards the goal. Because if you're not if it was going towards the goal and it goes in, then it was obviously the intention to shoot. So it should be classed as a goal if it goes in, if that makes sense.
00:11:47
Tom Elkins
And from the camera angles that I could see, obviously the camera angles they showed on the game, it looks like he kicks it towards the goal. And yes, it obviously gets a big deflection, but at what point do you decide that the deflection is too big to mean that it wasn't the actual shot that made the Guttwin, it was the deflection?
00:11:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right.
00:12:04
Tom Elkins
You know, it gets complicated.
00:12:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right.
00:12:05
Tom Elkins
For me, i think if you kick google kick it towards the goal and it goes in, then you should get the goal. And I think that Jared Bowen kicked it towards the goal. So yeah, I definitely think it's a goal for him.
00:12:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:12:14
Tom Elkins
And I just... especially things like that, is the little bit of luck and the little bit of fortune that you just want. It's like, just
West Ham's Upcoming Matches Preview
00:12:22
Tom Elkins
just give it to Jarrod Byrne because he's worked so hard. he's Every single game, he's involved in everything positive that we do.
00:12:28
Tom Elkins
So the fact that his stats this season haven't necessarily been as good as they could have been, they're still decent, but he has the ability to get so much more.
00:12:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:12:38
Tom Elkins
so so yeah I just really want that extra goal tally on on on his tally for this season.
00:12:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
That would be his eighth goal in 23 Premier League appearances this season. and Well, that would be something. And yeah, like fingers crossed that the accreditation panel will take that into consideration. Because you know what?
00:12:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
If I remember that correctly, I think that rule on own goals and how to award the own goals and when not to, I think it was introduced ah right before the European Championships in 2020 or 2021 because of coronavirus.
00:13:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
as a coronavirus when even the slightest of reflections actually did count as a known goal. And as a result of that, I believe like there was like a record... I believe for the very first time in a long time, really, an own goal was actually the leader of the goal-scoring charts.
00:13:26
Tom Elkins
Yeah, yeah, I remember that.
00:13:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Not only European championships, but in other competitions too.
00:13:28
Tom Elkins
Yeah.
00:13:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
And that was as a result of the revolution of the own goal rule. Okay, but maybe enough about that. Let's talk about something that is super important, especially to you and other West Ham fans out there, is the transformation of West Ham under Graham Potter.
00:13:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
What do you think has happened in that squad that you do not need to think so negatively about the future coming?
00:13:53
Tom Elkins
It seems like we're playing with a lot more freedom, if that makes sense. I think under Lopetegui, there was so much pressure there was so much hype around this new, kind of more dominant style of play that we wanted to have.
00:14:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:14:10
Tom Elkins
And it just didn't work. For whatever reason, it didn't work. So... old manager out, new manager in. And I feel like he seems to have come in with an an air of calm and just spoken to the squad and just basically said it how it is. Like this season isn't necessarily going to be the best, but we do have the ability to go and play a nice football.
00:14:31
Tom Elkins
So let's leave whatever's happened and let's try and move forward. And it seems like so many players have been like completely revitalised. I think the main one for me is probably Paqueta.
00:14:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right.
00:14:42
Tom Elkins
um He's injured now, but in the first few games under Potter, he was playing as kind of a a make makeshift number nine. And he was doing really well. I think his hold-up play was really good.
00:14:55
Tom Elkins
His ability to link up with other players is obviously excellent. Physically, he's also really good, but I think is such an underwrit underrated asset of his. So...
00:15:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
right
00:15:04
Tom Elkins
Yeah, it's just really nice to see us enjoying football, like especially in this game. Players were really having a good time. They were enjoying it, playing with freedom and creativity and and trying things as well, which I think is also such an an underrated asset for a squad to have is the ability to make mistakes.
00:15:24
Tom Elkins
I feel like under Lopetegui, we were so concerned about making mistakes and concerned about losing the ball that it kind of constricted us when we came to the the kind of final attacking moments.
00:15:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right.
00:15:35
Tom Elkins
So, yeah, I'm really happy with where we are. It seems like the squad is happy as we can be. Obviously, as a season, it's not a great season, but... there's only so much you can kind of complain and you have to accept what it is.
00:15:50
Tom Elkins
Probably not going to be the best season, but if we can finish finish the year or finish the season playing good, positive football, we can then build for next season. And next season we can really push for European spaces because i think that's realistically where we should be aiming because we we definitely have the squad, we have the the stadium, we have the fan base, we have the history.
00:16:10
Tom Elkins
That is the goal. And i think... we can really start to lay some some good foundations for for next season.
00:16:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yep, as of right now, after eight games with Graham Porter in charge, West Ham has won three games, um lost four, and drew once.
00:16:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
So that will actually amounts to 10 points in the Premier League, which were earned ah since, that have been earned since ah Graham Porter took charge. and Yeah, and of course, like, I think I heard from the commentary team, ah because I was watching a game, of course, from the US,
00:16:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
And the commentary team there mentioned the very first game with Graham Potter in charge, which was an FA Cup tie, actually, against Aston Villa. And that game was lost. um And of course, how how much progress has been done since that game?
00:17:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
um like So I guess you' you partially answered this question that basically this this improvement is like you can see it. So to be honest, it remains to be seen whether this progress will be continued, especially
West Ham's Standings and FA Cup Potential
00:17:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
when your status in the Premier League isn't super secured just yet, because there are still games to be played.
00:17:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Speaking about those games to be played, you have now got Newcastle as your next opponent and on March 10th.
00:17:22
Tom Elkins
Thank you.
00:17:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
And overall, the average position of your opponents is set at approximately 11.83%.
00:17:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
as like a position coefficient. ah So not the worst of opponents. Could have been better, but could have been much worse. So for example, if you look at Fulham, because currently their average position of opponents is eighth.
00:17:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
So their opponents are much, much tougher just on paper. So how do you like the chances of West Ham in upcoming fixtures?
00:17:56
Tom Elkins
To be honest, with this kind of new approach and new look to the way that we're playing, kind of fancy us against most teams, to be honest, especially when we have so many players coming back. you know We played basically the the whole first half of the season without a striker.
00:18:13
Tom Elkins
you know We've had Mikel Antonio playing in there and then he got injured. We've had Fulker, who was the big money signing, who basically hasn't played any football yet. you know so So it's been tough and we've had injuries to centre-backs. There's been so many games where we've had to play with just one centre-back and then four full-backs, two playing as the kind of outside centre-backs and two playing as the wing-backs. So it has been a tough season. Obviously, it's the the crux of it is that we haven't been good enough, but there are kind of contributing factors that make you understand why these things happen.
00:18:45
Tom Elkins
Right now, I think our squad is as strong as it has been all season. Getting James Ward-Prowse back on loan or back off of loan is such a ah ah brilliant brilliant decision by Potter because he was like one of our best players last season.
00:19:00
Tom Elkins
And then Lopetegui comes in and decides that he doesn't want him in the squad, which...
00:19:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hmm.
00:19:05
Tom Elkins
It was a ah very confusing decision at the time, but you trust it because you have to trust the new manager. But obviously it didn't work and he's come back and he's he's come straight into the starting 11. looks really comfortable.
00:19:15
Tom Elkins
Obviously everyone knows about his set pieces. They are ridiculous. at The way that he crosses a ball in is unlike anything I've ever seen. the The corners seem to land exactly on the money every time, which is always exciting. Yeah.
00:19:29
Tom Elkins
So I'm kind of quietly optimistic about the latter half of the season. And I think Evan Ferguson will get some goals as well. I think he's not necessarily played as much football. I think he would have hoped so far under Potter.
00:19:44
Tom Elkins
I think it's only going to increase. And when he gets the first, I think they will then start to kind of come in and hopefully we can start to steal some points off of some of the bigger teams.
00:19:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, and there you will have opportunities. ah Plenty. ah First, we're going to have those two games which are coming up like the the closest to you right now, currently.
00:20:02
Tom Elkins
Thank you.
00:20:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
March 10th, Newcastle. March 15th is Everton. And then... What will come? Of course, the international break. And during international break, that is say also an opportunity, but also some like some dangers. Because, of course, we all know that those international games could be ah competitive.
00:20:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Slightly, something another in other times, even too competitive. And it could result in some injuries. it could result in some drop of form. So I'm really curious as to how all of the teams in Premier League will look.
00:20:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
on April 1st, April 2nd, at the beginning of April when the club football will come back from international break. um And, well, some fans actually prefer club football to international bouts. Well, such as that, such as that. Well, okay, so as of right now, ah let's just have take a quick look at the Premier League table.
00:20:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah As of right now, West Ham sits with 33 points with thirty three points ah Tied with Manchester United and Tottenham. And the only reason West Ham is the worst out of those teams with 33 points is because of the goal difference of minus 15.
00:21:09
Tom Elkins
Thank you.
00:21:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Of course, just like you said, those problems with not having a striker ah for like most most for most of the time. could be one of the reasons why the goal difference coefficient, the the goal difference is so bad.
00:21:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
But you'll have a chance. Man United was 14th to Tottenham 13th. um And of course, I think like, I wish you all the best in terms of reaching the top 10 in that second half of the season, of course.
Man City's FA Cup Challenges
00:21:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
So and with that being said, let's just take a quick cra a quick break when it comes to our sponsor, Bionic, and then we will mention the Forecast Friday essential, which is, of course, the FA Cup Ties predictions.
00:22:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes. Thank you, Bionic, for sponsoring our podcast. You are listening to Daily English Premier League, brought to you by Global Sports Podcast Network.
00:22:37
Tom Elkins
Thank you.
00:22:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Yeah. And this time we will be talking about the FA Cup ties, the upcoming cup ah affairs, as we can call it. and Well, we're going to have a slightly break slight break from Premier League, and we will have some interesting bouts right there.
00:22:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah First, we were going to talk about Manchester City taking on Plymouth Argyle. And, well... Plymouth Argyle, they have already knocked out one giant out of the competition. The question is, with Manchester City now limping slightly, can they be the next victim of Plymouth Argyle?
00:23:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Tom.
00:23:15
Tom Elkins
I think they could, to be honest. like You think about Man City this season and they just do not look themselves. They just look tired. you You think about the amount of time they've spent at the top level being basically perfect.
00:23:30
Tom Elkins
It's been years. It's been years of that high pressure, high level, high intensity. So it's not really a surprise that the wheels have started to fall off. And if there's ever a time to beat Man City in the FA Cup, if there's ever a time you want to play them, it's now. And I bet all of those Plymouth players are so up for this because...
00:23:50
Tom Elkins
It's the opportunity to make absolute history. You think about all of the kind of historically huge giant killings that have happened. This would be right up there with with the biggest of them. And I really hope it happens, to be honest. I think it's the magic of the FA Cup, isn't it? it
00:24:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Absolutely so.
00:24:09
Tom Elkins
Big teams not respecting smaller teams and big teams getting knocked out by the smaller teams who just want it more. And to be honest, if if Man City don't want it in the Premier League, what's going to make them want it in the FA Cup? What's going to make the players work hard, make them hungry, give them that kind of intrinsic desire to win?
00:24:31
Tom Elkins
i just I just don't know what the reason would be that they would suddenly up their game in the FA Cup when they've been pretty lackluster in the Premier League. So, yeah, I think Plymouth have every shot of of of winning this game, to be honest.
00:24:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Not to mention that one of the reasons why Liverpool got knocked down and knocked down and out of the FA Cup was because of their counter style, which not only ah shook the, of course, much changed to Liverpool side, but they also... and It's the same kind of style that Manchester City absolutely hates and has been proven many, many times throughout this campaign.
00:25:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Because, of course, we're talking about Pep Guardiola's side and Pep Guardiola means positional football. And this is no longer the way how you have to play football. and Yeah, like some people are quite, quite shocked to to to figure that out and to understand that and to realize it. But that's actually true.
00:25:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
and But there is one thing that could play in Manchester City's advantage, and that is that they have no more other titles to go for. Premier League, out of the question. Liverpool, and well but they are probably, like i think they're already champions. Of course, it it hasn't been confirmed yet officially, but they are champions.
00:25:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah The difference in the table in the league table is way too big for Man City to ever be able to hold on, to catch up and to keep up. um Champions League, they got knocked out.
00:25:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
after a whipping that was delivered at the hands of Kylian Mbappe and Carlo Ancelotti Real Madrid, of course. So the only place where Manchester City could salvage their season is actually a fake-up.
00:26:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
So i I think, to me, there is no reason for Erling Haaland not to play, for Benando Silva not to play, not to start, for Jack Grealish or Ophiel Foden to start in the starting level against Plymouth Argyle.
00:26:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think now is the time, because if not now, then when?
Newcastle vs Brighton FA Cup Preview
00:26:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Isn't that right?
00:26:22
Tom Elkins
Yeah, yeah i I definitely agree with that.
00:26:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:26:25
Tom Elkins
But then i guess my argument against it would be, why not before now? you know If you're saying, oh, you know if there's any time, why not now? It's like well, surely you could say that before every single game this season. And so many games City just haven't looked on it.
00:26:41
Tom Elkins
So for me... are they what I fear they might be is very much an all or nothing team where they are either at it every single game and they're on it and they're achieving to the highest or they are completely off it and they just don't win anything because we've not we've not seen City kind of be this...
00:27:03
Tom Elkins
on and off mediocre team which is kind of what they are right now to be honest you know there's i don't think there's any team in the premier league that goes into a game against city and goes oh we're definitely going to get absolutely steamrolled maybe southampton but that's kind of that's kind of most games for them this season um so yeah i i definitely agree with you like if it's not now then when but
00:27:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:27:28
Tom Elkins
I just think it should have been earlier. So why is it just suddenly going to change? You know?
00:27:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, I guess desperation could be the bill could be could prove to be the best remedy, I guess.
00:27:37
Tom Elkins
Yeah.
00:27:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, we will see how it goes. We wish Playa Mothaga all the luck in the world. Man City, yeah, we can wish them some luck too. if we are so If we are to be impartial, even though we struggle to to be impartial, that kind of conversation.
00:27:52
Tom Elkins
Yeah.
00:27:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
But come on, it's football coming. What else expect?
00:27:54
Tom Elkins
how How many times would you go into a Man City game wishing Man City luck in the past? But now you feel like they probably could maybe use a little bit of luck, which says everything about where they are, doesn't it? Yeah.
00:28:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's the same kind of sympathy that I had for Brazilian national team after they were whipped seven goals to one in the World Cup semifinal against Germany.
00:28:11
Tom Elkins
Yeah.
00:28:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Same exact sympathy. Okay, so let's move on from sympathy to something more intriguing, which is, I think, the highlight of the fifth round proper of the f FA Cup, which will be the bout between Newcastle United and Brighton and Hof Albion.
00:28:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
That will be one, like, that will be a cracker. And to be honest, I really wonder whether Alexander Isak will score a brace or whether he will be stopped in his tracks by a good Brighton defense.
00:28:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like, what are your predictions there? I can't wait to hear that.
00:28:47
Tom Elkins
Yeah, it is very much, it feels like an attack versus defence situation, doesn't it? Because I think Barber Brigham this season has been really good. I think he's such a solid keeper, such a big stature. He's good with his feet.
00:29:01
Tom Elkins
So that the the attack versus defence matchup is going to be really interesting. i If we're doing predictions, I probably think that Newcastle will go through, to be honest. I think it's going to be quite a cagey game to begin with, I think. I think Brian aren't going to all guns blazing because they know that if they leave too much space in behind that they will get punished because Izak is very clinical.
00:29:27
Tom Elkins
I think that they are able to defend for, I think, maybe up until 60 minutes. I think then it kind of becomes relentless. Newcastle really go for it. They get a goal. Then the game opens up completely because as soon as Brighton go behind, they know that they have to go for it at that point.
00:29:42
Tom Elkins
Then it opens up. Hopefully a massive goal flare at the end. It finishes like three to Newcastle. Really good game for the nu for the neutral. But, yeah, I think Newcastle are legit. They have...
00:29:56
Tom Elkins
I think Izak is kind of a step above in quality than probably any other player on the pitch at that
Player Loyalty and Squad Retention
00:30:02
Tom Elkins
point.
00:30:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:30:02
Tom Elkins
I think only the only person I'd say that comes close from a Brighton perspective is Matoma.
00:30:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:30:07
Tom Elkins
I think he's really good. Very underrated, I think. I know he's kind of a hipster's choice for ah good player, but he he's really underrated and his ability to beat players and he's kind of I'd call it unconventional creativity, if that makes sense. Like he's not not your kind of typical good Premier League winger. He seems to be a little bit more considered, a bit more kind of technique based, but it's still really effective. So, yeah, they're probably my my two standout players for that game. But and but I think Newcastle edge it.
00:30:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
And with that being said, but that that is actually interesting because what kind of Newcastle will we see? Because we've got two faces of Newcastle United team. Eddie Howe being the master of defense and quick counterattack that no team can actually keep up with. So that is Arsenal ah once they got knocked out of the semifinal of the Carabao Cup.
00:31:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Or if we're talking about Nottingham Forest, well, they they weren't as solid defensively as against Arsenal, but it doesn't change the fact that they got that result against Nottingham. Or we will see the thrashed Newcastle.
00:31:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
So Man City, Liverpool, exposing all of those ah inconsistencies, all of those imperfections and capitalizing on them. um
00:31:28
Tom Elkins
West Ham.
00:31:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, Weston. Exactly.
00:31:31
Tom Elkins
We beat them earlier this season.
00:31:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm sorry. There you go. There you go. ah
00:31:35
Tom Elkins
I can't say that about many teams, so I have to say it when I can't.
00:31:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
go ahead, go ahead. and you're You're more than welcome. I wish I could say something about that. ah ah So yeah, so Manchester City, Liverpool, West Ham early in the season. ah Yeah, that will be super interesting. And also, another question about Mitoma and Minte.
00:31:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
In that game against Bournemouth in the Premier League, it's not like they, of course, like Brighton won, but it came at some... a suffering, suffering throughout the the most of the game. Brighton, like, of course, they had this penalty on the 12th minute, then Clever did equalize on the 61st, and they were struggling so much to get that edge past Bournemouth. They did, but I think that's not the kind of mitoma that the Brighton fans would like to see.
00:32:21
Tom Elkins
Yeah, is i think it's tough. bright Brighton seem to be a really strange one this season. they They have such high squad turnover every year, it feels like. you know they Their best players get poached every single year.
00:32:35
Tom Elkins
So the the fact that they're not as kind of consistent as they would like to be isn't really a surprise. And yeah, I think it is just tough when, do in the back of their mind, the Brighton players...
00:32:49
Tom Elkins
kind of play to move, if that makes sense. Are they playing to get that move away? Because how many players have actually stayed when they when they could have left? It's not really many. Most of them, as soon as someone waves a little bit of cash and kind of European football in their face, they're pretty quick to jump at it, which I don't blame them for. Obviously, if you want to progress your career, you're going to do that. But you'd like to maybe sometimes just keep them for that extra season. This is the argument that I've made for Declan Rice not getting any sort of bad words or bad press or any negativity at all from me because he stayed longer than he had to
00:33:33
Tom Elkins
He probably stayed for an extra two, two and a half more years than he needed to. And he won us something, which is that debt is kind of... we are completely indebted to him and the fact that he left for big money and is now kind of challenging for higher competition prize, that is completely fair.
00:33:52
Tom Elkins
I think there's probably Brighton fans that look at that situation and go, I wish someone would just stay a little bit longer than they had to so that we can elevate the squad for a more kind of long-term plan.
00:34:04
Tom Elkins
Everything that Brighton does seems player-wise very much... let's make a ah good team this season, people are going to go and let's rebuild for the next season.
00:34:15
Tom Elkins
So there's not real prolonged improvement.
00:34:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:34:19
Tom Elkins
It's just kind of short-term, good, good. And if there's not necessarily the the talent that comes in, it just then isn't as good because you've not got the guys that have stayed there for that amount of time. um i don't know.
00:34:31
Tom Elkins
it is It's a really difficult one. i'd I'd be really intrigued to see what Brighton fans had to say. But from an outside perspective and a perspective of a fan who's
00:34:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:34:40
Tom Elkins
had so many good players leave, it's demoralising after a while. You know, you you don't you don't want to get too attached to a player because you know that they could so easily leave, you know.
00:34:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
To be honest, I was just just as you said that i had ah like brightened from my eyes, like the memory back in 2023 when I was a volunteer at the conference league final in Prague.
00:35:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
You remember it very fondly. And I saw and not only Łukasz Fabianski celebrating, of course, he didn't play in that game. Although i kind of wish he but I kind of wish he had played in that game, but whatever.
00:35:14
Tom Elkins
Yeah.
00:35:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Arola still did a good job. he he He did enough of a job for you to clinch the title.
00:35:20
Tom Elkins
Yeah.
00:35:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
And Deakland Rice raising that trophy. And the very next season, right there to your London opponents at Arsenal. That must have hurt, right?
00:35:32
Tom Elkins
Yeah, like of of course it does. but how How much can you complain when, yeah like said before, he stayed longer than he needed he loved the club.
00:35:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hmm.
00:35:42
Tom Elkins
I think, to be honest, he will come back to West Ham at some point. I don't think he gets the same kind of admiration and love from the Arsenal fans.
Man United vs Fulham FA Cup Preview
00:35:54
Tom Elkins
I don't think they respect him as much as we did and they don't kind of idolise him as much as we did and I think kind of still do to an extent, you know. um and Another thing to to note as well, it's maybe kind of off topic.
00:36:06
Tom Elkins
I've swerved a little bit, but how good our academy has been over the kind of you know the past 20, 30 years.
00:36:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
All right.
00:36:12
Tom Elkins
We've produced some amazing players. And I think we are used to seeing them leave. So it's not really something that I ever get too annoyed about. If we play against him, I want him to lose.
00:36:25
Tom Elkins
I don't want him to have a good game, but kind of in any other situation, you know, I want him want him personally to succeed. I'd rather it not be with Arsenal, to be honest. He could go abroad and that would be brilliant and he could win everything.
00:36:37
Tom Elkins
I don't really want Arsenal to win anything, but if they do, um I'd be happy for him personally.
00:36:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
I see some similarities with Marcus Rasmus situation in Aston Villa and some United fans reacting on that as well I guess this is football I guess this is how the the tides turn this is how the tides go and we just have to accept that you could try swimming against the current but will you get very far I don't really know
00:37:00
Tom Elkins
Yeah, not at all.
00:37:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, and then let's just move on from Newcastle, Brighton. All sudden we started talking about West Ham and Aston Villa.
00:37:07
Tom Elkins
Yeah, sorry, that's my fault.
00:37:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Oh, goodness. No, no, no. It's fine, it's fine, it's fine. It should be entertaining for our listeners and viewers out there. Aye. And then let's just wrap up those highlighted matches with Man United taking on Fulham.
00:37:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Here I have two memories that come to my mind. Number one is the very fresh, boring, dull game at Craven Cottage. that Manchester United just etched very slightly with one goal to nil.
00:37:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
But I just really wish i had i wish i would I had unseen this game, really. I wish i I could just unsee it and just forget about it and just to have, OK, three points, let's just move on. And that's kind of what we did.
00:37:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
And the second memory that comes to my mind is Alexander Mitrovic getting sent off in this exact feature at Old Trafford in 2023. re if I remember correctly ah with Mitrovic being sent off after a quite violent contact against the referees can we expect another feisty performance by those both teams at Old Trafford this weekend or will we get another you know let's just say Craven Cottage 2.0 oh god yeah
00:38:11
Tom Elkins
I don't know. It's really difficult to predict Man United at the moment, isn't it? Like, the they have such quality, but at the same time can be so poor and so kind of...
00:38:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
and god yeah
00:38:24
Tom Elkins
I think boring is is kind of the the wrong word to use. Kind of just lacking any sort of imagination or freedom or creativity. Yeah. I don't think it will be great to be honest. I think it might be a ah little bit of, a little bit of quality from someone. I don't know who it will come from. Obviously, Raul Jimenez has been really good this season. He's kind of started to become the player that he was, you know, before that horrific head injury that he suffered.
00:38:52
Tom Elkins
And then for United, you know, you you look at someone like Bruno Fernandes, who obviously has quality that is, you'd arguably say he's the best player that Man United have at the moment.
00:38:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
right
00:39:03
Tom Elkins
I don't know if you'd agree with that. um
00:39:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, to be honest, I always repeat that in those episodes and I have to repeat it again since we we're talking about Bruno Fernandes. Remove Fernandes from the equation and the math just fails. Without him, there is no Man United team.
00:39:14
Tom Elkins
Yeah.
00:39:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's sad, but it's true.
00:39:19
Tom Elkins
Yeah. So i can see someone like him coming up with a bit of brilliance, you know, getting a just a ah ah nice, or solid goal that you that you'd expect someone of his qualities to score. But other than that, um I don't have massively high expectations, to be honest, which I don't think is a bad thing. I think going into a game with low expectations means you can only hopefully be kind of excited by it. And for me as a neutral, it's,
00:39:41
Tom Elkins
a good chance to hopefully watch a good game of football. And think that's what everyone wants. You just, ah don't know what your opinion as a Man United fan would be, is that,
00:39:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:39:51
Tom Elkins
If you do lose,
Man United's Season Reflection
00:39:54
Tom Elkins
how how does that kind of, does it affect anything or is it as the season kind of already been settled and whether you go through to the next round really has that much of a bearing? Obviously, if you win that, that's brilliant or get to the final. That's also brilliant. But does going one step further at this point really do too much?
00:40:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Well, let me just say that... Okay, I will answer that question with one short sentence. The faster the season ends, the better for the club.
00:40:24
Tom Elkins
Yeah. Yeah.
00:40:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
And to students slightly elaborate on that, I actually had this thought right now as we're talking about it. What is more important for Ruben Amorim's side? Is it more important to stay in the f FA Cup?
00:40:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Is it more important to focus on Europa League and the upcoming ah round of 16 game against Real Sociedad, the first leg? um To be honest, if I were him, i would just throw my best forces on everything and just try to salvage as much as you can.
00:40:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Because somebody would say that, oh, but you need you need to save your forces.
00:40:52
Tom Elkins
yeah
00:40:55
Tom Elkins
Thank you.
00:40:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
You need to ah save Bruno Fernandes. You cannot be playing every single game. I'm sorry, but if you sit just just to this much, i'm um like to all the listeners, I'm just showing like very small, like this small margin above the relegation zone, you need to shut up.
00:41:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Because, really, like I'm getting pissed off every single time I hear that. That, oh, maybe we should you know just save some forces. No, we shouldn't. Look at how much we were playing. Look like how bad we were playing and how much all of those top quality players just failed to deliver.
00:41:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Not only at under Eric Den Haag, under of course Ruben Amorim, obviously. So if there is any time to prove people wrong, if there's any time to shut the critics once and for all, it's on all fields, maybe apart from Premier League, because there we just need to save ourselves from getting relegated.
00:41:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh my God, Manchester United facing relegation.
00:41:46
Tom Elkins
No,
00:41:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
What on the earth is happening with the world? I'm getting triggered. I'm sorry. I have to calm down.
00:41:53
Tom Elkins
and now you're okay.
00:41:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
But e FA Cup and Europa League, those are the two things that we have to scratch and claw as much as we can.
00:41:55
Tom Elkins
It's understandable.
00:42:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Because if we don't, it will just add another the salt. It will just add more salt to the wound. And... ah
00:42:10
Tom Elkins
Yeah, it's tough.
00:42:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Maybe I should just stop talking.
00:42:11
Tom Elkins
because all all of those All of those words that you just use, like scratching and fighting and trying to get something out of games, just it doesn't remind me of this Man United team at all. like The sort of characteristics that you think about when you think about this United team, just those words couldn't be further from what I associate them with. so i just I just don't see how this kind of grit and this fight and this determination and this kind of dogged relentlessness to get something out of these games is is really going to happen, to be honest. But if if this season isn't going to be a complete disaster, you probably have to win one of those tournaments, don't you, realistically? Because if you even if you if you get to both finals and you lose both of them, yes, that's a good achievement. but
00:43:02
Tom Elkins
not winning anything and probably finishing mid-table at best in the Premier League. It's really bad, isn't it? It's really bad.
00:43:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
But then again, we kind of... but like but I'm just already getting used to the thought that this season will go down in history and one of the worst in the Man United's history. I'm already... I've already come at peace with it.
00:43:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
I do not expect anything else, really.
00:43:24
Tom Elkins
yeah
00:43:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
i mean, you know what you said? Like, if we reach both finals and if we lose them all, I would actually be happy if Man United reached at least one of those finals. And I think if we reached FA Cup final, that would be...
00:43:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
A nice sweet tone or not sweet point like piece of flavor that you can just throw into the pot melt like with with melted ah bitterness and just sourness all over and over again.
00:43:43
Tom Elkins
Yeah.
00:43:46
Tom Elkins
Yeah. It's the... it's the little silver lining to a very dark rain cloud isn't it it's like a little bit of okay well there was it wasn't a complete disaster there there was some aspects that you can try and build from which i think is that's kind of the way you have to approach it isn't it i know that as a west ham fan we've had so many seasons that have just been terrible you know like barely surviving but it's the little little glimpses the little
00:43:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:44:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:44:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right. Right.
00:44:15
Tom Elkins
the result where you beat someone that you weren't supposed to or, you know, the the player that you signed for not very much money or the player that no one's ever heard of that's that's actually played really well. They're the little bits that you have to take and try and turn that into something more next season, you know.
FA Cup Matches Predictions
00:44:30
Tom Elkins
And at this point, you United just have to have to try and do that because you can you can be pessimistic and you can be frustrated and angry and down about it.
00:44:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
right
00:44:39
Tom Elkins
But how is that going to actually do any positive good? How is that going to... move you out of the situation that you're in it's not at all you have to try and find some sort of positive because i think negativity just breeds more negativity so you have to try and fight it with something you know
00:44:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh yeah.
00:44:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
oh yeah
00:44:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right. Well, and let's just see, let's just see whether they will be able to find this positive. Well, of course, I'm just going to be keeping my fingers crossed and and just and just like just like we do in Poland, which is going to be holding our thumbs.
00:45:04
Tom Elkins
good luck to you mate
00:45:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
And this is what we do. So, yeah, this is what we're going to be doing. And that wraps up like those most important games. We're going to take a short break and let's hear about the platform which we use all the time to record those podcasts. That is Zencastr.
00:45:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Louis, take it away, man.
00:45:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you, Zencastus, so much again for allowing us to create those this and many other podcasts that we have here for you under the auspices of Global Sports Podcast Network.
00:46:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Join in to Daily English Premier League. Join in to Daily Western when you will hear this and many, many other thoughts about how Western's team is progressing, about the upcoming fixtures, about the potential controversies, good talking points, and so much, much, much more.
00:46:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Subscribe. And stay tuned, guys. Stay tuned. The more you guys are there, the more excited are we are to make more episodes like this. And let's just wrap it up very quickly because we've talked for quite a while now. But yeah we when we we did we have had a very interesting conversation.
00:46:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
So ah let's just look at the remaining ah ties for this fifth round proper of the FA Cup. Out of all of the remaining matches that we haven't talked about yet, which one could also catch your eye?
00:46:52
Tom Elkins
I don't know. That's a really good question, to be honest. As a...
00:46:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm. Hmm.
00:46:56
Tom Elkins
as a a non-participant in the FA Cup at this point as a West Ham fan. It's kind of sad when you look at the fixture list and you go, oh God, we're just not not there.
00:47:08
Tom Elkins
We're not fighting for the for these points. I think um out of the ones we've not spoke about, I like some of the the championship teams, to be honest. I think When you you look at f FA Cup games, it's always interesting to see how the ah the championship teams face up against the Premier League teams.
00:47:27
Tom Elkins
Because obviously in recent years, we've had so many instances where teams come up and they go straight back down. And this year is kind of reminiscent of that, where it doesn't seem like the promoted teams have much of a chance against the Premier League teams because there is that golfing class.
00:47:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hmm.
00:47:43
Tom Elkins
But... ah FA Cup games always seem to kind of even the odds a little bit when it comes to ah Championship and Premier League teams. i obviously having been in the Championship not too long ago, West Ham kind of dipped in and out of the Championship a couple of times in my lifetime, which is always an interesting season when when you play in the Championship. You know, you we did pretty well. That Ricciardo Vazte goal always lives in my memory. It is one one of my favourite memories as a West Ham fan. I think it's amazing. and I ah really want ah a Vazte shirt from his era because he is kind of a cult hero at West Ham at this point, to be honest. um
00:48:23
Tom Elkins
Sorry, getting a little bit of sidetracked.
00:48:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay.
00:48:25
Tom Elkins
if we If we actually go back to the games specifically, let me have a look.
00:48:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's all right. That's all right.
00:48:31
Tom Elkins
I'm actually just going to pull up all of the games because...
00:48:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, so so just to give you a little bit time of time, the matches which we haven't talked about are Aston Villa-Cardiff. I think that here Unai Emery said it himself that they are not really contenders for the FA Cup, which actually hints at the um although hence up what we can expect from Unai Emery's side, which will basically be just ah throwing the second suit
00:48:52
Tom Elkins
Thank you.
00:48:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
against Cardiff. If they qualify, awesome. If not, tough luck. Okay, we'll just we'll just move on. We'll focus on Champions League. It's more far more important. and With all of that being said, Cardiff, with not having such a good form at the moment, I think that Aston Villa, they are still the favorites to go through.
00:49:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Crystal Palace taking on Millwall. Millwall, they did have such a nice, ah like kind of a nice streak lately in those games. But even with that being said, I do not think that they will be and a force to be reckoned with, like forced to reckon with when we talk about facing Crystal Palace.
00:49:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
So here I think there's going to be a W in the column of the Premier League. ah Preston taking on Burnley.
00:49:31
Tom Elkins
Yeah.
00:49:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
That could be a mystery. I really don't know in which direction those and this match will go. Bournemouth to take on Wolverhampton. Wow, in that last game, that they they faced not too long time ago.
00:49:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
And ah only because of Ilya Zabani sent off, Wolves managed to score ah the winner 1-0 and get those three points at the expense of Bournemouth. Of course, it was a shocker, but then again, no Zabani, no party. I believe every single Bournemouth fan out there will agree with me.
00:50:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
and the But with all of that, with Zabani being back, um this could be a tough game. I really wouldn't be surprised ah for both sides. I really really wouldn't be surprised if we saw ah extra time or penalties in that game of Bournemouth-Wolverhampton.
00:50:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
So I will say that it's going to be a draw. And when it comes to penalties, it's a lot race. I have no idea. i will not I will not even go on on a limp.
00:50:23
Tom Elkins
Yeah, it's tough, isn't it?
00:50:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
of doing this prediction. Yeah, and the last match which we haven't mentioned yet is Nottingham Forest taking on Ipswich Town. Two Premier League sides. Nottingham Forest is the clear favorite here.
00:50:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I think that we will not even need extra time to to solve that one. I think Forest for the win.
00:50:41
Tom Elkins
Yeah, I agree.
00:50:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
that Those are my predictions. I'm really looking forward to Born with Wolves as to how those two sides will just come at each other's throats, especially after that last week and this controversy surrounding like red card, which va is I think was well deserved, but still.
00:50:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
um How about you?
00:50:58
Tom Elkins
um I think that Born With Wolves game is really interesting. you know yeah the A little bit of controversy going into a game always brings out the spice in it, which... only makes for a better viewing experience. And in cup competitions, anything can happen.
00:51:13
Tom Elkins
So... Could something again happen like this? Could we see another red card? Could we see things get heated? Kind of all of the residual frustration and resentment that came from the last game. Does it carry over?
00:51:27
Tom Elkins
How long do those sort of things last? I think that these are all really interesting questions and it makes for a really good game. I think it goes to extra time.
00:51:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right.
00:51:33
Tom Elkins
I think it's a bit of a golf fest. I think it goes to to into extra time, then into penalties. Because I think... I think penalties, after a 0-0, it's really cagey and it's everyone's really tense. But after a kind of back-and-forth goal thriller, I think that makes penalties more kind of exhilarating and exciting because you're like, each team has had the opportunity to win and thinks they've won and then they've gone down and they're frustrated. So...
00:52:00
Tom Elkins
In my mind, i I think that's how I'd like it to play out. And if it does play out like that, I think Bournemouth end up winning that game. I think the quality that they have in the kind of attacking, finishing setting, I think coming down to penalties, obviously, like you mentioned, it is definitely a lottery. But I think they might just have have the edge when it when it comes to kind of technical ability slash quality.
00:52:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, yeah, so that will be basically the other highlight that we will basically be paying attention to. ah So, yeah, that is basically how the fifth ah round proper of the f FA Cup shapes out.
00:52:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
We wish best of luck to all of the
Episode Conclusion and Farewell
00:52:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
teams. ah Well, more luck there, less luck there. Well, you know how it is. But overall, the one thing that we can wish that is that may there be no other injuries because the season is already long.
00:52:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
There are still games to be played and we really do not want to see any other nasty injuries.
00:52:53
Tom Elkins
Yeah, definitely.
00:52:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
And with that, we will wrap up today's Daily English Premier League episode with a special guest, Tom Elkins from Daily West Ham. Thank you so much for joining me today.
00:53:06
Tom Elkins
Thank you very much for having me.
00:53:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you. And yeah, just so let's remind you guys again that you have been listening to a English Premier League. um You can listen to us or view us on YouTube and you can listen to us on wherever you get your podcasts from.
00:53:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Tune in tomorrow because, oh, actually not tomorrow. Tune in for Monday because then we'll be reviewing all of the action from f FA Cup. Again, tune in to Daily West Ham for more content considering West Ham United exclusively.
00:53:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
I've been Mihaj Czarnieski. Thank you so, so much for joining in, for tuning in. And I will see you and hear you and the next one. Bye-bye. Thank you, guys.
00:53:44
Tom Elkins
Bye, guys.