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Episode 72: Wildcard Wednesday - A third of the way through, transfer review...
29 Plays24 days ago
Southampton –It's wildcard Wednesday and now we are a third of the way through the season we take a look at the list of incoming transfers in the summer and how we think they have done so far this season.
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Transcript
Introduction and Banter
00:00:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome to the Daily Southampton, part of the Global Sports Podcast Network. My name is Greg Elliott. I'm joined today as always by my illustrious co-host, Zach Ingo Finch. How are you doing, Zach?
00:00:19
Zak
Hello mate, my voice I thought would get better since the weekend and if you can hear I'm just a little bit more squeaky. So hopefully by the end I'll be able to get the all the episodes out by the end of the week without sounding too Mickey Mouse but here we are.
00:00:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm sure it'll be fine, mate. I'm sure it'll be fine. We'll be back and raring to go in time for Friday's game against Brighton. Okay, it is wildcard Wednesday and we thought today we would take a little look at almost ah almost ah it's exactly a third of the way through the season.
Summer Transfers Overview
00:00:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Our inbound transfers this summer and how they're doing. So I have a list in front of me and I guess we'll just sort of go through one by one and briefly touch on how they're doing.
00:01:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
So it's it's a lengthier list than I thought, mate, which maybe gives a little bit of a spoiler into how some of these have gone if we're being frank.
00:01:10
Zak
Yeah.
00:01:15
Zak
yeah
00:01:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
but But let's The ah the first man in the door was Harwood Bellis. so I mean, England debut, goal scorer on England debut, Marion Roy Keane's daughter.
00:01:21
Zak
aye
00:01:25
Zak
It's part of the squad.
00:01:27
Zak
It's part of the squad. Future captain material in my opinion. Hopefully he'll be a saint for a long time. Whether or not that is the case, who knows, but I'm really really glad. We managed to snap up that transfer pretty quick and I managed to be probably one of the actual good things in my eyes about getting us promoted as well as all the money and
00:01:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:01:48
Zak
The Premier League's been tough, man.
00:01:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Real good piece of business to get that wrapped up as part of the promotion deal as well.
00:01:51
Zak
But no, he is a It's the only thing I think it's what he would have wanted, right?
00:01:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right. Like that's, uh, yeah.
00:02:00
Zak
And he's he's got the football he wanted. And I think that he probably would have ended up going elsewhere if we didn't if we didn't pay the money. And that wasn't part of it. So it's one for me it's a one of the big benefits of us going up this year was keeping his services and
00:02:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, absolutely.
Key Signings and Performance Concerns
00:02:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Looked a little bit shaky at the start of the season, but credit where credit's due has stepped up to the plate and been really unstoppable for us.
00:02:14
Zak
hopefully for a long time.
00:02:19
Zak
Yeah.
00:02:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Brilliant. One of our more consistent players, for sure.
00:02:24
Zak
Solid player.
00:02:28
Zak
Prolific goal scorer.
00:02:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah. Is is he during top?
00:02:32
Zak
Someone needs to be.
00:02:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
I dunno.
00:02:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
All right, mate. Moving on down the list to another success story, I think Aaron Ramsdale.
00:02:42
Zak
Well, again, like I don't know if we broke the wage cap for him. It feels like we did. I don't know. I know we we spoke about before, right? Like rumors at the start of the season, like, oh, yeah, we're going to bring the Aaron Rams.
00:02:56
Zak
I was like, yeah, OK. So the fact we pulled that off is is is magical. And we really, really, truly did miss him. And you can say that maybe the game would have played out differently because everyone would have been too scared to
00:03:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah Yeah, I think you're right Yeah, there you go single-handedly bringing up the ratings so
00:03:08
Zak
you know everyone was too scared to pass for McCarthy which is why I ended up going forward but also I think that the goals that went in for that last game probably wouldn't have happened with him between the sticks it's just he's just a good player and as you also pointed out our best player in EA FC as well happy days
00:03:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
uh another one uh that eventually came through the door after you know it's time with us last year Flynn Downs yeah
00:03:40
Zak
That was probably one of our, if not most important, signing. I love Taylor Harbour-Bellis. I love Aaron Ramsdale. But Flynn Downs, him being out last season is the difference between us getting automatic promotion and not. it's, you know, you considering that he could have been given a go at West Ham and if he had, he probably would have stayed being more of a Hammers fan than anything else. The fact that he came and he is now, you know, co-captained a few times and I say co-captained like deputized where where he's needed to. I just think he is a fantastic player. He's so important to the squad.
00:04:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
You saw that against Wolves.
00:04:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I actually think when you look back on it, we saw it in a way when he was played out of position against Liverpool, because although it was his mistake that caused the first goal, if if he's playing in his position that he's actually comfortable in and not chucked in at centre back, he's not making that mistake.
00:04:36
Zak
Yeah, correct.
00:04:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
So he's another one that I hope stays the same for a really long time.
00:04:38
Zak
I yes, he is an extremely important player and I really, really hope that if, uh, yeah, I hope he doesn't end up disappearing at the end of the season.
00:04:48
Zak
If, uh, if the bad thing happens, which we haven't quite agreed is probably on the cards yet.
Player Struggles and Mental Hurdles
00:04:54
Zak
I know that you ever, the optimists still think we're going to win the title somehow.
00:04:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, you're right.
00:04:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
We, uh, we might not qualify for champions league this season. I think we have to come to terms with that.
00:05:03
Zak
So because of that, yeah yeah I think that he he will be an extremely important part of the team. I hope that you know his journey mandates of being sent out on loan here, there and everywhere are kind of over at this point.
00:05:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:05:13
Zak
And he stays the same for a long, long time.
00:05:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
All right. Moving on to ah someone who's made a bit less of an impact. If we're being brutally honest, uh, Ben Brown Diaz. I had high hopes when he came in that he was going to score plenty of goals for us, but he doesn't really seem to have done...
00:05:24
Zak
a You did, you really did.
00:05:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, has he had enough of a chance to get his foot in?
00:05:33
Zak
Yeah, he's had more of, he's had more game time than quite a few of the other players that have been dropped.
00:05:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
He scored that goal in the pre-season friendly, that was another bit of false hope by the looks of it as well.
00:05:41
Zak
yeah, he also, he also played really well with open training when we went to go watch it as well.
00:05:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:05:46
Zak
And I think you kind of thought, Oh, maybe you will be that missing piece that will score the goals. And realistically, when we're talking about like attacking players and strikers and who should be scoring and on a latch or arch or this, any other, there's no real reason that if, if he was somebody that actually, you know, was doing the job a lot better, he he would be putting in the goals and he would be up there on that list because he was able to do it for Sheffield, so upsetting.
00:06:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Do you think this think this record of him not being on the winning side in a Premier League game is like a real mental hurdle for him?
00:06:18
Zak
I know because he wouldn't have scored as many as he did at Sheffield if that was the case because he wouldn't, I genuinely think
00:06:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
so i mean He was only starting that tally then, whereas now we're at, I think, 20. like
00:06:27
Zak
i I genuinely think that there's something it's it's either it's not clicking. He's not playing as well as the other players that the constant moves have happened.
00:06:37
Zak
You know, he's he's tried to cut his hair. He's lost his place in the chilly squad. I think that, the you know, it's, it's hurting him probably more than, than us that it hasn't worked out, if I'm totally honest, because where is he going to go?
00:06:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah Yeah.
00:06:50
Zak
He will be stuck in our, he'll be stuck in our B team and the under 21s like until. you know for a while i don't think anyone's going to want to pick him up straight off the back of this or he'll end up out on loan i think he you know does he need to step up a little bit yeah but then he's not been terrible when he's on he's just not been great either it's not what we what we expected from that transfer and i think that he knows that as well yeah there are still lots of players that we bought that we had for half a season that did nothing and we said it was a complete waste of money and they never end up coming good there are some that
00:06:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
No. It's just not really done a lot. No. There's still time for him to come. I mean, as with all these signings though, right? It's still pretty early in the season. There's still time for him to come good.
00:07:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:07:26
Zak
you know, in the past, people like Elianusi, like we always hoped it'd come good and then never did. And then ended up going and then playing, you know, yes, well, scored, scored for like Copenhagen, the Champions League pretty quick.
00:07:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's still the first name on the team sheet. He must have come good in some of the manager's eyes at least, right? It's just...
00:07:38
Zak
Right. But then, but then it was just really just not great for us.
00:07:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:07:41
Zak
And I worry that that's what's happened with Bert and Diaz is like, he's not going to, maybe if we end up in the future with a different manager in a different shape, maybe that will give him. a bit more of an opportunity to thrive. Maybe he's just
Young Talents and Future Assets
00:07:52
Zak
struggled to adapt. I don't know, but it's I think everyone's kind of a little bit disappointed by that, especially considering, you know, his his expletive house at the beginning of the season against Newcastle, which means that the Newcastle guys still completely and utterly hate him. And he even like 12 games on with us being four points, you still see that that really rattled Newcastle fans. And that realistically is probably the only thing of of note he's done other than cut his hair.
00:08:19
Zak
so you know
00:08:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, that's crazy. All right. I want to move on down the rest of the list, but first I've got a message from our partner at Zencaster. So here at the Global Sports Podcast Network, we spent a lot of time selecting our delivery platform.
00:08:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Zencaster came out the clear winner. With 4K video recording from your phone and AI editing that automatically throws all those ums and ahs, it's super easy to start a podcast that sounds great and is delivered efficiently.
00:08:42
Zak
So, you know.
00:08:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
If you're ready to tell your story, check out the link in the show description to learn more about Zencaster.
00:08:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay. So right back to it next on our list, uh, Ronnie Edwards for the future, right?
00:08:56
Zak
see i don't think it's fault of his own right and i don't think that he was signed to dive into the team straight away yeah 100 like he was somebody that we've seen that's a talent we've picked him up and i don't think that he is you know going to be somebody that we put into the team straight away maybe they thought about it which is why he's not gone on loan straight away, maybe that will be something that we think about in January, especially with how well Shay Charles' loan has gone on.
00:09:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:09:26
Zak
So yeah, I guess we'll have to see what happens with him, but I still think it's a good transfer.
00:09:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then of a similar, Nathan Wood, I think the same young player for the future, right?
00:09:34
Zak
Yeah.
00:09:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Not, not what we were expecting to see straight away. Maybe one we'll see as the season develops potentially more so, I think, than Edwards.
00:09:43
Zak
Yeah. ah ah like I agree and you know he's he's played a bit of ah role in the Carabao Cup and I think that people think that it's a waste of money but again it's sometimes you invest for the future and I think he seems to be one of those players that we've we've purchased for the future maybe he's older than sort of some of our breakout stars but I also like to point out that I think lots of people have different development paths right and there are some people that start doing well a lot later and some people that sort of tap out real early so
00:10:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:10:14
Zak
Yeah, I think that it's not a bad transfer. I think that people just wish that more money was spent to actively keep us up rather than worrying about what we're doing in two, three seasons time.
00:10:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. The next one on the list is one that, if I'm honest, is drawing a complete blank for me. So hopefully you've got some further information on Wellington, a Brazilian that we signed from Sao Paulo.
00:10:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Is he one of the ones we've sent straight out on loan?
00:10:37
Zak
I think it's like that he's spending the rest of his season with uh his the club we're signing him from i think he's one of the ones that's yeah he's one of the ones that's joining it later on i'm just going to try and confirm that yeah so he was one of the one of the duo that's due to join later on and he's quite quite young and obviously he's he's signed a pre contract so his contract yeah his contract expires in january 2025 and he's joining us from there so it's kind of like uh
00:10:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
See one of the ones that's coming in January. Bit of a baffling one, but I guess we'll wait and see what we see if we see from him.
00:11:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's a left back. Okay.
00:11:12
Zak
Matsumu in, uh, he's currently out on loan in Turkey, right? He's one of those ones that I think is kind of outside the realm of us discussing like this season's transfers, but obviously it's still money and it's still transfers that are taking place.
00:11:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Another one for the future.
00:11:25
Zak
Yeah.
00:11:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Okay. So then on to, uh, perhaps just as big of a mystery. Uh, although definitely, you know, we know Charlie Taylor, what happened to him? He's just disappeared off the face of the planet.
00:11:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
and he
00:11:37
Zak
you You called it, but ironically, and this isn't to mug anyone off on Twitter, but obviously I keep up to date with the social medias, much to sometimes the degradation of my mental health.
00:11:50
Zak
However, you pointed out a couple of weeks ago, you thought it was a bit weird that he hasn't played since somebody
Team Dynamics and Absences
00:11:56
Zak
called out somebody for not marking a post and maybe more instructions.
00:11:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
not standing on the penalty spot. You've got one thing to do in a stand on the penalty spot.
00:12:01
Zak
Correct. And then now he's not even in the game at all.
00:12:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Not in the match day squad or anything.
00:12:05
Zak
and not really in the, you know, and then there's nothing that's been said. So I wouldn't be surprised if that's the case, but he seemed to be a, let's try and shore up the back with a premier league signing from a man who has played for a team. However, it's not that inspiring in my opinion, if you are going to pilfer all of the players from teams that have gone down.
00:12:27
Zak
you are coming straight up and I know that it's because it's easier and they're cheap and they offer something but we've done it with a few players where it's not worked out and the ones that it hasn't worked out with have more been those types of player whether it's because you spend the season getting relegated so you're not that bothered by it.
00:12:44
Zak
He's not redone like a huge amount wrong but he's also not it's not like a blow blow you away sign in but I don't think he was ever intended to be that.
00:12:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
He seemed like a solid enough... No, he seemed like a solid enough player, but never really blew us away. but But, you know, might be a preferable left-back to the next person on my list, Ryan Fraser.
00:12:57
Zak
No.
00:13:04
Zak
So yeah Ryan Fraser it took a long time to get that deal over the line and there was a lot of stuff to work out with Newcastle and his friends with Armstrong and his friends seemingly with Martin, and he played a role last season that was vital as an impact sub mainly to score a couple of goals.
00:13:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:13:28
Zak
it It's good, but I will also point out that until we signed him, which I'm relatively sure was deadline day, I'd kind of forgotten about him being a player that was on our radar.
00:13:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:13:41
Zak
He's had his ups and downs. I think that the red card he got in the game where he was sent off wasn't really his fault.
00:13:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
think I think it was about unlucky.
00:13:49
Zak
I don't think that he plays bad. I also don't think of him as a player that you go, Oh yeah, don't worry guys. We'll bring on Ryan Fraser. And that's not his fault.
00:13:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's interesting that in the championship. He was a huge impact sub I mean, I don't think he has that same impact in the Premier League and we've seen him sort of drift into this starting row and I Don't know how effective is if I'm honest He wouldn't be my first name on the team sheet.
00:14:05
Zak
No.
00:14:12
Zak
They had to switch sides.
00:14:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
But on the same he wouldn't be the first person
Signings and Impact Analysis
00:14:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'd leave out. So I don't know it's Yeah
00:14:18
Zak
No, he's he's a utility, but like the only thing you've got a question is how expensive that utility is and whether or not we could have got another person who would have been better and whether or not it's because of nostalgia or mate.
00:14:30
Zak
And you know what? Sometimes maybe it is important to sign people that have that passion and care about the club.
00:14:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:14:36
Zak
And and like he clearly has that and he likes being here and he's not. he's not turned hostile and everyone said, oh, you wait, you'll give him a contract and he'll turn terrible and be or be awful.
00:14:47
Zak
We've not seen any of that attitude problem. In fact, if anything, it's because of the fact he keeps trying to give 120%.
00:14:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
No. It gives us all.
00:14:53
Zak
Maybe he's not doing as well as we hoped, but yeah.
00:14:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Trying too hard almost. Speaking of nostalgia, and our next sign in, Adam Lallana.
00:15:02
Zak
It's very interesting. So we're kind of up against this former club Brighton. And we filmed a lot of this in some weird orders because of schedules and bits and pieces. But one thing I will mention is that not during the podcast once did we actually talk about Adam Lallana's departure from Brighton because it doesn't seem to have affected them. But for us, it's had ah it's had a big impact. And although he's not being able to play half as much as we'd like him to, I think that his role is better and more important than we think it is. And I think it will have a bigger off field
00:15:34
Zak
influence in the coming years and it's nice to kind of see up and finish off a chapter of our history with a player who left with let's do a big double spread in the daily echo as a thank you and not really say anything but then since he's come back as as put in his all I just don't think that he he has the body for 90 minutes of football yes
00:15:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm glad.
00:15:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:15:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. It's just a shame he's made of glass, but then he was always been an injury prone. So it really shouldn't come as a surprise, but but you're right.
00:16:04
Zak
No, especially, but I think, I think it's still like.
00:16:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think what he brings off the pitch is just as important. So yeah.
00:16:09
Zak
And, you know, I don't know how much we're paying in wages wise, but I don't think it's probably break your bank money. And also we paid nothing to get him in. So it's win-win really.
00:16:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, five more left on the list, but we'll get back to it after a message from our partners at the Global Sports Podcast Network.
00:16:23
Zak
The global sports podcast network is changing the face of football podcasting with dedicated daily content for every Premier league team, women's football, and football. and a daily Premier League wrap-up broadcasted in five different languages. This is your one-stop shop for your daily football fix. Find GSPN wherever you find your usual podcasts.
Player Development and Critiques
00:16:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, so I've got to admit that I've tinkered with the order of this list because I want to end on some positive notes.
00:16:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
But before I get to those, ah first of all, our two loans from other Premier League clubs. So first of all, big Les, Les Lugochokwu.
00:16:46
Zak
yeah
00:17:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
What do we think?
00:17:02
Zak
Well he could be, white I still remember that there were words that were said by Russell Martin as he could be vital to our season and there is nothing so far from what he has done that I think is vital to our season.
00:17:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Open to the floor.
00:17:16
Zak
I don't know if that's entirely his fault, I don't know if it's just that, but you know he got, I didn't say it's been awful, but vital?
00:17:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think that's bit a bit harsh, mate. I don't think he's been awful. He he definitely is is quote isn't as quality as Flynn Downs, but he he's definitely got promise that he could get there.
00:17:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
And you know really, the biggest problem, yeah, I think so.
00:17:33
Zak
But do you think that he would be better than Shay Charles?
00:17:38
Zak
OK.
00:17:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think he's got more physicality in his game and slightly better positioning. His biggest problem for me is that he over commits frequently. I think that that's something that can be trained out, whereas I think Shay Charles just couldn't seem to quite get the physical layer down in the championship really consistently last year. And so I think we'd struggle in the prem and, you know, we've seen him on loan doing well. And I hope that that bodes well for us going forward. And that's been good for his development. But I think, I think that Les is a slightly more complete product than Shay Charles, but he's still not quite there.
00:18:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
he's still a
Goal-Scoring Potential and Squad Contributions
00:18:19
Zak
The problem is, is that he is a work in progress, but he's also not our player. We have no obligation to buy him. So realistically, all we're doing is helping out Chelsea develop their player, which obviously is, I know that's part of what loans are for, but the problem is, is like we're facing a battle against Premier League survival. He seems to be one of the the the talents they were most excited for bringing in. And in my opinion, he hasn't blown me away and we pick, we'll pick downs over him every day of the week. And I think that there was a little.
00:18:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
work in progress.
00:18:48
Zak
maybe bit there when they brought this transfer in, that maybe he would, you know, add a little bit more competition, right? Where it would be a struggle to pick, who do we start, Dan Zoruga-Chukwu?
00:18:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah yeah doesn't work no and that was different because there's different positions they don't play well together as two holding midfielders but at the point that we bought big lez on big lez was more of an attack in midfielder to put in place to take the place of holding the ball like ugo chugui and downs was playing a centre back so
00:18:58
Zak
In actuality now, it's like, oh, Dan's that injured, we could probably put Dan Zoruga-Chukwu. They tried playing him together, they don't really work well together, unless it was the other day. So so it's not that it's it's a bad signing, but it also...
00:19:12
Zak
True, but...
00:19:26
Zak
So yeah, it's, it's, I don't know, but like, I think that for a really big signing from Chelsea, maybe it's my own fault for expecting more.
00:19:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:19:37
Zak
and maybe I'll be proven wrong. In fact, I really, really hope I am. I already been proven wrong by Paul in that merely it's only one game.
00:19:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I just, I see sparks of potential there and hopefully they'll come good and be a big part of, of our season to come. Uh, that's what I hope anyway. and our other lonely, uh,
00:19:52
Zak
Yeah.
00:19:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Maxwell Corne.
00:19:59
Zak
Who?
00:20:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah I mean I think the last time we saw him was Stoke and he struggled.
00:20:05
Zak
Yeah, and that was after him supposedly playing up front in Bournemouth, a game that I sat and watched and went, I don't actually know if we've got any players up front.
00:20:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
And yeah.
00:20:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah I don't know it just doesn't seem to be clicking with him.
00:20:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Something's not. I thought he was a massive dribbler of the ball and I don't know if it's the way that he's sort of struggling to grasp with the system but I didn't see him take a single player run in any of the games I've seen him play for us so I just don't know.
00:20:30
Zak
It looks like it's one of those players that had had a couple of good seasons and then sort of made an aim for himself.
00:20:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's a bit of a baffling one.
00:20:36
Zak
And it's been a journey man since. And his journey with us just hasn't panned out.
00:20:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
I wouldn't be surprised to be honest if we see his loan cancelled in January because I just don't expect
00:20:41
Zak
And I think that if, if, if we can't see his loan, the problem is, is it's going to be where else does he go? And I don't see anyone else trying to put a big it in for him. It's not like Holgate that ended up going to Sheffield United.
00:20:53
Zak
And but that was just a really a bit of a blessing for us to be honest, because he wasn't very good.
00:20:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't think that's our problem to worry about though, is it? We don't have to find him another home if we want to get rid of him.
00:21:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
I presume we have an option to just send him back to her where he came from and be done with it.
00:21:02
Zak
I hope, I hope not.
00:21:06
Zak
But even so, it's like it's taking up a a spot and obviously the guys were talking from, obviously the Brighton lot are talking about now sending Evan Ferguson on loan to us.
00:21:18
Zak
Our spaces, you know, our two loan spaces from the Premier League have taken up.
00:21:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:21:21
Zak
And ah ah it's like, we're basically currently taking up one of our loan spots for a player that at the moment isn't really even making the bench, which I think that says it speaks volumes.
00:21:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's a strange one, isn't it?
00:21:30
Zak
It's, I don't think it's his, I don't, again, I don't want to to like, to badly criticize his players, but like we've just not seen anything from him.
00:21:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's really...
00:21:37
Zak
And I don't know if that's because he's not been given the chance, but then the chances he's been given, he's not really grasped. And, you know, yeah, it might just be as simple as.
00:21:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Maybe it's just struggling with the system. I think that's the only thing to me that it can be because, like I say, when we came in I thought, great, here's a player who will take people on on the wing and every time I saw it he stopped and passed it backwards.
00:21:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
And maybe that's just because that's how he understands the system. And maybe that's not what we're going for, but have tailored this list to finish on some positives, because we like to end on a positive note.
00:22:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
So I've got three left on the list. Uh, let's start with Cameron Archer, who, who's been in the team pretty consistently and has a couple of goals to his name and is sort of on the verge, right?
00:22:24
Zak
He's one of our strikers that scored. And, there's been a couple of games where he just hasn't had the service and his job is not a hold up the ball type player he's done.
00:22:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. We've talked before, right, about how important it is to play to his strengths when he's on the pitch, which I just don't think we've actually done. And even without that, he still managed to score a couple of goals. So.
00:22:42
Zak
Yeah. So, so like where I'm at is, I think he is criticized more than he deserves.
00:22:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:22:48
Zak
There's a lot of, it's not working. We need to change things up. I don't think that's necessarily his fault.
00:22:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
No.
00:22:54
Zak
I think if if, you know, how is he expected to take on the entirety of the team? and I hope that he, he gets a few more goals.
00:22:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:23:01
Zak
And, you know, as we pointed out, he's already managed to score a few and and that's in in a team, you know, as one of our strikers, he is one of the few that have actually scored.
00:23:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:23:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:23:10
Zak
Arguably, you can say Adam Armstrong has as well, but it really, really depends on what, you know, a couple of at least two of his goals have been penalties.
00:23:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:23:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's cool.
00:23:16
Zak
So.
00:23:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then moving on to Yuki, who, you know, I think we universally agreement here on this podcast that that's a bargain sign in this. done us really well.
00:23:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's been in the goals, he scored a goal, assisted a couple of goals.
00:23:29
Zak
£5 million. pound Fantastic.
00:23:32
Zak
fantastic
00:23:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:23:33
Zak
Fantastic for us. I think that he's rightly been criticised for a few mistakes he's made. Lots of players have made mistakes, but I also think that he has had an extremely positive impact for what was probably not expected to be a player that had the level of impact that he's had, right?
00:23:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. it was
00:23:53
Zak
I think that, you know, it's that nice little connection we've always got to so Japan and like Nagoya Grampus for some reason as well.
00:24:02
Zak
I'm just a big fan of Sugawara. I think that he he has done more good than he has done bad.
00:24:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:24:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Definitely.
00:24:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes. A hundred percent in my opinion. Yeah. And then, uh, last but definitely not least, in my opinion, our best signing from this summer transfer window.
00:24:09
Zak
And that's that's why it's a positive signing for me.
00:24:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mateus Fernandez, who for me has been consistently our best player on the pitch for a number of weeks now. Yeah.
00:24:29
Zak
in every sense of the word, right? but Does so much of the the hard work has managed to somehow make ridiculous goal line clearances.
00:24:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah I can't sing his praises enough, honestly.
00:24:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
I've talked a lot recently about the fitness of our team and it letting us down, but it's not something I question with him in the slightest.
00:24:39
Zak
it Being in places he has no right to be.
00:24:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
He looks like he can run for days and gives 100% all of the time and long may it continue and long may it stay with us.
00:24:55
Zak
Got his goal as well the other day, finally.
00:24:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it's been coming as well. s gets themselves in those positions he's such a key part of that midfield it's yeah best best sign in for us yeah absolutely yeah
00:25:05
Zak
He terrifies me as the type of player that Brighton would like to pick up at some point. I just think that they won't be able to pay the Premier League price that we'll put on him. So that's the only good thing about it, is that we are not a far away land that you can buy a player of us for real cheap. That's probably our saving grace. I could see a man united or someone coming in from at some point, especially with the Portugal links there. But no, he's been superb. And to be clear, I think all of the players that have come in, I don't think any one of them have have come in with their intentions to not do well.
00:25:36
Zak
And I think that some of them have adapted to the system and some of them haven't.
00:25:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, sometimes it doesn't work out.
00:25:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
All right. We're running out of time rapidly, so just in a word, summer transfer window a third of the way through the season, yay or nay?
00:25:40
Zak
And yeah, it's just, it's good.
00:25:52
Zak
Fair to middling.
00:25:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
All right, I'll take it.
00:25:54
Zak
Mid.
00:25:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
It is right, yeah. so Some good, some bad, some remain to be seen, but That is all we've got time for today. Thank you very much for joining us. s sack Thank you for joining me.
00:26:07
Zak
Thank you mate.
00:26:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
We'll be back tomorrow with our crossover episode with the Brighton podcast, which I'm very much looking forward to. And we look forward to seeing you then.