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Episode 378: Matchday Preview: Leicester in the league!
103 Plays9 days ago
Southampton – A game under the lights against Leicester, what could go wrong? A tale of two different sets of form coming into this game! Can we take the points?
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Transcript
Introduction and Podcast Praise
00:00:13
DailySaintsPod
Hello and welcome back to the Daily Saints pod. My name is Greg and as always today, joined by my good friend and wonderful co-host who carried solo episode beautifully yesterday and the weekend, Zach. How doing friend, you alright?
00:00:29
Zak
Thank you, mate. Appreciate it. Yeah, I'm all right. I had a bout of dizziness, which is why the beginning, if anyone watches us on YouTube, I usually like to a little dance with our music. i don't know because it's fun uh but i didn't because it was like oh but yeah i'm to be honest i'm looking forward for a nice distraction to talk about some football even if that football has snuck up on me really quickly because i i basically just like forgot we had a midweek game which is entirely because we're playing leicester twice was like yeah and our next game is against leicester which is the fa cup right
00:01:03
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, it's a strange one, right?
Leicester's Game Movement and Team Form
00:01:04
DailySaintsPod
Because they brought the game forward instead of pushing it backwards. You know, we are playing Leicester on the same day that we were supposed to be playing Leicester, but in a different competition, and now have the game earlier in the week. So it'll be interesting... I saw speculation about how many we'll be able to manage to take down, seeing as they shifted it at quite late notice and forward instead of backward.
00:01:27
DailySaintsPod
Or sooner instead of later, depending on your view on it. But yeah, it's bit of a strange one. But man, what run of form we've got heading into it.
00:01:38
Zak
It kind of feels weird because so much noise around the club moment seems to be so negative.
00:01:38
DailySaintsPod
Looking...
00:01:43
Zak
And I get why, but it's kind of like we're actually kind of forgetting that the football is now a bit better of
Impact of Tonda's Management
00:01:50
Zak
a run. And I think that's the big difference with Tonda so far to a Will Steele basically any manager we had since Russell Martin's championship tenure has been like, oh, look...
00:02:03
Zak
our form has gone down. Let's try and get that back up. And like, it's worked. And yeah.
00:02:09
DailySaintsPod
Yeah. It's not like it's firing on all cylinders yet, right?
00:02:10
Zak
So, yeah.
00:02:13
DailySaintsPod
Like it's, let's face it, they have been results that we have ground out.
00:02:14
Zak
No.
00:02:19
DailySaintsPod
But isn't that nice? That's something that we have been wanting for such a long time, right? Oh, we've not played that great and our opponent's not great, but at least we've been able to grind out a victory.
00:02:30
DailySaintsPod
I mean, that's been one of our biggest flaws and it's just nice, isn't it?
00:02:35
Zak
Well, it's not only that, it's been like the whole, whole like, oh, we're bad at second halves.
00:02:35
DailySaintsPod
It's fascinating.
00:02:39
Zak
And now it's kind when we switch where we're bad at first halves. And, you know, we've managed to, you know, managed to score in the second half last time
New Striker and Team Performance
00:02:48
Zak
around. We had a debut and goal.
00:02:51
Zak
You went into it in a lot more depth on Saturday, but... it was kind of like an antithesis to all of the sort games where usually we'd be lining up for a loss, right? Like, oh, look, new manager, they need something good to get them going. We got this new striker that's replaced our ridiculously expensive one we sent out. Oh, yeah, and it very much just played out with a grinded out win.
00:03:15
Zak
You know, think we definitely had some help in the little amount of extra time we had. But yeah, I think they all did their job and were all pretty solid.
00:03:20
DailySaintsPod
Yeah. Yeah.
00:03:24
Zak
Could we have gone up more last game? Yeah, probably. again, as you pointed out, grinding out those scrappy 1-0 wins is something we're usually terrible at, right?
00:03:34
Zak
And this time around, we've managed it not only once, but twice within the space of a month. yeah, not too bad.
00:03:40
DailySaintsPod
I think it's important
Importance of Momentum and Mentality
00:03:42
DailySaintsPod
though, right? Because it's not only just nice to see and good for us, but one thing we talk a lot about on this show is the importance of momentum and mentality and proving to yourself as a player that that's something we can do as a team. It's like come into these tough games and actually just...
00:04:04
DailySaintsPod
get a result and win, even in the times when it's not as free flowing as we know that this team has been able to be at points. Right. So it's, I think it's an important like piece of confidence and especially because it's, it's really been achieved by lot of the same players just stepping up, right? Like,
00:04:25
DailySaintsPod
How much better has Flynn Downs been for us? Harwood Bennett and Stevens in that back line, just stepping up massively.
00:04:32
Zak
Yeah, that's really interesting because you'd have thought that getting rid of so much of the team who we were worried weren't going be as good or haven't been as good and it kind of would make up that damaged portion. The scar tissue, the trauma, the whatever you want to call it.
00:04:53
Zak
And what we really hoped is that the new signings would raise them up. And then what actually happened at the beginning of the season was they kind of brought the new signings down. But it feels like the momentum's finally shifted the other way in the back room as well. Again, regardless of the noise that's going on elsewhere, it's like, as you know, we've added Laren in and they've got a goalkeeper that they feel a bit more confident in.
00:05:15
Zak
You know, and that's not even really much disrespect to Baz. It's just that somebody that hasn't had to deal with the pressure that he has, he's just able to come in and sort
00:05:23
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, and it's different as
Goalkeeper's Impact and Sports Psychology
00:05:24
DailySaintsPod
well, right? Because it's a different type of goalkeeper. Because Baz is notoriously solid with his feet and can put it on a 50 pence piece.
00:05:27
Zak
Yeah.
00:05:32
DailySaintsPod
And that's not... I think it's fair to say entirely what we've seen of Peretz. However, Peretz is commanding of his box and inspires that confidence by having a presence.
00:05:51
DailySaintsPod
It's hard to nail down, but it's... it's almost like a personality thing as well, right? You just, you can, it's easier to get a bit fired up off of the back of, of that potentially. And, uh, I did see, or I did hear the, some talk that they had brought in, some specialist psychologists to, to work with the team, which I mean, has, has clearly done some good.
00:06:17
DailySaintsPod
Uh, and that's great, right? Like it's, I think we were talking about it offline a bit like, It's easy to shoot something like that down as absolute hogwash and nonsense, right? But at the level we're at, it's the small margins that are going to prevail. And if having psychologist come in and boost confidence and give you some kind of psychological edge, even if it's only giving you two or three extra percent
00:06:45
DailySaintsPod
you know, of an advantage over another team coming. Those gains are big at this level because it comes down to those, like, small things and...
00:06:54
DailySaintsPod
it's the number one thing that we've identified as a problem, really, all season. We've talked about positions and players and certain things, or back five, or dodgy goalkeeper, or awful in midfield, or strikers can't hit a barn door.
00:07:08
DailySaintsPod
But overall, all of it, always, all the way through, the main question was... the mentality of this team struggles with any piece of adversity. So to have, to have come and, you know, put work in to, to be able to grind results out at this point, that's a huge win in my book.
00:07:28
Zak
Yeah, like, is it frustrating that it's taken that to get to a point before we've done anything about it? And we've, you know, rather than sort of sorting those kind of things out early little bit. And I think your point about many people considering a hogwash is, is interesting because, you know, as you pointed out, it's the fight, it's the percentages and the small margins and the points. And, you know, if you, if you manage to get people mentally in a better headspace for the, for the 90 minutes, they play football every week.
00:07:59
Zak
And you can do that by, you know, don't know, having a chat, whatever, whatever, all of that stuff, then that's fine.
00:08:05
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:08:08
Zak
Like you pay them, pay them what they need. Right. And with those differences, you know, we're starting to see them bear fruit and like, what's the harm in it.
00:08:10
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:08:17
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:08:18
Zak
Right. The worst comes to the worst.
00:08:18
DailySaintsPod
That's it.
00:08:19
Zak
They, they end up feeling bit better as people and, and also, you know, potentially improving themselves on the pitch.
00:08:39
DailySaintsPod
You would like to think all season and it's now that we're sort bearing the fruits of that because it's not easy thing to fix and that's why it
Mental Resilience and Sports Performance
00:08:47
DailySaintsPod
was mentioned.
00:08:47
DailySaintsPod
But it's just fascinating, isn't it?
00:08:48
Zak
Yeah, but that's like any long-term injury, mate, isn't it? Like, you don't just resolve There's no magic spray you just put on, like, a leg and then all a sudden it's fine.
00:08:50
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:08:55
Zak
Like, yeah, okay, there's pain relief. And, like, yeah, you can kind of be like, well, straight on to the next one. But, yeah, like, I think these kind of things do take time and they take time to gel and the dynamics within all these new people in the team need to increase.
00:09:07
Zak
And, like, you know, you're starting to see those sort of, like, partnerships develop, especially on the left, right, with Sienza and Wellington, with them being country mates as well. You can tell... you know, that kind of stuff helps.
00:09:18
Zak
So yeah, like anything that can help you get advantage, especially in a league that is as competitive as ours, where, you know, the difference between nine points at the moment is like near the relegation zone or in the playoffs, right?
00:09:30
Zak
Which is nuts.
00:09:31
DailySaintsPod
We're in 14th place in the table at the moment, and we are four points away from playoffs.
00:09:39
Zak
There you go, right? And so think my point was more like if those small things are helping us get the fine margins that potentially push us over the edge into a much better position, then I'm all for it.
00:09:53
Zak
And if it's hogwash, it's hogwash. But if it's hogwash that works, then does it matter? It's the same thing where if you drink this magic potion, will make you feel better.
00:10:02
Zak
No, it's when the magic potion does more harm. But I feel like having conversations with people that qualified to have those conversations probably are not going to do more good than harm, right?
00:10:12
Zak
So...
00:10:12
DailySaintsPod
Yeah. Well, you alluded to my whereabouts for the match review on your episode, and I went and saw Britain's Strongest Man in Sheffield, and if you've ever questioned how important resilience of mind and mental strength is, I'd
00:10:17
Zak
did.
00:10:31
DailySaintsPod
go and look on YouTube for any kind of strongman contest because the feats that accomplish through, sure, physical strength, but, like, the place you have to put your brain to fight through and lift or pull those ridiculous things speaks volumes, right? Like... And that is, you know, it's as important mentally for them to be ready as it is physically. So, mean, it was kind of a nice fitting example of why that's so important, how it's sort of so at the forefront. And I'm glad that they seem to have so far sort of
00:11:09
DailySaintsPod
been cracking it and you know it's great you've got people like Bree coming back off loan that's like a new signing giving that boost and Laren coming in and scoring on his debut with his literal first touch of the ball I mean, what more of a boost of confidence do you
Boost from New Players
00:11:29
DailySaintsPod
need? Like, that's going to boost his confidence that he has done the right thing and is here and it instantly eases the pressure. Going to boost the confidence of his teammates because it's immediately like, oh, yeah, we've got this player that's going to come in and make an impact. He's experienced and you've seen from the interviews that he said he's settled in well.
00:11:49
DailySaintsPod
I don't remember if you spoke about it on the podcast or not, but in his interview he said that in the corner he asked Jack Stevens what to do. Just get there and score.
00:11:56
Zak
Yeah, I don't remember if had it written down.
00:12:00
Zak
Maybe I covered it. I genuinely can't remember it, despite only being a day and a half ago. But yeah, also find that fascinating because on the flip side to the fine margins, You know, you have all these specialist set piece takers and all these things that are micro tuned to a point, right?
00:12:04
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:12:17
Zak
You see it with Arsenal all the time and like the conversations around that.
00:12:20
Zak
And then what you had in this situation was a big striker who knows he can take on probably or, you know, get in front of people if he needs to.
00:12:28
DailySaintsPod
An experienced goal scorer across multiple countries relying his instinct to score goals. Who'd have thought it?
00:12:36
Zak
But that's incredible that just the instructions are, yeah, just get in there and score. It's like, okay, boss, and then gets in there and scores. And something about that is like, oh, when you strip football back to its simplest terms.
00:12:47
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:12:48
Zak
And I think the dichotomy of both of those things are fascinating, right?
00:12:51
DailySaintsPod
Football's as simple or as complicated as you want to make it, mate, right?
00:12:54
Zak
Yeah.
00:12:54
DailySaintsPod
At the end of the day, it's about kicking the ball in the goal more than your opponent kicks in yours.
00:12:58
Zak
Let's bring in these sports psychologists to talk about the fine points of mentality and mental strength. On the flip side, just kick in the net.
00:13:05
DailySaintsPod
Kick ball in net. Yeah.
00:13:06
Zak
LAUGHTER And obviously, we require both of these things to run a podcast about it every day. power to both of them.
00:13:14
DailySaintsPod
Yeah. Crazy.
00:13:17
Zak
Oh.
00:13:17
DailySaintsPod
Right, flicking our attention over to our opponents,
00:13:20
Zak
Yeah, our actual game against Leicester are bad.
00:13:23
Zak
LAUGHTER
00:13:26
DailySaintsPod
I mean, not a great time for them the moment, right? Hit with a points deduction. lenient points deduction, I've heard a lot of people saying. saw TSP banning around a... don't want to call it so much a conspiracy theory as a credible line of thought, perhaps, as to why that many points, but...
00:13:47
DailySaintsPod
I mean, is it is, whether you think that or not. The fact the matter is points deduction to a team who are already probably underperforming in the league based on where you'd expect them to be either going to be the sort of thing that as a team galvanizes you to play better and going back to this mental strength or completely does you in for the rest the season, right?
00:13:59
Zak
What is it?
00:14:09
DailySaintsPod
It feels to me. What do you think?
00:14:14
Zak
I have a couple of thoughts on it. I think that it's, although people are referring to it as lenient, I think because of the point it's come in the season, actually think it's worse for everyone involved than just knocking out early on, right?
00:14:26
Zak
Like having it like loom over them and not really having a deadline and it's sort of dragging out and then eventually happening and then it now knocking them down to like almost relegation spots is awful, right?
00:14:37
DailySaintsPod
Well, yeah, I mean, that's it, right? It literally takes them from underperforming in a league where they should be doing better to a relegation scrap, right?
00:14:49
DailySaintsPod
That's it.
00:14:49
Zak
Yeah, and on top of that, their January window, we can complain about ours as much as we want. We definitely sent some people out that we probably felt we should have kept. We definitely sent some people out that it made sense for them to go. we brought two additions in that so far have made an impact. Again, how much can you judge a bloke on 25 minutes? Not a lot. But their additions have been guy that barely played for us despite having opportunity most of this season.
00:15:13
Zak
And I'm pretty sure eventually they brought somebody in afterwards.
00:15:14
DailySaintsPod
Who isn't going to be able to play because he won't be able to play against his parent club.
00:15:17
Zak
Yeah. And, you know, managerial situation that has just been essentially little bit of a merry-go-round in a similar case to us since they've been into the championship, right?
00:15:28
Zak
And, yeah.
00:15:28
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:15:29
Zak
So think that your point is exactly right, which is that it'll either be... a much scrappier affair and they'll want to fight for it they'll want to fight to not show they should be like they are where they are or they will kind of you know and this is no respect to Sheffield Wednesday but Sheffield Wednesday are trying but still haven't managed a goal in like what 10 games it's just not a lot they can kind of do at that point and you're wondering well we can't go down to League One but also some of this is outside of their control right
00:16:00
DailySaintsPod
Mm.
00:16:01
Zak
So, you know, the mental strength of it all will be, I think, difficult.
00:16:05
Zak
But arguably, regardless of whether or not that's the current circumstances, as much as I like to say that the past doesn't matter, despite being history student by university degree, when you look at the history of this fixture, it doesn't bode well for us.
00:16:20
Zak
Obviously, this season, we already did beat them once 3-0. And you'd like to think with the momentum we have, It would go in our favour, not to be the pessimist of the show, but you're back, so I can be.
Leicester's Challenges Against Southampton
00:16:33
Zak
could easily be a banana skin because we could be going and gunning for them.
00:16:38
Zak
The only thing that galvanises me a little bit is the fact that the last couple of times that would have happened against a quote-unquote injury-ravaged side or against Watford, who played right, to be fair, we still have managed to win. So kind of still feel that it doesn't really matter as long as we play our game.
00:16:58
Zak
I think we've probably got a better chance of beating them than not.
00:17:02
DailySaintsPod
It's hard, right? Because it feels like the rest of the season, once you get this bit of hope, that's exactly the bit that knocks you down.
00:17:10
Zak
Yeah, and that's a problem.
00:17:12
DailySaintsPod
But you're...
00:17:13
Zak
You're already seeing people say, like, oh, if we could get this and this and this and this and this, and then maybe just like a loss or a draw against Coventry.
00:17:19
Zak
And then I'm seeing people be like, oh, wow, now we're beating Coventry. And they're like, so the next 10 fixtures we're winning? Like, is that you're saying?
00:17:27
DailySaintsPod
I we can hope.
00:17:27
Zak
But yeah, it's not a kind fixture to you. Sorry to cut you off, mate.
00:17:32
DailySaintsPod
No, you're right, mate. But look, you're right. Leicester already not in a great run of form, right? Their last five games, four losses, one draw. Even if you take it further back than that, you go all the way back to the start of the year. And in seven games, one win, five losses, one draw. It's...
00:17:53
DailySaintsPod
It's not good reading, is it? And I mean, the only team they managed to beat were West Brom, who, you know, much to family chagrins, are absolutely woeful at the moment. So,
00:18:02
Zak
Yeah, they're not having a good time.
00:18:05
DailySaintsPod
you know, losses to Charlton and Oxford, who are down in that relegation place, it's not great reading. It's...
00:18:14
Zak
All the best teams do it. Yes.
00:18:17
DailySaintsPod
But look, it's the sort of thing that we should be looking to capitalise on, right there?
00:18:24
Zak
Yes.
00:18:24
DailySaintsPod
Poor runner form, us coming into good runner form. However, that said, historically, don't perform well at the King Power Stadium.
00:18:31
DailySaintsPod
So, like you say, past results there. Don't flatter us. I don't even remember the last time, ever, that we have beaten them there. But the last 27 matches against Leicester overall, we've lost 14 of them, won seven, drawn six. So it's is it?
00:19:06
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:19:06
DailySaintsPod
Injured at the moment, though.
00:19:08
Zak
Still shockingly at Leicester.
00:19:11
DailySaintsPod
Some relief based off of that vibe alone that is actually not on Sky has to be said around the fan base. Leicester have had a player sent off quite early in their last two games. Mate, is an interesting one. And don't know if you remember, but in the home fixture, they also had a player sent off in the first half.
00:19:33
DailySaintsPod
So, mean, they're going to have players out suspended and their disciplinary record's not looking great and their form's not looking great. It's all kind of...
00:19:45
DailySaintsPod
lining up to be interesting.
00:19:47
DailySaintsPod
Right? Yeah.
00:19:51
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:19:54
Zak
And yeah, you're right. But also we need to be worrisome. Like some people pointed out, you know, the disciplinary record of our own team. I think Bree's like one yellow card away from the suspension, which he's not going want.
00:20:05
Zak
Bounds is quite close. Again, Hector Harwood-Bennis is quite close. So we're to have to kind of not make as many... I guess, tactical fouls as we'd want to, regardless.
00:20:15
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:20:15
Zak
But, you know, yeah, I think that they are struggling, but this could easily be like a part of the highlights reel where everything, all the chips were stacked against them.
00:20:25
Zak
They just received their six-point deduction and then they beat Saints, right?
00:20:30
Zak
And that's the problem is that that's the headline that I always see because, again, I'm eternally pessimistic and usually Saints back me up with that.
00:20:39
DailySaintsPod
Right, mate. Switching our focus onto team
Team Lineups and Rotations
00:20:43
DailySaintsPod
lineups then. Obviously, three-game game week, except slightly different this time because is it fair to say we don't really care about the third one?
00:20:55
DailySaintsPod
Or are we just going to... Let's stick with the slightly more diplomatic. There is a larger opportunity for rotation at the weekend, right?
00:21:04
Zak
So what you mean is that we don't care about it.
00:21:04
DailySaintsPod
How...
00:21:16
Zak
Leicester right now would not want to get relegated into League One, but have a decent cup run. That's just the reality of the situation with us.
00:21:21
DailySaintsPod
yeah
00:21:24
Zak
Cool, a cup run is always nice, but I don't think it's going to be the focus over the league, which
00:21:29
Zak
We'll see less rotation today than we will on Saturday, because Saturday... you know, again, like it's not that we want to diplomatically say we don't care, but both sides will probably be heavily rotated for it.
00:21:43
Zak
And both sides will be preparing for heavily rotating.
00:21:44
DailySaintsPod
I agreed.
00:21:46
Zak
It just depends. Will there be the energy to get it through?
00:21:47
DailySaintsPod
So with
00:21:49
Zak
Right? Like.
00:21:51
DailySaintsPod
that in mind, starting lineup for tonight, obviously we don't need to talk about keeper. Peretz will be in goal.
00:21:57
Zak
Nope.
00:21:58
DailySaintsPod
Bree, Harald Bellis, Stephens, Wellington, all starting.
00:22:02
Zak
I think that he might stop WAP out Stevens for quasi just because of not necessarily like no other reason than fitness. And if you remember rightly, I'm pretty sure he did that last time at Leicester as well for the physicality of their strikers.
00:22:11
DailySaintsPod
Yeah?
00:22:14
DailySaintsPod
Yeah?
00:22:15
Zak
And it would make sense if he's already played them once this season to play them again. But yeah, just because it's a lot of football for Stevens in a short period of time, in my opinion.
00:22:19
DailySaintsPod
Maybe. just... I feel like he'll keep...
00:22:26
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, interesting. I don't know. I suspect that we'll see it stay the same and that there'll just be rotation weekend.
00:22:30
Zak
Because maybe you completely could be.
00:22:33
DailySaintsPod
But we'll see. Flynn Downs, Tonda came out and said in his post-match interview, said he would be available for picking on Saturday, probably, pending looking at him.
00:22:44
DailySaintsPod
So to me, tells me he's going to be injured and not in the squad at all based off of current form.
00:22:47
Zak
Yeah, it's going to be Charles Yander, isn't
00:22:49
DailySaintsPod
So yeah, Charles Yander, happy enough with that.
00:22:51
Zak
Yeah, happy enough with that.
00:22:52
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:22:53
Zak
As I said, I wouldn't really mind any three. Plus, it's good opportunity for Shea to build up a bit fitness because I think... He needs to get back to full fitness properly for us to have him as a rotation that is going to be useful. Because I think that he had a bit of a sluggish start to the game on Saturday.
00:23:09
Zak
Eventually got into it as most of the team did. And like the second end of the second half, much better. But, you know, once lost, it was noticeable after we lost Downs that we struggled a little bit.
00:23:20
Zak
So hopefully that will not be the case with him in. But yeah, that's what I assume. So I can't really see him picking Bragg over Charles Charles' foot.
00:23:31
DailySaintsPod
Azaz, Sienza, Fellows, Stuart.
00:23:34
Zak
Yeah, I actually think that Laren might get go because obviously they've talked about it and they've talked about him being ready for his first start and I think maybe 45 for him, 45 for Stewart would make sense again.
00:23:37
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, you think you'll get start?
00:23:45
Zak
But I imagine that Stewart probably set out this weekend and he'll probably be archering.
00:23:45
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:23:49
Zak
But also, know, very, very quick succession, very, very much having to manage his minutes and make sure that he doesn't pick up an injury.
00:23:49
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:23:57
Zak
Midweek games, not ideal for him, right? If I remember rightly, that's when he's usually picked up injuries. I might just be based entirely off of vibes and absolutely no facts were checked when I said that statement out loud.
00:24:08
Zak
So I apologise if it's wrong.
00:24:09
Zak
However, it's just for me, I'm like, you need to give the guy's body a break in between the amount of football you'd want him to play when you know that he's gone out with three serious injuries over the space of three years.
00:24:21
Zak
So...
00:24:21
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, it'll be interesting. But mean, last time it was, he'd done like 160 minutes leading into the game where he got injured in like the 23rd minute. And he only played, what, 60-ish, 65 minutes Saturday.
00:24:37
DailySaintsPod
So, you know, having a like-for-like profile that you're able to swap him off for, be at halftime or at 60 minutes, it's...
00:24:38
Zak
Yeah, we also don't know how...
00:24:45
DailySaintsPod
It's more viable, but you're right. I could see them chucking Laren in. I did see some concerns raised about his actual fitness.
00:24:52
Zak
We also don't know how...
00:24:54
DailySaintsPod
Oh,
00:24:54
Zak
Well, yeah, but he's also said he'll be ready and we know that. But then there's concerns for fitness about both of them, which is why if I expect us to play a full 90 minutes with that type of striker, I expect to see both of them because I don't think either of them can manage 90 minutes.
00:25:06
DailySaintsPod
yeah. Definitely. Whoever starts doesn't finish.
00:25:21
Zak
You say Sienza, I could easily see potentially Adozi starting and Sienza coming on later just because Sienza's looked a bit knackered and that's not his fault.
00:25:27
DailySaintsPod
That was my next question.
00:25:31
Zak
They've just tried to make him play every minute of football under the sun and he gets clattered a lot and he was looking leggy last game and Adozi looked really good.
00:25:35
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:25:40
Zak
I think heard me say it on Saturday. I thought he played really, really well coming on. It was like he'd not been gone but seemed to leave...
00:25:47
DailySaintsPod
Fantastic to hear. It's exactly what you
00:25:48
Zak
Yeah. Seemed to be just a little bit, don't know, sharper. Like, yeah, okay. His product was, his issue was always the end product, but also that's because we were never to be able to rely on the strikers that he would cross the ball into. Whereas we can kind of do that now. Right. So I feel a little bit better about him, you know? Yeah. He stepped in pretty well.
00:26:07
Zak
So very much.
00:26:10
DailySaintsPod
want.
00:26:10
Zak
I, yeah, I don't really
00:26:10
DailySaintsPod
Nice. Nice have options. Nice have depth.
00:26:12
Zak
It's nice to, yeah, it's nice to have depth and like,
00:26:15
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, like a couple of starting lineups, but I feel like we'd kind of be happy with either and it'd be interesting to see how it goes and what comes out.
00:26:23
DailySaintsPod
All right, mate.
00:26:25
Zak
Saturday.
00:26:26
DailySaintsPod
Oh, 11 changes.
00:26:28
Zak
I look forward to seeing Roroslev, Wood, Kwasi, Manning.
00:26:32
DailySaintsPod
George Long in goal. Like...
00:26:35
Zak
Come on, mate. Calm down. That's a bit extreme.
00:26:39
DailySaintsPod
Right, mate. Switching our eyes back to the score and what we see, the outcome being the AI summary goes for a measured start that opens in the second half.
AI Predictions and Match Analysis
00:26:53
DailySaintsPod
The data tips a goal-rich 90 minutes with both sides capable of scoring and a total around three. Market lean Southampton as favourite, but Leicester's home environment keeps it balanced. Yeah.
00:27:06
DailySaintsPod
Bets are both teams to score, yes, over two and a half goals. No prediction on score or team.
00:27:13
Zak
So what they're saying is Southampton because we will concede to Leicester at home.
00:27:13
DailySaintsPod
So...
00:27:17
Zak
But there's going be over three goals.
00:27:17
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:27:20
Zak
And, you know, they're basing that almost entirely on the last result of it being 3-0. But taking into account that Leicester...
00:27:25
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, and it was 5-0 at the King Power before, and it was...
00:27:28
Zak
Yeah, but we've had a couple of clean sheets, which is insane to think about.
00:27:29
DailySaintsPod
Yeah. Yeah.
00:27:34
Zak
I feel like so long as Peretz doesn't do anything ridiculous this game and they don't capitalise on it, he's actually been pretty good other than that.
00:27:43
Zak
So could see maybe if he made a mistake, we go 1-0 down and we come back and beat him 2-1.
00:27:44
DailySaintsPod
solid yeah yeah
00:27:50
Zak
I'd like to say either 1-0 or 2-0 again, just because I really like the idea of us keeping another clean sheet away from home. And that's kind of what we should be doing with the pressure that's on Leicester right now, in my opinion, you know.
00:28:02
DailySaintsPod
so to nail it down to one of those options mate what are you going for 2-0 goals coming from
00:28:05
Zak
Let's go 2-0. Let's go 2-0 for a change. Well, last time round, I said the goals were going to be Laron and Stewart. And I was right about one of them.
00:28:13
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, you were.
00:28:14
Zak
So let's just go same again. Like, if they're both on the field, I'll back... back them to get a goal each. I think it's important that Laron carries it on, just because what you don't want is he comes in, makes an instant impact.
00:28:28
Zak
Everyone starts hyping him up. You've already now got people being like, yay, see, you were wrong. That's my striker. This, any other. What you don't want him to do is then go on like a drought for 10 games. Keep him going.
00:28:38
DailySaintsPod
Hmm.
00:28:39
Zak
Keep him firing him in for his sake and for our sake. And also, know, start giving a few more to Stuart. And then we'll start to see if this is just a... an actual improvement in our game or just like a couple of like little bit of purple patch, right? I'd much prefer to have a big improvement over time than just like the new manager effect. So it's time to see if that's something they're capable of or not.
00:29:02
Zak
So yeah, Tuno, what you?
00:29:04
DailySaintsPod
I am feeling... I'm thinking 3-0, mate. It's what we've beaten at home. just feels like they're down on their luck, down on form, down on confidence. And we're just headed the other direction at the moment. And we're just going to kick on and absolutely make the most of it. I think we're just going to get two goals early doors.
00:29:30
DailySaintsPod
And then maybe one in the second half. And we're just going to absolutely smash it. Get this frog off our back that we don't perform well at the King Power. I mean, the fact of the matter is, with the situation as it is, and the manager, and the team, and the form, and the points deduction, if we go ahead early...
00:29:49
DailySaintsPod
Who knows what the atmosphere in that stadium could turn to. And that's sort of where we're likely to thrive and just go on and kick on and smash the park.
00:29:54
Zak
Yeah.
00:30:00
Zak
Just a last minute point on that. That is a very good point because we make a lot of fuss and games about it when it comes to playing at St Mary's, right? And what we think the atmosphere will do and how much of an effect it will have.
00:30:23
Zak
you're right. I think that that could definitely play a decisive factor because, you know, surely if you're a Leicester fan, you're not happy.
00:30:26
DailySaintsPod
I mean, some grounds are hard to go to, right? Like Millwall, Leicester, you know, these grounds are notoriously difficult to go to and hostile.
00:30:30
Zak
We talked about it then.
00:30:38
DailySaintsPod
know, Fratton Park, for our players, is hostile environment.
00:30:43
Zak
only got spat a little bit.
00:30:43
DailySaintsPod
And, yeah, it's just the case that Leicester, you know, it might not be as solid of a scary fortress as it has been because there's definitely chance that atmosphere is going to turn on a dime.
00:30:57
DailySaintsPod
And not necessarily towards the players or the board either, just in general, like bad
00:30:57
Zak
I don't
Club Management and Ownership
00:31:01
DailySaintsPod
form.
00:31:01
DailySaintsPod
Like, League One genuinely isn't out of the question for them next year and as a team that won the Premier League in the last 10 years is wild, isn't it?
00:31:10
Zak
Yeah, we talk about our expectations and how frustrated we are and how we're so far away from the Europa League nights, right? And then you look at where Leicester are now and you look at some of that squad, pretty sure Danny Drinkwater's off elsewhere doing something completely different.
00:31:25
Zak
I think he's real estate now. He's not involved in football, to my knowledge. And then you've got...
00:31:29
DailySaintsPod
Last time I saw him was on a TikTok where some American kid was asking his girlfriend if sports people's names were real or fake.
00:31:39
Zak
Okay, I guess everyone's got to have a side hustle, but then you've got N'Golo Kante off to Turkey to floods of people in airports and bits of this and the other. Even losing some of their key players like Junisbury Hall and stuff like that, where they're at now in comparison to... We're on similar journeys, but I think that...
00:32:00
Zak
they're not full from grace because it's not really, again, it's never the fans' fault. It's never really necessarily the club's fault. But they're kind of like... departure from form let's put it that way has is going to elicit a vast more frustration than i think for us right like ultimately we're still very much dubious of our ownership me and you are going to keep a close eye on that kind of stuff now on just because like you know lot of the investment feels like weird investment and
00:32:30
Zak
But at the same time, there has been investment, right? We didn't bring in another player from another team on loan last minute for our midfield, which is a place, the position...
00:32:36
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, mom.
00:32:41
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:32:43
Zak
Like if we'd brought in another random midfielder, right, who was pushing 30, who hadn't played for six months, basically, and that was our only signing, feel like we'd have a lot more...
00:32:56
Zak
annoyance at our board and our ownership than what was managed you know with our current ownership that's trying to not mug our ownership up entirely despite the fact that me and you are both like happily mug our ownership off
00:33:09
DailySaintsPod
Yeah. A fascinating position for us, right? Where it's tricky to place my feelings towards the board and I still don't know if they are
00:33:13
Zak
hmm
00:33:20
DailySaintsPod
I know that they're not particularly good at running the football side of the football club, and I don't know quite if they're cut out for it, and I've got questions about all of it. But somehow Spores, you know, he said...
00:33:34
DailySaintsPod
to his own words, squad building is an art that you can only fully see the picture of in hindsight. And, you know, now that like the emotions are out of the way and you see this Armstrong transfer kind of makes a bit more sense. I mean, it was more for personal reasons than anything. Like if you combine the two windows of the season as a whole,
00:33:58
DailySaintsPod
kind feels like there's more wins than not wins. And I don't know.
00:34:01
Zak
Hmm.
00:34:04
DailySaintsPod
It's a strange position. Maybe they do have the right football heads in place. It's just taking time to get to that point. And maybe we'll see that. Hopefully the rest of this season, but probably more importantly next season.
Player Transfers and Future Impact
00:34:20
DailySaintsPod
One way or the other.
00:34:21
Zak
the summer is going to be the thing to really pay attention to, right?
00:34:25
Zak
Depending on where, depending on what happens, you know, we can kind of just try and enjoy the football, but there is going to be part of me that's constantly looking at that table and thinking, right, so what's going happen come like July?
00:34:37
Zak
What's going to happen? What is going to happen with all the current players we've got? One of the things we haven't touched on because this match preview has run extremely over, so we'll talk about as someone else, but Kasper Deander linked with RP Leipzig over the...
00:34:52
Zak
I don't know if you saw this, but he was linked with Leipzig and they might come back in the summer.
00:34:54
DailySaintsPod
I did not. Right.
00:34:58
Zak
And considering we've had a couple of players that have had really good bits of form that appeared out nowhere, It's going to be interesting to see who we are able to keep hold of if we stay down, especially with the fact that they've already started preparing by mass selling off quite a lot our players.
00:35:12
Zak
So, yeah.
00:35:13
DailySaintsPod
Yeah. Although, you know, that's what they were trying to do in the summer, and really it was just kind of finishing that job that didn't really get done, to be honest. So,
Game Predictions and Listener Engagement
00:35:20
DailySaintsPod
we'll see. But look, loads of time to think about and speculate about that. Not a lot of time, though, until this game. So, let's get it done. Let's get it over the line and get another win.
00:35:33
DailySaintsPod
Let's hope. But look, let us know in the comments on the socials how you're feeling about the game and how you think it is going to go down. We love hearing from you and love seeing your predictions. We are Daily Saints pod absolutely everywhere. TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X, Blue Sky. Hit us up. Let us know. And while you're there, why not give us a like, a follow, or a subscribe? We are a newly independent podcast, and that goes so far to helping us out and get all the things to get the ball rolling.
00:36:06
DailySaintsPod
We will be back tomorrow. whether the outcome's good or bad, with some, as always, completely delusional late-night recording post-game. We'll be back to talk about it in full swing, in full glory. But until then, everyone, I hope you have a wonderful day.
00:36:26
DailySaintsPod
Come on, you Saints!