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Crossover Thursday: Brentford x Wolves
20 Plays20 days ago
Join us as we preview our clash against Wolves at the Gtech on Saturday. We discuss their worrying start to the season and their desperate need for a win. Of course, there's also the all important score predictions!
Hosts:
Lydia Batalona - Daily Brentford
Chris Mackintosh - Daily Wolves
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Transcript
00:00:02
Speaker
every club every day the global sports podcast network hello and welcome to our listeners from the daily brentford and daily wolves podcast i'm nydia from daily brentford today we'll be previewing saturday's clash at the gtech community community stadium and giving our predictions today i'm joined by chris from the daily wolves podcast how are you chris hello i'm good thank you thanks for having me how's your weekend we are recording this on a monday We are. I mean, it was, I was going to tell you about my personal weekend then, but we're talking a couple, so I won't go there. and Yeah, no, it was, I mean, you know, obviously we had another defeat to Liverpool this time, but, yeah you know, I'm sure we'll get onto it. But I think, you know, there's some light, there's some light. I definitely think seeing the highlights, because I was actually in Liverpool visiting my family. They all seem to think that Wolves had a very spirited
00:00:58
Speaker
performance, so that was good. um As I mentioned, we are recording on a Monday and it happens to be International Podcast Day, which I only realised 10 minutes before starting this. So how have you been finding the Wolves podcast? Are there a lot of you? but There are three of us on the team at the moment. It's good. It's it's good just to talk you know about your favourite club every day. and yeah win you know win or lose it's just it's it's good to have the banter isn't it and have the chat and rant and rave and if anything it gives me a place to let it out. That's so true. I feel like it gives me a place to let it out especially considering I don't know people at work seem to be supporting like I don't know everyone always just happens to be supporting Man City or Arsenal they don't understand
00:01:47
Speaker
it's like to put a non-big 16 so I feel like this is good out there. Okay yeah no I don't really get that problem because I live so close to the ground and the centre of Wolverhampton is very much the club is the centre of the city it's like inherent through it so it's luckily I'm not surrounded by many fans that aren't walls fans. No that sounds good everyone can share in your misery or happiness depending on the weekend.
00:02:12
Speaker
ah Just before we get going guys, as I mentioned, it's International Podcast Day and we are a pretty new company so we're looking for your support over the coming season and beyond as we look to bring you the best and most in-depth coverage across the entire network. Whether this is a like, subscribe, a comment or a recommendation to your friends, we're very grateful to any support that we receive. um So starting with the obvious, as you mentioned, wolves are at the bottom of the table. Where do you think your main issues lie?
00:02:41
Speaker
I mean, ah gosh, you need to go back and listen to our last like whole week of running. But I think a big the biggest part at the moment is that we can't close out games. Obviously, we we have statistically got the toughest start to the season in terms of all the opposition we've faced. We've already faced Arsenal, Aston Villa, Newcastle, Liverpool, like the list goes on.
00:03:04
Speaker
yeah So the one point point we got was from Nottingham Forest away and I think, you know, Nottingham Forest in a good side anyway and at their home ground I think a lot of people will struggle to go there. and get anything. So it's it seems really harsh from people that haven't watched our games, I think, as to where wolves are and and why they're in such a state. We should have definitely got more from those from those games. But there's been large periods of those games where we've been massively on top and we just we off like Newcastle, we were leading that game. And about 70 odd minutes of that game, we dominated it should have had more goals like hit the post. We've just done everything like shut them down.
00:03:43
Speaker
And then the there's a mixture of things. One is, I think because we're on a bit of a losing streak now, the last couple of games, we've kind of crumbled in the last 15 minutes, like Villa, all three of their goals were scored in the last 10 to 15 minutes when we were winding up because the anxiety of trying to hold the lead is starting to like, we drop deeper and deeper and deeper. And now they're starting to crumble as they're desperate to hold on because we can't close a game out.
00:04:05
Speaker
The other aspects of it is that so get there's a ah bit of discussion very much on our part anyway at the moment about the fact that Gary Neil sets up really well for opposing teams in terms of particularly in the first half we're really strong because he obviously sets out a good ground plan of what's like how to take them face on and then the the moment come the second half there's been a few of those managers particularly in these top clubs that we're playing where obviously you know that there's a there's a lot of masterminds and things where
00:04:37
Speaker
The other, the opposition is making good tactical changes in the second half to compensate Gary Anil's plan. Like New York made three subs at halftime because they were so and under the cost from us. And the three subs that they made really, really shifted the game and Gary Anil didn't respond. So there's a lot of debate about at the moment that his substitutions are all coming quite late and they're very reactionary rather than being proactive in terms of keeping the the pressure on and keeping things, you know, like ah adapting to things on the fly. So it was a bit of a ramble. Yeah, no, it makes sense. It's really strong. We can't yeah close out and we're not not like like sticking to it. I think Brentford fans can definitely relate. I don't know if you saw the start, but it was three consecutive games we scored in the first minute, which is quite impressive, but then doesn't always lead to a win. In fact, I think
00:05:32
Speaker
It was last season we had the, we were the team that was like leading the most and then going on to lose pretty much. So I do think maybe it's lack of depth in the squad or I think we just, yeah, we tend to lose focus a bit and we're not as good as finishing, even though we do have those strong starts. So I think it kind of is, it'll be interesting to see how we both approach the game on Saturday, considering both teams are quite similar in that aspect. so Yeah, I think the the it's two things for us. One is that the problem now is that you know there's been a lot of discussion about the fact, oh, well, when we get past these this opening games of all the big teams, because after you guys, we've got Man City.
00:06:18
Speaker
Uh, so no big deal. Like we'll have played like all the, most of the big clubs, like Quotation marks, big clubs in the first few weeks, but, um, the teams against the games against kind of mid table down become more like cup games for us because we're in a position now where, you know, the points, the games that would be less pressured normal become like melting pots, you know, because they're like, they're really, they're even more important now because we have yeah so few points.
00:06:43
Speaker
and And also that so the the other point I wanted to make was the fact that nearly all the managers of some of those teams have been like, oh, we didn't play great today. And it's normally because actually we've, as I say, we've shut down the opposition for large periods, like Newcastle. We've shut them down for a while. The Liverpool game, if you look at the stats, actually the shots on goal and everything are pretty much similar.
00:07:04
Speaker
um but I mean, and their winning goal was a penalty in the end. So it wasn't like they actually overran us in terms of yeah scoring opportunities. So it's just going to be, yeah, I think it will be interesting to see how we fare against you. But given the fact that, as I say, we're in this position now where you can see the moral morale is obviously being hit a little bit and like the meaner, our captain was who was on the pitch crying at the end of the match the other day, which kind of blew everyone's mind a little bit because we're only like five or six games in.
00:07:34
Speaker
Uh, but I think clearly he just, he just really cares. So, yeah, no, I mean, I was gonna. ask you've sort of answered it already. So did your spirited performance against Liverpool give you hope for the rest of the season? Like, do you think you'll be in the pits of a relegation battle by the time it comes round to May? I mean, it does give me hope. There's, I mean, some, I'm Mr. Optimistic on our pod, if I can make that clear. So I'm the one who sees the light in the darkness. ah But
00:08:05
Speaker
And so there's some people who are very much Jim and gloom think it's, you know, a ruined season and very scared of relegation, as I think is the same with all fan bases. There's always a split and some get more panicky than others. Yeah. However, I do think there's been a lot of good signs. The fact that we, we are scoring goals at least. It's not like we're, you know, that would be horrible if we were losing and not scoring anything. when we look at We are looking dangerous at least on the one hand, we,
00:08:33
Speaker
I've got some really interesting signings that are still settling in. I mean, Andre that we ah signed from a Brazilian club this summer. I know there's a bunch of the big clubs looking at him. He's looked outstanding in every game and I think he's only going to get stronger. I mean, his first performance against us, he completed a hundred percent of his passes. I think he did 40 passes completed every single one and he just looks so.
00:08:56
Speaker
dominant in the center. There's a lot of positive positives, but some it's just really a case of whether we can shut up shop a bit at the back and just close out just close out games or at least just if we can just close out a game, it's all going to be fine. But I do think, you know, not every week are we going to every game is tough in the in the league. Don't get me wrong. Every game yeah is a game you can go in and lose quite easily. But also every game is not going to be against Arsenal, Man City and everyone else. So I do think, I do think we will get, it's a shame that on the one hand this season, before the season started, we were like, yeah, we're going to be pushing for Europe. And now it's more a case of let's not get relegated. The target is maybe shifted, but I think we'll be safe.
00:09:39
Speaker
Um, yeah, no, I definitely share that opinion. Cause did you finish, was it like mid table, 14th? 14th, 15th last season. And again, we were about, we were seventh or eighth for a while and we were in that European hunt and then we got decimated by injuries and we were playing under 21s basically for the last four games up front. So we had no, like no wingers and no, no strikers. sort up front So it was just like, yeah, the season's over. Yeah, no, as a broken fan, I think.
00:10:06
Speaker
I can relate to injuries being a big issue. I think, yeah, we we haven't really got that depth of squad to necessarily perform as we could. We've got, I don't know if you've seen Whistler's out now till late November, yeah and obviously he was When Tony left, we were looking like he was going to fill in that gap. And I think him and Brian paired up really nicely at the front. And it's such a shame that right when know they were just showing Brentford's fine without Tony, this has now happened. So I think that obviously I still have faith in Brian. like i think
00:10:42
Speaker
he's improving like season by season. It's just such a shame that Wiss is now injured right after losing Tony as well. So I mean, it's probably good for you. Well, hopefully, hopefully but we, you know, we've got our own injuries going on at the moment. And because obviously we, we sold Max Killman in the summer, and we didn't replace him in terms of bringing a new player in that the fan base felt that we wanted a replacement center back brought in. Instead, we brought mascara back from alone. But then he now in his first few games has picked up an MCL and will be out for the entire pretty much the entire season. And then Craig Dawson, our other starting sun center back was down with the stomach virus at the weekend. So our back two was completely different at the weekend. And Tati came back from injury early to fill some of that void. And so
00:11:30
Speaker
So basically, the back four is is is shifting because of injuries and illness and things. so So similarly, that is also a potential weakness and and worry. Yeah, no, I think that... Did you see what Gary Neville said?
00:11:47
Speaker
we about wolves yeah and about i don't know he was just i think he was just getting um frustrated at the last like 15 minutes of the Liverpool game which like do you share that frustration or i mean you mentioned loads of issues with the back four like i think at some point sometimes the pundits are a little too harsh and not really seeing the bigger a picture the issue that everyone got frustrated with in the last i don't know if that's what what Gary Neville was talking about that but the last 10-15 minutes of the Liverpool game was obviously by that point we're 2-1 down and yet we'd looked fairly, if not always, you know, cutting edge, we'd looked fairly comfortable into in possession and and and not struggling and yet there was no urgency to get the ball forward and in the last few minutes of, you know, added time even when you should be really just trying to get the ball forward as quickly as you can to get an equaliser.
00:12:40
Speaker
the ball is kind of being passed from side to side at the back while they're still trying to play out from the back and look for the perfect ball forwards and that isn't you know sometimes as much as everyone is trying to do this whole play out from the back thing and take your time and build up there's a moment sometimes where you've just got to just got to move the ball forward like yeah get it on the wing and get the ball in the box we're moaning that you know we've but that point he'd gone off, but we've got like ah a, now I think Strandlass and our new striker is something like six foot five. He's a big fella. And yet there's hardly any crosses coming into the box. They're still playing a lot of, I mean, don't worry. He's good on the ball on his feet, but there's moments where he's making great runs and he's, you know, if someone just whipped in a ball early, he probably get on the end of it and have a couple more goals already because yeah he's making some great positive moves and they always then
00:13:30
Speaker
instead of whipping the ball in, they'll just cut back and pass it around again. It's like, come on. Yeah. He's huge. Just put the ball in there. See if if something happens. But anyway, yeah think with obviously Tony was like a legend for us. And I think his stature and his like height really was helpful at the front. And now we did make a new signing over the summer, kind of similar to you guys. He then got injured and we was basically out for the season since preseason.
00:13:59
Speaker
So we haven't been able to see any of his magic yet. So we're left with a bit of um bit of like trepidation at the front. But that's OK. I'm sure we'll do with it. um Moving on to an ad now, and then we'll talk about the last time we met. The Global Sports Podcast Network is changing the face of football podcasts with dedicated daily content for every Premier League team, women's football, fantasy football, and a daily daily Premier League wrap-up broadcast in five different languages. It's your one-stop shop for your daily football fix. Find GSPN wherever you find your usual podcasts. So, as I said, we'll be talking about the last time you met. um It was a Brentford win 2-0. And how do you think
00:14:50
Speaker
I mean, I guess I'll go on to, we've sort of talked about this with Brentford still having injury problems. Do you see this being flip round? Do you think you could take this and win? I mean, you are desperate for a win. I think that always counts for something. Yeah. I mean, we're desperate for a win. You never know. I feel like in the last season or two, we've played each other so many times. Was it was it last season? We had each other in the cup as well. And may I feel like there was a period of about a month where we met each other like five or six times.
00:15:20
Speaker
Yeah. No, I honestly, I can't remember when it was, but I remember seeing it yeah all the time. ah Yeah. And it almost just became, yeah, there was a bit of fatigue about that. I'm i'm sure you're all lovely, but it was like, come on again. um Yeah. And during that time, so yeah, we may have lost the last one, but I feel like we've put in some good performances against you guys overall in that period. I think it was the game before, I think it was in the December, you guys beat us 4-2.
00:15:48
Speaker
um remember if I'm remembering correctly. yeah And that was only a few months before. Yeah, I think it's been a back and forth tie. So unlike Newcastle, where we ah up until recently, we seem to draw every game 2-2. But yeah, so I think give if it wasn't for our recent run of form, I would say it's normally a game that we'd definitely be in with a chance of taking something from. um still I've still got to be positive. and think about the quality that we have. yeah I've spoken, you know, on the pod recently where we've been ranting and raving about how we should have been getting more from some of these games that, you know, the the the moment there's very much just people go in saying that we are, you know, we're competing against these bigger clubs and and that we're almost like lucky to get anything. But, you know, we our starting lineup has three Brazilian internationals in the team. And there's some great quality throughout, even though the squad is maybe not the biggest. And so even with
00:16:46
Speaker
some injuries at the back, there's still no reason that we shouldn't be, you know, playing, whether it's yourself or Crystal Palace or anyone else in that mid-tier that we shouldn't be looking to to go away with the three points. So again, a very long-winded answer, but there's got it there's got to be a chance. There's got to we always a chance, right? Any given day. I always think football brings up surprises. There's always a chance. Yeah, and we we need the points. So yes, we've got to.
00:17:15
Speaker
I feel like you can always tell like the desperation and so, you know, this may be a game of many goals. That's why I predict anyway. I feel like we will be seeing a lot of goals on Saturday. um So I was going to ask now, what Brentford players are you most worried about facing this weekend? I mean, only because of the whole, yeah only because of the whole um player vibe I have to say ah Nathan Collins just because plus in the one cup game was I think it was a cup game where he gave away the ball and like had a terrible shocking performance against us and
00:17:50
Speaker
yeah I think two of the goals that Quang scored are because he just played out oh that really badly. I remember being so frustrated on time because he'd forgotten that he's moved. like yeah yeah forgotten It was joyous, I have to say. but And Quang still did a couple of good fishs and finishes in that game, despite those. So yeah, I have to say purely because he's probably due a bit of karma at some point. i know I know he plays at the back, but just it'd be typical because we've been weak at set pieces.
00:18:17
Speaker
A couple of our goals have come from not the initial set piece, but the fact that we're not then pushing out quick enough and then then it's the follow-up, it's the motion action where we're not getting out and people are scoring on on that that second phase of play. So, you know, if he's still up there for that period, knowing that that's where we've been really weak, I just know it's typical that, ah you know, the next player is going to come back and score a goal.
00:18:41
Speaker
I feel like it would just be the way of football, just like the circle of life. After that, as you said, shocking performance. I feel like he owes us to show where his true loyalty lies now. Yeah, exactly. So I mean, I'd say from our perspective,
00:18:59
Speaker
As you mentioned before, Huang, I think he's one that we'll definitely have to watch out for. And yeah, I do remember that match. Obviously a lot of it, there were a lot of Collins mistakes, but I definitely remember seeing his quality, Huang's quality then. I mentioned at the start of the episode, Brentford now are holding quite a fun record, I think, scoring three consecutive, in three consecutive games, scoring the first minute.
00:19:29
Speaker
you Do you think this may continue on Saturday? I think why not? I really hope not. I really hope not. The thing is, even when we do, doesn't necessarily mean we win. That's true, but we've been, say our first half performances have been arguably, as not arguably, they have been our strongest sections of the game. so I would hope that that pattern will stop there because the likelihood is will be awful in the last 15 minutes of the second. So no, that will stop. I'm going to put my marker down on that one. Okay, I'm going to say it will continue just so that we can definitely cement ourselves in history because I think this is pretty special. um So before we go on to our overall predictions, there's one more ad.
00:20:17
Speaker
Sankasta, build for quality, design for growth, a new era for creation is here. The only complete audio and video platform to get best in class recording, intuitive editing, AI powered growth features, and top tier distribution tools all in one place. Get started for free. So Chris, what's your overall score prediction for Saturday? Gosh, given that, like you say, I think there will be goals and I don't think given troubles at the back with injuries and everything, but we're going to, we won't keep a clean sheet. We haven't, it's just not know possible. So, um, so, but I've got to say that we're going to get our first, I can't, I can't come on and say we're not going to get our first three points. I've got to be positive. So I'm going to say 2-1 to Wolves because there's going to be goals. Okay. Um, I think there's going to be even more goals and I think it's going to end up 3-2 to Brentford.
00:21:14
Speaker
That's my hope. So I normally, all the crossover episodes I've hosted have happened to be London Darby's. And I normally ask a London Darby question, but I thought I'd mix it up and ask any away day stories that you find particularly amusing or would like to share.
00:21:33
Speaker
Oh my gosh. Um, I haven't been to as many away games. I've been to some, some legendary ones in my time. I mean, ah plus obviously things like the playoff final, if you count that as an away day, that's pretty cool. I count that as an away day. 2003. Um, but I think, you know, there's nothing quite like the trauma of going, I think it was was mid nineties, late nineties or early thousands. I think late nineties, when we were struggling, still praying, we'd get into the premiership one day.
00:22:02
Speaker
and going to the likes of Port Vale away on my own with the small number of all funds that made that mighty trip to um sit in the away end praying that the we would get the win.
00:22:15
Speaker
and then the other results would go our way to get in the playoffs of that ah that summer and just it all going a bit pear-shaped. I think we did win and there was a mini pitch invasion. Were you part of that picture rate pitch invasion? I was not. I did not. I was keeping eye on the other results and I stood like right near the edge. and I was like, don't think it's worth it right now.
00:22:39
Speaker
And sure enough, it wasn't. We didn't. We were like one point off or something or golden. But yeah, the there's nothing quite like the sadness of standing in Port Vale's ground. I love you, Port Vale, but of standing there and thinking, yep, this is not our year. Well, it's a good thing you didn't do that. Join in the pitch invasion. You know, maybe one day you'll be joining in a Premier League winners pitch invasion at some point in the future. Who knows?
00:23:04
Speaker
like Thanks so much for joining me today, Chris. And thanks to our listeners. As always, it really helps if you leave a rating on our Spotify or on Apple Music. And thanks for listening. See ya. Bye.