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Episode 109 - Match Review Monday: Home WIN against the Swans! image

Episode 109 - Match Review Monday: Home WIN against the Swans!

S2425 E109 · Daily Southampton
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83 Plays10 days ago

Southampton – We got a comfortable home win! We have plenty to dicuss today, including the resurgence of Sulemana, and more excitement from Dibling!

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Transcript

Podcast Introduction

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 Elliot and as always, joined by my wonderful co-host, Zach and Jo Finch. How are you doing, Zach?

Weekend Plans and Football Chatter

00:00:20
Zak
Well, mate, yeah, well, we won a game. So that's a positive.
00:00:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I'm feeling it. Look, it's feeling good. I've not had my weekend ruined. It was right at the end of the weekend anyway, so so there was only sort of minimal of it left to ruin. ah And then at the time of recording, later on this evening, um I'm going to be staying up late to watch her my American football team play in their first playoff game.
00:00:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
So let's hope that streak carries on. ah Some sort of football ruin in my weekend, I guess, wouldn't be out of the ordinary. so
00:00:55
Zak
Yeah, exactly. That's this kind of where I'm at. It's very bizarre. Obviously it's come towards the end of the weekend, which is nice. It was just a very, I don't know, like we still, we'll talk about it, I'm sure, but it was just a very, nah, i don't I know that it's like sacrilegious to be like, I don't really care as much about the FA Cup as I should, I know.
00:01:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
watch watch football this weekend. Enjoyed FA Cup weekend.
00:01:21
Zak
I'm a terrible person. I'm not really that bothered. I've seen like a few bit clips and hit here and there, but i've I've genuinely had like a, the first sort of quiet weekend since Christmas that I've had. First, what feels like quiet weekend I've had in forever. So a lot of it was just sort of like dotted around easily yesterday doing bits and pieces. Got to watch someone basically shoplift directly in front of the staff at Matalan. That was terrible.
00:01:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
perfect Perfect.
00:01:49
Zak
a bunch of other random really boring chores and a lot of like sticking video games in in between because I know that I've got a very busy work week.
00:01:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
I got proper caught up into it. I've also had like the first quiet weekend since Christmas, which just means that I've sat on in front of any one of four electrical devices and

Football Attendance and Corporatization

00:02:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
watched various forms of sport amongst, you know, looking busy and doing housework and stuff.
00:02:09
Zak
but
00:02:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
but I really enjoyed the Tamworth game earlier, Tamworth Spurs. I like that is a game that, uh, just encapsulates the feel of the FA Cup for me.
00:02:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like but now that's the upsetting thing because we've talked a lot about the corporatization of football on this podcast.
00:02:26
Zak
what What do you mean it took them to extra time to be able to beat this team?
00:02:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
And the fact that if we were in the proper system for the FA Cup, where they had earned a replay by taking it to Neil, Neil, they would have doubled their clubs revenue for the year.
00:02:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's just mad.
00:02:47
Zak
yeah but like again it's the whole no one really cares about the fa cup other than that kind of aspect which i feel like they should just give them the money i i am but i will i will say
00:02:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Other than the small teams. I just don't think that's true, though. like I've been so caught up FA Cup fever all weekend. It's been all over my socials.
00:03:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
People are loving it. I think it's ah think you're doing it in misjustice. But I mean, speaking of people not caring about the f FA Cup, we had, what, maybe 7,000?
00:03:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
in attendance at St

Match Overview and Initial Impressions

00:03:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mary's today.
00:03:16
Zak
I don i don't ah don't know what the final numbers were, but I know I've seen numbers knocking around that apparently it was potentially like the lowest that we've had since we've had St.
00:03:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
aye
00:03:26
Zak
Mary's or something like that.
00:03:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:03:28
Zak
But again, it's like it's it's difficult. I was looking for stats for it for ages, but I couldn't find any. But either way, it looked it looked empty. And it is, yeah, for people are voting on their feet and there will will be people probably, a portion of the van base were like, well, look, see if you'd gone.
00:03:45
Zak
you'd have been able to see us with a game. It's like, yeah, sure, you're right against Swansea.
00:03:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. All right. Well, let's, let's get into the match. So let's, let's start at the start with the team lineups. Um, there was some head scratching between the two of us when we saw the team line up.
00:04:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
What was, um, what was the best impression?
00:04:03
Zak
They're still head scratching now. Well, the fact that we didn't play it without an outstriker was bizarre. The last time we did that, it lasted all of 30 minutes at Bournemouth before we already were like a 2-0 down. So, you know, Jurek Ball is different to to Martin Ball, that that is for sure. um But it still, it seemed like a strange decision. And I still think it's a strange decision, just because like,
00:04:27
Zak
It paid off, and ironically, the players that were at that position scored more than the strikers we later brought on. um I don't know how I feel, but I still don't really know how we lined up.
00:04:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah
00:04:38
Zak
I kept trying to figure out the formation. I was checking on BBC Sport.
00:04:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think, I think we had a three at the back.
00:04:41
Zak
they can They kept switching around constantly.

Southampton vs Swansea Analysis

00:04:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think we had a three at the back with Brie, Howard Bellis and Bednerick as our centre backs, ah Manning and Walker Peters as wingbangs.
00:04:44
Zak
yeah
00:04:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then it was kind of like Les was the holding midfielder, but Arribo was playing like only slightly in front of him. And then we were kind of playing a front three with Fernandez through the middle.
00:05:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
dibbling on the right and Sulemana on the left. So, Fernandez was like a false 9-10 roll and it was a bit weird.
00:05:18
Zak
so So actually what you mean is three, and then two other sides, and then one, one, one, one, one, and then two.
00:05:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:05:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Pretty much, yeah.
00:05:27
Zak
That's kind of how, it I mean it worked, right? Like admittedly, it's probably partly due to us playing well, ah Swansea playing extremely poorly, and you know,
00:05:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, let's call a spade a spade, right? We should be comfortably winning this game and we comfortably won this game.
00:05:47
Zak
Yeah, but this isn't.
00:05:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah But even in this season, I mean, Swansea are a bang average championship team anyway. They were without several of their defenders.
00:06:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah They rotated some of the rest of the squad as best they could because they've got a big game in the week. I mean, if we hadn't have beat them, it would have been a disgrace, frankly.
00:06:12
Zak
We lost 2-1 to Grimsby Town like two years ago, mate. We were in the prem then.
00:06:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, but Pompey beat Swansea five nil two weeks ago.
00:06:20
Zak
four, four, that's why I predicted five because I wanted us to get that one extra go.
00:06:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Four, right. There you go. like is They are a team that we should be beating every single day of the week. And we did, and we comfortably beat them, and it's fine. But you know you can only play what's in front of you, but let's not get overhyped about finally getting a win, but let let's hope that it does provide the players with the confidence and the feeling that knowing how to win.
00:06:45
Zak
But if it means that Suleimana is going to go out in the Premier League and start firing in goals, i don't I'm fine with that. like I don't i genuinely genuinely don't mind.
00:06:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
the main
00:06:54
Zak
like Everyone was a little bit baffled. I've seen people go on like Twitter, people making Suleimana apology letters to send in for with tick boxes for the various different reasons as to why they were cross.
00:07:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Let's not
00:07:06
Zak
But also, yeah, that's that's kind of where I'm at.
00:07:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah okay carried away.
00:07:09
Zak
Let's not get carried away.
00:07:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
i mean them The main difference for Suleimana was that he he tried today.
00:07:11
Zak
Dibbling literally is post-batch interview.
00:07:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
That was genuinely, as far as I could tell, the main difference. the He ran quite fast sometimes.
00:07:22
Zak
i I feel, and judging by Durek's comments, I feel like Durek basically has played him in the league and he's done bad. So he went, you've got an opportunity at the FA Cup, and if you don't prove yourself in this game, I'm probably not going to let you play in the league anymore. It's either that or the cynic in me says, it's currently shop window time. All it takes is a scout to watch that game and go, wow, actually this this sort of art of fella is really good and sort of buys him, I don't know, would probably take like five million from at this rate.
00:07:51
Zak
so
00:07:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, well I think you and I both scoffed at some of the commentary where they were like, oh Southampton showing in they're a team with quality through and through, or like that is not someone who's sad and there is the rest of the season.
00:08:00
Zak
attacking attacking threat was I think the funniest thing to me well they know they've got attacking threat I'm like where can you point out for me please um and I know like we're making this joke after winning by three goals but like one of the goals sort of on his goal was basically accidental but I'm sure we'll talk about that when we talk about the first half after a word from our partners at Zencaster
00:08:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, so here at the Global Sports Podcast Network, we spent a lot of time selecting our delivery platform, and Zencaster came out the clear winner. With 4K video recording from your phone and AI editing that automatically removes all those ums and ahs, it's super easy to start a podcast that sounds great and is delivered efficiently. If you're ready to tell your story, check out the link in the show description and learn more about Zencaster. Okay, yeah so let's get to the game.
00:08:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah ah Not a lot happened until

Goals and Team Dynamics

00:08:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
the goal, really. We had some attacks. Ironically, I feel like I blessed this with the commentator's curse because the kick out from Ramsdale directly before this happened, I went, why are we bothering kicking it long when we haven't got anyone up there who can win the ball? Ugo Chugwurr and Arriba are both back in our own half. And then the ball comes to Ramsdale's feet. He absolutely smashes it up. Ugo Chugwurr is first to the ball with a knock on. Then Campbell Dean.
00:09:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Chips a keeper who was gone for a hot dog?
00:09:23
Zak
I but yeah like let's not let's not disrespect the goal but I don't think he meant that it just doesn't look like he meant that at all however it was very much reminiscent of I can't remember which game it was where like McCarthy came out so far and then somebody scored and we were like what is wrong with you and like
00:09:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
eight Right?
00:09:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. It was Liverpool when it was Salah.
00:09:44
Zak
Yeah, and their keeper had a bit of a howler. And you could tell that by all of the chanting that could progressively got louder and louder. And even my wife was down the sofa laughing and like the, oh, you beep, beep, beep.
00:09:58
Zak
As that just got louder and louder and louder.
00:09:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
There were some very excited children in my living room chanting along with the TV. so
00:10:04
Zak
I bet. and um But then part of that also comes from the fact that we actually just kept pressing the keeper and he kept bottle job in it.
00:10:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah More specifically, like when he was on the ball in open play, we weren't pressing him.
00:10:11
Zak
add you know But then let's not like,
00:10:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
We were just letting him make that mistake time and time again. And it it worked this time.
00:10:21
Zak
Yeah.
00:10:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
A lot like Brentford where like he managed to find the pass every time. like Every single time it was going to a Saints player, it was going out for a throw. And you could see he was visibly getting more and more frustrated as the game went on.
00:10:32
Zak
Yeah, I feel it was kind of just like kicking a puppy. um But we're really happy for everyone that did. And we're like, yay, we won. And I'll take it. like Again, we we needed to win probably as desperately more than Swansea needed it.
00:10:45
Zak
um you know And as you said, we theoretically on paper should be winning these games.
00:10:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:10:49
Zak
um It gives me hope for next season when we're inevitably in the championship if we keep hold of some of the players we've got.
00:10:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:10:55
Zak
Lallana even Lallana got five minutes today but that yeah the first the first half obviously not gonna happen but the second go diplings go as much as yeah as it was a it was an assist from Solana it was a nice bit of play yeah that was just a it was just an actual
00:11:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Again, Sulawana.
00:11:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Great piece of fall to play from a don't care if we score 20 tap-ins the rest of the season, if it means we get more than 12 points.
00:11:12
Zak
It was just like an actual team goal. um And as much as it was a tap-in, it was a well-worked goal. And it you know up to that point, even up to the 20 minutes, the problem is, I said to you, its it's the same thing that's happened time and time again, is that every time the ball gets near the goal, it just doesn't feel like there's a threat coming. And we still we still had a lot of that. Yeah, I'd rather score.
00:11:36
Zak
It's got to be better than, it's got to be better than the sort of, there's a lot of, you can see there's so much hesitation just around the box and like people who lament Kyle Walker Peters and don't like him and they're like, oh, I can't wait for him to go.
00:11:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah I think he had an amazing game today.
00:11:48
Zak
Those people are so wrong because he creates so much.
00:11:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
He was just in acres of space every single time and he looked
00:11:53
Zak
Yeah.
00:11:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
They had absolutely nothing that could deal with him. And he just looked a threat every time he got on the ball. And then they were so worried about what he was going to do when he was on the ball that they forgot that we had other players who could stick the ball in the net. And that's what counts. And then after obviously his first goal, the ball falls to Diblin in the box. And instead of holding on to the ball for too long, like he has been known to do, he's now got the confidence to shoot on site and shoots and it goes in. Like, what what can you ask for?
00:12:24
Zak
Well, that kind of happened a couple of times. I i saw like and at least Archer had one opportunity where he hung on for far too long and just didn't strike.
00:12:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:12:32
Zak
And again, it's just so ironic to me that these forward players, you know, they're not our strikers, but they're they're forward players. both Both, you know, got three goals today. And then when we replaced both of those with actual out and out strikers, neither of them scored.
00:12:45
Zak
They got very close, but neither of them scored.
00:12:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Ah, I should have scored that one that went straight past the
00:12:48
Zak
Arma should have

Ticket Pricing and Optimism

00:12:49
Zak
scored that one.
00:12:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
pipe.
00:12:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Maybe the other one as well.
00:12:50
Zak
Arma should have scored a probably another one. Archie should have scored another. And admittedly, I guess it's like low on confidence. like It was lovely to see an interview of Shane Long on the sidelines,
00:12:58
Zak
I love that man ah with with all of my heart. I miss him so much. Just ah an absolute nuisance consistently to defenses.
00:13:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah yeah well it's something that we really lack for sure like that will and want to run consistently throughout an entire game and we've talked about that time and time again on the podcast
00:13:05
Zak
A man that would run more than Syllabar has somehow every game. Doesn't look like he should. um
00:13:21
Zak
yeah But like he he was he was kind of impressed. them you know i was I kind of agree. we We put in far more of a shift than we wanted to.
00:13:32
Zak
We won the game. The message of you charge £22.50 for prices against Swansea on a Sunday, I think, was very clear. I think that backfired.
00:13:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:13:41
Zak
i even I think I had at least another two emails yesterday trying to be like, hey, guys, did you know it's really cheap to take your kids? I'm like, well, I don't have any kids, but thanks. like I felt like, yeah, it was, I guess all all round and round, it was a ah positive um for the club and positive for the players and positive in general.
00:14:01
Zak
But I'm also, the cynic in me was also very aware that it's just papered over some cracks. Like, oh, there was some proper bad ones.
00:14:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I mean, we made mistakes too. There was times where any better team would have punished us. I think they even hit the post at one point.
00:14:15
Zak
they They did. That was that was Ramsdale rolled it out to Smallbone. He was unaware. He tried to kick it away. He kicked it directly to a Swansea player. And have that been had that been a Liverpool, they've scored, and then our heads drop, and then they score another three.
00:14:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:14:28
Zak
And then but game that game just came over.
00:14:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:14:30
Zak
So that's that's the problem, I think, is ah I think we've discussed it before, but like the mental fragility of us to collapse at the first instance of there being something that went wrong. Your prediction was wrong because you said 3-1, but you said there's no way we can keep a clean sheet, and we somehow did, which was lovely.
00:14:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah well I can tell you how we did and it is that ah they had one shot on target and as is slowly becoming like the tagline of this podcast if you don't kick the ball at the goal you can't win
00:14:47
Zak
um
00:15:03
Zak
um So right, but like yeah, it was we it was a positive thing, but yeah, do I do worry that I Guess I shouldn't try and be negative about it.
00:15:13
Zak
It should be it's a positive

Upcoming Matches: Manchester Utd & Newcastle

00:15:14
Zak
win. It's a positive for the club It's it's good.
00:15:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:15:16
Zak
It's something to look forward to a cup run might be nice.
00:15:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
The good news is, we know that championship opposition is our level, and that's what we've got next coming up against Man United. so
00:15:27
Zak
Oh, mate, I that's Tarsh and everything. I used to beat Arsenal today, just about, with 10 men.
00:15:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
So... On penalties, yeah. Yeah.
00:15:35
Zak
Yeah, but I also wouldn't be surprised if we go and they dismount us 5-0. Brentford Hant went away from home forever.
00:15:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:15:41
Zak
So yeah, it's, I guess it's, don't get me wrong. i don't want to I don't want everyone to be sad. And I know that, I know, don't get me wrong, like negativity sells as well, especially in the world of football.
00:15:52
Zak
But, you know, just just like look at Man City at the moment. It's one of the reasons it's so funny and gets so much engagement is because of just the sheer capitulation of ah like what should be a title winning team.
00:16:04
Zak
um But like there are a lot of positives from today. I just ah just don't want ah just hope it doesn't breed an overconfidence that means we go into a game and get battered 5-0 again.
00:16:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:16:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:16:15
Zak
But at the same time, it looks like it doesn't matter either way.
00:16:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't think overconfidence is a danger, but that's fine. All right. I've got a few more talking points to bring up with you, but first a message from our partners at the Global Sports Podcast Network.
00:16:26
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, fantasy 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.
00:16:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
So yeah, you're, you're right about like, negatively selling and like, it's hard when you're on a losing streak, like we have been, it's hard to sort of pull yourself out of that funk. So hopefully it's just a case of, you know, getting that winning feeling back, knowing what that feels like. And we can kick on and get something from it. We've not got the easiest two fixtures. I joke about Man United, but of course they're actually coming into a decent bit of form. Uh, we've got Newcastle at the weekend as well, so it's not Gonna be easy, but hopefully we can just start pushing on and getting something um But I want to talk about we got Burnley in the next round ah So is that an exciting fixture or are we gonna see another half empty some areas do you

Burnley Match and FA Cup Speculations

00:17:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
think?
00:17:28
Zak
I think that we always historically don't do well against Burnley. Burnley, when Carl Walker Peters had his debut, ah my wife came with me to watch that game and it was a 2-0 loss to Burnley in the rain.
00:17:45
Zak
and like it's it's that um It's that joke from me in between is where no one likes Burnley. That's not true. I quite like Burnley. But yeah, we always seem to struggle against them. So it'll be interesting to see because that would be a a bigger test of then what Swansea have provided.
00:18:01
Zak
um However, not quite the test of like playing a Liverpool. So who knows?
00:18:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:18:07
Zak
Hopefully it would be a good game. We could probably put a shift in. We have to have, I guess, something to look forward to. As I said, like I might not be
00:18:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, a couple times a bit of a welcome distraction at this point, right?
00:18:16
Zak
Yeah, like um I want to be the most...
00:18:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think it's not going to detriment us challenging for Europe, is it? so
00:18:22
Zak
I might not be the most like locked in into the FA Cup as I think maybe yourself is, is and then there's probably quite a few other people that care about it. like As I said, it's not just my own personal thing. I'm just not as fussed as probably I should be. But at the same time, if it if it if it's something positive around the club and it's something good and something decent and something everyone could enjoy, then I'm all for it. um And I think you know and Burnley is one of the teams that we probably have a better chance against, right?
00:18:52
Zak
um ah the of What we could have had. I'd have preferred maybe Stoke, but here we are.
00:18:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, some other tasty cup ties to talk about before I loop it back to some some final Saints bits. Leeds Millwall, wouldn't want to be a copper work in that. ah
00:19:10
Zak
Sounds this sounds atrocious. Yeah, you're right.
00:19:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
And Plymouth Liverpool.
00:19:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
a
00:19:18
Zak
ah
00:19:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Nice trip to Plymouth, for live thats ah that might be one of the longest journeys in the football league, right? That's...
00:19:25
Zak
That's funny, you should take a boat at this point.
00:19:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:19:27
Zak
Probably you quicker. ah ah fat fair play Fair play to Plymouth. you know that's Again, like this is where the overconfidence comes in. right You beat Southampton 5-0, then you lose 1-0 to Plymouth, a team that are probably close to relegation from the championship.
00:19:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:19:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
um
00:19:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:19:42
Zak
once But then also it turns out this this is all you need to do. like but maybe Maybe the new manager bounce didn't happen for us as much because a lot of the club's fanbase actually liked Russell Martin, whereas I feel most of Plymouth were happy to get rid of Wayne Rooney, a man who was trying to bring in the same documentary crew film crew who filmed the Wagatha Christie stuff to film a relegation battle documentary and then realised that it was getting so bad that it was distracting the players so then didn't do that and then got fired.
00:20:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Perfect.
00:20:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Amazing. it So good.
00:20:14
Zak
likeke Maybe they're quite happy to not have him there and that made them bounce onto a win.
00:20:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah
00:20:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
And perhaps the most storied draw from the fourth round that I can think of. Ruud van Nissle always Leicester, travelling to Old Trafford.
00:20:30
Zak
Yeah. so Interesting considering, you know, he...
00:20:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Poetic. Football loves a bit of poetry and what kind of an amazing fixture is that? That should be an interesting game. ah Okay, so to to loop back to us, Armabella Kotchak,
00:20:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
speak us by his absence today.
00:20:51
Zak
uh i think i pointed out to you it's i find like i don't i don't understand what the point of having those sort of conversations that got into the media are about oh yeah he's got a new chance i've seen a lot under him i can't wait for him to come and play this and the other he's like yeah i'm gonna fight really hard because i want to earn my pace back in the team because i want to get into a top four club and then doesn't make the bench of an fa cup game despite the fact that apparently he isn't injured which says to me one of two things either ah he's he's fallen out with somebody behind the scenes i don't know i'm not going to pretend i'm an expert but the ah
00:21:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Perhaps again. but
00:21:22
Zak
the other thing that i can think the The only other thing I can really think of is that, potentially, he's got a transfer lined up and they want to keep him fresh for

Player Performances and Midfield Rotations

00:21:29
Zak
the medical. like and's That's very big speculation. But for me, it's all of the signs pointed to him supposedly getting at least an appearance from a bench.
00:21:37
Zak
right And we ended up with Nathan Woods coming on like for like for Yan, which was fine. He did a good job.
00:21:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:21:43
Zak
But yeah, it was very strange to me. I will also point out we we managed to have the return of Will Smallbone for the first game since October. I'm glad to see him back and fit and I guess ready to play a part in what is going to be the rest of a long season.
00:22:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I mean, midfield is a position we're very short in, so it's good to have some level of rotation back. And then if he is being played in a position that suits his ability in the middle of the park, as there's definitely a place in those team for Will Smallbone.
00:22:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't think that any of the places we've seen him try to be played under Russell Martin are those places, but he's not a number eight.
00:22:26
Zak
I just want to...
00:22:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's not a Flynn Downs replacement. He's not physical enough for that, but I can see him swapping in for that sort of a Rebo role. Just fine.
00:22:37
Zak
I just want to point out how how well and diplomatic you handled that situation.
00:22:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:22:45
Zak
Very very proud of you for that.
00:22:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
the a
00:22:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, I like Swillbone. I don't necessarily think he's a Premier League quality player or he's yet to show that, but I like him and he's a homegrown talent and what more can you ask for really?
00:22:57
Zak
Yeah, think I think that's a that's a problem whenever you're examining the lives and um livesbes and careers of people is that you know you can have an opinion on the way that they play.
00:23:10
Zak
That is not necessarily in ah a reflection of our personal feelings of people that we don't actually know.
00:23:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:23:17
Zak
And sometimes I feel like after some of the reactions to some of the FA Cup results today and some of the fits are all I've seen, um because unfortunately I have to be on the Everything app,
00:23:28
Zak
It is quite disheartening to see that there is quite a lot of that still in a small minority of fan bases, right? So so I just want to make sure it's on paper that whenever we're criticizing the appeal of these people, it's for how we see them play football, right?
00:23:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:23:45
Zak
Like, that's it.
00:23:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
A hundred percent.
00:23:47
Zak
So yeah, but I'm diplomatically handled. I'm very proud of you.
00:23:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.

Podcast Conclusion and Optimism

00:23:51
Zak
ah Yeah, ah we we won a game, though.
00:23:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
All right.
00:23:54
Zak
So that's that's the positive.
00:23:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
We won. That's it.
00:23:55
Zak
and i
00:23:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's it. We, another week, we can talk about, uh, fantastic performances, I guess. Okay. Performances that we won. And that's what matters and hopefully we can take that forward and just not be as bad as Derby in the Premier League.
00:24:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's all we're aiming for at this point.
00:24:10
Zak
That is the entire goal at this point.
00:24:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:24:13
Zak
And if by some sort of crazy miracle, Salamander turns into our Star Striker, and all of the Onoachi stuff drops down, and all all of a sudden we're we're saved by Hat-trick after Hat-trick after Hat-trick.
00:24:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Great.
00:24:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm fine with it.
00:24:26
Zak
We're all here for that.
00:24:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, 100%. Yeah, absolutely. ah ah It has been pointed out to me. that I did predict us to finish 12th at the start of the season um and at this point actually 12 points does feel optimistic so that's it mate well we're gonna go into another week happy and I think next week we're gonna come out happy as well I think we've
00:24:46
Zak
they Mate, you've got to have the optimism because if not it would just be me talking about how miserable I am on a weekly basis and that would be absolutely nothing to tune in for.
00:25:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
with something stirring at St Mary's, so hopefully it's it's good. ah Well, that is just about all we got time for, so thank you very much for joining us. Zach, as always, thank you for joining me.
00:25:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's been a pleasure. ah We will be back tomorrow when we wrap up. ah We try and fill 20 minutes with ah Transfer Tuesday, or a maybe the quietest transfer window I've ever experienced.
00:25:27
Zak
Here is hoping that all of it's going to come out tomorrow.
00:25:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
We'll give it a go.
00:25:31
Zak
Turns out they were waiting for the Swansea game to be out of the way. And now all the information's going to come out of the club of all of the targets.
00:25:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:25:37
Zak
Or alternatively, everyone's going to go off on loan.
00:25:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Otherwise we're just going to have a really detailed breakdown of our two new signings performance in the under 21 game on Friday.
00:25:47
Zak
You're not wrong!
00:25:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
we yeah well We look forward to seeing you then. ah Thank you very much.