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Episdoe 255: Matchday Review: Still undefeated! Draw away to Ipswich!
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Southampton – A really even game at Ipswich and we come away with a draw. A mess of an own goal but still some fighting spirit. Lots to talk about.
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Transcript
Introduction and Hosts
00:00:09
Zak
Good morning, good afternoon, good evening and welcome back to the Daily Southampton part of the Global Sports Podcast Network. I am your host today, I am Zach Inko Finch and as always joined by my wonderful friend, excellent co-host, just all-round generally good human being, Gregory Elliott. How are you doing bud?
00:00:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I'm alright, mate. Look,
Team Strategy Reflection
00:00:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
we said our pre-season previews that one draw was okay, and now we've got that out of the way.
00:00:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
other than that, I'm alright.
00:00:41
Zak
I think a draw...
00:00:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
I've got a beer on.
00:00:44
Zak
It's fine.
00:00:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
We're loving Sunday evening vibes.
00:00:46
Zak
Yeah, i think I think a draw against a team that we would probably be put up there as one of the few teams that could probably beat us, which i know is going to come back to bite me, I'm sure, isn't really that bad.
Lineup and Player Versatility
00:01:00
Zak
But, you know, could have been better, could have been better could it worse, and... We're just going have to accept it for for what it is.
00:01:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
If you think about it, yeah if you win all of your home games and draw all of your away games, that's pretty much good enough form to guarantee winning the league.
00:01:10
Zak
What it is is not a loss, so I'll take it.
00:01:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, that's where we're at so far in the season.
00:01:22
Zak
Mate, we know what
00:01:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
So...
00:01:24
Zak
we know what this league is all about. And like, we've seen some, again, like strange results over the weekend. So, or actually a little strange, unexpected results over the weekend. Right.
00:01:36
Zak
And this was, I think, i think if most people had said probably a one or draw, most people probably would have taken it.
00:01:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, 100%.
00:01:42
Zak
It's just upsetting the, the way we gave the goal away. Right. Like, but at the same time, we'll get into that once, once we talk a little bit, Greg.
00:01:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Look.
00:01:53
Zak
about the lineups so obviously they came out a bit beforehand how do you feel obviously we one of the things we keep talking about obviously this this five at the back malarkey which isn't really five at the back let's face it it's it's three the back with two wingers so so because of that was it a bit of a shock to you that we ended up having you know fraser where he was
00:02:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Three in the back with two wiggers, yeah.
00:02:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, we saw him utilised in a similar position some of the time by Russell Martin, if we remember back to our last championship season.
00:02:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
He is very versatile player who has the quality to deliver a ball in and has shown us this season that he got himself into ah kind of shape where he can be and put himself about all over the pitch.
00:02:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
And with
Player Valuation and Performance
00:02:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
that amount of engine behind him and that quality of delivery of a ball, which he showed today with the assist, I mean, it's a logical position for him. I mean, they were saying on the commentary that wing-back is one of the hardest positions to play.
00:02:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
But he's got the legs for it. He's got the quality of the ball. It just makes sense. And he's not worse defensively than Sugawara.
00:03:09
Zak
yeah it's again like i think he's he's a person that beginning of the season not a lot of i think a lot of people have written off i even remember comments on a couple of tiktoks being like oh we need to get rid of the deadwood and that included fraser he seems to be able to like play the any the positions that's kind of asked for him he very much just seems to want to keep his head down play the football right i think maybe we all read a little bit too
00:03:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's fascinating, isn't it? as a It was a transfer that was seen as like a player with poor attitude from some other clubs and
00:03:41
Zak
Yeah.
Defensive Concerns and Strategies
00:03:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
was sort of brought in as Russell Martin's mate to show the willingness to put the work in and get into the you know the fantastic shape he's in and get himself to the front of the queue to be one of the first names on the team sheet.
00:03:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
is I mean, it's impressive. It's a really solid effort. And I think that he was brilliant against Wrexham. thought that he was quite good against Ipswich and obviously got the assist and put himself about. And but I just don't think you can ask for more than that.
00:04:16
Zak
Yeah, I know. I agree. ah ah as said, it's just, it seemed so so odd for all of us. Like, I think even we were talking about, we were expecting him to probably go. And it's the fact that I think that a lot of us maybe put too much emphasis on his relationship with Russell Martin, right?
00:04:33
Zak
And that being probably one of the main reasons. And I think part of that is due to when Martin went, that was kind of it. We didn't really see him in the rest of the time in the Premier League. Didn't really see him. and and And it's like, I think that Juric was asked about him once, right?
00:04:47
Zak
And his response to that was like, oh there's just other people that better than him.
00:04:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:04:50
Zak
And that might have been the case at the time. Like, you know, the,
00:04:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
And to be honest, in the Premier League, that probably is very much the case. I feel like he sort of found his level here. But honestly, of the two...
00:05:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
wingbacks that were picked, I was probably more surprised that Wellington got in over Manning than I was that Fraser got in over Sugawara.
00:05:11
Zak
Is that just a case of you played two games in a short so period of time? i mean, you didn't play the full 90 the other week, right?
00:05:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:05:20
Zak
So like it's not... ah I know. I was also a little bit perplexed. It might just be that a simple case of rotating,
Player Rotation and Critiques
00:05:27
Zak
right? Because obviously, like, Sega Wired would start either.
00:05:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, yeah. I mean, look, It is a difficult position to play, and I don't think Manning had a full preseason right because he was a bit injured at the start, so he only managed to take part bit.
00:05:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Or am I remembering that wrong?
00:05:41
Zak
I don't know.
00:05:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
don't know.
00:05:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's all a blur.
00:05:42
Zak
i don't know it's It's been a while, but like I don't know if that was entirely true or alternatively he was just not really about as much as we thought in like some of those earlier games.
00:05:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:05:49
Zak
But obviously, Banning did eventually come on anyway.
00:05:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah. And I mean, it was needed at that point. But yeah, I mean, I think that inevitably because of the way that we're playing those roles and the the importance that those roles have and the amount of place of the pitch that those roles have to cover the distance, I feel like they're always going to be needing to be rotated and to be able to get positions that change in the game because call you can't drop off and walk For any minute in those positions, you've got to be busting a gut every time. and
00:06:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah i mean Wellington got a pretty silly yellow then made himself a bit of a target for the for the duration and until he got taken off. but
00:06:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't think Wellington had a bad game either. I was a bit surprised that Manning hadn't done enough to earn himself his way in.
00:06:45
Zak
Yeah, as I said, it could be as simple as the fact that, you know, having hectic weekend last weekend, starting against Northampton, maybe it's just a simple case of trying to get managing minutes, especially, you know, we've seen that with both our wing backs, whatever you want to call them nowadays, as well, right? Like, you know, Sugawara came on eventually, but we kind of expected him to start, you know, I wouldn't have initially put Fraser in that role, but he was in that role today.
00:07:14
Zak
How do you feel about the defense? Because obviously, like I'm not going to be dumb enough to make any any assumptions about Stephens, and Stephens seems have played pretty well. So, well, as well as...
00:07:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
no
00:07:25
Zak
I think what there was like ah a headed ball out or something that I think there was a bit...
00:07:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
There was very dodgy header back to Buzunu that eventually ended up in Sammy Smoddik getting absolutely annihilated but thankfully Buzunu got the touch on the ball first so that was seen as a foul on the goalie but I mean I think that was more luck than judgement he probably could have done better than he did clearing the ball when it came to him in the goal but I don't put the fault entirely in blame for that because I sat there and watched the slow motion replay and
00:07:34
Zak
Yeah. Yeah.
00:07:45
Zak
But other than that,
00:08:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
counted how many Saints players should have cleared that ball. And it was, you know, it was half of the outfield team. it was It was ridiculous.
00:08:11
Zak
Yeah, we we we we we went a bit Russell Martin about it, right?
00:08:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
But the eye
00:08:14
Zak
like
00:08:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't want to speak too negatively of the defence. So just going to not comment. Look, I think that...
00:08:28
Zak
that's That's fair. So you feel like...
00:08:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
I want to give the benefit of the doubt and say that Howard Bellet is rusty and will hopefully find his foot in. Stevens did not have the best game overall.
00:08:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Found himself out of position a couple of times. Did a couple of very questionable, made a couple of very questionable decisions.
00:08:54
Zak
course, she's real young, right?
00:08:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
And yeah, look, the only goal we managed to concede was the one we put in the back of our own net, so i guess that's a positive.
00:09:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
just, look, I, it it's a concern. It was a concern.
00:09:12
Zak
Yeah, I was i was i was slightly shocked for Taylor Hallebelis getting a start, if I'm totally honest. like I think we we talked about in the build-up, like I would have preferred maybe Wood over him.
00:09:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, I think if you're looking at it, I think if you're looking at it from the sense of a lineup, I felt very much before the game that give or take maybe two question marks.
00:09:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
These are probably the 11 best players we have in a formation, right? This is probably playth a player for player, our strongest 11.
00:09:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Would you disagree?
00:09:48
Zak
i would say I would say Manning over Wellington. and i would have also said...
00:09:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's that the that's the the big one, I think. Yeah, I agree with that.
00:09:57
Zak
ah ah i i would also say... i don't i don't know if I'm convinced Armour's going to have the same season that he's had thus far. I would also say
00:10:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, but I mean, if you're looking at what else we've got available, we've got an unproven talent in Damien Downs, who, from what we have seen from him, has missed two very clear chances.
00:10:15
Zak
missed sitters, yeah...
00:10:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Ross Stewart, who has befallen another mystery illness, which hopefully isn't at all crucial or something ridiculous, because, i mean, just missed the medical room or something, I don't know.
00:10:28
Zak
if
00:10:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
it's It's really unfortunate. And what, Cameron Archer, who i would hear an argument about the like-for-like swap of Archer for Armstrong. But I think if you look at records in this league, you have to put armour in over um um Archer at the moment.
00:10:50
Zak
so So what
Offensive Creativity and Tactical Balance
00:10:50
Zak
I'm hearing, Greg, is that maybe we need some slight injection of quality into the team, perhaps via a transfer or two before the end of the window.
00:10:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, definitely. Definitely.
00:11:00
Zak
Because what we currently have is you know a bit of ah bit of a struggle. But I would have argued that maybe considering Taylor Harwood-Bellis has been out injured and yes, and he played in... on Tuesday, I probably would have started either Ronnie Edwards or Nathan Wood.
00:11:14
Zak
I probably would have picked Wood over Edwards just because Edwards has had a few rocky, shaky starts to the game, right? For the last, you know, apparently it's only two games in
00:11:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:11:23
Zak
But I... It's one of those things where, obviously, they're human beings, and I appreciate that. I don't want to be too critical to games in, but it is also one of those things, Greg, that look at the state of our defence last year, look at how much we conceded, look at how much it's changed.
00:11:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:11:37
Zak
ah Okay, so Bednar X not here, but you've got Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Jack Stephens. Jack Stephens, who's massively redeemed himself in the last game or so. Not as much today as you probably we probably would have liked.
00:11:48
Zak
But where I'm at is that considering Harba Belis has been out for that long, with an injury for so long, played a bit of a game the other day, i am very surprised he started today in what is going to be, as we've discussed, not not like it's not like six-pointer, but it is going to be important down the line.
00:12:05
Zak
And...
00:12:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't think that... I don't think the whole of bellli was that Bad. He had... so Obviously, the goal... I mean, I don't think... I don't think he can be entirely to blame for the goal.
00:12:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right?
00:12:18
Zak
No, not at all.
00:12:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Sure, it's him that it's bounced off the chest of, but by the time it's got to him, like I say, half the team should have dealt with it better.
00:12:24
Zak
It's multiple opportunities of where it should have been dealt with, right?
00:12:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. But there were a couple of other moments in the game where he just... Which is slightly off the pace, right? which Which can definitely be attributed to sharpness.
00:12:37
Zak
but Again, that's coming back from injury.
00:12:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like, there was one where he went tried to go on one of these darting runs up through the middle to find Fraser, but just had the ball nicked off him and then you know it opened him up to the counter-attack. And you just think, well, it's just like a split off.
00:12:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I don't think it's a bad thing. I don't think defensively, other than that, he was too bad. So there were a couple of moments like that that were a bit questionable. but
00:13:08
Zak
it It was never going to be a walkover, let's face it. like we're We drew. like We're almost talking about this like it's a loss. It's not. It's just that I think that it's frustrating that...
00:13:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
i know i mean I think that there were lots of positives to take. I think the problem is that you asked me about the defence and I don't think there were a lot of positives. I don't think there were... I just think there were a lot of silly little mistakes.
00:13:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Nothing like Major, but just just a few... Like, Kwasi with a few misplaced passes or passing out of play. ah Yeah, Stephen's just like stepping one man too high up and then getting turned and then exposing us a bit.
00:13:45
Zak
like so so So what I'm hearing is ah want to move on from, right?
00:13:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
and
00:13:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, yeah.
00:13:51
Zak
we got we got a We got a point out of it. We should be happy. But unfortunately, Greg, we still got to talk about some of the rest of the game. And we'll do that after a word from our partners at Bionique.
00:14:39
Zak
And we are back. So Greg, we didn't even really finish talking about the lineup. As you said, you kind of thought it was the strongest team we could have put out.
00:14:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I think so.
00:14:48
Zak
We're in some slight disagreements around that, but there we are.
00:14:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Look, I could, i there are a couple that I'd hear arguments for on that, right? But I think, more or less, that's that's probably the 11 best players we've got at the moment.
00:15:00
Zak
Would you not move to a four at the back to try and push everything up a bit more? Because, or not, are you happy with that?
00:15:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, I feel like, I feel like putting four at the back brings a player back from our current lineup of three at the back and seven attacking players.
00:15:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like,
00:15:18
Zak
So is it, so that's what I mean. Is it just the quality that's the issue or what? Because obviously like, you're right, we had we had Charles and Downs, which is expected.
00:15:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
on
00:15:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:15:25
Zak
they've They've already formed that partnership and will probably continue to play those roles unless a Rebo reappears out of, sort just to ruin everyone's safest bet in football.
00:15:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Downs avoiding a today. ah Good effort.
00:15:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Put the bet on today. Yeah.
00:15:36
Zak
This is the problem, Greg.
00:15:38
Zak
you gave You gave some advice. That was the issue.
00:15:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:15:42
Zak
You heard it. And then obviously, like, you know, Matty's back in the fold. Jay Robinson, as you said, Ama. So how about we talk about Jay Robinson, slightly more exciting part of the game, right?
00:15:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, well, look, he was involved and he was creative and he struggled a bit in the second half. The stat they gave when he was taken off in the second half, he only managed four touches in the entire second half.
00:16:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
But will say that one of those four was a shot that drew a very good save.
00:16:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
So right before he was taken off. So, you know, even with that presumably struggling, you know, he's played quite a lot of minutes in the last week and he's still only young. It was still that creative spark for us.
00:16:11
Zak
Hmm.
00:16:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, he was probably the
Match Analysis and Statistics
00:16:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
most creative player on the pitch, second to maybe Fraser
00:16:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
today. and I mean, maybe that in itself is a concern that he's sort of 18, but
00:16:37
Zak
i Yeah, but it's like one of those things you were talking about. You talked about all last season, the dibbling, right?
00:16:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
it's great to see.
00:16:42
Zak
It's all about managing managing the minutes and the fact that, you know, if we keep dibbling and hopefully gets his head in the right place, that could maybe be, you know, playing both at the same time.
00:16:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:16:52
Zak
Who knows what could happen? And this is this is more where I know that I'm talking about removing an extra defender or extra wing back and replacing them with maybe another attacking player that's going forward. it's because I think...
00:17:03
Zak
you know, we should be doing that a lot often. But to be fair, like, know if you had a chance to look at the stats at all, Greg, but it is so weird, like how evenly matched a team we were. Like total passes, they had 338, we had 353.
00:17:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:17:15
Zak
Then it was like stuff like, you know, accurate passes, 286 for us, 268 for them.
00:17:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, like, it was a very tight game.
00:17:22
Zak
Backward passes for them, 55, 49. Like it's... Yeah. Yeah. was
00:17:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
And the second half was scrappy, almost.
00:17:29
Zak
yeah
00:17:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
But look, I mean, Robinson found more success coming in through the middle a bit more. We heard in, I don't know which interview with Will Steele he was talking about, but he was talking about... We lack width and forward wide players. What we have is inside forwards. And I think Robinson showed that with his position in today. And I thought he was really good.
00:17:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
obviously the goal, a brilliant cross from Fraser. And a brilliant piece of play from Matty Fernandes to get Fraser into that position as well.
00:18:02
Zak
yeah this is what i worry about losing him because again it's those are the things greg from last season when people this is the problem also to be clear about looking at statistics right
00:18:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's just all coming together nicely. But...
00:18:14
Zak
When you were looking at assists, if he is the driving force of an attack and then it passes across to somebody and that person then chips it in and it gets an assist...
00:18:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
bye if you look there's only one thing you need to know to know that stats are not the be all and end all of the game and which which I've really thoroughly enjoyed by the way in the pre-match presser from we'll steal him coming out and saying I'm not really a stats guy love that uh
00:18:39
Zak
Especially
00:18:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
look
Strategic Adjustments and Future Performance
00:18:41
Zak
considering how much Spores is.
00:18:42
Zak
But there we are.
00:18:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah ah o But all you need to know that assists are not necessarily a useful statistic is that Damien Downs got one for missing the shot last week, right?
00:18:44
Zak
I guess more Data Guy, right? Different.
00:18:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
like Like, even the most generous
00:18:56
Zak
Yeah.
00:19:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
all the most generous of analytics of that assessments, right, Nobody's looking at that and going, that's a great layoff.
00:19:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
what What an unbelievable tap to the back post, right? That was a shot that he scuffed. There's the it's not looking at anyone. That's gone down as an assist. Yeah, it is what it is.
00:19:22
Zak
is that it it the Is there much more in your opinion we could have done to try and win the game? Because I thought the subs were fine, realistically.
00:19:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
i just think that I just think that it was a very evenly matched game. There weren't really... clear cut chances or clear misses for either team.
00:19:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
We had a few shots, but it just, we, I don't know what we could have done differently to have, have pushed forward, to be honest. I didn't, I didn't hate the changes.
00:19:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, I sat there and predicted three of them. So I guess maybe that swings it a little bit more bias, but yeah, it,
00:20:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
it kind of was what it was it it petered out in the end and then the so you know sky sports were all like well you can never sit comfortably with these two teams there's always late drama in these games and you know that was true both times last season and it was true in the championship and then you know just nothing happened oh we got this we got this chance this will be a good chance oh the keeper caught it all right well That'll be the end of the game. Oh no, he's kicking it up.
00:20:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh no, let's not lose it now. Oh, right. Baz got it. Oh, that is the end of the game. all Alright, well.
00:20:37
Zak
Yeah, it' it's it's strange.
00:20:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:20:39
Zak
it's just It was strange that it could have been so easily predicted, I guess is where I'm at, is that we were very, very evenly matched. And I think it's it showed that...
00:20:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, and i think it was just like they had a few chances breaking through on us that were either sort of well defended or just not made the most of and it was the same for us.
00:21:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
We had a couple of half chances that sort of petered out or couldn't quite get it out from under their feet and nothing really came of it. But yeah, it wasn't... I mean i think a draw is a perfectly reasonable result for the game, to be honest.
00:21:13
Zak
yeah Yeah, I think it's pretty much what we can really take from it, right?
00:21:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
It felt like a draw. It felt like a stalemate. I'd like you say, you know against another relegated team that are likely to be a promotion rival, a draw away from home,
00:21:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
good result.
00:21:33
Zak
and Move on from there. did you did Did you get a chance to watch Jay Robinson's after interview, by the way?
00:21:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
I didn't yet. No idea. Yeah.
00:21:40
Zak
up so absolutely incredible. That is a young lad that clearly did not want to be interviewed. which is far
00:21:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:21:47
Zak
Which is very funny because obviously he was giving very sort of up like, yeah, no, it's good to get a goal, yep. And eventually they just went, so Flynn, tell us about Jay Robinson.
00:21:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Amazing.
00:21:59
Zak
And you can see that was absolutely laughing at the fact that he's like, well, okay, it's fine.
00:22:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
one aha
00:22:04
Zak
I'll kick my media training into gear. I very, very much enjoyed it.
00:22:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
I did see that in that Will still described him as shy.
00:22:07
Zak
But it
00:22:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, you know.
00:22:11
Zak
Yeah, and but that's that and that's that's fine. Like, you know, if he's go ah ah if he's going to crack on it again, we saw like glimpses of that the end of last season when, you know, i think we' were all a bit shocked that Russ was giving him minutes.
Team Development and Transfers
00:22:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:22:22
Zak
You know, not that we had anything to play for at that point.
00:22:24
Zak
we We said we should probably play all the kids, but like regardless, it's, It's good to see that for like two seasons on the trot, we've had someone come through. But I am also still acutely aware that I think maybe we just need like one or two extra players to bolster that.
00:22:38
Zak
And like, because we would have had that previously, right? We would have had that in an Eribo or like in a Dozie. And I know that we're trying to trim the squad and we have trimmed it and in... probably ways that aren't exactly the most popular, right?
00:22:50
Zak
But at the same time, we just got a hope that, and it looks like there's probably going to be some business done within the next week.
00:22:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, I've got some thoughts.
00:22:58
Zak
And yeah.
00:22:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
got some thoughts that might have changed, but but maybe we should tackle them after the break.
00:23:00
Zak
Yeah,
00:23:05
Zak
that's what we should probably do. Oh, that second break that is always elusive and I forget about constantly. Here's a word from our partners at Zencastr.
00:23:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Here at the Global Sports Podcast Network, we spent a lot of time selecting our delivery platform, and Zencast came out with Clearwinner, with 4K video recording from your phone and AI editing that automat automatically removes all those ums and ahs It's super easy to start a podcast. It sounds great and is's delivered efficiently.
00:23:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
If you're ready to tell your story, check out the link in the show description and learn more about Zencaster.
00:23:36
Zak
And we are back. And every week we learn again why Greg is the one that usually hosts the podcast and I am the one that does not. yeah I am the ranta, not the rantee.
00:23:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
right
00:23:50
Zak
Very bad at keeping things within set times. That's why all of these podcasts that are supposed to, we're supposed to kind of aim for a about 20 to 25 minute mark, usually end up at 30.
00:24:02
Zak
So Gregory, you said to me, you still had some thoughts about, you know,
00:24:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, so, I mean, you set me thinking really about what we could have done differently. And actually, as I'm thinking, you know, reflecting on it now, obviously we had two players out with sickness today with Damien Downs and ah Ross Stewart, both out sick with presumably some sort of bug going around the camp, which is less than ideal. But actually, we talked...
00:24:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
before the game about these sort of buckets that you'd like to put the strikers in, not physically, like the profiles that they have, right?
00:24:35
Zak
Yep.
00:24:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
And actually, because they were both out today, all of the changes that we made were more or less like for like, right? So, you know, Dibbling came on when Robinson came off and played that sort of wider role.
00:24:48
Zak
Right.
00:24:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
that sort of inside forward role, and Archer came on for Armstrong, and, you know, there's just more pace to run at that the centre-backs and put pressure on that way, and, and you know Manning for Wellington, pretty like-for-like.
00:25:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
And we were kind of just missing that something a bit different, whereas you kind of feel like maybe if we had, you Downs or Stewart to come on, sort of to just...
00:25:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
give the defence something else different to worry about for a bit, maybe that could have made an impact.
00:25:25
Zak
Yeah, no, you're right. You know, Armstrong off, Archer on, Fernandes off, Matsuki on, Sigoura off, on, Fraser off.
00:25:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:25:35
Zak
Like, everybody that we changed would have been very, very like-to-like. And you're right, there's nothing to to maybe change up that... game and like i think that shows you that it's funny right because it's like we worry about the squad being too big and we know that we need to trim it but the problem is is that if you're yeah unless you've got a solid tactic that works no matter what and you're able to just switch out personnel i.e a guardiola system which let's face it we hate uh you are a big big hater of and i'm very very aware of that what you're what you're left with is what you're left with is you know
00:25:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:26:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, ruined.
00:26:09
Zak
Not a lot, which means that we actually have the squad depth of a puddle because we are trying to do something new and different and be able to change the game. And I think that similar to last season...
00:26:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
just I just think it's unfortunate that both of the players that would have offered that something different. Don't get me wrong, it's a big if, right? Because actually, Stewart might have come on and immediately been bodied out of the game.
00:26:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
by their centre-backs. And the same for Damien Downs. Damien Downs might have come on got himself in a good position and, you know, fluffed it. Because, unfortunately, that's what we've seen from him so far. They might also have come on and got the winning goal and changed that round. But it was it was interesting.
00:26:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, they were still attack-oriented changes, right? All of the players that we brought on were attacking players.
00:26:53
Zak
Yeah.
00:26:57
Zak
There was nothing nothing there that said, let's sit back on a on a draw.
00:26:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
We still went for it. Yeah, we still went for it, did Ipswich. And it's... Yeah, it was just... I wonder if that something different might have been enough.
00:27:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Unfortunately, we'll never know. ah ah sir That's not how things work.
00:27:14
Zak
the shame of it all.
00:27:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
If wishes were fishes and all that, right?
00:27:16
Zak
It's all...
00:27:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
The world an ocean. But...
00:27:20
Zak
Last point I really wanted to make. So, obviously, considering... I'm still worried about depth of goalkeepers, right? Mainly because I'm just like, we've just got Alex McCarthy, basically.
00:27:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm. Hmm.
00:27:31
Zak
Or otherwise, if not, we've got a 17-year-old. But Baz is doing all right.
00:27:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Look.
00:27:37
Zak
Turns out, absolutely actually completely reasonable for this level at the moment.
00:27:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
but
00:27:41
Zak
Seems to have improved as a player during his time away and time being off the field and being injured.
00:27:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:27:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Couple of decent saves, Braving coming out and absolutely clattering Smodix, which was a frightful shame. Yeah.
00:27:54
Zak
Yeah, and I think some of the some of the things that he's had to do as is would not have been his fault if not for a poor off defence.
00:27:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:28:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
made a Made a very smart save, I think, just before half-time or just after half-time when one of their more promising players went through on goal and broke past and just so slightly scuffed it, but had to make a smart save low and to his right and got there and smashed it out.
00:28:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
They had one off the post, which rather fortunately bounced back into his hands, which was fine. Yeah, I think he was solid. But look, I think that in the pre-match presser, it was touched upon.
00:28:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
And Will still categorically came out and said, yeah, we need another goalkeeper because this isn't going to cut it. Like, we don't want to end up in a situation where we're putting pressure on the wrong people. And also, as he's the under-21s goalkeeper, sometimes you need three goalkeepers in training and he's not available.
00:28:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, yeah, lu it feels like confirmation that we'll see movement there somewhere before the end of the window.
00:28:51
Zak
Yep, that's one of the ways.
00:28:57
Zak
I mean, it's not a lot of time left for the window closes. We already,
Transfer Window Strategies
00:29:01
Zak
think we essentially have a confirmed incoming at this point, but I don't really want I don't want to
00:29:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
What are you talking about, mate? it to FIFA is a real-life simulation where in the career mode on FIFA, you have like each day is a button press right until it gets to deadline day and then there's 15 button presses.
00:29:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's exactly how it works.
00:29:21
Zak
I need you to understand that if FIFA was a proper simulator, Greg, I wouldn't have been able to sign Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi for Southampton Football Club based off of how much offered.
00:29:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, no, FIFA's not a simulator for for football. It's a simulator for time.
00:29:35
Zak
Right, right.
00:29:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
You're missing the point.
00:29:38
Zak
And how much you lose of it, yeah?
00:29:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, look like each day up until the transfer deadline is just one click where something happens. And then deadline day is 12 clicks. So we've got plenty of time.
00:29:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
We've got a whole...
00:29:51
Zak
I need you to understand...
00:29:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
We've got like a whole 24 clicks of a button until the day's up, mate. Like, nothing to worry about here.
00:30:01
Zak
but I need you to understand that you are one good PC away from getting Football Manager. And I don't think that responsibly as a friend and colleague that I should allow you to ever play that game.
00:30:14
Zak
Because I think that it will completely consume you as a human being. and will irreversibly change the way this podcast is hosted but because I am bad enough for mentioning players that I've signed on that game.
00:30:26
Zak
And the idea of you having it and being like, well, actually, these are the best way to take part in these negotiations is a terrifying prospect. So I'm quite glad. But we will we will end it on, for me, as you pointed out, I think that... I don't really know what would have made the difference. Maybe someone different that we already had, or maybe someone different that we don't.
00:30:45
Zak
But I think that if it shows how evenly matched we are, if we want to get that first spot instead of potentially the second, and remember, this is a wishful thinking, but feeling positive still at the moment. then it will be interesting to see what they do to resolve that problem and whether that means that there are deals that need to get over the line before deals for the incomings come in.
00:31:06
Zak
We've just got to try desperately. Now, I know that's going to be a big thing to have faith in Sports Republic. I know that is a controversial opinion for some, not others, and hope that it all sorts itself out.
00:31:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
look. Look,
00:31:20
Zak
And if it if it doesn't play off the way...
00:31:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
at the end of the day, we're still undefeated, right? Which is much better than that lot down the road.
00:31:25
Zak
that's all.
00:31:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's all that
00:31:28
Zak
Yeah, that
Conclusion and Future Outlook
00:31:28
Zak
was, it was really enjoyable to tell my, my Portsmouth supporting mother-in-law that they are lost yesterday. How's Portsmouth getting on? was like, classic losing. Oh, don't say that.
00:31:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
matters, isn't it?
00:31:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:31:39
Zak
i'm like, I will certainly say that. That is all I will say. Like anything else would get me in trouble.
00:31:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
that That's it.
00:31:48
Zak
uh, but
00:31:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
But yeah, undefeated. that's That's all we can take from it.
00:31:53
Zak
the So the key takeaway here, the key takeaway here, everyone, is that we are undefeated.
00:31:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
One win, one draw.
00:31:57
Zak
We have won twice. have won once in the league, once the cup. We have drawn today. it wasn't pretty. It wasn't the sexy football that Will still wanted because, let's face it, movable object hits unstoppable force.
00:32:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
But, mate, the treble's still on.
00:32:11
Zak
But,
00:32:12
Zak
yeah
00:32:16
Zak
yeah Every time I try and end this with a realistic outcome for how we might be in the next game, you completely bulldoze it and go, we're going to win the league. So I guess that's where I'll leave it. According to Greg, everybody, we will win the league.
00:32:28
Zak
Thank you you so much for joining us in our review.
00:32:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:32:32
Zak
of a, ah ah you know, expected outcome, realistically. We will be back to tomorrow with everybody's favorite day of the week, Transfer Tuesday. We might even have an actual confirmed incoming. Who knows?
00:32:45
Zak
Well, guess we'll find out. thank you very much for joining us as always. ah Catch us all on the social medias. We're on all of them. Facebook, X the Everything app, YouTube, Blue Sky, TikTok, Instagram.
00:32:58
Zak
That's all the ones in my head that I remember that I do. That's where we are. Thank you very much for joining us. ah Try Try to stay cool in this really hot weather if you're in ah around to the South Coast. And until the next one, goodbye!