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Episode 042 - 8 Points From 4 Games?! Southampton Match Reaction image

Episode 042 - 8 Points From 4 Games?! Southampton Match Reaction

S1 E42 · Daily West Ham
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12 Plays13 days ago

Tom and Jacob are in high spirits as they unpack the 2-0 win against Southampton at St Mary's stadium. The events of the game discussed include; the injury worries to come from the game, Bowen coming to our rescue again and finally the boys look forward to the tough run of games we have over the next few weeks and how they think West ham will fair!

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Transcript

Impact of West Ham's Win Over Southampton

00:00:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello guys and welcome back to another episode of the daily GSPN West Ham podcast. I'm joined by Jacob. Say hi, Jacob.
00:00:16
Jacob
Hello, how are you doing?
00:00:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm doing well, mate. it's We've just come off the back of the Southampton win. That was, I think, a brilliant result for us. The way it kind of sets us up looking into the new year, we've got a difficult run of fixtures. So getting you know a win before this tough run, I think, was so important because it it shows that we are able to beat teams that are lower down the league, because you know, we've kind of struggled to put things like that away, you know, like the nil nil draw ah

Upcoming Challenges: Facing Liverpool and City

00:00:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
evidence. And I think it's like a really good example of somewhere where we've not been able to capitalize on games where we should be getting points. um So yeah, generally, pretty happy. what What are your kind of general thoughts about the game?
00:01:02
Jacob
yeah sort of similar feelings to you it was by no means a you know really convincing win um but much needed three points for us like you said we're coming into you know a few tough games with with livable next um it's really hard to imagine us getting basically anything from them we saw the way they picked apart Tottenham the other day. um And yeah, we we kind of just just needed that three points to give us a little bit of a cushion to so go into the tougher games and maybe not put as much as much pressure on the team um to expect them to perform when you know we're coming up against the league leaders. um We know how good they've been. So yeah, I'm happy with that result that we got. i'm We weren't
00:02:01
Jacob
overly clinical or you know the best we've ever been but it was very important to get the three points and and we did it so.
00:02:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I completely agree. The performance itself wasn't amazing, but it wasn't bad and it was, you know, a decent performance from some players, you know, think Jeroboan had a really good game like he always does being the the person who was was able to actually get us the goal. um Eight points from four games. I'm really happy with that. To be honest, you know, it's fixtures where we are kind of expected to get points which maybe makes it slightly less of an achievement but you know with the the start to the season that we've had going four games without a loss I think is is really important and it's
00:02:36
Jacob
Yeah.
00:02:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think it does show a bit of progression. It shows that we are improving and the kind of tumultuous form that we showed in the first half of the season, the first first quarter, first third of the season. and Hopefully we've got past that now and we can start to get some more kind of consistent runs of games where we can look good and and get some decent points in.
00:03:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know, with the games that we do have coming up, it's is's going to be tough. So a really good chance for us to, I think, hopefully try and play with a little bit less pressure.

Injury Concerns: Kilman and Fabiansky

00:03:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think, you know, when you're not expected to get anything out of these games, you know, we're playing Liverpool and then we're playing City and then I think we're playing Aston Villa.
00:03:13
Jacob
Mm hmm.
00:03:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
um in a row i think it's then for them after that which will be hopefully a slightly easier game but those are three really tough games so i hope that we just go into them not expecting anything if we go into these next three games going realistically we're not going to get any points so let's just try and play freely let's try and work on what we're trying to achieve with the tactical system and then hopefully we can you know get a couple of points from somewhere because i think right now city are as bad as they have been in the past you know five years so If there's ever a time to get some points out of them, it's now and Asavilla also haven't looked amazing, you know, pretty sure they just lost to Newcastle. So another chance where if we are able to bring it, then I think we should be able to get some points. um Let's talk about the game specifically. I guess the first thing that happened that was eventful in the game was the Max Kilman injury. Talk to me about that.
00:04:09
Jacob
Yeah, it seemed to be possibly something that was already causing them issues. I'm not 100% sure on that. um But yeah, it looked like a shoulder problem. It doesn't look, well, hopefully it doesn't look like it's going to be something that's going to keep them out long term or, you know, hopefully yeah at most a game or two. But It's a big miss if we're not able to have him for Liverpool um because that basically leaves us with only Mavropanos and Tadebo.
00:04:46
Jacob
That isn't enough, to be honest. um As good as they both are, you know you can't only have two centre backs available.
00:04:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
where thing is that
00:04:56
Jacob
We've seen that with other teams as well. how

Opportunities for Young Players

00:04:59
Jacob
how that's affected them. um I'm trying to think who who the team was um referring to, but I can't right now.
00:05:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
It could be Manchester City.
00:05:08
Jacob
um Yeah, I think it was Wolves.
00:05:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
I know they've got a lot of defensive injuries.
00:05:14
Jacob
Was it Wolves?
00:05:17
Jacob
I think it was Wolves, and they're just basically left in a position where they're having to play non-defense minded players in defense and you know it's not good for them. It leaves them so open. And yeah, we we started with only three as it was. So this kind of scenario was was always bound to happen at some point. So um Kilman will be a big miss if he's not available. um He's been one of our best players and you know one of the most reliable.
00:05:52
Jacob
so yeah hopefully it's not too serious it didn't look too bad but the you know the Fabiansky one on the other hand you know looked a bit more worrying and we've seen you know good reports afterwards so i don't think there's anything untoward or anything to really worry about i think it was just a ah nasty collision um and they they had to take the necessary precautions to, you know, basically protect him. um I would have thought Ariana would probably start the next game though with that in mind. um But yeah, we haven't heard a huge amount more about it. Have you heard anything else on that?
00:06:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, I think it's, a lot of it is precautionary, isn't it? You know, when when a player does have a big collision, which leads to them getting some sort of head injury, they're going to take every precaution to make sure that if it is serious or it's maybe more serious than it looks, they're not doing any more damage. So, you know, the fact that he was stretched off doesn't necessarily mean that it is as bad as it first appears. Yeah, I've not heard too much. I think it is just going to be some sort of concussion protocol, I guess. So probably a couple of weeks.
00:07:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
um hopefully it's nothing more than that and he should be back in a couple of weeks but yeah like we say that the conversations we've had about the ability to have two goalkeepers that we are so comfortable starting games is obviously coming up dividends right now because you know Fabianzky who's been playing well gets injured then we were able to bring on someone who's equally as good you know so the fact that we are in that position i think is really
00:07:03
Jacob
Yeah.
00:07:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Fortunate because there are a lot of teams in the league that if they lose lose their first choice keeper Their second choice is not very good. So So yeah, that's that's generally good. It is slightly worrying that the injuries are starting to crop up because we have we definitely have depth in some positions, but like you talk about, depth in defence is definitely an issue. And if we do get any more injuries, it's likely that we probably see Alvarez move into the defence or we see Keelan Casey get some more game time.
00:07:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
so i I hope that we we give the youth some game time. I think Casey is promising. you know he's He's a ah big tall guy. He's not necessarily the most muscular yet. but you know, he'd done a lot of good things in the youth teams and our youth teams have been decent over the past few years.
00:08:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
So I wouldn't ah wouldn't hate it if he did get some minutes. And I think it would actually probably be smart to give him some minutes, you know, late in games just to try and warm him into playing in the Premier League.
00:08:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Because if we, like, you know, like we say, if we get another injury to any one of the centre backs, it then leads us with basically just one. And ah you so,
00:08:35
Jacob
Yeah.
00:08:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
maybe kind of teasing him into it preemptively, I think would would be a really smart thing to do. um Okay, we're gonna go to our first advert and when we get back, we are gonna talk about the second half of that game.
00:09:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, so as we move into the second half of the game um it was

Southampton's Unexpected Performance

00:09:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was a really weird game because Southampton I think and in this game looked a lot better than they actually have done in a lot of other games because they've been steamrolled quite frequently but I thought they actually did all right in large amounts of the game. It wasn't necessarily that we were just poor. I think they were were playing at a relatively high level. I think the one thing that is alarming is the amount of expected goals that we've
00:09:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
conceded to them. So I XG against his 1.4, which against someone like Southampton just isn't really good enough. Like, obviously it's being a little bit harsh because we won the game and I don't think there was really any point where we were under massive amounts of pressure. But, you know, if they had better strikers, because I don't think Oliwachi was great in this game, to be honest, he's a big lad and he's good at kind of shielding the ball and winning the knock-ons. But other than that, I don't think you've really showed a lot. If there's a half decent striker, I think they do get a lot more success in front of goal. um what What do you make of Southampton in this game?
00:10:25
Jacob
um Yeah, I think probably

Bowen's Decisive Goal

00:10:28
Jacob
that is one of the best we've seen them play. um They have more big chances than us, they have more possession than us and that is possibly something they haven't really had this season at all. So, you know, obviously they didn't come away with anything from the game but for them, they were probably happy to see, you know, actually getting some chances from it. um And yeah, I think it really could have gone either way. I think the game could have gone either way. And we were fortunate that we've got certain players who are able to take their chances, you know, full crew finally getting
00:11:13
Jacob
you know, a goal contribution and with the assist, with the flick on to Bowen. And that's probably something that they lacked having that, you know, that cutting edge where the big chances they had, they were just wasteful. And luckily but with one of the chances we had, we weren't. So it's kind of been like that with a lot of our games where it's come down to one moment where we've nicked it or we've, you know, held on because the other team hasn't been clinical enough or, you know, someone like Bowen or Kudos can pull something out of the bag to, you know, to give us the points or to get us a draw. Um, and yeah, that was much the same against Southampton where, you know, at the end of the day, there, there are team that have just come up from this championship. A lot of those players.
00:12:10
Jacob
played the championship last year as well. So i'm yeah, I think we just we just basically stuck it out and you know got the goal. And I think had we not, and we would have gone into this Liverpool game feeling a lot worse about ourselves, feeling, you know, if we couldn't If we can't get anything against Southampton, then we basically stand no chance against Liverpool um because they basically dominate everybody they play at the moment and we are still lacking in some confidence and and some identity. So I'm pleased with it. I don't want to get carried away because we weren't amazing. You know, we still seem to
00:12:55
Jacob
not be able to score more than sort of one or two goals at a push in any given game. So I think we take we take it for now and pray that something comes from the Liverpool game and we can, you know, nick something and go from there basically.
00:13:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I completely agree. I'd like to talk about the goal a little bit more because if I think that's the difference when you know you've you've got a game that's not necessarily on an eye-fetch but no one's really taking control. It's the the players that have that little bit of quality and the the kind of mindset to be in the right place at the right time that is able to get you over the edge when you know that edge isn't necessarily evident.
00:13:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
And the fact that it is Jared Bowen that gets the goal for us, I think it's so typical of that. We've seen that so many times with him. you know It seems like basically every week we go, wow, wasn't Jared Bowen amazing?
00:13:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
um you know He's got us the points in this game and he has done it so many times in the future.
00:13:53
Jacob
Mm hmm.
00:13:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Also, the like you mentioned, the full group assist, I think is also so important because you know since his pretty extensive time out with injury, here He's had, you know, a couple of um substitute appearances and a couple of stars and he he hasn't necessarily set the world on fire, but he has ah showed like little glimpses I think of quality when it comes to being calm under pressure and being in the right places and doing the things that you want a quality striker to do. So I'm really glad that he was able to register and assist for us because it
00:14:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
hopefully it kind of opens the floodgates and allows him to kind of continue to build um on what he's hopefully going to continue to do for us. um How do you feel like that assist helps Fulcrum going forward this season?
00:14:48
Jacob
um

Fulkrug's Return and Influence

00:14:49
Jacob
yeah I think obviously with the with the player of his actual calibre and you know where he's come from you know playing for Germany and playing for a big team like Dortmund you're always going to get something from him and yeah I mean obviously we're still waiting on the goal um but I think that that that should come just with playing basically. I don't think anybody's particularly worried that he's you know not capable of having an impact. He certainly can. um He is in some respects a similar player to Antonio where he is a target man. He's not necessarily going to be able to work as hard as Antonio or
00:15:43
Jacob
um hold the ball up as well as Antonio, you know, but what he does have is the finishing ability and the, you know, the eye for goal, which I think Antonio lacks. You know, he's obviously scored us a lot of important goals in the past, but for Krug, you know, yeah we've seen what he what he's done for Dortmund. So there's no reason he can't bring that into his game with us as well. We just need to give him some service and also give him a run of games to show to show that. I know he's not the youngest and coming into the Premier League at his age isn't going to be the easiest thing to do with the with the speed and aggression difference to light that the the German league. um But I have no doubt he'll he'll get a couple soon, I'm sure of it.
00:16:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I completely agree. Obviously he has already scored for us. He's scored in the the Leicester game when we lost 3-1. He came on really late and did.
00:16:44
Jacob
Oh, yeah. Yeah.
00:16:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
But yeah, like, like, yeah, I hadn't even thought about it.
00:16:46
Jacob
Yeah, I put that I think I put that one out of my mind.
00:16:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, exactly. I was completely the same. Like the fact that we lost that game, it kind of weren't really able to so celebrate his first goal for us, which is slightly annoying.
00:16:52
Jacob
Yeah.
00:16:56
Jacob
yeah Yeah.
00:16:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I think that's why you forgot about it. And I kind of had as well.
00:17:01
Jacob
Yeah.
00:17:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
But yeah, it's, I want him to score and I want us to win and I want to be able to say, wow, this is the player that we've been missing through injury. you know and And I think that will come. We just do need to be patient with it because when you're injured for so long and you know he is a slightly older player and adjusting to a new league isn't the easiest anyway. So when you get injured straight away and then have a load of time on the sideline, it must play an absolute havoc with your mindset and you know, your like ability to process what's happening because he probably thought, yeah, we'll get there straight away. We'll play all these games. It'll be really good. But it's been very stunted and the club has not, you know, been in the best position in terms of kind of mood around what's been happening on the pitch and off the pitch. All the manager conversation doesn't make that any easier as well. So yeah, I have confidence that when he does
00:17:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
when it does start to click, it will then just only exponentially increase. um Okay, we're gonna go to our second advert and when we get back, we're gonna talk about where Westam is generally and maybe have a little look in the January transfer window and see if we've got any ideas about where we need to strengthen. them
00:18:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
So another thing that I've realized is this is the first podcast in such a long time where we haven't spoken about Lopategi. It's pretty incredible to be honest.
00:18:44
Jacob
Yeah, but um um I'm guessing that means we are going to now and then.
00:18:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
i
00:18:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes, yeah, yeah.
00:18:50
Jacob
Okay, okay.
00:18:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think it's kind of testament to the

Lopategi's Future with West Ham

00:18:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
the slight increase in positivity around what's been happening. You know, its it has been so rough and so up and down.
00:19:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
So the fact that we have got eight points from four games is really positive. It's a step in the right direction and it maybe seems like we've turned a corner touch wood.
00:19:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't want to, you know, get into that too quickly because it is only four games and
00:19:15
Jacob
Mm.
00:19:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
You know, we we drew a couple of games that we probably could have won. So, you know, not necessarily the best, but it's a lot better than what we have been experiencing up until now. So generally really happy, happy full opportunity as well, because he doesn't give the vibe of oh I'm just here for a paycheck and I don't really care or I'm using it as a stepping stone. It seems like he does care a lot and you know when he when you see him do interviews and stuff and the way he is on the sidelines he's quite a passionate guy and the camera's always cutting to him in the games like calling players over and giving them instructions which you know obviously every manager does that but
00:19:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
I just get this kind of vibe that he wants to be here, which I think is is really positive. So the fact that it is getting a little bit better is really good. What do you think about the whole Lopategi and Lopategi out stuff now? Do you think it's gone for now or you think it's just kind of only being put underneath the carpet for a little bit and it's going to rear its head very soon?
00:20:20
Jacob
Yeah, it is nice to not be focusing on that at the moment and and focusing more on the football. um'm I don't think this necessarily means that the ah conversation around his job is is going to stop from this point forward because at the end of the day it's still not been what any of us had hoped or expected to get out of this season because realistically, we we shouldn't be in know and a worse position than last year and we shouldn't be having conversations in December about, you know, have we got the right man for the job, really. So I think those conversations may come back um depending on, you know, if the results take a dip again and
00:21:18
Jacob
I don't know it's really tough to say at the moment because we're in this sort of stage where we picked up some points and everything feels good but that can change very quickly and we've seen it for other teams as well how quickly it can change and how the fans can turn you know when they see something they don't like and I think he's given himself a little bit of a ah cushion picking up points against teams where we should really. And then, you know, as long as we don't embarrass ourselves against Liverpool, which, you know, I, I really hope doesn't happen, but genuinely could imagine it. You know, it's, it's really sad to think it, but they are so good and, and we may not have Max Killman and Ariola hasn't played in, in what
00:22:15
Jacob
five games something like that four or five probably and it does worry me a little bit but i think for now he's he's probably feeling a lot better and i think probably from what i've heard as well i don't know how true it is the players have started to um sort of accept him a little bit more and you know we saw that with the who was it was it piqueta that that went off and celebrated with him
00:22:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah well start right with
00:22:41
Jacob
Yeah. So that, that kind of shows that they have, they still have faith in him and there's obviously some sort of connection and it's nice to see because, you know, it's one thing, the fans going against the manager, but the players is a, is a completely different story.
00:22:58
Jacob
That's when it becomes toxic and we have no hope basically.
00:22:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I want to celebrate with them.
00:23:03
Jacob
So I think for now we're in a good spot and I think we should just try and made the best of it and try and get as much out of the season as we can you know however mid-table we're probably going to end up being um yeah we just have to go with it and pray for the best
00:23:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I think that's the right attitude to have, to be honest. You know, it it's very easy to get really down and be really pessimistic about what the rest of the season is going to kind of have for us. so these sort of transition seasons do happen and you know we've been really lucky that we've been as successful as we have been in the past few years you know like consistently playing in Europe winning a European trophy that's a huge step up to what we used to so coming back down to reality isn't always the best but
00:23:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know these things do happen and if we can just try and can just improving basically is ah is all that I'm asking for. I think if if every week, if every game we can show little bits of improvement so then you know when it does get to next season we can really push on and regain those European spots because that is kind of you know where we want to be.
00:24:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
And this kind of leads me on to January, because with all of this talk about, you know, thinking La Pategi is probably going to stay now and what the rest of the season holds, what do you think we need to be looking for in January? Because,

Transfer Market Strategy

00:24:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know, with with the injury stuff that we talked about, it's clear that we have to make some signings. What do you think we need to do? And what where do you think specifically we need to strengthen?
00:24:43
Jacob
Yeah, I think they're definitely going to have to explore the the Striker market um with you know ah currently our only available strikers being Falkrug and Danny Ings, which obviously isn't the end of the world and it's they can both do us a job and I'm sure Falkrug will slowly start to prove why we bought him. But I still don't think it's quite enough when you look at some of the other teams and the depth that they've got in that position. um You know, like, for example, Aston Villa have got there the ability to bench Ollie Watkins because they've got John Duran playing so well. um I know he's literally just got a red card, but
00:25:36
Jacob
You know, that's irrelevant. And you've got the likes of Chelsea, or who can choose between like Unkunku and Zhao Felix and you know, Nicholas Jackson, basically. And I'm not suggesting that we're going to build a strike force like any of those at the moment. and But if we sign up a striker, we have the ability to play whoever's playing well and We don't want to get back to the situation where we're relying on one person to to turn up for us, because that doesn't always happen. And especially when you've got two strikers who are above the age of 30 and have barely played this season at all, both of them, Ings, probably at this point less than Paul Krugman has, I would have thought. um In terms of actual game minutes, ah but I would think Ings probably has less.
00:26:35
Jacob
um And yeah, that is worrying. So I think definitely that is something we're going to have to explore. And then also probably another centre back, unless we can bring Agouard back from his loan. I don't think that will happen, but um and another centre back is needed. You know, you can't really have a whole season of only three centre backs, I don't think.
00:27:04
Jacob
um And yeah, we'll see. I think the stroke is a lot more likely just because of the, you know, the injury to Antonio. um And yeah I can't see us wanting to spend a huge amount more money than we already have. So I think it will be only essential players at the same time, they're going to want to rescue this season. So.
00:27:30
Jacob
Yeah, I could see it. I could see another struggle even in, you know, just a alone, just somebody proven to bring in to, to, you know, keep everyone happy.
00:27:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it's going to be really interesting window, isn't it? Because you know it I think it's strange how we arguably had the best window, but now we're in a position where we still need signings.
00:27:49
Jacob
Mm hmm.
00:27:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't know if that if that's kind of evident of maybe we didn't have as good of a chance window as we thought we did, or is it just how difficult the Premier League is now when the level is so high and the competition is so intense that players just are going to get injured?
00:27:52
Jacob
Mm hmm.
00:27:59
Jacob
Yeah.
00:28:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
i think maybe more frequently and more seriously than they have done in previous seasons, I don't know. um But yeah, both both of those areas are definitely key for us, I think. If it's me, I think we need to look at youth, we need to look elsewhere in the world, maybe in just the championship.
00:28:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
just let's find some exciting younger players who are ready to make that step up and i think because we do have quality when everyone's fit the starting 11 kind of you know decides itself it's just when players aren't fit that we need people that are going to be happy to sit on the bench for a ah decent amount of time and then when they do get their opportunity they're ready to take it exactly like the summer bill signing you know he he sat on the bench for quite a lot at the beginning of the season. And then as soon as he got his opportunity, he played really well. I think now he's gone up in everyone's estimations and the conversation about whether he should start or not has massively increased. We weren't really having those sort of discussions at the beginning of the season because it was always, oh, you know, Kudos is Kudos, so he has to start. But then now it's like, oh, well, who actually has been playing better? And I think there may be arguments that some of you has played better than Kudos this season. It's a conversation to have.
00:29:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
So the fact that that transfers kind of worked out in our favour, I think we need to be looking to replicate that in a striker and a centre back, to be honest. I don't think it's worth us buying a striker that's old because we've always done that. We've always bought players that are past their best and they come to West Ham and they kind of have a bit of a jolly round and and never really that great you know like the the patrice ever signing is probably the the one that i highlight most because he was terrible for us he was not good and he was just passed it and it's nothing against
00:29:46
Jacob
Yeah. Yeah. I can think of, I can think of several like Arbeloa and Zabeleta and people like that.
00:29:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hernandez I thought was okay, Chicharito, he was okay, like just about not terrible, but like he wasn't, didn't set the world on fire while he was with us, you know?
00:29:57
Jacob
Yeah. as you Yeah.
00:30:06
Jacob
No.
00:30:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
And we've done that so much. And I just don't think we can be the team to do that anymore. And when you look at the teams that are being successful, that were in the kind of lower to mid table mediocrity that have taken that step up, you know, your Brighton's and this season's, your Bournemouths and Brentford haven't necessarily been that good this season, but they've been decent.
00:30:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
they're signing young players from ah more obscure places and they're turning them into great players and I think that's something that we have the ability to do like if if other teams can do it then why can't we you know so I definitely think that signing some youth signing some players that you know want to make that step up but potentially happy to not necessarily start every game I think that's if it was me making the decisions that's the route I'd go and I think with signings like that we'd have such a rounded squad because we'd have age, we'd have experience, we'd have people that are exciting, we have more level heads and we've got those kind of frumed players that are willing to kind of fight for their plays which
00:31:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think sets us up really nicely to a ah strong second half of the season. And so I also don't see any reason as to why we can't try and push for the lower European places, to be honest. Because if you look at this table, it is still very compact. like There's not a huge amount of points going either the way.
00:31:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know, and if you get a good run of form and you beat a couple of teams you're not expecting to

Aiming for European Spots

00:31:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
beat, you then find yourself just rising up the table a lot quicker than I think people realize can happen. So yeah, the season definitely isn't over. And I think if we can make some good signings, the form can continue getting positive. but There's definitely a positive way forward.
00:31:43
Jacob
Yeah, a hundred percent. So I think, uh, we'll wrap it up there. So thank you very much for listening to this episode of the daily GSP and West Ham podcast. Say goodbye, Tom.
00:31:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Goodbye, guys.
00:31:57
Jacob
um Please rate this podcast five stars and check out all of our social media that's linked below. um Also there's loads of other GSPN network podcasts. We've got fantasy football, ballll women's football, wrap-up pods in multiple languages and there is all the other Premier League teams daily podcasts as well. Thank you for listening and we'll speak to you soon.