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Episode 266: Match Review: Dropped points? vs Watford
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Southampton – Points dropped? Chances missed? Is it all doom and gloom? I have positives to take.... lets hope we can heading into the next game...
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Transcript
Introductions and Low Energy
00:00:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome back to the Daily Southampton part of the Global Sports Podcast Network. My name is Greg Elliott and as always today joined by my wonderful friend and magnificent co-host Zach Inger Finch.
00:00:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
How you doing mate? You alright?
00:00:28
Zak
Yeah, that's too bad, mate. I've had an extremely busy weekend, my energy is low. Real tired. But we did have a football game yesterday, one that I did manage to catch some of in a perfectly normal way.
Game Analysis and Setbacks
00:00:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Your holiday holiday home out in the Palmers or something, yeah?
00:00:47
Zak
Yep. Not Bahamas, mate. It's not that fancy. It's just France.
00:00:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
This one's... All right, yeah. No, that's that's good. It's nice. Look, I... Unfortunately, i was in Watford, but for non-footballing reasons, it turns out.
00:00:58
Zak
Yeah.
00:01:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
But I've caught up with the extended highlights and read some of the reviews of the game, and... Just, I mean... You know, we talk about how some draws feel like a win and some feel like a loss. This feels more like a loss, right? This feels like points dropped more than more than it should.
00:01:21
Zak
Yeah, but I think that's that's kind of your point. It is more than than it should. And I think that it's because silly little mistakes are constantly what cost us and not taking our chances, which I'm pretty sure if you strip those words out of all of the episodes of this podcast we've ever done, probably make up about 20% of it.
00:01:42
Zak
Because genuinely, it's just a reoccurring thing that that consistently happens. And I think that you know, we were forced into a the sort of really early change.
00:01:56
Zak
And what i mean by that is before the game even started, because don't know, by the sounds of it, Flynn caught something that apparently has already been going around the team, right? That's why I read between the lines of stills.
00:02:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
but Man just has the immune system of, like, does his wife work in a nursery? Because that's the only, like...
00:02:14
Zak
It gives off, like,
00:02:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like, but I get that ill that often. But, like...
00:02:18
Zak
Right, it gives off the kind of vibes of like, whatever, like, you know, you clearly he tried to push through, couldn't. It showed you how much of his influence we missed. And by that, I mean, even when he had off days, like against Norwich, having Shea Charles kind of try to do it all on his own a little bit today proved how difficult that is. And maybe that is an area we need to reinforce. Although did kind of surprise me that he kind of moved Robinson into midfield when we had Masuki there.
00:02:48
Zak
And obviously, he eventually did come on. And then even he struggled. Because again, we really struggled with...
00:02:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's a different different caliber or different role of midfielder, right?
00:02:56
Zak
Yeah.
00:02:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
They're not equal midfield roles.
00:02:59
Zak
For sure. and like And straight straight away, like as well as, although helping to win the ah ah penalty that got us you know to to lead for the second time in the game...
00:03:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's he a
00:03:11
Zak
He did also then immediately get a yellow, I want to say, like two or three minutes later, having to take out a player because physically Watford were just significantly stronger. And they they showed that throughout the entirety of the game. They just bullied us off of the ball quite quite a lot. But, you know, i think that if we talk about how good...
00:03:30
Zak
Manning's goal was, and then we try and be blame Baz for the second goal. Yeah, okay. In both situations, Baz probably should have done a bit better. I do feel like there is a Vendera against him.
00:03:40
Zak
It's like, it was a good goal.
00:03:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
now or read your
00:03:42
Zak
Like, it's
00:03:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
I read some criticism online and I ah read what you were saying about the goal and I watched the the highlights I've seen the goal and by point of fact, if the goal goes in over the top of the wall, that is not the goalkeeper's fault.
00:04:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right? Like,
00:04:04
Zak
just a good goal.
00:04:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
It went over the wall. It was just like, it was a quality free kick.
00:04:07
Zak
it was it was It was a good goal people cross.
00:04:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
The wall, you can't, you can't, you can't fault the wall. They jumped as as hot best as they could. The ball just managed to go up and over the wall. Fair enough.
00:04:16
Zak
Yeah, I think people were cross about people
00:04:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
But you can't, you can't expect the keeper to get there. It's just not.
00:04:21
Zak
were cross about organisation in bits and pieces, but again, it's like if we hadn't put ourselves into silly situations like that, even at one point, Damien Downs had to run back.
00:04:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:04:32
Zak
I've got carded you know, we we are.
00:04:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm. see See, that's the thing that the highlights didn't show is how we gave away that free kick, because which is what I presume was silly about the goal because, i mean, that's a an important position.
00:04:44
Zak
Yeah, this, this, this is where I'm at is it's, it's when it comes to sort of our defence are still quite shaky. And i don't know if that's book you know i don't I don't know if that's
Team Performance and Player Focus
00:04:55
Zak
because we're playing sort of this five of the back, which I know that you don't think it's a five of the back and we've discussed that, but clearly it's not preferred to how we'd want to set up.
00:05:04
Zak
We're doing it because of, you know, the way that the team is currently. That hopefully, by the looks of things, are going to change. We're going to start to try and bring more personality in. but But ultimately, you know, Manning's goal was absolutely fantastic.
00:05:18
Zak
And their second goal was absolutely fantastic. Their first goal, we shouldn't have really given away, but we did. And, you know, we are learning to score from set pieces, which is significantly better than we've managed previously, right?
00:05:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, exactly. And and also, we're doing better in in the league so far this season than we were doing in our promotion season.
00:05:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
So it's not panic stations.
00:05:44
Zak
Yeah, just i just i I understand. People people wanted to do better. People probably expected to
00:05:53
Zak
but People probably expected more. I think people were hoping that we would go into the Pompey game off the back of being top of the table and winning a bunch of stuff. like It's taken a while. like we're still We're still trimming the fat. We're still...
00:06:06
Zak
you know, bringing in new players and new faces. You know, we had a debut. Finn Bazaz looked really good.
00:06:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's good.
00:06:15
Zak
You know, he drove forward a lot.
00:06:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
I saw he had a ah ah half-decent shot from what I think was a pretty awkward chance, to be honest.
00:06:18
Zak
Archer... Yeah.
00:06:23
Zak
Yeah. Yeah, and a couple a couple of times, again, it was just like not having the right position and the not required power. But again, the shooting is far better than we've done previously. Archer had a good game for the first half, and then second half, he kind of just stepped off the gas a little bit. and I don't know if that's just because he's knackered, because he's not got match fitness.
00:06:42
Zak
Again, like he's from the...
00:06:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Probably. not really played regular minutes.
00:06:45
Zak
it it's It's one of those things where like, do you just say it's because part of them are part of the part of the Martin cohort and are still trying to get up to speed?
00:06:55
Zak
That theoretically could be part of it.
00:06:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah, but not only that, like he he hasn't played regularly for us at all at any point. it like He just needs minutes. like he just He scored now 2-2, hope that that maintains, and then we'll see, hopefully, his fitness grow off the back of that as well, because he's just not been given the chance to play, and he I feel like he's one of those players that needs that to to motivate him and drive him off.
00:07:17
Zak
yeah
00:07:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:07:19
Zak
i think I think you're you're right. but The problem is is, how many chances do you get? Because we did... but He scored, what, like in the Premier League campaign, he scored two and two that one time, right? He scored at Arsenal and then he scored like the game before whatever. The problem is, I'm relatively sure, he did have a run of like seven or eight games and those were the only two goals he scored. So the problem is, is that what do you do? Do you keep him in that position the whole time?
00:07:39
Zak
If he is scoring, sure. Like, okay, he scored you know two and two. So yeah, probably should make the next game. But it's one of those...
00:07:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mate, based on my predictions, now he's due for a 40-goal season.
00:07:50
Zak
And I think that's that's where a lot of the fear amongst the fan base lies, right? Understandably so, is that like, oh, we should have gotten a different striker. And it's like, well, the problem is, is that there's no guarantee that we're going to... is You've summed that up before.
00:08:04
Zak
If it was easy as we just go out and chuck money... and like a 40 goal a season striker, everyone would do it, right? You're seeing that, you're seeing, oh but look at Liverpool and the ESAC thing, right?
00:08:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:08:15
Zak
Look at the, like you know, even Manchester United and like bringing Sesco, cost them, we don't have 80 million to spend. We don't have the money to... you know People are talking, oh, what about Josh Sargent?
00:08:26
Zak
There's tons of reasons why we might not have gone it. He might not be interested in leaving. We might have put a bid in it was immediately
Transfer Impacts and Squad Planning
00:08:31
Zak
rejected. there are you know Also, we're not tactically planning this squad. So ah find it bizarre when we just people sort of pluck names out of the sky.
00:08:40
Zak
And yeah, Josh Sargent's a good player. I would happily have him here. But the idea that we are just able to not deal with the cards that we've been dealt. And I feel like...
00:08:50
Zak
If they are happy with the squad they're building with the strikers they have and they are convinced it is just a confidence issue, which you know me and you have talked about a lot, it will come but we'll go on from there.
00:09:03
Zak
If we end up...
00:09:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
let me pose that Let me pose the counter question to that then, right, mate? Because we saw Cameron Archer score in the week a beautiful goal against Norwich. And, you know, let's be honest, both of our teams were rotated.
00:09:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Let's not, you know, beat around the bush.
00:09:15
Zak
that's it.
00:09:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
But he scored that goal and it was wonderful, beautiful goal. If he hadn't scored that goal, do you think he has the confidence to just put his boot through this shot, fall into him and it goes in today?
00:09:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Because I'm not convinced.
00:09:28
Zak
Well, i maybe. like Again, I feel like it is more of a tap-in than anything else, but also we've shown that we've struggled
00:09:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
You've still got be in the right position to tap it in. oh like or hate
00:09:41
Zak
and and we've also shown we've missed tap-ins.
00:09:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think yeah ah ah think that it's only a tap-in might be my most hated phrase in football because so much of of the game, yeah, you've got to be there, but also you've got to be there, right?
00:09:49
Zak
A tap-in requires you to be there, right?
00:09:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
How many did we say Ross Stewart missed by inches last week? like
00:09:59
Zak
I don't know, like 30. It feels like it.
00:10:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. It's like, you know, and then was it Matty Fernandez last week who
00:10:02
Zak
but but we
00:10:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, it was who got one over the bar from like two yards out. No, it was Flynn Downs. Like, it's just... It's happening. It's still a goal. Like, you've got to be in the right position and build up to get there.
00:10:17
Zak
we we had We had shots.
00:10:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:10:19
Zak
We had shots on target. right We had attempts from outside the box. like All of the the game... It was okay, right? And what happened is we got punished by we got punished on the counter-attack again.
00:10:30
Zak
And, you know, you can see from the fact that, you know, I think everyone's kind of in agreement that Shea Charles without a physical partner like Downs in the centre is difficult. I already saw a Football Martin talking about bringing Romay back. I think we we need to stop doing that.
00:10:44
Zak
think we're not going to bring back 38-year-old players at this point. That's that's me. I'm pretty sure Romay is like 33. But, like, again, it's...
00:10:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, all of the players we've been linked with, if he were to come back on like a reasonable wage, like not like an astronomical wage, I mean, then it would be really tricky every week to decide which player I'm putting a pound on to get booked, him or Flynn Downs.
00:10:52
Zak
i
00:10:59
Zak
He would be the one that would probably get the most... Yeah, you're right.
00:11:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's where I'm at.
00:11:10
Zak
Both, and you'd probably make a fortune, mate, is is where I'm at.
00:11:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like...
00:11:12
Zak
But you can see from how many cards we picked up in the game as well, mate, like how... how many sort of late challenges we had to put in and how, you know, there was work that had to be done to deal with how much they hit us on the counter.
00:11:26
Zak
And, you know, eventually it was going to come good and it did twice, you know, and I know that one of them was a free kick, but that was still given away from the fact that we struggled to deal with that.
00:11:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you.
00:11:35
Zak
So I think it's more of a not taking chances, the defence is still a little bit shaky and it's going to be considering we had our worst season of all time last season and some of those players are still here.
00:11:46
Zak
In fact, most of that back line are the same back line bar Bednarek at the moment. You know, Wood, Harwood, Bellis and Stephens were all players that played in that Premier League season. So, ah So, ah you know, maybe, as I said, maybe we need to bring in another centre-back to kind of sort of calm that down but as as of today we've we've uh signed watch alert from galatasaray on loan and uh somehow somewhere we've managed to convince another team that ben berreton diaz is a professional football player and he has gone loan to derby and we've still got ah probably another crazy busy 24 hours that i'm really looking forward to being awake until midnight full
00:12:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:12:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:12:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm. It's going to be great. Right, look, this feels like a nice logical point to take a break and hear a message from our partners at Bionique.
00:12:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you.
Fan Expectations and Squad Dynamics
00:13:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, and we are back. The very technical hitch of my headphones dying withstanding, I'm still here. i made it work. I pulled it off. Look,
00:13:26
Zak
Man, if only if only you knew that we had a daily podcast every day that you need to prepare for time.
00:13:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
but but you right look I have a spare headset on hand.
00:13:35
Zak
it
00:13:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Let's just be grateful for that, all right?
00:13:39
Zak
I am grateful for that. You're right.
00:13:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
but Much like that, I think there are positives to take from this game, right? And I know that I didn't manage to watch the full 90 minutes to to necessarily feel as down and and struck about But look, we we went in front, we scored two goals, and you know this isn't going to be our starting lineup in a week in you know in two weeks' time.
00:14:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
We've got players that didn't manage to register in time that are going help with some of those problems as well. And just, it looks like we created so many more chances than, you know, historically we have been.
00:14:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
And if we'd just put a few of them to bed, I think that's probably why it's so upsetting, right? Is because this is, it's starting to feel like it's coming together and we should be winning these games.
00:14:24
Zak
Yes.
00:14:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
and And we're still not quite getting over the line.
00:14:31
Zak
i think I think that's... There are some people I've seen ah i've seen all opinions raving from, that was actually a really good game. That was probably our best half of football ever, which is probably, you know, or at least...
00:14:41
Zak
best half a long time and first half probably agree. And then I'm seeing opinions like still has done nothing. The team's the same as it was. I'm like, partly, yeah, a lot of the team is still the same as it was.
00:14:53
Zak
That's true up until like get the other day where we replaced most of them and half of them have left. It's, yeah, it's, the it's that horrible. Again, i just feel like the window should close before it open before scene opens, the season opens.
00:15:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right? Because this is...
00:15:07
Zak
Cause it's just so disruptive.
00:15:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's because this is like a ah pre-season, right? Pre-season wasn't real, and now this is like pre-season because you don't know what the squad's like. And what that unfortunately means is that our first real game of the season is going to be the South Coast Derby.
00:15:24
Zak
Yeah, and then we've had like, you know, think of our our last promotion season where we had James McProwse and then he was gone. And then we had Livermento and he was gone. We started the season with Teller and then Teller disappeared almost overnight to Leverkusen.
00:15:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hmm.
00:15:36
Zak
And everyone was like, oh, that's mad. And Romero Lavia, who we really hoped to get a hold of. And then he went. it was It was like we got absolutely ripped apart. And then by the last day, we didn't really know what was going on.
00:15:48
Zak
And then eventually the squad that we had was the squad that we had. And there were some people who we were mad, you know, people kind of annoyed, oh, we brought Ryan Fraser. Really, that's not going to turn out too well. Like, he's had a really bad attitude elsewhere. and And then there were people we were really excited for that that didn't work out too well.
00:16:04
Zak
And then, you know, umm using our last season because so i think if I talk about, sorry, our last championship season, if I talk about our Premier League season, it's just going to stress me out because that was, you know, we we looked at Ben Brantadier and we thought that was a shrewd deal, mate.
00:16:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, right.
00:16:18
Zak
I'll hold my hands up and say we were wrong about that, but that's what we look like.
00:16:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's that to me, right. that That's what feels different this season, right? Because although yeah we've had players go, feels like feels like it's been part of the plan.
00:16:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like, not necessarily like, oh, we wanted this player to go, like Matty Fernandez, but like, they let him go and have, and have like, almost immediately brought someone in.
00:16:35
Zak
they've they've They've known it the whole time. They knew Fernandes wanted to go.
00:16:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
So that because they were prepared, it's not, you know, it doesn't feel, it feels like there's a proper plan. Whereas like, this time, last championship season, and what?
00:16:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was Russell Martin cooking on his own? Or did we still have Wilcox kicking about at that time? I can't remember, but it felt,
00:16:58
Zak
we We still But
00:16:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
You rushed and panicked, right? Like...
00:17:02
Zak
Looking at Manchester United, i wouldn't say that Wilcox would have made a huge amount of difference. like we we had I feel like in the space of that two years, the Championship has got harder.
00:17:12
Zak
Now, I don't know if I'm just looking through rose-tinted glasses or what, but it it just seems that the quality, if you look at the results across the park, you know, Stoke doing really well, Middlesbrough doing really well, all these clubs that you wouldn't really expect to to kind of be doing numbers are doing numbers.
00:17:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:17:25
Zak
On top of the fact that clubs you'd expect to be doing well, such as Sheffield United, are massively struggling. You know, we were talking about... It's going to be really interesting to see at the end of the championship season where our predictions were and where they've landed.
00:17:38
Zak
Because I think that they're going to be so off the cuff, right? Like, it's it's absolutely mad.
00:17:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, 100%.
00:17:43
Zak
But you're right. it's so almost like the South Coast derby is almost our season opener because of the fact that, yes, we've had a few games. But how many of those players that started in those games are still going to be here?
00:17:54
Zak
Matty Flanders has already gone. that was That was one of them, you know?
00:17:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah Yeah. I mean, if just think about the rumoured signings that we've got coming up and the signings we've had in the last three days alone. if they all come into the starting lineup, which isn't necessarily going to happen, let's be honest, but that's basically half of an outfield team that is brand new and completely different.
00:18:15
Zak
yeah And that's and and a brand, ah but but also have like been proven in the Championship as well. You know, some of them haven't, some of them have, but we brought in like fellows in Azaz who, the reason we brought them in is because of the numbers they've done in the Championship and plus the fact that they are able to da with probably what's going to be thrown at them. We've got a new youth prospect coming through and Jay Robinson, which originally, you know, we wouldn't have really thought much about.
00:18:40
Zak
Rusk was kind enough to introduce him at the end of the Premier League campaign, right? So there's lots of think there are lots of positives to take.
00:18:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you.
00:18:47
Zak
I think it's just that we thought we wanted it to get over the line and we were punished for not getting over the line. And the problem is is that that feels so quote-unquote saints.
00:19:01
Zak
It's what is going to cause people to be annoyed and panic. And they're kind of justified in it, in my opinion. Because again, like what happened, happened.
00:19:11
Zak
And you can't rely... but we don't want to do the thing we did the season before or the the promotion push before which is rely on outscoring the opposition right and we can't do that we need to have a ah so ah ah strong defense and I think that's what I think most people's worry is but there's time for that to grow I think and you know potentially with exits that still might take place we might have time to to add to that
00:19:41
Zak
I just don't think that it's going to be what a lot of people, including us, may have had concerns about, which is the goalkeeping situation. Again, mine isn't necessarily because of Baz. Mine was for depth.
00:19:52
Zak
We technically have that depth in now. I can understand why people are annoyed. I just don't think that, you know, unless Bramsdale pulled off a worldie to stave that, I don't really think there would have been much of
Key Performances and Upcoming Matches
00:20:04
Zak
a different outcome.
00:20:05
Zak
It was just a very, very good free kick from both of us.
00:20:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, mate, I genuinely, I don't but think there maybe three goalkeepers on the planet that get anywhere near it, to be honest. It was genuinely a sensational free kick. and And, you know, obviously I've watched it with the emotion removed because I knew the outcome by the time I watched it, but sometimes you've just got to take your hat off to quality.
00:20:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I mean, if you're going question anything, like I say, question the the the reason we got into that position and gave away the free kick and gave the ball away in that area to get there.
00:20:30
Zak
yeah
00:20:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Because so sometimes a ball's just that good, it's going to go in. And look, I feel like we're going to move on next and talk about Ryan Ward-Prowse.
00:20:38
Zak
yeah
00:20:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
But first, I think we should have a break and hear a message from our partners at Zencastr. Here at the Global Sports Podcast Network, we spent a lot of time selecting our delivery platform.
00:20:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
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00:21:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
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00:21:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
All right, we are back. Uh... make two direct free kicks from two for Ryan Manning. What's going on?
00:21:21
Zak
it It's kind crazy, isn't it? Considering that he went from never having scored a free kick professionally, right? If I remember rightly.
00:21:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:21:30
Zak
And then now he scored he scored two and two. And I feel, again, that this, for me, further backs your confidence point, right? Where he's like, oh, I can actually put them away.
00:21:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:21:39
Zak
And then maybe he puts them away. And that's one of the things that I think that has caused James Will Prowse not do it in the Premier League after leaving us.
00:21:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right. Let's... and unless
00:21:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
And let's take it all the way back, right? Because this is Ryan Manning who got shoe-shoed as, he's not going to be good enough to play for us in the Premier League, to the Ryan Manning that, wow, in this season that's been really woeful, he's probably been one of our most consistent players, at least, like bring something to, oh, Ryan Manning came on and absolutely saved the day to Ryan Manning assisted from the corner and and then scored another worldy free kick.
00:22:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Is he just, what we talked a lot at the start of the season about redemption arcs and man, Ryan Manning is,
00:22:24
Zak
He didn't have a lot... He didn't have a lot necessarily to redeem, mate, as you put it out.
00:22:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, but did anyone see it being him coming through and being like the superstar?
00:22:31
Zak
No, but then... I think that that's how things sometimes play out. People, you know, I still remember, I think it was the season that Nathan Redmond played really well.
00:22:43
Zak
And he went off, I think, that summer to like a private training camp, got himself in the best physical condition he could be in, came in that next season and started, you know, doing really, really well. And sometimes maybe that that that is just, you know, it could be a mentality shift. You know, we do work a tough job where sometimes...
00:23:00
Zak
all of a sudden, everything will click into place in one week and we'll will do the most insane, insane stuff. And, for you know, sometimes i think that happens for footballers as well. But again, like consistency and, you know, he was one of the ones that we were like, oh, well, he was brought over from Swansea from Russell Martin. He was Russell Martin's pal. He's going to be Russell Martin all over and has somehow managed to perform in, ah you know, team under four different managers at this point.
00:23:26
Zak
And yeah, I can't, I don't think it needs to be a redemption arc because he was already redeemed.
00:23:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, you're right.
00:23:32
Zak
But yeah, Ryan Manning, mate.
00:23:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
He is...
00:23:35
Zak
That's where I'm at. Like really happy to see if if it means that our top go scorer ends up being our technically left back scoring absolutely incredible free kicks or assisted every, all the time from set pieces.
00:23:47
Zak
Like we saw, but you know we' still When we covered him, we talked about how he likes to score lot of goals from set pieces. And if that's being you know a part of the game that Ryan Manning getting better at or peaking at, then long may it continue.
00:24:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, unbelievable. all right it's just It brings me absolute joy, honestly. I'm loving seeing it, and long may it continue. I don't know, mate. We've got a couple of weeks now to dust ourselves off and get ready, right?
00:24:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like us and the team, but I mean us. like Are you in the right headspace for this South Coast derby yet? see all so the I've seen the calls for flares and flags already.
00:24:30
Zak
We'll have to...
00:24:35
Zak
yeah yes im Yes and no. Again, I'd have liked us to have a team that had gelled a little bit before. And unfortunately, that's been taken away from us. But we discussed that when the fixture list came out, right?
00:24:46
Zak
We knew it was going to be it was going to be tough.
00:24:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:24:49
Zak
And, you know, i just hope that we don't give away silly... I hope that our passing accuracy improves.
00:25:01
Zak
that's what That's probably my biggest thing, right?
00:25:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:25:04
Zak
Because I think if if it's at home, if the, you know, we've seen in a game today between Liverpool and Arsenal, what, you know, the crowd can do.
00:25:15
Zak
And if we back them and they come out there and they put on a good show and like, you know, can't even, I can't contemplate not winning.
00:25:27
Zak
So I'm just hoping we come out and show why we were in the Premier League last year, even if when we were in the Premier League, we we were the second-worst team of all time. But that's not going to be what it's going to be when we play them. and I think I'll get there, mate.
00:25:44
Zak
I might not be there now. There's a lot of rambling to say.
00:25:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:25:48
Zak
I'll get there. I'll
00:25:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
We've got a lot of minutes of content to come between now and then.
00:25:53
Zak
get there.
00:25:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm going to make sure you're in the mood come game day. I can assure you, mate. We'll be there. Look.
00:26:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's just fine. We had 25 games unbeaten in the championship last time. This time, 25 wins in a row starts with battering Pompey in the South Coast derby.
00:26:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
What more can you ask for?
00:26:15
Zak
Just, yeah. Again, like i think I think what it is, mate, is it was just a game where even you came into it like, wow, we should beat Watford. I think that is what a lot of people felt.
00:26:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:26:26
Zak
And people were annoyed that that wasn't the outcome. And you're right. It was mainly just small mistakes. And i think that's what made it more annoying. But it was a good game to watch. It was a game we you know should have done better in.
00:26:40
Zak
But... ultimately we will come back and have to put in a better performance because I don't think that it's going to be a choice. I think that they're they are going to step out on that field and they're going realise that there isn't something that they can, isn't going to be a game that they can take lightly. by only To be honest, mate, my biggest fear about the South Coast derby is how many injuries are going to be picked up.
00:27:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:27:02
Zak
that That is my big thing. like I am worried that going to get like a leg break or what.
00:27:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Inuin.
00:27:05
Zak
like I don't want that to happen.
00:27:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
All suspensions. If you don't think that the first five minutes of that match, Flynn Downs is chipping someone into Rosette, then you've got another thing coming. Like, that is the safest bet in gambling history, I can assure you.
00:27:17
Zak
Yeah, so it's it's going to be like, it's going to have the the atmosphere of a cup final.
00:27:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:27:25
Zak
And I think that to say otherwise would be an insult to both sides. And I don't really like to, you know, have any mutual respect for those down the road, because I can guarantee you that they'd never speak well about us.
Emotional Reactions and Controversies
00:27:38
Zak
But it's one of those things where it's going to be a huge occasion.
00:27:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, look.
00:27:42
Zak
Yeah.
00:27:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's it, right? If there's one thing that both teams can agree on, it's that this is the proper derby.
00:27:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
So...
00:27:49
Zak
Yeah, this is this is a you know this is a this isn't Man City, Man United that happens twice a season and ends up 0-0.
00:27:56
Zak
this is going to be you know This is something that hasn't happened for a very long time. but they you know The the hampshire Hampshire police have had to set aside big chunks of their budget to deal with because of the fact that you know there is a lot of animosity and vitriol for good reason.
00:28:11
Zak
And it's going to have to live up to that occasion. And I'm sure it will.
00:28:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
just goingnna be It's going to be one of those affairs that the commentators sit there and go, these are not the scenes you like to be in football. And what they mean is this is what everybody wants to see in football because this is the entertaining stuff. This is It's what people love to see.
00:28:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
I want to, I guess, finish wrapping up and go back to the game a bit. Do we know much about the afters that happened after the game between Will Still and the other bench?
00:28:39
Zak
No, i know i know that we're still... unfortunate like was It was loud enough that I think that people picked up on what he said, and I don't really know what was going on. And I've looked it up, and the problem is I can't find an unbiased opinion because both people... like we would give it it They were giving it to us because apparently we were cheating. We were giving it to them because of whatever reason.
00:29:00
Zak
like don't know if it was to do with extra time or time-wasting or whatever. I don't know what happened. It was nice to watch Adam Lallada run in defend Will Steele at one point.
00:29:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:29:10
Zak
And it was like watching... what the Like the captain mentality of um um of him but trying to look after technically his younger player, which is i hit as a younger manager.
00:29:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:29:21
Zak
But I think that when people... The only the only thing ill I'll point out there is that when people... questioned still being quite calm and talking in interviews.
00:29:30
Zak
Um, it shows you that he has the passion because you don't, you don't get into altercations like that unless, you know,
00:29:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah break it's great to see him care that much right like it's just what you want from a manager to have a nibble I don't want a boring media trained calm soft-spoken person all the time that's fine that's fine for the pressers I think he speaks very well in the pressers I've got no problem with that but ah ah love to see that little bit of spillover it shows me everything I need to know about him as a character and it's all good you know
00:29:42
Zak
yeah it's
00:30:00
Zak
yeah it's not It's not because of any other reason other than i probably probably just frustration.
00:30:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:30:06
Zak
And I don't know you know, it doesn't seem to have been publicised anywhere what what's going on. Again, like I think some somebody talking about, somebody somebody accusing us of cheating, I saw a Watford fan talk about how we're all a bunch of cheats and I'm just there like...
00:30:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
but
00:30:22
Zak
point to me point out it's like well this could have should have happened at this point and it's like right what like you you had more fouls than us guy my guy like what you so so again like i don't know if that what words were had it didn't go anywhere i don't think anyone got carded off the back of it so let
00:30:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hold it. my
00:30:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
but
00:30:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
so i i I love to see It's things we love to see.
00:30:43
Zak
let be
00:30:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
And if it's just, even if it's just frustrations from both sides ticking over, I mean, I i didn't, again, I didn't watch the game in full. I can't comment on the referee's performance, but there's been plenty of criticism leveled at referees this, this weekend alone and this season in general.
00:30:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
And, uh, unfortunately that's, uh, that's what comes
Wrap-up and Future Episodes
00:31:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
off the back of it, right?
00:31:03
Zak
Do you the tv mean mate?
00:31:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's frustration and, uh,
00:31:05
Zak
You mean VAR allowing disallowing goals off the base of like how long a hair is on someone's arm or
00:31:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mate, let's just say i don't miss it at all. I would take i will take awful championship level referees who are sometimes woefully bad over VAR every single day of the week.
00:31:28
Zak
My sister-in-law's boyfriend who is an Arsenal fan I was chatting to him at the weekend and he was like, oh, do you not miss having VAR at all then? I'm like, ah have in fact, I don't even think about it.
00:31:40
Zak
Like, again, like if a referee makes a bad call, at least then you can say it's a bad call.
00:31:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. It's what isn't it is, isn't
00:31:44
Zak
when When five people look at something and then go, well, in the spirit of the game, you know, it's supposed to go to the attacking team, but because there is half of a millimeter of his arm stuck out, unfortunately, that means that by the law of physics, like, nah.
00:31:59
Zak
and Also, it took us 35 minutes to get here. That's why this game went on for 90-11 minutes. And you're like, oh, man, it's fine.
00:32:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Mad, isn't it?
00:32:08
Zak
Whatever is what it is.
00:32:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mad. Look, bin it off. Do away with it. And it's just another reason why the championship is the best league in the world, mate. That's all I'm saying.
00:32:17
Zak
we go again.
00:32:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:32:19
Zak
Watford, for them, a point gained. For us, two points dropped. That's that's the vibe, right?
00:32:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
But look, still a point.
00:32:25
Zak
Is what it is.
00:32:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Better than it could have been. We take it.
00:32:29
Zak
two Two points drop is better than no points at all.
00:32:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Indeed. Right, well, look, that is all we've got time for and some today. Uh, we will be back tomorrow with, as Zach alluded to earlier, our deadline day special. We will be up late and we will be on, on the verge of all of the breaking news in the transfer market.
00:32:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Uh, it's going to be fun. i know, know that you're excited for another late night recording, mate. They're your favorite. Uh, I can't wait. Listen, thank you Zach for joining me today. Thank you everyone for listening.
00:33:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Uh, Look, how excited are you for the South Coast Derby? Let us know in the comments. We've got two full weeks of of building up to it slowly, and it's going to be exciting. We are on all of the socials. Let us know there.
00:33:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
We are on Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, X, Blue Sky, all of them. Let us know. Thank you very much for listening, and we'll see you tomorrow.
00:33:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Have a great day, everyone.