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Episode 92: BONUS EPISODE: Matchday Preview - Fulham
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Southampton – We do our best to preview the Fulham game and work out who will play, and how.
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Transcript
Introduction and Crimbo Limbo
00:00:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome to the Daily Southampton part of the Global Sports Podcast Network. My name is Greg Elliott, and as always, I'm joined by my illustrious co-host, Zach Ingo Finch. How you doing, Zach?
00:00:20
Zak
Yeah, too bad, mate. Bit of a weird time period we're in. It's like it's almost it's almost Christmas.
00:00:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
What's new?
00:00:28
Zak
It's also just a strange time to be in.
00:00:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's like the Crimbo Limbo has come early.
00:00:32
Zak
Yes, weird.
00:00:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's great.
Bonus Episode Announcement and Football Focus
00:00:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
And now we're hitting you with our second bonus episode of the week. Uh, just all of the content coming to your ears.
00:00:40
Zak
There's just so much to talk about.
00:00:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
It really is.
00:00:44
Zak
So much to talk about.
00:00:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
And after lots and lots of talking about the manager today, we are back to the core elements that we care about. We are back to the
Match Day Anticipation and New Manager Impact
00:00:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
football. It is match day at Craven cottage.
00:00:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Uh, and we are, yeah, we're going to kick a ball about, uh, I guess. How do you think, we saw a positive response on Wednesday to from the players, do you think that that's going to carry on?
00:01:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Is it possible for it to carry on in these sort of tumultuous times?
00:01:21
Zak
Yes, I know obviously at this point I've enjoyed supposed to be our new manager barring anything absolutely insane happening in the next couple of hours. From time of recording that should still be the case. um I think who he might be in charge Sunday or not. I think from ah the players perspective though.
00:01:42
Zak
you will be wanting to impress, surely, because you have a new manager coming in.
00:01:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:01:46
Zak
You will want to be getting minutes, especially after you know there's a bit of a real risk that some of our regulars might never appear again, depending on whether or not they do the right things for the new manager.
00:01:57
Zak
So I think that they there will be an active case for everybody to pull their socks off and do their best on do their best today.
Team Selection and Player Roles
00:02:06
Zak
But yeah, it's difficult You know, there was quite a few players that came on as subs and impressed. Um, would be really interesting to see the team selection again, because obviously I said, I said that last time round and ended up being pretty much the same, but I think the big difference was the sheer amount of rotation meant that we kind of saw pretty much everybody.
00:02:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it'll be, it'll be interesting, to see who makes it into the mix and it'll be interesting. You know, what's really interesting, the thought that's just hit me as if, you know, our new approach is going to lean towards Uber fit and, and pressing the ball hard and all of that. And.
00:02:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, does that really rule the end of Adam Lallana for us or does he find a place under that system as a as an impact sub more than anything?
00:02:57
Zak
you say the end of Adam Lallana, I say the end of potentially more than a few players who've got a lot of injury-prone players who can't really manage the full 90 without having problems.
00:03:08
Zak
you know One of the people, one of the casualties that we've already seen of the last sort of season and a half that we kind of forget about is Ross Stewart, who is a name that we kind of forget about.
Defense and Player Fitness
00:03:17
Zak
There are a few other, you know, Will Smallbone's been out for an extremely long time now.
00:03:22
Zak
there There are a few players that ask a bit more, yeah, well,
00:03:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
and Larios, he still plays for us, didn't he?
00:03:27
Zak
i'm i'm sure I'm sure he trains with us at least, but there's there's a few players that, you know, they're going to have to show. And this is why you might end up seeing potentially some people return. I think there's a lot of emphasis putting on on defensively, shoring us up a bit more. And with that, we'll probably require a bit of speed. So, yeah, I think that potentially it's the end of Lallana in that sense. I don't think that there was ever really judging by how much he's been out this season he was going to be here.
00:03:55
Zak
for a significantly large amount of time, at least in a player sort of role. It'd be interesting to see if the club decided to do anything with him afterwards. I think he probably would be keen to. But yeah it depends. we They might, you know, Jörg might come in and decide that he wants to trust somebody who's got that vectrancy, who has had experience in the league. And, you know, if he turns around and says, though, I can only give you 45 minutes, it'll be like, well, actually, I'd rather you have none.
00:04:24
Zak
because we want someone to have the 90.
00:04:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah be interesting we can only hope just better at shooting
00:04:26
Zak
So yes, it's it's good, but it's exciting to go back to what you've spoken about previously when it comes to that, which is, you know, your worry and about the fitness sort of levels of the squad.
00:04:37
Zak
Well, maybe now this will change things and we will get back to sort of being that. Southampton, a lot of people remember from way back when, when we had these ridiculously quick players and everyone was a bit more like Shane Long.
Fulham's Challenge to Southampton
00:04:55
Zak
much better
00:04:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Sorry, a bias coming back there from many years ago. There's been a lot of speak about us, and we've talked obviously a lot about us, but actually Fulham come into this game on a hot runner form, right?
00:05:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
So at the start, in November, they lost four Wonder Wolves in ah and a shocking defeat from them. But since then, they have drawn with
00:05:18
Zak
Much better.
00:05:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Liverpool drawn with Arsenal beat Brighton and drawn with Spurs which are you know there's some big names to get results from there even if it's only a draw. Do you think that ah ah without trying to be defeatist does it matter what we do if they're playing that well are they just going to come in and beat us comfortably?
00:05:38
Zak
yeah you never for and You never underestimate a club on the top of the table, right? like Regardless of whether or not people consider it to be like a one-off season or whatever, to be able to get up there, you need to be able to win games and you need to be able to dismantle opponents and beat them. And to be able to sort of play out draws against the sort of bigger sides and beat some of the other ones. And it depends what your opinion is of Spurs, whether you think that that's ah that's a top side or not.
00:06:05
Zak
But you know they've they've shown that they are doing the you know they showing that they are up there with the big boys. And ultimately, that's how we need to treat them. I think that saying, oh, well, was is there a chance? Well, we if we played every game like that, we'd lose five in every week. But we seem to have given Liverpool a run for their money this season. City, but then that's not really hard at the moment. And we still lost. Arsenal as well, like weve we we historically have always performed better against the bigger clubs.
00:06:35
Zak
But I also think, again, there's there's more. Fulham don't have as much to lose on Sunday as that we do. right and And I think that that is, for me, the big difference as to why there is hope for optimism.
00:06:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:06:50
Zak
and that we saw that we are capable of doing things that we've not been able to do in a while. Hopefully Ramsdale's back and we have a better goalkeeper in between the sticks who will no longer be trying to do crazy things, who hopefully will be able to play his distribution to his advantage a little bit better than having our third and fourth choice goalkeeper. But again, it's also understanding that you know Fulham do have a hot run of form for a reason. It's because they are currently a very, very good side. and we're just going to have to try and be a RA game. It's whether or not, you know, hopefully the week has gone by without disrupting everything too much. And hopefully they can just, the lads can sort of focus on the football at hand and not worry too much about who's going to be in charge and this, that and the other, and look forward to, you know, a good
Predicted Lineup and Sponsor Message
00:07:40
Zak
game. It's kind of where I'm at.
00:07:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah and yeah nice sunday afternoon right before christmas it's fine it's not it's not seven o'clock on a sunday so it's much better time for a fixture throwing that one out not
00:07:52
Zak
yeah it's not It's not late, you're not trying to get home at 10pm through you know the city centre, so yeah, that i but agree I agree with you.
00:07:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
that i will unfortunately be traveling up to a craving cottage but uh i will be comfortably watching from my sofa for sure okay so uh We're going to try to guess the impossible next and do a predicted lineup, but first a message from our partners at Zencaster. So here at the Global Sports Podcast Network, we spent a lot of time selecting our delivery platform. Zencaster came out the clear winner. With 4K video recording from your phone and AI editing that automatically removes all those ums and r's, it's super easy to start a podcast that sounds great and is delivered efficiently. If you're ready to tell your story,
00:08:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Check out the link in the show description to learn more about Zencaster. Okay, mate. So it's predicted lineup time and we might as well pick them from a hat, but we'll we'll give it a go
00:08:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Let's do it. Instead of what we think is going to happen, how would you line the team up based off of what we've seen from our performances in the week?
00:08:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, I mean, number one in goal, we want Ramsdale back, right?
00:09:01
Zak
Yeah, e well you want Ramsdale, you want Taylor Harwood, Bellis and Bednarek, in my opinion.
00:09:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yep.
00:09:12
Zak
You want, if Karl Walker Peters is fit and available, I would like Karl Walker Peters in. I would probably also want Sugawara in, just because of how attacking he was the other day.
00:09:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
So far we're in complete agreement.
00:09:26
Zak
And this is probably where we're going to start to to start to differ slightly.
00:09:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Good.
00:09:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:09:32
Zak
So I don't know.
00:09:33
Zak
I would like to go to for a back. We are probably going to go through it the back. So I imagine what is in there as well. I would say Mike Fernandez, a Rebo and Lallana.
00:09:44
Zak
And then potentially pull an archer up top.
00:09:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, that's spicy. I like that.
00:09:49
Zak
Yeah, because I'm if Flynn's carrying something or if he's not, I think you need to break some summons. Something wasn't that great last game.
00:09:59
Zak
But, you know, I think, again, I want Lelana to come in and itd be the veteran head and produce some sort of magic. And I'm also very aware that, you know, I i also keep telling you that I still think as much as Tyler Dibling is amazing, I think bringing him off the bench is a much better thing to do.
00:10:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
But yeah, I
Offensive Strategy and Scoring Concerns
00:10:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
mean it gives us that depth off the bench which we don't have otherwise.
00:10:19
Zak
Having that. Yeah.
00:10:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
so yeah it like two attacking like Is I know that Flynn didn't have the best game and hasn't been performing out of his skin recently but
00:10:22
Zak
and we've been begging for Archer and Toolpool up top for for so long now that it's just going to become an ongoing joke. We're never going to see it. but get
00:10:33
Zak
b
00:10:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
But does replacing him in that midfield with Alana leave the back five too exposed? Back three, I guess. Or actually, what we need to push us on three at
00:10:52
Zak
I think it's what we need to start to see a ah ah difference because with having it's not mattered previously, we've conceded tons of goals regardless of whether we've played attacking or slightly more defensively because the vast majority of our of our issues were individual errors. If we can defend as well as we did the other day, I would be happy because you know one of the goals was admittedly another silly mistake which it doesn't matter how many people you stick at the back or how defensively you line up if we accidentally kick the ball back and you know the goalkeeper makes a decision it's not the best decision as yeah I know that you've also pointed out.
00:11:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
i don't i don't think you can class that in the same category as the other mistakes we've seen i think that that was unlucky on two counts and the conditions were to blame like
00:11:30
Zak
no but
00:11:34
Zak
that is That is my point, though, is that that would have changed had we had an extra defensive midfielder in there, in my opinion. Like, Benreck went for the ball, the combination of the conditions, and they they pounced it. The second goal was just a very well-worked goal from Liverpool, because Liverpool were a very good side. And we are going to concede those goals regardless. So, you know,
00:11:53
Zak
what is there to lose at this point? you know we've already We already go into nearly every game expecting zero points. At this point, we were happy the other day. We only got beaten by two, and we managed to score.
00:12:05
Zak
like i predicted I predicted a result for the first time in, I think, the entirety of the time I've been on this podcast. And like that was sort of an optimistic prediction.
00:12:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
I only predict Saints win, so it's only up from here, I'm just saying.
00:12:19
Zak
True.
00:12:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
the
00:12:20
Zak
But like you know we had we had two games where we conceded five. So where I'm at is that this is the league. It's important. They need, they have a point to prove. I think, you know, how are we ever going to, we need to start scoring more than one or two goals a game to be able to at least give the strike force, the confidence back to do that because they just, again, like at the moment yeah' you're having players in the box that, you know, bless tour pools, ridiculous miss the other day.
00:12:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
ludicrous and you're right for for all of the the the mic i like to take out of tall portland don't get me wrong he is not a good football player he ill he was he held the ball up all right and actually with the ball at his feet he
00:12:49
Zak
But you know if you've got a lot of people in there, like we had so many opposition touches in the box, we need to start being able to put them away. And again, like I don't think at this point we've got a huge amount to lose. If if you know.
Reflecting on Past Matches and Player Errors
00:13:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
held off two or three players and distributed the ball out as a beautiful pass or maybe not a good football player is a bit harsh not a good striker i think is what i mean uh he he's all right but man that miss is it's going to take a lot for me to recover for him my opinion of him was already not not the highest it's going to take a lot to recover from that
00:13:27
Zak
I think that's what you mean, mate.
00:13:40
Zak
Yeah, but but i will the only thing I'll point out is I know that I said it's very similar to to me doing that when I was a kid. But the difference is I was on like dry ground in the middle of the summer, and that man is like 6 foot 27.
00:13:55
Zak
and it was absolutely evened out of rain and you saw more than a few slides. So if your foot slides a little bit too much and your foot is also 10 times the size of a video.
00:14:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
How could he have judged the weather system? It was different by his feet than his head. I don't know. I don't know, mate, if that...
00:14:11
Zak
i
00:14:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't know. That can't be for me.
00:14:14
Zak
Like, I don't know, I just feel, you know, there's a lot of there's a lot of.
00:14:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, in those same conditions, we saw the goal from Archer, which was truly a fantastic goal, like of created off of his own back. like He got himself in the position, he got the ball out of his feet, he shuffled it to the right position and curled it where the keeper could reach it.
00:14:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
like there's not Yeah.
00:14:37
Zak
Look, you're the optimist of the forecast mate.
00:14:41
Zak
All I'm trying to do is... ah ah But again, like I just think we would like to see them both, right? That's what we've asked for and it would be nice to see it.
00:14:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I think that they will work well together because I think their strengths play to each other and as much as I take them they can joke about
00:14:54
Zak
Yeah.
00:14:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
there is definitely something that Toolpool can bring to the team and having a player to be there to pick up the ball when we can boot it up to him and he can hold three players off like he was holding three pretty good Liverpool defenders off so he could probably hold off six Fulham players that's how it works it's maths ah
00:15:21
Zak
But I guess that's it answered.
00:15:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
but you saying I'm just saying that you know that as part of an introduction to our team where we work, that one of the questions that gets asked regularly in a somewhat joking capacity is, how many toddlers do you think you could take in a fight? And I'm just saying that Tallpool's number of that has got to be pretty high.
00:15:44
Zak
You're right. So yeah, there's only huge differences you would make then. Would you keep flimming the team or would you think it's maybe time to see some exciting?
00:15:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, I think that, uh, I mean, I think that knowing that he was carrying a knock and he's not been performing up to the task, I think maybe you're right. Maybe it's time to see what this team looks like without him in it.
00:16:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
And if it's, you know, it's, it's a shame, but you're right. Uh, he'll probably get on the pitch if we're playing the Lana because I don't see Lana last in 90 minutes.
00:16:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, and, and who else do you, what else do you do?
00:16:15
Zak
Yeah, exactly.
00:16:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Maybe you bring on big layers instead and that's. Can you imagine big players in the pool playing on the pitch at the same time?
00:16:20
Zak
If we're bad, we're bad.
00:16:24
Zak
Nah, nuts. But like if we're bad, we're bad. Again, like we've we've conceded 10 goals our last two league games.
00:16:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:16:30
Zak
Sorry, 12 goals in the last three league games. I forgot the Villa game in between there because I was so disheartened by all of that. But you see what I mean?
00:16:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:16:38
Zak
like its Where I'm at is if it's a chance to change something now.
00:16:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, you're right. Something's got to change.
Experimenting with Strategies and Formations
00:16:43
Zak
It's a chance to experiment that. And also, if we play that way and it ends up absolutely awful and it turns out that they're not a good strike force, at least we've learned that lesson now before the new manager comes in.
00:16:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, because even if he is in the, even if he is in the dugout on Sunday, there's zero impact he's going to have been able to have on the team by this point.
00:16:52
Zak
And then also we can shut up about it.
00:17:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah It's even less time than Simon Rusk had heading into the Liverpool game. So it's madness to expect it to turn around overnight, but it will be, yeah I guess in that respect, it's kind of a free hit.
00:17:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
So hopefully we take from that and you're right. Hopefully they'll just play out their skin and prove themselves worthy. That's what we can hope. Okay so we will move on to the dreaded score predictions and think about that after a message from our partners at the Global Sports Podcast Network.
00:17:25
Zak
date
00:17:36
Zak
The Global Sports Podcast Network is changing the face of football podcasting with dedicated daily content for every Premier League team, women's football, fantasy football and a daily Premier League wrap-up broadcasted in five different languages. This is your one-stop shop for your daily football fix. Find GSPN wherever you find your usual podcasts.
00:17:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, so I have a very bad memory, Zach, so I cannot remember what you predicted on our crossover episode on Friday, so...
00:18:03
Zak
you thought it was too You thought it was too high scoring because I said 3-2 and that's because I i think we'll go 2-0 down and I think there is the chance for them to be able to recover that mentality and then I'd i'd love to see Paul get at least a goal before he probably goes in January and I'd like to see Archer follow up and get another two from last weekend to to show that he is the striker we know he's capable of being.
00:18:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah?
00:18:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:18:32
Zak
that's that's where I'm at and the Fulham goals will come as I pointed out to up our friends Gavin over at Fulham is that it could come from literally any one of their players that attack us from near our back post or back line.
00:18:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, look, I come, I come armed with statistics to back up my opinion, right?
00:18:50
Zak
Good. Right.
00:18:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
So in the previous 12 matches between Fulham and Southampton have been an average of 2.4 goals. And both teams to score has only happened 42% of the time.
00:19:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
So ah history states it's not a high scoring fixture.
00:19:11
Zak
History
Score Predictions and Historical Data
00:19:11
Zak
states there is a...
00:19:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, that same summary also follows it up with what is now becoming the running weekly joke of Southampton are in very poor away form.
00:19:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
So.
00:19:23
Zak
or like Like XG and every other statistic that you can throw out under the sun, especially in regards to historical, is that, well, that's lovely, but historically, we had completely different players and different managers.
00:19:36
Zak
so It's all garbage, isn't it? Especially us. like We changed the weather at the moment, so who knows? that' sorry about what about What about you, mate?
00:19:48
Zak
Where are you at? What do you think? Do you remember?
00:19:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think I went for a 1-0 but actually I'm feeling like that might be a bit too optimistic because a clean sheet is a lot to ask so maybe I'm thinking 2-1 I think a 2-1 win I think yeah I I don't see us keeping a clean sheet that would be far too much to ask but I just don't see it being the goal fest you anticipate and if it is a goal fest I don't see us scoring three
00:19:52
Zak
Yeah?
00:19:56
Zak
You say we're drawing, or is it going to be a 2-1?
00:20:05
Zak
Yeah?
00:20:09
Zak
no
00:20:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
so i think the archer will get on the score sheet and a taylor harwood bellot header probably but yeah yeah but look uh
00:20:18
Zak
That's why like we've we've switched positions mate this is great what what what time to be alive Christmas miracle mate
00:20:35
Zak
Can't even have our striker score in twice mate. I love it. You truly are becoming me, right? What a day.
00:20:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's going to be a game. Uh, I dunno, it's such a tough one to predict, right? Because of all of the uncertainty and all of the moving parts going into it. realistically, because all of that, even if it is the worst case scenario and something disastrous happens, I don't think you can read anything into it.
Season Kickstart and Maintaining Optimism
00:21:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
And in the best case scenario where we go on and win nine nil, it's, it's.
00:21:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
You can't take a lot from that either, probably, is the upsetting part.
00:21:12
Zak
yeah you're right
00:21:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
So I think what you could take from that, I guess, is that the players have a bit about them to get to that point, which is hope for the rest of the season. But but look, this is the point where it it doesn't really matter, but it could kickstart the rest of our season.
00:21:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Mathematically speaking, right, we've got 22 games.
00:21:37
Zak
Yeah, you're right.
00:21:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Champions League is still up for grabs.
00:21:39
Zak
Mathematically speaking, mate, there's probably a formula out there that is if you give a certain amount of pigs wings, they can probably fly or maybe even operate a plane if you mathematically speak.
00:21:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, leave let us know in the comments which of those things you think is more likely to happen.
00:21:53
Zak
Mathematically speaking, mate.
00:21:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
I can't wait to see them. Zach, thank you very much for joining me today, mate.
00:22:04
Zak
Pleasure, mate.
00:22:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
We hope you've enjoyed our bonus content on this Sunday morning match day, and we look forward to seeing you all tomorrow when buzzing about a 9-0 win.
00:22:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's what I'm going for. Cheers, guys. See you soon.