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Episode 401: CRUISING PAST COVENTRY!
127 Plays11 days ago
Southampton – A win nobody was expecting. 12 Undefeated. Manager of the month. Who can stop us now? What a time to be a saints fan! We have plenty to discuss.
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Transcript
Introduction & Unexpected Win
00:00:13
DailySaintsPod
Hello and welcome back to the Daily Saints pod. My name is Greg and as always today joined by my good friend and wonderful co-host Zach. And mate you said coming into this game that even a point would feel like a bonus. So how good are you feeling on the back of that?
00:00:30
Zak
Mate, I'm feeling tip forget tipt top like i have seen I've i've seen so many people rattled on social media by little old son and then uh beating them yeah right over the moon i i didn't expect us to do as well as we did and i expected it was going to be a lot harder without leo we kind of knew leo was going to be out even though it wasn't really confirmed because i don't think we had a we would they remember we we've recorded before any sort of level of pre-match presser right so i just yeah just wasn't
00:01:01
DailySaintsPod
I mean, we still, even if we had recorded the pre-match interview at this point, to kind of jump ahead a bit, i don't know if
Injuries & Tactical Changes
00:01:07
DailySaintsPod
you've seen any of the post-match stuff about Leo and Ross Stewart, but it has been deliberately ambiguous, I think I would call it.
00:01:08
Zak
you
00:01:16
Zak
Yeah, it's less than ideal, isn't it? Like when when, you know, we talked about how we were like one or two players out from an injury crisis. So we've lost the two players we thought we might lose.
00:01:29
Zak
Luckily, Bree was all right, but even then taped up. And then we saw the team sheet, which we we can only describe as bizarre, trying to figure out where everyone's going to slot in. I guess we were horrifically wrong about that.
00:01:41
Zak
And that's why we are the football players, Greg.
00:01:42
DailySaintsPod
Well, that's the fascinating thing, right? Is that it was it was very clear that we set out to unsettle and dislodge Coventry from their their sort of standard comfort zone.
00:01:52
Zak
Thank you.
00:01:58
DailySaintsPod
And and the crazy thing was that... our manager made changes to the team to play against the the team we were playing against and effectively made tactical changes in one way. Like he didn't stick to a philosophy or a system because it was what he thought was best. He, you know, while while people like that, like Pep and Russell Martin want to play that checkers,
00:02:31
DailySaintsPod
Todd is out here playing 3D chess, mate.
00:02:34
Zak
i know I wouldn't...
00:02:34
DailySaintsPod
It's almost like what we have been hoping and praying for since the start of the season, right?
00:02:38
Zak
Since... Yeah. a It touches on a thing I wanted to talk about in general, which which ties into this post-match philosophy.
Coaching Impact & Tonda's Leadership
00:02:45
Zak
And it's a a lot of people saying they're like sick of... They're like, oh, imagine what we could have had if we didn't have the experiment of like Will Steele.
00:02:53
Zak
And I'm like, so imagine if the beginning of the season, they'd put like put like a guy who'd only ever been like an assistant coach in charge of the team... From day one and how absolutely off the rocker everyone would have gone, as opposed to a quote-unquote normal championship manager, which is just like any other of the championship managers that is in charge of every other one of the teams, right?
00:03:18
Zak
And like we've unfortunately had to go through that pain to get to where we're at now is kind of where I'm at.
00:03:18
DailySaintsPod
I think like companies
00:03:24
Zak
And I'm not i upset about it.
00:03:24
DailySaintsPod
I was thinking about this a bit too, mate. And I was thinking that like, you only become an experienced championship manager. by doing the job.
00:03:35
Zak
my gaining experience.
00:03:35
DailySaintsPod
Okay. Hmm.
00:03:36
Zak
Again, it's it's very much like, well, you know, I want you to start in this opening position. you need five years of experience in this job. And like, it does feel like there's no way that had not, had what happened to Will Still not happened as early as it did.
00:03:54
Zak
that Honda would have got the job and we would be in the position that we're in now. But the other thing i wanted to touch on, and especially when you talk about the tactics and things, and I think you you summed up very well the other day, I can't remember if we were an in podcast or not, where basically Will Steele was very, very good at tactics but wasn't able to get the belief out of the players and kind of was just like telling them Whereas Tonda seems to have managed to do both. But on top of doing both, there the picture of him winning his like Manager of the Month award for February.
00:04:25
Zak
in the League 2 picture, you've got the manager stood on his own. In the League 1 picture, you've got the manager stood on his own. I don't know that's just because of when they've asked to take the photo or what, but I thought it was very telling that in Tonda's picture, the entirety of the backroom staff are there.
00:04:38
Zak
And that is a thing that he has like tried to portray constantly, is it's not just him, it's the backroom staff as a whole, and that unit is working, and it's... a thing that all of the stuff that we had concerns about when it comes to a Sports Republic, I'm still there.
00:04:51
Zak
Like, we haven't gone away, but it's it's really nice that with the resources that this this guy has got, and but I remember you asking, not even a couple of weeks ago, like, do you think that regardless of what happens at the end of the season, he should stay on?
00:05:04
Zak
And I actually think that that isn't going to be a question. I think it's whether or not he doesn't, whether or not he gets picked up by another team.
00:05:07
DailySaintsPod
Not even little, eh?
00:05:10
DailySaintsPod
Can we keep hold of him?
00:05:11
Zak
Like, I'm going to get...
00:05:13
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, no, I mean, goes to show how impressive a job he's doing.
00:05:13
Zak
Yeah, can we actually keep hold of him? And, you know, it might be, you know... yeah and and and I think that's where I'm at. And I think today today
Team Performance & Game Reflection
00:05:23
Zak
was a perfect... You know, dis and yesterday story was a perfect example of of, like, how far he's come, how far we've come. And, like, I guess...
00:05:32
Zak
Would we have taken three points at West Brom and a point at Coventry? Would that have been preferable? I guess like that's what we'd have expected.
00:05:41
DailySaintsPod
You're right.
00:05:41
DailySaintsPod
When he said back
00:05:41
Zak
Am I happy with the way it's turned out?
00:05:43
Zak
Yeah.
00:05:43
DailySaintsPod
you might when when you step back and look at the bigger picture and look at these three games in principle, if you say at the start of it, four points and a court cup, court final, you're like, yeah, okay, great.
00:05:44
Zak
Yeah.
00:05:59
DailySaintsPod
Good week. Love that. Still unbeaten.
00:06:00
Zak
Yeah.
00:06:01
DailySaintsPod
Great.
00:06:01
Zak
If you'd said beat West Brom, draw against Coventry and Fulham, the vibes in the middle of the week and the vibes after that West Brom game would have been significantly better.
00:06:05
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:06:09
Zak
And like, yeah, it doesn't excuse the fact that the West Brom performance was was a bad performance.
00:06:10
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:06:13
Zak
I didn't know if they'd have it in them to turn around and and pull out the bag for this game. And it's a thing we constantly keep underestimating them. And then they will do things like have an absolute stinker at West Brom and then do what they did at Coventry yesterday.
00:06:25
Zak
And it's nuts.
00:06:26
DailySaintsPod
maybe just
00:06:26
Zak
It's just so good though.
00:06:27
DailySaintsPod
We just struggle against that kind of play where teams come to us to make it difficult and are much better at making it difficult for oppositions.
00:06:30
Zak
Yeah.
00:06:35
DailySaintsPod
And that's a...
00:06:36
Zak
You're right, we are beating Arsenal, that is what I'm hearing.
00:06:37
DailySaintsPod
That's a... aska that's a puzzle that we can solve as, you know, as we go. look, mate, let's not jump ahead too far. Let's sort of wind it all the way back to the beginning.
00:06:50
DailySaintsPod
I was saying to you before before the show, for all of the many criticisms I have of Sky and its coverage, and we will get to that, I was busy for for the game time yesterday.
00:07:02
Zak
Woof.
00:07:05
DailySaintsPod
It was... forcibly shopping as as is my prerogative as a family man. So obviously keeping on top of the scores, but I was able to record it and watch it back. And it turns out when you watch the game back without the angst or the stress of knowing the result, you can just enjoy it in all of its glory, knowing that we've won and... and you know take some good notes and make some interesting observations. so so going in back to the the lineup, obviously no Leo, no Stewart.
Pre-Game Speculations & Strategic Execution
00:07:39
DailySaintsPod
And the only comms we got was an interview with Tonda before the match at Sky. and they're like, oh, no Leo and Stewart in the the squad. Have you got a fitness update on them? He's like, yeah, we'll know we'll know more about them in the week. It's like, oh, so are they...
00:07:55
DailySaintsPod
that definitely out Are they definitely ruled out for Wednesday? And he's like, yeah, I'll pick the players that i've got available. like Very deliberately ignored the score to the point that it came back to David Pratt. And he's like, what I love about Tonda record is he will only ever tell you exactly what he wants to tell you. And no, regardless how much you dig. So I really enjoyed that.
00:08:20
Zak
Agreed.
00:08:20
DailySaintsPod
But you're right. we We were a bit shocked by the lineup. and And we talked before the game about what we're doing here. Are we like just moving players out of positions? we playing Azaz on the left and Matski on the right? That doesn't really seem like it would suit either of them or their core strengths. And then you said that BBC had it where you used a load of football manager acronyms.
00:08:46
Zak
yeah right attack attacking midfield like center attacking midfield left and attacking midfield right yeah so it's say a amr right aml amc and you're like okay so they that they put them and like the problem is is that notoriously the bbc are really bad at ever predicting the way of formation is and i think it's because they've just got like the the three or four graphics they have for team lineups they just stick to it
00:08:46
DailySaintsPod
I'm honest, you must be Yeah.
00:09:01
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:09:10
DailySaintsPod
I think that's perfectly reasonable with how fluid lineups are at the moment.
00:09:10
Zak
was just
00:09:14
Zak
Yeah, agreed, especially within our position being very...
00:09:14
DailySaintsPod
But actually, actually the way the way BBC have it, I don't know if it's how they had at the time, the way they have it now is is exactly how it it was off the ball anyway.
00:09:25
DailySaintsPod
And that was Bragg in that sort of number six sweepy position between the back line and the the other midfield. And then for...
00:09:37
DailySaintsPod
kind of more forward midfielders with Azaz and Matski wider, but not like wingers, right? Like they still took the ball on the wing sometimes, but they weren't playing particularly wide. They were dropping in deep and there was kind of rotation and,
00:09:55
DailySaintsPod
And but yeah, you know, Tonda came out after the game and said that it was just to disrupt the midfield because they needed that extra body in there to stop the the sort of midfield three of of Coventry absolutely running over us. And that's exactly what it did. It disrupted them and threw them off. Yeah.
00:10:16
DailySaintsPod
It was interesting to see as Zaz and Matski both kind of grow into those roles. They really enjoyed having the freedom of whether they were inside, outside.
00:10:21
Zak
Yeah.
00:10:25
DailySaintsPod
And just gave the defenders a headache because they had absolutely no idea. Are they going wide? Are they coming inside? And and in the first 30 seconds, we created a chance where Laren got through on goal.
00:10:39
DailySaintsPod
And he unfortunately, I think, was offside.
00:10:39
Zak
It was off by like a little bit.
00:10:43
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, but it immediately set the intent that we're a threat and we're here to play and we're going to make this difficult and we're not just going to roll over and let you win.
00:10:54
DailySaintsPod
And then...
00:10:54
Zak
Especially if their prep has been for the way that we've lined up for X, Y, Z amount of times, right? like As much as you said, like, oh, it's very it's a very bunch of tactical changes, I think part of it has been probably forced by personnel changes. and But part of that is also, like, they would have prepared for what they've seen of us so far this season.
00:11:12
Zak
And we come out with almost a completely, like, different way of playing it.
00:11:13
DailySaintsPod
Hmm.
00:11:15
Zak
And it's just... And the players just went with it. That was so nice. That was another thing that was really nice about it. They actually grew into those positions over time. It was just a wonderful game to see.
00:11:26
DailySaintsPod
But it was like that they'd be allowed to have this freedom and and grow into those positions of their own choosing, right? As well as the the kind of system that we'd set up to play, it was allowing them to play to their strengths of the game based on their judgment rather than, you always have to stay wide all the time because we need a cross.
00:11:49
DailySaintsPod
like It just wasn't wasn't that. I've written, Laren should have at least hit the target from the first corner, which he put wide.
00:11:56
Zak
Yes.
00:11:59
DailySaintsPod
which was a bit of the story of the half, to be honest. I wrote that Bree was notably playing with a massive head bandage, but i did notice in the second half that he had taken it off.
00:12:09
DailySaintsPod
So i don't really know what to make of that,
Gameplay Dynamics & Referee Decisions
00:12:12
Zak
As somebody that used to sleep with sleep masks quite a lot, because I used One of those types of people. They get really annoying, and I imagine that when you've got a bandage on like like that on when you're like trying to do something and trying to play, it must be frustrating.
00:12:12
DailySaintsPod
to be honest.
00:12:27
Zak
you know It's got to If not impair your vision, just the compression has got to be annoying. so But yeah, it will see I was, not going to lie, surprised to see him playing and starting, because I didn't know...
00:12:40
Zak
how bad that head injury was, whether it was superficial or what. Because again, like the information that's come out of Tottenham is like, we sure have a team. and That includes injury reports and and fitness reports for that kind of stuff. Unless there's something I missed, which I may well have.
00:12:58
Zak
But yeah, it was surprising to see him play and play as well as he did. But I think that we've learned to expect that from James Brue at this point, right?
00:13:09
DailySaintsPod
yeah he just he steps up and uh it's great and it's a good job because you know uh he he's one of these players that brings up the play around him as well
00:13:11
Zak
Yeah. Mm-hmm.
00:13:21
DailySaintsPod
Which is great. I've written down Matsky was lucky to not see a card for a nasty challenge. This is one of the ones that's been doing the rounds on social media.
00:13:30
Zak
think
00:13:30
DailySaintsPod
This was the stock man. To be fair, I've seen him given as reds, right? And so, hands up, that was an interesting one. The the the Flint Downs one later on...
00:13:41
DailySaintsPod
It looks worse as a still image because actually there wasn't a huge amount of force in the tackle, which is something that the referees have to take into account. right So you know it it was probably still maybe a yellow, which it didn't even get given. but yeah So I wrote down that he was very lucky to to get away with that one. It was only 11 minutes into the game as well, which is...
00:14:04
DailySaintsPod
you know It's kind of setting a tone for the referee letting stuff go, which might become prevalent later. Let's let's leave it at that and return to that point of thought. Put a pin in it. I've written my next lengthy note is Sky Commentary Sucks.
00:14:28
Zak
What do you mean, Greg?
00:14:29
DailySaintsPod
is I've got i' got the quote, I've got the example. It says, he got the ball, but it feels like it's an aggressive challenge. And I said, that's a ridiculous thing for a real football comment to say, this isn't basketball. I also added in my notes here, bring Ryan Reynolds on full time, which I'm sure is something we will discuss at length in our championship roundup.
00:14:50
Zak
we've already We've already had our rap about this. Yeah, we've we've already had our, not row, but we have slight disagreements on it.
00:14:58
DailySaintsPod
Yeah. Do you know what, mate? We'll bring that to air and have I'm sure that we'll have a great discussion about the LA Derby in our Championship Roundup episode tomorrow.
00:15:04
Zak
I'm sure we will.
00:15:10
DailySaintsPod
But yeah, needless to say, whilst I can see lots of complaints about a Wrexham-centric programme with Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, don't think, considering the normal standard they get being Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher,
00:15:23
DailySaintsPod
gives much room to moan about them not being professional.
00:15:28
Zak
It's not even... Those aren't my issues, but again, we'll talk about those in our Championship Roundup one.
00:15:32
DailySaintsPod
Yes. Indeed.
00:15:34
Zak
I look forward to our argument.
00:15:39
DailySaintsPod
Bragg made a mistake which led to a chance but actually we had displaced Coventry so much with our movement of the ball and our press against them trying to move the ball that there was just no one chasing it in they weren't expecting to break the line and get away with that mistake and get the crossing so the ball came in across the six yard box which is no one there and i wrote at this point i really felt like we had the tactical wedge and to be honest that doesn't really go away through the rest of the game
00:16:11
DailySaintsPod
You know, at certain points we concede chances through mistakes and sometimes Coventry's quality comes through. But really tactically, I think that we just, we had the plus one on this the entire way through.
00:16:26
DailySaintsPod
Laren got put through on goal again, all on his own against two defenders and a keeper, which is obviously a pretty difficult position to be in, but i feel like he could have least shot.
00:16:38
DailySaintsPod
But he he kind of tries to cut inside and ends up getting bundled off the ball instead of getting the
00:16:44
Zak
You can see where the compilations of him missing chances have come from. But also, you could have done exactly the same with Adam Armstrong. And at one point, he was the top goal scorer in the championship.
00:16:51
DailySaintsPod
The thing is...
00:16:52
Zak
So I'm not really in as bothered.
00:16:54
DailySaintsPod
100%.
00:16:54
Zak
I still think he brings that he's brung more to the table than not, right? Like, he has basically won us points on his own.
00:17:00
Zak
Yeah, do I wish that, you know, couple of more of him is target? Yeah.
00:17:05
DailySaintsPod
this fine is made i yeah The fact that he's made it into that position and fought off two defenders and got to the point where he could nearly shoot was arguably the most impressive part because it was just pure muscle and pure strength.
00:17:05
Zak
It's fine, so long as other players score.
00:17:18
DailySaintsPod
And also the fact that he is having to be marked by two defenders shows exactly what he brings to the table, right?
00:17:19
Zak
Mm-hmm.
00:17:25
DailySaintsPod
Like, it's it doesn't matter that he isn't going to be the, like, the most... like he's not going to have a 100% shot to goal ratio, right?
00:17:35
Zak
Yeah, like, we mean know it doesn't matter that he's the most prolific because he brings other stuff.
00:17:36
DailySaintsPod
But it doesn't matter because he... Yeah. Yeah.
00:17:40
Zak
There are other qualities we actually see in him and that we that that you know he's been able to put into the game that help us out more, right?
00:17:48
DailySaintsPod
And just in general, in this game in particular, the whole team really upped their level of physicality. And and that is an environment that he just absolutely thrives He was just having the time of his life, wrestling them off.
00:18:01
Zak
Hmm.
00:18:06
DailySaintsPod
And then there were some points later where, i mean, I'll get to it, but there were some questionable decisions based off of of that and how physically involved he was getting. But... Then I've written down Coventry fans moaning at the ref a lot for perfectly reasonable decisions, which is ridiculous, which I've noted shows how much we've rattled them, really.
00:18:20
Zak
Thank
00:18:27
DailySaintsPod
Team and fans seem upset. Then Matski tracked back and just, like, had a really excellent piece of play where he just, like,
00:18:41
DailySaintsPod
dead the defender to try and go around him, and stuck his foot and stole the ball and run forward. And I'm like, I love Tom Fellows. I don't think I would ever see Tom Fellows do that.
00:18:51
DailySaintsPod
Like, that is just an entire depth that he brings in this position that that Fellows doesn't have. And it was great. I enjoyed it. It created a chance.
00:19:02
Zak
I think the listenership is sick of my my love for Matsuki.
00:19:03
DailySaintsPod
It's absolutely nothing, but...
00:19:10
Zak
Genuinely, since my profile on him, I was like, man, this he has a chance to be like a proper baller for us. And it's starting to come through now, and it's it's really, really good. And I'm really, really glad it's starting to come through. And okay,
00:19:24
Zak
Is it at the expense of Fellows dropping off a little bit? I guess so. But do I like the fact that that's the depth we have between those two? And hopefully Fellows can like recapture that form and then you've really got a battle between you know two new two players that in a position that we've we've not really you know had, I guess, like the strongest in recent memory.
00:19:46
Zak
you know It's always been sort of like having a swap in and out. Obviously, Leo on the left, it's like that's our bang on. Then we've kind of struggled with, you know okay, well, who do we replace him with?
00:19:59
Zak
And we had that like little spell of it being Robinson. And then obviously now Adozi's come back. Obviously, then the tactics have changed completely.
00:20:04
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:20:06
Zak
But yeah, especially considering that like that wasn't necessarily his natural position when he started with us either, but has been able to grow into it and just share. I generally think that, like, yeah, it's one of the parts of the park that I think that we are the most reinforced in and it is nice to have multiple options, right?
00:20:27
Zak
When it was something that we didn't look like we would have early on in the season. It's just a shame that there are other areas of the park where we might struggle. that Or somewhat to all of a sudden we might start seeing some under-21s start coming through.
00:20:37
DailySaintsPod
Yeah. And the thing about... Yeah. And the thing about Matsky as well was that, again, he's another one of these players who... isn't scared to get stuck in in the physical way.
00:20:49
DailySaintsPod
And so the the physicality of the game benefited him as well. And that, it
Key Player Performances
00:20:55
DailySaintsPod
was great. It was good. It really good to see. Uh, I was surprised at this point because Bragg was the player selected to play the sweep role.
00:21:03
DailySaintsPod
and it was actually doing a very good job of it to be fair. but if you would think, or if I were thinking about it before the game, and and sort of guessing how it was going to line up.
00:21:13
DailySaintsPod
I think I did say 4-1-4-1 in our text, but I would have had Flynn as the sort of sweep. or for wasn
00:21:21
Zak
but do you recognize because of the fact that he cannot pick up a yellow, right?
00:21:24
DailySaintsPod
Possibly. i mean, Tondas came out after the match and said it was because Flynn brings things to the table that Bragg doesn't, his ability to ping a one-touch pass off and so sort some of the other stuff. But...
00:21:38
DailySaintsPod
I'm not knocking it. It worked and it was good. Uh, it was just a surprise, uh, but it was, it was good. Uh, then this was the second one that you've seen on social media, the Flynn tackle. And yeah, I've written lucky not to get a card, but it, it looked worse in slow motion.
00:21:53
DailySaintsPod
It wasn't, there wasn't a lot of force in it. I've seen them give them, seen them not. So it wasn't, i think it's as egregious as social media makes out, uh,
00:22:01
Zak
the The thing is, do you think it's just at a point where they've got, you know, this huge disrespect to commentary fans, but you get so used to winning and then when you lose, like, you know, you're like, oh, you start looking at every individual thing as opposed to what about all of the decisions that have gone their way this season?
00:22:17
Zak
Like we've literally had like, we've lost points due to a a blatant handball that was not picked up by the referee. that has resulted in a goal, that has resulted in points being dropped.
00:22:27
Zak
we had And then with VAR, it doesn't make any blind bit of difference either, because last season we've had, you know...
00:22:31
DailySaintsPod
Well, look, I... I will say mate that this referee is a referee that we've seen at St. Mary's this season and did have a, uh, let's say a lengthy chat about on the podcast, uh, when he, eat when he refereed us at St.
00:22:45
Zak
I'm aware.
00:22:47
DailySaintsPod
Mary's. So, and I've got some, some other thoughts on him later on in the match.
00:22:54
DailySaintsPod
But at this point I, uh, I felt like, uh, yeah, I don't know.
00:22:54
Zak
Thank you.
00:23:02
Zak
I just think it i think it brings an extra level of scrutiny when you go on an unbeaten run for so long.
00:23:02
DailySaintsPod
Uh,
00:23:06
DailySaintsPod
Mm-hmm.
00:23:08
Zak
you feel like it's the world is at your feet. And and you know again, like not to disrespect or tar an entire fan brace with one brush, but you did have that guy You probably didn't see it, but it was doing the round on on Twitter with the guy being like, oh, just put the points in the bag and move on, bro.
00:23:23
Zak
And then he got absolutely... you know demolished by everyone replying to him like, well, that turned out well for you. We've had people try to mug us off, saying it's going to be like, it's going to be a walk over this on the other. And it's like, well, it didn't turn out too great. But I do think that when you suddenly lose like that, you you don't expect it. You will start to look to everything and be like, oh,
00:23:44
Zak
And then I think the extra sort of scrutiny has been put on by, I think it was Second Tier Podcast, put it out like put out the still images where they were like, oh, see, look how bad this is. And it kind of builds the whole thing up to be bigger than maybe it wants to be.
00:23:57
DailySaintsPod
yeah and
00:23:57
Zak
And you're right, it probably, but there is for every decision like that that that has gone our way, there's been decisions that have gone against us this season and vice versa for commentary.
00:24:03
DailySaintsPod
Yeah. And to be fair, part of the reason the fans, especially the fans in the stadium, were getting their back up was just because of how out of our way we had gone to make it uncomfortable for them and for the for the team, right?
00:24:15
Zak
Hmm. exactly
00:24:17
DailySaintsPod
we we We had set out to rattle them. Yeah. But presumably in a response to Frank Lampard's fish pumps in earlier in season. I don't know. may hate to speculate, but you've got to say that there was there was you know definitely a high motivation to it. It was upsetting to me how many... Obviously, they were getting plenty of crosses in, even with us sort of unsettling them.
00:24:43
DailySaintsPod
it was upsetting to me how many of those crosses they were first to in our box. And if they could head the ball at the goal or anywhere at the goal that wasn't the keeper, they'd have been five goals up by halftime.
00:25:12
Zak
Yeah, I saw that work.
00:25:13
DailySaintsPod
and And it was, you know, right, fine. Referees missed stuff in games. This referee was not having a particularly good game, and I'll touch on that later. But never in the history of the team do I think I have seen a player get fouled so frequently and never win a free kick.
00:25:31
DailySaintsPod
Like, every single time Laren is on the ball, he is being wrestled, he's being poked, kicked, and he just never seems to get anything. it sir It's crazy. Then, right, Daniel Perrette.
00:25:46
DailySaintsPod
What man, what a player, what a goalkeeper, right?
00:25:50
Zak
but so Does McCarthy save that, mate?
00:25:50
DailySaintsPod
I think... seven yeah like
00:25:55
Zak
Sorry, just to bring back an ongoing game that you like to do with all of our goalkeepers.
00:26:00
DailySaintsPod
Mate, I think that there are maybe three goalkeepers in this entire league that make that save.
00:26:06
Zak
Does Rambo make that save?
00:26:06
DailySaintsPod
it will Look, he, in the time he was put in, rightly or wrongly, right, the criticism was levied, are we've gone for another cheap option.
00:26:21
DailySaintsPod
unproven player. Sure, he's a Bayern Munich player, but he's been out on loan at Hamburg. He's only played twice. What are we doing? But did that save in particular, and then, you know, continuously through the match, like...
00:26:35
DailySaintsPod
Oh, just...
00:26:36
Zak
Well, then, if we look at our...
00:26:37
DailySaintsPod
Without him in the sticks, we don't win this game.
00:26:40
Zak
No.
00:26:40
DailySaintsPod
It's as simple as that. It's... What more could you say? The confidence that he brings is no...
00:26:45
Zak
It is...
00:26:48
DailySaintsPod
cur right the The fact that we have got better defensively and, you know, been able to take a player out of defence and change our shape up and push that player into attack and...
00:27:00
DailySaintsPod
Not only that, change into three or four different styles now what the team in front of the back four are doing, right? Completely.
00:27:10
Zak
Thank you.
00:27:11
DailySaintsPod
There's no coincidence for me that that quality has improved since he has been in the team because he commands the box. He gives the defense that confidence that he is in control and he will make that save or do something ridiculous to keep a clean sheet sometimes.
00:27:28
DailySaintsPod
And yeah, it's fantastic. Does he still have a ridiculous mistake in him? Absolutely, he does. Right?
00:27:35
DailySaintsPod
But this game in particular, he...
00:27:35
Zak
I just feel at that point, is that's a characteristic of a Saints goalkeeper.
00:27:39
Zak
They need to have that one mistake in them.
00:27:39
DailySaintsPod
yeah
00:27:42
DailySaintsPod
but But yeah, without him in the net, we do not win this game. So was a sensation.
00:27:48
Zak
The only... It's when you look at the transfer business that we've done since the beginning of the season and you look at the success versus the failure, right arguably what's like you know one of the biggest ones everyone points to is downs. And I again just think that it's because the profile that they wanted and the type of football he played is different to what we expected to get out of him.
00:28:11
DailySaintsPod
We were, we,
00:28:11
Zak
pretty much most of the other players we've brought in have been successes.
00:28:14
DailySaintsPod
we will
00:28:14
Zak
both of those Both of those additions in January specifically, which we were critical of, and
Signings & Fan Reactions
00:28:20
Zak
I'll put my hands up and say, you know, when we thought we would take some back and forth, like, well, it's nice that we've got a goalkeeper done, but like, don't know the bloke is really.
00:28:27
Zak
Kind of a nuts. We're going for like backup goalkeepers. Like, is that really any better than Bazzunu? And then we're sending Bazzunu straight and like, clearly it's like, well, that's bit ridiculous. We just kind of seems like we just kind of be hating Baz for no reason.
00:28:37
Zak
And then obviously, as you said, the improvements he's made. And the same with Laren. We were like, why are we hiring like a 31-year-old striker that hasn't scored a goal? We've scored one in ten on loan from God knows where.
00:28:49
Zak
And both of them, we have mentioned now or three games in a row and how much of a difference they have made to the team. And that maybe means that we're not good scouts, mate. Yeah. Yeah. to
00:29:00
DailySaintsPod
Maybe somebody at the club actually knows what they're doing finally, is where I'm at.
00:29:03
Zak
yeah eight yeah
00:29:04
DailySaintsPod
And, you know, they have bought enough good grace to get some benefit of the doubt that this wasn't all an accident.
00:29:13
Zak
Yeah. If it is an accent, it's just a very happy one.
00:29:13
DailySaintsPod
Because you're... But you're right, mate, because you're right. Damien Downs didn't work out, sure. But actually, on the whole, the the entire transfer business this thing has been really good.
00:29:28
DailySaintsPod
yeah yeah And I'm sure that we'll look back on it at the end of the season, our post-season podcasts. But yeah. and And that took us to halftime. And my notes at halftime just say, God, Coventry fans are a whiny bunch. Yeah.
00:29:44
Zak
But again, I can understand it because if you are suddenly thinking that you're invincible and you've been top of the table and you're about to win seven games in a row, we would also feel the same. I think we've felt you know we've had a winning streak or an unbeaten streak, right? But then they've been interrupted by these like weird draws against Charlton where the level of reaction because of how good games against Leicester have been and things like that and QPR...
00:30:09
Zak
have meant that the reaction to West Brom, including from myself, is like anger, forgetting that like a year ago, we're like, wow, we only got battered 3-0, thank goodness! Right?
00:30:20
Zak
obviously that is going to set a level of expectation.
00:30:20
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, roll.
00:30:22
Zak
And when they are at home against the team, and you know, they're unbeaten and they're like, oh, let's play this ex-Premier League competition. The only reason that we didn't beat them last time is because we had to player a player sent off. even Even then we were able to equalise.
00:30:34
Zak
To then go down and then also have, as you pointed out, a referee that isn't doing a great job for either side, to be clear. then you are going to be annoyed and whiny and you are in a position where, you know, you will probably feel those emotions stronger than usual because it is kind of your title to lose at the moment.
00:30:57
Zak
And whereas the pressure for us is like, well,
00:30:57
DailySaintsPod
Yeah. And that is happening, right? Like they, uh, they were like far and away out in front. And now I think there's eight points between them and third.
00:31:08
Zak
so seven points between them and Middlesworth, right?
00:31:09
DailySaintsPod
So yeah. and And not that many more points between the third.
00:31:11
Zak
That isn't,
00:31:14
DailySaintsPod
So it's... Yeah, I kind of get it. And then we had a really solid start. i And to be fair, at halftime, I'm sat at home, I'm thinking... I'm still shopping, to be clear. It was a horrible day.
00:31:27
DailySaintsPod
Don't worry about it. But I'm sat in the car thinking... We made it to halftime. It's nil-nil. We're well in it. It's been a pretty even half, like, smack down the middle, shots and possession. Everything everything seems really balanced.
00:31:42
DailySaintsPod
Great. We're giving it a good shot. And, yeah. Then we get under the way in the second half. We have a fast start. And... fling downs scores a goal which is not something that he pops up with particularly often it's got to be said that's not you would yeah
00:32:00
Zak
But exactly as you pointed out early in the game, Tonda says he has other qualities he'd like to see. scoring we wouldn't think is one of them, but 100th appearance of the club, scores a goal. You know, lovely bit of poetry there.
00:32:10
DailySaintsPod
yeah Yeah, his 100th appearance. And do you know what, mate? Obviously, the finish will get a lot of credit because he's chasing a ball in at the back post, which is something that earlier in the season you would never see.
00:32:25
DailySaintsPod
But actually, for me, it's the fact that he starts the play of the goal as well, the middle of the park.
00:32:30
Zak
Mm-hmm.
00:32:31
DailySaintsPod
He... He does a bit of footwork that you know sends a or sends the midfielder out, creates the space, passes the ball off. Four passes later. Genuinely four passes. It goes out wide, a little bit further out wide, out wide again, crossed into Lahren. Lahren gets a tap on it. Keeper saves it, pushes onto the post, and bang, there's Flynn back.
00:32:54
DailySaintsPod
with the outside of his boot and great chasing in the back post and shows the commitment that he started the move and finished the move what more can you ask for brilliant just buzzing off it and yeah great stuff good goal we won it up surprised happy ooid all those things
00:33:16
Zak
Yeah. as it's I think after everyone's feeling at that point was, oh, nice. Let's not pull it.
00:33:23
DailySaintsPod
then And then my next note is, all right, I didn't agree with Coventry fans in the first half of about how the ref was doing, but in the first 10 minutes of this second half, he's been shocking.
00:33:37
DailySaintsPod
Two decisions go away that definitely shouldn't have. And he also gives two against us that absolutely aren't. i don't know I've just written, poor all round. And yeah, I mean, we've talked about it already, but yeah, just not good.
00:33:49
Zak
this is This is the thing, right? The polarizing thing is that like those screenshot images of the stills of the decisions that went against us or that went against Coventry is going to be like, oh, they won because of the ref. And what it actually is is that those can be decisions that should have gone Coventry's way and the ref could have also made poor decisions that did go Coventry's way. Both can be true at the same time. And it it feels like in a game, you know, it feels like that's the story of this referee in this game, right?
00:34:19
DailySaintsPod
Yeah. he was just Yeah, he had very little control over it. But yeah, then we played some beautiful football and created a chance for Yanda, who probably should have done better, but actually hit it straight in the keeper. But, you know, we created the chance. this is These are still good things. At this point, I am furious with Sky.
00:34:39
Zak
What's new?
00:34:44
DailySaintsPod
It was just, it was just great.
00:34:44
Zak
Mate, that's, yeah, it's, it's, it's blatant. yeah problem The problem is, is it's just one of those things where it's like you're talking about with Ryan Reynolds and Bob Mack, right?
00:34:54
Zak
And the fact that, yeah, okay, there was an option to listen to it without with their commentary, but it is always going to be horrifically biased commentary. And we used to kind of that, that kind of thing and the narratives and the stories and the, who, what who people want people to win, et cetera. is always going to come into it.
00:35:09
Zak
I think it is is difficult. I think that you just get to a point where every game has two sets commentators, one support one side, one support the other side, and then everyone can not whinge about it.
00:35:18
DailySaintsPod
yeah Yeah, absolutely.
00:35:20
Zak
Rather than having people that clearly like they hate hate one side and don't another.
00:35:21
DailySaintsPod
Please, Bruce Lee, yeah but least like to suppose Yeah, it was it was blatant, it was painful. It was fine, whatever. i I turned the volume down at that point and and moved on with my life.
00:35:35
DailySaintsPod
Yander then makes a brilliant interception and should probably do better at taking it around the keeper. But to be fair, the keeper is very quick off his marks, makes himself huge, jumps in, out of his area, gets blocked.
00:35:49
Zak
Considering the criticism he's had, though, he's done, he had an alright game. And, like, we're not talking about him in a horrifically negative light or even really a negative light.
00:35:52
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, right. No, just nitpicking. Like, i think he I think every player on the pitch was was excellent and did their role. Just nitpicking, like, little things where i'm like, maybe you could have done better.
00:36:05
DailySaintsPod
But also, like, if I'm in that position, the ball's gone out for a throw already, right? So... It's it is. Yeah.
00:36:11
Zak
yeah You are right.
00:36:14
DailySaintsPod
is And then my next observation was about Manning. And I've gone through all of the criticism we have for Manning quite frequently. Something we don't often talk about, but see a lot, is his ability to bring a ball down under control and then immediately hit stride running with it.
00:36:32
DailySaintsPod
It's...
00:36:32
Zak
Yeah.
00:36:33
DailySaintsPod
Honestly, it's sensational. I think he might have one of the best first touches in the team. It happened time and time again in this game. And I mean, particularly, I was...
00:36:44
DailySaintsPod
was thinking about it because talked earlier about how like some of the moments where Coventry's quality nearly shone through, and I haven't written any of those moments down, obviously, because who cares?
00:36:56
DailySaintsPod
But one that sticks out in the mind was, we won and this is a Saints podcast if you want Coventry analysis.
00:37:03
Zak
If you want a Coventry podcast, go listen to second tier podcasts.
00:37:04
DailySaintsPod
But there was...
00:37:06
Zak
They're like, I'll give you all the stuff that you want.
00:37:08
DailySaintsPod
but it was in
00:37:12
DailySaintsPod
and But yeah, there was one moment where I think the keeper pinged a side volley out to... I think it was... I'm not even going to try and say his name, but it was their midfielder who'd been playing on the right...
00:37:30
DailySaintsPod
it fullback, Van Vanewijk. And he... but The ball was ridiculous from the goalkeeper. like He had absolutely no right getting on the end of it.
00:37:49
Zak
Where's
00:37:51
DailySaintsPod
But yeah, Manning just did that consistently through the game as well. And so, you know, we we chuck criticism at him sometimes, but... worth shouting out the good stuff when I notice it for sure yeah Flint then makes another foul and goes to moan at the ref in you know his normal tantrum-esque manner and then immediately remembers that he can't get booked and shuts up
00:38:01
Zak
credit due? you know and
00:38:17
DailySaintsPod
I enjoyed that yeah
00:38:17
Zak
you remember the safest bet in football? Oh, what shame. I mean, arguably, if they...
00:38:21
DailySaintsPod
let you made it made it all the way through somehow. This was the last game where it mattered, right?
00:38:25
Zak
Somehow...
00:38:26
DailySaintsPod
Like,
00:38:30
Zak
Somehow made it through, you're right.
00:38:37
DailySaintsPod
Then Azaz got wrestled to the floor in front of the linesman and got a throw just all round, all of the referees, fine, whatever.
00:38:49
DailySaintsPod
We were really solid at this point defensively.
00:38:52
DailySaintsPod
weing eat There was a period of play where they had so much of the ball and they tried to come at us and three or four or maybe even five times in this single attack, we forced them from the wing back into their own half. Just absolutely like it to the point where if we were passing it around that much at the back,
00:38:52
Zak
Mm-hmm.
00:39:14
DailySaintsPod
we would be on our team's back. But it was because we were just so organized and so solid, we we just pushed it. And it was a sir it was great. its I don't think it's an observation I have had about the team the entire season.
00:39:31
DailySaintsPod
Then we get a close-up on Frank Lampard, where he's saying that a referee's decision is a joke after one of their players has the highest thought I've ever seen, and it was pretty much like Cantonares Karate Kick.
00:39:32
Zak
Thank
00:39:46
DailySaintsPod
Uh, it was... So I just had to note that, because I, uh... Sure. Another foul, where Flynn goes to argue, He was more luck than judgment dodging this booking, it's got to be said. Uh, across the game, three or four times, maybe should have had a yellow.
00:40:07
DailySaintsPod
Then may I've only got five notes left in the entire game, which is crazy because because we're only about 60 minutes in at this point. But it's commentry are so rattled.
00:40:18
Zak
Mate, it's fine. We're 40 minutes into the podcast. It turns out you writing like 54 notes or whatever really extends to the runtime when there's also a conversational partner.
00:40:23
DailySaintsPod
Wow.
00:40:27
DailySaintsPod
That does it, mate. i wanna to Yeah, country were rattled.
00:40:33
Zak
is
00:40:35
DailySaintsPod
That was not new, but that was noticeable. They were starting to get properly frustrated with without not being able to break us down and with the referee and just with everything. Then we win a corner, and I cannot tell.
00:40:48
DailySaintsPod
i have watched this goal, Zach, maybe 30 times.
00:40:52
Zak
How it happens? Yeah, I'm also...
00:40:53
DailySaintsPod
And i I cannot tell if this is the most calm finish I've ever seen or if Matski had absolutely no idea that it hit him.
00:40:54
Zak
Oh.
00:41:07
DailySaintsPod
you I don't know, mate. What did you... what do you think?
Controversial Decisions & Game Plan
00:41:14
DailySaintsPod
it He opens his foot out, right, in a way that before the ball comes to him, he opens his foot out in a way that looks like he is trying to guide the ball towards the net.
00:41:28
Zak
yeah, that it just sort of hit and went in. So maybe, okay, maybe the intention is there. he didn't realise the execution would take place, so it's a good goal?
00:41:38
DailySaintsPod
yeah like it was both intentional and an accident somehow.
00:41:39
Zak
Like, he... he Yeah, he he he's talked about hate wanting to increase the amount of goals he's scoring.
00:41:43
DailySaintsPod
I'm
00:41:46
Zak
he He did that. I don't think it really matters. We've been through this before.
00:41:49
DailySaintsPod
Oh, you get it.
00:41:49
Zak
The the amount of crappy goals we've seen this season anyway, i'm fine with one sort of looks like it wasn't intentional, but it ended up being going to win in. I didn't expect us to go up to, you know.
00:41:59
DailySaintsPod
gonna give him the benefit I'm to give him the benefit of the doubt and assume that it was calm, collected, measured, and he knew exactly what he was doing. because Because I've got no proof to the contrary, but boy, it does look like it bounced off his foot.
00:42:15
DailySaintsPod
But we take it. like You're right. We take it whatever way it bounces in. My next note is that's never a penalty in a million years.
00:42:20
Zak
Thank you.
00:42:25
DailySaintsPod
Sure, there was a bit of contact, but it was minimal. And i don't know, like a sniper shot the Coventry player, I think, as well. About three seconds between the very minimal contact and the over-enthusiastic dive.
00:42:39
DailySaintsPod
are Also, completely irrelevant in the scheme of things, but there was clear encroachment country player on the penalty so it should have been retaken but also just doesn't matter in the slightest anymore we won there's no point moment about it it's what it is Demporetz is just solid makes another big save it gets scrappy with less than a minute stoppage time left but that was it the final suppose yep
00:43:05
Zak
Well, seven minutes added on, 99 is what I got to you, right? So, you know, but obviously a penalty we in between and then, so
00:43:10
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, but there yeah it was penantly in it. You know, if if it was Saints chasing the lead, it'd even with a penalty and three minutes of celebration, stoppage in the middle would have blown the missile dead on 97. But that doesn't matter either. It's what it is.
00:43:25
DailySaintsPod
But look, we we did an excellent job of keeping Coventry as quiet as I think we could have expected them to. They still had chances. They they still had moments of quality that thrown through.
00:43:34
Zak
They did, and that was Frank Lampard's big criticism, right? like He was like, oh, we should have really... like you know We had five like four or five big chances. It's like, okay, so then if you had four or five big chances that you missed, on a statistical basis, we shouldn't lose that game.
00:43:42
DailySaintsPod
Mm-hmm.
00:43:47
Zak
And this is exactly where the the motto of one of the mottos of this podcast comes into play, which is, well, Popa... But football's played at grass. Sometimes those big chances don't pay off. We spent the entirety of the early season under Will Still having the highest XG of the league for like 12 games. And do you what? meant nothing. We couldn't score any of those goals, right? We spent we had loads of big chances in the Premier League and we didn't score any of them. So it doesn't really matter. And again, it was the fact that that we clearly came in with a plan, we executed that plan and it resulted in a victory.
00:44:22
Zak
Was the ref not great yet, but not just for commentary. It's not like he was just bad for them. He was just bad. Like like these things could, again, all of this could be true in a vacuum, but I think it is frustrating for league leaders who are about to go seven wins in a row, who probably, you know, again, had an X level of expectation that at home, they don't really lose.
00:44:32
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:44:46
Zak
It was only Ipswich that's beaten them beforehand. to lose to us in the manner that they did with a bit of a crap referee and not taking their chances is going to be frustrating.
00:44:56
Zak
Simple as that. But we executed the game plan really well. The players put their all in. Even missing Sienza and Stewart not being there. like you know Archer played for a lot of that game.
00:45:08
Zak
you know that's not there's not Let's not pretend.
00:45:08
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, one the thosees like didn mentioned one of the notes I made but didn't mention is that I didn't mention it in the West Brom game, but although he wasn't like actually a big part of of like taking part in what happened in the West Brom game after he came on, he did show good energy. He pressed high. He made an interception. His first touch was horrible. It pinged off his shin.
00:45:32
DailySaintsPod
But actually, when he came on in the West Brom game, like He gave the rest of the team energy with his press. And I think there' was you could say similar about about his sort of cameo in this game. It wasn't effective, but it it did, you know, it it upped the energy levels and it wasn't as bad as it it could have been. So, yeah, it's just one of those things, right? Good plays all round. For me, of the match was Daniel Peretz.
00:46:02
Zak
Awesome.
00:46:03
DailySaintsPod
Just Saints tweeting after the match, in case you missed it, by the way, we only paid less than half a million pound.
00:46:12
Zak
cheaper than brie
00:46:13
DailySaintsPod
Yeah. also you have a an 8 million option to buy at the end of the season. So, like...
00:46:22
DailySaintsPod
And that was it, mate. Tonda played, like i say, played 3D chess against Frank Clampard's checkers and beats... What's the manager of a month curse?
00:46:22
Zak
exactly exactly so yeah
00:46:32
DailySaintsPod
Anyone know? Like, it's just... It's just great. Like, what more can you ask for? A solid team performance... Just three bonus points, right? We said coming into this game, but if we get a point, it's a bonus.
00:46:47
Zak
Well, again, like it what we would have taken out this week is I would have taken four points happily because if, you know, the expectation was we beat West Brom and I would have loved the draw against Coventry, but I could have also seen us losing.
00:46:47
DailySaintsPod
So...
00:46:53
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:46:59
DailySaintsPod
Hmm.
00:46:59
Zak
And if though we lost, that was the end not the end of the world. Didn't quite work out that way. Absolutely weird, bizarre point at West Brom, to be honest, and probably undeserved, but then absolutely deserved win on Saturday.
00:47:10
Zak
and if it means that, you know, in either way, regardless of the fact that some of them, some of this unbeaten streak has been weird draws, they've still managed to go on an unbeaten streak, which is not
00:47:11
DailySaintsPod
Wait.
Team Growth & Future Outlook
00:47:22
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:47:22
Zak
something at the beginning of the season.
00:47:23
Zak
Again, we were we were flirting with the idea of relegation down to League One. Like, you're looking at you're looking at Leicester right now and how much of a struggle their season is. We are now basically fighting, off the you know, as Eckert said, with Wrexham, like our fate's in our own hands.
00:47:36
Zak
And if we go up, happy days. We get to the playoffs, happy days. We don't. I still think that like the latter half of the season has been significantly better, significantly more enjoyable and growing into something.
00:47:46
Zak
The big test will be whether or not we do go up and or if we even get to the playoffs. And if we get to summer, what happens to the team? But i have every faith that regardless of the players that end up going, we we currently have a manager that might be able to just make things work.
00:48:01
Zak
And that's if he stays with us, because I wouldn't be surprised if he gets picked.
00:48:03
DailySaintsPod
Do you know what, mate? It's telling because you talked earlier to sort of close the loop, right, on on the episode.
00:48:08
Zak
Mm-hmm.
00:48:11
DailySaintsPod
You talked at the start of the episode about how you never saw anything like this from Will Steele and the difference is the the buy-in and the belief that he's clearly been able to impart.
00:48:23
DailySaintsPod
And and i don't know if you saw Flynn's post-match press conference.
00:48:26
Zak
Yes, call him genius.
00:48:27
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, yeah. Boss is the boss for a reason. He's a genius. He knows what he's doing. So just listen, to be honest. I've done that since he came in and I'm really enjoying my football.
00:48:38
DailySaintsPod
So what that says about what happened before he came in, let's let's let bygones be bygones.
00:48:39
Zak
Yeah.
00:48:44
Zak
and And also on top of that, people talk about sort of, you we're still being younger and than experienced and like, mate, Tom was younger than both me and you.
00:48:53
DailySaintsPod
Just crazy.
00:48:53
Zak
like ba That's when you start... with but your when you but you like It's like that weird thing in your 20s when you start to realise you're older than the players, and that's a bit weird. But when you're starting to get older than the managers, then there's something about that in your brain switches a little bit.
00:49:04
DailySaintsPod
Radio.
00:49:06
Zak
at the best, I guess you just get used to it. But yeah, I think that... it Okay, was it accidental from Sports Republic? Yeah, maybe. Does it matter? Not really.
00:49:18
DailySaintsPod
Yeah. mr bold
00:49:18
Zak
I'm happy with where we're at, and I'm happy with watching the football we get to watch.
00:49:22
Zak
So...
00:49:22
DailySaintsPod
It's great. And look, now we come into busy running, right? We've 12 games unbeaten in all competitions. We've got nine league games left. And because of the ridiculous schedule that we have endured time and time again, right? Because i think that of all of the game periods where we had three games in seven days, think in all of them, we've had two away games.
00:49:47
DailySaintsPod
But what that means is that we've got nine league games left and six of them are at home. So...
00:49:52
Zak
Yes.
00:49:53
DailySaintsPod
I mean, that's a good position to be in, right? Everyone's going to have this congested fixture schedule. Everyone's going to be playing, playing and then playing and then playing and then playing. We now have the benefit that 75% or 66% of our games, bad maths, 66% of our games are going to be at home, which, you know, takes so much of the stress out of the travel.
00:50:15
Zak
Thank you.
00:50:16
DailySaintsPod
Obviously, we stayed up in the Midlands this week between the games to try and and make that work. And it did clearly. so mate, just little time to be a Saints fan.
00:50:28
Zak
Yeah, it's good. We just got hope we carry it on against Norwich because Norwich are on a bit of good run of form.
00:50:31
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:50:32
Zak
They lost in their FA Cup to Leeds. But other than that, you know, they've they've had a bit of a turnaround since their beginning of the season. we just got to hope we can do our best against them, especially considering who knows what conglomeration of players we're going to have and how they're playing.
00:50:49
DailySaintsPod
Well, I'll
00:50:50
Zak
But i have a bit more faith in them than I used to, put it that way.
00:50:52
DailySaintsPod
Absolutely. Well, I'll tell you what, mate, we have got a whole episode speculate that coming up on Wednesday, a whole day to cover a championship roundup between now and then. Can you believe it?
00:51:04
DailySaintsPod
Football comes thick and fast, but mostly to take that right.
00:51:07
Zak
No way.
00:51:09
DailySaintsPod
But listen, that is all we have got time for today and then absolutely some for this bumper episode. But it was a bumper performance that that justified it.
00:51:20
DailySaintsPod
Thank you, everyone, for listening. Zach, as ever, thank you for joining me.
00:51:25
Zak
Thank you, mate.
00:51:25
DailySaintsPod
And look, us know on the socials, in the comments, how you feel about the game? How much did you enjoy that win? And how many good goals are we going to score when we win all nine of these remaining fixtures in championship?
00:51:40
DailySaintsPod
Let us know. We are Daily Saints pod absolutely everywhere. X, Blue Sky, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube. Hit us up.
00:51:51
DailySaintsPod
Let us know. And while you're there, why not give us a like and a subscribe because it goes so far to helping us out. We see all of it and are grateful for all of it, especially those Coventry fans who tried to mug us off for the game.
00:52:02
Zak
We do. Thank you.
00:52:07
DailySaintsPod
Extra grateful for them.
00:52:07
Zak
but Fantastic engagement.
00:52:09
DailySaintsPod
well
00:52:10
Zak
Thank you so much. We didn't even say anything controversial.
00:52:13
DailySaintsPod
a
00:52:14
Zak
In fact, started putting a loss and yet somehow, even a loss, just is what it is.
00:52:17
DailySaintsPod
if
00:52:20
Zak
But no, we do appreciate you all. It's going into, obviously, we've just gone over what is the episode 401, which is mad. Usually me and Greg would we'd be able to you know do something for two weeks, let alone two years.
00:52:29
DailySaintsPod
crazy. Yeah.
00:52:34
Zak
But we appreciate you all. Thank you.
00:52:36
DailySaintsPod
That's it. And look, with that, we will be back tomorrow, as mentioned earlier, to talk about all of the action in this weekend's championship, and there is some stuff to talk about.
00:52:46
DailySaintsPod
But until then, Saints fans, have a wonderful day, and we will see you tomorrow.