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EP 58: Tactics Tuesday - Leicester
11 Plays26 days ago
Join Matt and Luke discuss all things in depth vs Leicester!
What made Maresca's selection work so well and do the refs need to give Chelsea players more protection?
Host: Matt Blagdon
Guest: Luke Chandler
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Transcript
00:00:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome to the Daily Chelsea, brought to you by the Global Sports Podcast Network. I'm your host Matt Blanton, and today we're doing Tactics Tuesday, analysing all the things against Leicester from the previous weekend. And to do all such things is my wonderful host, I mean, a host guest, and that is Luke. Luke, how are you doing today?
00:00:32
Luke
I'm doing very well. I didn't realize I was hosting today, but no, I'm doing very well.
00:00:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
I know, yeah.
00:00:36
Luke
And um yeah, it's good to to look back on a kind of tactically interesting match, I would say actually.
00:00:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Absolutely, yeah, it was some quite different to to what we've seen really across the season from Maresca and Chelsea this season. I think the best place to start really, Luke, is with the lineup and the game plan of Maresca. I think all of us, you know sort particularly you, Jake and I, when we saw the lineup, we were we we were very surprised um by the selection choices.
00:01:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Um, most noticeably, you know, no risk James out again with injury. And then also gusto, um, apparently with a virus, very frustrating, but both are, you know, ideal first choice, right back and back up, right back, both outs. So, uh, we saw in, um, come in for Fauna right back and then Benoit Badei Shulei in a sons back partnership with Coldwell.
00:01:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
and then we even saw Jean Felix start on the left hand side, a first primarily start for him actually this season, um so great for him and then Enzo coming into the middle just because Nlavia I don't think was fully up to speed Other than that, it was pretty ripe and ready, Chelsea, as we know it. Luke, what were your impressions of the lineup? um Was this, you know, Mariska's hands being forced because James and Gusto weren't available, or was this specifically a tactical shout?
00:02:07
Luke
I think it's probably a bit of both because, I mean, we we certainly noticed that we didn't have an out on out fall back on the right hand side, but the way that we sort of set up, it felt like we weren't in our sort of traditional four, two, three or well three.
00:02:23
Luke
three two one or whatever it would have been that that we normally do we have the inverted fallback and we have we have a slightly sitting defender um that will then overlap at certain points when we have possession um we we felt today that we were a lot more shaped up like with with it with a three back with kaiseido sort of sitting in front to create that square and one of the defenders Notably, probably, Betty is she was on the front foot and stepping up a lot of the time. And except that Cola was very much central in terms of dictating the play and and usually the start of all of our attacks from the back was was the main passer. And then for Fauna, it was twist tucking alongside as well. So.
00:03:00
Luke
It was, it was really a case of Kukarela didn't really ah overlap. Sorry. He didn't really, um, invert today. He was overlapping a lot more. He was creating a lot of width matter where he was on the touchline hugging the touchline on the right-hand side. And then Kukarela was doing similar on the left. Um, and it did sort of feel like that, that Felix Palmer and Enzo had a lot of free rolls today where they were sort of step up being attacked a little bit. You'd have at some point Palmer was as high up the pitch as Jackson, or we'd have Felix being as high up as Jackson, but then also dropping in and picking up the ball where they wanted to. So it it was a fairly.
00:03:30
Luke
a fairly fluid um system today ah so today, I mean at the weekend. um And ultimately we have to look at it and say we are at a point now where Mareska will tweak his tactics so much for each individual game. So it is hard to say whether or not this was enforced because of the injuries and and the lack of ah of of an out on out right back.
00:03:49
Luke
But I do you think if he'd wanted to keep a back ah four, he could have played Kukarela at right back and brought in Bernardo Vega. He's not been afraid to play someone on the wrong side at the full back.
00:04:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:04:01
Luke
So I do think it was definitely a decision that he made with the view that this was the system he wanted. He wants to have three central defenders ah playing and and giving us that balance. And I think there was some merit to it. um And I'd be interested to see if we carry on with a similar sort of setup, particularly as we don't know how long Reese is going to be out for. And we don't know um the the extent of just those virus, as you say.
00:04:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it was really interesting, wasn't it? And I guess um it's, on one hand, fantastic to see this versatility within our squad. And when we don't have all players available that we can transition to this sort of setup. And yeah, Cucarillo doesn't have to invert anymore, and he can just get down the wing, like he did for Spain, really, during the whole Euros, and just, you know, focus on the crossing and his attacking side, which he probably prefers, to be in in all honesty.
00:04:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Um, within, you know, the middle of the park, you touched on it there, that Enzo Palmer and Felix had a bit more freedom. I guess it's one of those where it's all Felix, he can't be on the wing, but he's more of a number 10. And because Cruecorilla was getting up on the wing, um, you know, on the left hand side, uh, Felix could come in a bit more and, you know, sort of when we first see the lineup, it doesn't, you know, there's some questions and confusion, but then when we actually see it play out, it makes a lot of sense. Uh, because we wanted to dominate that midfield area.
00:05:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Just on Felix, um because it was his first start, um how did you find that he you know sort of got into the game? Were you impressed with him? And do you think like he could slowly but surely get himself into the first team?
00:05:32
Luke
Yeah, i think I think he did very well. he he He obviously picks up a lot of spaces that are similar to how Palmer plays, but it allowed... He was a lot more office in the left-hand side, Palmer's a lot more on the right-hand side. ah It allows for some in and interesting kind of passages of play where we have an attacker a lot closer to Jackson than we would do if we have the out-and-out wingers of, say, a Neto and Madaweke is the highest positions. And ah it means that cutbacks, the the box is a lot more flooded. We were seeing a lot of um around-the-corner passes on the edge of the area to play someone in, or ah Felix was looking to to to play out, to cook a relative, and to then receive the ball again. on And as you say, from from his kind of whipped crosses, he was doing a lot of today, um sorry, other weekend. um And then that would mean that then um we we just have a different dynamic. And I think i think Felix is great. he he
00:06:22
Luke
he's there's There's a number of players within our squad that I think are unlucky to not be involved as much as they kind of have been so far. um But I do see the reasons why so we start with certain players at certain points. um But I think, no, there has been a lot of talk of Mariska wanting to play Felix and Palmer together.
00:06:42
Luke
And I do think we'll see a lot more of it come towards the business end of the season because they they both have quite an innate ability to to just be in the right space at the right time, playing the right sorts of passes. I think Felix is such a creative player. um And he goes a little bit under the radar in terms of that that side of him because I think he came into the scene as a goalscore. I mean, he was bought from Ben Fica by Atletico Madrid because he was he was he was almost their number nine. He was playing up front. He was scoring a lot of goals. He was a talented youth product. and From there, he sort of dwindled a little bit from being, ah I don't think he's ever going to get 20 goals a season, but he's certainly going to be involved.
00:07:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
and
00:07:18
Luke
And I think he's much more likely to be a 15 goal and 10 assists type player, that kind of style. and And I think for our sort of system and the types of personnel that we need, he's perfect for our system. um And it was great to see um what they hear, the the the fans charting for him pretty much in the first minute today.
00:07:33
Luke
So it was really, really nice.
00:07:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, absolutely. it's ah I think that's what you know we'd love to see from all our players, really, in terms of attacking-wise, to be in the double digits for both goals and assists. And there's no reason why that couldn't be a possibility, just with the amount of rotation required and because of the level that they've got. So yeah, positive signs all around. And we are going into another hectic period, and it might just be one of those things that We might need to rest, dare I say it, Parma a little bit, maybe coming off one or two games or not starting one or two games and then let Felix, you know, sort of run with it in that, in that position. Uh, because of course, you know, sort of, if you take Parma's first spot, then he can drop a bit deeper and be creative from that sense as well. Um, obviously Felix is brilliant in many, many ways. And I think Lester saw that as well. And we're going to get into that in particular after this break.
00:09:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Welcome back. Luke, we were just touching on Zhao Phoenix and the promising forms he gave against Lester. But Lester's midfield, they all got booked within 10 minutes in the first half. And that was even after Harry Wilkes went off with an injury and um Oliver Skip came on and he was booked within about five minutes of coming on.
00:09:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Jean-Felix was swiped up by Samaire in one of our attacks that unfortunately led to nothing, but he got a booking for that. Could he have seen red for that challenge?
00:09:51
Luke
Certainly. I mean, having watched it back a number of times now, if Felix had planted his foot in a different manner, he might have broken his leg. And it wasn't it wasn't the only kind of heavy challenge we saw. There was there was a couple on Palmer as well that that could have resulted in a red card. I think Wilfred indeed, he was a very lucky lucky boy today but in the game. So it it ultimately it It was just an indictment of how they couldn't really keep up with us in the midfield. And I think, again, this was another reason as to why Enzo had such a kind of influential performance and and played so well is because um we always sort of knew what they were going to do before they did it in the midfield areas anyway. um So it was, yeah, it it was it was it was it was a rough game. It was a rough game. And and I think
00:10:37
Luke
that That's what I suppose what you have to expect with a team that's kind of fighting relegation is a little bit down low and in in in the league. um And it's it wasn't. I wouldn't say that it was particularly with malice. It was just a case of it was frustration because, as I said, like they couldn't play to the level that we were and the speed we were passing, the speed of th thought in midfield. um And it was it was a clear kind of night a day, night a day in terms of um this Premier League football. and And I think Steve Cooper knew that he he referenced at the start of the game, actually, how he thought this may have been less as tough as test before the game had started. um And I think that's quite it's quite refreshing to hear that
00:11:13
Luke
We are back in a position now where where people see Chelsea as as ah big as the side as they are. We've had a couple of seasons where we've not been anywhere near the level we want to be. um So it's good to see that that we're back at a point now where why teams are worrying about us a lot more than maybe thinking, oh, they're a bit off. We can maybe have a chance today.
00:11:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, absolutely. That is but is's absolutely refreshing to hear from Steve Cooper. And quite, I guess, you know, sort of unknowingly, he's just thrown a bit of shade against Arsenal there. Because obviously they did play Arsenal away earlier in the season. And him for him to say that Chelsea coming to Leicester is their biggest test yet. I think, yeah, that's true. Get some gravitas to us and the threat we pose. I mean, sort of, we are above Arsenal at the table at the moment.
00:11:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
um level on goal difference, but we've scored more goals from them. Crucial thing, and that that Wolves win, you know, sort of all automatically springs to mind for me now when um we come to goal difference now and again. I guess, Luke, as well, just touching on, you mentioned the MDD Challenge on Palma Baja.
00:12:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I think for me, that challenge in particular, I'm the most surprised that indeed he isn't given a red card there. I mean, when the commentators spoke to when there was the analysis at halftime with Peter Crouch and Joe Cole, they were saying, absolutely, he's a really lucky player to still be on on the pitch because when you watch it back he's nowhere near the ball and he fully gets Palmer's Achilles and on another day or on another moment in that match that could be Palmer out for the season or you know for potentially years and I guess just on that we have VAR
00:12:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
which is there to rectify clear and obvious errors. um Can you make any sense of why they didn't you know sort of stick it up to a red card or get involved at all?
00:13:06
Luke
I think the they did talk about how the fact that there was a kind of a decision made that the the distance was a bit too short and it wasn't, it was more of a controlled tackle than a reckless tackle. um But it was still, the intent was still there of ultimately trying to stop a player and he didn't do it very successfully. He did it in a way that endangers or or harms a player. So um you do sort of look at it and go, there have been challenges that are softer than that, that that have been given red cards. um And then The fact he wasn't even looked at, I think, by the on-field referees is an interesting one. I would have maybe not agreed with it, but I would have understood it more if he'd looked at it and still decided to stay as a yellow. um But ultimately, it just means that the position he's seen, he didn't think it was a red card. We have VAR for a reason. Upon review, a lot of people thought it was a red card. That wasn't the decision made by it by the the officials in Stotley Park. so
00:13:59
Luke
ah Yeah, I yeah thankfully didn't didn't have a massive impact on the game, ultimately, and and thankfully Palm came away pretty much and unharmed from from the incident. but But yeah, you're right. It could have been completely different. um and But it shouldn't need to be that. It shouldn't need to be that a player gets seriously injured to then go, well, that's definitely a red card then.
00:14:16
Luke
yeah because because there can be sometimes sometimes where that happens and it is an accident and they aren't red cards. So the outcome of the and intent ah the intended incident shouldn't really have a have a bearing on what actually happens because Palmer got up and was able to walk away.
00:14:31
Luke
It doesn't mean it's a yellow card. if If the intent there is it's a red card worthy offense, then it should be a red card. um But hey, look I think referees and VAR, there's a lot going on at the moment.
00:14:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:14:42
Luke
There's a lot of scrutiny, a lot of a lot of um investigation into how they operate at the moment and I think um they're probably looking at it from a point of view of let's just let the referee ref the game we're not going to try and get involved because it's a lose-lose situation really um whereas it's a lot easier to say look the referee made this decision on the field and and And that's what we're sticking with.
00:15:06
Luke
um There was a couple of times that but where lot the linesman, there was a foul that was given against Cucarello and the linesman was right in front of him and he saw it and he didn't decide.
00:15:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah i see that
00:15:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
he
00:15:14
Luke
The referee made the decision and he's like, but he's 20 feet away.
00:15:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
he yeah
00:15:17
Luke
So what is the point of officials and what can they really do? And and I think before we got from too much of a tangent, it is really just, then the whole thing needs to be reviewed. I think the whole system needs to be looked into and and and understood from from a fan perspective of what do these officials do and what power do they really have?
00:15:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, absolutely. big And I guess just finally on this subject of harsh tackling and potential controversial decisions from referees, like the players were clearly frustrated when Parma got taken out by MDB and, you know, sort of understandably un sadubtedably so Now it's sort of Palmer's been getting a bit more rough, slightly rougher treatment this season because teams know what he can do and that's their game plan. And in some ways, you know, you want to close, you know, ah the opposition of star player as much as possible. But Palmer so far, he's been able to bounce back from pretty much everything, um which is fantastic. It's almost like he's made out of steel and rubber. Like he sort of just is being able to sort of like, you know, take the hits, but then also if there's something a bit tangly, he can get out of it.
00:16:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
um I guess the the question here is if this these sort of challenges continue on Parma specifically, but maybe some other of of our other top players, does Chelsea need to then call on like real protection from the referees?
00:16:39
Luke
I mean, it's it's difficult to say because you get so many different teams and so many different players will say that they're badly treated or harsh, they're targeted. um I always look at that and I think historically that would be a sign of ah respect almost where we know that it's the player that consistently gets fouled is clearly an important player for the opposition team. um I look at examples of Eden Hazard was always up there as someone that was taking a lot of a lot of fouls in in games.
00:17:08
Luke
and just had to deal with it his entire career and Wilfred Zaha was the same for Palace, he was clearly their most important player and they would always be targeted. um I think protection, i think I think a player of his level of ego wouldn't want to say that that's what they'd like, you know what I mean?
00:17:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
to
00:17:24
Luke
they You're right, we don't want him being injured, we don't want him be to be bearing the brunt of of of other teams' aggression but ah In the same manner, I'm sure he relishes the challenge.
00:17:35
Luke
I'm sure he he loves those sort of interactions because that's what football is. it is You know you're getting under someone's skin when they want to fit you, when they want to hurt you. And ultimately, that's the reason that we have the card system because that's but it allows the referee to stamp those sort of situations out.
00:17:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm hmm.
00:17:51
Luke
um but i think no i think i think The what the wider issues understanding what is what situation and what action is, is what repercussion and we need clarity on that for referees and that's sort of been lost.
00:18:05
Luke
um but yeah i think to say that we are, we get the raw end of the deal. I don't think that's really the case. I think most teams over the course of a season, a lot of situations balance themselves out, but, but, but but really, really truthfully, I think that, that in any game this weekend, you probably could have looked at it and said, um, referees could have done better or decisions could have been different. So, and and that, that's probably the real, the real issue we have here is that.
00:18:33
Luke
a lot of teams and a lot of players in the league have very little faith in the refereeing system and the setup we have now. so
00:18:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, like you said, back to the drawing board on that for the referees, pretty much, um on the whole situation. ah Unfortunately, I feel like that is a statement and a process that will be forever ongoing, forever up to debate and forever being challenged. um Anyway, more on Kelsey's future for the rest of the season, up until the new year, after this break.
00:19:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Welcome back! Luke, it's winter and it's very cold and the schedule is very demanding for the players at this time of year um and we're we're at the end of November and from now until the new year Chelsea play 10 games including the Conference League as well as the Premier League We've got seven games in the Premier League and we're only off a point of city um as we speak now. 50 are struggling in form. They've lost five games in a row ah for the first time, or pep has for the first time ever. So potentially really worrying sounds for city this season. The football statisticians at Opta, they've given Chelsea a 56% chance of finishing in the top four and a 76% chance of us finishing in the top five.
00:20:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
With this win against Leicester, you know is that potentially foreshadowing great things to come over the next busy periods with our seven games in the Premier League? And is this a real statement win for us to sort of go on and get that top four space?
00:20:50
Luke
I think, yeah, you have to look at it and say that a result like the weekend's result against Leicester is a positive, no doubt, because there are games that we would have played earlier in the season that we dropped points in where we couldn't we couldn't finish teams off. And there are games last season that we may have come away with but being in a strong position. We may have thrown it away. We may we may have been too near up and and and and not come away with a three point.
00:21:15
Luke
I think there there is positives from it. I do think we look like a team on the up. We certainly look more cohesive than a lot of teams in the Premier League at the moment. um Particularly I look look at, as you say, City have been on a poor run of form. Aston Villa look a bit out of sorts. Newcastle aren't anywhere near the level they have been. um Arsenal potentially It's difficult to tell now our regards back. They seem a little bit more back to their their their best, but but it's still hard to tell. um There are some pretenders in there that that I think will fall away as the season progresses, like your Brighton's, your Nottingham Forests. I don't think they quite have the squads or the the ability to to maintain it for the long haul.
00:21:52
Luke
um And I think this is when, over the next kind of 10 games, as you say, before the the turn of the new year, we will see that the quality that we have ah in our strength in depth, um where we scrutinise so much over the summer where we have X amount of players training in the gym and unable to get on the pitch. But having that level of depth and that level of quality, this is when the crunch time comes and um and we see the the benefit of that.
00:22:15
Luke
um And I think Maresse has got a really good balance and seems to have a really good relationship with everyone um ah within within the squad. um And I think there are lots of players that we haven't seen very much of. I think of, for example, Chukwameka, Cesar Casade, and um even Mark Gui. They're going to probably have a lot more opportunity ah in these sorts of fixtures, whether that be in the ah in the conference league or it be coming on a substitution games that we're maybe already winning. I think there'll be a lot more rotation over this period just because the games come thick and fast.
00:22:48
Luke
Um, and thankfully we're not in a position where this is a manager that is in his first season in English football. It's similar in the championship. They have a lot of fixtures, and ah maybe not the same level of intensity every game, but, but they, Maresca knows what's up. He's played English football. He's, he's managing England. So he know he knows what he's got to do with his squad. And I think, um, we touched on it kind of in the pod yesterday that that thankfully we haven't had too many significant long-term injuries.
00:23:14
Luke
Where I look at other clubs that let you see the reports of Ben Ben white for Austin was gonna be out for for a number of months now um We don't really have too many people in the most important positions that we're missing out on apart from Reese James is a consistent Obviously injury worry But yeah ultimately we have gusto, we have backups that can sort of fill in.
00:23:33
Luke
um And I think we'll be fine in the short term. Long term is a different question, but but for the time being, I'm not too worried about our squad and the management of it. um But yeah, this is this is really the crunch time now.
00:23:45
Luke
This is the business end of the season before the business end of the season, I suppose. um As much as cliches we can use, um we have to look at it and say, yeah, if we come away anywhere near
00:23:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
there.
00:23:58
Luke
24, 25 points out of a potential 30 points that are available from all those games. we um we've We've done quite well.
00:24:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Absolutely, vague I think I think my only question well not really any question but one of the questions I've got looking at the the primary games up until the new year ah So the seven ones um I'll just read them off to you um Maybe just make a mentor note in your head what you think the the points will be from those games. So first of December Where we play Villa at home Then we play Southampton away and we play Spurs away Then we play Brentford at home. Then we play Everton away. Then we play Fulham at home. And to finish the year, we play Ipswich away. So let's go let's go with them three at a time. So we've got Villa at home, Southampton away, and then Spurs away. How many points do you think we really get there?
00:25:01
Luke
Feasibly, I think we could get nine, but being realistic, I think i think seven is is is ah is a positive number of points they've taken from those fixtures. Tottenham away is notoriously a quite a good fixture for Chelsea, um but We have to look at that and go, we know we don't really know what what sort of Tottenham is going to turn up on damage post the Cogley.
00:25:22
Luke
I mean, they've they've blown Manchester City away this weekend um with a 4-0 victory. And you think if that's the level of performance they'll put in against us, we're going to have to be on our top four, particularly and in in in a stadium where we don't get a lot of love, understandably.
00:25:38
Luke
um So um so it's um that will always be an interesting game.
00:25:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
so
00:25:42
Luke
But I think ah we have to looking at that and going, look, we know what we've got to do to beat them, we know how we've got to play and um we'd be hoping for three points from that. Southampton away. Certainly three points.
00:25:52
Luke
Anything less there. but We've got to be looking at ourselves. They are their bottom of the league for a reason. um And then you have to also look at um the Aston Villa game.
00:25:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm hmm.
00:26:00
Luke
They are out of form. They are. They struggled really against the Palace team that that had their number on the counter attack over the weekend. And um yeah, they'd be lucky to come over the point, really.
00:26:11
Luke
And you have to look at it and say, we we we should be able we should be able to outplay them in in a sense as well because they're going to have, in the same sense we're playing in the conference league, they're going to have played their starters in a tough Champions League game in midweek. um And so we're we we're going to have to we're going to have to take that to our advantage as well and and and show that the the quality we have particularly at home. um and And hopefully, yeah, we can we can take three points from there, be buoyant and move on to the next couple of fixtures and keep the momentum going.
00:26:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
So I like it. I like the positivity. I'm really loving that because, you know, no points as in no losses so far out of those three. Okay. Brilliant. So we're going for seven points with that. I see that, you know, I'm so so just a winner against the winner against Southampton and then probably a draw with Spurs. That's very solid, very solid. Okay. The next three games, Brentford's, we'll do four. We'll do four because it's it's seven. It's Brentford at home, Everton away.
00:27:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
fill them at home and then x switch away. Do we get 12 points?
00:27:15
Luke
Again, I would like to say yes, and I think we could. I wouldn't be surprised if we did, but I do i do see potentially a draw there. I mean, Everton, was it a way?
00:27:27
Luke
Did you say it would be a good as in park?
00:27:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:27:30
Luke
Yeah, and that for us historically has not been the happiest of hunting grounds.
00:27:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:27:34
Luke
um they are they they they have a pretty resolute under sean dutch i mean it could easily be that it's back to the wall we have loads of chances but nothing quite beats jordan pickford on the day um and i see it being a nil nil or something like that but but ultimately We always look to score at least one, one and a half goals ah every game we play.
00:27:55
Luke
um So I've got a, I've got a bat that we can, we can, we can't we can win those sorts of fixtures now.
00:27:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:28:01
Luke
And I think I think we should be Brentford are an interesting, an interesting team to play, but they are far better. um ah but correct me if i'm wrong but i think they're far better at home than they are away so um so they um that shouldn't be too much too difficult for us uh and also uh Fulham is always going to be an interesting game but again they i think not a flash in the pan they've been very good so far this season but with the result against wolves that they
00:28:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, that is right. Yeah, yeah.
00:28:32
Luke
They have an ability to come unstuck and I don't think that they're yet at a level where they're going to cause consistent issues for for the top teams. and And I think it's KG, it will be a KG game, but I still think we we we we went out there. um And so I have to and i have to be honest, and that was it was hips, which is the final fixture.
00:28:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
ye
00:28:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
away
00:28:48
Luke
Yeah.
00:28:48
Luke
And with that one, yeah, it's always an interesting. it's It's a fairly new ground for a lot of these players. I mean, obviously Ipswich historically have been ah top towards the top of the tree.
00:28:59
Luke
So it's it's it's a fairly ah um historic clash in that sense. but but But I look at it and go, yeah, it's a It's a new away day in in the Premier League for us in recent years, and we've got to think that they're going to be up for it.
00:29:12
Luke
But in the same way, it was like when we played Luton, we just have to sort of um just rise to that.
00:29:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, away.
00:29:17
Luke
And then actually, I think that's when our players really do flourish in those sorts of games. um They they they're set up well, but but then there's ah there's a there's a level of difference. We're cut above a squad like letter like Ipswich.
00:29:29
Luke
So again, we should be expecting for all three points.
00:29:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
I love that. So out of a potential, so three times seven is 21, if my maths correct.
00:29:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
And Luke is pretty much predicting we're going to get 19 points, everyone. and We're only going to drop points um against spares. Although, did you say we're going to drop at Edmonton or just potentially?
00:29:54
Luke
you Yeah, there's potential. I mean, anywhere between 17, 17 is a minimum, I'd probably say, 17 out of 21 points. um But ah could yeah, I could comfortably seen as getting at least 19 from those games.
00:30:08
Luke
I don't know if the loss the draw the dropping points will come at Tottenham. I just think that they, on paper, away at Tottenham, the way that they they have been playing in certain games.
00:30:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:30:17
Luke
they could They could do damage to us, but but I also think we'd score. they they they don't They don't look set at the back. We've we've we we've done very well with this with this current crop of players at Tottenham's ground. so um yeah i yeah it's It's just an exciting time, really. Whoever we play, I'm pretty much relishing relishing the challenge. I think we've had some of the hardest fixtures we're going to have, which is against your cities, your Liverpool's and Arsenal's. um So these these matches, if we really want to be in that conversation, we've got to be looking for a minimum of of of three points and dropping a point has to feel like a defeat.
00:30:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, completely groovy there, Luke. I mean, interestingly, so far in the season, when you look at our home form, we've played six, won only two, drawn three, and lost one. So if you did have a Premier League table of just home form, we'd be in 11th, which is not great. Conversely, on a way, we will be up right by the top ah because we played six, won four, drawn one, and lost one. And so who knows if that's gonna pay dividends in this busy, busy period as well. um I think maybe, you know, so we just need to get more comfortable at home with with the crowd. Maybe there's a higher expectation at home, which makes it a bit trickier. um But we are the highest scorers in away games with 15 goals so far this season. So not to be excited for, particularly with the away games. um Luke, we're out of time, I'm afraid. Thanks so much for joining us tonight.
00:31:41
Luke
No, thank you for having me. It's been um it's been very good to to kind of look back and look ahead at the same time.
00:31:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Dear. It's almost like moving your hair from one way to the other. Wow, look at that. um And to the listeners, thanks so much for joining us. um This has been Tactics Tuesday. I've been Matt, and we'll see you on the next one.