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Episode 192: Leicester Review
80 Plays25 days ago
Southampton –Well..... that was dreadful. We manage to talk about it!
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Transcript
Introduction and Greetings
00:00:09
Zak
Hello and welcome. Good afternoon, good evening, good morning on what would be a bank holiday Monday if you're in the UK.
00:00:19
Zak
Where do we begin?
Guest Introduction and Health Update
00:00:20
Zak
Let's begin at the beginning by introducing my co-host.
00:00:26
Zak
Greg, how you doing, mate?
00:00:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I'm alright, mate. I've been a bit rough
Sports and Game Analysis
00:00:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
with a bit of a chest and a bit of a throat, but um'm I'm feeling a bit better, thankfully.
00:00:31
Zak
Yeah, you... Yeah, I'm...
00:00:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Unfortunately, I recovered enough to watch that rubbish.
00:00:39
Zak
I'm so sorry.
00:00:40
Zak
Likewise. I, I, unfortunately, I, I guess I think the only game I've missed this season watching is, I think like the first Ipswich game, which is ironic because it's one of the only games we actually got anything out of.
00:00:51
Zak
And yeah, I, I really, I really, really struggled with Saturday. And I think I even tweeted out that like halftime, ended up calling my nan who I was talking to her about the podcast we do.
00:01:03
Zak
And she was just like, I just don't understand how, so wait, hang on, you do this every day. And I'm like, yeah, I do this every day. It's daily thing. how is there much, that much to talk about? It's like, we're just, we're just shit. I'm like,
00:01:15
Zak
Thanks, thanks, Nan. You know, you're you're right. you're not You're not wrong, but there is a lot of... re So it's the reasons why we're bad, yeah? And and who's caused that? like, there's been some okay times, and I'm sat there thinking of all the sort of times we've chatted about, like, we were right for 20 minutes, or i don't know if you saw, like, Taylor Hart with Bellis yesterday come out after the game.
00:01:35
Zak
I feel like probably in an emotional way, but maybe should have not sent him out there, which was...
00:01:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
the only thing I saw was the headline and the headline read, we'll make it to at least 12 points. I'm like, really?
00:01:46
Zak
He basically said that like we always perform better against the big clubs. And then somebody just posted all of the results against the big clubs. It's like, yeah, we play well against the big clubs for like 50, 60 minutes. And then they batter us like 4-5-0.
Team Lineup and Fan Reactions
00:02:00
Zak
So, yeah, just I just think
00:02:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:02:02
Zak
From their perspective, I think they have to kind of believe the delusion. Or otherwise, you're right. We're just to lose the next three games in a row in the worst possible fashion. But again, we'll start...
00:02:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
mean That's right up there as amongst the likely things to happen anyway, to be honest with That's not
00:02:17
Zak
o We started beginning. Lineups were pretty much unchanged by the fact that Ross Stewart stayed as the starter instead of Onomachi, which upset a few people, but but it wouldn't have mattered. They would have been giving Onomachi the ball as much as they were giving it to Stewart, which was apparently not...
00:02:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
He had three touches in the first half. How can you judge his performance on that level of service?
00:02:41
Zak
Yeah, that's that's kind of where
Striker Performance and Tactical Critique
00:02:43
Zak
I'm at. Like, I just...
00:02:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
like the same to be said The same can be said of all of our strikers, right? like Obviously, our numbers this season are dismal. And you can call Cameron Archer out for his two goals in 20 appearances or whatever, and Ross Stewart for perpetually being injured.
00:03:00
Zak
going to get ball.
00:03:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
But also, you're not giving them the ball to play with, what are you expecting to happen?
00:03:05
Zak
it It was so weird. I...
00:03:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
I hate that it's becoming a catchphrase of the show, Zach, but if you don't kick the ball at the goal or give it to the players who are willing to kick the ball at the goal, you're not going to win games.
00:03:18
Zak
It's generals always really funny, mate, on top of that. It's when you turn around to me and you're like, well, you know, these are Premier League. Somebody at some point decided that these players deserve a Premier League contract for to play football professionally. And you look at, like, don't know, some of the the non-league sides this year that have put up fights against sort of the bigger clubs.
00:03:39
Zak
You do wonder, like, what... What is going on? What is going through the minds of our players? and and apparently Apparently, yesterday was just to revert to Martin Bull for a lot of game,
Tactical Regression and Management Concerns
00:03:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
It genuinely looked like Russell Martin had taken charge of the team again. It was...
00:03:49
Zak
which was bizarre.
00:03:54
Zak
Is it like...
00:03:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
The ghost of Russell Martin came in and... don't know, like...
00:03:58
Zak
It was so strange, like...
00:03:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Took out the ref in the process. Like...
00:04:01
Zak
Oh, yeah we'll get to that shortly. but obviously, just like first half, it was just dismal. Like it was it was it was awful. But watching both sides early on was just like, oh, good. but Both teams are going to get it. They're going to get it near the opposition box and then they're got to do nothing with it.
00:04:16
Zak
And then that's exactly what happened until obviously it didn't. And obviously, as i as I said in the podcast before, mate, Of course was going to be Jamie Vardy. It's always going to be Jamie Vardy. Of course.
00:04:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:04:26
Zak
And of course, a team that hadn't scored at home since December get a goal
Match Stats and Underperformance Analysis
00:04:30
Zak
against us. Like we we wrote the script out before the game even took place. And it's just...
00:04:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Actually, mate, it's it actually a surprise because Jamie Vardy is now at 199 Leicester goals.
00:04:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, frankly, it is more shocking to me that he didn't score his 200th against us. That is, in itself, almost a miracle, right?
00:04:50
Zak
It's just...
00:04:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like...
00:04:53
Zak
Just upsetting. and like So our match stats of the game, obviously, not that we give it we usually care about match stats anyway. Like, XG is ah ah is a useless number. But 0.53, and I say it's a useless number, but that still seems too high.
00:05:09
Zak
yeah We had total of
00:05:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
I can't remember us having a shot.
00:05:12
Zak
We had, apparently we had eight in total, but only two were on target because all of the ones that sort of came out of nowhere were usually like Matty Fernandez and they would hit somebody. This was the first half.
00:05:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:05:22
Zak
We'll get to the second half in a bit. Or just like occasionally just where would whiz, just whiz past the keeper, whiz directly over the goal. So those are most of the shots apart from the two that were apparently on target.
00:05:33
Zak
But yeah, touches inside the box. They had 21. We had 20. Two goalkeeper saves a piece. Apparently, according to the statistics, it's actually quite quite well matched apart from shots and shots on target, right?
00:05:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
as you'd expect from El Crapico.
00:05:44
Zak
But that's...
00:05:46
Zak
Yeah, exactly. But that I think that just shows you how how bad we've gotten. but like even like because People are talking about... you know i don't I don't want to stir up controversy, but you know we've seen Luton go down now, right? So Luton are now heading down to League One.
00:06:01
Zak
Apparently, we seem to think we have the quality to not do that. You sent me a meme yesterday of the people from Luton going, we're going to absolutely hate HMS, like stuff the league. We're going to batter this league. And and and clearly they didn't.
00:06:14
Zak
And now they've gone down with Plymouth and Cardiff to you know League One. And I am very worried that we will we we have that level of arrogance because this summer is so important.
00:06:25
Zak
Probably the most important one we've had in in years. So much more important than the last time we relegated.
Defensive Issues and Team Identity Problems
00:06:31
Zak
for for how this club is going to react because I've never seen such a lack of identity.
00:06:37
Zak
And the two two goals as well, that like the first goal, yeah, jake Jamie Vardy hit it straight away and it was ah it was a very, very good goal. But like to get into that position, just just just rolling through.
00:06:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Nobody marked him.
00:06:48
Zak
like you could have You could have had all 11 players in a line. I still think that you'd be able to get far get past him and get through him. It's like playing very, very easy on FIFA. It's mad.
00:06:59
Zak
It's very, very upsetting that it was it was that easy.
00:07:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, literally, like the the second kill is just as bad, right? It bounced off the wall back to the player who took the free kick.
00:07:04
Zak
Yeah. hit hit Hit the wall. So what happened at that point was we were like, well, let's not do anything about that. It it didn't go in. And then are you here again? And then obviously you like one of his last few goals were against Southampton.
00:07:17
Zak
He scored in the reverse of this fixture. you're just there like, man, I know that we like to break records for other our teams, but my word, like my expectations were low. And actually, I actually thought we might give it a good go tomorrow. I think that because of the way that that Rusk and Lallana had kind of set up and yeah, okay, the game before wasn't as good, but like, it seemed like there was, I guess, starting to be some semblance of progress by just getting it back to basics. and then yesterday we were like, what we should actually do?
00:07:45
Zak
Like play out from back again? What? Yeah. what
00:07:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
oh it just It worked really well.
00:07:48
Zak
yeah but you not But what's even worse is we'd set up the team to not play like that. So I don't know if Jack Stephens is at the back telling everybody to play out from the back or what.
00:07:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
It worked really well at the start of the season. What we need to do is play Martin's Russell Martin ball.
00:08:03
Zak
And... And this well we'll get into more of the exciting events and some of the some of the thoughts that we both have on the rest of the game. And somehow what's going to come after this, because I'm not looking forward to any of the next games.
Referee Incident and Game Impact
00:08:20
Zak
but After a word from our wonderful partners at Bionique.
00:09:02
Zak
And we are back. So it's not like it was like we say a game of two halves, right? um really wasn't. It was a game of three halves, right?
00:09:12
Zak
Because we had this weird situation where the game is not going to be remembered for anything that happened in the game. The game is going to be remembered for the fact that the the ref on his Premier League debut was taken out by a straight elbow.
00:09:26
Zak
Concussed went down.
00:09:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
He went down like a sack of spots, man.
00:09:29
Zak
I was, it was nuts.
00:09:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
I've never seen anything like it.
00:09:31
Zak
yeah I you put on a sort of Neymar worthy performance only for them to send on physios immediately. Then we had this whole thing about Jamie Vardy, but the whistle, because apparently we were on the attack. so that's why he did it.
00:09:44
Zak
Because when asked that question, he was the like, Oh, is this going to be a future career? He's like, nah, they were breaking. So just thought I'd stop the game, which is just the most classic standard response, which is, you know,
00:09:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:09:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, and like it would be easy to take offence to that, but based on statistical and historical evidence, our forward break was just going to end up with us passing it back to Ramsdale anyway, so it doesn't matter, does it?
00:10:05
Zak
it's right True, true, true.
00:10:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:10:07
Zak
So it's not like we did a anything with it.
00:10:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:10:09
Zak
And obviously, then then there was like 12 minutes of stoppage we counted, which was 12 minutes added on to the end of that half.
00:10:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:10:16
Zak
that obviously took a while. And then I think they maybe need to make sure that like, if you're gonna have a backup ref, make make sure that also mic'd up in a way that means that you don't need to spend 10 minutes strapping a microphone to them.
00:10:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:10:28
Zak
Because it definitely broke up the game and it shouldn't have caught issues.
00:10:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's hard for the players, right? Imagine having to stop for 10 minutes and try and keep warm and then...
00:10:34
Zak
Well, yeah, because we know, because that that first 10 minutes afterwards, it was sort of, it was like the beginning of the match again where everything was kicking off and then oie ah oie ah only things started to happen a little bit. And then it was only obviously, and then in that time as well was when the, you know, after they kind of kicked into gear was when they scored.
00:10:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:10:53
Zak
And it kind of felt like it was the the verge of halftime, but wasn't because we had a whole 15 minutes afterwards, not that you'd thought we did. And then, yeah, so just absolutely,
00:11:05
Zak
Absolutely dire.
00:11:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Highlight the game for me, though. What dive. I've never seen anything quite like it.
00:11:08
Zak
Yeah, that's that's the thing. it was it was that's That's what I said. It's going to be what the game's remembered for. That or potentially Jamie Vardy's last goal at home for Leicester, because who knows? it
00:11:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:11:18
Zak
but But for us for me, the point that I was alluding to that i wanted to make was I think that that would have been the nail in the coffin, in my opinion, for Rusk and Lallana's...
Management Speculations and Player Decisions
00:11:31
Zak
interview section for potentially taking over next season. I think if if there was a...
00:11:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:11:37
Zak
if they wouldn't be sp surprised if they were in the running as like a duo, depending on how these games went. I think that game on its own...
00:11:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah if If they get a win from this game, you can 100% see that being the way it plays out.
00:11:48
Zak
Yep.
00:11:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
100%.
00:11:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, is it...
00:11:50
Zak
but
00:11:51
Zak
But no, I don't i don't know how... and you know so so when do we when do we want to talk about the the Matty Fernandes stuff?
00:12:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
the easy Is he was stuck in Portugal with a power cut, maybe the worst excuse of all time.
00:12:07
Zak
but No, because I think like you've had you've seen this before with players where they've gone on World Cup duties or international duties. Aribo had it happen, right? Where he was like stuck in Libya on the border forever.
00:12:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:12:16
Zak
So he's tired, right? the problem The problem is is that so apparently it something that was planned. So if Matty Fernandes knew about it, slightly different. but And I understand...
00:12:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Even so, he looked visibly frustrated at coming off.
00:12:28
Zak
Yeah, yeah. So that's so that's why i start that that's why I question him it, because he was frustrated. think it was like Southampton World or one of the Instagram accounts posted yesterday about it and how he was sung for 45 minutes.
00:12:38
Zak
And I sent these screenshots to you, Greg, of like him actually thanking fans on that. Because obviously, must be a wonderful experience when you're 20-something and someone sings your name for like 45 minutes straight.
00:12:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:12:48
Zak
but But again, it's like, I think on top of... that being a failed interview decisions like that and i'm like i understand you know people are like oh they should have said about it i'm like they're not going to come out in the press conference before and be like well we're only planning to give matty fernandez 60 minutes because he's tired you know paul's only going to get you don't want to give away all the tricks not that i think it would matter i think you could give our start 11 you could give every bit of information to the opposition that would make a blind bit difference it wouldn't beat us anymore
00:13:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:13:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah You kind of foreshadowed it yourself, though, because but when we were talking before the game, you or at halftime, you went, what substitutions could you make to change this?
00:13:24
Zak
Yeah, but but this this is the other thing is that like I tweeted out as well because I was just, what what could you do?
00:13:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
It wasn't that.
00:13:30
Zak
Because there's nothing, there's yeah, not that is number one.
00:13:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Not that.
00:13:34
Zak
but But also, also like there's no there's no getting us out of this situation. I think somebody said, well, not play five at the back. I'm like, yeah, i kind of agree with that. But also that just means we'd have shipped even more goals, to be perfectly honest.
00:13:47
Zak
But the thing is, is we're not really playing with a back five.
00:13:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
but Would it though? we could if we were like playing it forward and like actually passing the ball to our striker and getting them in positions...
00:13:49
Zak
No, because we're playing with a back three.
00:13:54
Zak
I just don't...
Relegation Implications and Player Futures
00:13:57
Zak
But I've said to you what think the actual outcome is, and that is that fundamentally, this group of players can't play together And like, I know that you were hoping that we keep some core of the team together so be because it will be easier next season. I don't think that's the case.
00:14:11
Zak
I think if Steven stays, sure, whatever. But I would not be surprised if Jan goes, considering he's got a £6 million pound relegation clause, which we haven't really talked about that.
00:14:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:14:20
Zak
i don't think the news dropped over the last time we talked. but it's one of those things where people are oh it's just the same. i like, i don't blame him for going. But also, it shows that the new contract really isn't about sticking to here and staying here.
00:14:34
Zak
It's potentially about getting a cheaper move elsewhere, which, if that's the case, again, don't don't blame him for it, whatever. But like I genuinely just don't think that we can have the defence the way it is. you know It's going to change anyway, because Kyle Walker-Peters is going to go.
00:14:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:14:48
Zak
We know that.
00:14:49
Zak
so So, you know... they need to rebuild that area. Uga Chukwu's going to go, is they're going to have to get someone to compliment Downs. I wouldn't be surprised if Downs starts knocking on the door to go elsewhere, considering he already tried to leave to Ipswich anyway.
00:15:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, I think I said it in our our summary that really,
00:15:02
Zak
So...
00:15:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
don't think I care. like
00:15:10
Zak
I don't anymore.
00:15:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
import The important parts to me, it's a win if we keep either of Diblin or Fernandes.
00:15:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
right And I'm sure that many people, especially based off of current form, would probably tend towards Fernandes over Diblin. But I don't i think that does misjustice to the promise of Diblin.
00:15:17
Zak
Yeah. Yeah.
00:15:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
If we keep both of them and the entire rest of the starting XI is different, great. That's a win.
00:15:35
Zak
Yeah. Yeah. i'm I'm kind of with you now. And I know that I can't even remember what we said back in our buy, keep, sell, but it shows you how quickly, you know, I know we've been relegated, like, but it's it's like that meme of like our, our expectations were low, but my words, like,
00:15:50
Zak
And and that that game really, really killed off. And I feel bad for Taylor Harbour-Bellis that he's frustrated and new. We're going to do the best. We're not going to go out on 12 points. We heard that three games ago. but not we still haven't reached that magic 12 points. And I just just don't see us picking and points against... Again, the only the only way I could see us getting in any points the rest of the season at this at this rate is, well, Arsenal seem to just at the moment be in some sort of weird collapse because they definitely are upset and so but until they know you know we might be able to hurt them if they lose to PSG, right?
00:16:20
Zak
will be because we completely ruin everyone's day out at Everton Goodison Park, right? and Like the last day out, we we ruin that. So that's the only way I see us getting points.
00:16:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Let's face it, the only thing I see us ruining at Goodison Park is our optimistic view that we're going to ruin anyone's day.
00:16:37
Zak
Yeah, and they and they go.
00:16:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
like The only thing Saints have ruined all year is my weekend consistently.
00:16:42
Zak
And then it's even funnier because you've got like this the store sales going on and they're trying to get rid of the second kits and the third kits and this and the other and the away kits and they're still only half price at 30 quid and I'm sat there looking at 30 quid like, does anyone really want to buy any of these shirts from this season?
00:16:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like...
00:16:55
Zak
Like I have i have a signed shirt. I love my signed shirt. But i look over there and it does just remind me the last time we were relegated all the time.
00:17:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:17:05
Zak
You know, it's that i think it's nothing to do with like highlighter pink and highlighter yellow kits or anything like that. it's just we just It's just been an awful season. And I understand that we've got nothing to play for.
00:17:16
Zak
And I understand that even I'd have preferred it if we'd done like what you said, where it's like a pre-preseason, right? Well, maybe we gave some people a different go. Maybe we we changed shape a couple of
Call for Team Rebuild and Season Reflection
00:17:25
Zak
times. But I don't know of what we saw are probably our highest like winnable game.
00:17:31
Zak
And I know that Rusk didn't want criticise any of their fans and kind of was like, yeah, we kind of need them. I'm like, if you want the fans, like, you need to show them something. Like, they are already going all the way up to Leicester and we saw nothing.
00:17:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:17:46
Zak
Nothing at all. Not even worth, you know, and I feel so sorry because we we just deserve so much better. um um i would say i'm not saying we deserve anything more personally greg but also we have been covering a team five days a week that have won twice we have 190 episodes that's
00:18:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. You think about...
00:18:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
You think about the cost of season tickets and kits bow arms and and...
00:18:10
Zak
yeah tell us what i'm saying and like i get it and like i understand But it's so frustrating. And I know it's difficult to kind of wear to lash out your anger. Is it at the owners? Is it the players?
00:18:22
Zak
Some people are going, well, you know, what are you doing now? you know, Russell Martin went and it turns out it's, you know, then it was Ivan Juric and now it turns out it's just the players. I'm like, yeah, they're all just not good enough for what we're trying to build. And that's why I'm with you.
00:18:35
Zak
we need to, in my mind, build the entire thing from the ground up and go from there. And I... ah ah ah just We just need somebody with a sense of direction and players that are not completely destroyed and players that want to go into, like, I think maybe Stevens looks like... Stevens and Manning, tell a lie, because Manning was interviewed recently.
00:18:56
Zak
The only two players that look like they're happy to go down to the championship and proper fight in. The rest of them have all either just, like, said lots of stuff or already kind of planning their next move ahead.
00:19:07
Zak
so
00:19:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
sums it up though, doesn't Because if like looking at the build up to the start of the season, if it would have said to you that Ryan Manning and Jack Stephens have been two of our most consistent players.
00:19:19
Zak
be like To be honest, they were probably the first two players that we probably thought we needed to replace.
00:19:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:19:24
Zak
and that's And that's the reality of the situation we're in. But don't worry, guys. We still have three games to go. And we'll chat a little bit about what's to come after a word from our partners at Zencastr.
00:19:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Here at the Global Sports Podcast Network, we spent a lot of time selecting our delivery platform, and Zencaster came out in the clear winner. With 4K video recording from your phone, and AI editing that automatically removes all those ums and ahs, it's super easy start a podcast that sounds great and is delivered efficiently.
00:19:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
If you're ready to tell your story, check out the link in the show description and learn more about Zencaster.
00:20:00
Zak
So we are back. And yeah, but a what a horribly forgetful game that is going to be a pub quiz bit of trivia in years to come because of that 12 minutes of stoppage, right? That's going to be all it's going to be.
00:20:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Jamie Vardy blowing the whistle just going viral and
00:20:14
Zak
Yeah. ah But but that that was, again, probably the most interesting part of the game.
00:20:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, 100%.
00:20:20
Zak
and
00:20:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
We didn't put our pen in You know, sure, the first goal, soft defending, good finish. The second goal, no defending, just switched off completely from a, let's face it, an awful free kick, right? Straight at the wall.
00:20:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Should have just been cleared away and dealt with. No. And then we had nothing. We showed no fight back. There was no, like, regroup at halftime and give it a good go. We just... Yeah, whatever.
00:20:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, the sun's out.
00:20:47
Zak
i guess
00:20:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like...
00:20:48
Zak
I guess Robinson got a bit more game time. That's That's probably it.
00:20:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yep.
00:20:53
Zak
That's the only other thing I've got.
00:20:56
Zak
Yeah, it'll be... as as As I keep saying, whoever's whoever is coming in has got a... sure has a job on their hands. And I just hope that they pick the right person. And I hope that they make sure they are aware of the challenge in front of them.
00:21:12
Zak
Because one of the things that I thought was very interesting when they were like, sort of, I think Juric completely underestimated how how much of a challenge he had ahead of him. And that was...
00:21:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, yeah, don't forget when he came in, he said that he was confident that there was still something to fight for and that we weren't relegated.
00:21:22
Zak
that was
00:21:28
Zak
Yeah. Which...
00:21:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
We wrote that off as something that he had to say coming in, but based off of the fact that we fired him when it was confirmed, you have to think that he maybe truly believed it.
00:21:32
Zak
i i'm I'm starting to think...
00:21:38
Zak
I think he probably did believe it. and that And that says everything you need to know about the way that it's gone. And and as i said before, it's difficult because I understand why there's a lot of vitriol and hatred towards Sports Republic. I understand why there's a lot of hatred and vitriol towards the players and the coaches. a combination of factors have resulted in the place that we're at.
00:21:57
Zak
it I think that us being as bad as we have has taken away from how bad Leicester and Ipswich have performed as well. and And also other weird parts of this you know story. I've just seen Manchester United lost again Brentford 4-3. They had a bit of a fight back, but you're looking at sort of the Tottenham's and the Manchester United to the world, where somehow still fighting for European place at trophies, but are in probably the direst league form in a long, long time.
00:22:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
The Europa League final could be Spurs United, which could genuinely be 15th versus 16th in the Premier League for a Champions League spot.
00:22:22
Zak
It's just been...
00:22:30
Zak
witch Which is stunning, absolutely stunning. And and not it's just been a strange, horrible year, think, for for a lot of football fans. I feel like Forrest and sort of Newcastle probably disagree with us for sure.
00:22:46
Zak
But i yeah for for me, it can't come to an end quick enough. And yet somehow there's still more games to play. But we do get to join, you know, one of the most exciting leagues in the world where, you know, texted me yesterday, Greg, going, imagine getting 100 points and only conceding
00:22:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
Future League Prospects and Upcoming Challenges
00:23:04
Zak
16 goals in your league and somehow come in second.
00:23:08
Zak
And that was the reality of Burnley yesterday.
00:23:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:23:10
Zak
And that is that that shows you we are about to go back into something that is slightly more exciting.
00:23:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:23:16
Zak
I just hope we go back to it in a position where we do not get relegated again. And I know that that seems kind of far-fetched, but It's happened to us before. And also, it's just happened to another team that dropped out of the league.
00:23:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
We were in... But Luton and us in previous times were in much worse positions then.
00:23:37
Zak
For sure.
00:23:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
We are going to be financially giving it a go regardless.
00:23:43
Zak
Yeah.
00:23:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
And that should be enough to... That should be enough to at least keep us up.
00:23:49
Zak
And I...
00:23:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Even if it goes horribly wrong. Like...
00:23:53
Zak
I think that's that's the thing, right, is that we we kind of forget. the problem is is if it does feel, it feels that level of doom because that is currently the culture that they have permeated through, you know, they've cultivated this lovely, awful feeling that like we just never know if we're going to win again and it doesn't feel like we ever will.
00:24:13
Zak
And that is going to have to change.
00:24:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Never mind, mate. Man City next.
00:24:18
Zak
Yes, fine. I'm looking forward to it. How do you have a conversation with a bunch of lads who, when we when we have our crossover, are going to like, yeah, it's so bad. We've had such a terrible season. And we're just there like, uh-huh.
00:24:31
Zak
We can relate. How much did you spend in January? What's that? you You're letting go of Kevin De Bruyne, who just scored an absolutely beautiful goal the other day. Imagine if we were able to let go of a player that scored goals.
00:24:43
Zak
My words.
00:24:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
What is a goal?
00:24:44
Zak
but but yeah, but you're right. That's the thing. But,
00:24:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
they yeah On on the the feed I was watching yesterday, Zach, from my holiday home, they unironically talk like, is it a controversial decision to leave their top scorer on the bench of Paul Arnacu?
00:24:54
Zak
Yep.
00:25:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I'm like, he scored four goals. Like...
00:25:09
Zak
It's also, it's also, wouldn't last more than 30 minutes anyway.
00:25:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:25:13
Zak
So what's the point? And again, like it just, it just confounds the point, mate, that we keep coming back to you. It's just like, what else could we have done? And I know that maybe it's shift the formation.
00:25:24
Zak
Maybe it's to have different personnel on the pitch. Again, a lot of it's back to basics, but.
00:25:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Just forgot. Look, they took it back to basics, but they forgot the most basic part.
00:25:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
When you kick the ball at the goal, sometimes it goes in. but
00:25:32
Zak
Score.
00:25:36
Zak
Do you know what, Greg? where we're going to leave it. Because there's that is nothing else we can say. that is that is the That is the fundamental part of our game that seems to be missing at the moment.
00:25:47
Zak
who But it's fine. Because it's not like we've got Man City and Arsenal in the next out of three games that we have. An emotional, weird game at Goodison Park where it's going to be crazy for them and...
00:25:59
Zak
watch just don another day out for us, I guess.
00:26:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:26:03
Zak
But, you know, we'll be we'll be back with you tomorrow with something. I'm sure we haven't, you know, we we're going to try and enjoy the bank holiday. and figure out what we're going to I'm sure I'll have another manager's profile at some point this week. Maybe we'll have a crossover. Who knows? And then obviously we'll have our match preview. So back to but to normal next week
Closing Remarks and Social Media Promotion
00:26:21
Zak
or this week. So sorry.
00:26:23
Zak
And yeah, that'll be that. So follow us on all the socials, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Blue Sky, YouTube. We also have video format in YouTube if that's your thing.
00:26:37
Zak
Don't know why. It's just the lots of me and Greg looking at the microphone occasionally laughing each other when we realise that we've we've done dumb stuff and then had to cut it out. But it's fun. until then, my wonderful listeners, we will see you in the next one.
00:26:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Bye.