Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
S1 E38
21 Plays1 month ago
Join our very own Craig Birtwistle as he hosts a new episode called Tapping into the top flight. In this first episode Craig co-hosts along side our GSPN Daily EPL podcast Tom Jolley. Tom and Craig talk about Villa as well as talk to a bunch of others EPL teams to see how well (or badly) their season is going. Have a listen and let us know your thoughts.
Follow and chat with us socials:
X/ Twitter @GSPNVilla
Instagram @GSPNDailyVilla
TikTok @GSPNVilla
YouTube @GSPNDailyVilla
Sponsors and Advertising
Zencastr
Built for quality - Designed for growth
A new era for creation is here.
The only complete audio + video platform to get best-in-class recording, intuitive editing, AI-powered growth features, and top-tier distribution tools — all in one place.
Get started for free!
We highly recommend it!
https://zencastr.com/?via=ken
Global Sports Podcast Network - Creating the world’s first network of 30-minute daily podcasts for the world’s biggest sporting export, the English Premier League.
For advertising and sponsorship details or to learn more about the scale and demographics of our audience – email Ken Davies, VP Business & Development at:
www.globalsportspodcastnetwork.com
Copyright | 2024 | Global Sports Podcast Network | All Rights Reserved
Recommended
Transcript
00:00:02
Speaker
Every club. Every day. The Global Sports Podcast Network.
Introduction to 'Tapping into the Top Flight'
00:00:08
Speaker
Welcome to the very first episode of tapping into the top flight brought to you by the Global Sports Podcast Network hosted by Craig from the VillaPod and myself, Tom Jolly from Daily EPL English. Me and Craig have brought together the wider GSPN network to discuss debate and probably really cool the o ongoing ongoing in the world's biggest sporting export, the Premier League. Craig, a plethora of options to start from throughout the 20 teams. Where do you fancy stepping into first?
Is Manchester City in Crisis?
00:00:35
Speaker
well There's only one place I want to go and that's the Effie Hard Stadium. Guardiola has recorded four losses in a row for the first time in his career. So Jules from our GSPM and City's joining us. Jules, are you guys in crisis or what? Yeah, I think it would be...
00:00:54
Speaker
It would be wrong to say otherwise at this point. and you You could look at City season as a whole and you'd say oh only you know only five points away, still in second, four points clear in second, still in the top three positions in the Champions League. However, four losses in 11 days at a club like Man City is unacceptable. So the fans, the players and the staff all seem to be reeling a little bit at the moment. The injuries keep piling up.
00:01:21
Speaker
and I'm sure people will get the world's smallest violin out for City having a squad too. not Not deep enough, but that is the truth of the matter at the moment. Any team loses two of their best players in Rodry and De Bruyne being in and out of the team. Have you heard you're going to struggle? Especially when they're so effective and we know how pep utilizes his midfield to dominate games and that's just not been able to happen this season. Even the games of City have one.
00:01:46
Speaker
and it's not been flowing football, it's been struggling to get over the line, home wins against Ipswich and Southampton could have easily not been so and you' that's their teams you'd expect City to comfortably dispatch. So yeah, it's um not a great time at the moment and a lot of people don't have the confidence that City are going to turn it around immediately too.
Midfield Woes at Manchester City
00:02:07
Speaker
Jules, on Manchester City the ball retention for me is a big significant start for this season, how it's taken you on average I want to say six or seven seconds longer to retain the ball When playing a certain opposition, you look at the style of play peps implemented this season, it's been a little bit different. What needs to change?
00:02:24
Speaker
Again, I think it comes back to the midfield. and The midfield being in um so weak, let's say, because it's now Kovacic playing in the as a sole pivot, ah has done all season, and he's had flashy moments like the assist for Holland on the weekend and a couple of goals here and there, but in general, he's been quite defensively poor, let's say, and City keep getting and pressed and keep getting um attacks.
00:02:50
Speaker
cutting through them through the middle. So the style of play seems a lot slower as well, but that's because there's ah inexperienced wingers that are getting more of the ball due to no Rodry and De Bruyne being in the middle and Foden still um looking a bit jaded from a long summer, let's say. So, yeah, it's not flowing. um And I think that midfield being um so inconsistent affects both, yeah, the style of play and how how we set up defensively.
Ipswich's Victory Against Tottenham
00:03:20
Speaker
Well, you mentioned the word flow there, and one team that's certainly flowing after their win against Tottenham Hotspur last weekend was an Ipswich 2-1 win away from Tottenham, should I say. Tom Crack from the Daily Ipswich pod is in the house. Tom, a huge three points.
00:03:36
Speaker
ah it's It's had to wait a long time for it, that's for sure. we were I think coming into the weekend after I think Wolves victory and maybe Burton in another league as well, we're the only team of the 92 not to have a victory in the English football war pyramid. So it was getting a bit taxing. I think if we went into the weekend, early international break, without that first win on the board, it would have been all that anyone was talking about quite rightly. But we got it done. I would like to say the football that we played actually, obviously in the second half, we were quite rightly defending for our lives. But I think that first 45 We were having some fantastic chances. Schmodix and Dilap took full advantage of that. So very, very happy and relieved is the biggest word, I should say, coming out this weekend for sure. And on hipswitches, well, Tom, I think Kieran McKenna has been a man that's quite a bit of hot property in the Premier League at the moment. Are you confident that he's going to keep you up and be staying there next season?
00:04:29
Speaker
I've got no reason to doubt him, that's for sure. If you look at where we were this time two years ago, we drew one of Cheltenham in league one. So he's obviously the right man to be at the helm of the club. I was very nervous this past summer with none of you guys here today, but a few clubs who were interested in him bringing into their dugout, like the likes of Chelsea were definitely floating around. He's fantastic. and you know Rob from our team has said he will be a Premier League manager next season, whether we're in the league or not. And I very much agree with that. Hopefully that will be of us. But, you know, if he does go on to bigger and better things, which I fully expect him to do, we'll be very proud of him because, you know, he he cut his teeth at a very difficult start to his career in League One. No one expects him to be here where he is now. So whatever he does, whether it's with us or a bigger team, we'll be rooting for him regardless, unless he goes like Norwich or something. That's great. Craig Muncity ticks off already where we head into next.
Tottenham's Inconsistent Performances
00:05:17
Speaker
So, well, with Ipswich, we have to bring in Spurs, so we'll talk to Chris. So, Chris, it's a confusing time at spur being a Spurs fan at the moment. Big old Anj, is he in danger as you guys sit in template? Really worried about him, to be honest. um um ah and I have been an Anj supporter and I still am.
00:05:36
Speaker
I believe in a project, I believe in what he's trying to do, bring the youth through, etc. But we've had some really inconsistent performances all season, and um even in within games as well. And now, obviously, we've got a tassel right last week. It was just the focus and and there's something missing, something's happening there. I don't know what it is. um International breaks are always a problem for us. um For instance, it was the last six.
00:06:00
Speaker
um Games for International Breaks, we've we've actually messed up. um But hats off to Ipswich, I thought they played really well the first half, they they did what they needed to do. You weren't at it at all. It's almost ah like we turned up at a two hour gun thinking we're going to be beat them because nobody else has. Well, Ipswich, I'm from Plymouth, so obviously the championship is a really hard lead to get out of and then you need to invest and they have invested.
00:06:27
Speaker
um Not to the same degrees as my club, but yeah, it's some it difficult times for range. um It's body language is not great at the moment. What do you think the inconsistency is down to? Is it a mentality? is it um What do you think is going on there? Yeah, I i said this to somebody the other day, actually. I think in elite sport, to be the very, very best, you need to have a real different mindset.
00:06:54
Speaker
And everything you do throughou throughout your life goes towards that. And but not many people get to be the best of the best. And I think sometimes we've um with players in the Premier League in particular, they they they think they've made it you know when they're very young. And I think some of the players just just aren't good enough, I don't think, in our in our team currently, um or they don't. They say the right social media message messages, but obviously every player does now. But I don't think they've Any fan would typebook say that if I could play football, I'd give my 100%, I'd give my left arm for the club and be on on the pitch. And that doesn't seem to happen. um There are some players who are doing okay, like Saar, et cetera. And obviously the new players, the youngsters, I think they've they' got great futures, but you do worry then that actually, Andrew will be there and they are going to go back to a different mindset of how we develop the club moving forward and the young players won't get a chance and they go elsewhere.
00:07:48
Speaker
I think they're good enough. I think he's a great player. Great. Do you still see Spurs and a little bit of a threat for that top four race?
Impact of Manchester United's Managerial Changes
00:07:59
Speaker
It's one of those that if if Spurs show us the Spurs that came against Villa, for example, yeah and I would be very concerned ah about Spurs, but like, ah what's the term they use? They're very spursy. The inconsistency is is the biggest thing that he's got to fix there, to be perfectly honest. like We've showed a lot more consistency of last season, slipped away a little bit they towards it at this point in the of the season for Villa, but um we've spurs it's a case of finding that consistency like Unai Emery has found at the Villa over a long period of time. If he can find that, then I think there would be a threat to most teams looking for those European spots. You mentioned the word consistency. A man who wasn't very consistent and since found the sack was Eric Tenharg.
00:08:46
Speaker
Niall, moving to Manchester United. I'm surprised it's taken this long to talk about a team that I'm also a fan of. What's going to change under Reuben Amroom?
00:09:39
Speaker
and think call as well in particular sorry sorry for interrupting you then cra but From a Manchester United point of view, they need they they they should not be when they are in the table right now. the tactics from a sport in li front of you that rubenamate imp implemented to win eleven ah of eleven in the league they've got thirty three points before his exit How does that suit Manchester United's squad? There's big questions especially on the left-hand side as well.
00:10:52
Speaker
Thank you.
00:11:20
Speaker
You talked about as well how um the players performed on a 10 hard. Do you feel that they downed tools in order to make the change happen or do you feel something else happened?
00:12:18
Speaker
And time will tell, right, to see if he's the man, as you say, there's a lot of comparables with 10 hark. And from Midtable Man United, sorry to get that dig in there, but to top four.
00:12:32
Speaker
So we'll move on to top four contenders, Nottingham Forest.
Nottingham Forest's Surprising Season
00:12:36
Speaker
um Some at the city ground think Noona wasn't the right man for the job. but James, how have you found it? um And do you see a potential push for Europe?
00:12:45
Speaker
um So when Uno first came, I was skeptical. um i'm very I was very Saudi, kind of anti-Saudi, people who'd gone there, kind of gone for the money, um and kind of tarred in with that brush. My last experience of him was Spurs, obviously, and ah that didn't go well. So when he came in,
00:13:06
Speaker
kind of thought you know can he really do anything um can he do with us what he did with wolves um and then last season we scraped through by the skin of our teeth even after some really really dodgy points deductions from the FA and so Europe Absolutely. and I don't see any reason why we can't be contending. I wouldn't anticipate us contending for the top four, to be honest. I think as the season goes on, it's a marathon, not a sprint. And, you know, things will happen. There'll be a lot of ups and downs, especially for some of the bigger clubs. and Not that Forest aren't a big club, we're the biggest club in the league.
00:13:50
Speaker
but for ah some of the clubs like Man United, you know, with that um new manager bounce that's clearly going to arrive after the international break. um Yeah, Arsenal come good. Man City, there's no problems there. Is there really Chelsea a flying and villa?
00:14:10
Speaker
I can't see us coming ahead of those teams. So around seventh, um if we can get the conference league, you know, from our position last year to going to conference league trips away to random places in Europe. Amazing. Just on forest as well, James, I wanted to jump in and ask you about the squad depth because a push for top four, we've seen it with Villa at the moment. We'll get onto Craig's opinions on Villa's squad depth in a few moments on how how can you How can Nottingham Forest deal with that squad depth if they were to push for a conference? with Because the recruitment under Steve Cooper prior to Nuno, you brought in what was it, 22 odd players? And I think only one of them still stands now. So what's your opinions on that?
00:14:50
Speaker
Yeah, so we've only got um Ryan Yates, the enforcer, um who is Forrest through and through. He's the only surviving player from ah the promoter team and from any team and from that first season, really.
00:15:06
Speaker
So we we did have a lot of players go the other way as well. I think we we only actually netted maybe two or three extra players um with the comings and goings. um But yeah, we we have been building, ah especially on the wings with Callum Hudson, Adoy and Elanga, we do have um Jota now and Sosa, um who can stand and and are coming on um as subs regularly in their places towards the end of games. So we're doing well. The problem I think that we've got at the moment is probably in the striking position. Chris Woods done a fantastic job, but it only takes a small injury and for that to all come crashing down.
00:15:54
Speaker
so that that would be the worry at the moment up front defensively like and Matt Sells is a goalkeeper, seems to have had a new lease of life who knew that would happen after his ah efforts at Newcastle and but yeah he's doing really well um and I think the one benefit is that we don't have Europe's content with right now. um All of the other teams have got the extra European games um in order to play them and keep their place in the Premier League, whereas we're coming with a clean slate. We've got the rest and we've got to use that because next season, if we do get Europe, we won't have that. And that's sometimes a bit of a a curse if you're not prepared for it.
00:16:45
Speaker
Yeah, I couldn't agree more there, James. um So should we move on with Villa there, Tom, or you want to go somewhere else? ah i think I think, yeah, we'll go I think Villa is probably the place to go. I think ah that was just me looking at the the little script there, just going, oh, if I've got Newcastle there. But we've not got anyone in Newcastle here because ah even though they won 3-1 away at Nottingham Forest, none of them decided to turn up. So going through into Aston Villa, Unai Emery has done an unbelievable job at Aston Villa thus far, three wins from four in their return.
00:17:13
Speaker
to the Champions League, but winless in their last four domestically. Craig, you're our Villa correspondent in this
Aston Villa's Form and Challenges
00:17:19
Speaker
episode. What's the worries in the form in the Premier League at the moment? I think it just had to come at some point. um We've been on a high for a long period of time. um I feel the main issues with Villa at the moment is and we're going to sound like the opposite of Man City at this point. I think our problem is the fact that we've got players coming back from injury that has upset the status quo, if you will, within like the lineups. we've had to We've tried to mix teams up a little, all we've lost Matty Cash to injury, so we've already got a weakness there at the right back position where we're now shifting Kanza out wide.
00:18:00
Speaker
and bringing in a different centre back in Diego Carlos then. So I feel that as a coach myself, I was always told to not weaken one position by recovering for another one. So I think we've taken one of the best, in my opinion, centre backs in the Premier League and made him a right back, which is now weakened both our right back position because he certainly isn't a right back and it's weakened our centre back position. We've also tried to bring in players. We've had the likes of Ming's return, Kamara's return, Wendia,
00:18:30
Speaker
return and those players coming in, every Villa fan was very excited about those three coming in because it's kind of like three new signings coming in because we lost them for such a long period of time. But now with them coming into the fold and pushing forward for like we tried in the League Cup to take on Crystal Palace with a lighter team and it didn't work. So we've been mixing our rosters up and I feel the chemistry hasn't quite been working there because of that reason.
00:18:59
Speaker
and you mentioned on your squad there as well, squad depth has got to be the thing that's going to hurt you, even if players are coming back from injury when trying to compete on all fronts, are you going to continue to see problems, domestically and in Europe, with such a thin squad? I don't think our squad is that thin. Unai wanted to um have two position two people per position for everyone. So when you look at our roster, if we actually go back to that philosophy because he's had McGinn playing on the right, he's had McGinn playing on the left, we're traditionally McGinn to center mid.
00:19:33
Speaker
right So if he goes back to that kind of philosophy, we do have the rotation of a good 22 to 25 players that we can use. Obviously that is still a very light squad, so all it takes is two or three injuries. And yes, it would become a worry. Like we've lost Jacob Ramsey recently to another hamstring injury. The guy just can't seem to keep fit.
00:19:55
Speaker
at the moment, um Bailey struggling with form, which is a worry. um But we do have Philogene, a youngster that's coming into the group now, who's showed really well, was very good against Bayern Munich, who's thrown in at the dogs. ah So we know we have a capable player there. So squad depth doesn't really worry me at the moment, barring injuries. What does worry me me is about the chemistry once we start rotation in the squad.
00:20:23
Speaker
it just doesn't seem to be there yet. I think i think from the the squad point of view, it's a really interesting factor and it seems to it seems that every every team is going to somewhat struggle with injuries and squads, Bar Man City, even though that is the case at the moment with the squad that they've got. Greg, last but not least, where are we heading to?
West Ham's Struggles and Fan Dissatisfaction
00:20:44
Speaker
Let's stick on the Claret and Blue theme and ah let's have a look at West Ham. um Hammers are struggling and some are targeting their Spanish to be sacked. So Tom, from the West Ham podcast, Tom, is it as bad as it seems?
00:22:03
Speaker
Realistically what was your aim at the beginning of the season? Where did you see West Ham finishing?
Unexpected Moments in the Premier League
00:22:51
Speaker
who's on an I want to open it to up to the floor a little bit before the end. it just I mean, this is probably one of the strangest Premier League seasons we've seen probably over the last decade, being 11 games in and there's what, four points between third and 13th. It's the most competitive. But with that comes probably, unarguably, the most entertaining league off the pitch as well. There's been so many unexpected, controversial, funny moments so far this season. So we've already gone through everybody once and I'm going to come back at you again.
00:23:21
Speaker
What's been your best, most unexpected moment so far this season, putting you all on the spot a little bit more? And we'll go back in ah the same order as we did before. So Jules, Man City, we'll start off with you. um I'm not sure about best. There's been two particularly out outstanding things that have happened this season, and one not surprising at all and one very surprising. and So, Erwin Haaland scoring at this rate, we keep taking for granted. He's still got more goals than games.
00:23:49
Speaker
But we're not surprised by this at all. He's got 12 and 11 in the Premier League, which is incredible. And he'll probably finish possibly with touching his record of 36 from two years prior. But um again, to harp on what we I talked about the first time, I don't think anyone would have expected City to have lost four in a row at any point this season.
00:24:11
Speaker
So, and yeah, I refute the best part of that question, but definitely the most surprising from City's perspective. And I think from the Premier League fans' perspective, City losing in four in a row in all competitions. Yeah, i don't I think you read good odds on that at the start of the season. Tom, is yours for Ipswich going to be the fact that you scored at Spurs, won the game with the first three points of the season with an overhead kick?
00:24:36
Speaker
Definitely the manner of the first goal was very unexpected. I think, you know, we've we've seen this season, I think performances wise, i would I would say on the pitch doesn't necessarily reflect where we should be. and we Craig, you know, we went almost, had a fantastic draw against you. You were going to beat Bayern Munich a few days later, so it shows that we can compete with teams of that quality. Opening weekend, I think that first 45 might have been the high of just being back in the league against Liverpool, and obviously their first game on the spot may have helped us out slightly there.
00:25:03
Speaker
But, you know, I think unexpectedly for me and it sounds strange to say unexpected considering how great he's playing, you know, new league, new team, but just the revelation that is Liam Delab. I'm just so impressed by the guy, not necessarily just his goal scoring, you know, six goals already in the league. It's fantastic. But it's just the way in which he precious centre backs off the ball and on the ball. It's just brilliant. So we haven't really had a big number nine under McKenna or even before that in recent years. So to have that each week, hopefully each week, injuries not forthcoming. it it should It's definitely a factor, I think, that could hopefully keep us up. I saw a fantastic start in the week with him as well, where I think in the top five leagues, lads 21 and under, he is he's the most, I think, beneath him with five, there's the likes of Musiala and Lamina Mal, so he's in very good company. Obviously, we need to move him forward as the season goes on, but you know,
00:25:54
Speaker
couldn't ask for a way better to do that this past weekend, so the laps unexpected, but he's showing them why we shouldn't even be unexpected because he's been fantastic. Chris, from the Spurs podcast, we've mentioned the word Spurs he wants already. The most Spursy thing for me is beating Man City then losing to Ipswich. What's your most unexpected moment so far this season?
00:26:12
Speaker
Unexpected, I would say, is probably the rise of Kudaszewski playing in the centre and how Madison has sort of dropped out of favour and it's going to be hard for him to get back into the squad, I think, or team at least, as a starting 11. And his confidence is not, you can see that when he comes on. He tries a little bit too hard um and he's now in a position where if he gives the ball away it's difficult. So, Kudaszewski um and He was always good, his good games on the wing were good, but you could see he actually wanted to come inside. um Now he's given that freedom and he's just very creative. He sees passes over players don't see, so that's been a really positive positive thing. The other surprising thing has been um how other teams are supposed to be as well this season, I would say.
00:26:56
Speaker
I'll use my own term because I'm looking at the league here and the win losses etc and they're all red and green and grey for draws so yeah apart from Liverpool who have also been surprised haven't they because I thought they was they would take a while so yeah um ah apart from us are being inconsistent well we were inconsistent last season as well there's hopefully we we would have been better this season but we're not and it's also been surprising and how The fans have turned on Ansch relatively quickly this so far, as we're only 11 games in. From Spursy to one, to calling everybody else Spursy from another. It's happened in changing quite a lot. Niles, a lot of chopping changes at Manchester United, as per usual, over the last decade. Most unexpected moment at Old Trafford.
00:28:42
Speaker
I think from a Manchester United point of view, I can definitely say I didn't think that Ahmad Diallo would be benched as much as he did, and I was certainly one sat in the strep for then over the last few weeks singing his name. From Old Trafford to the City Ground, James for Forest, it's got to be just your form this season, hasn't it?
00:28:57
Speaker
Yeah absolutely and the month of October, October 2024 has been the most random time to be a Forest fan. Starting in the month with over £800,000 worth of fines, 10 matches worth of bans to the owner, the manager, Talisman, Gibbs White and to Ward Prowse.
00:29:19
Speaker
and ending it with third place, ah like, boggles the mind. Nottingham Forest in third place, but then Chris Wood, getting player Premier League player of the month and Nuno getting Premier League manager of the month. Every time Chris Wood scores, I want to go buy a lottery ticket because I'm like, it can't happen again. You know, he's just waiting for it to, to like, I don't know. It's crazy what's going on. ah How long can it last? Who knows?
00:29:51
Speaker
Craig, from everyone in this podcast, Will, it's probably the one that I can't really take a pick of the bunch for an unexpected moment. Maybe the win over Bayern Munich. Nah, we always be Bayern Munich, every time we play. um Yeah, we're actually undefeated against Bayern Munich, so that's no shock there. um For me, ah the only surprising thing for Villa is the rise of Morgan Rodgers. I feel that we bought him last January, and when he came in from Middlesbrough, everyone expects him to be a good squad player, someone we could call upon when he was there.
00:30:24
Speaker
Now he's one of the first names on the team sheet, and rightfully so now, he's got a call up for England. So he just keeps rising up. He's gone from championship to first time, ah first starter a for Vella. He's now played in the Champions League and he's even been called up for England. So um that's the biggest surprise for me coming from Vella this season. And as we mentioned before, Claron blew one way to the next. And the final post we're going to come to on today's episode of Tapping Into the Top Flight, Tom Elkins from West Ham.
00:30:53
Speaker
This again is a bit of a tricky one for an unexpected moment. What have you got?
00:31:52
Speaker
And I think that about rounds us off. For me, the unexpected moment the Premier League is going to be just PJ Moel. There has to be nothing else said around that. You've got the David Koot controversy. We've just booked Tom from West Ham. Tenhog might be in a job if they got the decision right on the pitch, but who knows? In hindsight, I guess you could say that. But with that being said, it brings us to an end of the very first episode of Tapping into the Top Flight, brought to you by GSPN. After 11 games, Liverpool fans start to dream,
00:32:19
Speaker
Southampton at the foot of the table, Saints fans might be starting to scream. Thank you very much for all of our participants in today's episode. It's goodbye from me. and It's goodbye from him.
00:32:35
Speaker
sports podcast network