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Episode 197: Matchday Review: WE ARE NOT THE WORST EVER!
94 Plays5 days ago
Southampton – We managed to scrape a point and a clean sheet, in maybe the worst game of football of all time! But we are no longer the worst team in premier league history!
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Transcript
Introduction by Hosts
00:00:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome back to the podcast of not the worst team in Premier League history. I'm David Southampton from the Global Sports Podcast Network. My name is Greg Elliott and today we have a full cohort joined by my good friends, wonderful co-hosts.
00:00:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oscar, how you doing?
Hosts' Reactions to a Poor Game
00:00:26
Oscar
Yeah, all good. Thank you
00:00:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Zach, how doing, mate?
00:00:30
Zak
I feel absolutely terrible. I watched a horrific game of football, but I'm happy because we're no longer, statistically, that's all that actually matters, the worst team in Premier League history because we know we've been poor this season.
00:00:47
Zak
But in 10 years' time, when people look back on our season, they're not going to remember that because Derby County are still the statistically worst team
Game Overview: Strategy and Performance
00:00:54
Zak
in Premier League history.
00:00:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Well, I'm sure that that is not going to be the only talk we have of statistics on this show this evening. We are recording on Saturday night, fresh off of a trip to St. Mary's.
00:01:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
And yeah, ah what an awful game of football. I mean, never have I felt better about how bad a game of football was, but
00:01:15
Zak
True.
00:01:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Man, that was some suffering. That was...
00:01:20
Zak
Seeing the line-up on its own was a was an indication. I was like, well, every time we've played without a striker has always worked out really well for us. And I can think about the first time we did it. It was the Bournemouth game with Maxwell Corde.
00:01:33
Zak
And I was just like, oh, no. But does this mean we they know what they're doing? I feel like, no. i put i reposted the clip of me in the preview talking about how the optimal outcome for this game was a nil-nil draw. That that was my perfect outcome.
00:01:51
Zak
And I was like, maybe if we put 11 men behind the ball and they try and keep out the net, we could do something. it I didn't think they would take that quite as literally as they did.
00:02:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
We've got to be honest, right?
00:02:01
Zak
But like...
00:02:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
We've had some calls in the last week from some members of the fan base have Jose Mourinho in charge next season. And we had a preview today of what that might look like.
00:02:12
Oscar
Thanks.
00:02:14
Zak
Oh, no, because we'd So, what what do we think of the line-ups today? Just that, let's let's let's try and keep on topic for a little bit. Obviously, no striker was a bit not as surprising as I'd have liked it to be.
00:02:28
Zak
Carl Walker-Pete is apparently out due to illness, I heard.
00:02:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay.
00:02:32
Zak
Completely.
00:02:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
I haven't heard anything, so that's good to know.
00:02:33
Zak
so yeah, so so I don't know how good the commentary team are in the the coverage that I listen to my bunker in... New Zealand.
00:02:43
Zak
So... Either way, yeah, that was a bit... It was a bit weird to be like, ooh, you're putting James Bree up against so some tough characters and Wellington who's not played in a while.
00:03:00
Zak
worked!
00:03:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:03:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. I don't know. I looked at the lineup and i think my exact reaction was that's a weird lineup. Certainly are 11 players on a pitch.
00:03:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
None of them play as strikers. One of them plays as a winger. Dibbling, I guess, has been playing winger for us this season, sort of, but I'd probably label him more as a number 10 player.
00:03:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
are we playing like some false nine option?
00:03:29
Oscar
We're playing like stuff, folks, not
00:03:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
And when was like, are we putting Stevens up front and dropping to a back four? And yeah, we just, we didn't do that. We just, yeah, just a classic five, six.
00:03:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
but
00:03:45
Zak
There wasn't a shape, mate. There was 11 guys in a row.
00:03:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
by Five, five. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
00:03:50
Oscar
i think
00:03:50
Zak
That's all that was.
00:03:53
Oscar
that To be fair, proof's in the pudding. Hindsight's a wonderful thing, but you got the point. Don't matter how you set up we could have put tall, poor and goal.
00:03:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:04:00
Oscar
If we'd have got the point, I would have taken it.
00:04:02
Zak
Exactly. And I think that, and I think the fact that they're so mad about it, like I have never seen such a reaction to us getting a draw that would result in an opposition player essentially going on a run saying we we played football against, and I'm pretty sure I've heard like this exact transcript from interviews that have been taken, like taken place in the past with similar games and similar teams that have essentially played hoofball.
00:04:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:04:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, historically, Pep Guardiola hates playing against Southampton and he is quite vocal on the record whenever he's asked in interviews and he's like, oh, Southampton, so it should be an easy win.
00:04:27
Zak
But like,
00:04:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's like, are you having a laugh? Like, horrible to play against.
00:04:40
Zak
It is weird.
00:04:42
Oscar
We do seem to be a bit of a bogey team for them,
Southampton vs. Manchester City: Defensive Feat
00:04:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:04:45
Oscar
for whatever reason.
00:04:46
Zak
They've scored one goal against us this season. In the two matches they've played against us, that they have scored once, which...
00:04:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
so Does that make them the lowest scoring team at St Mary's? Or like just in general at all season?
00:05:01
Zak
I want to say...
00:05:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
I can't think of another team that we have... but We haven't had clean sheets.
00:05:06
Zak
I can't think of another clean sheet we've had.
00:05:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
No.
00:05:10
Zak
ah again That's why I said that was farcical.
00:05:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Maybe... I mean, Everton, right? We beat Everton 1-0 and we haven't played them yet. So they might score less goals against us.
00:05:18
Zak
yeah i mean, considering that their their result today, probably not. But there we are. We live in hope, right?
00:05:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
but but i Mate, we're all about spoiling parties. Man City wanted to come and play football for 90 minutes and we had different ideas and we
00:05:35
Zak
but we mean we've We've given Newcastle a little bit of a boost. We've upset the City fans.
00:05:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
we... Look, we it was very clear from the line-up and from the get-go that we were playing to get a 0-0 draw. That was the only outcome with the players on the pitch.
00:05:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like, fine, we're not going to score a goal but you're not going to either. And we're going to do everything in our power to make that the case. And and we did. We stuck bodies on the line. We put people in the way.
00:06:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Suleyman did exactly what he was supposed to. He got on the ball and made, you know, life difficult for the two defenders that were consistently on him. Like he had no option whatsoever when the ball got to him.
00:06:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
But yeah, it kind of, it was horrible to watch, but I guess the ends justify the means.
00:06:21
Oscar
it It's one of those.
00:06:21
Zak
and
00:06:23
Oscar
three many three managers since Hasenhutl really and even then I wouldn't say we were solid. We've gone through, this goes to your thing about about philosophies. you know We've had three different managers with very succinct philosoies philosophies come in yet none of them have been able to organise a defence properly and all of a sudden an interim manager comes in.
00:06:42
Oscar
Look, I can organise a defence properly. Except for against that.
00:06:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
It just requires 11 players.
00:06:45
Oscar
Yeah.
00:06:47
Zak
Yeah, but that that's it that's the issue.
00:06:47
Oscar
Yeah.
00:06:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
so
00:06:49
Zak
The the problem is is that he could organise enough defence properly, but apparently we could either pick one the thing or the other. we could either attack or we could defend. We could never do both. That is shown by... were talking about this before we started recording.
00:07:02
Zak
Because if you go through the BBC News website, you can see the heat map and the the statistics of today's... like
00:07:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
The match momentum.
00:07:08
Zak
momentum at graph you see the brief seconds that we had the ball uh if you look at the table view
00:07:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:07:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
where we pushed up, had a deflected shot that went out for a corner, took the corner, and it ended up back at Ramsdale's feet.
00:07:18
Oscar
Yes.
00:07:22
Zak
that was a three minute period
00:07:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
And like, oh. And I think at that point, I actually text you, and I think my exact words were, well, that's the attacking phase of the game, done. Like...
00:07:31
Zak
That is the exact words you said. At 1629, that's the attacking phase of our game done. This is fine. But if we blank concede in stoppage time again, i swear...
00:07:43
Zak
If we...
00:07:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, well, that's that was the feel that I had, right?
00:07:46
Zak
o
00:07:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
And that only worsened when the seven minutes went up.
00:07:52
Zak
Oh, that was a horrible, horrible moment. but i don't know where that came from either. like I get they had a couple of free kicks, but like actually, to be fair, maybe we forgot that's probably where it came from, was the she sheer of pieces that we didn't concede from one.
00:08:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, there were... and there Oh, there were There were a couple of injuries as well. And Wellington went down for a bit and had to go off to the side.
00:08:10
Oscar
Thank you.
00:08:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
And someone else went off with a head injury and had to wait come back on. I can't remember who. So, yeah, there were a couple of stoppages, to be fair.
00:08:20
Zak
What was this?
00:08:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
It just felt like we'd played 400 minutes of football because it was horrible to watch. It's like being a Burnley fan.
00:08:31
Zak
You're not wrong. But...
00:08:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah.
00:08:34
Zak
but
00:08:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
but Well, we' we'll talk about it. bit we'll we We'll try and get back to the structure. and We'll try and talk about the first half. But first, a message from our partners at Bionique.
00:09:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, and we are back. Zach, do you remember any key moments from the first half at all? Because I...
00:09:32
Zak
there was no key There were no key moments for us. like like ah Apart from keeping goals out, like I had a look at the defensive stats, right? for For the entire game, we made a total of 52 clearances. 28 of those being headed clearances.
00:09:46
Zak
also had a clearance off the line at one point, which like I think was towards the end. We also had one error leading to shots, which you know could have been could have been pretty bad.
00:09:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, that was right at the end. That's low for us. That's pretty good.
00:09:56
Zak
Yeah, so that's really low for us. but But no, like the the problem was it was just... It was sat there being terrified for a vast majority of the first half and being absolutely surprised. We were like, right, well, we've managed to make it to 45 minutes.
00:10:10
Zak
Are we going to make it to 90? Was the big thing, right?
00:10:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:10:13
Zak
But no, not particularly. It was just the ball being close and me constantly looking out for you because the ball kept whizzing by you the first half.
00:10:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm just going, there's no movement out. We've got nothing. like We'll pass it Suleymane and know we give Suleymane some criticism, but you know he he got the ball and he did what he could with it because he had to do it on his own because there was nobody else around him.
00:10:38
Zak
Did a lot on his own today.
00:10:42
Zak
Yeah.
00:10:44
Zak
But they...
00:10:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then even then, he was running around the top of the pitch, but that top of the pitch was about 10 yards in front of our 18-yard box. Like, it was... We... I don't think we had a touch in their half for at least 30 minutes.
00:11:01
Oscar
It sounds like that was the plan.
00:11:01
Zak
Could...
00:11:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then...
00:11:02
Oscar
Let's defend. And if we happen to win it by some sort of sheer coincidence or miracle, Suleymane and Dibling, there you Go go do something.
00:11:08
Zak
Thank you.
00:11:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:11:12
Oscar
The rest of us will stay here.
00:11:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Good luck. I mean, Matty Fernandes linked up with the Gachugru once in the first half and sort of dragged the whole team forward as he has, you know, done the entire season. And think it came to a half chance that then, you know, City came back and hit us on the break. And I think that was the one where Flynn Downs made, i mean, maybe the most deliberate professional foul I've ever seen. It was effectively a clothesline.
00:11:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was...
00:11:43
Zak
what's What's great about this is you thought it all this happened in the first half, mate. No, this was all the second half. Because Flynn Downs' booking was at the 56th minute. Like a Chikru's booking was right at the end of the first, which is why he got lumped off, right?
00:12:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:12:01
Zak
And then, because they were like, oh, we we don't want we want to keep it. And then straight away, Flynn Downs does the most Flynn Downs thing ever against a yellow card after reboost.
00:12:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:12:09
Zak
But that's what I mean, is...
00:12:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
But I mean, it it it's job, because if he didn't make that challenge, the city were breaking forward and they were against Jack Stevens and Bednarek, who would have been isolated in no man's land.
00:12:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
So...
00:12:20
Zak
The entirety of the live text, mate, is attempt blocked, attempt blocked, attempt blocked. Akanji missed, Akanji missed, Akanji missed. Matty Fernandez won a defensive free kick. Matty Fernandez won a defensive creep free kick.
00:12:34
Zak
Akanji was injured. Attempt missed, attempt missed, attempt missed. Corner, corner, corner. It is just, is, yeah, whichever order you would have put it in, that was just the whole of the first half.
00:12:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
That was it.
00:12:44
Zak
It was that nothing.
00:12:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
That said, until right yeah at the end of the second half when they were properly peppering us, I also can't think of any really clear-cut chances that they had.
00:12:54
Zak
No, because again, like it just it just kept hitting our players because we had 11 players in the way the goal.
00:12:54
Oscar
know
00:12:59
Zak
And it worked. And they get kept getting frustrated. And obviously, you had like Kevin De Bruyne had two free kicks. The first one, obviously, he was just a little bit too high. So then he had another one straight away pretty much after that.
00:13:11
Zak
And then he tried to correct it by going low and just hit the wall. But yeah, there was a lot. that it was it was There was, I think, one point... Foden had the ball quite a bit and then he had like a go, but it was, it was just the relentless pace of attacking moments from city, but none of it felt like it was doing a lot, but yeah that's only because none of them went in.
00:13:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah, well I mean, at one point, the ball went in, the crowd near me from a shot or a cross, and Ramsdale moaned because the crowd gave it back to him too quickly.
00:13:30
Zak
Yep.
00:13:37
Zak
Yep.
00:13:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
He was trying to time waste.
00:13:42
Oscar
yeah
00:13:43
Zak
Yes, that was funny.
00:13:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
It just...
00:13:44
Zak
that was it It was a little kid that was probably so excited to throw the ball back to his hero.
00:13:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:13:50
Zak
And you've got Ramso going, mate, mate!
00:13:52
Oscar
The opposite of Joe Hart in the World Cup.
00:13:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
just
00:13:55
Oscar
Don't give me the ball!
00:13:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah Yeah.
00:13:58
Oscar
I just think as well it's nice that we actually got a bit of luck for once.
00:13:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:14:01
Oscar
like we
00:14:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:14:02
Zak
I agree.
00:14:03
Oscar
even Even in the first half, again, like couple of VAR shouts, I'm not sure how much was made of them live, but...
00:14:03
Zak
I agree.
00:14:11
Oscar
ah ah One of them even looked very similar to the one, the Leicester one, that we didn't get against on Uatu, where I think it was Dibbling was dragging on De Bruyne a bit. And that was good clearance by Flynn Downs, to be fair, after that, not given. And then there was another one, which I think was was less of one, which is just another bit of a collision.
00:14:27
Oscar
But we got away with that.
00:14:27
Zak
wow
00:14:28
Oscar
And then I think the clearance you're talking about which would have been vintage Jack Stevens. He's volleyed it off the line over the crossbar. Fairly late in the game, I think. Vintage Jack Stevens, usually that goes in.
00:14:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it was right at the end.
00:14:40
Oscar
But I think when that goes over the bar, you think it's your day, maybe.
00:14:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:14:45
Zak
you're right You're right with the luck, because like any other any of those other days, Kevin De Bruyne scores those three kicks. i' I'm not being funny.
00:14:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:14:52
Zak
And he has a knack for scoring against us anyway, so
00:14:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's just it. That was just it. I'm there like, this is fine as a game plan and I don't, I understand why you go into the game like this, but it only takes one moment of magic from City, and that's the entire game plan gone. And they have a, like, a £600 million pound plus squad of players designed to create those magic moments. like
00:15:17
Zak
started doing I started doing the maths during halftime to figure out how expensive their bench was in comparison to ours. And then the game restarted. So ah ah quickly forgot. But I think I sending, like, Grealish alone is 100
Challenges and Fan Reactions
00:15:29
Zak
million.
00:15:29
Zak
And he's just sat on the bench. And then they brought Dooku on, who did change the game for And was sat there thinking, we've got a tactical battle between Dooku and James Bree, a £500,000 game.
00:15:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
They had
00:15:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:15:41
Zak
thousand pounds Right back, brought in from Luton by Nathan Jones, who hasn't played in a long time.
00:15:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:15:47
Zak
he did it right.
00:15:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'll tell you what, though. He did all right.
00:15:48
Zak
like yeah
00:15:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
He did good. No, I think there was only once when he got properly done that I can remember. and But yeah, I mean, they still only managed five shots on target.
00:15:56
Zak
I think that's fair.
00:15:58
Oscar
But this is what's so pathetic.
00:16:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
So it's just...
00:16:03
Oscar
But this is what's so pathetic from Ruben Diaz. Like, you know, if you're going to have a moan about that, sorry, mate, look at the value of your squad compared to ours.
00:16:06
Zak
but
00:16:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:16:11
Zak
but That's the frustration though, right? Like that's, it's going to be boiling over because you said, yeah, they only have five shots from target Greg, but they did have 26 shots. So like that, they were just absolutely peppering us. but It must get to a point where you're so frustrated because nothing's going in. and And you could see that towards the end of the second half where they were just taking every half chance they had, booting it directly most of the time at Ramsdale, which would then give us some time to have the ball for all of the 30 seconds. We'd have the ball, but that 30 seconds winds down clock 30 seconds.
00:16:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Was it in the first half, Zach, that we saw the Ole chance coming out?
00:16:40
Zak
And like, I,
00:16:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
That was in front of us, right?
00:16:48
Zak
Yes! but Oh, mate, it's just...
00:16:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
but
00:16:51
Zak
it was It was nice to have, especially after like the weird press conferences, the weird press conference from Simon Rusk, the sort of last week to to Leicester, it going completely Tongue.
00:17:03
Zak
you know, we we kind of expected, like expected nothing. Again, my optimal outcome, the best possible outcome I can see from this game was 0-0. And we somehow achieved it.
00:17:15
Zak
And whilst it's not a win, it is a point.
00:17:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
man
00:17:17
Zak
City only got a point.
00:17:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
The Northmen were on form, calling Haaland a rubbish Ricky Lambert.
00:17:20
Zak
Yeah.
00:17:23
Zak
Yeah. No.
00:17:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
a let's sing in about Singing about Gabbi Adini. We had a lay chance when we passed the pool.
00:17:30
Zak
Premier League's corrupt. Yeah.
00:17:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. but oh yeah
00:17:32
Zak
for the for the sheer amount of free kicks they had that were probably mostly deserved, but at the same time when...
00:17:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
And not just that. I mean, that but that decision against Tyler Diblin when he beat the fullback and like had a chance to run through on goal.
00:17:42
Zak
Yes. And then they spent absolutely ages to go.
00:17:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
What was that?
00:17:46
Zak
It's offside. But again, like the seven minutes that, to be honest, the more I look at it, the more I'm like, well, just the sheer amount of free kicks and corners they had probably made up that seven minutes.
00:17:57
Zak
However, besides the point, yeah, did it did feel very, and obviously they just kept shouting for literally every little thing.
00:17:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
but yeah
00:18:03
Zak
But you're right. that One of the good things about it is that they they didn't get it this time. And I think it's a sad state of affairs that we put that down to luck rather than just like it's for like intelligence. Because don't know if you guys watch the any of the playoffs finals.
00:18:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Bit of everything though as well. like It was body on the line defending a lot of the time. The amount of blocks, just pure blocks of just people just throwing their body in the way any of it went.
00:18:22
Zak
Hmm.
00:18:25
Zak
And it was hot today as well. And I know we don't really talk about the kind of environmental impacts on players, but like for today, considering it's a random Saturday afternoon... like but By the way, don't don't catch a cold in 20-degree heat. It's really annoying.
00:18:39
Zak
But it's it's one of those things...
00:18:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
I had put sunscreen on or my face would have looked like my shirt.
00:18:44
Zak
Yeah, I've realised looking at it you can tell where you were sat directly in the in the in the sun today.
00:18:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:18:48
Zak
But like that that would have had an effect on on top of the fact that they you know we've asked for a performance for 90 minutes all season.
00:18:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:18:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:18:56
Zak
We finally got one. It just turns out that we can't do both attacking and defending at the same time.
00:19:02
Oscar
But it this is what I don't understand.
00:19:02
Zak
Unless we have 22 players.
00:19:05
Oscar
you know, Russell Martin, semi-experienced manager. Juric is a very experienced manager. Neither of of them could get out of the players to do that, to put their bodies on the line, to fight for them. And this is Martin, who all the players loved him.
00:19:17
Oscar
So I don't understand, like, fair play to Rusk in lots of ways, because he obviously has really got everyone buying on board, throwing themselves on the line. You know, it's good to see that. And when Martin, I think, said at the beginning of the season, you know, I want to make us really horrible to play against, that's sort of what I thought he was getting at.
00:19:36
Oscar
We were going to be at not quite as dogged in actually not played try and play the ball, but off the ball, be resilient like that.
00:19:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:19:43
Oscar
So, again, fair play that he's managed to instil that. It's just a shame it's so late. Because I do want him to be, if, know, not saying if he'd been in since the beginning of the season, but if he'd have stayed in since Juric...
00:19:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:19:49
Zak
I don't even...
00:19:55
Zak
it's it's It's interesting you say that because like yeah I don't know if you saw some of the conversation with Bednarik about like last last week and him struggling to deal with the the changes. and It almost almost seemed like a bit of a criticism of Rusk trying to play a bit more of a defensive style and that but suffocating him a little bit. But for me, that's even more of a kind of indictment of, well, he must have done a good enough job because even if the players aren't entirely believing in him, they must believe in the game plan to work. and you know Maybe that's just that Bednarik's been around the block and played in at this point.
00:20:24
Zak
57 different types of systems since he's been at the club. But yeah, like considering i thought after, after last weekend, that was like, well, that's Every single game now is a complete route.
00:20:35
Oscar
Well.
00:20:35
Zak
And I know that you said he treated every single game individually.
00:20:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:20:37
Zak
And then he spouted some more nonsense at the press conference that everyone kind of like put their eyebrow up at myself included.
00:20:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:20:44
Zak
And yeah, you're you're right to be able to actually come out and, you know, get a performance out of the guys. And I don't, whether or not it is a combination of all of their pride being like, you are going to go down as the worst team of all time, whether it's the Taylor Harbour-Bellis saying we perform Goethe against bigger sides and that being considered to be like an absolute joke to everyone who posted all of the losses we've had to bigger sides.
00:21:07
Zak
If it's finally taken the last two or three games for for personal pride to play a part in, them playing like they did today, I'm fine with that because it means that we are no longer statistically, and remember that's the most important, worst team of all time.
00:21:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
All right. I've got some other thoughts as well, but first time for a quick break and a message from our partners at Zencastr.
Zencastr Promotion
00:21:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Here at the Global Sports Podcast Network, we spent a lot of time selecting our delivery platform.
00:21:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
And Zencaster came out 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 to start a podcast that sounds great and is delivered efficiently.
00:21:49
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. Okay. So we are back.
Substitutions and Player Performances
00:21:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
I wanted to briefly touch on, we've talked a lot about Russ going back to basics and becoming more defensive, but also can we take a minute to appreciate that all of the substitutions today made sense?
00:22:11
Zak
Yeah, I don't think any of us were unhappy with the substitutions that took place.
00:22:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Oh, Leslie's on a yellow. we need to not be in that position to get him sent off. Let's bring in Joe Aribo, who plays in that position and can do that job.
00:22:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Great. That worked. Oh, uh, Diblin has not been the best of the front three. i mean, he did as well as he could do with the cards he was dealt, to be clear, I think.
00:22:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
But, yeah, let's take him off and put the pace of Archer on. Good. Makes sense.
00:22:42
Zak
which almost paid off had he passed it properly.
00:22:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Oh, let's bring on Stuart. Makes sense. Good. Look, when Stuart and Archer got on the pitch together, we kicked the ball up from the goalkeeper. And instead of the ball pinging around and being picked up by a centre-back straight away...
00:23:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Stewart held it up, pinged off to Cameron Archer, who ran through on goal and almost had a chance if he wasn't a yard offside. But almost. Like, it looks looked better. Like, logical substitutions. And then yet Matty Fernandez had run his race. He was absolutely done for. So, right.
00:23:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Bring on Will Smallbone for a few minutes to just shore it up for the last, you know, two or three minutes or seven, for some reason, minutes.
00:23:25
Zak
Thank you.
00:23:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
And you know what? Yeah. Logical. Makes sense.
00:23:30
Oscar
Was there a big reaction when Matty Fernandes got subbed off?
00:23:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
He got a standing ovation.
00:23:33
Oscar
Even an ironic one.
00:23:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, he got a standing ovation from the crowd, but everyone could see that it was a logical change because he was he was struggling. And it you know it was right towards the end of the game, and it it made sense. And you know what? At that point, the hope had built inside of me, and the delusion was like...
00:23:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Will Smallbone's going to come on and score like he did in the playoff semi-final. This is mad. Like, that was that was the genuine feeling I had. then like, well, that might be a bit much.
00:24:04
Zak
I was um wasn't quite as insane, but I think as we've discussed before, like we've had our our criticisms of Smallbone this season, but regardless of what our opinions are of him, you know some of us are more experienced in football than others.
00:24:16
Zak
Like, Oscar, you actually coach football.
00:24:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:24:19
Zak
I don't count Football Manager as coaching football. I
00:24:22
Zak
We started off this season not thinking the world of Smallbone. And as I'm not a good football manager or a football manager at all, we have noticed that every single manager who has come in and taken over Southampton has seen something in him.
00:24:36
Zak
So maybe our opinions are a moot point. You know, every single manager has played him at least once or twice. They see him as a versatile player.
00:24:45
Zak
That does mean that he is not going to potentially get all of the 90 minutes, but it does mean that clearly there is something that they see in him that we may not see.
00:24:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:24:56
Zak
Maybe it's because he is not as flashy as Fernandes or as, you know, defensively shored up as Flynn Bounds, but...
00:24:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think it's what we've talked about before where he is a versatile player and he's a bit of a jack of all trades and therefore he isn't as outstanding at any of those one things than the other but for a few minutes as fresh legs when Matty Fernandes is clearly struggling and the game is clearly not requiring that effort of dragging the team forward, he is more than capable of holding his own for for a period of time.
00:25:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:25:29
Oscar
yeah like I get the impression personality and attitude probably part of it. Seems to be quite resilient.
00:25:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:25:33
Zak
Yeah.
00:25:34
Oscar
Seems to be, you know, this is this is what I want you to do. this you know And he will do it. Like, good soldier. i think just the tricky thing for him is, I think he'll go down and flourish again in the Championship because he's a playmaker.
00:25:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:25:46
Oscar
He's just not a good enough playmaker for the Premier League and the rest of it. He doesn't add. and it's not you know He's still, i should I don't know how old he is now. He's, what, 25-ish? So, you know, he's still got time to develop a bit.
00:25:57
Oscar
But, Yeah, I think that's just that's what's held him back. But, yeah, obviously, attitude is pretty good.
00:26:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. he's one of the He's one of the very few players who, a especially after last week, i was feeling a lot more down about it, it has to be said, but one of the few players I would like to see stay and do a job for us next season because we know he can do it
Season Conclusion and Future Outlook
00:26:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
at that level.
00:26:15
Oscar
Yeah.
00:26:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
He did it for us previously. As mentioned, he scored that first opening goal in the semi-final playoff last year and I mean, that
00:26:24
Zak
best game I've ever seen.
00:26:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
that night will forever live in the memory. yeah. yeah
00:26:30
Zak
I think, yeah, it's so you know we've got what two two games left after today. And we've also, that discussion in itself, I know we'll probably have it towards more the off-season, but the absence of many players for Southampton it's is starting to creep into the back of my mind.
00:26:46
Zak
We've spoken about Grombeck, who apparently was out due to injury, but has not had a sniff since then. Ryan Fraser has actually contracted to the club, not that you'd believe that.
00:26:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:26:57
Zak
Bella Kochap, remember him?
00:26:59
Zak
He was going to save the season.
00:27:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:27:01
Zak
He's nowhere to be seen. Nathan Wood makes the bench all the time, but hasn't had an appearance in a couple of months. It's going to be gonna be a really, really busy summer. and It's going to be interesting to see where we go. But I think that my optimistic note to end on today from me personally is that this was the best outcome that I could see.
00:27:21
Zak
And I still thought we were going get batted 5-0.
00:27:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:27:24
Zak
We ended up on 0-0. Fair play to the lads.
00:27:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
I thought all I felt in my heart like we were going to get battered 5-0 right up until about 63 minutes. Genuinely, that is still how I was feeling.
00:27:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm like, it's all going to go wrong here. they're gonna have They're going to have a moment of magic and score one, and that's it.
00:27:42
Zak
That'll be it.
00:27:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's our game plan done, and the the floodgates are done, because because we don't have a game plan past.
00:27:42
Zak
Floss gates be open.
00:27:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Don't let them score, because it certainly wasn't score as well. we didn't have the personnel on the We might not have the in the club, to do that, frankly, but we definitely didn't have the personnel on the pitch.
00:27:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, you know, it was...
00:28:01
Oscar
And that's probably what would have happened if they had scored, but they didn't.
00:28:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:28:04
Oscar
So it's nice now because it gives us that little bit of relief for these last two games in that really there's there's nothing to fear.
00:28:04
Zak
Thank
00:28:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. yeah
00:28:11
Oscar
You know, they're all playing realistically for, let's be honest, most of them will think they're Premier League players and whats want to stay in the Premier League. They've got to put themselves in the shop window now.
00:28:22
Oscar
Nothing to lose.
00:28:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:28:23
Oscar
You know, why not go out and spoil the party for Everton and Arsenal?
00:28:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
We've talked about being pre... Yeah. We talked about it being pre-pre-season and now that is... That's not even a joke. We genuinely have nothing.
00:28:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like, we've we've beat the record. It's done. Do we care about chasing down the second worst team in Premier League history and getting a win out of one of these two games? Probably not. Just...
00:28:47
Zak
even Even if we even if we get you know we we win both of the next games, we will finish on 18 points. We will finish three points behind what Leicester have finished at now.
00:28:57
Zak
So at this point, you're right.
00:29:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, that does it.
00:29:01
Zak
it is completely a moot point.
00:29:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:29:03
Zak
Absolute moot point.
00:29:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
We just...
00:29:05
Zak
If we score 10 goals, we might overtake them on goal difference.
00:29:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
We go and... but We go and enjoy the last league game at Goodison Park and hopefully spoil their party. Then we have a wonderful end-of-season party against Arsenal.
00:29:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
where it's going to be a complete rubber match. Nothing is going to be to play for left to play for. It doesn't doesn't matter. It's going to be another one of those crazy games like that four-all draw with Liverpool our last relegation season. It's just going to be nuts.
00:29:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then we can start seeing where we go from there. But on the bright side, the 0-0 draw might be good enough news for them to send out the season ticket information this week.
00:29:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's what they were holding on for, really.
00:29:46
Oscar
That's
00:29:47
Zak
And I will also, another little bit of positivity, Guardiola completely papooed Diaz's criticism of us and said that we can play however we want. ah but
00:29:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:29:57
Zak
it's ah ah It's up to City to break us down, which is
Guardiola's Defense of Southampton's Strategy
00:30:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:30:00
Zak
wonderful, wonderful news to hear.
00:30:02
Zak
Maybe he'll end up here, Greg, in the future.
00:30:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't think he has any like for our city whatsoever.
00:30:05
Zak
Seems a little bit of a soft spot for us.
00:30:05
Oscar
going to help us.
00:30:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think that he hates Southampton with a passion. I don't think he enjoys any trip to St Mary's.
00:30:14
Zak
Are you saying...
00:30:17
Zak
Are you saying that when he takes his break from football, he's going to retire to Barcelona? He's you know he's not going to come to Harbour on the 6th, right? Hang out with all the the Saints players?
00:30:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
You've got you got to remember, mate, that he probably still, when he goes to sleep at night, pictures Moussa Gineppo lobbing him and lobbing Edison and ruining their quadruple. Like...
00:30:36
Zak
yeah
00:30:38
Zak
You're right. We're such a bogey team for City. It's so weird.
00:30:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right.
00:30:44
Zak
Right, one party ruined, let's ruin another!
00:30:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's it. That's it.
00:30:46
Zak
Let's go!
Podcast Wrap-Up and Listener Engagement
00:30:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right. Well, that is definitely all we've got time for. Thank you everyone for listening to once again, statistically, definitely not the worst team in premier league history, but the fact that the BBC had to put a headline out saying as much is almost embarrassing.
00:31:06
Zak
And our admin, don't forget our admin.
00:31:08
Zak
fifty
00:31:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Thanks Derby County.
00:31:10
Oscar
Yeah.
00:31:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oscar, Zach, thank you very much for joining me. let us know on the socials what you are looking to from the rest of this season. and if it is just it being over, uh, until tomorrow, when we'll be back with something, we'll see you next time.
00:31:33
Zak
you.