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Crossover Special: Brighton
31 Plays18 days ago
Gavin chats to Joe from the Daily Brighton podcast for an insight into The Seagulls and a feel for how Thursday's encounter may go. They also give their combined XIs of Fulham and Brighton players.
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Transcript
Introduction & Crossover with Daily Brighton
00:00:02
Speaker
Every club. Every day. The Global Sports Podcast Network. Hello, everyone. Welcome back to the Daily Fulham Podcast. This is your home of all things Fulham. And today we are building up to the game on Thursday as Fulham host Brighton. And what better way to do that than with a crossover special. Joining me from the Daily Brighton team, it is Joe. Joe, how are you doing today?
00:00:26
Speaker
Yes mate, I'm all good, I'm all good, I'm all good. with um the just it It's getting to the nitty gritty now, Christmas time games, like every two days. so yeah we just want to get You want to get through it, but it's nice to have football on, no interruptions, no international break, no nation's league.
00:00:43
Speaker
Yeah, glad you said it, no international break until March. So I don't know, it feels like we can get into a sort of rhythm now because the first couple of months, they just feel like it was a stop
Impact of International Breaks on Premier League
00:00:52
Speaker
start. It was like you had three games international break, four games international break, four games international break. And let's be honest, who cares about the international break? Who cares about the international football outside of World Cups and Euros? The Nations League just doesn't make any sense to me. I know Wales got promoted in it and i I still don't really know what that means.
00:01:11
Speaker
No, I think you just would get to play maybe some better teams and then that's it. Yeah, and then get relegated again. Yeah, get relegated again. Sounds like fun. Well, let's so let's come on to brighter
Brighton's Impressive Season Start & Managerial Challenges
00:01:21
Speaker
then, shall we? I mean, fourth in the league, what an amazing start and, you know, we're further away into the season now. So it's it's not early days. I don't think you can say it's early days anymore. So would you say the expectations have changed from what they would have been at the start of the season?
00:01:35
Speaker
Oh, 100%. We were all saying pre-season coming into um into the start of the season. As we've got the youngest manager ever in Premier League history, he needs to sort of um he needs to have his ID, which he does have, and he needs to be willing to sort of tweak and chop and change it. um sort of Not completely, but um at points.
00:02:01
Speaker
and but we We started on a really good run and I always was saying to them like, ah you the best judge of character for him is when there is a bad run. How can he sort of bounce back to that? Because you know that the media, the British media is going to kill him if he has a bad run. So he'd be like, oh, he's not ready. I feel like he's completely skipped past that whole process now. And after Chelsea, he made some some tweaks here and there because we could have easily conceded like eight against Chelsea and against the bigger teams Bar Chelsea we've actually eaten even against Liverpool which we lost we played really well um and the only sort of gripe I have is that when we played so we played Ipswich at home and Southampton at home and we've only drawn so
00:02:51
Speaker
that that's sort of like Those are the results where you're looking and you're thinking, oh, I could have done a bit better there. um But other than that, lot you can't really can't really knock it. well we have the play We have players coming back now. um So we have a sort of wealth of options going forward. And once he's nailed down, I think he needs to nail down the um the back four indefinitely.
00:03:16
Speaker
and um sort of the right wing position and maybe the midfield two partnership that he's going
Brighton's Managerial Transition & Club Strategies
00:03:24
Speaker
to go for sort of week in week out and only going to change it dependent on who we play but other than that like again fourth in the league can't knock it at all Yeah, absolutely. And I think just from the outside Brighton seem like such a well-run club. They bring in these managers. I mean, I don't know how much you would have known if it's lower. Did you even heard of him before he was appointed? No, he was in the second tier Bundesliga. Yes, Sam Powley, wasn't it? He had won the league. It just seems like such a seamless transition and it's the deserby leaves and then they bring in this guy that's relatively unknown. He takes over and then you end up fourth in the league. What are some of the similarities, the differences between him and deserby?
00:04:07
Speaker
um so For me, the his i feel like in terms of like on a and you I judge managers like this as well because the way that they are sort of like their persona and the way that they come across is also like a massive thing for how well a club do as well as obviously the way that he manages the team.
00:04:29
Speaker
He actually, I'm pretty sure he played a completely different formation when he was in um the Bundesliga too. But he sort of like tried to mimic the style which is sort of like wide pressing, very fluid. um You actually see that like at the start of the season our three midfielders that we had were sort of like ah they were ah miles away from each other and it was just sort of like rotating fluid movement up the pitch where where deserber used to sort of wait bait the press and then you're looking at playing through the middle
00:05:06
Speaker
is kind is you don't We don't really bait the press under Herzler, but we we are looking to sort of like work the ball out wide to the full backs and then come into the middle, then sort of work the ball back out, come back into the middle for the when it sort of gets to the attacking third. and um But Deserbe was very like a heart on the sleeve, very emotional manager. Herzler, considering he's a lot younger, is very calm.
00:05:34
Speaker
um he has He has been booked a couple of times, but like, I mean, it happens, doesn't it? But like, he is very, very calm. He's also very honest, um which I quite like. And he has openly come out and said that he is his relationship. We question the relationship that he'd have with the players that are older than him.
00:05:51
Speaker
And we we did sort of say like, well, he comes in and hit the relationship that he has with them where like young clop at Liverpool is like a father figure. um He was more like, I'm the head coach, you're a player, that's the relationship done.
00:06:07
Speaker
And then I feel like setting that boundary has sort of stopped all those questions being asked about that. But yeah, he's he's he's is very different with sort of similar like like tinges here and there, but he is definitely his own ah own ID, 100%.
00:06:24
Speaker
Yeah, definitely. And I think one of the other things that's impressive about Brighton is they are now that established Premier League club. They they're that team you don't have any concerns about about the start of the season, they're going to be dragged into a relegation fight. And that's what all teams that come up from the Championship aspire to be. And I feel like I feel like Fulham are slowly, gradually becoming that team after a few seasons of up to down like a yo-yo. Championship not good enough for the Premier League. So yeah, I think both of these two teams that we see on Thursday, they're there's something to aspire to be for any any teams that get promoted. One of the players actually who's who's been linked with Fulham in recent times, you know, it's that time of year, isn't
Evans Ferguson's Loan Move Speculation
00:07:00
Speaker
it? January transfer window is not too far away. Speculation starts to intensify. I've seen one or two reports about Evan Thurgson possibly moving on for ah for a loan move. ah We were speaking off air about him. I know you said you've ah been a bit critical of him this season. that um Would you expect him to to move on in January or be it on loan? Yeah, no, I think
00:07:20
Speaker
I think it was ah it's a little bit too public for it to not be a thing. um And also it sort of come from the source that I saw it on on social media was like, he he's basically like the most reliable, bright and sort of journalistic we have. um And I don't think it was a good idea to close off the idea of going to the championship. um He's obviously a very, very talented player, but things haven't gone his way.
00:07:49
Speaker
um sort of like in the last 12 to 18 months really, like they haven't really gone his way. and What did you put that down to? Is it noticeable like lack of confidence or is it just what you kind of see the ups and downs you get from a a young player? Yeah, so so so he was so he has had his fair share of injury issues and then he got a quite lengthy injury and he'd um he scored a hatchet against Newcastle and then sort of nothing can end injury and then he was like he was like suffering a couple of setbacks but then it's been so long that you need to build up your thingy like your fitness and then like you had Jal Pedro's there, Ruta's there, Welbeck's now playing out of his skin under the new manager so now he's got to come back into a team where like everyone's sort of doing well and then
00:08:43
Speaker
ah for him is that he came back, he started playing, he had a couple of starts and you could see that he's like a little bit off of it. And then, like, he scored and you're like, OK, we can kick on now. And then nothing again. And then he's the only the positive is that he's going away internationally and playing. And that's all good. That's that's class. But like you you could tell that he is lacking a little bit of confidence and also like he's just doesn't look as sharp as he has looked like previously.
00:09:17
Speaker
I don't know if go into, um because obviously ah you guys have Raul Jimenez and he seems to be in inspired form at the moment. He so was, he was. in an uber Yeah. And also you have that, is it Rodrigo Jimenez as well? I don't know what he's doing. I mean, he was playing the month once and now I don't know what's happening there.
00:09:33
Speaker
But, like, he needs to go somewhere where it's going to be week in, week out. Like, it just has to be. It can't be like he's going to come off the bench and sort of like, okay, one game he's going to play, the next game he's not going to play because he might as well just stay at Brighton. um But, yeah, i'd like to so I'd like to see him go to a team where, like, he's going to sort of get those minutes, get those goals, and then come back with the confidence to kick on at Brighton.
00:10:01
Speaker
Yeah. it It just shows how quickly things change in it because it's not so long ago. He was being taught there's like the hottest young, well, not British, but British and Irish striker around and scoring goals in the Premier League as a teenager scored that was it? hatch Did you say Hatred against Newcastle? Yeah. Yeah. yeah and As you say, one or two injuries, lack of confidence to find yourself out of the team. Things can quickly change. I think there's a, I do think there's a real player in there. how bunch ni and and I think there's many teams probably in the bottom half of the Premier League that would but bite your hand off. there Would you take him? Would you take him personally? Yeah, definite definitely. yeah I think a lot of Fulham fans would be in that same ballpark as well. Just speaking about Raul Jimenez because a month ago his form was a lot better. He was even scoring three kicks for for Mexico. I mean Raul Jimenez scoring three kicks.
00:10:48
Speaker
Yeah, just watching him on the weekend against Spurs, they, yeah with a more clinical striker, Fulham would have won that game convincingly because they were absolutely part of them. But he missed a couple of chances. Just seemed to lack a bit of sharpness. He's getting on in age now. He's 33 years old and yeah Evan Fuchs. And the ah the only thing is like,
00:11:05
Speaker
Fulham had this sort of similar situation last January, when Amanda Oberolzio, he's at Everton now, isn't he? anybody I think he's been injured. He came on loan and then, as you said, Rodrigo Moniz came into the side, who had been at Fulham for like a few seasons, but never really done anything. He went on loan to Middlesbrough, never really scored. He was out of the team there and then it was a surprise, he scored.
00:11:27
Speaker
So he started the next game, and he kept scoring, kept scoring, kept scoring. So aman and Amanda Broger, throughout his loan spell at Fulham, he didn't really get a kick. When he started this season, Jimenez come in, scored a few goals, and then it's not quite happening for him recently. So I think if Jimenez doesn't start scoring in the next few weeks, then that could potentially be one to watch. ah The Evan Ferguson rumours might hot up again, because Fulham wouldn't want to look at potentially for another striker. the They can score them a significant amount of goals, but I mean, your two guys up front there, I mean, Joe Pedro and Danny Welbeck, they're on fire at the minute,
Danny Welbeck's Role at Brighton
00:12:03
Speaker
aren't they? And Danny Welbeck, he's had an interesting interesting time and he he's been at some big clubs, Arsenal and Manchester United, Watford as well, but what a renaissance for him in his sort of mid-30s.
00:12:13
Speaker
Yeah, it's it's just insane because our podcast is um he's basically Danny Wellebeck themed anyway. So like we all we all love him. He's sort of like that, even for us who off are like, so our football careers are done, like we play football, but he is literally like an example even to us.
00:12:34
Speaker
um of sort of like what the ah like model citizen footballer should be, you know, like you have the model citizen sort of like um personality trait of football manager. He's like literally exactly what that's like. And also like playing at the highest level into the latter stage of your career and like, let's be completely honest, he's not um ah like You wouldn't say for Danny Wellebeck, like, oh, this guy is like, a he's a legend of the Premier League. Like, he's the, he at one point he was the best striker ever. Like, you wouldn't say that about him, but he's under herzola, his hold-up play and his all-round game, the link-up. I don't know if you saw the first goal against Bournemouth, but like, the one-two part, like, touches, the holding the ball up, knocking it off, moving, getting it back, movement in the box off the ball off the shoulder of the defenders, like,
00:13:25
Speaker
everything that about his game is just so mature and adding the, like, is it outrageous hold-up play, to be honest with you, bringing players into the game. When you have, you know, you have all of the, Danny Welbeck's not gonna, he's not gonna do, drop the shoulder, do step-overs, beat Fremont, and he's not gonna do that. But then next to him, he's got Matoma, who's gonna do that, Ruhr, that's gonna do that, Jar Pedro can do that. But he sort of understands that his role is to sort of like bring it all together.
00:13:53
Speaker
um and it's just it is just it's an astonishing thing like you and you obviously have a striker who's I think I'm pretty sure they're theyre similar age anyway and like you know that like once the legs are the legs are gone a little bit but like there's other things that you can bring to a team and obviously he brings a wealth of Premier League experience like I mean he's probably been in the league since I was like probably like nine. So it is a bit of a mad one. But he is he is a legend. he is a legend is ah He's still that guy, isn't he? He is the guy. He's that guy. he Absolutely. And just finally on Brighton, I know this is a bit of a difficult question to answer, but you've made a habit of
00:14:35
Speaker
getting players, little known players on the cheap and then end up selling them to so-called bigger clubs. We've seen that with the likes of Alexis McAllister and Quisado, who's doing fantastically well at Chelsea. Kookarela, after a difficult spell at Chelsea, seems to be blossoming now. Again, difficult, but who do you feel like is the next one that that's likely to be? I think the next I think the next big one will be Jal Pedro, but I wouldn't count Jal Pedro towards that sort of same thing. Jal Pedro had a massive reputation anyway. and he um Did he cost like $4? Yeah, cost he cost a decent amount of money. And even Carlos Belé, I mean, Carlos Belé costs like 25 mil. It's not really like a... I think the the amount of money that we're going to get for the both of them is going to seriously outweigh that. But I feel like it's not a Kaiseido sort of deal. It's not like, do you know what I mean? I feel like Van Hecker is more a player who you can probably ask for high fees so young and he's so good already, even for Bruggan. I know he's a keeper, but he's like 23 or 22. So like,
00:15:41
Speaker
He's gonna establish himself as a number one cuz they did that weird thing brighten which is they play one keeper one week and then another keeper yeah that was yeah so that was under deserby because deserby preferred um i think it's jason still he preferred jason still on the ball.
00:15:59
Speaker
And then it sort of like chopped to change a little bit. And then the start of this season, Verbraggen was injured. So Jay still played, but Jay still won't play again unless it's like in the FA Cup maybe. um But yeah, you're looking at like sort of Verbraggen and then, um to be fair,
00:16:18
Speaker
I'm trying to think of who else, really. Yassinari, that's cheap. And if he keeps going in a sort of trajectory he's on, he can go for big money. But Labor would definitely go for big money. And Jal Pedro would definitely go for big money. Matoma's sort of coming later on in this thing. It would obviously be another, OK, big money sell on. But he is like 27. So it's getting to the point now where it's like, OK, are we going to get 80 million for him? Probably not.
00:16:48
Speaker
um rutas only just signed so you can't really say that but probably gel pedro van hecker of a brother in the spine of young players i think is where the money's at uh carlos belabor i reckon could ship hundred million easily interesting interesting stuff well what we're going to do next is we're going to have a look at our combined 11s but before we do that let me tell you a little bit about our sponsors here at the global sports podcast network and that is zencaster So here at the Global Sports Podcast Network, we spent a lot of time selecting our delivery platform. Zencaster came out the clear winner. With 4K video recording from your phone and AI editing that automatically removes all those ums and r's, it's super easy to start a podcast that sounds great and is delivered efficiently. If you're ready to tell your story, check out the link in the show description to learn more about Zencaster.
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00:17:40
Speaker
So come on then, let's crack on with this combined 11, all things Brighton and Fulham. So we have to start with a goalkeeper. You talked in length about him there, about how he could potentially move on for a great fee. So would you give him the nod? To be fair, Leno's to be fair len lenno is like one of the players, I think that um he's pretty underrated, to be fair. I think he's a class goalkeeper.
00:18:07
Speaker
is um ah Do I think he's been as good as Vibrug in this season? No, but he has been probably one of the top six goalkeepers in the last few years, I think. um High save percentage, good player, experienced, but I will probably give it to Vibrug in this season because I think Vibrug has been good this season rather than just the name. I think he's been good this season. you see Is he number one now? Yeah, he's Dutch number one now, I believe, yeah.
00:18:36
Speaker
Yeah, as you so as you said about Bert Leno, it was a funny situation at Arsenal last season when Ramsdale and Royer were both struggling and then you've seen Martinez, what he's done since he's gone to Arsenal. It's a weird situation, i just looking back in hindsight, how Arsenal deemed Aaron Rams there was a better goalkeeper than Martinez and and Leno.
00:18:54
Speaker
um Yeah, I don't rate Amram's at all, never have. No, he's probably going to get relegated this season, isn't he? Yeah, he'll be like his fourth relegated this season. No, I mean, Viberigan's a fair shot. I'm going to stick with Leno as my number one. So, let's go on to right back then.
00:19:13
Speaker
Okay, so right back we've got um the master of the dark arts, Joel Veltman. He will get any winger in world football booked. Yeah, I've never seen anyone... And central defences may feel this from Arsenal sent off as well.
00:19:28
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, literally. Yeah. So I mean, he's just he's such an S-house, as we call him on our podcast. He just he just is. He knows exactly what he's doing. He's he's always winning free kicks when you sort of like the team is sort of putting a bit of pressure on. He's going to take the pressure off, go down for a free kick because someone's breathed in his direction. He's just like he's a he's a you'd probably hate him if you play against him, but he's like such a good player to have in your team. I feel like every team should have a Joel Veltman in there.
00:19:58
Speaker
So you would have Feldman in your combined... I don't know, who is your right back? Kenny Tettie, which has changed because last season it was Timothy Kostania, but Kenny Tettie has just been so consistent this season that Kostania, who starts with Belgium, who were ranked like in the top... I don't know if they're number one, but they're certainly in the top three teams in the world. He starts with them, even captain them. Kenny Tettie is just...
00:20:19
Speaker
He's not the most necessarily flamboyant for that, but he just does everything really well and his defensive capabilities as a right-back is outstanding. so no that they actually They're basically the same player, I'm not going to lie. Because Joel Veltman, when he gets up that pitch, mate, it does not look good. yeah you I'm going to go with King king Kenny as ah as the right-back. Let's do left-back then.
00:20:45
Speaker
Okay, yeah, do your left back. A stupid game for me doesn't get in over Anthony Robertson. I love Anthony Robertson. I think he's so good. yeah Anthony Robinson is ah its he's improved from last season because his delivery is is a lot better. He covers every blade of grass on that pitch up and down. and Fantastic athlete, but is the criticism of him was always his crossing, which left a lot to be desired, but that's improved him mentally this season. I generally think he's probably one of the top three three left-backs in the league.
00:21:17
Speaker
Oh, that's a stupid answer. A stupid answer is very good as well. I mean, I don't know... To be fair, easy like he fell off a little bit. Yeah, I was going to come on to that because I know he started last season very well and he was... Everyone had him in their fantasy teams, didn't they? He was scoring a had assists and stuff. yeah Yeah, I think we have to give it to Anthony Robinson. Yeah. And let's come on to our two centre-hours. So, my pick would be...
00:21:45
Speaker
So, so far my picks would have been Vobruggen, Veltman and then Van Hecke, Anderson. I know he's injured, but he's only just got injured, right? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So Anderson and Anthony Robertson, that would have been my back five. I think, I think it's fair. Yeah. So von Van Hecke plays, he plays on the right. Yeah. Yeah. He plays a right sided. Yeah. Can he play on the left?
00:22:11
Speaker
He can if you want, mate. If you want. Well, he's going to have to play on the left in his team because ah I agree with you. I'm going for Joachim Anderson, his ball-playing abilities. Fantastic. Yeah. He's returned to Fulham. I mean, a lot of people saw that as a sideways move, didn't they? Going through Crystal Palace to Fulham for a large game. Then let it happen, mate. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, it's not looking like it. He was keeping Mark Gehry.
00:22:35
Speaker
in the England team, I think, and then now look. is Yeah, they've fallen off, haven't they? So many Brighton fans are are happy to see, but so yeah, mean his his his qualities his qualities, his superb leadership qualities as well. I mean, he was falling briefly on the first first season when they got relegated, when they were in that yo-yo phase and he was counting. So that tells you a lot about the players. He's also a great passer of the ball.
00:22:57
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely. His diagonals are something to to behold. Unfortunately, he's out injured and that's a bit a bit of a blow for Fulham at the minute. But um I don't want to see Kevin Bassi. I'm not trying to see Kevin Bassi anywhere near this team.
00:23:10
Speaker
Fair enough. Fair enough. I think I do like Calvin Barsi. He struggled a little bit at the start of his film career because he was playing on the right side of the fence and he was actually shocking. But he'd moved over because Tim Reem, good old Tim Reem, was like 57 years of age. yeah yeah He ended up going back to America and Calvin Barsi slotted in and he's he's been he's been very solid since going to the left side. so Yeah, we'll agree on that. I won Van Hecker and Anderson and then we'll come on to central midfield.
00:23:40
Speaker
uh it surely yeah for you guys alex or obi's got to be in there yeah it wouldn't be my central midfielder but he would definitely be in the team oh are we doing four two three one uh yeah let's let's do that okay we'll do four two three one then i'll go um I'd probably go belabor and, Matt, I don't really know the midfielders apart from a way of being Tom Kenny. and Tom Kenny, I swear, doesn't start for you. It's also suspended, so. Yeah. Because he tried to kill. He still looks like a player, though. You didn't mean it. Yeah, no, no. He did stamp on his car. But yeah, I'd probably go i'd probably go Matt O'Reilly and belabor, to be fair, at the base. And then,
00:24:23
Speaker
um Or maybe even Ari, I'm not sure. Who are your midfielders? Let me just quickly check. Well, it'll be um it'll be interesting for Thursday because they don't really have any available. because Sassalukic is suspended. Tom Kane is suspended. Harrison Reed is injured. Andres Pereira has got this ongoing saga about, oh, I wanted to join Marseille. So he was left out of the squad entirely on the weekend.
00:24:49
Speaker
to cut you have to question the the You have to question the player there, but he's overly sad. Yeah, but then he re-released the statement saying he was lost in translation or he was misquoted. He didn't say it in a certain way, though. I think there was like the word in a bit kind kind of upset Fulham fans. and yeah A lot of Fulham fans aren't really on his side that minute with some of his performances on the pitch, so that didn't go to help. I thought he was doing all right this season.
00:25:12
Speaker
uh it's funny because when he seems like he's on the verge of dropping out the team he puts in a good performance yeah um and this sta statistic comes out where he's like had the most chances created in the year and like hundred corners which by the way what Fulham are the only team that haven't scored a goal from a corner or a free kick. So, I mean, if Brian can see from a corner on Thursday, you should be hanging your heads in shape. That's unforgivable. Yeah, I would go with Belieber. I'm going to go for Sassalucic. Sassalucic has filled that void left by Joe Pelina. He's even getting booked in every game. So he's taken it quite literally. He's rolled.
00:25:57
Speaker
Yeah, he's suspended for the game on Thursday, so you won't be seeing him there, but he's a player that's massively improved after initial doubts in his first sort of year and a half at the club. So I'll go for Belieber and Sassa Lukic in the middle there. And then... The the front the front four, I think you're going to have to... um You're going to have to take the L on this one, I think. I can't lie. Yeah, quite possibly, quite possibly. Yeah, because I just think it's too good to even be sort of chatting to the same teams. that We had this conversation the other day. That sort of front four, the players in that front four, they're better than quite a lot of teams in the Premier League anyway. um But I would generally just have to go
00:26:39
Speaker
To be fair, what one thing I'll give you is I'll go well bet Pedro Matoma and then Iwobi can go on the right if he wants to. Is he left footed? No, he's right footed, but he's very he's very versatile. Depending on who's on the other side, he can play left or right. so He's going to link up with Danny Welbeck. I can start the season when Adama Troyer, he was in the team, he was playing on the left. Now that Reece Nelson is in the team, he's so he's over on the right. He can even play behind the side, striking more centrally. and he's been For me, he's been full on his best player of the season. so yeah i would have I would have a world B on the right. I would have Metoma on the left, definitely. And then I would have Pedro behind.
00:27:18
Speaker
Metoma on the left. I would have Pedro buying the strike. My strike wouldn't be Danny Woll by the way. It would actually be Evan Ferguson. No, mate. Which is funny because obviously he's not in the Brighton team, is he? He's not coming to Fulham, mate. After seeing Raoul Jimenez on the weekend against Spurs blundering two or three good opportunities, I mean, yeah.
00:27:43
Speaker
I might become more ah more of a thing as the... He's the guy though, he can't... I'm literally not allowed, I'm contractually not obliged to leave this podcast without Danny Welbeck being... He's not, he's not. he You'll be here and he's like a mascot, but he's not getting in this 11. He's not a mascot, he's a great footballer. good He can be there in the dressing room, good good for morale, good character, some experience with jake with James Milner as well, but no, I can't can't put him in his team, because I just think Adam Thierryson... Yeah, he's going through a blip, which you often see with young players, but he'll be back before you know him, I'm sure of that. Yeah, no you wanted to come to football, I'm sorry.
00:28:28
Speaker
i just I just seen him in the last couple of seasons and yeah know what an asset, what a player he could be on this day and I think he's got he's got a lot of growth in his game. and I don't care where he goes, as long as he plays, I don't i don't care. But can I um just give a just two things quick? I want to give an honourable mention to Emile Smith-Ray, because Emile Smith-Ray is a fantastic footballer. And also, I have seen a report, right, could be ah completely false. Apparently, on the on Paul Pogba's side,
00:29:03
Speaker
agents of sort yeah yeah no there's nothing in that yeah you know he's not cut populper is not coming to Craven Cottage that was no how that would be unbelievable i can give you a personal guarantee I've got no links to his agent or anything, but that will not be happening. Paul Pogba, you won't see him in the Fulham shirt. um There is that like there is like combined 11, a bit of a nice mixed bag there from Brighton and Fulham. On the last part of the show, we will just give a brief look ahead to the fixture itself, ah look back on some past meetings and what we can expect from this particular game. But before I do that, let me give a shout out to GSPN.
00:29:42
Speaker
The Global Sports Podcast Network is changing the face of football podcasts with dedicated daily content for every Premier League team, women's football, fantasy football and a daily Premier League rapid broadcast in five different languages. It's your one stop shop for your daily football fix. Find GSPN wherever you find your usual podcasts.
Fulham's Strategy Against Brighton
00:30:02
Speaker
Well, Joe, I don't know if you're aware of the stats here, but Fulham are actually unbeaten in the Premier League against Brighton. So they've had four wins.
00:30:09
Speaker
and four draws. And that includes the two seasons where Fulham were absolutely crap and got relegated. So why can't Brighton be Fulham? I don't know. It's just one of those teams, isn't it? I guess it's like, it just always depends on like the, when you're seeing them, the form that both teams are on, when you see them, it's like, because yeah you look, because like what eight games is, what, four seasons, right?
00:30:34
Speaker
So unless there's cup games in there as well, but like four games is eight games is four seasons. So like you go back that far, to be fair, we've actually been decent for the last four seasons. So I don't know what's going on there, but I mean, you'd obviously, you'd obviously like to think that it is just a blip and it is something you want to get over. But I think that those stats actually play into the heads of the players a little bit. I think they think, oh, we got got to go to Crav Cottage now. And like, I think that it It does play on the mind, just like because you're going to see the the the the players go on social media, don't they? They see all these things, so hopefully it doesn't actually get in their heads too much.
00:31:15
Speaker
But we need to go there and take advantage of the fact that you're missing some players and we need to put you to the sword. um Hopefully, anyway. Yes, Fulham won this game 3-0 last season at Brighton. I mean, they've only lost two games in the league, haven't they? And that's against Chelsea and Liverpool. As I said, they're absolutely flying forth in the league table.
00:31:37
Speaker
ah Availability wise, how a Brighton shaping
Brighton's Injuries & Player Returns
00:31:40
Speaker
up. They drew one one with Safantan that we looking at possible team changes. I can get i can get you there right now, man. Here we go. This is what I do every time because this is the best website. Wait, let me find a few. Sorry, this is very unprofessional.
00:31:59
Speaker
So, ah Jay's well known, but he's been injured for ages. Joel Veltman, he's out, so you'll probably be seeing Tariq Lamptey again, which I'm not massively keen about. Kadi Ogloo, his potential return is in on that game, 50% that he'll be there. Jack Hinchel with 50%. Adam Webster ruled out. But Labour, he was suspended, so he's back.
00:32:25
Speaker
um Gruda should be back because he was he had a he had a cold so he needs to just go over that and then Solly March of course out but Solly March has not played football in like a year so yeah there's not there's not really many, Joel Veltman is probably the bigger one the biggest one there because he's actually sort of like a nailed-on starter so um ah but Tariq Lambda came in he was all right he's def, defensively he's a bit like going forward is decent. He's basically more of a right winger than a right back, but yeah maybe Caddy Ogley was slot in there of his fit, but we'll have to see. but okay and Who do you think would be the key players in this particular game? What might be a key matchup that can help brighten, claim that first win in the Premier League over Fulham?
00:33:09
Speaker
um To be fair, I want to actually target the Jal Pedro magic is what I want to see because um the ability that Danny Welbeck has to sort of pull players out of position, especially centre backs out of position. Matoma has sort of started making that out to him run that is so dangerous for wingers um and Jal Pedro has just got that sort of magic touch that he could sort of turn games on his head, ah like single handedly. So I think he's the one that you've got to look out for the most. And then probably second to that, I would say um Carlos Belava coming back um just sort of because you've got quite a workman like midfield, depending on who is in there. I just want to he's someone who's just a bit of a bully. So I want to see him just sort of going in there, smashing people, carrying the ball. This is he's an amazing ball carrier. So I want to see all of that.
00:34:02
Speaker
yeah I think those two probably the the that's where ah think we can hurt you. What about you?
Match Predictions: Fulham vs Brighton
00:34:08
Speaker
I definitely agree with that from a Brighton perspective. Metoma looks like he's back on top for him. He had a little bit of a dip at the end of last season. He's backfiring again, so he's ah easy a quality player. There's no doubt about it. For Fulham,
00:34:20
Speaker
it will be Smith row and Nelson all got the Arsenal connection. And of course they play Arsenal on the weekend as well. So some of the interplay between them, the combinations, the link at play with the full backs as well. Robinson overlapping, combining with either Wobbe or Nelson, whoever's on that side. And they mix up the game well as well. They can play the ball to feet or Leno can go long or center house. Obviously when Anderson's in the teams, he's got that lovely cross field diagonal.
00:34:47
Speaker
Yeah. ah Yeah. So don't need to worry about set pieces because Fulham don't score goals from set pieces, but it' so it's it's a tough game. It's a tough game for both teams and it's a middle of a tough run for Fulham because they've got Arsenal after this game. They've got Liverpool and they've got Chelsea around the corner. So after maybe sort of a softer beginning compared to so many other teams, they do have ah a really difficult spell between now and Christmas. Yeah. They started that well on the weekend with a point that taught them. um So they'll be looking to continue it and it'd probably be a game. How do you feel both teams will approach it feeling that they can go in there and and get the three points? Oh, definitely. I think, ah to be honest, I think we're looking at it now as the drop points we need to, because the sort of general consensus is like, ah we're now looking at the teams around us, which you naturally do. And looking at the teams around us is, um is Champions League.
00:35:41
Speaker
um Do I think that we're consistent enough to get Champions League? Probably not. Do I think it's possible? Yes. Do I think it's probable? No. So um ah but we do need to be picking up points on the road if we're going to be dropping points to Southampton Ipswich at home. So hopefully they've got a bit of a fire in them just for this one. And you do sort of they're going to obviously know what players are out for Fulham and that they that they are key players. So what I do want to see them take advantage of this.
00:36:12
Speaker
So, but I think there will be goals, um even though you're quite resolute defensively when Anderson's in the team. um I don't know how much so without him in it, but I reckon it could be quite a high scoring game potentially. What about you? What do you think? um um I'm going to just shut throw my prediction out there. I'm going to go for I'm going to go 3-2 Brighton again. I'm doing it again. It's interesting you talk about goals and in Fulham's games because Fulham have actually scored in every game since the opening day of the season. The the blank against Manchester United was the only time they have they failed the score.
00:36:47
Speaker
They have only kept two clean sheets and despite missing Anderson, he said the op has actually come in and he's been pretty solid. i've always said on the i've always said in the pre i've I've always said in the preview show when when Anderson's been out, whether it's suspended or injured, oh I'm kind of worried, I'm concerned, he said the op coming in. But to be fair, I mean i think yeah think he may have been voted man of the match against Spurs. I'm not not quite sure, but he was certainly one of the front runners in terms of candidates for that. but defensively they're actually if you pay much attention to xg i know a lot of people don't and think it's you know it's all right it's all right it's all right but if you do pay attention to that sort of thing fulham are actually only behind livable in terms of xg against for what that's worth obviously not a lot because they've only kept doing clean sheets but um Yeah, it's a bit of a fix on this one. I'm probably going to go for a draw. Obviously, I think the middle of the park is is something that these two is worth watching because Sanderberg at this moment in time is the only midfield that you can hang your hat on is going to be playing that game. recommendation so yeah They might bring in a youngster. um We don't know. Obviously, we'll find out before kickoff. But so it's a game to look forward to both teams having good seasons and we'll see what that brings.
00:38:06
Speaker
any Any final thoughts, then? Yeah, I'm going to add to my prediction. You're going to be seeing a Danny Welbeck knee slide. I have to throw it in there every time. i said It has to be a Danny Welbeck knee slide. Otherwise, the podcast doesn't run. You heard it here first, Danny. You're that guy, and he's going to do a knee slide, but he's not good enough to get in the combined 11. There we have it, folks. That'll do it for this crossover episode. Many thanks to Joe for his contribution for today, and we'll catch you all on the next one.