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Episode 414: Matchday Review: 5 PAST WREXHAM!
143 Plays13 days ago
Southampton – What a team, what a time to be a saints fan. 16 games unbeaten. Incredible stuff.
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Transcript
00:00:13
DailySaintsPod
Hello
Introduction and Hosts' Welcome
00:00:14
DailySaintsPod
and welcome back to the Daily Saints pod. My name is Greg and as always today joined by my good friend and wonderful co-host Zach and mate.
Saints' Victory Over Arsenal: A Fan's Perspective
00:00:25
DailySaintsPod
Five goals, what more can you ask for?
00:00:28
Zak
What time to be a Saints fan, Greg.
00:00:31
Zak
Isn't this just the best time to be a Saints fan? Beat Arsenal the weekend, go into one of the most crucial games of the season, be slightly more... I had you had And like, but five one We just blew away. Like, man, like they they started to come back, they fought back, they they tried real hard, and then we were just like, oh...
00:00:57
Zak
It's like when It was like in the second half when your little brother starts to beat you, so you're like, I'm going to start playing now. And it's mad because, like, so often...
Team Mentality and Performance Analysis
00:01:09
Zak
talk about the mentality of this team quite a lot. It's, like, been a huge focus of this season, a lot of the last.
00:01:14
DailySaintsPod
Mm-hmm.
00:01:14
Zak
And, like, to go out with a slightly rotated squad and to have some of those rotated options score on top of that today, just... Oh, I'm just such a It's just such a nice place to be in.
00:01:28
Zak
It's such a good feeling to be a Saints fan right now after all of last season. And like, fair play to Wrexham, like they, you know, incredible stadium, like, you know, crowd and in an atmosphere.
00:01:39
Zak
You could hear our fans, you could see how we're buzzing. They, you know, they they put the fight in. and you wouldn't really think that they'd come up from League One last season, right?
00:01:51
Zak
Let's let's get
00:01:51
DailySaintsPod
I
Line-up Decisions and Player Reactions
00:01:52
Zak
that off the top.
00:01:52
Zak
But, like, genuinely, as we pointed out in the pre-show, in the preview, we wouldn't really care what line-up came out. The line-up was slightly rotated.
00:02:04
Zak
Manning, when he came off later, looked mad to come off. It's just everything right now is just falling into place. And genuinely, like, I keep joking about second place, but, like,
00:02:14
Zak
Why not? Who's going to beat us, man?
00:02:16
DailySaintsPod
i mean, look.
00:02:17
Zak
It's terrible.
00:02:18
DailySaintsPod
Look, man, everybody, almost everybody, only Ipswich picked up points yesterday and didn't drop points.
00:02:19
Zak
and
00:02:26
DailySaintsPod
Now, down to only a six-point gap.
League Competitiveness and Game Reflections
00:02:29
DailySaintsPod
I mean... is it's doable, right?
00:02:32
Zak
it's thoroughful
00:02:33
DailySaintsPod
We've got a game in hand as well. Well, we've got game in hand over everybody except Ipswich who have, of course, a fixture with Portsmouth still to play as well.
00:02:43
DailySaintsPod
So it's it's crazy how close it is. That's the thing, right? it's It started off the day as the most important fixture of the season, potentially, and and afterwards, now it's just...
00:02:54
Zak
That's what I can't get over. That's what I can't get over. It started as like, you know, we I think that the clips we put out were sort of like, do we can we hold our nerve? And it's a constant talking about just the top trials and tribulations of supporting Saints over it's probably the last two or three seasons. It's sort of like, we're able to do it, but are we able to hold on for a little bit? And like,
00:03:17
Zak
the The last time we really showed it was the playoff run, right? Where, you know, West Brom and then like Premier League was just every single game was just like going into it going, oh, can we play a whole half?
00:03:30
Zak
Even the beginning of this season, it felt very much like that. It felt like we were playing like a bit of a half.
00:03:34
DailySaintsPod
yeah
00:03:35
Zak
And, and you know, you're looking at at some of the the players that have come through, you like look at who has scored tonight, right?
Key Moments and Match Turning Points
00:03:43
Zak
yeah yeah just It's just been absolutely just a wonderful time to be a Saints fan.
00:03:48
Zak
It truly, the mentality of this team is truly shining through. Tondarek has somehow, i don't know what he's done. You can see his passion a little bit on this display to tonight.
00:03:59
Zak
it was wonderful to see.
00:04:00
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:04:01
Zak
It's just, yeah, the most important you know game that we've had in a long time on top of one of the most important games in a long time. And like, as opposed to you know, some of the mentality of other teams, like, at the moment, you can just tell how much this team wants it and how much they go into every game expecting to win and have answers to most things that are thrown at us.
00:04:20
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, it's great.
00:04:26
Zak
And it's like, you know, right, I've talked a lot, Greg. What do you think of the game? Should we take it back to the start? Line up so that does it?
00:04:35
DailySaintsPod
and i little Look, I think on the whole, the game was very impressive. I think that 5-1 is a score that doesn't really reflect the game as it played, but it does reflect the performance that we put in to get it. I think that at the point all the way where we were 2-1,
00:04:56
DailySaintsPod
I think the pendulum really could have swung either way and they had their chances. They hit the post a couple of times and there was one that was deflected that really could have gone anywhere. It could have easily looped over Perez. And earlier in the season, the way things were going probably would have looped over Perez and gone in the top corner, right? But when things go your way, they go your way. And Laren scored...
00:05:21
DailySaintsPod
just an unbelievable goal just from picking the ball up and running half the length of the pitch and just burying it, which,
00:05:30
Zak
was like That was like a charged up goal. There's no other way to describe it.
00:05:33
DailySaintsPod
yeah.
00:05:33
Zak
Absolute thunder strike. like you know gap seat i think it's...
00:05:37
DailySaintsPod
And like,
00:05:38
Zak
yeah
00:05:39
DailySaintsPod
couple of minutes before that I would have described him as looking bit tired, bit leggy. And then he produced that, which was impressive in itself. And then the confidence that that put in him, he looked fired up and ready enough to play 90 minutes there again, there on the spot.
00:05:57
DailySaintsPod
And then... Hmm.
00:05:57
Zak
Especially where he'd had a couple of misses, right?
00:05:59
Zak
Like that one where he absolutely sent it to space. He's trying to hit the Artemis spaceship on the other side of the moon was what it felt like.
00:06:04
DailySaintsPod
Hmm.
00:06:06
Zak
You could kind of tell that like you know he was little bit frustrated. and And these are the things where, before we signed him, all the compilations that were put together were definitely misses like that, right? But it's fine if you get them if you score at least a couple.
00:06:17
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:06:20
Zak
And it's very much, you know...
00:06:20
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:06:22
Zak
you would look at I just don't think edie anyone would be able to quite replace Arna. And it feels like between the two of them, they've they've got it they put it down pretty well. It's just, yeah, he had a really, really good night tonight.
00:06:31
DailySaintsPod
Yeah. I
00:06:34
Zak
But then so did so many of the players, again, so we
00:06:36
DailySaintsPod
mean,
Tactical Analysis and Strategy Discussion
00:06:37
Zak
should probably go back to the beginning before we completely derail it.
00:06:39
DailySaintsPod
you're right, mate. Look, let's start...
00:06:42
Zak
Hmm?
00:06:43
DailySaintsPod
Let's start at the start. Six changes to the team sheet. But as you said, and as we alluded to in our off-air chat, because all we do is talk about Southampton, and it seems, it's it's not like either of the sides that we put out with six changes are a side that you'd call a B team.
00:06:52
Zak
so
00:07:02
DailySaintsPod
which is crazy, crazy part of the season to be experiencing that. But, you know, Downs and Matski come straight back in, which makes sense. We talked about that.
00:07:12
DailySaintsPod
It's logical. Yeah. Leo doesn't start. Also not a huge surprise, right? We had Sammy on the left, which was was good. He was bright for for the first 50 minutes of the game.
00:07:25
Zak
Yeah,
00:07:26
DailySaintsPod
And as Stevens comes back, I think Wood can maybe feel a bit hard done by to be rotated out, but obviously Stevens, club captain, it's...
00:07:37
Zak
five minutes today he talking about yeah a grab you got a go you got five to ten minutes
00:07:39
DailySaintsPod
yeah
00:07:42
DailySaintsPod
Yeah. And, but yeah, I know I'll say obviously Downs and Charles in the middle of the park, genuinely an area on the pitch where any two names of the five choices we've got in that position names that we're going to be happy with, which is fantastic. But, but you know, Downs and Charles seems to be the the preferred choice of combination and it pays off, doesn't it? Like,
00:08:06
DailySaintsPod
Down's absolutely bossed the game tonight and didn't even manage to get himself booked, which is almost a shame, mate, because that brought down my bet builder.
00:08:10
Zak
Did it get booking and sp but despite despite having a row at least once or twice and also scoring a goal, which was a beautiful goal as well.
00:08:13
DailySaintsPod
So... Yeah.
00:08:22
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:08:23
Zak
So...
00:08:24
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, unbelievable. But yeah, a solid team sheet. Like you say I mean, at this point, Tonda could put, I don't know, Emil Heskey up front and no one would bat an eyelid. Like, yeah, just Tonda doing Tonda things and it's going to play out. like the the The man has earned the right to put whoever he wants, wherever he wants and not have it questioned because it just...
00:08:49
DailySaintsPod
yeah and then And then, right, we we rode the high of that Arsenal game at the start of the game.
Post-Victory Energy and Tactical Adaptability
00:08:54
DailySaintsPod
we We came out blazing.
00:08:55
Zak
great Yeah.
00:08:56
DailySaintsPod
And, you know, there was a concern because the last time we beat Fulham in the FA Cup, we came out at West Brom and we looked tired. and And we came out outside and we didn't. We were just riding that high. And we, I mean, there was a moment where we hit the crossbar twice with...
00:09:13
DailySaintsPod
And you kind of, at that point, maybe start to, the doubt starts creeping like, yeah, all right, yeah. Maybe one those nights.
00:09:19
Zak
it's going to be it's going to be that It's going to be that Swansea game where we had like a billion shots and never managed to get a single goal.
00:09:19
DailySaintsPod
Okay, here we go. yeah
00:09:26
Zak
Right? Yeah, you're you're right. It could have it could have been that. But it it wasn't.
00:09:30
DailySaintsPod
And then you blink and Maskey puts in the net. So, like, doesn't matter, does it?
00:09:35
Zak
Yeah. But...
00:09:37
DailySaintsPod
Like...
00:09:37
Zak
but This is what I told you about the difference between his game and Fellows. is that Well, obviously, to be fair, like if it was the roles of reversed, Fellows would probably be creating that goal anyway.
00:09:49
Zak
but But he is always happy to just have a pop. And that is something you always want in a player, especially in a team that for years, all we ever asked for was anyone to have a pop.
00:09:54
DailySaintsPod
Hmm. Yeah.
00:09:59
Zak
And it's it's paying off for him more than it's not, at the moment it seems to be.
00:10:00
DailySaintsPod
yeah
00:10:03
DailySaintsPod
Yeah. and I mean, look, did you know we actually, the shape we play today was once again completely different from what we've seen in other weeks. It was it was adjusted to to exploit the back five of Wrexham because what we did was we we pushed their fullbacks back.
00:10:23
DailySaintsPod
by bringing our wingers in narrow and having our full backs play as wingers.
00:10:27
Zak
a
00:10:29
DailySaintsPod
And so what actually happened is they ended up with a back five and we ended up with a front eight. And it You know, it's a position...
00:10:36
Zak
Yeah, it was it was a crazy sort of overload, and when it but it put it paid off, because hence hence why we have five goals, so...
00:10:42
DailySaintsPod
You get to a position where a Dozie's at the back post, Laren's in the middle, Matsky's at the near post. You've got Bree and Azaz passing to each other and Flynn Downs doing the overlap. And you're thinking, what?
00:10:57
DailySaintsPod
How are Rex gonna keep up with this with this shape? Because it's so fluid. And it was just... It was just brilliant. I mean, player of the match for me, Fina Zaz, who was just everywhere.
00:11:12
Zak
Well, look, 100% thought that coming out with the Republic of Ireland being knocked out right in the qualifiers and him missing a penalty, I was really worried his head would drop.
00:11:13
DailySaintsPod
It's
00:11:25
Zak
And, you know, we'd seen that earlier in the season, but I think genuinely just the morale of the team is so high. it's lifting everyone around the team, right? And obviously now, I guess, where there's no worries about what's going on until the summer, I think also, you know, some international commitments now mean that, well, actually, you can fully focus on trying to get back to the Premier League without having that that to worry about on the side.
00:11:49
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:11:51
Zak
But, like, they just didn't really have much of an answer for him. it was just a pain. it was just an absolute thorn in their side all game. And that was just absolutely wonderful for us because, you know, it caused them so many problems.
00:12:01
DailySaintsPod
He was just... He was just picking passes left, right and centre. I think he was first to about 80% of the second balls that flew into the middle of the park. He was just everywhere on the front foot in that kind of attacking third. And he gets an assist to Matski and a goal for his trouble. And yeah, just fully deserved. That takes him, by the way, to our joint top goal scorer of the season with Adam Armstrong.
00:12:31
Zak
but Yeah, he had a
00:12:32
DailySaintsPod
which which is Which is actually a credit and a testament to
Squad Depth and Player Contributions
00:12:37
DailySaintsPod
how well spread our goals have been coming from, right? because Because we've not had a lack of goals scored in recent weeks.
00:12:46
DailySaintsPod
It's just that everybody is scoring, so nobody's numbers they are shooting up all the way.
00:12:49
Zak
Yeah, like, realistically, you've got two two from Strikers there.
00:12:55
DailySaintsPod
Yep.
00:12:55
Zak
You've got you got two, you know, from attacking mids. Then you've got one from Flynn Downs in the middle of the park. The only thing we're really missing is Taylor Harbour-Belletello. So there's me talking about 3-2.
00:13:05
DailySaintsPod
I mean, look, Taylor Hall and Ben has tried to beat Shea Charles, but...
00:13:08
Zak
Yeah, does. with a dead life
00:13:24
DailySaintsPod
But, like, just... Yeah, I mean, look, we you're right, we faced up to the adversity that came with them scoring. I've seen discussion and discourse about the referee and whether it was very good or not. And obviously there was a foul, in the a potential foul in the build-up to the Wrexham goal, which, you know, probably was a foul. But also if we're being picky...
00:13:49
DailySaintsPod
Matske was probably offside for his goal too. And I'd rather both of those things...
00:13:54
Zak
Do we want that?
00:13:55
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, no, absolutely not.
00:13:56
Zak
No question.
00:13:56
DailySaintsPod
so but And, you know, was the referee the best? No. Was he the worst I've seen this season? No. you know, it is what it is.
00:14:06
DailySaintsPod
But, I mean, I guess it's much easier to feel that way winning 5-1, I suppose. If if it's a different result, maybe the opinion differs, but...
00:14:13
Zak
Yeah, this is, it's, it's, it's difficult. And then, you know, it must be, I still don't think it's going to be... Anything that's said about the referee is still not going to be as tin pot as the Arsenal fans that are blaming the like two balloons that were on the pitch for their entire loss on the weekend.
00:14:29
Zak
i it s Swings and roundabouts, isn't it? But...
00:14:33
DailySaintsPod
But look, that that middle half hour of the game from you know the last 15 minutes of the first half and the first 15 minutes of the second half, yeah, it was a very close match game and it genuinely could have gone either way.
00:14:46
DailySaintsPod
And we you know we conceded chances, but we we stuck to it, stuck with our guns, got the goal.
00:14:46
Zak
Yeah.
00:14:53
Zak
they just They're just coming into us during an extremely...
00:14:53
DailySaintsPod
And then,
00:14:57
Zak
we're up we're in such a level of form right now that they they weren't able to... Once once we'd like you know unlocked and scored those other goals, that was to say Pep.
00:15:13
Zak
LAUGHTER
00:15:19
Zak
wrong too yeah nice it's It's been It's been... it It was an incredible game. It was just another one of those... like We started to have so many more positive, great nights like talking about wins like this. And Leicester and Arsenal the other day. It's just so... you know QPR. we're like I just don't remember the last time we had so many positive games like this. Because even under the Russell Martin season, it wasn't anything like this.
00:15:47
DailySaintsPod
I think the statistic make that they gave on on Sky towards the end of the game, I think I'm remembering it correctly, and and I might be wrong, but I think they said that we've played 12 midweek games this season, and we've won nine of them.
00:16:04
Zak
just like a Tuesday, Wednesday night, mate. they they They're all hyped up listening to our absolute, like, insane recordings in the morning.
00:16:06
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:16:12
DailySaintsPod
yeah
00:16:13
Zak
but We've just got, like, a course of energy. And, like, it's so, you know, from from a selfish perspective but for selfish perspective of of, you know, being being in podcasters in the space of...
00:16:25
Zak
Last year was hard. We we started the podcast, you know, we were under the GSBN umbrella.
00:16:28
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:16:31
Zak
And to to go week in, week out recording the absolute dregs, like some of the worst games that we've ever seen as Saints fans, was so
Performance Comparison: Past vs Present
00:16:41
Zak
difficult. And then even the beginning of this season was difficult because, you know, like we're trying to be super positive. We had like a really what we thought was a good window.
00:16:49
Zak
And then everything just kind of fell flat.
00:16:51
DailySaintsPod
Hmm.
00:16:51
Zak
We've got games that we're like drawing and losing that we're just, you know, thinking about like... losing to Preston, mate, like at home. And you're like, man, and then and now we're in we're in this position where what everyone just assumed would happen to us is happening.
00:17:00
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:17:06
Zak
And we've got an entire bunch where we genuinely think it's depth. It's not like we're swapping anyone out for for somebody we don't think is worthy of being in that team. Everyone is contributing in their own way.
00:17:20
Zak
It's just so, like, from from a Saints fan perspective, it's really, really nice. It's really nice to you for everyone to hear us positive instead of just being on, like, inane runs about everything.
00:17:31
Zak
And, like, to be clear, we are still aware of what's going on behind the scenes. During all this lovely, wonderful bit of positivity, they dropped the big loss bill. Like, that was timed. That was timed pretty, like, cross the line.
00:17:41
DailySaintsPod
Don't worry about that. That episode's coming. Yeah, it's fine.
00:17:45
Zak
Don't we paid attention to the fact they casually went by the way, we lost loads of money, but vote they ignore this because of Arsenal.
00:17:46
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:17:53
Zak
We're not delusional, well, we're not that delusional, but like it is just nice to to go back to a point where like it's just really nice and fun supporting the team, and it's been fun to banter Arsenal fans all weekend, and you know it's fun to be able to look at a game like tonight and we know how crucial it is to keep up Like, there wasn't a level of fear we've had previously.
00:18:21
Zak
There's not me and you talking about it at eight in the morning work being like, hey, I'm kind of worried. I'm kind of nervous about it. We haven't gone into any game recently with that energy and that included the Arsenal game.
00:18:32
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:18:32
Zak
It was bizarre.
00:18:33
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:18:33
Zak
and And this game, you know, we have they had their moments and fair play to Wrexham. Like, they are... where they are on merit, right? There's no way that we could have gone into it. And I said, if they had time to build over the season and like, Windass, great player. They've got some really, really good players. They, they you know, we we just we just wanted it so much more. And you you could tell. And like, you could tell that by the mentality because you're right. That mentality shift of if they'd scored another goal and it had been, don't know, eight months ago,
00:19:04
Zak
heads were have dropped all over the place. And that would have just been it. And if you even look to the last time we played Braxton, like, yeah, okay, we beat them, but we beat them so last minute.
00:19:10
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:19:13
Zak
We beat them in bulbs from defenders. No one really felt like, oh, that was a really, really, like, comprehensive win. And if you actually compare the two games, like, the one game under Will still, where, you know, it's new and kind of felt awkward and no one really knew each other. and It was very, it's it's like chalk and cheese because this is the game where we're like, well, we'd expect realistically to be, you know, we are a Premier League side that's dropped down and they are a League One side that's caught up.
00:19:40
Zak
And, you know, on paper, you'd expect this to be the score, but we know how football works. It never usually works like that. But today we like, don't know, really, really proud of the team, really proud of the way that the direction we're heading in. And like, you know, as you constantly keep saying, Greg, it feels like we're never going to lose again. We will come a point where we potentially lose again. But,
00:20:02
DailySaintsPod
Mate, it's so, so hard, so hard to try and ground myself and realize that the things I say going to get clipped up and put on the internet because, like,
00:20:14
Zak
Mate, we do it anyway. like there will be people There will be people that go back and find clips from ages ago and be like, how'd that work out, mate?
00:20:15
DailySaintsPod
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
00:20:21
Zak
And it's like, well, at no point have we ever been guys that have ever worn a heart on our sleeve, right?
00:20:21
DailySaintsPod
yeah
00:20:29
Zak
like We are passionate about what we believe in
00:20:29
DailySaintsPod
yeah just but you're right it
00:20:32
Zak
And sometimes it feels like that. We're also not like insane. you know We they don't think, believe everything. There seems to be a very... people sometimes seem to lose satire and some people seem to also like lose an understanding that we can believe something at the moment and our mind can change over time.
00:20:47
Zak
Like that.
00:20:47
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, I don't know. mean, look, it comes back to what we talked about in the Arsenal game, right? And the importance that this squad has taken. and it's actually, it's it's belief versus expectation, right?
00:20:59
Zak
Hmm.
00:20:59
DailySaintsPod
Do I believe that at this point now with the games we've got left, that we're going to win enough games to potentially carry us up to second?
00:21:10
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, I genuinely believe that. Is that an expectation? No, because actually it's not entirely in our hands, right? We also have to have results go our way for that to happen. but But I fully believe at this point that it's just, yeah, I can fully wholeheartedly expect this Saints team to go out and put their heart and soul into a performance.
Confidence Boost and Minor Challenges
00:21:36
DailySaintsPod
I mean, even Cameron Archer, right, who we've talked about on the show, who has struggled, I think is is maybe even underselling it a bit.
00:21:41
Zak
Yep.
00:21:47
DailySaintsPod
He came on tonight when the game was dead, the game was done. And he looked full of confidence. He looked sharp. He picked up the ball in the middle of the park, drove it forward, and picked out an absolutely insane pass to Leo, who was inches away from making it six, curling it into the far corner, just doing Leo things.
00:22:10
DailySaintsPod
And that's great. that's brilliant for Cameron Archer, right? Like the fact that he can step into a game like that, and still make an impact. It's going to do the world of good for his confidence and, and, know, being around the scott.
00:22:22
Zak
He created a chance in the five minutes that he played. like that's that's That's important.
00:22:25
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:22:27
Zak
And the thing is is that the difference is that he wants to be part of that.
00:22:32
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:22:32
Zak
I think they all want to be part of it. They all want to be part of what is making this season so great. And, you know, again, regardless of where we end up, what happens...
00:22:43
Zak
man, it's been some, some, such such good moments. so nice to just constantly look forward to football. I feel like we all look forward to it, but like, let's face it, like there were some moments last season, mate. Like how hard was it to drag, you know, it's out of the scenarios.
00:22:59
Zak
but at that point Right, pouring rain and then we get battered and then we go home and we wooge about it after get stuck in traffic on the way back or whatever.
00:22:59
DailySaintsPod
yeah
00:23:07
DailySaintsPod
but There there were points this season where it's felt like that.
00:23:10
Zak
Yeah?
00:23:11
DailySaintsPod
And you're right. It's great. I'm looking at my calendar for the rest of the month I'm going, cool. three Tuesday nights at St Mary's coming up in a row. What a dream.
00:23:11
Zak
No, you're right.
00:23:36
DailySaintsPod
and yeah there were bits you can nitpick and criticize and and and all of that stuff but five one says it all doesn't it like it's not it's not a result we're getting earlier in the season
00:23:45
Zak
Yeah.
00:23:49
Zak
Like, what, Wellington picking up a card seven minutes into him playing and stuff like that? And, you know, I'll...
00:23:55
DailySaintsPod
oh that's just that brazilian passion mate you can't fault that uh
00:23:58
Zak
And some of, you know, maybe maybe we should have done better and worked harder to intercept before that goal went in and and little things like that. But again, it doesn't matter if you then go on to score, like out completely outscore them, right?
00:24:10
DailySaintsPod
yeah
00:24:10
Zak
and And you're right, the nitpicky stuff can can kind of wait because it's just been nice to be in the position that we're in and nice you you to enjoy the football and enjoy the game and see the passion. And I guess, I don't know, be like a...
00:24:29
Zak
like be ambassadors for the fact that football, like, like, passion in our fan base is a thing that people haven't really, like, I think you, you, you articulated actually the best last week where, like, we can be quite unassuming people just, people don't, people mistake it for passion. You also, I've seen quite a lot of posts after, after Arsenal, like, why can't we make that, like, the stadium like that every single game? I'm like, that's just not going to happen.
00:24:57
Zak
You aren't going to have people that are super excited to play, like, Port Vale on a, or like, Lincoln City on a Tuesday.
00:24:58
DailySaintsPod
Because that
00:25:02
Zak
but That's just not going to be,
00:25:02
DailySaintsPod
Cause that atmosphere is earned and that atmosphere is built through consequences of football and the atmosphere will be more lively at St.
00:25:06
Zak
Yes.
00:25:12
DailySaintsPod
Mary's every game from now until the end of the season than it has been for the rest of the season.
00:25:15
Zak
For sure.
00:25:16
DailySaintsPod
Because realistically speaking in the terms and the context of the season, every game between now and the end of the season is effectively a cup final when you talk about consequences.
00:25:28
DailySaintsPod
Cause if we drop points and any of the four teams around us pick up points, Things look a lot more difficult.
00:25:34
Zak
Well, like, we're playing against the Derby side, but I've got to...
00:25:34
DailySaintsPod
Suddenly we're chasing again. You know, we we didn't. Yeah. We were chasing us.
00:25:42
Zak
Yeah, ultimately. But yeah, okay, we'd probably keep them out on goal difference, but only just. we We need to pick up everything. We need to do as best as we can.
00:25:52
Zak
like Are the expectations there?
00:25:52
DailySaintsPod
Yeah. But but if we if we lose to Derby, they go level on points with us. And if any of the other teams around us, Ipswich, Middlesbrough, Millwall, Hull, Wrexham, pick up points, we're out of that zone. That zone that we need to be in. I'm sure we can we can take the momentum and look up and see second place as a viable potential option.
00:26:16
DailySaintsPod
And that's fine. but we need to understand that we're the chasing team. So every game now is effectively a cup final. And because of that consequence of the game, i expect the atmosphere to be livelier than it has been for, you know, some of the other games at St Mary's.
00:26:33
DailySaintsPod
and And that doesn't mean that it's going to be as lively as it was for the Arsenal game, because on top of all of that anded atmosphere and, consequence potential. Also, it was a Saturday at 8 o'clock. if Everyone had been in the pub since 10 o'clock in the morning. Like... You can't do that on a Tuesday, mate.
00:26:52
DailySaintsPod
Like, we've all got
Future Matches: Challenges and Significance
00:26:54
Zak
You are not going to be able to get people to sing non-stop if they're not off their head sometimes. Yeah, yeah you're right.
00:26:55
DailySaintsPod
jobs.
00:27:00
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:27:02
Zak
You're right. like There's some really, really crucial... you know like We don't know how important that last game against Ipswich is going to be. We're coming up against a side you know them later in April, Bristol City, that are now on a resurgence under Roy Hobson.
00:27:09
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:27:16
Zak
right we We are coming up against...
00:27:17
DailySaintsPod
Bristol City, who, by the way, were the team that ended our last undefeated streak in the championship.
00:27:22
Zak
Well, we also thought, it's Bristol City. We should beat them. We did not. Yeah, you're right.
00:27:26
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:27:27
Zak
everything is We have to take everything seriously. you know like Blackburn are going to be wanting to do everything they can to avoid that drop zone.
00:27:31
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:27:36
Zak
And so long as, like tonight, it's treated that way, should be fine.
00:27:41
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:27:42
Zak
And we we should be able to enjoy another trip to Wembley this season.
00:27:43
DailySaintsPod
And they...
00:27:45
Zak
Or, alternatively, make second.
00:27:46
DailySaintsPod
And look, you... you've You predicted you predicted a lively, exciting game tonight.
00:27:54
Zak
Yeah. Yes.
00:27:54
DailySaintsPod
And I think it's reasonable to say that what you've got exceeded your expectations.
00:27:59
Zak
yes
00:28:00
DailySaintsPod
I fully expected a flat, tired, leggy game after long celebrations, after a busy Arsenal game. But this team... proved me wrong and showed that that is not the way they're feeling.
00:28:14
DailySaintsPod
Their mentality is, come on then, who's going to beat us? Because we've got this. Every game is important. We are going to put our rule into every game. We are going to go out there and fight for it.
00:28:27
DailySaintsPod
We've got this many games left. And, you know, if there's nothing left of us at the end of it, so be it. We've
Evolving Play Style and Manager's Impact
00:28:33
DailySaintsPod
tried and that's all we can do. And, uh, Yeah. Good luck, anyone left on the feature list, because it's hard to see this Tonda train coming to a stop.
00:28:46
Zak
Like, on top that, mate, we won today 5-1 with less possession. The way that we play is now...
00:28:51
DailySaintsPod
Yeah. yeah
00:28:54
Zak
and There isn't necessarily a specific way that we play. and That's the other wonderful thing about it, is that Tonda is...
00:28:59
DailySaintsPod
mate, it's perfect. It's the perfect type of football for me.
00:29:04
Zak
It's what you begged for since last season. It's what we hoped we so will still would be and wasn't.
00:29:07
DailySaintsPod
It is...
00:29:10
Zak
He actually ended up being quite rigid.
00:29:11
DailySaintsPod
It is...
00:29:13
DailySaintsPod
is everything I've asked for, it is the antithesis of Pep Guardiola. It is the anti-possession football that's ruining the game.
00:29:13
Zak
It's glorious to see.
00:29:27
DailySaintsPod
And I am here for every second of it. And that's that's one of the big differences, right? When you think back to the Russell Martin 25 game undefeated streak, obviously there were quite a lot of draws thrown in as well, but I don't know. I mean, i'm happy to be proven wrong with the popular consensus, but I feel pretty confident in saying it was 25 games unbeaten playing a style of football that no one wants to watch.
00:29:54
Zak
Well, yeah, we we we a lot of people predicted as soon as we got to the Premier League would struggle, and we did. And, you know, there there are a couple of things we talked about where there are contributing factors.
00:29:59
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:30:03
Zak
Our decisions definitely went against us. No momentum could be built because of that. But... It just didn't work. And it didn't work because it was a specific style of football that all they had to do was suss it out.
00:30:10
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:30:14
Zak
It required playing strength that we didn't have. You know, maybe if they'd recruited better, sure, we might have won slightly more. We you could have come instead of 20th, right?
00:30:24
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:30:25
Zak
that's That's kind of how it feels. And, you know, when you...
00:30:27
DailySaintsPod
And now instead of a rigid structure and system that we have to play to, yeah.
00:30:31
Zak
got A guy who got fired from Rangers and then turned around and said, like, again, I always thank him for what he did in that championship season, but a guy that turned around and said, if a I could do it again, as in Rangers, I would have been more rigid.
00:30:43
Zak
I'd have been more...
00:30:43
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:30:44
Zak
It's insane. Absolutely the insane.
00:30:45
DailySaintsPod
And now instead of that, we've got a manager who's so tactically capable and ran so many circles around Mikel Arteta. I don't know if you saw this post come out today, mate, but he's driven him to the fullest level of insanity because today in training, Arsenal were working on some sort of drill with pens.
00:30:57
Zak
Hmm. Hmm.
00:31:08
DailySaintsPod
Just...
00:31:08
Zak
Yeah, i to to to be fair to them, I'm pretty sure they won tonight. you know Now it's fine because because now they've got through last gas Champions League, right?
00:31:18
DailySaintsPod
Yeah. Yeah.
00:31:19
Zak
They'll completely forget about the the FA Cup, right? it's kind of We are now non-existent to them. you know Other than, again, the jokes around the balloons, the can't believe we got beat by Southampton, Southampton, who are Southampton, this, that, other, all the stuff that we're probably going to clip up and you know they're just going to talk about how we're irrelevant, blah, blah, blah, blah. blah But like...
00:31:38
Zak
It doesn't matter because you know we did what we were able to do and Tomber has proved who he is. And not just like i guess the loyalty of like him to our club, but him talking about how special he binds the club.
00:31:51
Zak
and you know i think he's grateful that he's got his shot here. And like again, if if there was a conversation around should he manage us next season, regardless of if we can't pull down,
00:31:55
DailySaintsPod
yeah. Right.
00:32:01
Zak
Yes. but If that's still a topic of conversation for anybody here, yes, undoubtedly. The issue we may probably have more than anything is that somebody else will try to poach him.
00:32:13
Zak
And that will be you know that will be a sad day. But until then, again, enjoy every moment. enjoy every goal, enjoy every game, enjoy, you know, the fact that this 30-something-year-old striker we took a punt on during the transfer window that we all went, is actually scoring those for us.
00:32:31
Zak
We've got injury-ridden Ross Stewart that's come back and is trying to score at every single possible game he has.
00:32:32
DailySaintsPod
Unbelievable.
00:32:35
DailySaintsPod
Two in two. Yeah.
00:32:37
Zak
We've got Matski who's come back from alone in Turkey where we kind of didn't really, you know, I've had faith, but other people didn't really and didn't really expect him to be there. Azaz who, to be fair, we keep describing as like a Joe Eribo hot and cold player, but that's completely not fair considering how good important he is to all of the tactical setups.
00:32:55
DailySaintsPod
Yeah,
00:32:57
Zak
And then Finn Downs who at one point wanted to go back to Ipswich because of how awful Ivan Juric is and now just seems to be absolutely loving life.
00:32:58
DailySaintsPod
unbelievable.
00:33:04
Zak
Like those are our goals for us today.
00:33:05
DailySaintsPod
Scored a guard the edge of the box with the outside of his foot.
00:33:10
Zak
That's not something you get unless you have built something special and is glory to behold. And, you know, did we have to... Again, do we expect the FA Cup?
00:33:21
Zak
Not necessarily. Do I believe we could go on to do it? Yeah, why not? We beat Arsenal. Let's hope we're probably a league. Why can't we beat City? Well, then, why can't we go on to inevitably probably beat Chelsea?
00:33:33
Zak
And if we but have come up against Leeds the final, we beat them once at Wembley. Let's beat them again. LAUGHTER
00:33:38
DailySaintsPod
Yeah. That's even funnier. You're right.
00:33:41
Zak
But yeah, that's just what a time, man. I'm just just so... Just enjoy it. I'm not going to be downhearted and say enjoy it while it lasts, but just live in the moment.
00:33:55
Zak
Enjoy the football. Enjoy the squad. Be proud of where you know the city. Be proud of the team. Because we certainly are.
00:34:04
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, fantastic.
Episode Conclusion and Listener Appreciation
00:34:05
DailySaintsPod
Excellent stuff. Long may it continue. And now we shape ourselves up and go again at the weekend for another crucial game because that's how they come, aren't you?
00:34:13
Zak
Mm-hmm.
00:34:18
DailySaintsPod
But look, that is all we have got time for this evening. So thank you so much for joining us. And thank you, as always, Zach, for joining me for another slightly unhinged late night recording. It's what everyone loves. It's it's all good. All good. Let us know in the comments on the socials how you are feeling about that emphatic win this evening.
00:34:41
DailySaintsPod
I want to hear all your thoughts, every single one of them. We are Daily Saints Pod, absolutely everywhere. TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X, Blue Sky. Hit us up, let us know. We love hearing from you. And genuinely read...
00:34:57
DailySaintsPod
Every single thing that comes in, it keeps us going, keeps us motivated to do this show every single day. We will be back tomorrow to touch on that bombshell Zach alluded to earlier about the previous year's financial accounts.
00:35:17
DailySaintsPod
Until then, though, everyone, enjoy that win. Have a wonderful day, and we will see you
00:35:34
Zak
Woo!