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Episode 393: The run in...
92 Plays27 days ago
Southampton – We look ahead at what we've got left to come this season, and try and work out what our fate may be...
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Transcript
Introduction and Greetings
00:00:13
DailySaintsPod
Hello 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. How you doing mate? You alright?
Talking Football to Brighten the Day
00:00:23
Zak
Good morning, good afternoon, good evening. I'm tired, man.
00:00:27
DailySaintsPod
Hmm.
00:00:28
Zak
Like, I know that probably say that about like reckon and more than 50% of these episodes, but but today has been a struggle bus. So let's distract and talk about football. But if I yawn, it's not because you're you're boring, my friend. It's the fact that apparently my body is just rejecting the idea of being in the waking world today.
00:00:48
DailySaintsPod
That's fair. i feel I feel that. Lots of days too. It's all good.
00:00:52
Zak
Yeah.
00:00:53
DailySaintsPod
But look, you're right. let's Let's brighten up the day and talk about some football.
Upcoming Games Analysis
00:00:59
DailySaintsPod
We've got games coming up, so we thought we would take a little look ahead at the the next few fixtures we've got and just kind of gauge where we're at and see if we think we're going to be able to keep this run that we're on going.
00:01:16
DailySaintsPod
how important we think those games are and where the difficulties might lie because, I mean, it's still Hampshire, mate. No road is smooth. They're all full of potholes and bumpy. that's That's just the way it rolls.
00:01:31
Zak
Oh, mate, the fact that you think that's confined to Hampshire, that's just the country at this point, isn't
00:01:35
DailySaintsPod
You're right. Indeed.
Tough Schedule Challenges
00:01:37
DailySaintsPod
Right. Well, look, obviously next up in the FA Cup, starting this like chain of away fixtures, which which probably I think physically is the most difficult run of what's left.
00:01:51
Zak
Yeah, they've said they've got plans in place, right?
00:01:51
DailySaintsPod
Three away games.
00:01:54
Zak
They've said that they've got you know a good a good system in place to be able to make sure that it's going to be as smooth and as easy for the players as possible. So, yeah.
00:02:03
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, I mean, but three away games in six days is no not a lot of fun, is it, for players or fans alike?
00:02:04
Zak
No.
00:02:10
Zak
No.
00:02:12
DailySaintsPod
But, I mean, before we get into those three fixtures, I guess I feel like I owe an apology to everyone, Zach, because I spent all week saying about how no one cares about the FA Cup and it's irrelevant.
00:02:26
DailySaintsPod
But it turns out that I was wrong because we have sold...
00:02:32
DailySaintsPod
4,700 tickets for the game at 12 o'clock on a Sunday, which is just ridiculous for an away end, frankly.
00:02:37
Zak
It's kind of nuts, isn't
00:02:41
DailySaintsPod
And fair play. i guess people do care about the cup.
00:02:45
Zak
Yeah, I guess it's it's close enough for it to be nice away day.
00:02:52
DailySaintsPod
Hmm.
00:02:52
Zak
it isn't going to be absolutely devastating if we lose. I think it's you know it's not going to make like the eight-hour journey back terrible. So it makes a lot of sense. But yeah, i think you know partly maybe the reason we think we hate it so much, ma or everyone hates it so much, is just that the the TV aspect of it has become complete trash by putting big circular barrier around it on a TV channel that... you know another one of the sports channels, it?
00:03:23
Zak
It's just, yeah, I think i think it's i think it's less less the support in person, isn't it?
00:03:24
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, that's it. And I mean,
00:03:28
Zak
That's ever been a problem.
00:03:28
DailySaintsPod
yeah
00:03:29
Zak
I don't think we've ever, ever not had enough away fans go to stuff.
00:03:34
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, definitely. I mean, our away following is is notoriously fantastic, even in that awful run of form last season. And you're right, I suppose, in the scheme of things, slightly cheaper tickets or all you know cheap tickets than you expect in the championship, £30 for an adult and only £20 for the travel. i guess I guess it makes sense, but now it's just a tremendous effort and fair play to anyone making the trip.
Team Rotation and Fixture Congestion
00:04:01
DailySaintsPod
As previously mentioned, I will still be sat on my sofa in my dressing gown with a cup of tea watching that. will not be getting up early to make a trip to Fulham.
00:04:10
Zak
Yeah.
00:04:13
DailySaintsPod
but But look, that's the start of, a like i say, a difficult week. Three away games and the culmination of that is Coventry away. I mean, going into the two games before that, that you have to...
00:04:22
Zak
Yeah.
00:04:29
DailySaintsPod
I mean, i don't know how much attention you want to to put into the FA Cup as a club, but you've got to think of the three games West Brom is the most winnable.
00:04:40
DailySaintsPod
like How much do you have to have that in mind going into the three? you Are you rotating for West Brom ready to fire on all cylinders for Coventry or are you just putting the best team you can out for all of those games hoping that you just push on through solidifying three points rather than taking the risk?
00:05:00
Zak
Well, it really depends because after... like you You say that, like, we saw the last FA Cup game that it was it was a lot of youth and, yeah, it was at home and, yeah, it was against team we'd probably, but you know, we'd already beaten that week and we weren't too bothered about it. Do we take it slightly more seriously now that we're in...
00:05:19
Zak
you know, you're a better position, maybe. Do we want to prioritise it over the league? Probably not. You know, if yeah if there's a chance that we, like, might win the FA Cup, would we?
00:05:25
DailySaintsPod
No.
00:05:30
Zak
Potentially? Like, I guess i personally wouldn't be bothered about another season of the Championship but with a trophy, but, like, the actual likelihood of that taking place isn't, you know... isn't high So yeah, I think surely that they will be focusing on the league, which means I wouldn't surprised if we see quite a rotated squad on Sunday, especially where you know we saw Stewart miss out because of injury or like you know just as a precautionary measure. We've
Concerns on Player Depth and Performance
00:05:57
Zak
saw we've seen Yander also out ill, so you know maybe...
00:06:01
Zak
you wouldn't want to risk either of them going into this game. And on top of that, we have a lot of players. We have a lot of depth. Use some of it, I guess. And then if we a win, happy days.
00:06:11
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, I think...
00:06:13
Zak
And if we don't, I think that the, you know, the game against Fulham will be what it will be.
00:06:18
DailySaintsPod
No, I think you're right. I think Sunday we'll see quite heavy rotation with maybe one or two more like solidly first team choices in there than than the last round of the FA Cup.
00:06:30
DailySaintsPod
but But yeah, I expect to see the likes of Cam Archer starting and... you know, Cam Bragg in the middle and maybe Romelu and Wood coming into the mix. I mean, the only position you worry about rotating really is fullbacks because do we have any? don't know.
00:06:50
Zak
No. That's part of the problem, isn't it? That's why we talked about this before.
00:06:53
DailySaintsPod
a
00:06:53
Zak
there is If Wellington is still out, then that means we have Manning. And Roroslev, as is is you know we keep seeing him appear on crutches.
00:06:58
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:07:02
Zak
Don't know what's going on with Jalert, but I have a feeling like he's probably not going to be signed to come into the season.
00:07:02
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, it's not not a good look for him.
00:07:07
DailySaintsPod
he's been He's been on the bench hasn't he maybe we'll see him get a game and get some more minutes under his belt which would would be good but you know if that's the case and we end up seeing Bree start I mean that's where my money would be going for a goal at the moment so it loves a cup goal as well doesn't
00:07:13
Zak
Potentially.
00:07:27
Zak
Loves a cup goal, loves a goal. Yeah, sure, you're right. I don't think it really matters at this point where it comes from.
00:07:32
DailySaintsPod
but then like So then you know back to the league and the league form, which is what we're sort of considering more important. Do you then just play like full strength against West Brom and push to definitely get a result out of that game?
00:07:45
DailySaintsPod
Or are you rotating that squad two to to leave the the proper starting XI ready for the Saturday against Coventry?
00:07:46
Zak
yes.
00:07:53
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:07:55
Zak
No, you beat West Brom. You beat what's in front of you when it comes to the league.
00:07:58
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:07:59
Zak
You don't go, we'll put out and hope that we win and then end up coming up. it like if If we lose both games, that would be terrible, wouldn't it? And if we lose both games because they decide to be a bit risky with squad selection, that's even worse.
00:08:07
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:08:12
Zak
So no, I would not be.
00:08:12
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, whereas if we comfortably beat West Brom, which we should with our form and our first team, and then go on to Coventry and only just about muster a draw or something, that becomes more acceptable, right?
00:08:24
DailySaintsPod
So, rather than front-loading it. Do you think, i mean, without kind of... glossing over West Brom, obviously their form at the moment, awful and ours flying. How much a chance do you give us against Coventry?
00:08:40
DailySaintsPod
Like it's a potentially important game. You know, I mean, all of the games in the running are kind of must win to stay up and about it because if we don't win one of the four teams that we're sort of competing with for that spot are going to, right?
00:08:56
DailySaintsPod
It's...
00:08:58
Zak
Yeah, we drew against the last time outright, and that was very...
00:09:03
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:09:05
Zak
ended up in a bit of afters, which apparently we all hate to see, which is a lie. But yeah, like we we played alright against them last time out. We weren't able to snatch that winner.
00:09:16
Zak
i think it's going to be slightly different next time around. They are top of the league for a reason. So I don't really know. with our With our current form, I would expect us to do better.
00:09:27
Zak
But i'm not I'm not going into that game thinking we're taking three points from it, mate. that's kind of I guess that gives you the actual answer you're looking for.
00:09:34
DailySaintsPod
Yeah. Yeah. I mean, but, but unlike last time, kind of going into it thinking that we might be able to get three points from it. Like it's not, it's not completely out of the question that we go there and beat them.
00:09:45
Zak
Yeah. True.
00:09:48
DailySaintsPod
So that's nice. That is it's nice feeling as well. Right. But,
00:09:53
Zak
Yeah. Agreed.
00:09:54
DailySaintsPod
But like I say, the end of a literal three games in six days, you know you'd be forgiven for fur struggling, especially three away performances. right There's a lot of miles between between those grounds. so And then you know straight back into it, another game that Wednesday night, no rest for the Wicked, Norwich at home.
00:10:10
Zak
Yeah.
00:10:19
Zak
like This is the one I think could be a slip up, if I'm totally honest.
00:10:23
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:10:24
Zak
Yeah, I just think that the the resurgence of of Norwich under Clement cannot be ignored. And, you know, we've done all right and then we didn't do all right against them. And I think that it would be unwise to underestimate them. And saying that, I really hope we got like being like 4-0 or something like But it's is is the one out of that kind of batch of games where I'm most cautious for.
00:10:43
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:10:47
Zak
Like, again, Coventry, i kind of would hope for a draw. kind of go in expecting a loss. Norwich, I worry that we're going to go in expecting a win and we're going struggle a lot more than we expect.
00:10:58
DailySaintsPod
Hmm.
00:11:01
Zak
So that's that's the one that does feel...
00:11:01
DailySaintsPod
Yes, it's not going to be easy.
00:11:04
Zak
yeah
00:11:05
DailySaintsPod
But, you know, they are also still in the FA Cup and so also face a horrible run of games between now and then, right?
Strategic Decisions for Fixture Congestion
00:11:13
DailySaintsPod
So it's going to come down to depth, I think.
00:11:18
DailySaintsPod
And it's going to be, you know, we're talking about four games in 10 days, which is, you know, Christmas levels of crazy, right? that's How can your body possibly recover? No... no none of our players going be expected to play all four of those games, presumably.
00:11:36
DailySaintsPod
So so we're going to have to see rotation.
00:11:37
Zak
What you'd think.
00:11:40
Zak
Yeah, and this is where the, what i said about previously about the transfer policy and how we kind of let loads people go and didn't really build a big, I know that we were trying to trim the squad, but we didn't really have a lot of depth at that point.
00:11:56
DailySaintsPod
Hmm.
00:11:59
Zak
for certain positions. This is when it would be really evident whether that was a good decision or not, right? If it iss if if it's like two or three games, the difference between us getting playoffs or not, and I know that, you know, we can only go from realistically the start of Eckert's reign considering the disaster that was the beginning of the season, and
00:12:04
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:12:17
Zak
that would have been the moment that they could have done the most to help him. And I think they have in the sense of Laron and a new goalkeeper have been been really, really useful. And again, Bree being recalled is like a new signing, Dozie being a much better player than, not even that i remember, just sort of the fact that he has been able to jumpt jump straight back into action with less issues than I expected him to, right?
00:12:24
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:12:41
DailySaintsPod
yeah yeah
00:12:41
Zak
Means that, you know,
00:12:43
Zak
great, that's happy days, but where we're going to probably need all of them at that point, it will be, for me, the big decider as to whether or not we should have maybe strengthened more or not. And we'll see what the financial consequences of them that doing that, because, you know, they might be trying to save the money to spend it in the summer.
00:12:52
DailySaintsPod
yeah
00:12:58
Zak
But if, you know, we managed to get playoffs or promotion or whatever, we probably would have more money than not, right? So of calculated risks in it, I guess, or not calculated and winging it. We've got hope that for the best.
00:13:11
Zak
But you're right, it's going to be a tough run of games, for sure.
00:13:16
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, it's it's not easy. And then it doesn't, you know, it carries on as well because we talked about four games in 10 days, but actually then three days later, another home game. so So five games in 13 days, home to Oxford.
00:13:31
DailySaintsPod
You know, who who again, in finding their feet a bit, I mean, they had they won their last game out, so have a win under their belt.
00:13:41
DailySaintsPod
like it's It's not a foregone conclusion, is it? It's...
00:13:44
Zak
No, well, no.
00:13:45
Zak
We thought that last time when, you know, and we realistically, as much as i I was haunted by that line, should be beating teams like Oxford, right? I'm sorry.
00:13:54
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:13:54
Zak
It's just, it's just is what it is. i You know, I think that,
00:13:58
DailySaintsPod
Hmm.
00:13:58
Zak
they They're doing their best to stay where they are. think that you know you can't discount anyone in this league and they have beaten us once this season already.
00:14:08
DailySaintsPod
m
00:14:10
Zak
So they will have the confidence of that.
00:14:11
DailySaintsPod
And they're going to have a full week to prepare for that game. We are going to have three days since our last game and and just such a small amount of break.
00:14:16
Zak
Correct.
00:14:22
DailySaintsPod
and so so that's the next five, really. That's probably the most crucial part of the rest of the season because that is so... Tight and compact and so many are away days thrown in and then two games at home in three days at the end to to kind of bring it in.
00:14:40
DailySaintsPod
And, done you know, that takes us into the international break at that point.
00:14:42
Zak
Yeah.
00:14:45
DailySaintsPod
And you've got to think at that point, it's going to be, I mean, it's going to be clear whether our push is over or not, right? We're either going to be solidly in the mix for playoffs or,
00:14:54
Zak
you'd You'd think so.
00:14:58
DailySaintsPod
or we're going to be accepting our fate, but that's not going to happen this year, you would think.
00:15:03
Zak
Well, even even if even if that's the case, mate, at that point, we still have the chance to ruin it for others, right? Because that we're playing Ipswich, which means that we could potentially knock them out of automatics if they if they get into that spot.
00:15:08
DailySaintsPod
Hmm.
00:15:14
Zak
But Middlesbrough really are trying to stay in that position. You've got Wrexham, a team that, again...
00:15:17
DailySaintsPod
Hmm.
00:15:20
Zak
we started the season like, ha look at, of course going beat Wrexham. And now as we've gone on, my unfortunate prediction of, I think they're going start to gel has come into fruition. And we're now starting to see them do the thing that they do in the documentaries.
00:15:36
Zak
And then Derby who are an unexpected sort of team to get near the playoffs, but are,
00:15:39
DailySaintsPod
Mm-hmm.
00:15:45
Zak
closer and closer to it than you'd expect. They do keep putting in performances. So yeah, even if...
00:15:51
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:15:51
DailySaintsPod
And here's here's the interesting part to that sort of group of three fixtures as well, because that's obviously Good Friday, Easter Monday, and then the following Saturday in in sort of combination.
00:16:04
DailySaintsPod
But if we beat Fulham, the next round of the FA Cup is played Easter weekend. And so one of those games will also get pushed back, presumably. Yeah.
00:16:17
DailySaintsPod
and And we'll have an an extra FA Cup game thrown in the mix there, which is, I mean, it's showing how congested the fixture list is
Playoff Chances and Match Outcomes
00:16:27
Zak
Yeah.
00:16:27
DailySaintsPod
at this point, right?
00:16:28
DailySaintsPod
That's that's crazy.
00:16:31
Zak
Yeah, well, you know, it's fine. we're We're going to have an international break that will allow everybody to get injured. Well, it's not your international duty.
00:16:41
DailySaintsPod
I mean, do we actually do well but off the back of international breaks?
00:16:42
Zak
Yeah.
00:16:45
DailySaintsPod
I think historically not so much.
00:16:49
DailySaintsPod
We did. Yeah.
00:16:54
Zak
However, i don't remember what the outcome was. But the vibe is really great, Dewey. it always I just i just think it's i think that we get complacent afterwards.
00:17:03
DailySaintsPod
no I don't think so.
00:17:07
Zak
But then I think that that is just a rumour and a myth that goes through all clubs. right I think most clubs are always like, you come back from an international break. Some players have been away from each other. They're not training well. They've been training together.
00:17:17
Zak
Some are going to be tired. Some are going to have had probably more time off than they should have. Yeah, it's bit of a way a bit of a weird one. I'd much prefer like an actual solid like a winter break or something, but you know that that seems insane to try and keep up to...
00:17:25
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:17:31
DailySaintsPod
They struggle to fit all of the games in before the end of the season as it is. They can't be adding breaks everywhere.
00:17:37
DailySaintsPod
You've got to finish the season in time so that all these big clubs can fly over and have their post-season friendlies in Australia. Yeah.
00:17:44
Zak
you're You're right. I wonder why all of the players are getting consistently more injured than they used to when they're being overplayed. But anyway, that's that's a whole other episode. Yeah, it's it's a ridiculously busy run-in.
00:17:58
Zak
And like we've we've got... anywhere see son It's in the players' hands, right, ultimately. like they're all what They're all winnable.
00:18:03
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:18:05
Zak
They're all losable, which is football. Quite frankly, a pointless statement for me to make.
00:18:09
DailySaintsPod
and and a large portion of And a large portion of them are against teams that are also in that hunt. So they are you know they are effective six-pointers in the mix.
00:18:16
Zak
Yes.
00:18:21
DailySaintsPod
You're not only gaining the points on the other teams around you. You're pushing that team further down the list to to reach and grab for that. So...
00:18:29
Zak
how do you How do you feel about them, Greg? do Are you confident?
00:18:36
Zak
I've taken you by surprise because you're not quite in your usual optimistic self yet, so
00:18:39
DailySaintsPod
Look, mate, that's a lot of football to be played over not a lot of time, isn't it?
00:18:45
Zak
Yes. That's what I said.
00:18:45
DailySaintsPod
it's And, you know, what we've seen this season is that in in the third game of a three-game period...
00:18:48
Zak
Depends on the depth.
00:18:57
DailySaintsPod
if there's a midweek game, we tend to fall off quite a bit. and And we seem to be at our best when we're high energy, high pressing, high speed, fluent.
00:19:09
DailySaintsPod
And that's a difficult place to be that many times in quick succession. yeah It takes being slightly off the pace for that to all fall to pieces, as we have seen you know kind of repeatedly on.
00:19:24
DailySaintsPod
as the season goes on so Yeah, I
Managing Player Fitness and Limited Squad Depth
00:19:28
DailySaintsPod
don't know. I don't have concerns. Like we say, I don't have concerns about some areas of the pitch and the rotation, right? Like I'm perfectly happy with anybody of the choices that we're playing in in midfield.
00:19:41
DailySaintsPod
and And to a certain extent against some of these teams, I'm i'm reasonably happy with bringing in either Quasi or or Wood as centre-back too. i think that they are know perfectly able to get some of these results over the line.
00:19:55
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:19:56
Zak
what happens if Manning picks up an injury or Laren struggles and Frost-Stewart struggles, right?
00:19:59
DailySaintsPod
yeah
00:20:02
Zak
Those are the areas that we're slightly worried about.
00:20:04
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, they they are the two areas of concern, fullback and striker. Because, i mean, unless we we finally, you know, pick that magic key and unlock Cameron Archer's full potential...
00:20:22
Zak
Yeah.
00:20:23
DailySaintsPod
it's either a lot to put on Larrin as an experienced player here on loan to hit the ground running that quickly and and get as much as we're going to need or it's a lot of football for Stewart to play and and frankly either of those it's it's a lot of football for both of them like it's there's not a lot of down time
00:20:49
Zak
Yeah, a'm gonna it's not going to be easy, that's for sure.
00:20:53
DailySaintsPod
And, you know, which is, to some degree, that's fine because, you know, the rest of the team are in a position where they're starting to chip in with goals, but you're right. I mean, if James Bree goes out injured, we are going to look a significantly worse team if whoever comes in to replace him, right?
00:21:12
Zak
Or we we pick up we up he picks up a suspension, right? That's the other thing we've got to think about.
00:21:16
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:21:17
Zak
is there's There's a lot of factors.
00:21:18
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:21:19
Zak
That's what I said where it feels like there's a feels like a finely stacked card tower, right? Where the slightest bit of motion could throw the whole thing out.
00:21:29
Zak
And it worries me a little bit. the we just got to hope that I'm wrong and it doesn't do that. And in fact, we just man power managed to push through and it's all good.
00:21:38
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:21:41
Zak
But it it does feel like it's more of a concern than...
00:21:42
DailySaintsPod
I mean, look, There are lots of potential factors that could cause problems, but actually, on the face of things at the moment, they are they're all hypothetical.
00:21:55
Zak
true
00:21:56
DailySaintsPod
We could just keep firing on, have it all click into gear, beat every single one of these teams 2-3-0, and by the end of it, be laughing our way and going, maybe we can get automatics. It really...
00:22:11
DailySaintsPod
it really could genuinely go either of those ways. And it's it's very hard to say which because we've kind of seen both ends of it in this season alone. So, yeah. I don't know. I'm still feeling good about it. I still think we're going to...
00:22:26
DailySaintsPod
I think we'll get results from more of these games than we won't.
00:22:30
DailySaintsPod
Uh, but it's not going to be easy.
00:22:30
Zak
Yeah.
00:22:31
Zak
Okay.
00:22:32
DailySaintsPod
It's not going to be, it's not going to be fluid and free flowing and five nil every week. Is it, it's going to be more of these games like against Sheffield United where we're kind of grinding out a result.
00:22:38
Zak
No.
00:22:44
DailySaintsPod
And, uh, and that's fine. I think I, uh, I think we have the capability of doing it. It's not going to be comfortable. It's going to be nerdy. And some of it's not going be free, but that's the nature of the beast, isn't it?
00:22:55
Zak
Hmm.
00:23:00
DailySaintsPod
That's what you've to
00:23:00
Zak
Yeah.
00:23:02
DailySaintsPod
yeah and Yeah. i mean And that's without even thinking about the running. So this is the thing where we got as far as Swansea. Sorry, we got as far as Derby. We then have a week until we play Swansea.
00:23:13
DailySaintsPod
And then that's another three-game period in seven days. You got Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday. You got Swansea, Bristol, Blackburn. And then a whole week off until the last game of the season away at Preston. But that said, if we beat Fulham...
00:23:30
DailySaintsPod
either Wrexham or Ipswich will get moved to presumably either the midweek between Derby and Swansea or the midweek between Blackburn and Preston at the end of the season, which which basically means that aside from the international break, if we beat Fulham, we've got one midweek period left this season without a game in it.
Impact of FA Cup on League Performance
00:23:56
DailySaintsPod
If my maths is right.
00:23:58
Zak
Yikes. Yeah, you're right. It's heavy. That's going to be a struggle, mate. I'm not going lie.
00:24:02
DailySaintsPod
Yeah. so So, yeah. It's kind of like double-edged sword at the weekend, right? we We win. We're happy. We get another cup run. We're one step closer to a potential trophy or a trip to Wembley and all of that good stuff.
00:24:18
DailySaintsPod
But also, the knock-on effect that has on the league is is not zero. You know, adding to an already very congested run-in.
00:24:30
Zak
Yeah, do we want it? I guess it's the real question. But at the same time, it's you know ultimately, we want to watch us win every single game. But again, we we meticulously analyze all of this with a a fine too like tooth comb, right?
00:24:37
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, and you keep... i mean...
00:24:42
Zak
And that's both both good and bad for us, I think.
00:24:43
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, that's it, mate. And, like...
00:24:47
DailySaintsPod
You've got to weigh out and balance what would be more important to the team. Having one of those midweeks off before the run-in of the season or the confidence boost that will come with beating a middle, mid-table, mid-to-top-half-table Premier League team.
00:25:08
DailySaintsPod
Right? Fulham or eighth or something. Eight last time I looked, having not really paid attention to the Premier League this weekend. So, it's, yeah, I don't know. Which of those do you take? I don't know if I know the answer to that. I feel like the answer is probably win, right? Winning is always the the preferable option.
00:25:32
DailySaintsPod
So,
00:25:33
Zak
Yes, no matter what, winning is always the preferable option, mate.
00:25:36
DailySaintsPod
and And if that means that we inevitably draw Liverpool or Man City away in the next round of the FA Cup, which which always seems to be the way once we get as far as quarterfinals, then you know Adam Lallana's under-18s team will have a great time.
00:25:54
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:25:57
Zak
I'm sure they will.
Episode Wrap-Up and Listener Engagement
00:25:59
DailySaintsPod
But look, I mean, it's, you're right, it's in the players' hands. It's there for the taking. It's busy. It's going to be hard work. It's going to be graft to get there.
00:26:09
DailySaintsPod
But but it's perfectly doable if if we manage it well. So let's hope.
00:26:16
Zak
Mm-hmm.
00:26:18
DailySaintsPod
Let's hope.
00:26:20
Zak
Agreed, mate.
00:26:20
DailySaintsPod
Oh. good, mate. All right. well Well, look, that is all we've got time for today. So let us know in the comments, how are you feeling thinking about the rest of the season, the running?
00:26:32
DailySaintsPod
Optimistic? Worried? A bit of both? Let us know. We would love to hear from you.
00:26:37
Zak
Happy.
00:26:39
DailySaintsPod
Love to to know what you're looking forward to the most, where you think the best opportunities are. All of it. We love hearing from you. We are Daily Saints Pod everywhere. X, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Blue Sky. Hit us up. Let us know.
00:26:57
DailySaintsPod
And I'm sure that we will talk about some of your responses because they they always trigger some some interesting thoughts and further discussion points.
00:27:07
DailySaintsPod
But yeah, thank you everyone for listening. Thank you, Zach, as always, for for joining me.
00:27:13
Zak
Thank you.
00:27:15
DailySaintsPod
We'll be back tomorrow to talk more Saint stuff. And until then, have a wonderful day and we'll see you then.