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Hammering Away Ep #17 - Where Does Kudus Fit?
154 Plays2 years ago
On today's episode of the podcast, Jack and Joe discuss West Ham's 3-1 loss to Manchester City, where Kudus fits in the team, if Aguerd is a problem, and more!
Music by: LADI OGUN & @ANTlll
Blog: Hammering-Away.blog
Twitter/X: @Hammering_Away
Instagram/Threads: @HammeringAway_
Tiktok: @hammering.away
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Transcript
Post-International Break Challenges
00:00:32
Speaker
Welcome back to the hammering away podcast. Your host is always Jack. I'm here with Joe. Uh, we got a bunch to talk about. I mean, I feel like there's going to always be a lot to talk about now. Cause I was thinking about it after this international break. We're really getting into the season now, Sunday, Thursday, or Saturday, Thursday, Sunday, Wednesday, Sunday, Thursday. It's picking back up again. It doesn't even feel like we've been gone. I was thinking about that. Like from last season.
00:00:58
Speaker
yeah i was watching the champions league today and i was like dude like i i just watched the champions league final honestly that's what's so beautiful about this sport though like it really is basically all year round it is but it's also they gotta tone it down a little bit oh some of these games it's getting i think they gotta
00:01:19
Speaker
They got to play less and not less international break games with the scheduling. There has to be like better rules around the scheduling because the fact that Alvarez played essentially on Wednesday night at 2 a.m. because he was in America is ridiculous. No, yeah, that's that's insane. The fact that Alvarez, who is like a war course, is was begging to come off at the 70th minute of a game against City where we're in it is like, wow, like that's clearly something wrong.
00:01:49
Speaker
And we were really in it. We were, man. At 1-1, it felt like, and you know what?
Team Performance Comparison
00:01:58
Speaker
At the very beginning, when we beat Chelsea in the Bournemouth result and even the Brighton result, to me, because naturally, you're going to compare it to past Moise teams, especially because he's been here for a long enough time now. They struck me more as more of the 2020, 2021 side. Mm-hmm.
00:02:18
Speaker
But the way that they went at Citi reminded me a lot more of the Europa season, the 21-22 season. Yeah, I mean.
Substitution Strategies Debate
00:02:28
Speaker
Because there was from, I would say probably the 50th, 55th minute to really until they scored their second goal, which I think was a 72nd minute, we went toe to toe with them. Oh, yeah. Taking off Antonio was a mistake, which we can get into.
00:02:45
Speaker
Yeah, we could talk about the subs. The subs were very interesting because of the force nature kind of. But even still before we knew it was going to be a suit check instead of Alvarez. Yeah, which would have been way better. I agreed with the subs at the time. It was just, I think it's never even happened before. Like us being one-one with Sidi and bringing on two attackers like that. Well, that's what I was going to say was I really appreciated the
00:03:17
Speaker
It's the word I'm looking for here.
Paquetta's Free Role Exploration
00:03:19
Speaker
I don't know. The intent. The intent of the substitutes. And I also really like that we got to see the bow and up front thing with Kudos. In my personal opinion, I don't think Citi was the right opponent to try that against, just with the ridiculous athletes that they have back there. There are games they're going to call Ferrantonio. And I don't think that I was thinking about this yesterday or something.
00:03:46
Speaker
Antonio is very important to this team, and it makes it really difficult to fit everybody in sometimes. I think that it could be worth trying Paquetta on the left of a 4-2-3-1 with Kudus down the middle, and I'll say why. Kudus, I know he'll drift everywhere when he's in that 10. He'll play very far forward. The role that Paquetta played on Saturday, Egan City, was maybe the most free role I've ever seen Moise give out anyone.
00:04:17
Speaker
He was everywhere on the pitch, anywhere he wanted to be. And it puts a lot of strain on Emerson. But if we're able to defend City pretty well for 80 minutes with Ficata playing that free roll, and he helped out defensively, if we're able to do that, I think it might be worth looking into. Because then you get kudos down the middle.
00:04:37
Speaker
Yeah, it was really it was really unique to like the role that he was playing because it was it was like nominally he was like the left wing, right? Like, yeah, but he was really like, still did a really good job of despite being like, you know, positioned in one area of the pitch, like, making sure he's like,
00:04:55
Speaker
You know doing all the things that makes him, you know special in like the first phase getting the ball You know progressing it holding off defenders deep in our own our own Third I mean he was doing he was doing it all he was gas at the end There's a moment where he had his shirt up. He's just biting his shirt. Just watching city play the ball around That's that's what they'll do to you. Yeah fair
00:05:20
Speaker
It's tough. They're tough. But I agree. It's definitely worth a shot playing kudos down the middle.
Kudus' Impact and Challenges
00:05:29
Speaker
Because that was the other thing I thought. And some people said he looked bad. I disagree with that. I don't really think he impacted the game the way he could. But I think that we just kind of lost grip of the game, which is, again, that's what City do to teams. But something I liked about him was
00:05:46
Speaker
You love when an attacker gets on the ball and the first thought is forward and like, how can I go and impact the game immediately? He did everything that we want from him, which is just pick up the ball, be as direct as you can, like use your pace, run at people. And you know what? I think more than anything kind of screwed him. He ran into Gerardo.
00:06:06
Speaker
And honestly, I thought that he did a pretty good job against Gavarneo. Like, considering... I thought Gavarneo had him, but he made Gavarneo work to win the ball. But the thing is, like, that's probably the best athlete at center back. I mean, he played left back in, so whatever the hell Pep wants to do with those guys.
00:06:26
Speaker
But that's the best athlete at his position in the world. In the world. Absolutely. In the world. So I think that just because he's not exploding past Gerardo doesn't mean he's not going to explode past James Tarkowski. You know what I mean? Even in the, like he was getting the ball in difficult positions, right? He was getting the ball deep. It was not like he was getting like it put into him on the front foot. He was like starting from a flat foot, like foot.
00:06:55
Speaker
Um, and he still drew yellow card against warty all. Yeah. No, he did. He got past warty all once Um, you know, they went back and forth but it's it's warty. It was a hundred million pound defender Paid by pep like he is no joke the real deal and they were tracking him for a long long time. Um Something that I didn't necessarily love about his cameo was uh
00:07:23
Speaker
I guess the unwillingness to track back, which wouldn't really skeeve me out as much as it did, but it was because it was Citi and Doku was running down that side and it's like, please help out this poor guy who fall. But I think that's another reason I would like to try him down the middle, because Moiz will coach him and he'll understand what's expected of him more.
00:07:46
Speaker
You know, at times, it's probably laziness. But it's also muscle memory. And if you've ever played sports, you take place off sometimes. So be honest. None of you are Jared Bowen. I'm not Jared Bowen. You are not Jared Bowen. I'm Jared Bowen. Nobody's James. We're Prowse. But that's why these guys are who they are. But I think that playing them down the middle kind of alleviates him of some of that responsibility, especially while then we can keep Bowen on the right.
00:08:17
Speaker
And I think I'm higher on Bowen as a striker than most people. But then Antonio gets to keep his form going. And if Paquetta is really going to be good in this role, because the role he's playing is not a true left winger, which was my main concern. Not that I ever thought he would play as a true, true left winger, but I want him even more tucked in than Fornals. And I think Emerson provides the width for us that allows us to try this.
00:08:44
Speaker
My thing, absolutely. Emerson is like, I, the fact that he's so willing to run, you know, that flank and like, give us the width that we're sacrificing with having to get to play the role that he's been given. Like it, it makes the whole thing work, which is awesome. But, um, one thing I want to say with kudos, like.
00:09:06
Speaker
It's not like if you move into the 10 like he's absolved from running Yale like that's uh, that's arguably the most important position because paketa From that 10 position is like the trigger of our entire press but he's he's shown in his career that he can press No. Yeah, like I I think he will it's asking Because you know, we probably ask more of our wingers without the ball
00:09:31
Speaker
than any other team in the world that aims as high as we do. You know what I mean? Like obviously teams lower in leagues will ask their wingers to do a lot of defending and stuff. Like gluten town I'm sure are going to ask their wingers to do a lot this year. I mean they'll play a five a lot too. Because they like those two up front.
Evolving Player Roles
00:09:48
Speaker
But just any team down there is like obviously going to ask their wingers to do a lot.
00:09:54
Speaker
And of any team with European aspirations, we probably ask our wingers to do more out of position than anybody. Definitely. At least going backwards. Yeah. And we have the personnel for it, so. Yeah. But I think that that's just a learning curve more than anything. Yeah. I'm not concerned about that at all, especially for us not even your full debut. I was definitely just looking for the positives with gurus. And there were.
00:10:23
Speaker
I mean, that's the thing is like, because if you want to look at it from like, well, did he impact the game? Did he want us to game? Not really. He impacted the game more than a certain number 22 did. But the thing is that this is a new sign. This is a 40 million pound signing. He's going to get a chance no matter what. And I think it's important to look for the reasons why we signed him this early on. And you could see it.
00:10:53
Speaker
Oh, for sure. He's going to be huge, especially the way we've been playing this season, like injecting some of that, you know, that driving ability with the ball with one of our. He has to be huge. Just the other thing is like, he has to bring goals. Like there's not really an excuse. That's what he's been signed to do. And like, I'm just saying that because he has to, but I believe he will do that. And then.
00:11:19
Speaker
I've been crying out more than, I'm not gonna say more than anybody, but more than a lot of people that we need pace and directness in this team. We've needed it for such a long time. So, I mean, look at what we did when Lingard signed. Like, even if you look at Kudos' like, he's gonna be like that supercharged version of that Lingard. If he ends up playing the 10. Like, that's an amazing sign.
00:11:47
Speaker
I think that the ideal world is that this Paquetta role does kind of evolve into something where we can get what's best out of Paquetta while also fitting Kudus in where he's most comfortable, which will also bow into play where he's most comfortable.
00:12:04
Speaker
But my issue with that is then you take your most talented player and you kind of put him in a weird spot. Like things didn't work out for him in Milan because they played him in a weird spot, which was always my concern with him doing that when I saw him at left wing against Brighton and against City. Not that like, and necessarily, I definitely didn't disagree with the lineup against City for the record, but like doing it on a consistent basis kind of makes you think, okay, like, well, is this,
00:12:32
Speaker
something that we're going to do is just going to stifle his ability to impact games. But it didn't at all against City, which I thought was a really positive sign. Yeah, I trust that man with my life at this
Paquetta's Influence and Potential
00:12:44
Speaker
point. He's all we got. He isn't all we got, though. That's the beautiful thing, is that he should be all we got. He isn't, but he is. He is still everything to us. If we lost him, they would genuinely be the end of the world.
00:13:02
Speaker
Oh, oh my god. Yeah, absolutely. I mean, there's a handful of players in our squad who it would be the end of the world if we lost them. I mean, between him, Bowen. I mean, I guess we've signed Zuma breaking case of emergency signings. But I don't know, Piketto over all those people, it just feels like he's
00:13:28
Speaker
He's just like the most because he brings what he brings the quality that we want. And I think that's why because as time has gone on, it's just going back to last summer.
00:13:42
Speaker
We wanted Onana, we wanted McGinn, we wanted all these guys. And then we went out and signed Paquetta instead, and it's like, okay, well that's a crazy signing, but that's not exactly the profile we're looking for. And then we start struggling, then you start questioning, okay, did you really know what you were looking for? But as time goes on, when you think about how Moiz talks about him now, how Moiz talked about him before we signed him, I think you see that Moiz just decided that this is a talent that we cannot miss out on.
00:14:12
Speaker
and he has made him such a focal point for us as he should yeah but he relies on him to bring and he said this and he relies on him to bring that little bit of quality to what we do which he does he's been doing it all year and he was the best player in the pitch in City for a long period of time if not the whole game very very long period of time who even from their side would be
00:14:42
Speaker
Bernardo played really well. Yeah, I forget it's been so long. Yeah Alvarez played really well Mm-hmm played really well again today. We're recording this after the first night of Champions League games Alvarez played Incredible today. Yeah, um Let's play well for them. Gervadio played well for them. He's a joke. They should not be allowed to have They shouldn't be allowed to have him There'd have okay like come on
00:15:11
Speaker
It's ridiculous. I don't want to get into the whole city thing. They shouldn't even be in the league when you really think about it. The amount of breaches and cheating and the whole thing. All I'm saying is that they should have been Juventus.
00:15:27
Speaker
probably but like by like what should happen they probably should have gone down a few tears but that's like you know can't lose pep in your league yeah it's like kind of a whole thing but
00:15:44
Speaker
Hey, we might have an opening at West Ham soon, so he will have a spot. Pep is at West Ham in my FM safe. You're in 12th. Pep out, I say. Pep out. Somebody else I want to talk about, because, you know, I got to do my, we took last week off, good international break. Won't be the case every break, but I thought it was a good time.
00:16:10
Speaker
Uh, the weekly, um, James were proud. It's like, I'm so sorry. I ever doubted you, man. Yeah. Um, he's done it again. Is he ever not going to score? I was thinking about this. So he's given Southampton 15 goals and assists for the last however many years. Yeah. Um, three, I think this West Ham team.
00:16:41
Speaker
is by far the best team he's ever played in. I mean he played when he was younger in some of those good Southampton sides but he wasn't as established, he wasn't as key of a piece and also to an extent I mean
00:16:57
Speaker
And he's probably like 21, 22 at the Manet year, but he's never had such a focal role in a team this good.
Ward-Prowse's Consistent Contributions
00:17:07
Speaker
So we haven't even had a free kick yet for him to shoot from. We just haven't had one, which is crazy, which that is where Kudos comes in.
00:17:18
Speaker
But it's just like he is everything that you want to play. His work rate reminds me of Bowen a lot. I said this to you after the city game, and I said I want to talk about it on here. The willingness to make every single run is incredible. Because there are a lot of guys that work hard. Paquette is a perfect example. He works extremely hard for the team. He does what he needs to do. But a lot of times,
00:17:44
Speaker
guys are only going to make that run in the box if they really feel like that runs going to mean something or, you know, if it's just convenient for them to make. But both goals were proud to scored for us this season are runs that he just made because he's going to make that run every time. And he's always going to support the counter-attack. He's always going to support the striker, the counter-attack and be there. And I said to you, it's almost the kind of thing I wish Paquetta would have done more last year.
00:18:11
Speaker
Because it's not even a knock on Paquetta because 95, 98% of players in World Football, they don't make the run every time. Because it's a 90-minute game. That's a big pitch. It's a lot of ground to cover. Sprinting burns so much energy. You ever just go outside and sprint 30 yards down the street?
00:18:34
Speaker
All right, man. Yeah, pause the podcast. No, I'm serious. I'm serious because like, no, like if you go outside and you just sprint to the under not like across the street, you'll be fine if you've spent across the street. But if you sprint down the street, just like, give me like 10 seconds of hardcore sprinting. You're going to pull up your hands and your hips. You might go on your knees for a second. I mean, we're not professional athletes, but sprinting
00:19:00
Speaker
really takes it out. People will post stats of most sprints in the league and all this kind of stuff. And it might be extra more on this, because I'd not like Rafael Liao's second half performance against Newcastle today. I didn't like it, man. I didn't like it. We don't have to talk about it. We disagree, but I thought it was pathetic. Not that he's awesome. I love Rafael Liao, but I was disappointed.
00:19:26
Speaker
Um But yeah, just the willingness to make that run every single time Like how deep did he come from for both of these runs? He has no business I mean well the city one like he has to make that run in my opinion But it's not one that every player in the squad makes the bright and run. He is no business Unreal like winning the ball back and then like sprinting from that spot To where he ends up scoring the goal from and not only that like he makes that run I gotta watch it back, but he's
00:19:55
Speaker
a superhuman if he got there that quickly after he saw Antonio win the ball. Oh, yeah. So he plays that pass. It's like pretty hopeless into the channel and he's going. Mm hmm. Yeah, like immediately. And like it's just I have fallen in love all over again every week, every week. I mean, for someone who isn't an athlete, he sure as hell like he because that's the thing is like
00:20:25
Speaker
Because he is an athlete. He's just a different kind of athlete and I didn't give him that respect I almost wish that we signed them last summer. So I'd be on the right side of history I mean, I was not trying to sign him for 75 million, but you know It was for you last summer. I still would have been on the right side if we were talking. I mean James Warren process in Chanko, I think I forgot about that
00:20:51
Speaker
I guess he wasn't an actually, like an option considering he went to... He drank the Arteticale. Yeah, all these fucking guys, man. Declan Rice. Did you see a video of him today?
00:21:04
Speaker
Staring at the staring at the Champions League ball and then Emil Smith rose like stop Talk about a guy who knows he's got the cameras on him every time dude. He's literally LeBron like he's ridiculous like everything like all those like those like pictures of of the of like the Arsenal players like lined up before the game and
00:21:29
Speaker
And all like the arsenal fans like tweeted and it's like oh wow look at the aura of these players It's always rice like making a face like yeah Yeah, he's like he's like looking at the camera out of the corner of his eye And then he's like stone cold face like dude stop it He is a player on another team is what he is Not worth our time So I have two questions for you
00:22:00
Speaker
Thursday happy birthday. Thank you. There's a nice birthday. I'm pretty sad birthday. Not a question about thank you If you're listening you gotta tell Joe happy birthday But Who do you play Thursday and Sunday this kudos come in So the second question first because it's easier yes, I
00:22:27
Speaker
Just do
Future Strategy and Player Fitness
00:22:28
Speaker
it. Just do it. Yeah, just do it. And so for Thursday, we can go. Have a antsky. Yeah, career. Mavropanos, Agbana, Cresswell. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, I mean, he's got to play.
00:22:53
Speaker
Or it can be the other guy. The guy who's playing with the other 21s now. No. If we're not giving him a contract, he's not- Dude, his career might be over for us, bro. Yeah. He'll play. He'll play at some point. Is he? Maybe. He'll play at some point. We'll get to say our goodbyes. He gave me everything. It's going to take some injuries for the kid. But I digress. So after that, we're going to have suit check.
00:23:23
Speaker
And word prowess I Would rather not play word prowess again, dude. He's gonna play every game this season All right, if he insists we'll know cuz there's not a fourth midfielder and Alvarez is suspended
00:23:40
Speaker
I know. I know that's the situation. But I'd rather not play. Like, it's just a lot of games. I miss Manu. I know. This would be perfect. And I'm not going to put Fornals in this midfield. I hate that people are doing that. I don't think that Fornals in a pivot is the way to go. Not with Suchak. There's just no security. Maybe he'll play Paqueta in the pivot.
00:24:09
Speaker
Maybe he didn't go to Brazil over the international break. So if anyone it's anyone Probably could be a word press and go to England. Yeah, but Something about this game makes me not want to play word prowess. I guess I guess I'm in bubble wrap So basically what you're saying is that you'd rather protect James word prowess and Lucas because I just feel like
00:24:38
Speaker
Playing to get that would make more of a difference in the game than we're going to have a lot of the ball. Yeah. So then on the left, see, the left is tricky because really there's three guys who need games. Dude, man, like the other guy, like. I don't know what you do with talking about the same guy with 17.
00:25:04
Speaker
used to wear 1422 oh you're talking about 22 yeah I'm saying I'm saying you can play him and for now as in kudos and then tell the other guy you know hang out what are we all right where's the lane guard fit in all this he fits in for now leaves next year
00:25:33
Speaker
So I'm probably playing for now is on the left and then I'm gonna play notice on the right and then Obama up front Okay, you need another player. Oh Shit, that's right. You played side man number 20 a little 22 He loves it man
00:25:58
Speaker
Little leads throwback potentially. He's so much. He's probably 25 pounds heavier than he was when he played that game. It's okay. And in any flare he ever had, David Moyes beat out of him senselessly.
00:26:13
Speaker
He's got 90 minutes. But you know what's even funnier about, like, Paquetta and stuff? Is that it wasn't even, you know, there's the whole Mois hates flare players, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Mois just didn't think Ben Ramo was good enough. Yeah, wasn't it? And he was right, man. Sucks to say. Can never test this guy's talent ID. He's invincible. Dude, Paquetta's allowed to do whatever he wants out there.
00:26:43
Speaker
It's because he does the work. He does do the work. But like, you know, sometimes he gets tired and he gets frustrated and he doesn't do the work because he I'm not even gonna lie.
Paquetta's Resilience and Rumors
00:26:51
Speaker
There was a moment he where he played after he played Antonio through and Antonio and score. He kind of shut off mentally for a few minutes. He was not happy. I don't blame him. He should know Antonio's missed worse against the same team in the same stadium.
00:27:11
Speaker
Dude, isn't it so funny how much better Paquetta is than Mateus Nunez? Right. Really random, but like... Dude. Dude. He went, he gave Pep a hug and he put those midfielders to the sword for a while. Literally. When have you ever seen somebody win the ball back from Roger in that position? Never. Legitimately not. It doesn't happen.
00:27:37
Speaker
It just doesn't like it doesn't matter who he's going in. He's just a monster This is this is the second time where he's upped his game against city There's a serious argument to me made that his two best games for us are against city Three in both City that city game where rice missed that was last year. Yeah, there's a Herculean effort. It's an audition. I
00:28:03
Speaker
It was an audition and he got the role. Dude, he got the role. The interview went well, man. He just couldn't stop gambling. And that happens to the best of us. Forget that I am. I'm so happy he's still around, though, man. I was thinking that today too. I was like, man, thank God we got a second season out of this guy. We couldn't have lost them both in the same summer. You can go to City next summer for all I care.
00:28:30
Speaker
Don't want to think about it. He you know what you want to know it's fucked up What probably will oh? Yeah, he will cuz cuz you saw the the new Bernardo Silva contract, right? He's like a Barca clause, right? He has a 50 million release clause No, it's for it's for anyone from any country and
00:28:56
Speaker
It's for Barca, it's for PSG, it's for Al at the head, it's for Al this, Al at the back, Steven Girard's got his eye on him. He's going to be playing with Antonio next year. He will love it at the London stadium when we do a straight swap. Straight swap. Paquetta and Bernardo. Nah dude, I want Bernardo and 35 million.
00:29:22
Speaker
Yeah, because I mean, Mateus Nunez being there isn't stopping shit. It's a joke, man, that they signed him. I'm sorry, like, and Pep has proved me wrong. I don't think I've ever really doubted a Pep signing, like, since they started winning leagues and shit. I feel like I doubted Kevin Full signing.
00:29:43
Speaker
Yeah, I mean that's different he even he knew he must have known Just wanted to relegate leads There's no way he like got like Captain Phillips in thinking he was a good player and was just like whoa Because that one's actually really weird dude they spent a lot of money on him
00:30:11
Speaker
There's like what 45 45 million Which is crazy imagine dropping 45 million has he made 10 Premier League appearances for them yet? Has he made one has he played a hundred minutes for them yet in the league? He I think I think he made five last year because he made his fifth and like match week 37 and Looked so happy because it meant that he got the medal. I
00:30:39
Speaker
That's so good. He's like, he's like, he's like Ben Chilwell telling people that he's a Premier League champion. Shut up, dude.
Defensive Concerns and Strategies
00:30:48
Speaker
And Chilwell didn't even meet the games requirement for Lester. Really? No, I think he played one game. I think he went on loan that year, dude. My God. He's a loser. Hep was just like, yo, yo, Calvin, you want to play some? Yeah, dude, he literally, he signs midfielders like he can fix them.
00:31:11
Speaker
God, then get Rashid boss minutes. Dude, I hope that I hope we'll just pick up the enjoys his last season of having freedom in a team. No, it's gonna be a robot next year. He will earn his freedom. No, even to point it doesn't have freedom. Yeah, right. He's just like a crossing robot. Dude, Holland is like not allowed to touch the ball.
00:31:37
Speaker
He touched the ball a lot against us. He had probably had like 12 touches. I was like damn this guy's getting involved He was dude he was he was really funny against us some of the chances he missed I know um He's inventing new ways to miss chances at the again goal line clearance is so cool Just not gonna reach
00:32:09
Speaker
What up is he'll you want to talk about again? Well, what do you think about this whole? Thing he's not that good blah blah blah all these people honestly, I don't want to talk about it Yeah, I mean I'll say something about it Look, I think like any player who's gonna sign for West Ham There are flaws in his game and I think after a year you start to see those flaws and you start to get to know them and
00:32:37
Speaker
The same way, if you hang out with somebody every day, they're probably going to piss you off a little bit more than if you watch them once every month or two. But I do think people underestimate how good of a defender he is, because I thought he had a really good game.
00:32:53
Speaker
um for long periods against city and then you know he made the mistake and it's the kind of thing he has to cut out of his game um because it's happened too many times i saw somebody said he's made double digit errors leading the goal since he got no he no he has not this is not true just because well because he made two or three last year
00:33:16
Speaker
And there's two that were, like, loud. Like, they were horrendous errors. Newcastle, United. Yeah, Newcastle and, oh, yeah. That was two different themes that you said there. Not the full. Newcastle, comma, United. Yeah. And then I think, so we made the one against Citi. The red card against Chelsea is ridiculous. So funny. It's terrible.
00:33:44
Speaker
I don't think he said the greatest part, but I think like the problem is is that he's actually
00:33:49
Speaker
I mean, the Bournemouth game, people can say he didn't play that well. I thought he did OK. I thought he shot that, but I thought he put up a fight. He got dragged around. He didn't. And Slanky is a great striker. I mean, great is being used. Very, very good for this level. And really good for us. Yeah, he's a great striker for Bournemouth. He's a real handful. He would be perfect for our kind of system. I just think that
00:34:19
Speaker
With the Garrett, it's like what we've said about a lot of ball playing players where it's like you got to take some of the bad with the good. But the bad, the bad can't happen as consistently. And I think the big thing that people forget is like never upon us just signed that he has true competition now. So either he's going to up his game or he's going to get dropped. Yeah, I think he's been fine for most of these games. That's the thing.
00:34:45
Speaker
I would consider starting Mavropanos against Liverpool. I don't think I would. You wouldn't consider it. I'm not even saying that I would drop a guard because I think he sucks or he's playing really bad. I just think that Mavropanos with his size may be more suited to dealing with a striker like Nunez and maybe playing in that little block that we're going to line up in. I think his Nunez is probably not going to play. He's got to play at some point.
00:35:16
Speaker
He hasn't yet. I mean, he had the heroic brace off the bench he's still in play. So it's like... Yeah, and I don't know. Do you think part of the agarid thing is... Do you think he's not suited to a low block as much as maybe Zuma is?
00:35:34
Speaker
And I think that that's a harsh question on him because I think that that's another thing that says that moist doesn't really know. But then again, we tried to move and have like play higher last year and play with the ball more, which is what a Gary was signed to do. It's just hard because it's not really like. It's not really like he's making like consistent. It's like the like predictable errors like this is a flaw in his game like it's just like.
00:36:02
Speaker
like the city thing was kind of just random like he just messed up i think i think him and ariola need to get on a better wavelength because i think i think fabianzky's biggest strength especially at this point of his career is the communication side of it um and ariola has never really struck me as a guy who communicates that well with his defense he's probably just like any other keeper it's whatever
00:36:26
Speaker
Um, but there's been a few, there's a few times with the two of them where they, they need to communicate better. You'd think with the all French like center back and goalkeeper, like triangle, you'd think that it would be fine. But I think another thing people forget, um, Ariella and soon I've known each other since they were 15 or 16 years old. Yeah.
00:36:48
Speaker
So it's like they're just not foreign to them. Whereas Ariel, not Ariel, Aguirre may be learning to play with a new goalkeeper. I mean, he's played with him what? Six times before this season. Yeah, I mean, I just think he's a tremendous player. I like it. I'm still super high on Aguirre. I don't think that's going to change. My opinion on him hasn't really changed that much. I think it's just like acknowledging like
00:37:14
Speaker
what happens sometimes with him, which is like not a problem. I still think he's like a really good Premier League center back.
00:37:21
Speaker
I think he's great with the ball. I think a lot of things people can talk about this played a few diagonals against City that were fucking spectacular. Exactly. Like you're still seeing the good, like he's not just a shit center. But that's the thing is like against Chelsea, like in that second half before he got off, he was doing what he does best. He was stepping in the passing lanes. He was taking the ball off people's feet. And I think he got a little over eager and a little over confident and made that ridiculous challenge against City. He generally played well. He was spraying the ball around and he made a mistake.
00:37:50
Speaker
like it's just he has like momentary lapses and I think that's like his central issue is like and like how do you really take that out of your game like if like it just happens it's probably a confidence thing I mean is it a confidence thing I don't
00:38:05
Speaker
That's the problem is that I think part of it is I can't kind of grab on to what the issue is exactly And like I guess he's just a center back who makes mistakes sometimes which happens But I think I guess part of it is like hey don't make the mistakes in these areas Don't make it right next year six yard box. Yeah, because the Newcastle one I did was that that was probably higher up the pitch but I was with nobody behind him and
00:38:33
Speaker
The United one's in a six yard box. The City one is right outside a six yard box. And the Chelsea one is just something that he doesn't need to do. He just doesn't need to do it. But yeah, I'm excited for Mavropanos because he's a styatine guy. More than anybody.
00:38:54
Speaker
He's definitely, he's like, I mean, he's definitely unknown to me. I don't know how much you've watched him, but. I mean, I watched him probably play like one or two of his games for Arsenal when he was like 20. So he was just not the player that he is now. Exactly. But hey, if Vanger likes him, I like him. Yeah, I mean, before I- Because Emery's the one who got rid of him. Oh, really? Yeah.
00:39:22
Speaker
That's even a bigger seal. It's good enough for me. I don't think I'll watch it. Yeah, I mean, that's also part of it why I hesitate to say, like, he should start until... Well, I've never seen this guy play, realistically.
00:39:41
Speaker
Same play Thursday. I'm super excited. It's like my little birthday present. Hopefully that makes somebody. Him and kudos. Yeah, maybe we'll score a goal. But yeah, I just think that's another thing that people forget is we have like real competition for a place at the back.
Squad Depth and Youth Potential
00:40:00
Speaker
Really every position right now, there's some degree of competition. I mean, if you want to say Bowen and Antonio.
00:40:09
Speaker
But I think we're still thin at striker and right wing. Well, not right wing anymore. We've kudos and bow on. So it's kind of like kudos and Antonio. I mean, I guess it's just that front four. It's all relative. Like obviously there's undroppable players, but like we have sufficient cover in really every position. Like maybe we can play first team, but like.
00:40:34
Speaker
Part of it is there are like some places where I'm kind of iffy, unlike how much cover we have. But I think something that I remember is that Moyes likes a small squad. I think Moyes thinks the squad is too big. I think the squad is. I mean, it's probably. It's bloated on the left. It's it's very bloated on the left with Kornay. With not a lot of. Will Kornay even be fit for the African Cup of Nations? No, I'm serious. Like when's he going to play? I don't know.
00:41:04
Speaker
For the U21s, Kevin Keene needs some bodies out there. Didn't Kevin Keene, or is it Mark Robson who got promoted to the senior coaching staff? Mark Robson. Yeah. And Keene is coaching the 21s now, right? Is he? Somebody had to get promoted, and they've been promoting from within. Well, that'd be good, because he's familiar with those guys. So that'd be. That'd be pretty ideal. And I want to say they won today. Cal Marshall scored another two goals, which is pretty cool.
00:41:34
Speaker
Earthie scored too. I know. And people forget about Marshall. I guess people don't really forget about Marshall. People get excited like how Marshall scored. But he doesn't get really talked about as somebody who's knocking on the door for the first team. But he's made a senior appearance for his country. He's one of the most highly rated players for the Northern Island coming through, which is why he got called up. And it makes you think how he could be pretty close too. He should have an international goal.
00:42:04
Speaker
Yeah, the goal got this allowed. But it makes you like, he could be after move bomb or the one who's knocking on the door the most. I mean, after move bomb, it's just a lot of guys who have like some ways to go, but obviously have some quality to them. I mean, there's no backup right winger in the squad. Like it's like a backup backup.
00:42:30
Speaker
Oh, yeah. OK. And obviously, the squad is bloated with players. But like, Kornay will probably go in the summer for analysis and signing a new contract. We're going to, if we sign an attacker, it's going to be a left-sided player, like somebody who plays off the left. Opportunities could arrive for him. He plays striker. He plays right wing. I think he's like a striker by trade. But because of Mubal, he's played a ton of right wing for us.
00:43:01
Speaker
He's playing striker today Yeah, but one will bomb is in the scene. I know he's like a striker And then that leaves could do it was playing off the right today. So He's such a beast. I love that guy so much. Yeah, and Then you know, we all saw laying in preseason Who's really good? Yeah, and he can play right back and center back is what they seem to think of him Which is pretty cool
00:43:30
Speaker
They seem like a pretty good group. And Skarls is only 17. Skarls is 17. Orford is, I think, just as young. I think Orford's 18. Yeah. All these guys are still eligible for the UA teams. Yeah, that's what's crazy about them. This core of youth players, this is going to be the core of them for the next three years.
00:43:57
Speaker
Mm-hmm like some of these guys like they could break in in three or four years You know and obviously not all of them are gonna break in but like there are late bloomers different circumstances will arise like a Lot of them. There's no rush for and I think I mean I have to remind myself that because like sometimes you get excited and you think well damn like there's no place on Think about how different our squad look three years ago There was like what like three or four players three years ago that are still here today. I
00:44:24
Speaker
Not years ago more than that like more like well, what is three years ago now? Three years ago was 2020 the the Lingard season, right? Yeah, so you got Fabiansky a cool Johnson Bowen Bowen Antonio then Rama for now's Chris you check. Oh, wow
00:44:48
Speaker
a lot. Yeah, there are a lot of guys left. Well, I mean, but our squad is pretty unrecognizable to an extent. Mm hmm. I mean, I guess it's part of just the rice thing. Yeah. But yeah, I was gonna say something about the Liverpool game. Oh, let's talk about Mavropanos. And just about him and a Garrett, like,
00:45:12
Speaker
That's like real competition for places like maverick ponos isn't Some like like it's a cheaper signing, but it's not like we picked this guy up for like six million off the street Yes, he was a good team this season at least for one of those Like who scored so for score type apps I buy it I buy well that but that's the thing I was saying before is that he is he's the most died ten signing out of the four that we signed and
00:45:39
Speaker
By far he is probably the only style in signing like that isn't just him approving Yeah, it's him his like recommendation introducing and finally yeah, yeah, cuz I mean kudos was noble and As was Alvarez Alvarez is noble word process always was Moises wet dream for like a decade And he was right man
00:46:09
Speaker
You know it begs the question how good is Yusuf and Esri right we gotta get him in That was my whole thing at the end of the window we gotta get him in He knows something that we don't he knows a lot of things we don't
00:46:32
Speaker
He knows everything that I don't. I could go to him with any question. He's like my father. I trust him more than my own father.
Antonio's Contract and Media Presence
00:46:42
Speaker
Same. Dude, like he... All I'm saying is would my dad have identified James Ward Prowse?
00:46:55
Speaker
I don't think so. Actually, my dad probably would have. I think my dad would have identified James Word Prowse too. I feel like dads would love James Word Prowse. Yeah, dads would absolutely love James Word Prowse. That's the wrong question. Would my dad have identified Jesse Lingard? No. My dad would have identified Jesse Lingard. My dad might have identified Jesse Lingard. You think so? I don't know. I can't decide if he would have liked Lingard or not. I identified him as what?
00:47:25
Speaker
No, I can't decide if you would have like Lingard not if you would have been like ah Stance and I don't like that or if you would have been like this guy's got some personality Yeah, but yeah, David Moyes man doesn't miss you know I I don't think I don't think there's any dad that would want you sif and Esri at their club I
00:47:56
Speaker
No, sir. Dads would not like that guy. All right. Antonio signed a new contract. Oh, yeah. We got to talk about this guy. This guy. Well, dude, I. I couldn't love him enough. Like I saw that that tweet from us and football and I like.
00:48:22
Speaker
I smiled so big. You were applauding. I was literally applauding in my mind. And just between that and the comments about Sala and Liverpool. Dude, yeah. And you know what, man? People are like, he needs to shut up. He needs to stop talking. No, they need to shut up. He can say whatever he wants, bro. I think more than anything, who cares?
00:48:49
Speaker
Like, what is it really gonna do? Oh, it's bulletin board material. Like, okay. Like, okay. Yeah, Liverpool weren't gonna beat us at Anfield until Antรณnio said that we were gonna finish above the middle league. Like, dude, just let him talk his shit, man. Like, it literally hurts nobody. Because that, you know what, that's what gets under my skin about Antรณnio the most is like, okay, like, fine. When he has one of these stretches where it's like, nothing is going for him and you want to be like, he can't play.
00:49:19
Speaker
fine fine yeah like if you're like he talks too much I have questions about your worldviews literally like give me a fucking break they're like they're like I don't like you know how much you like so like black man's not allowed to have a personality like like black man can't have a podcast dude like I've said crazier things than that on here
00:49:49
Speaker
Absolutely, I'll second what Antonio said. Dude, I backed that up immediately. I was like, yeah, we'll finish above Liverpool. Absolutely. Why won't we? Dude, he called it a six-pointer. Just talking like people on Twitter, bro. And feel the way, man. It's a six-pointer. You're talking about this result in May. September fucking 19th.
00:50:19
Speaker
What did he say about Oh my god He's just trying to get in people's heads man shot throw solid off his game Well, cuz you know what it is. He probably you know what I bet This is a conspiracy theory. I bet he saw the tweet and
00:50:44
Speaker
where they started linking Bo and the Liverpool. And they were linking a Garrett wherever. And somebody was like, oh, like, like, you know, they always like link our players to these big teams before they play them. Like Sky is like trying to unsettle our players or whatever. I bet Antonio was like, I got a little something for them. We'll stir the pot a little bit. I got a platform. Yeah. Just making solid think about what could have been. I think about his six mansions in six different countries with a billion left to spare.
00:51:12
Speaker
I saw somebody theorize that he was projecting his own situation with Saudi Arabia. Oh yeah, he absolutely was to an extent. But at the end of the day he still signed a new contract.
00:51:30
Speaker
I don't know. I feel like that's a bunch of bullshit. I feel like he had an offer where we... I feel like he feels the same way about anybody who didn't get there. You know what I mean? That's how these players, to an extent, are allowed to feel. But he's crazy for saying it about Salah. Right of all people. He said he wanted to go. Liverpool FC is a prison, man. That's real.
00:52:00
Speaker
mental prison we're gonna beat them yeah we'll be alright yeah we're gonna win that game you starting kudos on Sunday um sure like my thing about it is like and you know you know what's funny about this I do this a lot like when we talk about team sheets Moyes is the only manager I've seen at West Ham where I'm like I'll let him take this one
Trust in Moyes and Antonio's Role
00:52:29
Speaker
Like I would never let Pellegrini or Bilich take the reigns for a team sheet. You know man, but with Moyz it's like, you know if you want to play the Souchek Alvarez word proust thing.
00:53:02
Speaker
Do you?
00:53:03
Speaker
Cuz it was like exciting like when he came off I couldn't get to see bow and kudos and pakata on the pitch together, but I He was giving us a consistent outball and he was getting us out consistently He's incredible he's been great been he's had one of the best stretches of his career He never dies. He'll just never die He's gonna be like 50 and we're gonna be talking about like I was a target gonna play today and
00:53:32
Speaker
He just like he it just he doesn't go away like you think it's done. You think you lost it and he just comes back again And the other day he's been so many different players for us you know, he's been like the right back where we're like put him on the wing and then he was
00:53:49
Speaker
He's just been so many different guys in the squad. He's been a bit part piece. He's been a starting right back. He's been a starting winger. He's been the striker. He's been our best player. He's been our best player. He's been our worst player. Yeah, literally. Same season. Yeah, dude. Literally. Within the same season, he's been both of those things. Because you know what's crazy? Not to cut you off.
00:54:17
Speaker
And just thinking off the top of my head, the 21-22 season, which I think is objectively his best year. He was like one of the best strikers in the league. He put in maybe the worst strikers performance I've ever seen. The the leads game at home. I have nightmares about that game. What was he doing? He's just like every week. And I think I think last season he had a performance even worse than that.
00:54:47
Speaker
There was like a stretch where it was just longer than a stretch. I can't even remember it. Because it would have been Skamaka was starting until the World Cup. And then after Leeds. So it would have been from early January. You know what it was probably, you know what it probably was. It was probably the week before the Everton game. Yeah, I mean.
00:55:14
Speaker
I think the more like season after season of him being like the striker and just like understanding of what the situation is with him, I think I'm just ready to take the good with the bad or the bad. Yeah, I mean, absolutely. But I think I think another part of it is I think, you know, and he said that he thrives off like all the competition comes and see this competition. I think that he finds more comfort in being like, OK, like I'm the guy.
00:55:44
Speaker
Think that that's more of what fuels him. I think that like when he knows that that's his spot that He plays better. I mean we've seen it Exactly. He's been the only striker in this club for like three years and and his best stretch was from one was between holler being sold and Skamaka being signed as his best stretch as a striker
00:56:10
Speaker
He was the only one that existed. And now this Kamaka's gone, he's back. He's back. Yeah, he's back. Danny Ng's being there probably almost gives him more confidence than if he was the only one. It's like, man, you're not gonna play this guy. If it's not gonna be me, who is it? It's not gonna be him. It's definitely not gonna be him.
00:56:31
Speaker
And I think, I think maybe with the kudos thing, he's kind of deep down kind of knows that he's looking at this bonus striker thing and Moises probably said it, you know, high enclosures, he said it to the media. I think that's he looked like pretty upset when he came off against City. Not only because he was playing well, but he's probably thinking like, like, man, this guy can't wait. Like, it really doesn't matter how good I'm playing. Yeah, like he. Yeah. Yeah.
00:56:57
Speaker
because to an extent it doesn't matter how good he's playing because they just spent 40 million on kudos and he's not gonna sit bohen he's not gonna sit paketa those guys can't sit they haven't sit they will not sit
00:57:14
Speaker
Mm-hmm, and that's it's kind of like it's pretty unfair on him to be honest. Absolutely unfair He's made he's he has made it an extremely tough decision if he wasn't playing so it's not even a decision to be on He just he shouldn't be dropped. I don't think you can drop him I think that you have to try the piketto left-wing thing at least once and then if it doesn't work then you know you send Antonio to the gulag and
00:57:39
Speaker
But you know what I'm saying like yeah, it's He just you can't drop him right now, and he's so integral to what we do and has been integral to what we do Because like whenever we've been good
00:57:58
Speaker
He's been smoys came back. It's been with him at this at the focal point. It's him. It's him every time It's all him like it's always having that realization you look at all the stretches like man Whenever he's good, we are good And whenever he is good and we are good. We think that we're better than him and we are pummeled We are pummeled back down the earth every single time
00:58:26
Speaker
That is such a crazy realization. Every time he launches us into the top whatever. Every time he sends us into a new European competition. It's like, imagine what we'll be without him. I guess we'll never know. I guess we'll never know.
Friendly Rivalries and Podcast Promotion
00:58:45
Speaker
I can't think of a better place to end this podcast. Right. We'll have Antonio on next week. He'll have something to say about this Liverpool win at Anfield. He's going to be next week's guest.
00:58:55
Speaker
Little footballers, football collab. Bring me Calum Wilson. You know, I got something to say to him. I got a lot to say to Calum Wilson. I'm gonna have to like, like, you know, like the Jonathan Majors, like me and have him like, separate him. Between you and Calum Wilson, I have to separate you. He's just hurt me too many times. And I just got a lot to say about Newcastle.
00:59:21
Speaker
I just hate his face. I hate his face. Yo, that stupid smile, bro. Ever since he laughed, after he scored the handball goal against us, whatever year, 17-18. Ever since that happened.
00:59:31
Speaker
Because you know, it's messed up as a player. I think he's great. I can't think he's great. He's a great striker, man. I mean, you've seen me use him in fantasy, the draft leagues, however many times. I play every time, like almost every time. Until this year, when I was A, not in it, and B, the ESAC guy. Yeah, he's not a starter. Yeah, that's what Antonio tells him, at least. You see that? Every time you start arguing, Antonio was like, yeah, you ride the bench.
01:00:01
Speaker
He's like, enjoy your 20 minutes. He's like, yeah, I'll tell you what the Champions League is like. You can play it on FIFA. And he watched from the bench. I remember when they started that, I was like, okay, this is like the most random pairing of guys ever. And then you watch them talking like this is the least random pairing of guys ever.
01:00:26
Speaker
Like all like the perfect amount of like the perfect goofball to put with antonio. Yeah, just two clowns man but anyways Thank you everybody for listening Uh whole spiel you can find this on Your web browser of choice. You still go to websites your web browser. Yeah your web browser what browser do you use?
01:00:51
Speaker
No, I yeah in the first episode did we this is our first conversation on hammering away saying safari you're a loser Use chrome and look us up on chrome Yeah, cuz you got to use chrome. This is a real browser. I can support this I'm sure
01:01:10
Speaker
So look us up on Chrome at hammering-away.blog. You can use Safari for us if you're on your phone, but if you're on your laptop, don't use Safari to go to our website. Then I'm doing a joke. Hammering underscore away is the Twitter handle. Hammering away underscore is the Instagram handle. Hammering dot away is the TikTok handle. Thank you every for listening. We'll see you next week. Antonio will have last to say.
01:01:40
Speaker
after our win at Anfield. Ooh, ooh, ooh, ayy, ooh, ayy, ayy, ayy, ayy, ayy, ayy, ayy, ayy, ayy, ayy, ayy, ayy, ayy, ayy, ayy, ayy, ayy,
01:02:24
Speaker
I'm talkin' to my shutters, I'm talkin' to my team I hit you in the mornin' right now with the beast This hand me down the yawn and I think it down to sleep This hand me down the yawn and I think it down to peace
01:02:36
Speaker
And I need fire, you gonna ride You better slide, hop in the whip, better step on my side Cause this highway vibes your wave, wash my wave, tie Don't trip, now you might slip, slide Cause I drip, sauce and I drip, fly And I lean back when I whip, ride And if I were to wait to infinity Folk on my team, then fuck up my vicinity This shit goin' crazy, throw up in a shit from last to Miami Down the highway and I'm dancin' my jimmies When I understood it, it caught me in duty My nigga named Rico, you strapped with the two of you Lastin' the shots of you actin' a fool, you strivin' for perfection Don't you know you perfectly imperfect? Nigga, you weren't the nigga I kickflip and I flip shit I'm a western nigga, you slip shit and I will slip
01:03:07
Speaker
I'm a French prince, don't check it, niggas I breathe deep, I'm chasing niggas Go check your mate, it's night time, he will go today I might take your queen, but that was yesterday And I offer you points, I'll be the isolate Cause I'm the realest king to ever play And I'm a black king, worried up to my black skin And I run shit cause I'm African, you gotta tell me I am the man