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Episode 018 - Ipswich Cross Over Thursday!
16 Plays2 months ago
In todays episode of the GSPN Daily West Ham Podcast Tom is joined by Rob and James from the Ipswich GSPN podcast to preview the West Ham vs Ipswich game at the weekend. They discuss Ipswich's rise to the premier league, West Ham's poor start to the season and give their predictions for the game at the weekend!
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Transcript
Introduction and Episode Overview
00:00:08
Rob Binns
so
00:00:09
officialgspn
Hello guys, welcome back to this episode of the Daily DSPM West Ham Podcast. Today's episode is a crossover podcast. We've got the guys from Ipswich. How are you doing guys? Say hello.
00:00:24
officialgspn
Nice one.
00:00:24
Rob Binns
Yeah, I'm looking forward to it.
00:00:24
officialgspn
So today we're gonna talk about, ah sorry, it's sorry to interrupt.
00:00:25
Rob Binns
Thanks for having us here.
00:00:27
officialgspn
um Today we're gonna be discussing all things West Ham Ipswich.
Ipswich's Premier League Journey
00:00:31
officialgspn
I'd like to start in the first part of this podcast to ask you some questions. My first one is, how does it feel but um back in the Premier League?
00:00:43
Rob Binns
um James, do you want to go with that?
00:00:45
James
Yeah, sure. and Honestly, mate, unbelievable. just to and our work Honestly, I did not think in our lifetime, to be fair, because ah even going back a few years, our club was an absolute shambles. So ah to see us in the Premier League now so soon with the takeover and everything, it's ah it's yeah it's incredible to see you, mate. It really is. What about yourself, Rob? Yeah, it's just mental.
00:01:09
Rob Binns
Well, like you said, there's just something we didn't see coming. That's the first time in my lifetime, because the like, the relegation in 2002 was a couple of months before I was born. So from what I've seen, I've grown up with the sort of Mick McCarthy, mid table championship, terrible football, and then downhill. And then we tried to change it downhill from there. So I'd never thought in say, I thought it would be the only chance I had for sort of 20, 30 years down the line.
00:01:37
Rob Binns
it suddenly spring into action in two successive seasons is unbelievable.
00:01:42
officialgspn
Yeah, it's it's amazing and and that story I think kind of makes it all the sweeter the fact that you've dealt with such kind of mediocrity for so long and then suddenly something clicks and you're rising through the leagues and now doing I will say very well in the league it's not not necessarily winning loads of games but you're you're managing to find points which I think is so important if you are looking to stay in the league and as a west anvan I've tasted the championship side like I'm maybe not to the extent, but I understand what it's like to not be very good and to, you know, get relegated and feel like things aren't going in a positive direction. So when you are on that kind of upwards trajectory, the the vibe and the feeling around the club is so positive. and
00:02:22
officialgspn
I'm so happy for you guys because as ah as someone who's kind of experienced that fall and then the rise and then the kind of little bit of success that we've had, it's nice to be at a club where things are moving forwards, maybe slightly less so in the past couple of months for West Ham, but you know over the past couple of years, it's it's been really good for us and it's been really positive.
Player Performances and Potential
00:02:42
officialgspn
My first main question other than that is tell me about Liam De La because he's been performing really well recently and he's been scoring goals and it's it was a weird one that didn't really seem like there was any fuss made about him leaving Man City but it seems like he's turned into maybe a tidy little Premier League striker.
00:02:47
James
Hmm.
00:02:57
James
There
00:03:01
Rob Binns
Yeah, definitely, I think.
00:03:02
James
you go.
00:03:04
Rob Binns
Yeah, I'd say as someone that obviously, apart from just watching him here and there, his various other loans he'd had down to the championship, it wasn't a player I knew too much about. So I'd done a bit of sort of low level academy football coverage.
00:03:18
Rob Binns
I'd seen him play for City a couple of times and then online the championship. I didn't know much about him really, but I thought, like you said, it's sort of one of them that you wouldn't get much faster. City do this, don't they?
00:03:28
Rob Binns
They build up these players, they look decent for you at the youth level. and they either send them on loan or they cash in for big money. And I sort of thought nothing about it. I thought, well, a bit of a pun, and we'll see how it goes.
00:03:38
Rob Binns
you He got the potential. well then It was when we then spoke to a lot of Man City fans since the transfer had come through. And particularly when we played them early in the season, we'd done the crossover pod.
00:03:44
James
oh
00:03:50
Rob Binns
I've not, like every City fan I've spoken to about Liam Delappe was absolutely gutted, they sold him. They fought they thought he was the man to sort of, especially with Alvarez Go, and they thought, keep hold of Delappe, he can play it.
00:04:01
Rob Binns
if Harlan gets injured again, he's good enough to sort of have a run in the team or if nothing else, he can sort of, he can work his way in over the next year or two. And if they, if, as I say, if Harlan gets injured or just coming off of cameos off the bench, they, he was very highly rated amongst city fans, which is something I didn't know about. And, and I can absolutely see why after watching him play for the first six games of the season, that I see why could they rate him so highly. And I'm, I'm very glad that we managed to nab him off him.
00:04:28
James
Yeah, I mean, I'd have to agree with, with Rob, to be honest, because, um, myself and another guy on the Ipswich podcast, Tom, we live up Manchester way anyway. Um, so there's a lot of fans, obviously a lot of city fans knocking about and they were all the same exactly what Rob said. They couldn't believe that we, well, that they let them go to us.
00:04:49
James
So for pretty good money really as well, considering what he looks like he's going to do this season. I mean, he's exactly what we needed as well. the lap He's so direct, he's so quick, he's so strong. ah he' He looks like he's going to be a top top player and I'm very excited that we've got him to be honest.
00:05:06
officialgspn
Yeah, definitely. It seems like a ah really good coup, to be honest. And it seems like that's maybe a theme of City, kind of letting good players go and not potentially looking at them as part of the squad. You know, like, obviously letting Alvarez leave, that was maybe a more of a tactical decision. But the coal parlour, the coal parlour,
00:05:25
officialgspn
You know, deal him going away. He's now tearing up and Liam dilap as someone who clearly has quality. So you think that he would have been able to do a job in the the city team, but I guess that's kind of their model and it's worth them so far. So I guess I'm not really wanting to question it too much. Um, the next thing I want to talk about is how have your expectations about the likelihood of you staying in the league changed? Because I'm sure that, you know, when, when most teams come into the premier league, they.
00:05:53
officialgspn
they're either very confident or they're not. I don't think there's many people that are in between. So how were you feeling before and how has that kind of changed now after a few games?
00:06:04
James
Um, I think, yeah, go on, Rob, actually, you take it, mate.
00:06:04
Rob Binns
Um,
00:06:08
Rob Binns
Oh, sorry. yeah Yeah. I think so for me, it's not really changed that much. It's more the thoughts on other teams that have changed to me really. Cause I thought, I was so with you, the perfect person and you could have asked this question to would have been rich from our podcast who put us 10th in his league prediction and see how he's stacking up for it compared to that now.
00:06:23
James
Yeah.
00:06:26
James
yeah
00:06:27
officialgspn
Bye.
00:06:27
Rob Binns
But I think me and you James had, ah had us a bit more conservatively placed in the table. I think I had 17th, but. I sort of thought, it's sort of ticking along, that was 14th, yeah.
00:06:34
James
yeah i went forward
00:06:38
Rob Binns
Oh, it was Tom that went 17th, that was it. Yeah, we um yeah we ah we're sort of ticking along how I thought we would.
00:06:39
James
you
00:06:44
Rob Binns
I was like, well, I'm not gonna i'm not going to say anything higher, it's gonna be down there in that scrap, but I do think Barry's team's worse than us in the league. And I was sort of looking at, Southampton was one of the main ones who sort of has played out how I thought, I didn't know about points deductions for teams like Forest, Leicester and everything, how that played in.
00:06:56
James
Yeah, I wouldn't
00:07:01
Rob Binns
I always thought that, we had enough to sort of scrape over the line.
00:07:04
James
fall.
00:07:06
Rob Binns
Then sort of, like I say, there's teams, what those teams worse than us in the league that we can finish above. And from what I've seen so far, say we, it's easy to sort of look at the, look at the table and say, yeah, is it no wins?
00:07:18
Rob Binns
But if you actually take the performances from the six games we've had, there's some very, there's some great results in there. And the performances I've been getting better every week to the point that we're really not far away from that first win.
00:07:29
Rob Binns
And we've got four sort of, very favorable games coming up where if we can take sort of seven, eight points from this next four, the whole perspective on us completely changes and we'll start to climb up the table a bit. And I think that's sort of the, like where we are at the moment, say 15 for point above the drop, is that's a sort of just above is the sort of thing I expected. It's just sort of the fact I didn't expect palace to be down there but or like I didn't think think walls would be that bad. I thought Brentford had done better than that. It's just the personnel that is different. But in terms of us, I think this,
00:07:59
Rob Binns
We're on track for what I thought was over, which hopefully ah hopefully my prediction's right, because that means we stay up.
00:08:02
James
Yeah,
00:08:07
officialgspn
Yeah, that' that'll be amazing if if you guys stay up, that'll be huge, wouldn't it?
00:08:08
James
yeah absolutely. Massive.
00:08:13
officialgspn
And then my my last question is, I'd like you to tell me a little bit more about some of the players you've got in your squad that maybe haven't featured as much or haven't been as good as you think they could be that as the season goes on might start to rear their heads as people who are going to contribute quite heavily to you staying in the league because I think a lot of times when championship teams get promoted, the the squad isn't as well known as obviously the teams in the Premier League. So yeah, just tell me a little bit more about some plays in the squad that I might not know about.
00:08:44
James
Well, I mean, I'm sure you know about Smodych anyway, because obviously we know he was the top goal scorer in the championship, but Um, I think he's going to contribute a lot, but we've spoke about it on a previous podcast, uh, with ourselves. I just, we're not sure if he's being played in the right position. Maybe, maybe he needs to move a little bit more centrally. He's being played too much out wide, but who knows if he can move more centrally and play in that more, you know, more attacking position. I think maybe he can contribute a bit more. og benet I think he looks good, but he's not played too much, uh, so far, but I think he's a really good sign in from Lewton.
00:09:21
James
I think he's going to be a good player. um you know One of our boys that have come up with us, Wes Burns, I think he's, I hope he gets more of a look in because he got he got injured.
00:09:34
James
I think it was the first game. So yeah I don't think he's had too much of a chance to prove himself in the Premier League yet. And I want him to get that chance because I think he can do it. Wes Burns, I really like.
00:09:43
Rob Binns
Yeah. Yeah. Burns is the one for me, I think, has been such a key player the last couple of years, hasn't quite hit the standards when he's played so far this year. Obviously he's had a, he has a knock in there as well, which has obviously caused him to miss a couple of games and come back sort of not a hundred percent, but ah ah particularly at home games, so so many home games, he sort of just, it's just influential to the attacking play we do goes and wins us results. And I think if he can get back to that sort of level, like,
00:10:12
Rob Binns
Like I said, later in the year, if we're looking sort of the running sort of time, it could be a big contributor. Cause the other thing is obviously we don't know what, what injuries are going to re occur through the season. It might be at the moment we can get away with benching him because we've got a lot of quality that we can do ahead and given that time, but we might fast forward two months and we have two long-term injuries and he's shoe on then to start on every single game. And we need him to be at the top level or if that's the case, but he's certainly good enough for this level. And I think any town fan will tell you that we all thought had him sort of nailed on as a starter this year.
00:10:44
Rob Binns
He's then sort of lost his place with his little knock and some of the signings we've made that we didn't expect. And but I think he's got a massive part to play.
00:10:49
James
Yeah.
00:10:52
Rob Binns
He's he' so the sort of number one for me. I think that we've not seen the best of yet.
00:10:56
James
Absolutely.
00:10:57
James
yeah
00:10:57
officialgspn
Yeah.
00:10:58
officialgspn
So it's it's always good to hear the stories of players that stay with you as you go up the leagues. Like if you know that someone's got quality in one league, you're like, Oh, can they do it in the next league? And when they, when they do it multiple times, it's always really interesting.
00:11:09
officialgspn
I find it. It's really satisfying as well, isn't it? When someone that you know is quality, but maybe other people in the the league or the football world don't necessarily rate as much and they progress with you and you get to be like, I told you this guy was good because he was good for us then. He's good for us now. And we think that he's going to be good for us in this future. So yeah, that's all really positive. Right. We're going to go to our first outbreak and when we get back, I'm going to hear some questions from the Ipswich guys.
West Ham's Season and Challenges
00:12:13
officialgspn
Okay guys, so I'm going to throw it over to you. What questions or queries or things that you'd kind of like me to discuss with you about West Ham this season?
00:12:22
James
Go fit, Rob.
00:12:23
Rob Binns
Yeah. I think the first thing we need to, we should really ask you from the outside perspective is just how have you sort of summed up your season so far? Cause I think many people saw you as sort of the winners of the transfer window. You've got a lot of positive signs coming in, new manager that after sort of, it was still very mixed about whether people wanted more used to go or not. You got the new manager in, but then it's taken a little while to click into gear really, isn't it? So how do you, how have you summed up your season so far?
00:12:51
officialgspn
Yeah, it is tough. Like when when we have all the Moyers chat, it's difficult because he has always done a lot with a squad that is quite bare bones and it's quite limited. And the way that he plays football is a little bit old fashioned. He likes to sit so sit men behind the ball and then break on the counter. And because we had quick quality players, we were able to do that quite effectively. And that's why we were as successful as we were.
00:13:15
officialgspn
but then it gets to a point where you you don't see the kind of progression in the way that we play football to try and consistently stay in Europe and try and challenge some of the big boys. So the change is necessary at some point. So it's like, do you you get rid of him kind of before it hits the drop off or do you hit him ah get rid of him as it's going up? So I think we kind of got rid of him at the right time. it was It felt quite mutual the club wanted to go. I think he knew that his time was probably numbered So the whole David Moyes leaving I wasn't I wasn't angry at but I also didn't want him to be kind of Disrespected when he left and I don't think that is how we left up I think a lot of fans were very thankful for what it gave us but time to move on Try and take that step up that we've kind of been knocking on the door for quite a while
00:14:11
officialgspn
And then when we when it comes to Lopategi, it was an appointment that on paper seemed really exciting, really interesting. Obviously managed Spain, managed Real Madrid, had kind of mixed success in both of those um sides. The one thing we've started to realize is that maybe it's not a far enough away shift from David Moyes to make it worth getting rid of David Moyes. That's the kind of question that's been circulating recently.
00:14:37
officialgspn
the the style of football doesn't seem to have been implemented as effectively as it probably should have been this early in the season. like you know we There's been enough games by now where you think the style of football would be drastically different from what we were seeing before, and it it kind of hasn't really. and like One thing that David Moyes was always good at, he was you know high good on set pieces, he was obviously in the last season maybe we had quite a few games where we shipped a lot of goals but defensively we were always relatively decent and we had some good attacking players but this season it it just hasn't been good enough defensively and offensively we've relied a little bit too much on Jared Bowe and I think again he's been someone who's provided
00:15:24
officialgspn
basically like so many of our goals this season in basically every game he's you know getting a goal getting an assist creating brilliant chances so the season hasn't gone as well as it could have done and it's not great but I don't think there's too many alarm bells yet I think we have to try and settle down not get too irate about the situation just understand that it hasn't gone as well as we thought but there is still plenty of time for it to turn positive and we also haven't really had every player fit at the same time so we're still waiting on Fulcrute to come back. um We haven't played Tadebo very much at Cenovac who I think now will be our starting Cenovac. We've been playing Mavropanos so I have faith that it will come good. It's just
00:16:14
officialgspn
is he going to be given enough time or kind of on the flip side do we want to give him enough time before our season's ruined and the kind of whole vibe of the team and the club and the squad is too negative to kind of salvage anything out this season so that was a bit of a long-winded answer but it's complicated is it's not been great but I don't think it's too many alarm bells yet
00:16:38
James
ah think I it was a great answer mate, nicely answered.
00:16:38
Rob Binns
Yeah. Yeah. It's interesting what you said about Moyes, I think, because I think it's a very sort of similar situation with Mick McCarthy for us really, that obviously we had the year in the playoffs, so we could have gone up, but it's sort of about leaving at the right time. I think obviously the obvious example was Arsene Wenger for saying on too long and it sort of started to go the other way. But I think Mick McCarthy stayed on a town for probably two or three, maybe three more years and he should have done.
00:17:05
Rob Binns
And I think that there did reach that point where it started to turn and it got, so the ah attendances were, so we were 10K fans, 10,000 fans off a full crowd every week.
00:17:06
James
Yeah I think so.
00:17:15
Rob Binns
There was, or sometimes more, so burn most, burn the team off most games, even if it was, even that was sort of solid steady performances. And when you look at the table, but it's a chance that can turn sour.
00:17:25
James
Depressing times.
00:17:27
Rob Binns
And I do think potentially, yeah, it's potentially that that's the way it could have gone with Moyes. I think if you kept him on for another couple of years, which So I can feel like what you said there.
00:17:34
officialgspn
Yeah, definitely. And and especially when when you're talking about that, it's like, imagine you did get rid of Mick McCarthy when you think you should have done. Everyone would have been asked the question, oh, have you sacked him at the right time?
00:17:45
officialgspn
Is it too early? So either you either have that conversation about, oh, is it at the right time?
00:17:45
James
Yeah. Good job, Lee.
00:17:49
officialgspn
Or it gets to the point where people hate them and then they go out and everyone's like, oh, what a terrible manager. They wasted our time. And it's like, well, you kind of you have to make the decision at some point.
00:18:00
officialgspn
So I'd rather it be while things are still relatively good so the the foundation is still solid and we can build from it rather than letting it decline and when you've got that sort of negativity around your manager I think it's really difficult to have success on the pitch and even after you let them go you're then building from a place of
00:18:11
James
yeah
00:18:17
James
Yeah.
00:18:22
officialgspn
the foundations being really shaky, opposed to when we let go of Mois, it was solid foundations. We we know what we are, we've been playing Europe, let's go up from here. So yeah, I think it was the right decision.
00:18:34
James
Nice. Well, you've m you touched on there as well that you've obviously not had the the greatest of starts this season. from ah From a fan's point of view, um what do you think needs to change this season and for that to then turn into a much better start?
00:18:49
James
Where do you think it's going wrong at the minute kind of thing?
00:18:52
officialgspn
Yeah, it's tough, isn't it? um I think firstly, yeah this is, i'm I've always been a ah big proprietor of Mikel Antonio.
00:18:55
James
Yeah.
00:19:01
officialgspn
I think he's done so well for us. And I think he's the first player to get a hundred gold contributions in the Premier League for us. So massive, great servant.
00:19:09
James
Airplane.
00:19:10
officialgspn
I just don't think he can do it anymore. like we We can't have him start for us because we get to 60, 65 minutes and his legs are just completely shot. like hes He's just not capable of leading the line in the Premier League consistently.
00:19:29
officialgspn
you know like he's He's been a great servant, but you have to get to ah a point where you decide to kind of phase them out of starting. And I think off the bench, he's a really useful option because the way that he plays is so physical. It's aggressive. He he hounds defenders. He can be a real nuisance. But as soon as he loses his legs in a game, it then leaves a massive hole in our frontline and it makes Bowen have to contribute so much more going forward, which he has done so successfully for us. but we can't keep relying on Jared Bowen because if he's not there, what happens if he gets injured, then then what do we do? so
00:20:06
officialgspn
Yeah, I think hopefully now for Craig is fit. Fingers crossed. I think he'll be in the match day squad. I'd like to see him get a considerable amount of minutes because, you know, we signed him for a reason.
00:20:17
officialgspn
He was scoring goals in Champions League quarterfinals and, you know, at Euros.
00:20:18
James
Yeah.
00:20:21
officialgspn
So you know that he has the quality if he's given the chance. So if we can get him more consistent minutes and if we can find a ah lineup as well that can stay consistent, that we can continue to play because Aron Wambasaka has played in parts and he's done really well but we've still played Kufal sometimes so it's trying to find the the lineup that's best and if we can find that and we can stick with it I think our form does improve it's just we we've been you know slightly unlucky with the the full quarry injury and I don't think Lopategi has been able to
00:20:55
officialgspn
fully find his best 11 yet. So I think the quicker you can do that and the quicker we can get into a groove of playing the same players consistently, that's what I think it will improve. So hopefully soon. that That's kind of the hope.
00:21:09
James
nice
00:21:09
Rob Binns
Yeah, I think Falkrook's the one for me. ah when i look at I think West Ham have always been that sort of team that as much as you've done the lot, what if obviously you've had some great years we've done well that as but as hard of a commodity as it is in modern football, but West Ham have always been a solid number nine away from being that step up from where you want to be.
00:21:26
Rob Binns
I think that we said years ago, yeah, exactly.
00:21:27
officialgspn
Yeah, we've had a massive Stryker curve big time.
00:21:31
Rob Binns
So Antonio had that year. so god knows probably five plus years ago now where he really hit a sort of purple patch and that sort of showed the potential there and there's never really loads of different strikers that come through the door and it's not worked out and then they say and I think Falkred that's the one that if he if he clicks in the gear and finds his form I think you'll start to fly up the table very quickly but if he sort of
00:21:33
James
Nice. Well.
00:21:54
Rob Binns
if he continues to pick up little knocks here and there or he stagnates and doesn't doesn't find his form because there obviously is the whole Bundesliga issue that a lot of Bundesliga strikers do come over and take at least a year to adapt or sometimes don't adapt at all. That's the sort of the turning point I'd say for your season from an outside looking in is a lot of if if he can sort of hit his Dortmund form or not.
00:22:18
James
is he Is he fit for this Saturday?
00:22:21
officialgspn
Um, I think I'm hoping that he's going to be fit enough for the bench. He won't start because he he wasn't on the bench in our last game.
00:22:26
James
Yeah, OK.
00:22:28
officialgspn
So you just hope that, yeah, I hope he's on the bench. Uh, there's, there's been murmurings that he is fit.
00:22:33
James
if Absolutely, mate.
00:22:35
officialgspn
So I guess for you guys, you're hoping not, but ah yeah, I'm hoping.
00:22:38
Rob Binns
Yeah, yeah i'll say i'm i' I'm hoping he turns around.
00:22:38
James
Yeah, yeah.
00:22:40
officialgspn
Yeah. Uh,
00:22:43
Rob Binns
I'm hoping he comes good, to be fair. just Obviously after Saturday, get that out of the way first.
00:22:45
officialgspn
yeah.
00:22:45
James
End of season, I am, actually.
00:22:46
Rob Binns
but So I do a little predictions better with my mates every year and one of the things we do is flop sign another season and both of my two mates have picked Falkor because they've flop signed and so i kind of eat they're already claiming they've won because he's had an injury already.
00:22:47
officialgspn
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Okay.
00:22:48
James
after
00:22:48
officialgspn
I'll have a word with him.
00:22:50
James
yeah a one right
00:22:56
officialgspn
where the in Yeah.
00:22:57
James
ah
00:22:58
Rob Binns
so I need him. I needed to turn it around so I can, I can, I can stop here and every week and I'll fall. No fall again. Another, another week. No goal. yeah You're in trouble with there. That's the last thing I want to ask you before we, we we probably need to take another break is this was a big concern so far.
00:23:10
officialgspn
Yeah.
00:23:14
James
Yeah, it went right.
00:23:15
Rob Binns
He's going to be the home for him. Obviously we're at home on your home. Obviously this Saturday, you haven't won at home yet this season in the league that performances as well generally have been better away from home. Is that a concern and that needs sorting out? Because it's been a sort of thing for the seven or eight years now you've been at the London Stadium, it's always been a bit of a struggle for homeform since the move, hasn't it?
00:23:40
officialgspn
Yeah, eight the the stadium one is a weird one because I think this season specifically, it's the the sample size is, I think, slightly skewed because we've played quite a few tough home games at the start of this season. And whenever you do bring in a new manager, I think it's it's difficult to quantify how much the kind of home away thing impacts it when you're playing games under a new manager with like quite a different squad.
00:24:08
officialgspn
So I like to think that hopefully it's not indicative of how the season is going to be moving forwards. And I think this game is a good opportunity to start to kind of turn that ah like line of thought around and get a good win at home and then we can progress from there. And yeah it's just tough. And i think I think especially when we are looking to transition into kind of a more possession orientated style,
00:24:38
officialgspn
doing that and not being as comfortable with it is gonna lead to mistakes and kind of some poorer performances. And you know that combined with the games that we have had at home kind of lead to this poor format home. So the the flip side of that is we've not been that amazing away from home. you know it's It's not that we've been great at one and poor at another. it's that We've kind of been lackluster in both and it's only really in the palace game that we've looked.
00:25:05
officialgspn
really dominant for any amount of time so so that it's not too much of a worry i i think it will naturally write itself as as the season goes along okay perfect right we are going to jump to our second ad break
Key Player Matchups and Predictions
00:25:43
James
Thank you.
00:25:45
officialgspn
Okay, so I would like to hear what you think the most impactful one-on-one, one player from one team, one player on another team battle is gonna be in this game at the weekend.
00:26:00
Rob Binns
um I think, so it feels a bit obvious to say with, to sort of lean towards the star players, but I think from your side of things, it's an argument I say on every single one of these crossover podcasts when someone asks me this question, it's normally the right wing swap. but co So in your case, that would be Mohammed Kuddos, I'd assume, or unless Falko did come in up front and Bowen went there, but either way, it's going to be a top quality player. and I say every week, it doesn't matter who we're on here chatting to about a game. The key for us is you have to get the balance of leaf Davis going up and down. Right. And if you get it wrong, there is space in behind and that could, that can be exploited by top players. So, and if you get it right, obviously the other way around that we create a lot of chances. I think Villa, we got it dead on. He had his best game of the season by far. Some of the, some of the play he had in there was really, it was
00:26:56
Rob Binns
bordering on world class, I think, that some of the play he had. And he's sort of been a big topic of conversation this week. Obviously England's squad around the corner, a lot of people sort of finally starting to see well we what we've seen for the last couple of years. and But there is that, I think that the, like I said, the Villa game, if the Villa game is where it all went right, and so Leon Bailey, he did set a goal up with a bit of quality from across, but he he was quite quiet for the bulk of the rest of the game, really, when we got it right.
00:27:24
Rob Binns
but To contrast that, Fulham is one where I think we got it wrong, because we got absolutely terrorized by a Dharma trial all game. And obviously, he's quite an extreme example with the size of him and how quick he is. But he every Fulham attack was what of any mean. He was coming down that right-hand side. Davis couldn't handle him. And then, like I say, you look at the right-hand side options at West Ham in terms of quality, the likes of Kuddos and Bowen, whoever would end up playing there.
00:27:51
Rob Binns
ah say could this would be the one especially for me where I worry that his ability on the ball is we know what he's like when he's on for I think that that would be there to sort of space to abuse is if we say we sort of double up down the left hand side of with Davis or something and some and you can you can for that attack then suddenly bang could us run somewhere and we're in and we we start to pull our defense out of shape. So that's sort of the one through that. So you want that could also be the one for a West Ham point of view, I think and then for contour I'd say Davis is the one for us because if we get it right, we can overload that left-hand side like we did against Villa a lot of the time with, because I assume it would be Clark again, and they really put a good partnership together. And then, even if they don't combine, that opens up space for Dilap as well, if Clark can sort of drag men away. And I think so, Davis davis and Kudas for me, for the reasons I've just said.
00:28:45
James
Yeah, all and ask I I'd have to agree.
00:28:46
officialgspn
Yeah, I think that's very fair and...
00:28:48
officialgspn
Nah, go on mate, you keep going.
00:28:51
James
Yeah, but i would id I'd have to have a bit of a mention as well, say if... For example, because there's been a couple of times a season as well where we have sort of, we've looked a bit overdone maybe towards the beginning of the season, but I think Greaves has been absolutely solid.
00:29:07
James
He made a mistake against Villa over the weekend fair play, but I think he's been absolutely solid. So I think he's going to stick out for us if Bowen's on form, especially if you do play well. And I think he's going to look good.
00:29:18
James
And um I'm always nervous of Bowen anyway. He's just such a good player.
00:29:23
Rob Binns
yeah
00:29:23
James
He's unbelievable.
00:29:26
officialgspn
Yeah, definitely. And I think to that the way that you talk about that ah fallback situation is that's kind of music to my ears because I think our most like threatening positions are our wingers, you know, that the Kudas and Bowen have serious quality.
00:29:43
officialgspn
And I think kind of above Westam's means right now, so.
00:29:44
James
Oh, serious quality.
00:29:48
officialgspn
So yeah, it's going to be interesting. For me, I'm more focused on Liam Dilapp and our centre backs, to be honest, because it I have confidence that our our wingers can go and score, but looking at how poor our defence is, and, you know, we've we've shipped goals in basically every game this season, and, you know, three to bloody Chelsea. and You know, it's it's not been easy to keep ah a back line and find that pairing that's gonna last for the whole season. And I think we found it now with Tadebo and Kilman. and I've really liked how Kilman's come in and he looks really classy, very cool on the ball, really good at kind of commanding the whole back line. And Tadebo has also looked good when he's played, but he's not had enough minutes as a partnership with Kilman to make me feel really secure and
00:30:40
officialgspn
the way that they're going to perform together so if they can perform well then I think that's what will probably win us the game if they can kind of keep him quiet and not give him the opportunity to play because I think when, when Liam Dallat does get the space, I think he has been the difference maker for you. And I think that's what will continue to happen. So, so yeah, I think for me, it's our defense, I'd say in general, our ability to not concede because it seems like that's the thing that's been kind of holding us back most of the season because I think it's obvious our our attacking talents. Okay. I'd like a school prediction from you both.
00:31:19
Rob Binns
this is ah This is the interesting swing as the away team here is how confident we want to go.
00:31:20
James
Oh no, yeah.
00:31:24
officialgspn
it's It's tough, it's really tough.
00:31:24
Rob Binns
I'm normally... out these work i said I tend to be on a lot of these crossover episodes that normally works that i let some I let whoever's on with me go first. They say it's really possible and then I bring the vibe right down with some pessimistic guess, ah ah philll say okay but I'm um a bit more confident about this one.
00:31:43
Rob Binns
I think the Villa Games really inspired me from I think it's probably helped the fact that in all honesty, say the Villa was the first time I've sat and watched this for 90 minutes this year because I work in football and we're always Saturday at three, which means that I'm out of that game.
00:31:55
Rob Binns
So I don't get a chance to sit and watch.
00:31:57
officialgspn
Yeah.
00:31:57
Rob Binns
So I've been on a Sunday, it was great for me. And that's really sort of renewed all confidence I had as well as being four-run beat. And so I want to go 2-1 win for town.
00:32:08
officialgspn
You know, the the frustrating thing is I kind of understand where you're coming from. And I think that's what really hurts. Like I, that doesn't seem completely out of the realm of possibility, which at the start of the season, if you'd said that, I'd have been like, oh, no way, surely not.
00:32:15
James
yeah
00:32:21
officialgspn
But now I'm like, oh, that that genuinely could happen.
00:32:21
Rob Binns
Yeah.
00:32:23
officialgspn
So, so fair play. What do you think, James?
00:32:26
James
Um, honestly, yeah, I have to, I have to agree. I, I was thinking I've got, a I've, I've owned an ad between one all and two, one, but I think we might just snatch it to one and add a cheeky little guess in there. I think coaching soon is going to get his first of the season as well for the winner.
00:32:44
officialgspn
yeah Yeah, that's fair. his it he How has he been this season? i and Maybe a bit of a tangent, but I know there was a lot of hype about him last season and signing in on the permanent deal. how How has he been?
00:32:55
James
I mean he's looked good at times he really has he's one of them players that you know that's exciting and we we need them players right now for this season and um and at times in games he has been that play and he's looked really good but there was also times I think especially maybe in the Villa game Because I think it's maybe fair to say we're playing the likes of Villa. Obviously, Liverpool and City, you know disregard. It doesn't really matter. But out of the last sort of four games and playing someone like Villa, I think he maybe got found out a little bit more. So maybe there's just a little bit of work to do there. But there's still a long way to go. He's going to have a good year.
00:33:32
Rob Binns
Yeah, he's still adapting to the number 10 role as well, because he was a winger for the bulk of last year.
00:33:32
officialgspn
Yeah.
00:33:35
Rob Binns
It was only sort of that last month or so, where he did sort of claim that starting spot in the middle over Chaplin. And then now he's sort of, he's been thrown in there from the start of this year and a harder league, still young player.
00:33:45
James
Yeah.
00:33:47
Rob Binns
I think he probably is going to need um ah probably another month or so to really nail on his style of play, make that number 10 position his own, and then hopefully all or ping right into gear at some point.
00:33:58
Rob Binns
But he was fantastic against Southampton. So certainly sort of these, big It's too early to call them six pointers in October, but those sort of games seem like that sort of game he might come alive in and they will be some of our biggest games of the season.
00:34:12
officialgspn
Yeah, definitely. I think when you look back at the season, it's those those times when you got points when you didn't necessarily think that you were going to and you you made the most of your opportunities. I think that's what you'll really look back fondly on if you do end up staying in the league. My prediction is tough. I've been uming and auring over 3-2 or 3-1, obviously to West Ham. I don't see us keeping a clean sheet because we haven't looked like it at all this season and I think you guys are on quite a rich vein of form.
00:34:39
officialgspn
So I'm going to go 3-1. I'm going to hopefully say that we can see it a little bit less than I'm maybe be thinking. And I think it's our wingers that kind of will capitalize on the maybe less experienced Premier League defence because, you know, Kudas is, um I think Kudas is champion league level. I really think he is. easy He's ridiculously good and he will carve up any defender on that day. So,
00:35:05
officialgspn
uh, a fresh championship defense. I think it's something that he'll look at very invitingly. So, so yeah, I'm going to go through your Mustang. Thank you very much for listening to this episode of the daily GSP and West and podcast say goodbye, James and Rob.
Closing Remarks and Sign-off
00:35:19
James
Thank you very much.
00:35:20
James
Cheers for having us mate.
00:35:20
Rob Binns
thanks for having us mate yeah
00:35:23
officialgspn
If you enjoyed this podcast, go check out their podcast. Go check out all the other podcasts under the GSPN network. We've got the fantasy podcast, women's football podcast. We've got the wrap-up podcast in many different languages. And we've obviously got each podcast for the Premier League teams. If you enjoyed this podcast, please go and have a look at our socials. They're linked in the show description, rate the show five stars, and we will see you very soon. Goodbye.