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Daily Ipswich: Episode 124 - Crossover Friday with Daily Nottingham Forest!
31 Plays14 days ago
For this week's crossover episode Rob welcomes Mark Jarvis from Daily Nottingham Forest to look ahead to this weekend's fixture at Portman Road. The lads discuss the similarities and differences between the two sides, look back on the season so far and share their predictions of the lineups and the all important result.
The Daily Ipswich Podcast, part of the Global Sports Podcast Network, is the home of all your ITFC. Join us every weekday for the latest news, build-up and reaction in the club's first season back in the Premier League.
Host: Rob Binns
Guests: Mark Jarvis
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Transcript
Introduction to the Crossover Episode
00:00:10
Mark
Here we go.
00:00:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome back to the Daily Ipswich and the Daily Nottingham Forest as it is a crossover today. on not Not on the usual Thursday, on a Friday this week we swapped the days around but we're looking ahead to the clash at Portman Road on Saturday afternoon between Ipswich Town and Nottingham Forest.
Pleasantries and Game Approaches
00:00:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm in the blue corner, Robbins for the use of those of you from the Nottingham Forest podcast who don't know me. I'm in the blue corner and in in the red corner we have got Mark Jarvis. How you doing mate?
00:00:40
Mark
I'm alright, mate. I'm alright. It's nice to be here. How are you?
00:00:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, i'm I'm doing good. I'm sort of at the point now where I'm just... I'm not putting pressure on any games now. It's just I'm going to enjoy it. I think I've sort of accepted fate at this point. I think I'm just going try and enjoy these last 10 games while I can.
00:00:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then, with any luck, ill we'll get another season of it to enjoy
Financials and Game Preview
00:01:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
next year. But I'm not going to big them all up every week now.
00:01:03
Mark
Mate, it's funny you say that. i think I think you're in quite a good position, even if you do get relegated. because I quite like it as a team.
00:01:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, suppose so.
00:01:11
Mark
And I've been watching been watching a lot of you guys this season. I was saying, I'd actually quite like to sign your front four. Not that we can afford it, because they'll be like 50 million each. But then that's my point. if they're gonna If they're going to go in summer, you're going to make so much money on top of... of you know Because you spent wisely...
00:01:29
Mark
He spent money, but he spent wisely because like Clark eventually, when he hits some form, will bring back a profit.
00:01:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:01:35
Mark
Philogene will definitely bring back a profit. Hutchinson's going to be worth like probably nearly the same as Zell App in summer because everyone will want him. So in that front four, you're probably going to get 200 million back or 150 million around that mark, depending on you know contracts and and who's got what. Because but most of them are new signings. Most of them will be on long contracts.
00:01:54
Mark
And most them probably expect Ipswich to be doing better than they are. so I think profit-wise, you'll look all right. And you'll also have the parachute payment. So you'll be loaded in summer. So, you know, you'll bounce back, I would imagine.
00:02:06
Mark
But yeah, I think, you know, you've got a good front four. think it's just the defence, mate. That's where it's falling apart.
00:02:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, problem that's probably of been one of the main areas and that's the fact we can't score goals. There's a lot of problems going on but we'll park them for now. We'll get on to the Ipswich side of things later on. We're obviously going to talk about the game itself as well as we always do and of course obviously both of them both of our podcasts are brought to you by the Global Sports Podcast Network, the only place to get daily content from every Premier League team.
00:02:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Premier League wrap-ups in multiple
Nottingham Forest's Rise in the League
00:02:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
languages and your women's football round-up as well. But Part one of today's show, we're going to focus on Forrest, you're the away side this weekend, heading to Portman Road for the first time in a few years, since it was a championship fixture.
00:02:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's fixture I know well because one of my best mates is a Forrest fan, so it's almost it's always a date to look out for in the calendar when we're with each other in the championship.
00:02:51
Mark
Mm-hmm.
00:02:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
and It was fairly even games back then, but the games themselves have been even this time around this year, but on position in the table, we couldn't be much further apart. It's third bottom against third.
00:03:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
and So I'll put it in to put it into words for some of our listeners. Maybe we can pretend that if we scrape up this year like you've done a couple of years ago, maybe we'll be there in a few years.
Predictions and Defense Contrasts
00:03:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
But how has this season been as a Forest fan? You're third in the table.
00:03:26
Mark
Yeah, yeah it's it's been and it's been mad. I think we're starting we're starting to kind of believe it now. and We were saying at the start of the season, i made I thought we'd be about 14th, 15th, prediction-wise. was like, we'll improve on last season.
00:03:39
Mark
We'll probably go a place or two, maybe 14th. But I also feel like there's something about me that feels like we're gonna have a fluke season. We've got some decent players. And if they gel this year, we might fluke it and get into the Conference League.
00:03:52
Mark
That was my prediction at the start of the season. And everyone laughed and went, imagine it'd be amazing, wouldn't it? And now we're all going,
00:03:59
Mark
oh, all right. Yeah, sound. and Champions League would be great. I think we'd struggle in the Prem next season if we've got Champions League. I think we'd we look tired now. It looks like we're about to run out steam, if I'm honest.
00:04:10
Mark
Still playing well. Obviously beat City. and But we're kind of in and out, in and out, in and out. because i think the I'm glad we've had a week off. Because we had quite a few weeks where we had FA Cup midweek, Saturday game, midweek game on like a Tuesday, Friday game. you mean? And that you could tell it was like really starting to get to the players.
00:04:29
Mark
But having a full week off has probably done them good this week, I think. Difficult game though. Ipswich away is hard. And I think you saying earlier... about the one team that we've struggled against this season is Ipswich in the Cup and in the league as well.
00:04:44
Mark
And I think it's because you set up quite similar to us. And I think the difference between you and us this season has been the defence. We've probably had one of the best defences in the league. You've got
Premier League Gaps and Relegation Battle
00:04:52
Mark
probably one of the worst. But attacking-wise, if you look at our front four, Hudson, Odoi, Alanga, Gibbs, White and Wood, is terrifyingly dangerous. Most teams would would have those plays and maybe in their squad on the bench, like the top six.
00:05:05
Mark
But the rest of the Premier League will definitely utilise those players because they're good players. But your front four, you know, Hutchinson, Philogene, De Laap. which Is Hutchinson central now because of Smodic getting injured?
00:05:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's been central most of the year, but now Nciso's fit again. I wonder if he might be stuck out wide this weekend because Nciso was brilliant against Palace.
00:05:24
Mark
And Nciso as well. This is what I mean. Like, you know, Smodic's got injured and they're like, we need someone else and brought in Nciso. Like, your front four is well dangerous. And I think the issue is we're quite a counter-attack team.
00:05:37
Mark
We play like very much built on defence and then break, and we've got good players. But I don't think your defence is strong enough to do that, and that's you're punished. And I think if you look at it, particularly with our two games, obviously they've both been at the city ground, so it might be different on Saturday.
00:05:51
Mark
But the two differences between those two games has just been, and across the season, our defence is better. We play the same game, but defensively you're not strong enough to do it, so you get punished every week. And that's that's as that's as harsh as the Premier League is. and when I think we're starting to see how big of a gap there is now between the Championship and the Premier League.
00:06:09
Mark
I mean, you're on 17 points. I know wolves Wolves are close. They're on about 25. But if you look beyond that, i think Everton and Man United are the next two teams and they're on like 33 points. They're miles away.
00:06:21
Mark
you know what mean?
00:06:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I mean, look at the league. There's six points between us and Wolves, but then Wolves from 17th to 16th, which is West Ham, is 10 points. So the you say the gap between the bottom three and sort of that next chunk of like 14th to 16th, which in years gone by would be the teams by this point in the season sort of nervously looking over their shoulder, hoping nobody goes on a run to bring them back in it.
00:06:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
They're 15 to 20 points clear, that little bracket. Yeah.
00:06:50
Mark
Yeah.
00:06:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
And literally Wolves is the little halfway point between the two almost who maybe could slip in. But then they've got Cunha, who's one of the best forwards in the league. So as long as he stays... Once his suspension's over, he'll probably go and win them three games on his own. And that'll be enough. That's the problem we've got there. But...
00:07:05
Mark
Well, I think my my worry for most of you lot is that, you know you look at the teams who are above you, you've got Tottenham, Man United, West Ham, who are three essentially massive teams, should all be in Europe, right?
00:07:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
you
00:07:17
Mark
And they're the three teams that you're chasing along with Everton, who again, you know, really should be up in the top half somewhere, especially with a new stadium next year. Moyes back in the helm as manager's done well. And essentially, like you're in a relegation battle with those four.
00:07:31
Mark
If someone said to you when you promoted, by the way, you're going up, but you're going to be in a relegation battle with West Ham, Man United and Tottenham, you'd have gone, oh, what?
Ipswich's Strategy Dilemmas
00:07:41
Mark
like And they they're three teams that have not been great this season, but you also don't want to be in a battle with them because you know that they've got that next gear. And and it's only going to take... if if Man Utd, Tottenham and West Ham win at the weekend, then maybe win the game after.
00:07:54
Mark
I worry for your your season because if you're maybe like another 15, 20 points behind, your team is going to we can't catch that. And it's going to be season over with 10 games to go. Do what I mean?
00:08:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, well, I've already accepted that part. Wolves is the only one we've got. We've got half a chance of getting past. Everybody else will finish above us now. And like you said, it's always been that point.
00:08:14
Mark
Yeah.
00:08:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
I've always thought, like early in the year, Palace were right down there as well. But like, I always discounted, there was a spell of time where Palace were in the bottom three and we were out of it for a couple of weeks. And I said, and I came on the podcast as positive as I as i always am when we're in the bottom three.
00:08:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes, we're 17th, but Palace won't stay here.
00:08:32
Mark
yeah
00:08:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Palace are too good to be here. They'll kick into gear at some point. And lo and behold, they have now and they're one of the most informed teams in the league. But speaking of other sort of informed teams.
00:08:44
Mark
They did it every season. but swear I swear they get to like 20 games in and they've got like 14 points.
00:08:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, sorry.
00:08:50
Mark
Somehow they finish every season at like 45. I'm like, where did that come from? Like, it just blows my mind every year. But yeah, I think it'll be an interesting game on Saturday to to kind of round up the waffle that I've said.
00:09:04
Mark
think it'll be quite an attacking game. I think it'll be quite an exciting game to watch. And I think it'll be quite open as well. Because, you know, Forest have got to keep up the points to stay where they are.
00:09:15
Mark
But, you know, you guys will be fighting with everything you've got. And I think... Kieran McKenna is probably just going to look at the Forest game as as one that is potentially winnable. And he's he's just going to say it to his lads, go and get it.
00:09:27
Mark
Because, you know, we've got get the three points. And I think because of that, it will open the game up. And I think it could be really exciting to watch.
00:09:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I mean, we've got to go and shock somebody, ultimately. And that's what this this game would fall in that category of. mean, we sat and digested fixtures the other day and we thought all of our last three are winnable.
00:09:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Wolves at home is winnable. But you probably need more than four wins to stay up. So then you've got to go and this week you've got Bournemouth away. Next week we've still Arsenal, Chelsea, teams like that to play. that You've got to go and shock somebody.
00:09:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
And something's got to change. But it's quite a bad time to be playing you, really.
00:10:00
Mark
Well, we did that. We...
00:10:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:10:03
Mark
Well, yeah, we...
00:10:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
So you've had a long, sorry, yeah.
00:10:07
Mark
No, go on. Yeah, no, it's it's it's not a bad time to be playing us, to be fair. We've got we've got a decent run, but we're a bit inconsistent at the minute. it And I think i think Portman Road is difficult place for us to go. I think it's definitely, in terms of us getting Champions League, I think this is a banana skin, majorly.
00:10:22
Mark
I think this is the one that we've got to watch.
00:10:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, hope so.
00:10:25
Mark
Yeah. Yeah. Because you know the thing is, I think we're we're still kind of underdogging against the top teams like Man United, Man City, Arsenal. So we're you know we know we're up against it, so we're playing out of our skins against them.
00:10:38
Mark
But you know we've we've struggled against teams that are kind of mid-table. And Portman Road is a difficult ground to go to as well. One of my mates does the presenting for Ipswich Town TV. And you know a lot about I know a lot about the club and it's a good ground.
00:10:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it's interesting. We'll get on to our home form later in the show when we move on to the Ipswich side of things, but it's not very good. for Everyone sort gives it a tough game to go, but we have had a lot of our points when you say the undergod aspect.
00:11:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
so wolves wo I keep saying this every week, but Wolves away is like the one big game we've gone and got the win we should have got. Most of our wins and draws and that have come when we're under the under the radar. Our only home win is Chelsea.
00:11:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then we've got like, you talk about the idea of getting up for the big games.
00:11:21
Mark
Mmh. Parts them as well.
00:11:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Up for the big games and not for the other ones.
00:11:27
Mark
Yeah.
00:11:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
To that point, say how how good a Villa were drawn against them twice?
00:11:30
Mark
Mmh.
00:11:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Pulum have got some bigger results, including beating you the other week. And some other big ones like that that you probably wouldn't expect them to get. And we've got two points off them as well, the two games we played them. We seem to be in that category of, we can just sort sneak results against these teams that don't do that. And I mean, even...
00:11:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Two weeks ago, we made each other in the Cup. I mean, yes, both teams made six or seven changes, but I think so. I mean, our squad was half or six of our stars or something was our League One team a couple of years ago. But even then, that went to penalties in 120 minutes.
00:12:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
you could only You only managed to put one past us, a team who struggles defensively.
00:12:07
Mark
Yeah.
00:12:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
These sort games that we tend to shock people. And I said, we were quite hopeful for that Cup game going into it
Lineup Changes and Injury Updates
00:12:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
because we looked at your fixtures around it.
00:12:19
Mark
Yeah, i honestly I honestly wasn't sure.
00:12:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
well
00:12:22
Mark
I genuinely wasn't sure. And yeah, i think I think you took the lead, didn't you? Originally.
00:12:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah.
00:12:31
Mark
And then we equalised. Yeah.
00:12:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:12:33
Mark
I think when you scored, i thought I genuinely thought, you know what? That's it. That's it over. We're focusing on the Prem. I just, I don't know. I had a funny feeling about it. i've I've got quite a positive feeling about Portman Road.
00:12:44
Mark
I don't know if it's just because I think it's going to be a good game or if I think it's going to be a good result. But I think it would be great to watch. and Talking about Bipswitch though, for you guys, let's say we've got a Forest are quite a good attacking team in terms of transitional.
00:12:58
Mark
Where's the breakdown for you? Is it your cams, like Sam Morsley, Kajust, Phillips? Because, you know, I know quite a lot about Morsley. dad's a Barnsley fan, so I've watched him quite a lot. And he's he' tenacious. He's a bit naughty, but he's tenacious.
00:13:11
Mark
And the kind of player that you you want in that midfield. But, you know, is Phillips living up to his expectation? Is is this Kajust guy as good as he's meant to be coming in from, you know, other leagues? Or is it just that, you know, the back four is essentially championship standard and they just can't keep up?
00:13:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's a mixture of things, really. and And you know what? I'm going to do that horrible podcast trait and I'm going to throw it to a break I'm going to answer your question when we come back.
00:13:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
We've been going for a while now and we've got to get our sponsorships in.
00:14:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
There we are. We are back for the second part of today's crossover episode for with the Daily Ipswich and the Daily Nottingham Forest. We've covered Forest in part one and I rudely cut off your question to throw to an ad break as we're going to focus on the Ipswich side of things now.
00:14:31
Mark
it's all right. Yeah.
00:14:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
So to answer your question about sort of where it breaks down it is the midfield for me because we've got some good players in there but Coyuste is the only one like ball-carrying midfielder we've got to like link the team between the defence and those four up the top end of the pitch.
00:14:53
Mark
yeah
00:14:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
If you don't have him, you have somebody else who to try and one of wingers has to come all the way back. And that's the problem because he's the only one we've got. We some reason didn't go and address that in January.
00:15:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
And because he works his he works his socks off, he puts in a good shift pretty much every week. He gets tired and he comes off 70, 75 minutes. And that's why we finish games badly because he comes off and nobody else fills that role.
00:15:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then that' that's like we struggle as a team who's supposed to try and sit in and hit on the break with pace, which the way we try and play a lot of the time.
00:15:21
Mark
Got you. Yeah.
00:15:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
When he comes off the pitch, we look like we don't know how to do it. And that's the issue to me. The midfield gets overrun more weeks than it doesn't. I mean, I look at games like Tottenham where we didn't play badly at all.
00:15:38
Mark
yeah
00:15:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
We lost 4-1 at home and we were just... The midfield was near enough non-existent for the majority of the game that Spurs would just pick the ball up, be able to bring it forward and then suddenly spread out wide and have got a chance.
00:15:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Whereas these sort of battles that... Morsi and Phillips are both... They're so similar that I really don't like when they play together because there's no variety in there.
00:16:02
Mark
Yeah.
00:16:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
And so they've both been... very up and down. I mean, more as he started the season fantastically, then sort of start to feel it a bit. And we're hoping to sort of turn back the other way now because he played a the whole 120 minutes against you in the cup.
00:16:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
And that's the best game he's had in a long time. And then he's had a full rest against Palace because he's getting on a bit now and just played 120 minutes on the Monday night before the Saturday. I'm hoping with that rest and that confidence in that game that He can kick on a bit now. Well, then Phillips as well has had a a lot of good shifts recently before he got his latest knock that he's had loads of.
00:16:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
He started to sort of turn a corner and be a bit more consistent because he'd been very up and down.
00:16:41
Mark
Oh God, yeah.
00:16:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's like, always go back to one from September, or October time where he had his probably, what I'd still say is arguably his best game for the club this season against Villa.
00:16:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
We drew 2-2 at Portman Road. And then he had his worst game for the club the week later and we lost 4-1 at West Ham and that pretty much sums him up really there's been no consistency but until the recent knock he started to turn that around and he came back against Palace and wasn't bad again they're both I'm hoping find a little bit of form but so it's my issues when they play together they're just far too similar and we get overrun to what and that's the long-winded answer to your question
00:17:13
Mark
Yeah.
00:17:21
Mark
yeah
00:17:23
Mark
Is there not somebody else who can step? Because I feel like one of the issues is, you know, when Hutchinson plays centrally, he kind of is like your Morgan Gibbs white player. But I don't know if you have anyone who plays that kind of floating creator.
00:17:34
Mark
So if you look at like, you know, Jack Clark maybe could be an option to do it as well, if you're going to put Hutch out wide. But, you know, with that in CISO, with Schmodix, like, you know, even if you look at like, you know, the likes of...
00:17:49
Mark
you know, the wingers, like they are all either like sevens or like kind of like nines just dropping off the lap. They're not really that deeper kind of play. You haven't got that person who's like your creator in midfield. Like you need kind of like I'm trying to think of like an Andrea Perlo kind of character. Ollie Norwood used to be great at it for Sheffield United. said He would just sit in the middle, turn, just find the pass and just ping it out.
00:18:15
Mark
And I feel like you haven't you've got like two la engines, two tanks who will tackle, and then there's a gap, and then there's like three wing wizards. But it doesn't create a cohesive five. And then you know the three are quite flat. You need runners to go in behind with the lap as well.
00:18:31
Mark
Look at me. I mean, like, Kieran McKenna knows a lot more than I do, obviously. But but I think it's it's a lot harder said than done. But it seems like, you know, there must be a fix. I mean, what I don't know if you've got any good backup left-backs, but I'd try Leif Davis out in midfield.
00:18:46
Mark
Because, like, creatively, he's brilliant.
00:18:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I mean, to be fair, Connor Townsend has come in for a few games recently.
00:18:49
Mark
Is that a terrible idea? Yeah.
00:18:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Davis has had some illness problems and some in little knocks here and there. And he's like somebody who we didn't really sort question the signing off because we thought, well, obviously he's coming as a backup, but he's in his early 30s.
00:19:07
Mark
Yeah.
00:19:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's come up from the championship. What role has he got to play? And then the last few weeks, he's sort of come in and he's played really well every time. I mean, the The cup game, again, to go back to that, that considering he was up against Hudson, i think it was Hudson-Odoi on the right, or Rolanga either or, that he's done so well considering what a threat they are. i mean, I'll mention that again later probably, but we tend to deal with your wide pass fairly well. but I thought he was fantastic in that cup game.
00:19:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's had a few games where he's been forced to come in and he has he just doesn't have that same threat.
00:19:37
Mark
Yeah.
00:19:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
like he's never He plays well, but he's never going to... displace davis because he doesn't offer that same threat going forward and i suppose you never considered the idea of pumping davis forward and playing both of them but you never know it might work but so
00:19:56
Mark
Yeah. But if you imagine imagine if you had Kajust and then Davis next to him. That would be pretty naughty, to be fair, holding midfield.
00:20:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah to be fair we did say we said yesterday that on our preview episode that we're sort of at the point now where we might as well try something. I think we meant in we were saying like playing Hurst and Dalap together and just risking that when one of them then has to go off, that you've got no strikers on the bench because that's all we've got.
00:20:13
Mark
yeah
00:20:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
But that's all. We're at that point now where we've got nothing to lose in a way, but everything to lose in another way because the gap's six points at the moment. So you're sort of like, well, we've got to make something happen because it's in Wolves' hands.
00:20:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
So maybe we try something, it might work brilliantly.
00:20:37
Mark
but but if if if you If you did beat us and wolves lost, you're fine.
00:20:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
But then the other way, if it fails... Yeah, exactly.
00:20:42
Mark
You're only three points off then.
00:20:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's why I say that it's all worth a go for that reason. But then the opposite way is if you try something and it blows up in your face, then the gap gets to nine points, then we won't overturn that.
00:20:55
Mark
Yeah, but if you lose and the gap goes to nine points.
00:20:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's like, it's nothing and everything to lose.
00:20:58
Mark
Yeah, well, if you lose and it goes to nine points and you didn't try something, you're like, well, you know,
00:20:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:21:04
Mark
we kind of, we didn't even give it a go. Whereas if you throw everything on that, I always think I live my life in the way of like sensibly, but like if you leave everything out there, if you leave it all in the room, if it doesn't go your way,
00:21:17
Mark
I mean, it's easier for me to say because an actor, but if you leave everything like on the line, if it doesn't happen for you, what in whatever scenario it is, you couldn't have done anything more. so I'm like, cool, I've got no regrets.
00:21:28
Mark
Whereas if you lose and it's nine points, you're like, well, we could have tried something, you're not going to look back on it. We'll see. I reckon we should play the second advert and then do lineups. do you think?
00:21:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, good idea. We're getting good at this podcast stuff, aren't we? Look at this going through nearly a whole season, merging together and everything.
00:21:44
Mark
little dream scene.
Injury Management and Key Players
00:21:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
But as Mark said, we're going to have a quick break now from one of the sponsors and then we'll be looking into the game itself and the team news after this.
00:22:17
Mark
Okay.
00:22:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
and We are back for the final part of today's show and we're going to lineups first straight away. We're going to i cover Forrest first because at time of recording, Nuno has done his press conference and Kieran McKenna hasn't.
00:22:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
So we've got a lot more openness for what we know about Forrest.
00:22:34
Mark
okay
00:22:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
And one of the other big things with you guys this year, being able to keep your success, is that Injuries have been kept to a minimum. It's something people keep saying about Liverpool as well, why they're flying so high compared to Arsenal.
00:22:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
But you've not had sort of extended spells of absence of outplayers.
00:22:50
Mark
Yeah.
00:22:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
And Nuno said today that apart from your backup goalkeeper, Miguel, you've got a fully fit squad to choose from. So that's that's a good and fantastic position to be in later on.
00:23:00
Mark
yeah
00:23:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
But we also know he's a manager who doesn't like to make changes.
00:23:05
Mark
I think that's, yeah. Yeah.
00:23:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
So well what do you expect from a line-up?
00:23:12
Mark
Well, I think it's a massive positive from Forrest this season because we, I mean, I think they've probably seen online from reading and some of the fans' comments. We've been so frustrated over the last few years. We've had kind of five or six years in a row in the championship.
00:23:25
Mark
We'd be like second at Christmas, like consistently every year. And we'd always finish like sixth or seventh without without just getting to the playoffs and then mess it up or we'd miss out. And like there was one season where, I don't know if you remember, it was probably four or five years ago.
00:23:39
Mark
It was at the British Sambalonga era, right? We had a Sambalonga, Jack Hobbs, Chris Cohen, Andy Reid. Somebody at another centre-half was Kelvin Wilson. But there was like five or six of our starting championship line-up.
00:23:52
Mark
all like it was And different players each year. But there'd be four or five of the starting XI and two or three of the bench out for like four months. And it would happen every year. And we were like, why?
00:24:03
Mark
And the season, we just do that every year. And I think that's something that Nuno's addressed when he's coming. I think he's done really well fitness-wise, injury-wise. He just seems to have his head really screwed on, really like level-headed.
00:24:14
Mark
And you know the difference with Forrest and Wolves compared to Tottenham and teams in Saudi Arabia is that they've gone, right, you've got some time, show us what you can do, build something. And if it's terrible, you're fired. But he's had that time, like he at Wolves, to build a brand, build a product, and people are buying into it.
00:24:30
Mark
And I think it makes a massive difference. And, you know, whatever they're doing on the training ground, whatever they've changed is working because people aren't getting injured. But having said that, we have been lucky. There was a few weeks where Anderson got a knock, Gives White got a knock, and it was like watching a whole different team.
00:24:43
Mark
It is crazy how important those players are. Mental. Like... you know with Without Gibbs-White, I think Gibbs-White and Anderson were both missing for the Arsenal away game. And 3-0. We got hammered, mate. like Hammered.
00:24:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you.
00:24:59
Mark
like It was only 3-0, but I think we had one shot. Do you know what I mean? it was the The difference was outrageous. But I think he'll probably stick with the Man City line-up. I reckon. He might give Yates a chance because he scored against you in the Cup. And we need someone who's a bit gutsy to go up against Morsi in midfield.
00:25:19
Mark
But I think it will probably be Sels and goal. Same back for Ina, Milankovic, Murillo and Williams at the back, Big Niko. Then Dominguez and Anderson as the kind of like holding pivots. Similar formation to you guys.
00:25:34
Mark
And then Alanga, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi and Wood would be the four. I would imagine he'll stick with that. and But i think the other thing this season, you know, why Forest has been so so successful. You saw it in the Fergie era. You saw it, you know, back in when Mourinho was in charge. And like,
00:25:49
Mark
I mean, Guardiola is just like a whole like special miracle in himself. He's an anomaly. But generally, teams that are consistent with their line-up, like Palace, consistency every single week, and you see how much of a difference it makes because they get that cohesion.
00:26:06
Mark
But I reckon that's how how we'll probably line up. My big question for you is, who's right back? Because I still can't figure out who actually is good at right back for you.
00:26:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, so that if he's fit, again, it's Twan Zaby. But we are a club that gives nothing away, even to our own supporters when it comes to injuries.
Impact of Lineup Consistency
00:26:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
I've given up on trying to find out now. Twan Zaby, he obviously came off at half-time in that cup game and he was rested. He missed Palace completely. But so for all I know, he could be out for the season. It's the same chance he's back this week.
00:26:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
They give nothing away. Sometimes players' names just appear. Even weekend just gone, the the against Palace, there was no rumour about Unciso being back until like late Friday night. And then he's in the starting line-up on Saturday.
00:26:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
It wasn't mentioned in a press conference or anything. It's just the way the way we do things. So I'm hoping he's back fit. But say I've got no idea on his time frame. But we stuck O'Shea there against Palace and actually kind of worked.
00:27:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
But this is the thing, go back to your point about cohesion and keeping consistent squads with when you're allowed to.
00:27:13
Mark
Interesting.
00:27:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
We make so many changes. like We will consistently make two or three changes every week. like There'll be minimum... We were saying yesterday, we don't were trying to work out how we named the same back four slash back five for two games in a row all season.
00:27:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
And it's something we always... like when Sometimes, obviously, it's in fourths, but sometimes it feels we just make changes for the sake of making changes. Like, we'll change one centre-back in a back five. When, like, do you really need to do that?
00:27:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
And that's that's where my well I think part of the reason we go wrong, is especially defensively, is that we haven't nailed down that consistent back four that can build the relationships and get together. And that's actually why I think the Cup game went well.
00:27:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Because it was three out four of our lead one back four who have played together for two years. And we look fairly solid for majority of the game. And I think that's probably the lesson from that why.
00:28:07
Mark
Yeah.
00:28:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
but So I'd like to think we go with the same back four against Palace because it worked quite well. Like, goal was very well taken, but ultimately it was a ricochet, which could have gone anywhere. And it happened to fall full to Sar's feet and he'd done the rest.
00:28:20
Mark
Yeah.
00:28:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
We were unlucky, really. Palace, bar a couple saves from Palma, didn't create too much. So I'd like to think we go the same again, but it wouldn't be very Ipswich this season to name an unchanged back four, but
00:28:30
Mark
Yeah.
00:28:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think it probably will be the same two in midfield again. Maybe Morsi for Phillips because Phillips has just come back. I don't know how fit he is. And obviously we know what he's like for the last three years that he will play two games of football and then get injured for a month. And then he'll come back and play two games of football and get injured for another month.
00:28:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's on that cycle. So they might want to rest him. And obviously Morsi played fantastic in that cup game. I think the front four will be unchanged because again, we didn't score, but we're making chances, which for the first part of the problem solved.
00:28:56
Mark
yeah
00:29:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
The only question would be, Hutchinson back in for one of Clark and Philogene to me. and Unless, and again, unless Cisos tweaked something and would have to drop to the bench to make sure.
00:29:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
But I want to keep it at least...
00:29:15
Mark
Is Inciso better than the other two?
00:29:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
i don't know if he necessarily is better completely, but he was the sharpest player on the pitch against Palace for us. He was at the heart of everything.
00:29:27
Mark
Yeah.
00:29:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
He was pressing with a bit of intensity that we haven't had in a lot of games. He was... He's not afraid to shoot, which is the key thing for us. so We had 15 shots against Palace.
00:29:37
Mark
yeah
00:29:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's one of our highest in the season. And I think he had about four of them. And he didn't even play the whole game. that He's not scared to just have a pop when he gets the ball. like There's one, he snatched the ball back himself, sat down gay and just shot from like the angles rubbish, but he had no one in the box. We just had a go.
00:29:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Whereas I think most of our squad lacking in confidence would have been in that position and gone, alright, nobody in the box. I'll turn and pass backwards and we'll see if we can recycle it. He just had a go and won a corner.
00:30:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah Then, like, that's what, he just doesn't have much fear about him.
00:30:06
Mark
Yeah. Yeah.
00:30:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
So I'd like to see him start again. that and so I want to see at least nine, ideally the whole 11 if we can, but because it was wasn't a bad performance as part the loss, but you've got to have nine, sort of, ten nine, ten players from that Palace game for me if you've got a realistic chance here.
00:30:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
got to be lining up the same because it did work well.
00:30:26
Mark
yeah
00:30:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like I say, the but Another day, that ball ricochets two yards further away and lands on Walthampton's boot and he hooks it away. But just happened to land on Saar's boot and he's a good enough player to turn, produce a burst of pace and a good finish.
00:30:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah ah so On that element of it, he's unlucky.
00:30:41
Mark
Oh, it was an outrageous golo on it.
00:30:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. That's what mean. He's one of the few players, like him, Eze, Dallap maybe on our side, the sort players that if the ball fell to in that place, you could see the same result that Even Palace, they're a good team, Palace.
00:30:58
Mark
Yeah.
00:30:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
But like I think of Kamada, who was on the pitch at the time, and Ketty. I don't think they do that if they broke the same way. It's just that element of it was unlucky.
00:31:04
Mark
Yeah, fair.
00:31:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
But overall, Palace, we played well. So I'd like to see a similar XI. But it's been the Ipswich thing this year to make three or four changes week on week and then wonder why it's not clicking together and people aren't communicating properly.
00:31:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
but I'm hoping we stop that trend now because I say we're, most of our injuries now, they're either out for the season so we know they're not coming back or they're back soon. So we're sort getting to the point of close enough to a fully fit squad that we don't, we shouldn't have to rotate all the time.
00:31:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
But I don't, I don't know.
00:31:37
Mark
Yeah, and Greaves is back as well. Big player to have back.
00:31:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. it's a It's a, it's just so hard to know about our lineups week on week that they've just come out the blue. Like, It's like or normally nailed on starter, but he's had knocks recently. We haven't known. We've just seen a team come out and he's on the bench, or he's not in the squaddle he's not in the squad completely.
00:31:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Then it's just like
Tactical Approaches and Outcome Prediction
00:31:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
panic. like oh no what's how How bad is it?
00:31:57
Mark
Yeah.
00:31:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
What's happened? is it Is it a one-weeker? Is he out for the season? The club never give us anything. so Trying to predict line-ups on a Friday podcast are an absolute nightmare. Yeah.
00:32:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Something want to talk to you about quickly before we wrap up today's show is something we spoke in depth about this week on our pod.
00:32:15
Mark
Yeah.
00:32:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
We're trying to pick apart the reasons why Forrest seemed to maybe not struggle, we have beat us both times, but look uncomfortable against Lipswitch, whereas there have been a lot of teams who find us fairly easy to play against.
00:32:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
the i But where I think it comes down to is we know how good your wingers are and Our makeshift fullback, both games we've played here, we've had one of the starting fullbacks out and the other one playing.
00:32:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
And yet we kept the wingers fairly quiet. I mean, Alanga, credit to him, was very good in that cup game, but Hudson-Odoi was quiet. And both of them quiet in the league game.
00:32:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think it was Shotta Silver who ended up winning the penalty and he actually caused more a threat when he came off the bench than the starting two. But from a Forrest's point of view, that that's a point I've been making all week.
00:33:01
Mark
Yeah.
00:33:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Is that one you'd sort of agree with? Maybe is that part of reason why why do you think you might struggle a bit more against us than perhaps you should?
00:33:14
Mark
Yeah, I think think it is it is a reason for sure. But I think the thing, like i was saying earlier in the podcast, I think for me it comes down to the fact that you know we we've been very good at being the underdog for two or three years and you know we've played the underdog very well and realised that actually we are good enough to compete with the teams at the top the season and have have deserved a lot of the victories we've got. we've got lucky in a few.
00:33:34
Mark
But we've deserved a lot of them and I think we've realised that we can compete up there. But I think Upswich play quite similar to us in the sense, like I was saying earlier, that you know you are quite a counter-attacking team. I mean, some of your counter-attacks have been unbelievable that you haven't scored enough. And i've been how have you missed that?
00:33:48
Mark
I mean, that's another thing in the Premier League where take chances. But I think That's where Forest struggle. Forest struggle against low blocks because we're a counter-attacking team and we find it hard to break teams down.
00:33:59
Mark
And I think it then comes down to a shootout, you know, who scores first wins, basically. And that that to me is what is probably more of an issue. But I think if you keep the wingers quiet, you know, we we do play a lot through that front three and behind Wood, you know. So if you keep them quiet, it's difficult to link up between the lines. So, yeah, you might be right.
00:34:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I think that might be a part of the part of the reason. But I never know. I'm hoping that we can sort of frustrate you again and maybe this time we'll tip it the other way. But to wrap up then, score predictions, we've got to do them.
00:34:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Again, I'll give you the honours first, as you should be the more confident one out of the two he watched day if anyone listened to our preview yesterday, you know yeahre I'm not very confident.
00:34:36
Mark
Yeah, I think it'll be...
00:34:41
Mark
i think I think it'll be a good game. I think... I'd love it. I mean, I'd love to get the three points, obviously. But I'd also be more than happy to watch three-all on match of the day.
00:34:52
Mark
That would be great. If it was end-to-end, like goals flying in, that would be great to watch. It'd be a nightmare as a fan watching the goals go in. and But... It'd be a great game to watch. But I think we'll probably edge it.
00:35:03
Mark
I think it just depends on who takes the chances better. I think probably two on Forest because I think you'll score.
00:35:11
Mark
But I think i think a draw is possible, but I think we're do
00:35:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it's going to be a tight one, I think.
00:35:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think I'm going to take it back to a point you made way back in part one, that we're fairly similar, but our defence can't live up to the way we try and play. And I'm going to go back to that. I'll take your most recent game against City as an example.
00:35:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Stayed in the game, nicked it 1-0. We don't have that game in our locker. I've said that all year. like I compare us to the likes of Wolves and teams like that well and to other teams when they were down there at the time. is that You can see them going and grinding out a shock result either home or away, just defending them for their lives, nabbing goal. When we went to the Emirates, Everton went there the week before, played not defended fantastically, got a 0-0 draw.
00:36:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
We went and done the exact same tried to play the exact same foray and we just let a poor one in. And that's my problem, I think, that you're very good at those sort of hold firm 1-0s where you don't have to play at 100% and we're not. So for that reason, still have some prediction I went for yesterday was Forrester nick it 1-0 in an evening game. And I think, again, I say we have to shock people, but for me, this is a game where I can't see it happening.
00:36:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
I can see it more likely when we've got Stamford Bridge in a couple of weeks. That's more the sort of one I think we might, nab that surprise win late in the season. But it's a cliche for this time of the year, isn't it?
00:36:38
Mark
yeah
00:36:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
In the running, you want to play teams who have got nothing on to play for. You don't want to play teams for chasing something, especially those down the bottom, scrapping for their lives. So I'm hoping we give that cliche its reason and then we start picking up some results now find it hard for people.
00:36:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
But I don't think we will this game. I just think Forrester a bit too strong at the moment.
00:36:57
Mark
Yeah.
00:36:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
so So unfortunately, I can't bring the positivity on this side of things.
00:37:02
Mark
Oh yeah, fingers crossed.
00:37:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
i always like to try and
00:37:05
Mark
Fingers crossed.
00:37:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
predict a draw at least on these crossover ones, but I can't do it this week.
00:37:09
Mark
Gotta stay positive. Gotta stay positive. I think well think we'll get the three points, but like I said, it could be a banana skin, so it could go either way.
00:37:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I was hoping, for me, it's just a home form as well. I said it earlier, we've got one win at home all year, well, two in all competitions and one was Bristol Rovers. And then you said the other one, the other one was Chelsea, randomly.
00:37:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
and so I mean, that's that's where the hope is to me, that underdog games we play better than games of expectation, like even Spurs, that we should we should be underdogs in that one.
00:37:33
Mark
It happens.
00:37:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
But they also felt like a bit of expectation because they had've been they've been off it this year. And I think that's why. I think had Spurs be flying like they were last year at one point, and if they were in the top four and coming to that game and played the same way, I feel like, in a weird way, I feel like we'd have had more chance of getting results. So maybe the underdog thing will come into play and we can get another a positive result at home that we are absolutely
Conclusion and Podcast Promotions
00:38:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
craving. But we'll see how it plays out.
00:38:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
And that will wrap us up for today as well.
00:38:09
Mark
We'll see. We'll see.
00:38:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
The end of a very fun little crossover episode here. So on a Friday this week instead of a Thursday, make sure you check out both podcasts. Obviously any of you from the Daily Nottingham Forest come and check us out at the Daily Ipswich and any of our listeners will Make sure you go and check out the Daily Nottingham Forest with Mark and the boys as well.
00:38:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
That is it for today's episode. We will both be back on our respective podcast next week and we start with reviews of the game. And until then, we will see you later.