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Episode 77: Matchday Preview: Chelsea!
24 Plays18 days ago
Southampton – It's Match Day! And hopefully, unlike down the road, we've paid our electric bill! We welcome Chelsea, and we try to work out what our team will look like!
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Transcript
Introduction & Match Preview
00:00:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome to the Daily Southampton Podcast. Today, previewing Match Day. It's under the lights, unlike our friends down the road.
00:00:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
We're welcoming Chelsea to St Mary's tonight, and I don't know if I'm excited or or nervous or what.
Host Introductions & Health Update
00:00:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
My name is Greg, as always. I'm joined by my illustrious co-host, Zach.
00:00:33
Zak
Hello, mate.
00:00:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
How are you doing, Zach? You all right, mate?
00:00:35
Zak
I feel like death and unfortunately I missed our crossover, which is very upsetting because that's the first episode I think I've missed since I joined. But it is what it is. I will survive and get through it because, you know, what other choice do I have?
00:00:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
i
00:00:48
Zak
Hopefully I'll be joining you tonight to come watch it. We'll have to see as long as you know. Thing is, I don't want to selfishly, I don't want to like, not selfishly, I don't want to like, befoul a plague on your entire household.
00:01:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's too late for that.
00:01:02
Zak
And that's kind of how I feel at the moment.
00:01:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
oh My household has already been hit. It is that time of year mate.
00:01:07
Zak
Aw, it's awful.
00:01:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
There was no escaping it. the The germs have festered through the school and have made their way into the household.
00:01:13
Zak
You're right, I don't have kids. But yeah, it's it's a bit of a weird one. like i haven't I think it's been so it's been such a short period of time since the weekend. And usually if it's a midweek fixture, it's like a cup game. So there's not less care. OK, there is less care.
Refereeing Decisions & Team Concerns
00:01:28
Zak
So it's very... It's very surprising to be like, right, cool.
00:01:32
Zak
Hang on a second. We have another Premier League game to play. So yeah, it snuck up on me.
00:01:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:01:37
Zak
I'm surprised.
00:01:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Well, I mean, let's face it.
00:01:38
Zak
I'm excited, though. Should be good.
00:01:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Uh, I've talked about plagues and illnesses, but if ah ah an illness struck our team, uh, this week, we would be in dire straits, right? We're already without half of them.
00:01:51
Zak
I'll be playing what but that the Premier League 2 teams would end up having well and I feel like we're one goalkeeper off of having an emergency loan mate. We're even far off at this point.
00:02:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:02:02
Zak
It's crazy. it's crazy like That's what happens, isn't it? If you play you play the sort of football that gets you know is brave, I know that's Russell Martin's favourite phrase. If you play that sort of football and you you play football where you get carded a lot,
00:02:17
Zak
Unfortunately, those cards rack up and it just hope happens that all of them have have racked up at the same time. but I think it's probably better that you have all of your players suspended on for over one game rather than having everyone spread out.
00:02:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:02:29
Zak
you know it's not ideal to lose most of your player base, is it?
00:02:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, let's face it, the form form that Chelsea are coming into the game to, it's it's ah maybe the better of the games to have missed out on and potentially I guess write it off early but I don't think that that's the approach they'll be going into the game if it's definitely not a mentality we showed before.
00:02:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
The line that stood out to me in the press conference which is another one of those ones that is very soundbite worthy was no I don't mind if it's a good yellow and I just can't yeah I can't fathom that as a
00:02:48
Zak
Damn.
00:03:00
Zak
Good yellow. Wild. i think I think he gets let off because of the fact that we've had so many decisions going against us this week, who cares, like
Referees, VAR, and Player Opportunities
00:03:11
Zak
or the last month or so, it's been ridiculous.
00:03:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah i watched a compilation on youtube tube and it only set to upset me even further so i'll be avoiding before he did that but i've looked up yeah as part of the preparation you know i normally like to look up some statistics and ai generate actually as part of my preparation look like i looked up who the referee was so uh but it's i think it was uh harrington it was not one that immediately stuck out as someone was going to ruin my
00:03:14
Zak
I can't
00:03:31
Zak
good
00:03:39
Zak
yeah that's not That's not a name I've heard that I immediately am in panic about, put it that way.
00:03:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
And the same with VAR, there weren't referees that jumped out as all this is going to be an awful refereeing experience. But I mean, that doesn't really mean a huge amount based off of.
00:03:52
Zak
It did. That's the problem, isn't it? It doesn't. It's such a, it's such, it's, it just, it just feels like luck. It feels a hundred percent like a, like a flip of the coin as to whether or not the referee is going to like, you know, ref the game properly or not.
00:04:07
Zak
And I just, you know, the fact that we've, our manager has had to spend more time this week having another chat with the people in charge of refereeing about another decision that's not gone our way that probably should have for like the XY.
00:04:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. It's on first name basis with Howard Webb.
00:04:22
Zak
Yeah, it's it's insane. like You shouldn't be chatting to the guy in charge. It'd be like us you know in our jobs talking to the head of IT t every day because of the... Oh, we keep... We're sorry. We just keep accidentally letting cyber attacks hit our company.
00:04:34
Zak
Is that a problem? like it's It's mad, but unfortunately, it's going to be a talking point until they sort it out.
00:04:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
I deployed this anti-virus fixture, but it passed it straight to the attacker.
00:04:40
Zak
and
00:04:44
Zak
but
00:04:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
and
00:04:47
Zak
But like yeah, it's it's it's upsetting. I'll say it once, I'll say it again. It's upsetting how much we have to talk about it, because it shouldn't be the main talking point.
00:04:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
No.
00:04:54
Zak
But the fact that we have to now worry about the referee that's going to be playing is like like they're an opposition player. Like, oh, no. you know This guy's reference, so we know that the chances on all of all our players being set off is high, and the fact that these goals won't be given.
00:05:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
No.
00:05:08
Zak
That's just insane. You shouldn't know who the referees are by design. That's kind of where I'm at.
00:05:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm interested to hear your opinion on one of my takes because I do tend to try and spin things into a positive light and take it from it.
00:05:17
Zak
Yeah.
00:05:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
So do you think that being forced to play these fringe players gives the attitude of having something to prove and might give us a slight edge in that respect?
00:05:22
Zak
Sometimes too much, but carry on.
00:05:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like fighting for something more than even just fighting for the points they're fighting for their place in the team? Or do you just not think it's within that group of players to step up that that much?
00:05:47
Zak
Yes. And I just like to see it. We've had players that have been on the fringes that have, you know, the fact that we're, we're, everyone's talking about in the return of tool pool as if like, you know, he's had, he's had a couple of good games, but like the fact that that was even a thing and he just wasn't sold in the summer shows that if you've got that mentality, you can get back into the squad from a lone players perspective, unless they want to spend the rest of their season long loan at our place doing absolutely nothing. They have to step up to either.
00:06:16
Zak
make a stake in our team or alternatively make a stake to somewhere else to take them on and play them significantly more. That's kind of my opinion of it. And then the other players, you know, the ones in the background that in my opinion should have been playing better. Well, it's one of those things where like, do you actually want to go to a club that's going to play you in January or do you do you want to go to like the third division Belgian league? Like you put in put a shift, you know, just put in a shift. What's the worst going to happen? You score a few goals, you know,
00:06:46
Zak
we we We get a win. ah ah You give Russell Martin, you give them something to think about. I feel like that it's really like sort of next man up time and they need to start actually proving but that they're worth you know what we brought them in for.
00:06:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:07:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:07:02
Zak
The entire point, you know we keep talking about the fact that squad depth is a problem with the amount of players we've signed and the fact that you've got all of these players. It shouldn't be. So it's time for them to show that they aren't a problem or otherwise off you go.
00:07:13
Zak
See you later.
00:07:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah Yeah.
00:07:14
Zak
kind of wiping know
00:07:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
And ah ah speaking we're gonna get into predicted lineups which is gonna be a ah ah very wild segment for sure because there might have to be some left field picks because we just don't have anyone left but we've had a bit of an update or I don't know if you saw about Charlie Taylor and it came out that it was more of a tactical thing because we switched to this back five and he was struggling with it do you buy that for a second
00:07:39
Zak
It's kind of wiping it on it.
00:07:44
Zak
I don't buy anything that I think that he's never ever pointed the finger. He's not like a marina, is he? That's going to point specifically at players being rubbish and and point that outright, even in the whole Bella Koch app situation. It's ours. Just, just doesn't fill in with our tactics. BS, absolute BS. He doesn't want to play in the under 21. So why is he going to give him a chance in the first team or he does. And that would be, you know, completely out of left field tomorrow. Like who knows at this point, but For me, I feel like he's he is very good at protecting them and will probably trustise them in private.
00:08:17
Zak
He is going to get those sort of questions, obviously, if people are out of the team for a while. One of the other questions that we barely had a look in is like small bones back from injury now, right?
00:08:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:08:26
Zak
Yeah, he didn't show himself in good light, but considering he went from basically a number one pick to a player that we've both not spoken about in five, six weeks, there's a lot going on. It's like the whole McCarthy getting in before Lumley, and Lumley only really having a chance because McCarthy was hurt. We've got told there were no injury concerns. He's always going to keep his cards to his chest, but no, I don't don't believe it for a minute. It probably is is tactical in the sense of, I don't feel like you're going to put in the effort and the shift that I want you to, so I will play someone else in your place. Because if not, are you telling me that Ryan Fraser is a beff for better left back than Charlie Taylor?
00:09:01
Zak
Maybe he is. Who knows? What do I know? But like I don't don't think that... I think there is a lot of things behind closed doors that we don't see, and everything that is said to us outside of that is entirely supposed to be snipped for the media, snipped for me and you to talk
Media Management & Internal Dynamics
00:09:17
Zak
about.
00:09:17
Zak
he's not going to do He's not going to throw the players under the bus. He's just not that kind of guy.
00:09:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
it's the same with the referees though i mean if they had a penny for every time he said how would web's a lovely bloke and he's got a tough job i just don't think that that reflects what his mindset is because he's got to be sick of talking to him at this point and
00:09:23
Zak
Yeah.
00:09:30
Zak
No.
00:09:33
Zak
Yeah. I'm saying, like, you know, there's some stuff that's left on the field and this isn't, you know, how it's going to be. and we We know they just need to be corrected. We have to trust it. And trust and you know and I'm feeling like, could you imagine saying that you you know you you go and visit HR for the fifth time because they've not dealt with a problem you've got in your workplace, which is essentially what what it is, right? It's like the footballing version of HR at this point. They turn up, they go to have a conversation about a goal that should have stood. And it's like, hey, yeah, no, we agree with you. Probably should have stood up like, cool. You're going to do anything about it. Wow, maybe. It's like, you're telling me that a man of his sort of
00:10:10
Zak
personality isn't behind the scenes losing his absolute rag. Nah, I think he's very well media trained trained ah by design. I buy think that his actual opinions around things you can see, because the mask occasionally slips, right?
00:10:24
Zak
Like that one post defeat where, you know, he was mugging off the fact that we were asking about Wes Larner.
00:10:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:10:29
Zak
He's like, what if he was fitting to be playing, wouldn't he?
00:10:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:10:32
Zak
And it's like, I get it, mate. But yes, I don't believe all of the stuff is entirely tactical. If it was entirely tactical, you know you'd have ah lots of things that would have changed, in my opinion.
00:10:45
Zak
But it it is what it is.
00:10:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:10:47
Zak
we're not gonna hear We're not going to hear the true, true opinions of anybody because I think that they like keeping their jobs so and not being fined.
00:10:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
but And realistically, we surely we'll find out tomorrow when tactics have to go out of the window and we've got to get 11-med on the pitch that can play.
00:11:02
Zak
Well, I wouldn't be surprised it's it's if if they're all being trained the way that they're supposedly being trained.
00:11:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right.
00:11:07
Zak
they're all going to have to play that game. And like, one of the games that i I'll put back to you is, do you remember that? I can't remember what game it was. Do you remember the game we got knocked out of, I want to say either the Carabao Cup or the FA Cup?
00:11:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Last year at Illingham.
00:11:19
Zak
Where, yeah. Yeah. So the game that was absolutely shocking. And the fact that I don't remember the opposition says it all. He gave a lot of players the chance to sort of put themselves into his idea of football.
00:11:32
Zak
And a lot of them squandered that by trying to play Hasnaud ball and they never played again.
00:11:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
specifically in the end color yeah
00:11:37
Zak
Lianco, people like Ginepo, that was the last time we ever saw him play in a same shirt. And then, bang, gone out the door. And I have a feeling that a lot of these players are going to be expected to carry on as if, you know, we're not losing. I don't think he's going to suddenly scramble tactics about and change it hugely. He's just going to expect the players that will come into that position to play that position. The one time he tried an experiment like that was Bournemouth. I don't know what happened. We had no out and out striker.
00:12:01
Zak
And we scored at the end due to Taylor Howard-Bellis after going like three or four down real quick. So I just don't think it will
00:12:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:12:07
Zak
I don't think that's a bad thing, though. like you know again it'll be a chance to or it will be put to the sword and he'll realize that we don't have the depth to keep playing like this and maybe shwake his tactics going forward i know he said he lives by the sword and died by the sword but i also don't believe that he wants to be fired i feel like the reason that he plays and continually plays the way that he does is that he knows he's got the back in
Podcast Promotion: Zencastr
00:12:26
Zak
i feel like if they said you've got today and tomorrow to do it or otherwise you're losing your job i think you might tweak things a little bit more but I don't know. I don't know the guy personally. I can only go from his but his record is, but his record isn't to massively change things but despite a change in personnel, right?
00:12:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, that's it. That's what we're going to have to see. I mean, we've got no choice. So I guess that wraps us nicely into our our predicted lineup segment, but first a message from our partners at Zencaster. So here at the Global Sports Podcast Network, we spent a lot of time selecting our delivery platform and Zencaster claim out the clear winner. With 4K video recording from your phone and AI editing that automatically removes all those ums and ahs, it's super easy to start a podcast that sounds great and is delivered efficiently.
00:13:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
If you're ready to tell your story, check out the link in the show description to learn more about Zencaster.
Lineup Challenges & Tactical Decisions
00:13:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, so predicted lineups. Let's see if we can cobble together something that resembles an 11.
00:13:22
Zak
Right, well, so so how many who's out at this point, right? Kyle was out. So you're probably going to have a James Brie at the back, right?
00:13:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah so So we've got Harwood Bellis suspended, Flynn suspended, and Tyler Diblin suspended.
00:13:33
Zak
Yeah.
00:13:38
Zak
Yep.
00:13:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
And we've got Yanny B and Paul Paul potentially back.
00:13:42
Zak
Supposedly back, though right, there was conversations that he should be.
00:13:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
like Every single time Russell Martin has said, we'll check tomorrow and he should be in the squad.
00:13:46
Zak
He said that that someone should be back, they're not.
00:13:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
I've not seen them involved. So I think that Yanny B is still injured. And Paul Paul, yeah.
00:13:54
Zak
Is this literally just to keep Chelsea guessing as if they care?
00:13:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
and Paul Paul could be back obviously Ramsdale still out and McCarthy is knees are falling apart because he's 103 so
00:14:06
Zak
yeah
00:14:10
Zak
He's like 35, people are so mean, he just looks older.
00:14:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
and I think that, oh, and obviously, uh, Les Luego Chugwoo, who I guess we would normally bring him Flynn Downs, unavailable for selection because he's chose for his parent club.
00:14:24
Zak
Cup tied, right?
00:14:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
So.
00:14:29
Zak
Cup tied, yeah, parent, same thing. so So yeah, okay. So so let's let's go through it. So it depends whether or not he would risk putting Sigewar at the back again after last time. Probably not, I imagine, because he was at fault for a couple of mistakes at um Brighton because they were trying to shoehorn him into a position that he doesn't really play. So you're going to have probably, let's say, I think if McCarthy's fit, McCarthy will play.
00:14:53
Zak
he's not fit, he'll be lumbly. We're not going to know that until tomorrow.
00:14:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Do you think Lumley's done enough to deserve a shot either way? Because I don't think he was awful against Brighton.
00:15:02
Zak
I don't think he was all fully experienced in there are a couple of times that he did what every single one of our goalkeepers did.
00:15:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, is that the bar we're aiming for? Is that the bar?
00:15:07
Zak
Exactly. What what what is the bar? like it's It's mad because it's like, well, surely a goalkeeper should just do a goalkeeper's job. And I was trying to explain to my wife that, well, yeah, but our goalkeepers also have to do like slightly more.
00:15:17
Zak
It's not just about saving the ball and like trying to have that conversation with someone that doesn't i care or pay much attention to football was very sort of interesting because I realised like, well, unfortunately it is a bit more of an important position than we think it is.
00:15:30
Zak
So yeah, like why why not? I think that considering McCarthy's last game wasn't exactly great and now it might be to do a fitness or what, but why would it would it matter?
00:15:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah well there was a herd that potentially had to have like uh people with shots and injections in his knee just to get on the pitch which is not
00:15:45
Zak
It was injections, right? Yeah. which is Which is, for me, I think that it was insane that he was played with injections and then still let in all of the goals anyway.
00:15:57
Zak
So you may as well have just not had him and given Lumley a shot in, but we we drew. It's not a clean sheet, but it wasn't an absolute drop in either. A lot of that's down to luck in the players too.
00:16:09
Zak
You don't get me wrong, but you know, if your first game that you've played in the Premier League is a draw and every single other games that we've had have basically been losses, it's not really, that's not really a bad start, is it for you?
00:16:19
Zak
So why not give them another go?
00:16:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know I agree ah think that he deserves the shot in goal ah but yeah you're right he he is also prone to a mistake so I guess it's it's largely irrelevant no that's it and then
00:16:21
Zak
but
00:16:25
Zak
yeah
00:16:33
Zak
There's no difference whilst having anyone else in between the six mate at this point. that's thats That's all our players.
00:16:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I mean, Kyle and Yuki, I'm guessing, I mean, I can see him maybe wanting to put someone more defensive in, but who, do we put Fraser in? He's not really defensive either.
00:16:51
Zak
Put Parisi in, switch over, quick call on the left.
00:16:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Breezy, yeah, maybe.
00:16:55
Zak
Because I then potentially you know have someone of a bit more experience because I imagine with If Bednarek's back, you know if not, you're going to have Stevens and ultimately you're going to have either like Nathan Wood or Ronnie Edwards.
00:17:07
Zak
You're going to have these two centre backs. We've seen nothing of really so
00:17:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
You know mate, Ryan Manning, according to the press conference, can play full back, left midfield, centre-midfield or centre-back.
00:17:10
Zak
um
00:17:15
Zak
I should put him up front.
00:17:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
So yeah, that is the answer.
00:17:16
Zak
Why not? If our defenders are having better shots at goal, mate.
00:17:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
I genuinely wouldn't be surprised if we see a ah ah back five of Kyle Walker-Peters, Jack Stevens, Ryan Manning,
00:17:35
Zak
Brian Fraser.
00:17:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Ryan Fraser and Yuki Sugawara.
00:17:37
Zak
And then also Yuki. yeah yeah yeah You're right. You're right. Just a bunch of left backs and right back in somewhere.
00:17:44
Zak
Stevens is there. And then ah then who would you have? Because obviously we're Flynn out now. And also you can check we're out.
00:17:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:17:50
Zak
Does Smallbone come back in? Because apparently he's fit.
00:17:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
maybe small i think good good ah look I like Small Bone and I want him to do well.
00:17:54
Zak
I know you're upset by but could happen.
00:17:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't think that throwing him back in in this game when Chelsea's midfield is what it is, is the answer.
00:18:05
Zak
but But the problem the problem is is, okay, so who else do you have it in there?
00:18:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think, right, I think of Rebo becomes the holding and part of this.
00:18:09
Zak
but Because we haven't got anyone.
00:18:12
Zak
Yeah, that's true.
00:18:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I think that obviously Matty Fernandez has consistently got to be the first team on the team sheet.
00:18:17
Zak
Yup.
00:18:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
and i
00:18:19
Zak
But Lalana's out, so no Lalana either.
00:18:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I actually think that you could put, if Toolpool's fit, you put Toolpool in to sit just in front of the midfield, because he likes to come deep anyway, and then you stick with Archer and Armstrong up top as a front two, and have him as Toolpool as the option that's gonna ping it off either direction to them running onto it. That feels solid.
00:18:45
Zak
So, no, you don't think Corne is going to make an appearance?
00:18:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
No.
00:18:50
Zak
yeah It's pretty definitive there, mate.
00:18:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:18:54
Zak
And you don't think any of the young lads, you know, you don't think Wood or Edwards are going to get a look in either.
00:18:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't know, I just feel like if they were going to be involved we wouldn't have played Flynn Downs at centre back.
00:19:04
Zak
It's a fair point, right?
00:19:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Previously.
00:19:06
Zak
Because it's like, why would she both if you If you feel like you've got the centre backs that are able to play that game, why would you do that?
00:19:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
But you're right, I mean realistically, Wood or Edwards will easily swap into this same thought path in place of Ryan Fraser or James Brie. it's It's a really tricky one.
00:19:27
Zak
It's just that fear of them making us make a snake mistake and not having the maturity, but also where I'm at is that don't all of our players do that.
00:19:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's the thing, right?
00:19:33
Zak
Like, why aren't we the highest, the highest team for the amount of mistakes that have led to goals anyway.
00:19:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
But also realistically, whatever team is named, right, an hour before the game, we're going to get those notifications through to our phone.
00:19:38
Zak
So yeah.
00:19:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
and there's no way that the response to it is yeah that's a really solid looking team I'd have picked that there's no combination of players available where there isn't at least one point of concern that you look at it and go oh really though
00:20:04
Zak
I think that's interesting, though, because I feel like a lot of the players, you know, that are out, you know, other other than obviously sort of Flynn and Taylor Harbour-Bellis, Taylor Harbour-Bellis didn't really start. Yanny Bean might be back. You're looking at, you know, Tyler Dibbling is a player that essentially acts as a new signing because he didn't play until last season. you you lot A lot of the players that are sort of out and can't play, we would have not had last season. So it's interesting that we're kind of that shows you how important our our sort of purchases have been as much as we mug off a lot of our sign-ins.
00:20:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah and Genuinely, I think it's a big loss to not be able to select big lets because although he we've talked before he's not fling down and he's not as
00:20:36
Zak
So, yeah, we'll just have to see how it plays out. I think it
00:20:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
useful in that role he is still passable he's still better in that role than anybody i think i've named currently even with a mistake in him but like you say that's all of our players so
00:21:03
Zak
you know this This is the thing, right? like you might We might finally see the archer on Alachua up top that we've always wanted, that that our dreams are made of, apparently.
00:21:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
just don My concern with that, Zach, is that if we get that and this is the only time they play together up front, you can't job you can't judge the outcome based on because the team behind them isn't going to be isn't going to have downs making those important forward plays and Harwood Bellis with the important big balls over the top.
00:21:10
Zak
Or I'd say our dreams, or everybody's dream everyone else's dreams.
00:21:19
Zak
And it's bad, exactly.
00:21:32
Zak
But, but then you might end up with the same situation to play, to play a little bit of devil's advocate that you talked about, you asked earlier on, are these players all going to be up for it? Well, maybe, maybe they are going to drive forward a lot more than previous because they're, they're trying to prove a point.
00:21:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah we always step up for the big games as well and Chelsea is a big game.
00:21:48
Zak
You know, if you get someone like, yeah, yeah,
00:21:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean our relegation season we did the double over them we beat them home and away so but then as mentioned in yesterday's crossover the season before we got absolutely battered by them 6-0 and Tino Werner I think scored a hat-trick so
00:21:58
Zak
So like, I'm not, you know,
00:22:07
Zak
ah Yeah, Yeah, but that's me that's just been a Saints fan in it. that um It is unfortunately hard to predict and like I think it gets harder as each week goes by. there's lot of so you know It's almost easier when everything's completely doom and gloom because you kind of expect to go into a into each game losing. Whereas now I don't really know what to think. We played, the first half against Brighton was probably the most, some of the most abysmal football I've ever seen, but that was the most complete 90 minutes of football because we should, well, arguably we should have won.
00:22:34
Zak
So who knows how we're going to step up? All I know is that you know for a lot of those fringe players, it's either a chance to A, put themselves in the shop window, B, for those lone players to actually prove that they should be here and not elsewhere, and C, for all those other players to just put a stake in the team.
00:22:52
Zak
Unfortunately, it's not a cup game though. It is a Premier League game. It will have points and it will have ramifications. you know If we go down by say like five points at the end of the season, i know that's that's that's laughable.
00:23:02
Zak
I think I point out to you.
00:23:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's optimistic.
00:23:04
Zak
If we leave if we lose by like two points, arguably it's the Brighton game. And you you said, Zach, I want you to know that I do not think we will go down by two points, which made me laugh very much so.
00:23:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:23:12
Zak
Because for the optimists of this podcast, sometimes you can be more pessimistic than me.
00:23:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hey, that is open. There is interpretations there. It's because we're not going down and or because if we're going down, we're really going down.
00:23:22
Zak
Uh-huh.
00:23:29
Zak
You're right.
00:23:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
There's no middle ground.
00:23:29
Zak
it's but is It is what it is, but I think it would be it will be something different regardless.
00:23:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's one of those two.
00:23:37
Zak
And whether we get really, really annoyed because we lose 6-0, you're going to have a lot of players that probably don't carry on in a Saint shirt. If we end up winning, it gives Russell Martin a lot to think about.
00:23:48
Zak
If it's a boring 0-0 draw, again, it gives
00:23:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:23:50
Zak
us more to think about like we constantly said that we you know there's a lot of people wanted to see some changes and see some of the personnel that build on the benches and the fringes well tomorrow is like today sorry as a chance for everybody to to have an opportunity caused by the fact that we like to play and I quote bravely
00:24:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah Alright well we that leads us nicely into one of the most difficult predictions I think we've had of the season so far. But before that, a message from our partners at the Global Sports Podcast Network.
Podcast Promotion: Global Sports Network
00:24:24
Zak
The Global Sports Podcast Network is changing the face of football podcasting with dedicated daily content for every Premier League team, women's football, fantasy football, and a daily Premier League wrap-up broadcasted in five different languages. This is your one-stop shop for your daily football fix. Find GSPN wherever you find your usual podcasts.
00:24:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Alright so as always I'm going to lead into our our prediction section with a nice little stat.
Match Outcome Predictions
00:24:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
So previous matches between Southampton and Chelsea average
00:24:48
Zak
Good.
00:24:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
three and a quarter goals and both teams to score happen nearly two thirds of the time so we heard yesterday on the crossover prediction that my I think we're gonna win one nil which I think might be the most optimistic prediction I've ever made on this show because the thoughts of keeping a clean sheet and holding a lead really do feel almost out of reach but
00:24:55
Zak
That's exciting.
00:25:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
or there is hope, how would you how do you see it playing out?
00:25:26
Zak
I have not a lot of faith so I'm going to go 2-1 win because I feel like what I don't know what to feel anymore after Brighton. I said Brighton was 2-2 and I was was kind of kind of accurate in a way because I feel like had we had that goal stand I wouldn't be surprised if they equalised and that was how it ended up being. but like But also it's one of those things where I think that they are going to take us for granted because teams like that do when they're playing really really well. We will not And I think that I'm really hoping that all of the people that sort of have that chance are going to grasp it. And we end up with, you know, lots of criticism around Russell Martin picking favorites because it turns out some of these fringe players can actually do a good game. So then what will happen is that we're going to start with like Solomata up top.
00:26:15
Zak
and Kornay in our next game and then we're going to get battered 6-0 because that's just how it goes. So, yeah, like a weirdly optimistic note, 2-1, why not?
00:26:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
even very safe
00:26:23
Zak
Because, yeah, what we'll obviously obviously go 1-0 down and then somehow claw 2 back.
00:26:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
i'll be buzzing It'll make it a lot easier to record a match review at 11 o'clock if that's the case.
00:26:33
Zak
yeah yeah yeah yeah
00:26:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Where are the goals coming from?
00:26:37
Zak
You're right.
00:26:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
2-1, who's scoring for us?
00:26:38
Zak
Uh, it's difficult, right? Because we have so much and yet so little, why don't we go with a tool pool and an Archer?
00:26:49
Zak
Like they're going to finally play together tomorrow and everyone's going to finally see what they want.
00:26:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah two goals from strikers might be the most outlandish prediction on the podcast yeah
00:26:54
Zak
And then they'll do it again. And then it will result in us losing five or six in the next game because, you know, there has to be.
00:27:02
Zak
yeah you're You're right, I can't really be like the the water boy that's come on as a sub because he's the only player available. Or accidentally Joe Lovely clips it in from the halfway line when he plays so far out of the out of the first so far out from the back that accidentally scores, why not?
00:27:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
that stevens tries to cross one in from the halfway line and acts and it gets caught by gust of wind like it mate i love the optimism
00:27:25
Zak
Sure, why not? like It's strange that things have happened, but yeah, I think it's just the nature of the fixture tomorrow feels so odd, weird and out of place. And it might be that I'm still kind of still off the back of sort of hallucinating from whatever weird illness I've had that I'm crazy enough to believe we might win tomorrow. But so let's just let go with it. Why not?
00:27:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Let's roll with it. We'll be back after three points. We're we're looking forward to it. it's It's going to be a game. And that is maybe the only prediction that of any weight behind at this point, because who knows what we're going to see.
00:28:02
Zak
As long as our lights down, we'll be beating our rivals anyway, so...
00:28:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's a Mary.
00:28:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, the meter is topped up. where was field All right, well, you have been listening to Greg Zach on the Daily Southampton from the Global Sports Podcast Network. Thanks for joining us. We will see you at St Mary's if we will be down there cheering the team on and we will be doing our best to get an episode out tomorrow morning to to review whatever chaos does ensue. So thank you very much for joining us and we will see you tomorrow.