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Episode 333: Championship Roundup!
117 Plays6 days ago
Southampton – Another fun week of championship chaos! We talk through all the action, and where we are at with the league.
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Transcript
Introduction and Championship Recap
00:00:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome back to the Daily Southampton, part of the Global Sports Podcast Network. My name is Greg Elliott and as always today, joined by our good friend and wonderful co-host, Zach Ingo Finch. How doing, mate? You alright?
00:00:28
Zak
Yeah, I'm alright. I'm alright.
00:00:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
ha ha ha!
00:00:32
Zak
Let's leave her that.
00:00:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
that's
00:00:35
Zak
Loving life.
00:00:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Look, it's been another busy weekend of championship action and, you know, admittedly, at time of recording, there is still one game to play.
00:00:40
Zak
Mmm.
00:00:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
But nevertheless, I thought it was the best time of the week to take a look back at the action as it's happened so far and, you know, whiz through and see where everyone's
Team Performances and Standings
00:00:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
at.
00:00:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's it's that sort of exciting part of the season now, right, Zach, where you can look at the table and believe that that everyone's where they're at, like, with merit, right?
00:01:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like, it it's not an accident to be more or less where you are in the table.
00:01:12
Zak
Yeah.
00:01:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
And whilst that may, in some cases, be underperforming and below where you expect, and in some cases above... You know, it's it's through some level of consistently being that way, right? So it's it's where it all starts to form as we start to get a picture heading into an incredibly busy festive period, right?
00:01:40
Zak
Yeah, some you're starting to see kind of how you'd expect the table to go, right? And there's you're already seeing in what our kind of predictions were and where some of the teams are.
00:01:52
Zak
And, you know, Oxford are kind of dropping down. Sheffield Wednesday are firmly where we expect them to be. Charlton, after having a good start to the season and now sort of dropping down the table again, we're going back up.
00:02:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:02:04
Zak
Ipswich are kind of rising back up. There's a few sort of outliers in in Coventry. And Middlesbrough did all right last season and Bristol City staying up there. And obviously Millwall from the other day and Stoker a bit of a surprise.
00:02:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm. Hmm.
00:02:17
Zak
But like the rest of the table relatively, yeah, it's starting to... Starting to show safe.
00:02:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
starting to take shape
00:02:22
Zak
Yeah, but there is still a big disparity.
00:02:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:02:25
Zak
There's still like a 9 point or 11 point gap between 7th and 21st. So it can all change.
00:02:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:02:32
Zak
But it you are seeing, like I'd expect these numbers to start going up and going down. and And things to start to stabilise a little bit.
00:02:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:02:42
Zak
And I thought...
00:02:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's great. And so as we start talking about these results, we can sort of see how that's playing out in the season. So as always, I'm going to go through the LISAC in reverse chronological alphabetical descending order.
00:02:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Everyone's favorite unit of measurement, right?
00:03:00
Zak
Right. yeah
00:03:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Otherwise known as how the BBC orders it, for for anyone wondering.
00:03:04
Zak
Yes. Okay.
00:03:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
So starting on Friday night with Oxford against Ipswich.
00:03:07
Zak
Sure.
00:03:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
And, well, I would say a surprising win for Oxford here with a cheeky little 2-1 win over Ipswich, who you'd expect to be putting teams like Oxford away in their sort of strive up the table.
00:03:19
Zak
Yeah. Yeah.
00:03:28
Zak
it's It's the similar thing to to us, right? where like We're like, oh, you've got people that are really mad that we didn't beat Millwall. But like that's also happened to Ipswich. Ipswich could have gone right up, right? They could have made it into what would have been fourth. I think they would have been fourth now if they'd won that game.
00:03:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah.
00:03:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:03:47
Zak
But, you know, and at the time I think it was second, but again, like these, these sort of games happen where if you underestimate opponent in the championship, all of a sudden that can be a problem.
00:03:56
Zak
And it seems to be a problem for them because they probably walked into that thinking, you know, it will be an easy walkover. And now it's not, it's now put them, you know, just a point outside the relegation zone, which is wonderful for us because Portsmouth now lie in it.
00:04:11
Zak
But, you know fair play to them. it she shows they They have more fight than I think a lot of people have given them credit for. and I think that that's a fair play to them.
00:04:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, one of those fascinating games where I managed to watch bits of it. I can't say that I was deeply focused for the whole thing, but think it's pretty safe to say that Ipswich battered them, really. But the goals are what counts. That's the important part. And, you know, you can have 72% of the possession and 17 shots, but if only one of them goes in and you let two in,
00:04:44
Zak
On paper, one team should beat the other, Greg, but as we like to say, football is played on grass.
00:04:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:04:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Absolutely. Everyone's favour of saying it. How many more cliches can we get in for the end of the episode? Let's find out.
Match Highlights and Upsets
00:05:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right, mate, moving on to the early kickoffs on Saturday. First up, Leicester City 2, Sheffield United 3.
00:05:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
three The Blades coming back into, a you know, the form I think that most of us expected at the start of the season. You know, three wins on the bounce for them now.
00:05:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's another good win for them. 2-0 up very early on.
00:05:25
Zak
Now,
00:05:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
in the fifth minute.
00:05:28
Zak
is is it that Leicester are bad or are we just that good? We've like we've upset them. Because obviously, when we were going into that Leicester game, I think we we considered it to be be a tough test, right?
00:05:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
No?
00:05:39
Zak
And Sheffield United kind of showed us so that's not necessarily the case.
00:05:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:05:45
Zak
Maybe in actuality, Leicester are far more fragile than we expected. We think they are at the moment. And I'm seeing that, you know, Leicester fans are upset about it this current situation, right?
00:05:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think...
00:05:54
Zak
I'm already seeing grumbles about getting rid of their manager.
00:05:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:05:58
Zak
And I can kind of understand that because from a table perspective, they're now below us and that's got to be frustrating. But like they've had, you know, loss, draw, win, win, loss, loss.
00:06:08
Zak
So less than ideal.
00:06:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I think it's maybe a little bit of column a A, little bit column B. I think that if you take the like actual ability of the team based on the league position and expectation, I think that Leicester are probably slightly worse than we gave them credit for, and Sheffield United are probably...
00:06:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
quite a bit better than their position in the table and their start to the season suggests. So I think it's sort of the coming together of the two. And it was, you know, a couple of mistakes from Leicester and, and the blades just hopping on and and punishing that. And I mean, that's the joy of the league, right? Is that if you have an off day, anyone's going to come in and beat you And, uh,
00:06:51
Zak
this is there's There's two things I wanted to kind of discuss when it comes to Leicester specifically. You've got... The obvious one is to this this points deduction thing that has just been looming over their season and the rest of the championship season for a while.
00:07:04
Zak
right We've just seen Wednesday hit with another six-point deduction.
00:07:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:07:08
Zak
So that's now putting them onto what? like Minus 10? Minus 10 for the season. Which is insane.
00:07:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:07:14
Zak
Their ownership has already gone. like they They're already in administration. like at this point, you're just kicking them while they're down. And I understand there's there's reasons behind that. etc, etc, we're the only people that are really going to suffer the fans at the end.
00:07:26
Zak
And the other thing, like, sort of, you know, so that the fact that that hasn't been resolved yet is insane. Like, because what happens we're going to run this down to, like, February, March time, and then they're just going to get one out of nowhere.
00:07:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:07:37
Zak
But the other thing is, obviously, one of the big clubs, like, they've they've had success in recent times. They've played Champions League football pool in recent times. They've won the Premier League, which feels like the other week, but is actually really about nine years ago now, Greg.
00:07:49
Zak
So just just to upset you a little bit there.
00:07:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm. Mm.
00:07:52
Zak
But the the whole kind of argument, and I saw it take place with the Millwall game against us, and sort of, oh, they're celebrating like they've just won the league. and i'm like, fair play, they're celebrating they've beaten a good Premier League team.
00:08:03
Zak
And it's this idea that, like, parachute payments have supposedly saved us. And parachute payments, like, for us, for example, we had, like, barely any points. Like, Leicester came down with a manager, the man you had had for, like, two games, and then didn't really do anything for them.
00:08:18
Zak
Like, we are battered and bruised teams. It is not... It is not as simple as, oh, okay, we've got some extra money, we can spend it. And we, yeah, okay, we probably spent a lot of money for the championship.
00:08:28
Zak
But like the idea that you can just spend your way out of problems is absurd because look at Manchester United, look at Chelsea. yeah Chelsea specifically are finally getting to a point where they're kind of in the label level where they they think they should be.
00:08:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:08:43
Zak
But there's absolutely no way it should have cost them like a thousand billion. And I kind of like the, oh, they have so many resources than everyone else, but clearly they don't. Even overspending, they're now in trouble.
00:08:53
Zak
And like, it's, I don't know, it's just like dynasties come to an end sometimes, right? And maybe it just, i just kind of feel bad for them.
00:08:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm.
00:09:01
Zak
But also their loss is Sheffield United's game, who are, as you said, got a bit of form now and on their way back.
00:09:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm.
00:09:08
Zak
Because yeah, where they are is bad considering that they were, you know, like inches away from back up to the Premier League.
00:09:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Was it, sorry, was it Opta's favourite to win the league? Is that what I remember correctly?
00:09:18
Zak
Oh, like multiple times. Like they were like 40% chance of them winning or something like that.
00:09:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Crazy. Right, mate. let's Let's have one more before we head to the break. it Seems like a good one to carry on with. and That is Portsmouth-Neil, Bristol City-1.
00:09:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
As you alluded to earlier, pushing Pompey down into the relegation zone. i mean I mean, look, it's not really a surprise to anyone based on form or position in the table that this is a loss.
00:09:50
Zak
1-1 game in 9.
00:09:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
but But, you know, considering it was their home form, Pompey's home form, that kept them up last season, that is not happening for them this year, is it?
00:10:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's a crazy.
00:10:05
Zak
So it's, yeah, really, it's less than ideal.
00:10:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:10:09
Zak
But again, like Bristol City are where they are on merit. We know that because we, i don't know if we underestimated them, but they they put us to the sword. Pompers should just be glad it's not that bad, realistically. it could have been worse. it's it's It's one of those things where like life comes at your fast, right? Like one one day yeah yeah you're talking about how you're higher than the table than your rivals and the next day you're now in the relegation zone. so yeah, it's it's just championship football, isn't it?
00:10:35
Zak
But I'm not not shocked by this turn of events.
00:10:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's it. Yeah.
00:10:38
Zak
Like, you know, Massimo's already said that he's not had any investment. I'm just hoping that we will...
00:10:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
and
00:10:43
Zak
They will continue to flounder as we continue to grow. So the next time we meet, we just batter them. That's
00:10:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah I mean that's all we ever really hope for some pressure on some pressure on John Massigno lots of boos full time from the the Pompey faithful so an interesting time coming up down the road I think
00:10:52
Zak
all anyone wanted.
00:11:01
Zak
just... I don't necessarily... oh Obviously, I don't like the guy. I'm a Southampton the fan. But on top of that, it's like ever since the whole... like With Will still like not shaking his hand, being all like weird about it, post-match press conference, like, we're trying to play mind games. You're
00:11:18
Zak
like, grow mate. You're trying to bully a 30-year-old that already clearly doesn't care about you. Like, whatever. So, yeah, what what what will be will be... I'm not exactly devastated that our rivals are are suffering at mate. Let's worry about that.
00:11:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Absolutely. Right. Let's have a little break and hear a message from our partners at Bionique.
00:12:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, wait. And we are back. The final early kick-off of the day on Saturday, then.
00:12:18
Zak
Thank you.
00:12:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Stoke City 1, Hull City 2. That's another interesting one, right? That's... I mean, both... doing pretty well at the moment, both at the top end of the table, heading into third and and seventh of that win.
00:12:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, I mean, it's just one of those games, right?
00:12:41
Zak
Holt just got really good striker. Like, Gal Hart, he keeps scoring.
00:12:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:12:46
Zak
He appears most weeks, whenever we look at any, you know, even in their defeats, he scores. And, you know, it was a last-minute sort glass-by-glass winner. it' some yeah it's It's interesting to see whether Stoke can maintain the form that they've managed so far this season, right?
00:13:02
Zak
Going into the rest of the rest of the fixtures because that could have put them...
00:13:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:13:08
Zak
I think it would have put them second if they'd won. And again, it's like these little slip-ups. right? Where everyone's saying, oh, we should be beating this, this, oh, they should be beating this, we should be doing that. It's just not the reality of how this, the championship works, right?
00:13:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:13:31
Zak
So yeah, it seems more like that, but Hull were a team that that you predicted would struggle, and they're currently sat seventh, and maybe that was the incredible management of Ruben Sellis, who, are you know, resulted in Sheffield and Hull now swapping places.
00:13:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah I mean they yeah I mean look they did struggle at the start right and then pushed on and have really sort of kicked on from there so yeah indeed fair play to right next on the list uh
00:13:54
Zak
They won more games than us, mate. That's what you've got to say.
00:14:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Coventry 3, Charlton 1. i mean, not the most surprising result at all, to be honest. But, I mean, Charlton kept them working for a bit. They took a fairly early lead.
00:14:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then, I mean, just got overrun, really, by the
Coventry's Dominance and Zencastr Partnership
00:14:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
quality of Coventry and the way they're playing at the moment. It's just...
00:14:27
Zak
Yeah. why ever Every team at this point, you're you're asking how many Coventry are going to score, right? Not not if they're to win or not. I think what they had that one loss and that really could have sort of damaged them and it didn't.
00:14:40
Zak
They learned from that and and carried on. So, you know, they've they've won 13 games now, which is insane when you think about it.
00:14:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
crazy.
00:14:47
Zak
We only played 18, but...
00:14:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Already 10 points clear at the top of the league is is nuts for a league that's this close.
00:14:52
Zak
Yeah. And again, Charlton put in a spirited performance, right? like we We've had our banter and back and forth about Charlton and Nathan Jones, and I think that's the main reason.
00:14:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:15:02
Zak
that Obviously, we were the team that put them to the sword, and they haven't really fared much better since then. And they're probably in a more realistic position than they they thought they would be now, right? Four losses and the bounces.
00:15:13
Zak
We've been there. We know how that feels. It sucks.
00:15:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:15:16
Zak
But also, yeah, like you're always going to struggle against the league leaders who are the league leaders for a reason. So it's not hugely surprising, but like at least they put up a fight. I think that's basically what Nathan Jones said off the back of it, right?
00:15:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, pretty much. Pretty much. And then next on the list, Middlesbrough 2, Derby County 1. That run of form that you were not enjoying seeing previously.
00:15:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
You know, after our co-founder, Nick, came on and said, no, we're rubbish, don't expect to do anything this season.
00:15:48
Zak
Yeah, right.
00:15:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hit with a loss to Middlesbrough.
00:15:49
Zak
it's It was one of those things where like he was trying to talk about how sort of that's how poor Darby were and they just considered continually work their way up the table.
00:15:59
Zak
like They're still above us.
00:16:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, sitting in 10th.
00:16:01
Zak
But obviously Middlesbrough are still managing life after Rob Edwards pretty well. Ex-Saint Matty Target with a goal.
00:16:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:16:08
Zak
Whittaker, who's really struggled there, managed to actually get a goal as well. So, you know, fair play to them. They're still... kind of where they want to be right which is the automatic automatics right now so yeah fair play to Middlesbrough yikes to Derby but also like the idea that you know i think they're just happy they are where they are right like no one expected John Eustace to to have a Derby team that weren't sitting sort of like 16th 17th specifically Derby fans so yeah decent game
00:16:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:16:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's it, mate. Decent. Right, let's let's take another little break before we come through the final section of list. and have a word from our partners at Zencaster.
00:16:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Here at the Global Sports Podcast Network, we spent a lot of time selecting our delivery platform, and Zencaster came 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. If you're ready to tell your story, check out the link in the show description and learn more about Zencaster.
00:17:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
All right, mate. And we are back. Next up on the list we covered at length in the yesterday's match review episode.
00:17:22
Zak
We did.
00:17:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Unfortunately, Millwall 3, Southampton 2. If you want to hear our thoughts on that, go back and give it a listen if you haven't already.
00:17:27
Zak
Mm-hmm.
00:17:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Moving swiftly on, Norwich 3, QPR 1. Okay.
00:17:39
Zak
Man, they they finally managed to win after what felt like forever, right? Like, you know...
00:17:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Their first win in 13 games. Hmm. Hmm.
00:17:48
Zak
Well, you know why Liam Manning got fired now, right? Again, he could have been kind of an our r manager.
00:17:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
the
00:17:53
Zak
and I wasn't that bothered if he was.
Norwich Breaks Losing Streak
00:17:55
Zak
you know He did alright with Bristol City, but clearly Norwich was just a step too far. So yeah, for them to actually manage to you know manage to get a game over the line must be wonderful for them.
00:18:04
Zak
It was very surprised sergeant involved with an assist. But yeah, lots of first-half goals. But it's QPR, isn't it? QPR are like that kind of team where they seem to be like us. So they're like, oh, someone's struggling. We'll give you it. We'll give you it. We'll give you a win, including to us, to be fair.
00:18:23
Zak
so
00:18:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, yeah. It's currently sitting smack bang above us, one point above us, 13th in the league, QPR. So, I mean, look, I feel like...
00:18:34
Zak
can't make these I can't make these jokes where I mug off other championship teams, mate, because we've been so poor thus far this season. Like, yeah, we had this four-game winning streak, right? And that's the only reason we're 14th.
00:18:45
Zak
That shows you, you know, i guess just how complex this league is.
00:18:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:18:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Absolutely. But yeah, I mean, look, I mean, I feel like 13th might be exactly where I predicted QPR to be at the start of the season. That is is the joy of the league. Right. Next
Exciting Comebacks and Last-Minute Goals
00:19:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
up, Sheffield Wednesday to Preston North End three.
00:19:10
Zak
just a bit heartbreaking in it like i feel like people want them to get the win but they just know it's not going to happen and like it's just you know even even us right like felt bad it's sort of like kicking something while they're down now especially especially like that win would have even pulled them out of minus points
00:19:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean.
00:19:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
A proper hard one to take for Sheffield Wednesday as well because they led twice in the game. So...
00:19:33
Zak
Yeah, that's that' that's pretty much... yeah we We know that feeling at some point. Not recently, but...
00:19:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it's a shame to see but you've still got go out there and and beat that team and And Preston kicking on, still up there, fighting a away at the the sort of top end of the table.
00:19:52
Zak
yeah You missed something with Sheffield Wednesday, mate. going to see if you remember it or not.
00:20:00
Zak
That's entirely fine. I put you on the spot because I know full of full well we've not discussed this. So Nathan Redmond as a free agent that signed Sheffield Wednesday, made his debut in that game, mate, came on as a substitute in the 79th minute because obviously they they can't get new players anymore. But obviously they managed to secure the funds to bring in a free agent and yeah, Redmond answered the call and yeah, came on to the 79th minute.
00:20:23
Zak
By the sounds of it didn't do a lot, but then either did Romeo, so...
00:20:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well,
00:20:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
may no and I did not even know that. I was not even like on my radar.
00:20:31
Zak
Yeah, that's what mean. I realised that we've not discussed this at all, but I was definitely aware of it. And yeah, I checked to see if he played that game. And he he did make his make his debut for Sheffield Wednesday.
00:20:43
Zak
So another ex-Saint add to Jan Valery.
00:20:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, there you
00:20:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, there you But yeah, bad worse for for Wednesday and Preston's still pushing on. Next up, West Brom 3, Swansea 2.
00:21:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Good win for the baggies, that, to be honest.
00:21:03
Zak
Yeah, so similar similar sort of similar to the other game, right?
00:21:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's...
00:21:06
Zak
Like two two early goals from Swansea and then and then yeahre just like demolished in the second half by the Baggies. I'm sure your family will be all over the moon about it. Yeah,
00:21:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, very much so. and Look, I mean, look, Swansea down there and properly struggling. And and if you look, yeah, I believe so.
00:21:21
Zak
yeah I've seen a lot of criticism from just in general around Swansea City, right? I'm pretty sure they've got their new manager now, right?
00:21:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, they brought in, I just wish I remembered his name. But yeah.
00:21:38
Zak
new kate New head coach Vito Matos has come in.
00:21:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes.
00:21:44
Zak
and Yes, so there you go.
00:21:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Look, they're a a poor run, but again, you've still got to beat it. But I mean, if you look at the shorthand summary of the match on the match statistics, you won't see a game as one-sided as that unless you look back to our Premier League season, ma to be honest.
00:22:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
26 shots from West Brom to Swansea's three. two shots on and target from Swansea, both of which were their goals. So...
00:22:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:22:17
Zak
but it's like It's like the Derby game we kept talking about where you know they managed to where where Nick was telling us that don't worry, we'll score with the two goals, that like the two shots on target we manage.
00:22:28
Zak
So yeah.
00:22:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yes. But like I say, a good win for West Brom there. Kind of... right around us in the table, which makes for some interesting, uh, banter at family dinners, but it's all part of the fun. right. And last, but not least, uh, Wrexham one Blackburn one, uh, Wrexham with a 95th minute equalizer.
00:22:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
man, just, I mean, yeah,
00:22:55
Zak
Oh, man, that's going to be the documentary, isn't
00:23:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
it i read yeah
00:23:02
Zak
i I don't mean to mug them off. like that they They're doing pretty well. They're doing better than I think you predicted them to be. They're sitting at ninth.
00:23:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah yeah.
00:23:10
Zak
The last you know in like draws, wins, draws, wins, wins, draws. you know i kind of said if they've got the right team to eventually start linking up together, they'll do well. I think it's Birmingham City is the one where we're more...
00:23:22
Zak
I know we've got to probably preview that game later on, but that's one of the teams that you predicted to be higher. And i I reckon if Farahashi, who was from Celtic, had actually started scoring more goals, yeah that that would be probably the case.
00:23:35
Zak
I think Alfie House mentioned it on TSP this weekend weekend. Because obviously I've been keeping up to that because I keep up with all the Japanese national players because it's just my weird side interest.
00:23:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Of course, mate. That's you it's just your trademark now.
00:23:45
Zak
But yeah, it's just my weird side interest of like loving Yoshida so much that I then ended up loving the Samurai Blues as well.
00:23:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's fine.
00:23:52
Zak
And yeah, like... He's just had a really, really poor start to life at Birmingham City where, you know, everyone thought he would do really well because he did well at Celtic and has got to drop down a league and he managed the one goal and that's kind of it.
00:24:04
Zak
So they're struggling a little bit.
00:24:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:24:06
Zak
But again, both of them are higher than us, mate. And I don't think, you know, we the the expectation was it was going to be much harder for Wrexham this time around. And like, bear in mind that both of those clubs will have spending power in January if they need it.
00:24:19
Zak
Right. So don't, don't entirely rule either of them out, but yeah, managing sort of a last gasp draw.
00:24:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:24:26
Zak
Like that's, that's what it's all about. Right. Like, you know, as much as I, I lament the fact that it was against us in the Millwall game. Like for the for the neutral, incredible to watch. For Millwall fans, amazing.
00:24:36
Zak
We've been there when we've scored. We're like the last kick of the game. We know how how massive it is. And also, that's one of those ones that we talk about where a draw feels like a win, right? Where you think you're going to lose for the entirety of the game and then bang, you get in with the neutral last meeting, like last kick of the game.
00:24:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, absolutely.
00:24:50
Zak
What's their first meeting in the league, like first league meeting since 1982? God. Right?
00:24:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
That is insane.
00:24:56
Zak
god right
00:24:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
That is, yeah, that's crazy. Wow. Wow, I mean, look that's that's the the difference of form in the clubs, right? Wrexham were right down and and out until Hollywood came and saved the day and and Blackburn...
00:25:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know, a team that not that long ago I remember seeing in the the the old Barclays Premier League, mate. So, right.
00:25:21
Zak
Yeah, and and they also won it a long, long time ago. was former manager of mine that lives right in the heart of Fratton.
00:25:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:25:28
Zak
So he used to mug me off all the time, is a is a Blackburn fan. And yeah, they've you know got a big, big heritage.
00:25:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:25:35
Zak
But you know we saw them struggle. like I think the fact that they're just doing a little bit better than they were. right I think they were in proper crisis.
00:25:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:25:41
Zak
Not quite at that level anymore. So, you know, I say that. They're still sort of in and around the bottom. They probably need to get a win or two to kind of get themselves safe. But you can say that about pretty much the bottom half of the table at this point.
00:25:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Indeed.
00:25:56
Zak
Including
Upcoming Matches and Podcast Outro
00:25:56
Zak
us. And then obviously we've got Watford and Birmingham to come.
00:26:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:26:00
Zak
By this point, by the time you hear this, it's probably been played. But we will probably watch that tonight.
00:26:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it will have been and we'll have watched it and we'll have enjoyed it and football will happen. Look, yeah but it's it's a hard one to predict, right?
00:26:10
Zak
yeah
00:26:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
They are our two teams that are, like you say, right in this middle of the pack where it could go all the way up or all the way down, depending on the next run of games, which is what makes the league so great and so fascinating.
00:26:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
But I'm sure it'll be a good watch. do like a bit of the old Monday Night Football. It's good.
00:26:35
Zak
Good game. Birmingham haven't lost at home in a while. Watford have been doing really well as well. So it's going to be either a really good game we're going watch a 0-0 draw and no one's going happy.
00:26:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, classic.
00:26:46
Zak
That is classic.
00:26:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right, mate. That is all we've got time for today. So we're going to call it there. Thank you very much for joining me and talking through the the weekend's action.
00:26:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Another crazy, fun week in the championship.
00:27:00
Zak
Thank you, mate.
00:27:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
And thank you, everyone, for listening. Let us know in the comments your thoughts, feelings. Still the best league in the world, right? It's got to be. We're on socials on all of them, on X, Blue Sky, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, absolutely everywhere.
00:27:13
Zak
Thank you.
00:27:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hit us up. We love hearing from you. We will be back tomorrow to think more about the thick and fast games that come in the championship. But until then, have a wonderful day, everyone.
00:27:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
We'll see you then.