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00:00:01
Episode 342: Championship Roundup!
12 Plays1 hour ago
Southampton – Another crazy week of Championship action gives us plenty to talk about, including the goal from the longest distance since the EFL starting tracking!
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Transcript
Festive Football and Weekend Lineup
00:00:14
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 my good friend and wonderful co-host, Zach Ingo Finch.
00:00:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
How doing bud, you alright?
00:00:28
Zak
Hello. Yeah, not too bad. It's, um, what, when we'll be recording this Tuesday. So Tuesday, sure is Tuesday.
00:00:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, we are rapidly heading closer and closer to that period of the year where nobody knows what day is. Don't worry about it, mate. We are...
00:00:43
Zak
No one knows what time it is what, what year it is People are kind of at work, but not really at work.
00:00:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:00:49
Zak
Everyone you speak to is either out of office or not in office. It's a good time.
00:00:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it's great. And you know what is great about all of this time, Zach, is that football never ends. There is championship football consistently throughout this festive period. And we're going to take the chance today to take a a little look back over a busy weekend of
Season Overview and Team Positions
00:01:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
championship action. in ah I mean, in episodes that we don't always get time to do because sometimes there's too much football to to squeeze it all in.
00:01:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's... sir
00:01:23
Zak
ah true
00:01:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
blessing and the curse, right?
00:01:26
Zak
A blessing and a curse. But yeah, no, it's it's it at a beginning of the season. I've quite enjoyed paying more attention to what goes on around us and understanding because it turns out that when you have that knowledge and you come up against a team, you can be like, oh yeah, I'm actually doing right rather than us just like trying to make it up on the spot, which we've never really done to be fair. But like the Premier League is always hard because it's like,
00:01:47
Zak
you know as as proven by the Bournemouth game, like Bournemouth Man United game, right? It's really ah hard to predict, apart from the fact that Wolves have become the new whipping boy, where regardless of how well they might fight back, they're still going to lose by, apparently the other day, two own goals.
00:01:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:02:03
Zak
So, you know, swings are out of bounds. But no, I do enjoy our little episodes having a gander at the other team's.
00:02:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's great, mate. And we're now at like a proper point of the season, really, where all of the sort of outliers are starting to, you know, the de creases are starting to shake themselves out of the table and you're you're getting a ah proper look, for better or for worse, at where people deserve to be in the table.
00:02:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
He says cautiously.
00:02:29
Zak
do you mean, you mean that Charlton Athletic have gone from being like playoff places the now 17th?
00:02:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Yeah, very specifically that. and
00:02:38
Zak
And, you know, like Leicester's started winning again and, you know, Ipswich are still up there and the promoted teams are slowly clawing their way back up.
00:02:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
Sheffield United and Derby County Challenges
00:02:48
Zak
Stoke City have now fallen out of championship ah sort of playoff places, which, you know, they will look like they were kind of an in for, same with Bristol City.
00:02:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:02:57
Zak
think my only real big question looking at the table currently is like, are Sheffield United going to be able to claw it back? And id also, don't understand how Derby County are 12th after what we were told at the beginning the season.
00:03:08
Zak
um Maybe it's the incredible influence of a Mr. Ben Burritson-Diaz, but we'll talk a bit more about him in tomorrow's episode when we do bit of news around the club. Yeah, some it was an exciting game of a slight game of of like a couple a couple good games over the weekend.
00:03:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'll show you later.
00:03:22
Zak
say you
00:03:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, let's get
West Brom vs Sheffield United Analysis
00:03:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
to it. As always, I'm going to go in ah chronological alphabetical order. ah Time, comma, alphabet descending.
00:03:35
Zak
You've just got to say, I'm going to go with the list of BBC Sport from the last time we talked about getting slugged.
00:03:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah
00:03:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah But it's just not as fun.
00:03:45
Zak
Don't get to wind Zach up by doing it that way.
00:03:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
kicking off the weekend on Friday night with a pretty decisive win for the Baggies, West Brom 2, Sheffield United 0. An interesting result, really, because, you know, the Blades looked like they were on a proper run of bouncing back and climbing their way back. And when we played West Brom earlier in the week, they did not give that vibe. LAUGHTER
00:04:16
Zak
i i feel I feel like they were they were close to fighting back and like it's like the wounded animals animal syndrome, right? like They probably felt like they could have got something out of the game against us, so it had a more of a point to prove going up against Sheffield United. Sheffield United have been shown to basically just be able to collapse multiple times this season. And yeah, sure, they've been on a little bit more of a run since having Bamford and that lot, but ah ah to underestimate the baggies was foolish of them, I think. And, you know, similar to us with Norwich, right? Like we just assumed we'd go in and walk that game. I feel like Sheffield, delighted with the form they've been on, i probably thought they would go in in and walk that game as well. But no, baggies did what they, you know, probably expected to do the other day, but didn't do.
00:05:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, ah look and i you know could they just looked like a much better team, to be honest. They looked like the set the team what we saw towards the end of the second half at St Mary's.
00:05:17
Zak
Yeah, that's that's what I mean.
00:05:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
They just kept that going, and yeah, I mean... If you look at the stats, it looks like a fairly even game, but really, having watched the game, don't think Sheffield United really had a lot, to be honest. That's not what I took away from it. so yeah ah Fascinating.
00:05:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
the The joy of the championship, right? You take two teams in seemingly opposite directions of form and it can still play out this way. It's good.
00:05:47
Zak
Yeah, they just they just played they just played really, really well, in it and it paid off, and Sheffield Joy didn't. Simple as that, really,
00:05:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right, moving on to the early kickoffs on Saturday.
Stoke City's Form Turnaround
00:06:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Unfortunately, so ah you briefly touching on Norwich 2, Saints 1, but if you want to hear our thoughts and opinions on that, the whole episode from yesterday to catch you up on it ah is what ah three Three games in seven days, not for us, is it?
00:06:00
Zak
Well, they're hefty.
00:06:14
Zak
look forward to Look forward to my...
00:06:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's the way it goes.
00:06:18
Zak
just Just look forward to my Villanac being mad at Norwich City for the next like five to six years. They've replaced Watford on my I'm annoyed that a handball was given against us hit list for the next foreseeable future.
00:06:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. We didn't mention it in yesterday's episode, Zach, but did you see their tweet from just after full time with a picture of the player of the match ward saying you've got to hand it to him?
00:06:39
Zak
Yeah, like, I mean, you've got to...
00:06:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
but As someone, I love it when Saints do that, so I've got to...
00:06:44
Zak
We can't...
00:06:47
Zak
Yeah, like, we can't not laugh the banter of our social media team. You know, can't remember what was the other week with, like, Taylor Harwood-Bellis. But, like, do you know what I mean? we can't not appreciate it. And as much as I'm mad about it, it's one of those things that if the alternative is VAR,
00:07:06
Zak
ah fine. I guess we just need to take the loss, you know? I'd rather have that than that have to wait 15 minutes to find out that actuality, ah that there was good we're not going to have the goal be chalked off, but we'll be given a penalty because somewhere in that region, a Saints player looked the wrong way and his arm was in the wrong position.
00:07:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's
00:07:25
Zak
So in actuality, we found, like, sack off that. ah Just occasionally wrong decisions, fine, whatever. Anywho.
Preston vs Oxford United Post-promotion Struggles
00:07:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right, moving down the list. ah Oxford United 1, Preston North End 2. Saint-Tierry Small picking up an assist for Preston here in their win.
00:07:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah I mean, look, that's... I mean, Oxford's form at the moment, that sounds about right, right? Yeah.
00:07:55
Zak
Yeah, I mean, like, they are they are becoming the quintessential promoted sides that's really struggling, right? and Yeah, it's a big it's a big, big step up. and They didn't have the the ego and personality of Nathan Jones to ride on for the beginning half of the season, and they're kind of, it it's being shown. I wouldn't wouldn't really expect them to to do much else this season. and I know that's that's probably a bit mean, but I'm not hugely surprised. Preston have still been on a relatively good run of form.
00:08:28
Zak
You know, they're they're literally third.
00:08:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, all the way up in third now, so yeah.
00:08:29
Zak
So, Yeah.
00:08:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I mean, like you say, a game that, looking at the form coming in, is probably exactly the result you'd expect, but sir still look like a good game of football. I was at St Mary's, I didn't watch it, but have caught up on the highlights, so that's, you know...
00:08:48
Zak
It's, it's, it's, you kind of, it's a bit of a, how I put it? Like nothing burger, right? Like it, it's one of those ones where it's a, it's a championship game, like, but it's not one that I would pick to watch. And I know that's, that's maybe disrespectful. That's maybe mean.
00:09:05
Zak
It's just not one I would pick to watch. And it ended exactly how kind of most people would have probably predicted it at the beginning of the day. So yeah.
00:09:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Absolutely. Okay. And ah moving down the list, one more. Stoke 2, Swansea 1. ah i mean, again, Stoke turning it around after seeming to be on a proper downturn of form.
00:09:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
And Swansea, after managing to pick up a couple of wins, you know, back back struggling again. It's...
00:09:37
Zak
Yeah, it's the the opposite of of of us and, you know, Sheffield United and this and the other. It just just shows you that form exists for a reason, right? We can't all be the Coventry cities of the world and just consistently win, win, win, win win with the occasional loss. You've got to make sure you capitalise on the patches and the chances that they're in front of you.
00:09:56
Zak
And considering that, yeah, they've kind of been dropping off a little bit, it must be nice for them to win and difficult for Swansea to accept. But at the same time, they're just about out of the drop zone, Swansea, now. So they've got to be in a much happier position than they were when they originally sacked off empteenth manager, right?
00:10:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, that's you've got to feel their sort of... I mean, is that what their target would have been at the start of the season? Probably not. ah At this point of the season, will they be grateful for it?
00:10:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, almost definitely.
00:10:30
Zak
That's where were at eight games ago, right? And, um you know, we've gone from hoping to survive in the championship to basically now pushing for promotion again.
00:10:42
Zak
And Tonda's come out and said, that's the that's the goal, right? So, you know, unfortunately, objectives can chop and change. And I think Swansea's at this point is to just stay up.
00:10:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:10:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, for sure. ah Ben Pearson for Stoke scoring his first goal in six years, ah which is... Well, I mean, look, you talk about goals from unlikely sources. ah But look, they ended their sort of run of losses and turned it round.
00:11:10
Zak
Six years.
00:11:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, you know, Stoke... Not giving up on pushing, presumably trying to get that that playoff place. But, I mean, that is a it's a tough battle, right? Everywhere from third down to 16th.
00:11:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Realistically still in with a shot of getting in those playoff places.
00:11:31
Zak
Yep.
00:11:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's...
00:11:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:11:34
Zak
Well, it's, yeah, it's going to be hard work for whoever wants to get back up there.
00:11:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:11:38
Zak
That includes that includes ourselves, right?
00:11:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Absolutely. Right.
Coventry City vs Bristol City: Performance Analysis
00:11:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Let's ah pause there, take a little break and hear from our partners at Bionique.
00:12:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, and we are back. ah Right next on the list, ah Birmingham won, Charlton won.
00:12:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah I mean, look, that's a better result for Charlton than their other previous games based on their form, right? That's...
00:12:46
Zak
Yeah, was that that that start? I think that started with us, right? Like once we batted them, they've just not really recovered. So draw is going to be and just anything to stop that like downward spiral, right? Like it just depends whether or not they follow up because we had that last season where we'd get a draw and be like, maybe this is it.
00:13:04
Zak
And then it would be like another five losses in row. But probably X8 Clara scoring for Birmingham as well. but we've seen how We've seen how tough Birmingham can be.
00:13:14
Zak
ah they just don't have you know They're just taking a leaf out of Arbuk and not scoring with strikers at the moment, right? Because whenever they they bring on their strikers, a lot of them don't do anything, which is a problem, I'm sure. um So, yeah yeah, that's probably a sweeping generalisation.
00:13:28
Zak
But ah I'm going to say it nonetheless and stick by it. can see.
00:13:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, at the end of the day, we talked about Birmingham and how well they may or may not do as they moved up into the league from promotion last season, but they have to be happy with where they're at, right? 12th currently, you know, not outside chances of of playoffs like that. That could happen from their position.
00:13:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Probably not going down. Like, you'd be
00:13:59
Zak
It is.
00:14:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
You'd have taken it as a Birmingham City fan at the start of the season.
00:14:05
Zak
um I'm sure, but also they'll lament miss chances, right? like ah I think I brought it up previously. like they've had they They were in a very similar position to us where they just didn't take their chances. like Heck, you saw that in a game against us. like how many you know like at one point, it was definitely harder to to miss than it was to school, but they boy, howdy did they manage it.
00:14:25
Zak
um so So yeah, I think they're probably underperforming for what they would be expecting. but over-performing for everyone else's um you know expectations of where Birmingham probably should sit.
00:14:38
Zak
But like you know that's that's got to feel like more of a loss for them than it's going to be for Charlton. For Charlton, that'll probably be a massive boost, to be honest.
00:14:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, indeed. Right, moving on. ah League leaders, Coventry City 1, Bristol City 0. I mean, that's a pretty tame result for for Coventry based off of their like average score the rest of the season, right?
00:15:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's a sneaky 1-0.
00:15:02
Zak
Yeah, they they've also been forced into quite a few saves from Birmingham as well. But like again, this is when you've got the defence playing so well and the attackers playing so well, it's it's the kind of um the thing I was talking about in our on our match review and the thing that is quite scary against playing them.
00:15:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm.
00:15:23
Zak
as you know as they are the next opponents we're up against, is that they are able to sometimes just produce something from nothing and they have that belief, whereas you know we've we've kind of showed that we now have patterns of play and you know they know...
00:15:39
Zak
when we're not confident, right? Like they'll probably be watching and being like, all right, if we just jump on Salampton in that second half, and if they if we keep them out in the first half, we'll probably be all right. ah But like, they're just they're just showing why they are where they are, right?
00:15:52
Zak
Like, you know, the easiest way for them to avoid having to miss out in the playoffs like they did last time round was to not have to bother with the playoffs. So they are certainly proving that, right?
00:16:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:16:03
Zak
And and the good the like good thing for them is that even when they've had like a loss or a draw or whatever, they they are seemingly able to kind of like bounce back quite quickly. And I'm hoping we kind of take those lessons as well and continue continue on you know?
00:16:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, and I mean, for Bristol, that's... ah I mean, reading their head coach's comments, seems like... I mean, could you take a 1-0 against a team in as good a form as Coventry? and You know, Bristol doing all right this season? Like you say, still in this group of teams. this This, you know, to be fair, this group of teams that is almost the entire league...
00:16:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
in with the short of the playoffs. So they will be happy with that. Same amount of points as us. So, yeah.
00:16:50
Zak
Yeah, and I think probably slightly more annoyed because they were doing better and they did make it into the playoff places last year. So they probably still got similar ambitions, even with their head coach changing, who probably looking back at it, regrets going, right? Like Norwich didn't seem to be a good place for Liam Manning to end up. Yeah.
00:17:09
Zak
So yeah, I guess we'll just have to see how they get on. But Bristol City are a team that if you'd asked me two or three years ago why I thought of them, even even back when we were in the, you know, expect I would just beat them.
00:17:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes, indeed. ah Right, one more before we head into our final break. ah Leicester 3, Ipswich 1.
00:17:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah I mean, I don't know if you've seen anything from this game,
Leicester's Record Goal
00:17:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Zach. Yeah. But ah Abdul Fatawu scored the ah goal from the furthest distance of any goal in EFL history since Opta began recording stats.
00:17:59
Zak
Yeah, some it's kind of insane. I guess if you're going to score a goal, it's probably the best way to score it, right? Like,
00:18:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
think it came in at 74 yards.
00:18:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
its Yeah, I mean, you're going lob the keeper from distance, make it the longest in it in recorded history, I guess. But ah outside of that, ah that's a good win for Leicester, right?
00:18:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
It seemed to be...
00:18:26
Zak
For sure, like, sort of keep in and keeping Ipswich down from from really putting on a challenge for for second place. And on top of that, you've you've got the fact that, like, they, after their defeat to us, right, we're a bit...
00:18:41
Zak
I think a lot of they had a lot of criticism. People were sort of saying they were completely done. they had another loss directly after. And then, yeah, they're like slowly trying to steady the ship. But you've got to take it as what it is, which is Premier League side that dropped out against another Premier League side that dropped out. And they beat the one that most people would probably think are better. Surely off a form table, what, you had...
00:19:05
Zak
us, Leicester, Ipswich, right, when we went down.
00:19:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:19:09
Zak
yeah I think most people would argue that Ipswich are probably the better team, have had the least disruption of coming down from the Premier League. But, you know, sometimes it depends on how it is on the day. And when you score a goal like that, you know, sometimes that just gives everyone the boost, right?
00:19:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:19:23
Zak
It's like us with Sienza, when he steps onto the pitch and everyone, you know, if he scores like a goal or does an amazing cross in, if you are able to capitalise on those moments, you you know you can go on to get quite a decisive win, which they managed.
00:19:36
Zak
So, fair play to them. I don't really have anything against Ipswich or Leicester, other than that time that Vardy injured Van Dijk years ago, because again, hold really weird, bitter grudges.
00:19:48
Zak
like
00:19:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
The other thing of note from that game is that... ah Bobby D Cordova-Reed also scored an absolute belter, which in any other game would be like the highlight reel worthy goal that would be shown everywhere for for a long time. But score a goal like that and then have that, ah frankly, overruled by such an incredible stroke from distance is...
00:20:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
it just Just tickles me. as My particular brand of humour anyway. But yeah, fair play to Leicester. Right, ah before we plough through the final part of our list, let's have another little break and hear a message from our partners at Zencastr.
00:20:29
Zak
I'm sorry.
00:20:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Here at the Global Sports Podcast Network, we've spent a lot of time selecting our delivery platform. Zencaster came out the clear winner. With 4K video recordings 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.
00:20:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, and we are back.
Middlesbrough's Resilient Pursuit
00:21:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Next on the list, Middlesbrough 3, QPR 1. Middlesbrough are continuing to put that pressure on and and you know close the gap a bit.
00:21:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was at 10 points at one point earlier in the week, now down to 5 as they're closing in on Coventry. So, i mean, keeping everyone in touch, right?
00:21:19
Zak
yeah you you think that rob
00:21:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:21:23
Zak
You'd think Rob Edwards not left, right? You wonder the impact that he was making there if they've just managed to jump on straight after and carry on. um and that And that really says a lot and fair play to them.
00:21:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hmm.
00:21:35
Zak
And, you know, they went through a bit of a ah tough period, um sort of settling some of the side and stuff. I think i've pointed out before, like remember Whittaker getting quite a lot of lot of stick and he seems to just be constantly on the score sheet.
00:21:47
Zak
So yeah, they're really they're really another side to watch. I think there's been so much of a focus on on Coventry because of just the absolute sort of demolition job that they're doing. we' We've kind of ignored the fact that Middlesbrough, despite losing their manager, have also been able to keep up the pace, right? Because you wonder what would happen with Coventry if they lost Frank Lampard, and if they would just be able to carry on as is.
00:22:08
Zak
But with Middlesbrough, I think it's really impressive to go through that level of disruption, like a forced change, right? It wasn't like that they they got rid of their manager, their manager left them. But to to carry it on, I think, is is really, really impressive.
00:22:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:22:21
Zak
And, you know, say what you want to have games, whether it's QPR or what, like, it's the same conversation I've had when, ah you know, Sonder had won, like, two or three games, right? And everyone's like, oh, they're really good sides, though. It's you're going beat what's in front of you.
00:22:33
Zak
Like, you know, what would you rather us do? Like curate all of the top sides in one go? And then like, oh, we'll see. We haven't managed to do that yet. And it's the same, similar similar to circumstances to when we were talking about Leicester and we and we beat them and people were like, well, they're not really a good side anymore. It's like, what do you people want?
00:22:48
Zak
um But Middlesbrough keeps showing like the fact that they're able to, you know, pull off pull that off successfully, you know?
00:22:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, absolutely. Right, ah next one on the list.
Hull City vs Millwall: Top-Table Clash
00:23:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Millwall 1, Hull City 3. I mean, the proper like top end of the table clash, Hull coming out on top.
00:23:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah
00:23:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Maybe a bit surprising to be honest. I mean, Millwall right up and amongst it as some people here but had predicted. don't know.
00:23:20
Zak
Yeah, like, but, you know, they were 2-0 down for a long time, right? Got red card, decided to jump on that red card by scoring themselves before the game being, you know, killed off by McBurney, who, you know, they they've just been doing really, really well this season.
00:23:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:23:39
Zak
I think nobody really predicted Hull to be doing as well as as they were, especially with, like, the almost relegation and then when they had Bond of Ruben Sellis, right? And,
00:23:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:23:50
Zak
yeah they're kind of recovering from when their owner hit that self-destruct button, right? Where they like missed out on playoff places by like a point. They're like, we're going to get rid of our manager.
00:23:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:23:59
Zak
We're going to bring in, we're going to bring in somebody else. And then like, they've managed to kind of piece that back together and get where they are now. But with Millwall, like, I guess just that happens sometimes. I think it's more surprising that it happened at the den, right?
00:24:10
Zak
Because that place is a...
00:24:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Normally a tough place to go So as we well know.
00:24:14
Zak
So yeah, I'm... Yeah, kind of surprised surprised by the result, but you know sometimes that's just that's just how it isn't it? you know Football.
00:24:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Next on the list, ah Portsmouth 2, Blackburn 1. It's a shame, isn't it? Really?
00:24:34
Zak
Yeah, well, they're only one point outside the drop zone, aren't they? Yeah.
00:24:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I mean, that that that comes off of a week where they lost twice previously and you know beat a Blackburn side who are you know right down there amongst it with them. So it's ah is what is.
00:24:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
don't want to...
00:24:55
Zak
Yeah, i'm not I'm not really too... I've been through this before, right? Like, I saw something... saw some post somewhere that was like, you should be obsessed with your rivals and care about what their score is. Like, I check to see they are the table, and I go, ha! And that's about as much attention as I really want to pay. um Because, like, why not be obsessed with my rivals? I much prefer to be obsessed with the team I support, hence participation in a daily podcast.
00:25:20
Zak
But, you know...
00:25:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
i I take the same approach as the St. Mary's Stadium announcer, mate, which is if they lose, they read it out every time. And if they don't, they don't.
00:25:37
Zak
You're right. I'm right but i am glad that we've managed to discuss this game in its entirety. Who scored the important moments. Anyway, moving to a film.
00:25:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, next on the list. Look, let's face it, none of our listeners are wanting an in-depth analysis of that. and
00:25:55
Zak
from us, really. Okay.
00:25:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:25:57
Zak
odd On Portsmouth, sure. Can name, like, one of their players.
00:26:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right.
00:26:02
Zak
Yeah.
Wrexham's Draw and Hollywood Pressure
00:26:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Wrexham 2, Watford 2. A 93rd minute equaliser from Wrexham here. ah i mean, wow. yeah
00:26:15
Zak
Are they going to struggle to get a decent documentary out of like the season where they're probably going to finish sort of very very light mid-table or lower-mid-table? Or do you reckon they're just going to keep having a show clips of like games like this where they're like, we managed to stay up off the basis of some last-minute wins and draws? Because obviously, it was at home. And Watford, as we learned earlier in the season, can sometimes just produce...
00:26:42
Zak
moments of magic. and I think they're gelling a little bit better, but they still are at the kind of lofty heights that most people would be expecting of them, right? But then maybe that's our that's all of our fault for everyone's fault for kind of assuming they're going to be significantly higher up and better than they actually are.
00:26:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
It
00:27:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
was just that Hollywood expectation, mate. That's all it was. But i don't think I don't think they'll struggle to make a documentary out of it because that is what they're good at. Wow.
00:27:10
Zak
That is the, as we know, that is the primary point of the Football Club Rexham FC. good I'm going to get shouted at by No, like, I jest.
00:27:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Wow. lu there
00:27:23
Zak
they weren they were good They were good fun when they came to us. And, um you know, it's always nice to keep things exciting. It's just, a again, it's it's just one of those games where you're like, I don't really think there was much on the line here. of ah of of You know, it's not like it's helping. think Wrexham are quite in a healthy position being away from a drop zone.
00:27:42
Zak
And Watford...
00:27:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, well, you know, 14th, 15th, sort of in that region where potentially still in, I mean, as in shot of of playoffs as they could be, but down towards that end where we're probably just missing out because of the sheer quantity of teams above them, right?
00:28:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
More than anything else.
00:28:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:28:06
Zak
Yeah, like, other it's one of those, like Watford as well, like they got rid of their manager as as much as they joke as much as we joke about Watford doing that.
00:28:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right, and
00:28:15
Zak
Like we have become the new the new faces of sacking your manager non-stop throughout the season.
00:28:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hmm.
00:28:20
Zak
But like they brought back Garcia. And if I remember rightly, the whole point was to like try and push for promotion again. And they can't really be too happy because they're sitting at 14th. And it's kind of, you just kind of wonder, you wonder what they're thinking sometimes. Is it one of those things, but because they were once in the Premier League,
00:28:35
Zak
they They kind of feel like they they have almost, you know, like they they deserve to be back there. I'm like, mate, it was when Troy Deeney was still in the team. like um It's about 20 years ago, it feels like at this point. But genuinely, they they are a baffling football club to watch from the outside in.
00:28:51
Zak
And you do wonder about some of their decisions. And like, are they going to be happy with getting rid of their previous manager and now having the men in like 14th place? I don't know. Weird one.
00:29:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it is a very weird one. ah I mean, i guess at this point in the season, there's only so much you can do, right? You just have to almost write off and go again and try and so you know keep next season in mind. and It's a horrible point to be at once you've changed. As we know, changing managers frequently through the season doesn't end well either. So, don't know.
00:29:25
Zak
It does not.
00:29:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right, mate. Last on the list, some Monday Night Football.
Sheffield Wednesday's Relegation Concerns
00:29:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Derby County... Well, sorry. Sheffield Wednesday nil, Derby County three. ah
00:29:35
Zak
No.
00:29:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
i mean, look. Poor Sheffield Wednesday, man. Like, is there... its Is there really, at this point, any chance of them surviving the drop? Almost definitely not, right?
00:29:48
Zak
ah
00:29:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Minus nine points, one draw in the last six games.
00:29:50
Zak
not Not even.
00:29:53
Zak
that that that's their so they're so cooked.
00:29:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's just...
00:29:56
Zak
It's so it's so upsetting like from the outside in. Again, like i I think that they're very aware that everything now is about building for next season, right?
00:30:07
Zak
They must be. Like, surely they can't be like, we're going to go on a run of like five or six games. Like, they would take it wouldn it would take them, what, three wins at least to just get them to to zero points. And at that point, like, I don't know how long it is before they're mathematically relegated, but it feels like it must be soon, right? Surely.
00:30:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, well, I don't know, mate. There's a lot of games in in this league, right?
00:30:31
Zak
Yeah, but yeah it it's it's horrible, though.
00:30:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
like We're not even halfway through the season yet. It is is horrible. ah Yeah, I really feel for Sheffield Wednesday. ah And, you know, it just unfortunately is what it is.
00:30:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
The football comes thick and fast throughout all the crisis and...
00:30:49
Zak
And yeah, it doesn't it doesn't really matter. But I think the the other the other thing to not completely sweep under the rug here is how well Derby have been doing. Like how much better better expectation.
00:30:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank
00:31:01
Zak
um Against expectations, you know, I think that you know Nick even said at the beginning of a season, right? Like their hope was to just stay up essentially and maybe do a little bit better. And they've they've been doing that.
00:31:13
Zak
doing a lot more since then, right? And that that is also containing a team with Ben Bereton Diaz in it. So he plays like most games as well. I don't know if he's that popular there, but he he is taking part in most of these games. So, you know, it's kind of crazy, but like, it must be, must be good for him so to be part of a winning side for, you know, all intents and purposes.
00:31:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, for sure. It definitely can't hurt. and And that's it, mate. That's the end of the list, the end of our championship roundup. ah I do enjoy these episodes. A nice little glimpse, like you say, in the wider world around us in the championship and um what's ah what's going on.
00:31:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Looking substantially better for us in this roundup than the last time we had time to do one, it's got to be said. up in
00:32:02
Zak
This is true.
00:32:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Up into 10th and only, you know, four points off of playoff places, it's... It's a pretty scary game upcoming, but just got take it as it comes.
00:32:14
Zak
Yeah, but also if if we if we play well, if we win, you know that's just that's a massive boost. we've just got to be...
00:32:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:32:22
Zak
Hopefully everyone's in a bit of a positive mindset and can take it, right? And it's at home. Home's been a nice place to go recently. Hopefully they can just move on and from the last games.
00:32:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:32:34
Zak
What I don't want to do is lose two in a row and then all of a sudden heads start to drop and people start to wobble a little bit. I'm hoping and we can get something out of it. It may just be blind optimism at this point, um but I'd rather prefer that than my usual doom and gloom.
00:32:48
Zak
That'll change by Friday, I'm sure.
00:32:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Indeed. Right. That is all we have got time for today. So thank you as always, Zach, for joining me and thank you everyone for listening. Let us know in the comments on the socials, your highlight of this weekend of championship football. We love hearing from you. We are GSPN Southampton on all of the socials on x, blue sky, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube. Hit us up, let us know, drop a subscribe if you like what you're hearing or seeing. We will be back tomorrow, Zach alluded to earlier, with some other general saints goodness. But until then, have a wonderful day, everyone, and we'll see you then.