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00:00:01
Episode 169: Match Review: WE DIDN'T LOSE!!!
82 Plays21 days ago
Southampton – Another home game, and what feels like disappointment, but, we didn't lose! We played quite well, and came away with a point (which are hard to come by!). We discuss all of our raw opinions on the game!
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Transcript
Post-Match Reflections: Mixed Emotions
00:00:10
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 joined by the full Southampton team late at night after the game.
00:00:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Zach, how you doing?
00:00:26
Zak
Yeah, mate. I mean, wasn't three points, but it is a point. And that, at this to take the season, is all we can ask for.
00:00:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
And Oscar, how you doing? How feeling, mate?
00:00:35
Oscar
Yeah, good. Double figures. We're nearly there.
00:00:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, good luck.
00:00:39
Zak
Double figures. This is it like when your kid when a kid turns 10 and it like blows their mind. and it
00:00:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:00:44
Zak
Except it's just almost that we're getting past the point of being the worst Premier League team of all time.
00:00:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, that's it. Look, we we have talked all season about how it is the hope that gets you.
00:00:51
Zak
Touching distance.
00:00:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
And tonight was living, breathing proof of that. Because for 92 minutes, there was belief that this might be the night that we became the second worst Premier League team.
00:01:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
in history. but But that's not how it went down. There was an audible groan when eight minutes were raised and it only took two of them to, in very Southampton style, let someone score their first Crystal Palace goal.
00:01:20
Zak
There it is.
00:01:33
Zak
Look, it's nice that we're a really charitable side, right? What's that? Jadon Sancho this
Recurring Issues: Letting Underperformers Score
00:01:38
Zak
season, Rashford when he was still actually United, now I can't remember his name, which sounds awful, but it's just...
00:01:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Frank.
00:01:49
Zak
The thing is,
00:01:49
Oscar
and Another one is that when he came on, me and my mate that were watching, without getting the audible who when he came on, I mean, we both said, who is that? Googled him. Mateus Franco, never heard of him.
00:02:01
Oscar
Wallop. Wow.
00:02:02
Zak
Oh, no, was he he's the guy they were talking about, I think, who who's been out for like ages with injury problems and they were really excited and they spent a lot of money on him. And, you know, obviously it comes on in schools because that's just, well, as I pointed out, we were chatting just briefly before we kicked off as well.
00:02:19
Zak
And I want to tell the anecdote of my wife saying that is the most Southampton thing. that ever happened and to ever happen. When I said this to both the lads, both of you, without missing a beat, were like, actually, no, the most unhappened thing to happen would be for us to lose 2-1, which is also what I said to my wife. So we have to take the small victories.
Signs of Improvement Amid Relegation Fears
00:02:42
Zak
i That's where I'm at. I'm i'm still kind of
00:02:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, look, I think... I know that it's like it's far too late in the season to be talking about taking positives from performances, right? Like, we are all but mathematically relegated, and that could happen still as early as this weekend coming.
00:03:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
But we played with some belief. Tallpool scored a goal on purpose.
00:03:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like...
00:03:08
Zak
True that, true that.
00:03:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
And when we conceded, we didn't drop completely and immediately concede another.
00:03:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, you know...
00:03:19
Oscar
I actually thought we played some really good football as well and we made Palace look very ordinary.
00:03:21
Zak
Yes.
00:03:23
Oscar
I don't know whether it was us being very good, Palace being very poor or a bit of a combination of both, but genuinely we played some good football and is, as you say, it's frustrating.
00:03:34
Oscar
It's taken until we are practically mathematical mathematically relegated for that to happen because...
00:03:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:03:40
Oscar
I don't think, I've said it before, I don't think we are the worst team in Premier League history. I don't think it's fair. Obviously, if they end up not getting those points, then it is. But, you know, if we played Derby, that Derby team, I think we'd absolutely wallop them.
00:03:54
Oscar
If we played Sheffield from last season, I think we'd beat them.
00:03:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah Yeah.
00:03:57
Oscar
Like, I just think they don't,
00:04:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
We got very unlucky at the start of the season and have really struggled with momentum
Brilliant Moments: Matty Fernandes' Goal
00:04:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
since that. There were two or three VAR decisions at the start of the season and a dodgy penalty against Man United that really killed any hope of gaining any momentum. when We've sort of seen performances in spots and bits here and there and it's never really come together but Yeah, it's... stuck The goal that we scored was... I watched it back on the short highlights while i was waiting for you guys to to join.
00:04:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
And what a beautifully worked goal for Matty Fernandes.
00:04:37
Zak
it was such a good goal such again like so before before we kicked off you you text you text us greg talking about how there was big section in today's program about how much he's loving life in south ampton here and i i'm sorry i can't believe that he prefers south ampton over like over over london i just can't i can't think that the like buddha lounge has anything in comparison to some of the london clubs
00:04:39
Oscar
Okay.
00:05:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah Look, I did read the full article and it does go on to say that he really enjoyed playing at Old Trafford. So maybe preferring Southampton to London why might not be our biggest concern.
00:05:11
Oscar
Yeah.
00:05:14
Zak
I enjoyed playing at Old Trafford. Well, to be honest, mate, unless we're planning to take like three apples and a £5 note found down the back Ratcliffe's sofa, we're probably all right.
Player Praise: Fernandes and Stephens
00:05:27
Zak
Unless they're going to get any money back and all of the players they bought. I don't think that's as much of a problem. But... Back to the the main the main talking point, yeah, that the goal was fantastic. It was it came out of... it felt I say if effect came out of it felt like it came out of nowhere.
00:05:41
Zak
We actually like knocked on the door as early as eight minutes in after what felt like it was going to be a very standard sort of Southampton performance. And Fernandes was, once again, absolutely superb.
00:05:54
Zak
And you could tell. like There were a couple of times where... got the ball and absolutely skied it, but like the intent was always there. And like I think that all the players recognised that.
00:06:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:06:04
Zak
I think that Stephens had a good game. I think Defence had a good game. I think it was genuinely... you know i think I've already said to you guys that I think Bednarak had a bit of a weird a few wobbles a couple of times, but also he was going to be run ragged by a significantly better...
00:06:20
Zak
But that was think I think it was 12 hours, they said in the commentary, that Crystal Palace had gone without like conceding a goal or something like that. Ridiculous. So the fact that it was at the nine-minute mark. So once Paul got that goal, like it was like that 12 hours and 10 minutes were then broken.
00:06:38
Zak
So... I don't know. i Where I'm at is that there are some some positives to take, which you said, Greg, like a, oh, it's not really, there's no much point talking about positive performance at the end of the season.
00:06:50
Zak
And I kind of disagree because like, this is all we've got now. That's all we've got, mate.
00:06:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:06:56
Zak
like It's not like we're not going to get relegated. It's not like we've got not a huge amount i look to look forward to. and And me and you both discussed like when we were working our day jobs today, but usually football used to be something we really looked forward to. kind of half i was kind of dreading having to watch tonight.
00:07:12
Zak
I didn't dread watching the game. I enjoyed watching the game. Yeah, okay, that last five minutes or six minutes exactly. Killed it a little bit, but I don't think that anyone thought that the script was going to be any different, other than the fact that, as we both pointed out, we probably thought we'd lose.
00:07:32
Zak
So anyway, I've chatted for a long time now, lads, so I'll shut up for a bit.
00:07:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
and
00:07:34
Oscar
i Yeah, i think i I think I went into it thinking the same. And actually, I think you could tell in the ground it was very flat before kickoff. Couldn't even hear, didn't even really hear when the Saints, when the brass band started up.
00:07:49
Oscar
It was very quiet.
00:07:49
Zak
dead mate from from like outside it was dead
00:07:51
Oscar
app It was. And, you know, until Sir Bampton scored, and then it got a bit livelier, but it was it was very quiet. But I say, it did liven up towards the end, and it did.
00:08:02
Oscar
It got really loud. It was basically at a point that Flynn Downs absolutely flattened someone. All of a sudden, it kicked off, and it made you think, well, maybe this northern wall could work if we actually gave him something cheer about.
00:08:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:08:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I mean, can't, I can't, come to blame the fans or or us for being quiet it it's been woeful at home all the way up till this point uh and you know that shows this is the first game i've seen empty seats uh in any capacity and there were definitely some crystal phallus pans uh sat crystal palace fans sat directly behind me
00:08:20
Oscar
Oh, no, 100%. that
00:08:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
was not ideal, but they kept quiet. It wasn't too bad. But yeah, it was it was an interesting one. But we're going to get to the structured part of the episode. We're going to try to talk about how we felt about team lineups and of such. But first, a message from our partners at Bionique.
00:09:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, and we are back. So I've got to that I looked for something to be upset by in the the team sheet. And genuinely, for the first time in a long time, I really struggled. Like, it was a five at the back, sure, but we played three centre-backs.
00:09:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
We played full-backs at full-back. We had two holding midfielders, like proper midfielders, playing in midfield. And a striker probably would have gone for Archer, personally, over on Atchie, but it proved to be the right decision. He actually had a reasonably good game right up until, I think, about the 60th minute when he looked like he had run his race for the day.
00:10:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
But,
Strategic Slip-Ups: Costly Mistakes
00:10:17
Zak
Yeah, mega cramped, isn't
00:10:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah.
00:10:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
But, yeah, Oscar, how are you feeling about the team sheets?
00:10:23
Oscar
Yeah, I think who knew that when we actually play our players in the right positions, we're actually not as terrible as you might think.
00:10:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Did you...
00:10:29
Oscar
I've said for a while, I'd like to see that double pivot of Ugachuk, Wu and Downs behind Fernandes. I think that was... what clicked the most which is why we were as good as we were because Fernandes could just have that role to be free and to go and float around Onu Achu and Suleiman are linked up really well they they've got a really good connection the only reason I'd say I probably would start Onu Achu and maybe Archie we've spoken about that before but they've got a good relationship I'm pretty sure they live together
00:10:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:11:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:11:02
Oscar
So i I think it was all, it all sort of clicked into places. and Again, frustrating it's taken until and we're practically relegated for that, for two professional managers, well, certainly this one, to figure out that actually playing players in the correct position helped.
00:11:17
Oscar
I appreciate we've had injuries, but, you know, the argument has always been, I want a left-sided centre-half to play, a left-centre-half, or a left-footer. Jack Stevens has come in there and has done a relatively okay job.
00:11:28
Oscar
Yeah. you know, we looked pretty solid throughout.
00:11:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
when
00:11:32
Oscar
So, yeah, I think i was i was happy with it when it came out. I think that's probably, again, let's stick with that now. Let's not go and change it next game and go back to three up front or, you know, two attacks or whatever.
00:11:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Although, were you did you say, Zach, that that yellow card for downs means that now he's suspended for two games?
00:11:49
Oscar
Yeah.
00:11:50
Zak
Yeah, he's going to be out for Spurs and Villa.
00:11:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Brilliant.
00:11:53
Oscar
Yeah. Yeah.
00:11:54
Zak
it was about We found something that worked really well.
00:11:54
Oscar
but like
00:11:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Brilliant.
00:11:57
Zak
It wasn't injuries this time. It was the suspensions. but
00:12:00
Oscar
Yeah, frustrating actually because I thought Downs was was looked like his old self a bit today.
00:12:04
Zak
Yeah, that was wild.
00:12:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:12:06
Oscar
so But that is a bit frustrating and actually it was a bit of a silly yellow card be honest. I don't think he really needs to do it. But, you know, Eribo can slot in there and and do a similar job and actually maybe, you know, and I know probably come into it when we come into Spurs.
00:12:23
Oscar
Spurs are beatable, they? Even at their place.
00:12:25
Zak
Spurs, innit?
00:12:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:12:26
Oscar
Yeah.
00:12:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
It feels like it would be very Saints and very Spurs. Yeah.
00:12:32
Oscar
Yeah.
00:12:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
for us to be something like three nill up in 25 minutes somehow, and then probably lose 5-3.
00:12:40
Oscar
Yeah, post it.
00:12:40
Zak
especially as we start to get towards the chaotic end of the season, right? Like, they're not fighting for European places at this point. So, yeah yeah, it depends who who wants it more, don't it?
00:12:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:12:52
Zak
And,
00:12:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
be a really interesting game. But yeah,
Flashes of Great Football Amid Struggles
00:12:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
I...
00:12:54
Oscar
no
00:12:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
I actually really enjoyed most of the night. It was good to see us clicking together and there were some nice flicks and just some creative football. You're right, the freedom that Matty Fernandes was allowed really worked wonders.
00:13:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Even Ojanacu chased down the goalkeeper at one point and blocked
00:13:15
Oscar
I think
00:13:15
Zak
That was so funny.
00:13:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
glock out
00:13:17
Zak
It didn't do anything, but it was lovely to see.
00:13:21
Oscar
it looks wrong a way.
00:13:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
It lifted the crowd.
00:13:23
Oscar
I just think but they actually looked like they were fighting for something, which is the first time in a long while I've seen that.
00:13:26
Zak
a
00:13:28
Oscar
I don't you know what... Fair play to Juric because I don't know what he's done over the last couple of weeks, but it seems to have worked, at least for for this game.
00:13:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:13:36
Zak
Also, this is like this is a huge part of our season now, is that a striker is now our top goal scorer. Onuachu is now the top Premier League goal scorer for Southampton with four goals, which is crazy.
00:13:49
Oscar
for He
00:13:52
Zak
Absolutely crazy.
00:13:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's two and two.
00:13:53
Zak
Bear in mind, yeah, bear in mind he's had what, like nine? I think nine starts this season.
00:13:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:13:59
Zak
And so in those nine starts, he scored four, which comparison to the rest of our squad, i think,
00:14:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's on a streak. Two in two games. He is only, what, the rest of the season away from breaking Jamie Vardy's record?
00:14:13
Oscar
he still he still has his moments. I don't know if you saw that one where he they, I think, Did he cut the ball out from the goalkeeper? and then he Or someone's cut the ball out. He's got it on the edge corner of the box and he's trying to shoot and it's nearly hit the corner flag.
00:14:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:14:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
it's like he had too much feet to get it out.
00:14:28
Oscar
Yeah.
00:14:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
He just couldn't get it out at all. And that was there that happened three or four times. He's like, oh, a ball. What am I supposed to do with this? Yeah.
00:14:36
Oscar
He is just comedy for what?
00:14:38
Zak
Tell me, but
00:14:39
Oscar
Well, he's also flattened Adam Wharton at one point.
00:14:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:14:41
Oscar
lips Completely body slammed him.
00:14:43
Zak
He did, and that was very funny, especially considering that, you know, Warton got carded very early on for but antics.
00:14:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:14:45
Oscar
was.
00:14:50
Zak
But I think that that is the only the only criticism I can hugely throw is just, once again, it was when we got near the box, it's like a mass panic.
00:15:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:15:02
Zak
And sometimes it's because, quite frankly, Kyle Walker-Peters and Fernandes run too fast, and then they've got absolutely no one to deliver it to.
00:15:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, they have to turn around because they have to wait for the ball to get into the box.
00:15:12
Zak
Yeah, because, well, she did.
00:15:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
its
00:15:15
Zak
ah then then said And there was one, I remember, that that flew right across the front of Paul, but he just wasn't fast enough.
00:15:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's really funny.
00:15:21
Zak
And I think it was just let just released a little bit too early. I think it was Downs that that crossed it in. But, like...
00:15:26
Oscar
yeah
00:15:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
We had eight shots tonight.
00:15:27
Zak
No.
00:15:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Do you remember a game the entire rest of the season where we hit eight shots?
00:15:34
Oscar
And I think we can have more.
00:15:34
Zak
No.
00:15:35
Oscar
I mean, do you remember that? There was another chance with Suleymane, which he actually had a weird game because he he was quite effective whilst being really ineffective. but he He did well and then didn't actually...
00:15:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:15:44
Zak
Yes.
00:15:46
Oscar
but That way he's driven into the box or just shoot, hit it across to keep a bobble it past your left foot and he's for some reason cut it back and there's no one there and it was complete traffic in it.
00:15:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:15:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
but But there was one that fell to downs as well, where I'm just screaming at him, just hit it, just leather it, and he tries to lay it off to our natural, and it gets blocked and goes out for corners.
00:16:04
Oscar
Yeah.
00:16:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
just Just shoot. just
00:16:06
Oscar
I thought we thoroughly...
00:16:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
If you don't kick the ball at the goal, where you don't win. How...
00:16:10
Zak
Yeah, but it's it's that it's that standard thing where they're worried about losing it and they're worried about getting back, so they'd much rather try and play it less risky. But the problem is is that you overthink it, you spend too much time, you allow Palace to get themselves back into a solid defensive unit and then you are just going to hit another p player.
00:16:27
Zak
And and it's it's that has been a big part of our, like a big story of our season, in my opinion, is that the attacking threat doesn't feel like it's there. But then the flip side of that is that, you know, you look back at that poor goal and it was fantastic.
00:16:41
Zak
it's It's almost like too much time with the ball in the box or near the box is almost like a detriment for us.
00:16:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:16:47
Zak
It's bizarre. There are a couple of times we had loads of time as well. Like Joe Arabo was dancing around with it and it was sort of like, well, it's here. And then was somehow ends going back to Ramsdale. It's like, oh, what's going on?
00:16:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
that was That was a very deliberate play, it has to be said, in an effort to not give the ball away at a key point in the game where keeping it was more important than scoring.
00:17:08
Oscar
Thank you.
00:17:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:17:08
Zak
Yeah, but the problem is, is it in my opinion, if we'd scored, it would have been a cushion.
00:17:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah yeah
00:17:14
Zak
So this is the problem.
00:17:14
Oscar
Yeah, I think it's telling what we're lacking. is like Mateta, for me, actually had quite a poor game, to be honest, but he still rattled the crossbar and had another chance that was very well saved by Ramsdale, despite not really doing very much. He's had two very good chances.
00:17:30
Oscar
And out of nothing, he created both of them himself, which is what we're lacking, that quality to be able to do that.
00:17:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:17:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:17:37
Oscar
Even though he had a poor game all round, I would say. oh Well, I think Ben Arrick kept him pretty quiet, other than the slip.
00:17:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:17:43
Oscar
you know, we can figure out that.
00:17:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, we're going to head towards some some closing thoughts and some other observations. But first, a message from our partners at Zencaster. Here at the Global Sports Podcast Network, we spent a lot of time selecting our delivery platform.
00:17:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
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,
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Global Sports Podcast Network
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. Okay, so we're back.
00:18:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
I want to go dive a little bit deeper, Oscar, into what you were saying about sort of that key problem. And actually, I think that the fact that we allowed Mateta to create those chances is as much of a problem, because there were three or four times notably in the game where...
Defensive Lapses and Team Potential
00:18:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
the ball would go up and Palace just had seemingly infinite amounts of time to take it down before anyone got out to them. And it's what caused the problem in the the first half with the crossbar.
00:18:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
And there were a couple of other sort of points to in the game where where I noticed it. And it's... What happened to this sort of heavy metal man-for-man stuff that we were going for? It seems like they just had so much time and space sometimes. It was a bit baffling.
00:19:06
Oscar
Yeah, I know what you're saying. I think that one that was the that was a bit of a throwback to the man-for-man situation where they've left...
00:19:17
Oscar
Mateta 1v1 with Ben Narek and he's got the better of him because he slipped and then all of a sudden you saw the centre-backs all panic the players all panic because they're with their player and this one's suddenly gone free so they're then trying to process in a short amount of time right who leaves who to go and close it down in the meantime Mateta's gone thank you very much and wallop so yeah I think it's it's one of those where which we probably could deal with it better I think we've dealt with it better today in terms of getting out to a loose ball than we have
00:19:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:19:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:19:46
Oscar
But actually, it's probably what's caused their goal as well from a set-piece second phase. And we had that a lot with Martin where we didn't get out to the ball quick enough from a second-phase set-piece. It's come in and we've we've conceded.
00:19:58
Oscar
So, yeah, I think there are moments. I think we do need to try and be a bit pro more proactive defensively because I thought from that one as well, Maybe I'm being harsh.
00:20:08
Oscar
Should a winger be beating Jack Stephens as centre-back to the ball at the front post? I don't know if he could have got himself there, but he is a winger. Like, shit could he have done better?
00:20:19
Oscar
Would you say?
00:20:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah. I think it's possibly. I don't think Stephens had a bad game in general, though.
00:20:26
Oscar
no I would agree.
00:20:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think it it was solid.
00:20:27
Oscar
and
00:20:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Pretty solid. Yeah. Really, if you if I look across the pitch and sort of go player by player, don't really see anyone who had a bad day.
00:20:33
Zak
I'm not going to be a huge fan.
00:20:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
With one exception, I guess the £100m man himself, Tyler Diblin, didn't exactly yeah set the world on fire in his cameo appearance.
00:20:50
Oscar
know. I think a few loose touches and a few naive touches as well. I think there was one that he could have just rolled out rolled out or or hooked down the channel with Archer getting on after it and he's tried to let he's tried to sort of pop it down into the feet of Walker Peters I think and then they've nicked it and counted and it was one of those where you think a bit of experience and you don't do that but
00:21:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:21:12
Zak
True, but I think if you if you look at quite a lot of the players today, that you know we've we've had some, like we said, that Downs got back to his old self, but then also at the flip side, he's managed to get himself a yellow card that probably wasn't really needed.
00:21:26
Zak
There was definitely one moment where his his dodgy pass back is what caused almost another goal if it wasn't for us having Ramsdale. you know you you shit You stick Joe Lumley...
00:21:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:21:36
Zak
in between the sticks and, you know, those those Palace chances to tonight would have been away. this would have been This would have been another 2-3-1 loss and we would be we would be really, really mad.
00:21:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:21:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:21:47
Zak
And I guess that shows you some of the fine margins.
00:21:49
Zak
And I think when the thing that sticks out in my mind when you go, should that Jack Stevens do better? I reckon if most of our players did about 10-20% better in most of the games that we've had,
00:22:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hmm.
00:22:01
Zak
that would have changed the way everything was, right? Like that's that's how our season's been.
00:22:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah You're right
00:22:04
Oscar
Yeah.
00:22:05
Zak
There there haven't been... it's like you said, it's it would be unfair to call us the worst team of all time, but we are going to go down as that. and if it's and And that is because of those fine margins, quite frankly.
00:22:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Currently, yeah
00:22:18
Zak
And that that shows you where the league's at nowadays.
00:22:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, there was another one as well where I don't know.
00:22:21
Oscar
yeah
00:22:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, I haven't seen it back in the highlights, which presumably means it wasn't as bad as it looked. But when Bednarek got booked from where I was sat, it looked like he might have been lucky that it was only yellow.
00:22:34
Oscar
i think I think because he was quite wide out, it would have been difficult to give that as a red.
00:22:35
Zak
Yeah, I've...
00:22:40
Oscar
I'm not sure it was an obvious goal. i was right opposite. wait I was right next to the away fans. So they thought it was a red, funnily enough.
00:22:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, yeah.
00:22:47
Oscar
it But no, I think that would have been extremely difficult.
00:22:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, from from where I was sat in the northern end, I looked at it and no. oh That's not what we need to say.
00:22:56
Oscar
I thought that for the, there was a Jack Stevens challenge in the box, which I think by all accounts was obviously a very good challenge.
00:22:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:23:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:23:03
Oscar
I was a bit, I did check it, VAR, because you saw the ref was Hunter. They also checked something for the goal because he was checking something, but the second goal, their goal rather.
00:23:15
Oscar
But obviously it wasn't to me.
00:23:19
Zak
Yeah, I think i think that's that's the thing. and The problem is is that that we can be so confounded in the negativity and confounded in the the various difference various reasons why season's just seasons just been just catastrophic. and And there are so many and its it can be recruitment, but then also it can come down to tiny, small moments in these games where little slight things and have been the difference between us winning and losing.
00:23:46
Zak
and And that is an indictment realistically of of the league in it.
00:23:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:23:50
Zak
And that's, and that's where we're at. And it's no, it should be no surprise to anybody as much as we can talk about how well on the forest have done it. XYZ has done it. Yeah. Over the last couple of years, but the last couple of like the last two or three years, it's got cut though.
00:24:05
Zak
The same three teams that have come up are the same three teams that are going down points differences between the higher ones and the lower ones. And, getting much tighter than they ever were previously.
00:24:16
Zak
And yeah, I think genuine genuinely, like we had a really, really good game. did a very, very Southampton thing. We're not the first team it's going to happen to. We're not the last.
00:24:28
Zak
It's not the first time it's going to happen to us. And it's not to be the last time either.
00:24:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
No.
00:24:32
Zak
But ultimately, a point on the board is a point on the board.
00:24:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
it
00:24:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. It's funny, isn't it? Because sometimes a draw feels like a win. Sometimes it feels like a loss. And definitely the in it happening in the 92nd minute is makes this feel like a loss. But what we need to remember is that this is still substantially better than we have managed at home pretty much the entire rest of the season.
00:24:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
So...
00:24:59
Oscar
I think that and that was predicted, right? As in, i think almost everyone, except for Greg, and predicted us to lose. I didn't as well, but even myself, my...
00:25:10
Oscar
prediction was fairly optimistic but I listened to the to one of the other Samantha podcasts I think it was 2-0 3-0 and 4-0 was the prediction so you know I think again that's a point I wonder what they would have had that down on you know because they'd always note down every month they would have every game down with what they expect to get from that game I wonder what they would have that down as I think they would have taken a point from that
00:25:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:25:34
Zak
But like yeah the other thing to point out is like you both went to the game today.
00:25:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
and
00:25:39
Zak
did did you have a better time than usual? If the answer is yes, that's that's already better than it's been most of the season.
00:25:46
Oscar
yeah
00:25:47
Zak
Because most people are going to those games every week, week in, week out. Greg, you're one of them. And, you know, rather than having the absolute hype and excitement that you usually have, it's getting to a point now where it feels like a chore.
00:25:58
Zak
And what happened was for a solid 70 minutes today wasn't was it as much as a chore. And we' we were able to talk about our team in a positive light for the first time in what feels like forever because this is easily...
00:26:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think it might be the first time in all 169 episodes that we've produced. It definitely feels that way.
00:26:20
Oscar
I also, one particular highlight was seeing the Chapel end give give the away fans a bit of grief, saying, how crap must you be?
00:26:21
Zak
and
00:26:27
Oscar
And so we're winning at home. So that never happened.
00:26:29
Zak
eyes It's that the gallows humour of our fans something that I will consistently stand by being the best.
00:26:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
i love that.
00:26:31
Oscar
Yeah. and
00:26:37
Zak
It is absolutely great because it's like...
00:26:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. I mean, the first chant after Tallpool's name was, we're staying up, so...
00:26:42
Oscar
Yeah, that's it.
00:26:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:26:43
Zak
Yeah, yeah yeah it was i was I was roaring at home, put it that way.
00:26:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's it. i
00:26:47
Zak
It made me made me laugh so much because, it's you know, again, even my wife's like, are they singing?
00:26:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:26:53
Zak
like, yes, yeah yes, yes, they were. Why you like this? I'm like, what else do we do? I love you very much, but what else do we do in these situations?
00:27:02
Oscar
I think it's hard if we scored a goal starter as well quite quietly.
00:27:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
that's it
00:27:05
Zak
You did as well, yeah.
00:27:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:27:06
Oscar
Yeah.
00:27:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's good. Perfect.
00:27:07
Oscar
But, yeah,
00:27:07
Zak
But that's that's the thing, right?
00:27:08
Zak
And you've got to have that little bit of fun. And we know it's not going to change everything. We know it's not going to resolve all our problems. We're not exactly going to be happy for the rest of the season. I'm sure there's probably still some losses to come.
00:27:20
Zak
But in this small moment, yeah.
00:27:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Our last couple of games are pretty ruthless. say Yeah,
00:27:25
Zak
But in this moment, it was better than expected. Not as good as we wanted.
00:27:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
and they're the positives that we try to look for and live by.
00:27:35
Zak
Meets expectations. Hey.
00:27:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right, that is just about all we've got time for on this very, very late night from the Daily Southampton. Zach, Oscar, as always, thank you very much for joining me.
00:27:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you, everyone, for listening. We will be back tomorrow with something to do with the Spurs game. Until then, we didn't lose.
00:27:59
Zak
a