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Episode 303: Matchday Review: DEVESTAING loss to Bristol City
141 Plays5 days ago
Southampton – We stay up for a late night post game recording off the back of an incredibly disapointing evening. There are lots of emotions to get through in this one!
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Transcript
Introduction to the Podcast
00:00:10
Zak
Thank you.
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 my good friend, wonderful co-host, Zach Ingo Finch.
Emotional Impact of Southampton's 20th Loss
00:00:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Zach, that was our 20th loss of 2025.
00:00:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
How, look, we're recording right after full time, so it's going to be raw, it's going to be emotional. How feeling, mate? Yeah.
00:00:44
Zak
So was ruminating
Fascination with Struggling Teams
00:00:45
Zak
on it in like the last five minutes before we set up.
00:00:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you.
00:00:47
Zak
And I've i've realized that recently i've I've developed some sort of a weird sporting obsession of looking at like car crash teams. So like Rangers, as an example, like when they were going for all of their like period of time,
00:01:00
Zak
Anyone that's paid any attention to the podcast will know that i've I've paid a bit of attention to Sheffield Wednesday. Recently in the NFL, I've been sending Greg tons of memes that he doesn't care about about the Miami Dolphins, who are a team that are doing shockingly bad in the NFL.
00:01:14
Zak
I think it's just like my own form of self-therapy to deal with the fact that we are just a banter club at this point. And like, I had to reply to the the second like tier podcast that they tweeted out like,
00:01:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hmm.
Critique of Southampton's Defense
00:01:29
Zak
Does Southampton know how to defend? And I think the exact tweet I put out was, did you see our points tally last season? And considering we decided to keep most of the defence from last season, not hugely surprised.
00:01:41
Zak
But yeah, 20th loss in 2025, Greg. Like, I just want to stop. Like, where where's the guy who put the tweet out about Southampton being some sort of cruel social experiment?
00:01:51
Zak
because that's genuinely how I feel on a daily basis. Like, I had a good day today. i didn't know i wasn't high energy. That was a new video game that came out that I would have much rather have played. It released at 5pm.
00:02:02
Zak
I managed to get about an hour in and I was like, that's right, we'll watch
Analysis of Recent Games Against Swansea and Bristol City
00:02:05
Zak
the game. We good game against Swansea. But i did warn you that that was Swansea, Bristol City, you know, top half team. I think they were sitting seventh, only four points between us. But You know, they they feel like they've they've had a few wins this season with losses.
00:02:19
Zak
Yeah, OK, well, we've had a few draws. But if you look at our wins, Greg, this season as well, off one of our four wins of the last, like sorry, one of our two wins of the last four league games in like 25 matches, as the guy on Sky kept pointing out.
00:02:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
17 months.
00:02:35
Zak
They have been a like win at home against Wrexham, a newly promoted squad, which required Jack Stephens to score, and Ryan Manning, you know again, defenders. And then on top of that, yeah.
00:02:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Our currently fifth choice centre-back and club captain.
00:02:51
Zak
And on top of that, you've got Field United, that as I pointed out is... I'm not saying it was entirely the ref that gave us the game, but we had a lot of decisions go our way.
00:03:03
Zak
And since then, it's just toilet. And I can't really blame still. There's things that I'll point out that I'm annoyed about. For example, throwing Damien Downs to the Wolves at 83 minutes.
00:03:15
Zak
Like, I understand that you might be like, well, might imagine he scored a hat trick or a brace. Yeah, but also, i like i don't live in a world where pigs fly, mate. Like, as soon as we as soon as that third goal rolled in, just before the subs got on,
00:03:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:03:28
Zak
You knew this game was game, set, match, and they and they played like it as well. they These are... If I put down my tools at my job every time it got hard, i would have been unemployed so many times.
00:03:42
Zak
I hate it. i hate that we are in a position with a team that they can just stop playing when they realize that the game is lost.
00:03:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
it's wait
00:03:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
but it's not even that like it it it like obviously that is awful but it's like they put so much energy and so much effort and then like oh well we you know we threw everything in the kitchen sink at Swansea
00:03:50
Zak
And...
00:04:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
And it didn't go in. And now we've done really well for the first half hour. We finally got that goal. And then it's like, right, what do we do now? and the answer was nothing. We did nothing.
Goalkeeper McCarthy's Performance
00:04:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
like
00:04:15
Zak
no we just we just We fell back to what we did what we do all the time, which is like the mental fragility of our football team could be studied for years to come.
00:04:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
it
00:04:27
Zak
as to what like how like this kind of stuff affects footballers. Because, my word, like those are some of the softest goals in the world. and And the one, don't even get me started, on McCarthy not realising that if the ball's still in play, you should probably maybe deal with it, not just stand there and look at it as it goes past your leg, and then go, and then it just...
00:04:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
oh
00:04:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, the ball hit the post. What shall I do now? Oh, wait, that's my problem.
00:04:51
Zak
more And I understand, rather than try and get big as well, he decided to jump sideways to the floor. So you could have just digged over him. Not that he had to do that. But they had a player, for an ex-Bermy player who I pointed out in our preview, Scott Twine, who's scored a hat-trick on an evening where, yes, we had a striker score, another striker not hit.
00:05:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well... two goals.
00:05:12
Zak
I just, mate, I'm so tired. We do a daily podcast on what feels to be the worst team of all
Is Southampton Cursed?
00:05:19
Zak
time. Like, I just can't.
00:05:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Look, I understand you're upset, but that's... the we yeah Look, it's not
00:05:24
Zak
What do you mean? Okay, we're not in Sheffield United, but Sheffield United have started winning again. If we get the vote again, we're just going to do Luton. Like...
00:05:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
it's not that bad, right? It's bad, and I understand the frustration, but it's...
00:05:37
Zak
its It's consistently bad, mate, is the problem.
00:05:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's not that we played so well for the full game against Swansea and we showed that for 30 minutes tonight and then once we got the goal we didn't know what to do I get it.
00:05:43
Zak
Oh my god, then give us a reward for playing well.
00:05:48
Zak
yeah
00:05:51
Zak
That's last season. You're just describing last season. Well, if we could give that an award for playing well for 20 minutes of the game, would have just I don't know what it is. We've swapped the personnel. We've swapped the manager like 30 times.
00:06:06
Zak
Ralph has the hoot to the crowd. Did he curse us when he got fired? Is there some sort of like deep underground Austrian witch's curse on the entirety of the city of Southampton?
00:06:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you.
00:06:17
Zak
did Did Sports Republic come in and owe some sort of blood debt to a vampire? What is going on? I don't understand how, like you know, we've got our marquee striker who was on the bench, who again came on, lamb to the slaughter, far too late to really make a difference, especially where considering his shot of confidence and now you're allowed and him to like win the game.
00:06:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm. Hmm.
00:06:41
Zak
You've got Finna Zaz, who was like a £10 million sign-in, where, to be honest, the only sentiment I'm really seeing is Middlesbrough being like, thanks for the £10 million, guys.
00:06:50
Zak
i just so I'm just really frustrated and upset. like It was even more upsetting to... I think it was... can't remember which goal it was. One of the one of the goals where Yander managed to miss it.
00:07:03
Zak
And I think it was the one where it rolled back out, which was a bit of a fluky goal, to be fair. yeah That shouldn't be the one I'm cross about. The one where we just didn't defend it. like The other two where we just didn't defend, I should be more cross about.
00:07:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:07:14
Zak
But... i think I think what it is, mate, is I'm just just...
00:07:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
We'll see.
Podcast as a Passion for Football
00:07:18
Zak
We do a daily podcast on this team and Southampton Football Club consumes so much of my life and like in recent years... Like the podcast is the only thing that keeps me engaged in football, really.
00:07:31
Zak
And that's a sad, depressing fact. Because like, well, you pointed out the 27,000 attendants. Like, I just don't know what they could do at this point. I'm seeing people say sack the manager. What's the point?
00:07:42
Zak
Who's going to come in and save it? Sack the board? Well, they're not going leave, are they? So what do you do? I guess I'm just going to continue. I'm just going to guess I'm going to have to go to Preston. you know, I'm going to come to the home game.
00:07:54
Zak
I'm probably just going to drink an excess amount of beer. I'll be annoyed. And then it will be like, you're going to go, wow, there's going to be signs of improvement, mate. We scored, it was one all, but like we attacked and I'm going to have to, have to banter you the other side.
00:08:06
Zak
Like, I just want to cry, Greg. It's fine. You say football things now.
00:08:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right, mate, look. Look, yeah, look.
00:08:13
Zak
It's almost over. We can get our first break. Listeners can skip.
00:08:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right, look,
00:08:17
Zak
Yeah.
00:08:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
I've got Silver Lion into the cloud, right?
00:08:21
Zak
a
00:08:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I'm going to try and focus on them.
00:08:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
and And I've got criticisms too, right? It's not not just a like a glass half empty kind of guy. But let's get to that after a break and a message from our partner at Bionique.
00:08:24
Zak
I'm glad someone does.
00:09:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
But let's it's calm down. Let's reset. let's Let's take this from the front, from
Positive Moments in the Game
00:09:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
the start, right?
00:09:22
Zak
took some I took some deep breaths, mate. I just needed to get that out because, like...
00:09:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:09:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
we've we've We've had our little therapy rant. Let's approach analytically, right, from from the start of the game.
00:09:31
Zak
Let's try. Let's try. plus try
00:09:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
For the first half an hour, think I said to you, we were i was actually going to message you before we scored, and then as I went to say it, we scored. which blew me away. i'm like, that this has been a joy to watch. We played good, pressing football.
00:09:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
We were keeping possession a bit, but the line was higher. We were, you know, pretty much all of our centre-backs were in their half. We were pushed forward. We were creating gaps. We were creating chances.
00:10:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
You know, nothing really clear-cut until a wonderful through ball from Shea Charles finds Armstrong. and bang, he puts us in front with the finish that we know he can do.
00:10:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Slightly before that, he'd found himself in a bit of space and had a much worse shot.
00:10:16
Zak
Hmm.
00:10:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
but But, you know, let's remember, even in the season when he scored all the goals in the championship, that was very Adam Armstrong. He was... He's not... If he was a clinical finisher that season, he'd have had 63, is where I'm Um... at. at.
00:10:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
And that was good. And then immediately we switched off, conceded. But I said to you the the way we conceded the goal, it was a shame, but I don't mind conceding a goal like that because we're pushing up and pushing on and pushing forward. Now, it was a mistake from Nathan Wood the that put Mimé through. And I... Yeah. Yeah.
00:10:55
Zak
Probably the first time we've seen it from him, to be fair, in a while.
00:10:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
and it yeah Yeah, exactly. The first mistake i I've noticed of of Wood, and, you know, it went through, and you got unlucky that it fell directly at the player that was switched on's feet, and, I mean, probably...
00:11:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Bristol City's best player on the pitch tonight, Mimetti, who had it was causing us absolute chaos every time he got on the ball. I know Twine will take the headlines because he scored twice, but I really think that Mimetti was the handful the that really made it difficult for different parts of our defence. And then, you know, it was scrappy after that point, which I guess you'd expect, but we still...
Critique of the Game's Second Half
00:11:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
We kind of pushed on a bit before halftime and looked like then Archer had his chance that if Armstrong doesn't score the way he scores where he chips over the keeper, there's no way the keeper's coming in at that angle to stop, to block that shot. And the where it hits the keeper, the shot is on the shoulder.
00:11:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
If the keeper's not that angle, it's going in. So... You know, sure, broken mirrors and black hats be the talk of it, right? It's unfortunate, but we we asked him to hit the ball harder at the goal, and he did try that.
00:12:16
Zak
i yeah i did I did say to you, said I can't be mad because I wanted him to bury it. I just didn't want him to bury it directly into the keeper's face.
00:12:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:12:23
Zak
and i guess i guess so it's like e it's I think a lot of it comes down, and we've talked about this quite a bit as well, it just seems to be like a lot of the decision making.
00:12:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:12:32
Zak
It seems to be bizarre sometimes. like process And this is where, like I know I've had criticism for but saying that you know we play Russell Martinpool, but i'm not I'm not necessarily saying that.
00:12:43
Zak
It's like when Will still was talking about, oh, can I do that? Am I allowed to do that? And I still think there must be some sort of mental hangover somewhere where like sometimes that decisions are made, it's just mad.
00:12:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's a fear. It's the fear of losing.
00:12:54
Zak
Yeah.
00:12:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's 100% that, and you saw that as soon as we went behind. and And then, right, so that's... that's we had Archer had that chance. Then it gets a bit scrappy, and really, we're just looking to get in at halftime, and we're hoping that, you know, Will Steel's been pretty good at getting them on board and getting out and doing something in the second half.
00:13:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
And unfortunately, this is the point where all of the positive things I have to say about the game and Because the second half was just awful.
00:13:26
Zak
Dier, what a... Dier, they just the they came out, there was no energy.
00:13:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Just...
00:13:30
Zak
it was It was sort of wasn't even frenzied. It was just sort of like you're hoping for them to put a bit more energy in. None of it happens.
00:13:40
Zak
Nothing...
00:13:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm. Hmm.
00:13:41
Zak
It just kind of drops off and you're sort of hoping it gets back to that point where we're like, why are we not making those balls? And again, I think you know then we go another goal down, then he finally decides to make some changes
00:13:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's the thing, right? Because actually, in the first half, where we were, you know, you still said, that oh, if we're going to be counter-attacking, we need to be faster than this.
00:13:55
Zak
And the changes are too, you know.
00:14:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was still a bit slow in the build-up. But as we were building up, there was lots of movement and running off the ball. Yeah. Yander would drag a midfielder further back and then Siena would run into the space and receive the ball create a bit of space and then quickly fire out to the wing and if needs be recycled there was like actually structure and system and movement off the ball to create this and then we came out the second half and it's just stagnant Armstrong's making a run no one passed it to him
00:14:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Archer made a run. oh no, I'm passing it to him. We turn back round, we pass it. Then we concede the second goal, which is the stupid goal off the post. But before that, we gave away a couple of stupid free kicks when we know that Bristol City are good at set pieces and have Scott Twine supposedly a set piece specialist, although you know that one free kick just hit the wall.
00:14:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
But we put ourselves in that position. We make that stupid mistake and concede that stupid goal. and then And then it's like reset to default settings. Like, oh no, we're too scared to play a forward pass properly now. Let's knock it back to a centre-back. And then there's still no movement. And then, i mean, Tom Fellows, who we've been we get told on Sky Sports was took a knock before the game and that's why he didn't start. And now he's put sick and won't be able to come on because of that.
00:15:29
Zak
That was baffling.
00:15:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Gets brought on.
00:15:30
Zak
And he looked like he was just going to throw up on the pitch as well. Like, I'm like, why would you bother?
00:15:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah.
00:15:35
Zak
Like, this is, this is exactly reminds me that time they they had Fraser play and he played awful.
00:15:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, and had to drag him off.
00:15:40
Zak
And then it and it turns out that, you know, they they're just like oh, well, he was poorly.
00:15:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
like
00:15:43
Zak
And you're like, so?
00:15:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Why are you playing him then?
00:15:44
Zak
like what are you, what if you, you know, you look at our bench. Okay, well then don't do something different. Like at that point, it would be surely keep, you know, unless Fraser was injured, keep keep him on.
00:15:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:15:56
Zak
And then, you know, take somebody off for Downs at that point. Because again, like, bringing bringing Downs on on the 78th minute was just a complete waste of everybody's time. More so for Damien Downs.
00:16:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:16:06
Zak
Like, how's that going to build his confidence? The first time you've brought him into a game after the forever is when he's, you know, when we're 3-1 down with the expectation that he should probably start scoring.
00:16:17
Zak
Like...
00:16:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then, and not just that either, right? The other changes. So fellows who, who looked ill, Yander came off Yander came off for downs who then not only is playing, you know, in a crowded position because you've taken him off for a midfielder, which is not his position.
00:16:23
Zak
Yeah, looked physically ill.
00:16:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know you Like you say, 12 minutes of the game left to make an impact, already 3-1 down. It's just a crazy decision. Jay Robinson on for Cameron Archer is the only change that we saw that I feel fine about, because Robinson came on and looked sharp and tried to make an impact and probably needs to shoot in practice as well, but at least he's trying.
00:16:56
Zak
Yeah, like, again, for me, it's very dozy-esque, right? But you can see the intent there.
00:16:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then...
00:17:01
Zak
You can see the, I don't want to lose this game. And, like, I think that I saw that in a couple of other people. Again, like you pointed out, Armstrong kept making the runs. he he He wasn't really at fault. Sienza played incredible.
00:17:12
Zak
So then, I guess, a lot of it comes from sort of the wing-backs and the
Impact of Player Substitutions
00:17:15
Zak
defence. And with Fellows, it's understandable because Fellows poorly, like,
00:17:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, that's it. But then that's the other change that's... that's the other change that's daft, right? We took off Wellington and bought on Manning and, and Manning has been really good for us this season. But when he came on, all of the opportunities he had to run and do the overlap and run into space that Wellington was doing before he was taken off, he kept turning around and passing it back to the centre-backs.
00:17:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like, we're 3-1 down, we need a goal. Stop it. What you've, what he's done is default his Russell-Meyer reset. Ooh, can't run into the space, better turn around and pass it to Howard Bellis.
00:17:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's just...
00:17:49
Zak
who who got picked up a yellow card for dissent, who clearly, yeah and i don't know what, you know started to lose his head a little bit towards the end of the game. when As Mometti was subbed off, he said something in his ear, because clearly he's been like running a ragged all game.
00:18:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
i think that I think the problem with Harwood Bellis is that he clearly has a temper, but also he very clearly cares enough to get angry at what's going on.
00:18:03
Zak
so
00:18:11
Zak
Yeah, but but... Right, but getting... get The thing is is, I can be angry because I'm not a paid footballer, Greg. The problem that i'm I'm really starting to get sick of is the pity party. Like, the pity party these players have when they go a goal down and then they concede something stupid and then they, like, spend all this time being, you know, getting so stressed about it. And, like, I don't...
00:18:32
Zak
But, you know, the players that didn't are players, again, like Jay Robinson that came on and wanted to try and make a difference. Armstrong that's still playing just because he just wants to play. And Sienza, who isn't as like isn't tainted from not being on this team.
00:18:45
Zak
And, like, you had even even Sky Sports commentators are picking up about how, like, oh, Shea Charles is back. He wasn't tainted with the the state of last season.
00:18:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:18:54
Zak
butcarthy McCarthy's just, again, like... We should have, you know, would have been lovely if we'd have kept Ramsdale. We haven't. The whole Buzunu-McCarthy debate is pointless at this point. I'm not going for it again, regardless of whether he's had a bad game tonight or not.
00:19:07
Zak
just it's It's just frustrating because it's like when we're confident and we we we're doing well, we have the game that we had against Swansea and the beginning of this game. And then something happens and it's like a switch is flipped. We go from being...
00:19:21
Zak
quite an amazing team to just like children getting absolutely walked over by a team.
00:19:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:19:26
Zak
And again, like I know that that probably comes with stability and time. And this also flies back to what I keep talking about, mate, where I know it sucks, but I just don't think we're as good as we think we are. I don't think that it matters if we brought in loads of new players or whatever.
00:19:39
Zak
you know, we we we are so many of our fans and we are living in this level of like, we have this stature. We should we should go back to this stature. Well, look at the other two teams that came down to tonight as well, right?
00:19:50
Zak
The other two teams that have come down from the Premier League both lost as well. So it's not just us, but I think with us, it's just like, it's the fact that it doesn't feel like we're giving it a proper go.
00:20:01
Zak
And I know you probably disagree with that because again, like,
00:20:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
no No, I agree. i i agree with the caveat. in the i don't think I think you're right. I don't think we're as good as we think we should be. i also don't think we're as bad as the results suggest.
00:20:16
Zak
But then the the problem
00:20:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Somewhere in that mid in the middle bit, there's that sweet spot of disappointment where we sit.
00:20:23
Zak
but didn't we say that a lot last season? Is that we didn't we're not actually as bad as the team as the 12 points denote. And the problem is, is like, there comes a time, and I know you're going to hate what i say next, mate.
00:20:33
Zak
There comes a time where perception becomes reality. And I feel like we have fallen into into that category now where we...
00:20:44
Zak
think we're bad and therefore we are, right? And like they do not look like a team that look like they are going out to smash this league to pieces. They look like a team that had 12 points last season and somehow, rather than what I hoped would happen, which is new players would go in, like Azaz, like Sienza, like Yanda, and install a different level of confidence.
00:21:09
Zak
Instead, it's like... the rot that's already in the club has spread out to them. And now they're second guessing themselves and they're not quite managing to do it. And this is why, again, like, is there some sort of voodoo curse? Are we being, have we accidentally, you know, did Spores go out and rob a tomb in Egypt before the start of the season?
Accepting Southampton's Current Performance Level
00:21:28
Zak
I genuinely don't know what it is, but,
00:21:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Alfie House suggested there's a line of dead cats run over by the team coach leaving Staplewood, Pat.
00:21:37
Zak
Again, like, but the fact that we're having to fall on to fall back onto this kind of like, oh, it's just bad luck. It's bad luck is, is the fact that we don't really want to face the reality, which is we're just not as good as we used to be.
00:21:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm. i actually
00:21:49
Zak
And like, we have a lot of teams that I think we have a lot of players that have a lot of potential and, The problem is is some are going to be become good and some aren't. We discussed this earlier, right? We discussed this in the week. Some are coming good. Sienza is a big, big risk, I think.
00:22:03
Zak
And he is a risk that is paying off so far. Still low-end product, which is what we actually need.
00:22:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
We hit the crossbar. It's getting closer, isn't That's a post at a crossbar.
00:22:10
Zak
Yeah. Yeah, exactly. it's getting Yeah, but then...
00:22:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
We've got the other post to go, and then eventually it will slide in somehow.
00:22:16
Zak
Yeah, then eventually it will hit the keeper in the face, mate. And that's... thats and Again, like it just feels like a lot of it's...
00:22:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right, mate.
00:22:23
Zak
A lot of it's frustrating. And like frustration is going to descend into apathy and that's going to be worse for the club in general and worse for the players when the fans turn on them, right?
00:22:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm. Wait. It is frustrating and I actually think that think that on Saturday against Swansea we were unlucky. I think tonight against Bristol we were poor and we probably underestimated them and I think that's come back to bite us.
00:22:41
Zak
I think that I think Swansea are a worse team and swan's and Bristol are a better team and Bristol proved that today.
00:22:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, 100%. Yeah, yeah, definitely.
00:22:50
Zak
And that's the biggest and that's the thing.
00:22:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I mean, their place in the table should have given that away. we think that after we scored, we underestimated them and it came back to bite us. And and then you throw a calamity of errors in the middle of it and you've you know you've got the result.
00:23:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
All right, I've got a couple of other questions to throw at you. But first, let's let's have another little break and hear from our partners at Zencastr. Here at the Global Sports Podcast Network, we spent a lot of time selecting our delivery platform, and Zencaster came out the clear winner.
00:23:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
With 4K video recording from your phone and AI editing that automatically removes all those ums and ahs, it's super easy to start podcast that sounds great and is delivered efficiently. If you're ready to tell your story, check out the link the show description to learn more about Zencaster.
00:23:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right, mate. My question for you is you think we can turn it around in time for the weekend? what but What's next? What happens now?
00:23:45
Zak
Well, Blackburn have also got battered today by Sheffield United, which are team we've beaten, right? They're not exactly in in a happy place.
00:23:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:23:52
Zak
They are what much worse than us. They are in the the bottom three alongside you know Norwich and and Wednesday. So if we are going to take our chances, they are a team to take chances against.
00:24:04
Zak
My big problem will come if we decide to score once, concede, and then fight out a draw, and then we say that that draw is progress. Because at this point, I think nothing less than a win on Saturday is is going to be salvageable for this.
00:24:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:24:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
A decisive win.
00:24:19
Zak
Because we we talked about, I said, what, like six points, I think is is what I would expected. Nine points is what I think we should should have gotten to finish to finish with two...
00:24:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:24:31
Zak
is is is is criminal realistically with the run of games we've got afterwards. So yeah, like with four is okay. We had a wobble in the middle.
00:24:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:24:41
Zak
So we really, really, we should be beating at the teams at the bottom if...
00:24:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I mean, i I think we're at a point where even a win even a decisive win against Blackburn isn't going to be enough to make this noise settle down.
00:24:52
Zak
Oh, it's not going to make every... it's not No, but then it's not going to because how do you... like Ultimately, Stills not silly. He knows that you know they we need to start getting results because it's a reverse results-based game.
00:25:07
Zak
I'm not saying we should sack the manager. i think it's insane we keep doing that. It's why it's our problem in the first place. Maybe looking back at it, getting rid of Hasenhut was mad, but by the sounds of all of the interviews with Bertrand...
00:25:18
Zak
Austin, the rest of them, by the sounds of it, he'd lost the dressing room completely at that point anyway. But like this entire point is it it's meant to be a reset, right?
Fan Expectations vs. Team Reality
00:25:31
Zak
And the problem is is that they haven't done themselves any favours by saying that Steele was hired to get us promoted. Every single player we've brought in has talked about, obviously, the goal is promotion back to the Premier League.
00:25:44
Zak
If it was a rebuild that's going to take a couple of seasons, and the the expectations should have been tempered lot earlier. And that's what it feels like hasn't happened. So you're right. I don't think a decisive win is going to make people... you know You get a win at Blackburn and you get a win at Preston, right?
00:26:00
Zak
And that puts us like top of the table again.
00:26:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Maybe we start.
00:26:03
Zak
But the problem is, mate, is that ultimately we have languished at the bottom... sort of half of the championship table. Portsmouth are still above us. We're just below Derby County. the only The only team above us, the team one you know team that on the same amount of points as us, is Watford, who have sacked their manager.
00:26:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Zach, do you want something to really upset you?
00:26:23
Zak
Sure, why not? Yeah?
00:26:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Nathan Jones doing pretty well, sitting fifth with Charlton.
00:26:28
Zak
Yeah? No, again, like we've we've been through this before. Maybe, maybe looking back at it, did he have enough time? Probably not. Was it his fault? Yep. Do I feel bad about it? No. Is he, does he, does he do well? Is he doing well at Charlton? Yep.
00:26:40
Zak
Is James Bree doing better? Yep. Is, you know, is Ben Bereton Diaz probably having a better time at Derby than we're having so far this season? Yeah. Like, it's just, it's frustrating because again, like, do I point,
00:26:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
oh Mate, i really enjoyed that even Jurich-style press conference you threw out. That's good. Nice callback to last year.
00:26:58
Zak
should I should start. should If I started knocking out that, mate, our podcast would shorten up real quick because, you know, that's that's not my style.
00:27:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
it
00:27:06
Zak
But it's just it's it's just the problem is, mate, is I know that you say it looks like we're progressing. And again, we can see signs of progression because of how close we pay attention.
00:27:17
Zak
But when you do not pay close attention and you randomly tune into Sky Sports on a Tuesday night and watch us get batted the same way we got batted against Hull, what are people going to take away from that?
00:27:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hmm.
00:27:29
Zak
and that And that is going to be the thing that like decides. and And, you know, it's going to... I don't know if it's going to get worse. Again, people start voting on their feet. And then it doesn't matter how many bars or restaurants they open up or if they turn the whole of St. Mary's into some cosmopolitan quarter of Southampton, which clearly is like their goal.
00:27:47
Zak
When you don't have people to spend their money in those places, they will become loss-making. And, like, we say... that's not necessarily the case, right? We say that's never going to happen. But again, like 27,000 people at home game.
00:27:59
Zak
Like, I remember going to the championship over, over you know, a decade ago at this point and us getting sort of 32,000 and like a one-all draw against West Ham, right?
00:28:11
Zak
And, you know, that those are... that is going to be the thing that starts to have an effect. And I don't know what more they could have done. They pick their man, they pick Spores, they'll die on the hill.
00:28:21
Zak
But like, if it doesn't pay off and it's it's awful, then maybe they need to think about that. But I just don't think there's an easy solution. But I do think that they need to stop, stop feeling sorry for themselves every time any, every time anything doesn't go our way.
00:28:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
hmm
00:28:37
Zak
Because like, you'll never, if you want the fans on side, if you want the support, if you want,
00:28:42
Zak
to show that you are the professionals we know you can be and and show us that, you know, that the club has made the right decision in hiring Wilson and stuff like Just actually prove it on the pitch because it's just not, at the moment, it doesn't feel like it's happening as much as it should do.
00:28:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, they need to pull it together.
00:28:58
Zak
But maybe, again, maybe it's expectations.
00:29:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Look, they need to pull it together and they've got, thankfully, another game coming in quick and fast to do that.
Conclusion and Hope for Improvement
00:29:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Anyway, that is all we have got time for on this late night recording session after the game.
00:29:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Zach, as always, thank you very much for joining me. Thank you, everyone, for listening. Let us know the comments on the socials how are you feeling after the game. Not good, I'm sure, but look,
00:29:23
Zak
Listeners, I can only apologise for my but eight and a half minute run. Greg, I can only apologise for eight and a half minute run.
00:29:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's like, mate, it's like...
00:29:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's group therapy, mate.
00:29:31
Zak
I'm just mad.
00:29:32
Zak
I just want to win.
00:29:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's everyone's feeling the same.
00:29:34
Zak
just want us to win.
00:29:37
Zak
just want to watch something that isn't terrible.
00:29:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's deep and frustrating. But look... let Let us know. Let us know in the socials, in the comments, everything you're feeling. Get those feelings out. We love to hear them.
00:29:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
We're on all of them. We're on X, Blue Sky, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, everywhere. Let us know. Hit us up. We will back tomorrow to talk about something hopefully a bit more positive, but we will see about that.
00:30:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Until then, though, try and have a wonderful day. Bye, everyone.