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Episode 305: Matchday Preview: Turning point? Away to Blackburn!
118 Plays3 days ago
Southampton – The games continue to come thick and fast and this feels like an important one. Is this where we turn it around? Let's hope!
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Transcript
Divided Opinions Among Southampton Fans
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 joined today by my good friend and wonderful co-host Zach Ingo Finch.
00:00:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
How you doing bud, you alright?
00:00:30
Zak
Yeah, I'm all right. i mean, it's difficult, right? Because the club's in like a weird place at the moment. And I think that there seems to be a really strong differing of opinion between fans at the moment, I think.
00:00:45
Zak
And like, i' I've never felt as divided as a fan base in a long time, right? Because there are some people that ah stick with the process and there are some people that are, wow, obviously Sports Republic are the problem. And there are some people that are like, bring back Russell Martin, which is always funny.
00:01:02
Zak
And there are, it just feels, it just feels like such an odd place to to be at the moment. And then people might get what they want in a sense anyway.
Juventus' Interest and Its Implications
00:01:14
Zak
So obviously the news has come out today that apparently Juventus are after sports, which,
00:01:19
Zak
Some people seem to be celebrating because they're like, oh, it's fine. it was signed for bad signings and that'll be it. And other people have gone, oh, well this is terrible. And it's really weird because some of the people that I've seen that are really, really sort angry at the manager are also very much sort of spores in and vice versa.
00:01:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah
00:01:37
Zak
It's, I don't know, man, it's a weird time, but.
00:01:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's an interesting one. And I think we we were talking about it off air. And I think to me that really, whichever side of the coin you're on, it's probably a bad thing because we've seen before what happens when we lose our structure. And that is that we are not prepared with a plan B or a backup plan.
00:01:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
and sometimes need a jolt to get it sorted, you know, like the worst Premier League season in our club's history, like and second in all-time history.
00:02:01
Zak
Thank
00:02:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
like It is a concern, and I just think that... I don't know whether Johan Spors is the answer to all of the footballing problems that we have at Southampton, and going to sit here and claim to know that either way, but, I mean, he's definitely better than not having...
00:02:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Anything,
Management Dismissal vs. Ownership Protest
00:02:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
right? Surely. It's just...
00:02:30
Zak
And again, like we've been on the, we've been on the cusp. Okay. And I think one of the problems that I've got is that I sit in ah field where I, I truly agree with you in the sense of sucking off the manager is absolutely ridiculous at this point.
00:02:49
Zak
Like it's, it's not going to make a difference. And I can understand all the frustrations with Sports Republic, but like, and people going absolutely mad.
00:02:57
Zak
And it's like, I sit in this weird place where I'm like, I don't really know I'm meant to feel about it other than just sort of like frustration. Because ultimately, as as you put pointed out yesterday, when we did you did your fantastic research episode on multi-club models, like nothing we really do is intrinsically going to make a difference.
00:03:13
Zak
And if it's like, oh, we need to protest the ownership. I'm like, well, I don't really know necessarily the ownership of the problem. It's people like, oh, we were fine left mid-level club before. Like, we really weren't. Like, if anybody had an understanding of how Gao was running the club, it was basically entirely through a CEO that if at any point he decided to leave, which he did at one point, there's always going to be a problem.
Understanding Current Struggles
00:03:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, we were just over-performing then and are under-performing now. And because of that, where we actually should be as the average of those things fills almost feels like a step down.
00:03:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
But that's really probably not the case. But it's it's a tricky one.
00:03:51
Zak
I just don't know what people would prefer.
00:03:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
But...
00:03:53
Zak
Like, I think it's, again, it's like the idea that there's this this wonderful owner that's going to fly in on, like, wings and suddenly wrap us up in a big ah big, like, cuddly, you know, sheet.
00:04:05
Zak
And then he's going to go, here's £1 billion to spend what you like on players. And then we spend £1 billion pound on players and we still, you know, there's, I think, a lot of questions. and there's there's some there's some parts where we've avoided it where we've tried to
00:04:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank
00:04:18
Zak
ive avoid kind of criticising the players. I don't want to criticise individuals, but like, even still kind of had to the other day, because it's like, at what point do you realise that like, when you've gone through like five managers and a vast majority of the spine of the team is the same, maybe it's the team, right?
00:04:34
Zak
Like maybe it's some of the players that are just not pulling their weight. And it's, people keep talking about how like, oh, we've got good enough players to come back up.
Player Performance Responsibility
00:04:42
Zak
Well, if they were good enough players, I don't think we'd have got 12 points last year.
00:04:46
Zak
And I'm worried that, again, like the the it should be the new signings come in and galvanize the the old signings, right?
00:04:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:04:54
Zak
But it very much feels like the new signings have come in and that atmosphere is, whoa. And people are like, oh, it's up to the manager to change the atmosphere. How do you how do you change that and like immediately as well? This is the problem. Is it that because of the fact that Everyone sort of has short attention spans nowadays, myself included. This isn't like a dig everybody.
00:05:15
Zak
It's difficult to kind of like understand that this season might have to be accepted as a, okay, back to earth kind of season before we're able to rebuild, right? This is not when we've had...
00:05:32
Zak
sort of Premier League quality where like maybe there's an argument to be made that had they not messed up with a Dauphin Jones sign-in, would have never been in this position. We are in this position. I don't really know what the answers are. I just, I feel like everybody just wants to be enjoying supporting the club again.
00:05:48
Zak
Right?
00:05:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. And look, mate, I agree.
00:05:50
Zak
That's what ultimately everybody wants.
00:05:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
And on that track, let's not talk about it because the real thing we actually enjoy is coming up. And that's game football. We've got Blackburn away ah tomorrow. Let's talk about that.
00:06:04
Zak
ah just I just sort of wanted to acknowledge it, mate, that was all,
Anticipation for Blackburn Match
00:06:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, you're right. It needed acknowledging.
00:06:07
Zak
because trying to pretend it's not happening is like worse than, you know...
00:06:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
I agree. But look, we're heading into the stuff we love tomorrow. a game... And look, I'm going to use the phrase that you ah love that I use so frequently with the position we're in.
00:06:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
This game we should be winning comfortably. are you feeling about but the game? You feeling like this is the turning point?
00:06:35
Zak
It needs to be, but I could also see an argument that, oh, Blackburn haven't won at what a home in like four games. Wow. Introduce Southampton FC. Breaking everyone's records for them. So yeah, I'm not really too sure.
00:06:47
Zak
Like, I think they've been struggling sort of as much as us, which...
00:06:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
more more Even more, in fact. They are 23rd in the table at the moment, ah which is pretty low down.
00:06:59
Zak
They're that like,
00:06:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
They've had two wins.
00:07:01
Zak
they had that wind taken away from them because of the the weather and they're not having a good enough drainage system on their pitch.
00:07:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
in
00:07:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, which which might come into play tomorrow because the weather has not been favourable, so...
00:07:14
Zak
No, it's pretty stormy. You'd like to think they'd like a by that point, but hey-ho.
00:07:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, it's not always as easy as that, right?
00:07:22
Zak
No, I get that. like i'm I'm aware, I'm not saying that they are specifically their groundsmen are rubbish. i'm I'm saying that, you know,
00:07:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
But that that's another like factor to weigh in, right? Because if we want to come and play this like fast transitional football and the ball plugs up in the mud, it is another... like obstacle to be mentally overcome and mentally overcoming things is not something that we're good at right yeah
00:07:46
Zak
Roy Arteta.
00:07:50
Zak
oops Oh, why did you lose today? Well, the boys just kids struggled in the rain, innit? Like...
00:07:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
no but like there's a difference right you look at the pitches that we're used to playing on even St Mary's is like a hybrid pitch right where it tends to be consistently good and like even if it's raining they'll still water it at half time to make sure it whizzes Like, that's just not going to be the case on this round. And that is another thing to think about.
00:08:18
Zak
and we should That's a fascinating thing to do research on, is like how pitches help people win, especially with ground measurements and stuff.
00:08:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. It's
00:08:25
Zak
But alas, that's not today. Yeah, like I understand this factor.
00:08:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
all right, mate.
00:08:29
Zak
I don't think it's going to be...
00:08:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
In a couple of weeks, there's another international break. We can talk about it then.
00:08:32
Zak
oh good, yeah.
00:08:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. yeah
00:08:33
Zak
Wonderful. Love international breaks. ah Yeah, I understand that all of these things can be a factor. But yeah, like... We just need to win. I just don't think that the pressure, like, I don't know if there's real pressure on still, but like, ah for everybody's sake, it needs to be a win on Saturday.
Past Encounters with Blackburn
00:08:52
Zak
Like, if not, you're looking at one point from nine. That's That's bad.
00:08:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it's not it's not good, is it?
00:08:59
Zak
That's real bad. I'm sorry.
00:09:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Look, the last time we played them ah at Blackburn, it was a 0-0 draw in 2024.
00:09:02
Zak
There's no other way to wrap it up, is there?
00:09:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then at home, we smashed them 4-0.
00:09:12
Zak
But like that.
00:09:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, I mean, there's an argument there that in that's you know that's in the same season, right? We beat them 4-0 at St Mary's and drew 0-0 at Blackburn. So it very clearly isn't the easiest place to go, even if they're not having the best time at the moment.
00:09:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
And, uh, I mean, that it's just another thing to trigger the the anxiety in the brain, right? Of like, could be a banana peel, really needs to not be,
00:09:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah
00:09:40
Zak
I feel like that the the big banana peel was probably Bristol City. don't know if it's because we underestimated them or what, right?
00:09:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
But I think we always knew that was going to be the... Or should have been the hardest game of this week. So... Yeah. I don't know. I don't still don't think where any of us expected it to go the way that it did. So... but Man, i I don't know.
00:10:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
A little bit of an AI spiel before we head into the the break, mate. You love these. ah
00:10:09
Zak
Oh, don't I?
00:10:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Out of the two previous meetings, Blackburn won 0, Saints have won with one draw. so Blackburn's form at home is very poor.
00:10:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Southampton are performing poor away. So I'm glad we're back to these double sets of negatives. ah looking at the other little blurb where it breaks down the odds of the goals and stuff, it suggests it's going to be a reasonably low-scoring affair, ah suggesting that even over one and a half goals might be a stretch too far.
00:10:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:10:49
Zak
Wow.
00:10:50
Zak
that' some That's exciting for us, isn't it?
00:10:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
What an exciting preview for for the game to come. other than I know.
00:10:59
Zak
Yeah.
00:11:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
it's It's hard, isn't it, to get excited ah after the performance we had in the week. It's just difficult to fire yourself up, and hopefully our players don't have the same issue because they really need to kick on and do something, or it's just going to go from bad to worse real quick.
00:11:06
Zak
yeah
00:11:19
Zak
Yeah, i think that's that's that's the main thing is that it just we just need, at least to that pressure, we need prove that we're not where we are.
00:11:30
Zak
And I think the problem is is if we lose on Saturday, for me, that just reinforces the fact that we it may be where we deserve to be at the moment. I don't know if I necessarily think the performances are at that level, but again, if you're unable to put away your chances, as we pointed out before, that is the main part of the ball. So...
00:11:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Right, mate. Let's have a little break. Hear a message from our partners at Bionique.
00:11:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank
00:12:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, mate. And we are back. It's going to be an interesting segment this week.
Goalkeeper Position Debate
00:12:38
Zak
my second
00:12:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Predicted lineups. What do you... How do you see us lining up?
00:12:43
Zak
goes by
00:12:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Let's start the... What, in theory, should be the easiest position. Do McCarthy's mistakes in the week, are they enough to change who our first-choice keeper is? Do we see Baz brought back into the mix?
00:13:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
is that too much chopping and changing for you?
00:13:05
Zak
ah second god one
00:13:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Ha ha.
00:13:09
Zak
I think it would be good to put Baz back in, just something to prove. And from McCarthy's perspective to... Do you know what I mean? like we've kind of He's already shown that he's willing to chop and change if he has to. And he'd like a sell-side thing to be wrong, but like come on.
00:13:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Ha ha.
00:13:27
Zak
That's far too cool. like So yeah, I wouldn't mind seeing and Baz get a run out. And also like three games in a week for old McCarthy is going to be difficult, right?
00:13:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:13:37
Zak
So, yeah, I wouldn't be upset if I see either name. It's basically where I'm at.
00:13:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay. ah Obviously, Yeller still out, as we understand it, for a few weeks with his knock. ah Did Fraser do enough for you in that right-back position to stake his claim to that?
00:13:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Or do we see Fellows come in?
00:13:57
Zak
I think.
00:13:59
Zak
Bellows, I imagine... Obviously, we're recording this before the press conference. Bellows, I imagine, probably still ill. Like, he looked ill, visibly ill on Tuesday. ah don't know when you're a professional athlete how quickly you can get over something that looks to wipe you out like that, right?
00:14:17
Zak
I would be surprised if he's rested.
00:14:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:14:19
Zak
um
00:14:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:14:20
Zak
So, that kind of puts it between Rorschlev and, like, Fraser. I don't see...
00:14:28
Zak
you know I don't see Rorosev getting back into the side. don't really know what he did. He had a bad performance rate at Hull, I want to say. He just hasn't featured since.
00:14:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:14:38
Zak
So yeah, I wouldn't be surprised if it would make sense to me to phrase this back in.
00:14:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. ah Presumably, fresh back-off injury three games in a week it or three games in seven days is is too much to ask of Wellington as well, right?
00:14:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like, we've got to see some rotation there.
00:14:53
Zak
I guess so, but then I really didn't expect him to play Tuesday. so um
00:14:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, well, I mean, I kind of feel like they've gone into the whole week thinking that Tuesday is going to be the tougher game, so... you know play the the preferred option there even if there's fatigue at risk so that you can rotate at the weekend a bit.
00:15:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Whereas normally we'd sort see that rotation i think midweek. So I think this is where we see probably Manning come in, right?
00:15:20
Zak
Yeah, I guess so. That would make sense to me. You know, I don't think he really... He's done so well for the rest of the season and the other day, he just really kind of just fell a bit flat. So, a chance for a bit of redemption, I think, for sure.
00:15:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:15:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm. Still Nathan Wood, Ronnie Edwards, Harwood Bellis at the back?
00:15:42
Zak
It's difficult, right? Because, like, you don't want to start chopping and changing.
00:15:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:15:46
Zak
But, you know, we went from, on Saturday, Taylor Harbour-Bellish being his old self to Tuesday being a yellow card for this end in 83 minutes because he's getting frustrated and flapping.
00:15:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:15:58
Zak
I really don't want to see any of that flapping going on anymore.
00:16:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah.
00:16:01
Zak
So do you maybe put Stephens back in or Korshi if he's back on?
00:16:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, I just, I don't think that, I don't think Harwood-Bellis was the problem on Tuesday.
00:16:05
Zak
Or do you want to keep consistency in?
00:16:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
And actually, I think I pointed, I don't remember if I pointed out on the podcast or if I just pointed out to you offline. But for the the goal that effectively came from, I think it was from Wood's mistake,
00:16:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
He charged back across the pitch and was far and away the closest defender to getting a block in for a position where it was very clearly not his responsibility to be getting there.
00:16:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
But he busted a gut and got back and was... right on top of the striker as the striker took the shot and got the goal. mean, obviously he didn't get back and make the block, but that wasn't through lack of effort and it wasn't... It was literally opposite sides of the pitch that he came from. So it wasn't sort of his man that got away from him. So i like seeing that commitment. I don't think he really...
00:16:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't think he made any notable mistakes that like stick out in the memory. I think you want to look to build on consistency from the defense and hopefully train out these where we got caught couple of times.
00:17:14
Zak
Yeah, but um the say at the same time, wasn't the entirety the reason he came into the squad?
00:17:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:17:18
Zak
Because course, she went out injured.
00:17:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:17:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
So maybe we see Quasi back.
00:17:20
Zak
And of course, she's back now.
00:17:21
Zak
Wouldn't it make more sense to put him back, right?
00:17:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Potentially. but I mean, he's got a mistake in him as well.
00:17:24
Zak
I know that people will probably... know that people will probably find that controversial.
00:17:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
So it's...
00:17:28
Zak
Yeah, but ah again, like it's...
00:17:33
Zak
not going to be mean, but I think you can probably infer what I'm thinking. But yeah, I guess it will be what it will be. But I'm not going to really be i upset to see either of them. Like, I guess that's kind of where I'm at.
00:17:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, I agree with that.
00:17:46
Zak
Like, it's not really kind of negligible.
00:17:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
see Seen some criticism of this shape that we could sort of continue to stick to and play, but it didn't really work when we changed to a four back in the past. so you've got to presume that it sticks with it, right?
00:17:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
And don't do something stupid and move away at this point.
00:18:02
Zak
if we yeah To be fair, it was one of the questions I was going to ask is that we've we've we've just automatically assumed that we're playing through to the back, right? But yeah, the other problem is when we moved into that role, Zaz kind of went missing. So unless...
00:18:20
Zak
but so
00:18:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:18:22
Zak
unless we change it up and suddenly things change. It's like, the problem is, is he's damned if he does, he's damned he doesn't, right? If he doesn't do it, if he stays the same formation, and people be like, oh, this formation doesn't work.
00:18:35
Zak
And then if he changes it and we lose or it doesn't play off, it's going to be like, oh, he doesn't know what he's doing. and He can't pick his favourite tactic. Like, I just think at this point, a lot of people just out for him anyway.
00:18:46
Zak
um And so, yeah I would say consistency is key unless something
Midfield Dynamics and Changes
00:18:52
Zak
dramatic happens. So say we lose, then I'd think, okay, maybe it's time to change things up.
00:18:57
Zak
Maybe it's time to potentially reintroduce personnel that haven't been there. Like, you know, people have questioned us a couple with a couple of comments about like, oh, what's going on with Jory? You weren't dozer. It's like, same thing as last week.
00:19:08
Zak
Who else do you replace them for?
00:19:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:19:09
Zak
And I'm kind of like, at this point, if, if you know, our marquee sign-ins that we may have spent a bunch of money on aren't going to do anything, put in somebody that maybe might. And the only other issue that I've got with that is that if people are questioning mentality and Will still is questioning mentality, then you really want to put someone that got bad and bruised last season that tried to leave at the first opportunity in Joe Eribo.
00:19:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah,
00:19:31
Zak
And it was Sam Adozi, like, yeah, okay, he had a decent season away and then he came back and tried to leave me, Janice. So...
00:19:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah I don't know.
00:19:38
Zak
I can understand both arguments.
00:19:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's baffling, but it's interesting. And every time you raise a dozer in the Rebo as well, it makes me think of Matsuki, who preseason really good and just hasn't got anywhere near baffling.
00:19:45
Zak
ah don't know what crime he committed. Yeah, he scored an absolutely cracking goal against like Northampton and just...
00:19:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Really strange. um Moving into that midfield... Do you see many changes or do we think that we're just going stick with this sort of trio of Yander, Charles and Sienza?
00:20:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
It seems to me that that sort of balance of attack and defense is kind of starting to get there with the creativity.
00:20:13
Zak
Yeah, like Sienza now is probably one of the must-starts, right? Just because of the fact that he's the person that's actually creating stuff.
00:20:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's got to be.
00:20:19
Zak
Leander's done really well. I think that he, I think from a defensive point of view, he annoyed me in one of the goals. I think it might have been the second goal where he kind of just stood off a little bit. But, you know, other than that, he's been fairly consistent since he came in. Again, criticism of Spores and criticism of our sign-ins.
00:20:35
Zak
But I think he's been one of the stronger ones. Shea Charles, who is one of the people that is carrying this team at the moment. So you were but you're not going to change him.
00:20:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:20:44
Zak
Do you swap Yander for Downs at this point?
00:20:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Maybe.
00:20:48
Zak
Probably not. Maybe. i'm not going to be too upset.
00:20:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. It depends on...
00:20:51
Zak
But...
00:20:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
what Like say, we're doing this before the presser, so it depends on who's ready to go right, who's struggling.
00:20:56
Zak
Yeah, and also who's gone out on the set?
00:20:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Three games in seven days is... Yeah, three games in seven days is ah is a big ask in those sort of leggy positions. So wouldn't be surprised to see maybe a change. But you're right, I don't think... I think it's almost impossible to take Shea Charles and Leo Sienza off of the team sheet because they seem as like such critical parts of the good stuff that we have seen.
00:21:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
You know, the little good that has come out has come from them. So it's interesting.
00:21:24
Zak
Mm-hmm.
00:21:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
so But then, guess, where do we change? Are we changing up front? ah what what what This is the real question, right? This is where the real crux of it comes to. What does that front line look like?
00:21:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Do we stick with armour because we know that he can bury them? I mean, he he scored, I guess, on Tuesday as well. Easy to forget after what happened afterwards, but he got the goal.
00:21:48
Zak
Yeah, no, exactly. I wouldn't really swap. on Archer was one of the ones had probably the most glaring miss, whereas i you know if he'd scored that and we'd all the sudden gone 2-0 up, I think it would be very, very different game altogether.
00:22:02
Zak
and
00:22:03
Zak
You know, it's just... I don't know, because the problem is, is who who have you got to swap them out with?
00:22:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:22:09
Zak
Downs. The problem is with Downs is that people will see the C&G and kick off immediately. You know, maybe it would be a good game for him to be in it. I think that he needs to have a game that isn't going to be 15 minutes from 3-1 down to actually do something.
00:22:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. He needs something to build his confidence.
00:22:24
Zak
It's going to be up to him.
00:22:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
he needs a good performance to... you hate to say it, almost to prove the doubt was wrong. Not that he should have to at this point because it's still he's still very young and it's still very early in his time at Southampton.
00:22:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
But, you know, that's the noise that's come about. And I just, yeah, if you're going start him...
00:22:43
Zak
was It's just people saying, oh, he's Mara chetos and Shea Adams again and this on the other and other. like, it's been like three games he's played.
00:22:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:22:50
Zak
Like, you can't make the decision to have bat.
00:22:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't know. It's just, it's a lot of pressure to put on him to sort of... I can't remember who it was that said it last season, but it's like you have to get out of your own way almost.
00:23:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
If you're in your head thinking about, oh, I need to play well and have a good performance, you're you're just going to force it. You're not going to manage it because you're actually, especially in those positions, your good performances come from playing on instinct and playing naturally and playing with confidence.
00:23:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, yeah, I don't know. i don't know if that's the answer.
00:23:23
Zak
But then the problem is is that they they they put all of this pressure on him.
00:23:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:23:28
Zak
It's my issue by by only signing him as the only new striker option, right?
00:23:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I agree.
00:23:33
Zak
And then kind of gambling on somebody that's been an injury worry that we wouldn't have been too worried about, who finally seemed to have finally pushed through become the player we wanted him to be.
00:23:44
Zak
And then he's out now until next year. And I don't i don't see us renewing his contract, if I'm totally honest, with the way that it's been. And I'm really, really sad for us, honestly. But again, it was a gamble that hasn't paid off.
00:23:56
Zak
So that has ultimately left all of the pressure on bounds, which is means that it adds another element to we're still having to kind of manage him
00:23:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:24:04
Zak
and like manage the expectations put on him and and that's going to be difficult so but yeah i think for the for time being i wouldn't necessarily change it much right because it's like what do you
00:24:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:24:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
it's difficult right because I'm so critical I'm so critical of what happened on Tuesday but I still think maybe that's our probably our best 11 so you stick with it until it works I don't know I don't know what the answer is I guess look we'll see when the team sheets come out and we'll either be happy or we won't ah yeah
00:24:36
Zak
No, this is the thing. It'll be the team sheet will come out, we'll all grumble, and then the game will take place. And if the game is a win, will be a stroke of genius. And if it isn't, it's all we'll still fuck.
00:24:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
that's how it goes ah Right, mate, let's ah let's move on and get our score predictions.
00:24:48
Zak
That's the game.
00:24:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
But first, let's have a little breather and hear a message from our partners at Zencaster. Here at the Global Sports Podcast Network, we spent a lot of time selecting our delivery platform.
00:25:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Zencaster came out the clear winner. With 4K video recording from your phone and AI editing that removes all those ums and ahs, it's super easy to start a podcast that sounds great and is delivered efficiently.
00:25:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
you're ready to tell your story, Check out the link in the show description and learn more about Zencaster.
00:25:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
All right, mate, we are back and moving on to the business critical point of the show. As is tradition, I'm going throw under the bus
Match Predictions and Superstitions
00:25:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
first. How are you feeling? What do you see going?
00:25:31
Zak
Right, well, when I said
00:25:34
Zak
but up set of draw and then maybe we win, we lost. So I'm gonna have to go up from that to get a win to get a draw, gonna have to predict a win.
00:25:47
Zak
None of this makes any logical sense because at this point I'm running off of made-up BS anyway. Let's go with 1-0.
00:25:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
All superstition.
00:25:55
Zak
Let's go with an Armstrong goal. We're going want more. We won't get it. But I think that that would just be be okay. Something is salvaged from that run of three games, right?
00:26:07
Zak
Something. And then that leads us like in a good week before Preston.
00:26:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm. Yeah. I'm sat here laughing, mate, because I was going to predict exactly the same thing.
00:26:19
Zak
Oh, no.
00:26:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
like...
00:26:20
Zak
and That means I'm getting to you and I'm sorry.
00:26:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Which is definitely... at no I mean, ah thing ah think that the analysis is right.
00:26:24
Zak
We're still to win.
00:26:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think over one and a half goals is a lot to ask, right? So I just think a dodgy 1-0 win that won't be comfortable. It'll probably be a not...
00:26:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know I think Armour will score it. um It probably won't be a decisive goal. It'll be, ah you know, rubbish. And then we'll sit off and sit out a 1-0 lead, even though none of us want us to sit out and see off a 1-0 lead.
00:26:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
um And that's just, yeah, it feels written in the stars, doesn't it? That's... ah
00:27:02
Zak
Yeah, out of all of the things that could happen, it seems like the most logical, which is why I've gone with it.
00:27:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, yeah. ah That might be a first in the show's history history. I don't think we've ever predicted the same scoreline.
00:27:12
Zak
No, ah don't think I don't think we have, mate. I'm so sorry. My condolences.
00:27:19
Zak
yeah Don't get me wrong, you've not exactly fallen to to like, I don't know, you predicted like one loss, right? And admittedly, you're accurate.
00:27:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:27:28
Zak
But yeah, just i just I just worry that I've i've ah driven you down into the dumps and I'm sorry. I mean, arguably the team have by, you know, consistently slapping the self-destruct button for some random reason on a Tuesday night.
00:27:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, I... was going to I don't think that can be put entirely on you, mate. I've... Yeah. Yeah.
00:27:42
Zak
But hopefully, just something a little bit better.
00:27:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's right, mate. Performance is always... We're we' Saturday team anyway. So... like no Apart from that one time Nathan Jones beat Man City.
00:27:50
Zak
I'll tell you what, we're never a Tuesday d team, are we? That's the problem. don't think I've ever watched us on like a middate mid-week and been like, oh, we're well up for this.
00:28:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Right, there's...
00:28:02
Zak
so Don't, because now you're seeing the Nathan Jones revisionists come out and acting like the entirety of the fan base were completely united against Tattwood and to get rid of him.
00:28:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:28:13
Zak
That, that was the biggest moment of unity. More than Wembley, mate, more than us all in the fan zone at Wembley, was literally the absolute anger and disappointment of Nathan Jones being appointed, even like not winning the first two or three games,
00:28:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's Right, mate, that is all we've got time for. ah Thank you for joining me today, mate. Thank you, everybody, for listening. ah Let us know how you think we'll get on in the comments or on the social media. We're on all of them.
00:28:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
We're on TikTok, Blue Sky, Instagram, X, Facebook. ah All of them. I think I said them all.
00:28:52
Zak
Social media. If you're on it, we're probably there.
00:28:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, we are there. Look us up.
00:28:55
Zak
If not, we'll creep in occasionally, like like when I do a post on Reddit, like once every couple of months. Although like the stuff Reddit. It's like one of the places I like to be a bit more anonymous.
00:29:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's it, mate. And look, regardless of how it plays out tomorrow, we'll be back on Monday to talk about it. And i look forward to it. I'm hoping that it'll be a nice, joyous episode full of happiness and optimism.
00:29:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I can't wait. ah But until then, thank you very much joining us. Have a great weekend. And don't let Saints ruin it. Come on, Saints.