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Episode 260: Matchday Review: Upsetting loss vs Stoke!
129 Plays12 days ago
Southampton – Another match day, and this time, the Championship showed us why it wis the best league in the world, unfortunately crashing us back down to earth and a stumble on our path to winning the league, with a loss to Stoke.
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Transcript
00:00:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome back to the Daily Southampton, part of the Global Sports Podcast Network. My name is Greg Elliott and as always today, joined by my good friend, wonderful co-host, Zach Ingo Finch. How you doing, mate?
00:00:28
Zak
so so like i was frustrating afternoon uh saturday right this where i'm at yesterday afternoon was you know saturday afternoon sorry it was could have been bad day saturday started off real good it was uh it was a slight on my saturday and annoyed me so uh
00:00:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:00:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Look, it's not a good result, but look, we knew it wasn't going to be easy. This championship block's not easy. It wouldn't be the best league in the world if you could comfortably win every game.
00:00:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's not how it works, right?
00:01:00
Zak
Look, I said that Stoke were the league leaders for a reason and they proved it.
00:01:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like,
00:01:04
Zak
And, you know, it's pretty much all there is to it. But I'll get it right off of the start. Like, we'll we'll probably do another championship roundup this week. But, you know, Coventry scoring seven and we have the what?
00:01:19
Zak
but Another thing, Greg, how useless XG is as a stat. So we have the highest XG in this championship. And once again, we have goals from defenders. Like,
00:01:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, well, i mean, look, we we mustered a whopping 18 shots, and know when you think about it, that's 18 more than we had in some games last season. It's just unfortunate that they haven't, you know, they've taken ah ah taken some of our advice and started kicking the ball in the right general direction, but what they need to understand is that you actually have to kick the ball in the goal to win the game. And, you know, don't...
00:01:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
I feel like, look, obviously, as as we all know, I wasn't at the game to suffer the full frustration and torment that comes with it, but I've watched back the highlights and I've had the reviews from the kids, and I just feel like we can feel like we were a bit unlucky.
00:02:07
Zak
It was a good game. it was it was a good game.
00:02:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:02:14
Zak
But the problem the problem is is that that is... That is where I think a lot of people land. ah ah It's where I kind of land, right, is that we had a couple of clear-cut opportunities that our strikers did not put away.
00:02:27
Zak
Jay Robinson hitting the post twice in the safe, about 20 seconds, not even 20 seconds, about five seconds was insane. Like, Stewart putting the ball directly over the goal when it was harder.
00:02:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Really unfortunate. Yeah.
00:02:38
Zak
Again, like, what they need to start kicking it towards the ground and not up, because whenever they kick up, it never goes on target.
00:02:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
He goes over. Yeah.
00:02:45
Zak
Down, at the floor.
00:02:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Look, there are quite a few, but like there and
00:02:49
Zak
Armour fell over at one point, but he had to got a really good cross in.
00:02:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
there are definitely points of concern. It's just... it It still feels... I know that we're still building it up and getting there, and it's still this uncertain point in the transfer window, but, like... I don't feel like it's completely, like, killed our momentum. it still feels like we're, you know, shaky, but building it there. But, man, there are definitely points of concern.
00:03:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
I know that you you've immediately sort of jumped and pointed fingers at strikers, but also, when you're defending against 10 men... To let the goalkeeper throw the ball to the striker and then score? Like, sorry.
00:03:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
but Just take the foul at the halfway line, please.
00:03:33
Zak
Yeah.
00:03:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Anyone. Like, what were they thinking? It's just... It's just baffling. Uh... I mean, you and I both last Thursday watched the Rangers game and saw the counter-attack from Club Bruges when they scored what could only be described as a very similar goal against Rangers in the opening two minutes. And I mean, tell me that the keeper literally throwing the ball to the striker.
00:04:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's just madness to me that that was allowed to happen and no one took a yellow at the halfway line and took the foul.
00:04:11
Zak
I think think the biggest issue is why can't we ever do that? but This is where the problem is.
00:04:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:04:16
Zak
like why why There is just no...
00:04:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
No.
00:04:19
Zak
ah think I summed it up in the three-word review of like lack of urgency, right? Towards the end of that game, again, I don't know how much of... Russell Martin ball is still in these players to to just consistently keep trying. Well, the thing is, they didn't even try and keep possession.
00:04:37
Zak
Like, some of the passing was just shocking.
00:04:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
no
00:04:41
Zak
But it wasn't, like, a really bad game. Like, the first half was very, very end-to-end stuff. and And we could have easily – we missed a couple of sitters. But the problem that I have, Greg, and the reason that it's cause for concern, is the personnel haven't really changed much, as much as we wanted it to.
00:04:56
Zak
When you say, oh yeah, we're just a bit unlucky. There were so many games last season where we could have said the same because we didn't take our chances. And we don't have the players at the moment who are willing to take our chances.
00:05:07
Zak
Armstrong being this out of form is incredibly worrying because like they all they all just need a confidence boost.
00:05:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
They all really need a goal, man. Like, for all of our goals to be centre-back. Like, they just need that to bring them in But look, I mean...
00:05:22
Zak
How are they going to...
00:05:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
We talked a lot last season, right, about how often when we had Cameron Archer on the ball or on the pitch, we were trying to cross the ball into him. And then when Tallpool came on, all of a sudden we stopped crossing the ball.
00:05:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
I have to say, i don't know what it was like after we brought on Downs and Stewart.
00:05:40
Zak
Same sort of thing, right?
00:05:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
I know we had a couple of chances, but I managed to watch a 15-minute spell in the middle of the game while we were 1-0 down. And... and But we've just kept putting high crosses into Adam Armstrong. Now, I'm not being funny.
00:05:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Stoke centre-back, 6'4". What are we doing? Like, it doesn't take a football genius to see that there's a mismatch that's not going to come off to our advantage there.
00:06:06
Zak
yeah You're right. Early on, you know, straight away, my first minute, managed to get a shot off. And then later on, he manages to get a ball off of Fraser, where he strikes it to the side of him.
00:06:18
Zak
And then there was at one point where he literally just fell over. There was a couple of people I saw who criticised Fernandes. He played more of a defensive role in that game. The amount times he managed to get back,
00:06:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Will Steele's come out and said that he sees him as a number eight. so
00:06:32
Zak
Yeah, the amount of times he he he managed to come back and save us was unreal.
00:06:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
But that's because the only people that put that's because part of Will Steele's system is to push the centre-backs up to sort of force the overload in a way that they aren't expecting.
00:06:37
Zak
But again...
00:06:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
So it kind of makes sense that he's one of the as one of the sort of fitter players who's going to run.
00:06:50
Zak
it's
00:06:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's going to be one of these people doing those recoveries.
00:06:53
Zak
It's just, it feels almost like just some of the game yesterday, like the things that were bad, almost feels like an infection, right? Like last season's just still in some of them.
00:07:05
Zak
And like, and I felt bad for for Wood because Wood had pretty much what I would consider the game of his life. He played solidly. He was the prediction that I thought he'd go into the starting lineup. You were a bit rare.
00:07:17
Zak
I was, you know, he ended up being, as two predictions I got right, by the way, the play the player, the the international player that, you know, you thought you were worried was Matty Fernandez was actually Yuki, who has been told, oh, by the way, you need to play in the top five leagues to get into the Czechsnotes Japan National Squad, which is mental.
00:07:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Actually Yuki.
00:07:37
Zak
But, so that wasn't great. Obviously, we had the new guy come in. I was very surprised that we brought on right back in, I mean, arguably they play as wingbacks, right?
00:07:48
Zak
But it's just, it was just a, it was a lot of weird things about it.
00:07:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:07:51
Zak
Like I'm not going to criticize still necessarily.
00:07:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
To me, that's a sensible change because of all of the positions on the pitch, that's got to be the leggiest one, right? Like,
00:08:00
Zak
True.
00:08:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
it That makes sense. It's a logical change. Throw something different on. He's sort of, you know, wingback, so it's sort of an attacking threat, but it's also just fresh legs in a position that is a hard run.
00:08:10
Zak
just
00:08:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's just...
00:08:13
Zak
It's just, it's very, very saint-y to not take our chances and get punished for it right, in a silly way. And like that's the problem, is that if that's, I don't like the fact that that's still in our game to that level.
00:08:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:08:25
Zak
You know, we we had so many goods so many good good chances in that first half that I think a lot of people are forgetting about. You know, like, as I said, Armour had a couple of chances at one point. Armour literally slipped over.
00:08:40
Zak
It's almost like you can't pick it up. He just fell over. And then there was a a Taylor Harbour-Bennis, like, header that was absolutely incredible. and He was denied. That was start the start second half. But, like, that was just a really, really good save, right, from their keeper.
00:08:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:08:56
Zak
You know... Wood had an injury early on, Wellington's injury. there I think the injuries that took place in the game slowed the tempo for us massively. whenever we were And then then you know the their time-wasting, we'll get onto it a little bit.
00:09:11
Zak
But to be clear, like you were talking about how annoying it was, if we were in the same boat, we'd be doing all the tricks of the trade. So I can't really blame them too much, but it's less than...
00:09:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah I mean, the the the memory, whenever I moan about it, to be fair, always flicks back to that Ryan Bertrand throwing, where he throws it off the pitch and checks his watch. but All right, look, we've we've successfully waffled through segment one. We'll try and rope it back into wrotepe back into some form of structure.
00:09:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
But first, a message from our partners at Bionique.
00:10:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
All right, mate, and we are back. let's Let's try and rein it in a bit. Let's go back to the start and start with those lineups. what did Obviously, you you called Quasi out for Wood and Harwood-Berris starting.
00:10:34
Zak
and
00:10:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, other than that, the team lined up more or less how you expected, right?
00:10:45
Zak
Yeah, for pretty much, Robinson.
00:10:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's what we said.
00:10:48
Zak
still don't know how I felt about Armstrong sort of being left on his own. I think me and you both have an opinion on that.
00:10:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:10:53
Zak
And I...
00:10:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
I fully agree. I mean, look, we said it in the preview, right? that theyre They're strikers that are profiles and different profiles. And frankly, they're going to work best when we have one of each on the pitch.
00:11:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
And that is, you know, one of Stewart and Downs, one of Armstrong or Archer, and one of, i well, not Dibblin anymore, well one of Jay Robinson.
00:11:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:11:20
Zak
Why? Yeah, well, obviously, that's that's a concern itself, because, you know, we we might have had the dozy to be able to play as a winger. We could talk about transfers and stuff towards the end. a How do you feel about us playing, quote-unquote, five at the back still?
00:11:35
Zak
Because, ah ah see, everyone seems to hate it, and I can understand why. We seem to always do better and get the ball up further when we play four. But then that last 10 minutes, I don't know how much of it you've managed to catch.
00:11:45
Zak
I doubt there were a lot on highlights, mate, to be honest.
00:11:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think... Look, I think
00:11:48
Zak
Yeah.
00:11:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
calling it a five at the back is a blatant mistranslation of what it is, right?
00:11:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Even calling it a three at the back is not it's not really the full story.
00:11:58
Zak
Yeah.
00:12:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
When you look at where our centre-backs have been, and you look at our scorers list to understand where they have been to get those chances...
00:12:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
is is it's a fluid system, right? Where the midfielders are as much tasked with the tracking back as the centre-backs, and they're sort of pushing up as a unit and back as a unit, supposedly. And I think that's probably why we've conceded, you know especially after a change, drop down to 10 men. That's probably why we've conceded what is, frankly, a ridiculous goal, because it's clearly just...
00:12:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
a miscommunication. Like, someone hasn't picked up the player that they should be picking up because they've overcommitted. And, like, it it's clearly fluid.
00:12:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
think it's fine. i mean, but i don't know i don't know what else you put out. I mean, he's been pretty clear in the post-match presser, right, that it's it's in the width going forward that they're struggling for quality. So what ah ah what sort of other formation do you put the players that we have that are the best at it.
00:13:17
Zak
But i think this is where it comes to the other part, which people are already starting to get worried about. Which, you know, we've we've kind of glossed over and we've tried to... I think I still have a little bit of faith. We just had a transfer that came out of nowhere.
00:13:31
Zak
You know, I don't know if that was something that was in the works after Sugawara was told that he needed to be in one of the top five leagues. Whether or not he'll actually get that offer is not entirely up to... up to him really or the club i doubt that we're actively trying to sell him but you know they have definitely got somebody in that position that you know we thought about but without us knowing but it is concerning because you know you seem to be under the impression and i know quite a lot of fan quite a lot of the fan base aren't and i i think some of the strikers need time downs needs time to settle it just seems out of sorts might have been the fact that he's been ill might have been the fact that
00:14:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
ye 100%. That's why I'd have started him. You need to get him settled in the game and get him a... If it bounces in off of his shin and goes in, just think that he's got it in him to go on and score 20 to 30 goals this season.
00:14:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
He just needs that one.
00:14:21
Zak
But I think that was just because he was ill. The only reason he even got transferred on, and according to Will Steele, was because Armstrong had picked up an injury to his back during the halftime break, right? So then, like, I agree. And then Stuart was the same, is that it just, ah you know, again, whatever...
00:14:36
Zak
They've both managed to catch something at the same time, which is frustrating because they are the two similar profile players, but both of them seemed out of sorts and didn't seem to offer what would usually be the case. But the fact the matter is, Greg, we can defend it what we like,
00:14:53
Zak
the strikers are not scoring goals. And the strikers that have been here last season did not score goals. Archer was probably our most prolific striker with two. Depends if you count Adam Armstrong.
00:15:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
hmm
00:15:04
Zak
Bear in mind, I think one of his goals was a penalty and he was gone for half the season. So it's understandable, you know, if we're not going to get... those players in and we need to increase the amount of chances which means we need those wingers we need that number 10 and if we are getting as much money as we have gotten for the different players you know 40 million plus for dibbling it needs to be and reinvested smartly and the problem at the moment is that you know they're talking about the loan market as well when asked about it which is like i'm worried if we've got all this money why we're taking out loans on people but it just seems that there's not a
00:15:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, the problem is that everyone wants a goal scorer, mate. So what makes us an attractive prospect over anyone else is the thing, right?
00:15:45
Zak
Yeah, I don't.
00:15:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's a tough market.
00:15:48
Zak
But then again, so this is when it comes into the analytics and it comes into the way that they're doing business.
00:15:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's a tough, tough market.
00:15:55
Zak
And I'm fine with that, but it's the sheer lack of activity that I think has been a problem. And the fact that a couple of the things that have been proven to be correct, like was specifically targeting a creative midfielder who is in Russia where he's It is extremely difficult by the sounds of it those negotiations. I don't know.
00:16:15
Zak
Nobody really knows what's going on. Armini football is the only source that anybody is using. And he's a journalist that, quite frankly, wants that player out of that club. So i i don't know what the relationship is there.
00:16:27
Zak
But it's kind of like, are you telling me that there wasn't a better player that we could have targeted where we could have got something over the line earlier? is they Are they that determined for this one person? Because if they're if as if they change late,
00:16:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't know, mate. mate. It's an interesting one. And look, I mean, it could be that they've gone in for, I mean, I know that we were reported last week to have gone in for Jack Rodoni and been rejected as well.
00:16:41
Zak
But the season's started.
00:16:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
like Who knows how many players they've had initial contact with and just been shot away. You just, you don't know is the answer. It's not as, you know, it's not as easy as that.
00:17:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I mean, like,
00:17:00
Zak
Of course not. I'm under no illusions, mate. But but I think that it's understandable.
00:17:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
and yeah And someone that's going to come in and be proven to score the goals. It's just... this it doesn' It's kind of like a kind like a rainbow unicorn, mate.
00:17:09
Zak
it's not even It's not even that. It's...
00:17:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
It just doesn't really exist, does it? Like, I just need to sign a 30-goal-a-season striker.
00:17:17
Zak
it's
00:17:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, yeah, it's just easy, isn't it? just Just sign this, mate. The amount of money that you're willing to pay it doesn't make a difference. like You look at players... like Just before recording, we were talking about Jack Grealish.
00:17:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
And, you know, some people would probably consider his move to Man City not a particularly successful move. And the problem is that that's not a style that gels because he's a player that wants to play football when he went into a Pep Guardiola system.
00:17:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like, it's just...
00:17:48
Zak
Oh, the shade, mate. like i
00:17:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
But...
00:17:50
Zak
I get you, but i think I think what it is is that, like, you know, I tweeted out that the the squad planning is an art thing, right? Yesterday, it it all becomes complete it becomes clear at the end.
00:17:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:18:02
Zak
Okay, well, they've got nine days to prove that we're not going to end up panic transferring somebody on the last day, like when we ended up with Cornet, right? And that is, I think, what my my big fear is. And yes, we have a different regime. Yes, we have a technical director that's different this time.
00:18:17
Zak
However, that doesn't stop the idea that these transfers are being far more difficult than they planned them to be, which means that why are we not planning for stuff to be this difficult when everyone can look around at the market at the moment go, course, this is us.
00:18:30
Zak
Like, look at Spurs, look at Newcastle as as examples of good teams.
00:18:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Exactly.
00:18:35
Zak
so so yeah I understand that, don't get me wrong, but it's, don't get me wrong,
00:18:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah Good subjective and not subjective. They're not objective. Oh, look, it's it's difficult. But look, they've got nine days to fill out of the bag.
00:18:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Let's see where it goes. But look, I've got a big elephant in the room to talk to you about.
00:18:51
Zak
All
00:18:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
But first, a message from our partners at Zencastr.
00:18:55
Zak
kids.
00:19:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Here at the Global Sports Podcast Network, we spent a lot of time selecting our delivery platform, and Zencaster came out the clear winner. With 4K video recording from your phone, and AI editing that automatically removes all those ums and ahs, it's super easy to start podcast that sounds great and is delivered efficiently.
00:19:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
If you're ready to tell your story, check out the link in the show description and learn more about Zencaster. Alright Alright mate, the elephant in the room. Stoke having a player set off for diving?
00:19:27
Zak
yeah
00:19:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Uh...
00:19:29
Zak
I mean, He picked up a yellow, and then he picked up another yellow for diving.
00:19:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Look, I mean, I've watched the back. The first yellow, arguably, might have been lucky to have only been a yellow. was a pretty nasty challenge. challenge Right?
00:19:43
Zak
Yeah. So then picking up a yellow again. he dived.
00:19:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
But was it... was it i mean, it was a dive. It was a pretty blatant dive.
00:19:49
Zak
Yes, he dived. So that means in front of the referee, the referee saw it.
00:19:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:19:53
Zak
That means he picked up his second yellow card. That meant he was sent off. End story.
00:19:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
If he isn't as flamboyant as that, he probably gets the penalty as well. Like, just...
00:20:01
Zak
Maybe. But even though that's the problem is he was flamboyant about it.
00:20:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, madness.
00:20:05
Zak
Simple as that. There's like there's no VAR.
00:20:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Absolute insanity.
00:20:07
Zak
He did it in front of the ref. What what did he expect to happen? You know?
00:20:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Very funny. How other than that was the referee in the game? Because I don't know what social media obviously you've seen, but I've seen a lot of Stoke fans moaning that we had him in our pocket.
00:20:18
Zak
relatively fair, like
00:20:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
So...
00:20:23
Zak
they picked they picked up a lot of cards early on, but again, it was a lot of dealing with the sort of, dealing with a lot of our our quicker players. And I think that the only thing that you missed out on is, I don't know if Dan's got carded in the end.
00:20:35
Zak
I think our first player to get...
00:20:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
He didn't, mate. I can tell you that he didn't because I put it on my bet. So standard procedure, I've reverse jinxed it.
00:20:42
Zak
The first...
00:20:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, you know.
00:20:45
Zak
It took 56 minutes, I think, for us to pick up a card, right?
00:20:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:20:49
Zak
I think I remember Nathan Wood was the only person that really, really picked up a card.
00:20:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:20:52
Zak
And that was, again, that was after...
00:20:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
That is the only one. Yeah.
00:20:56
Zak
Yeah, and that was after we went 1-0 down. He was definitely a bit wound up and it was definitely in trying to make sure that the ball didn't get back. Because, again, he had the absolute game of his life. Let's not...
00:21:07
Zak
I know that I've i mentioned it once or twice. I think I text you the exact same text about three times during that game.
00:21:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
You did, yeah. It was like, Nathan Wood's having a brilliant game.
00:21:16
Zak
yeah
00:21:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
but on And in my brief interlude at the show I was at, checking my phone where was appropriate, might not be the right word, but where it was possible.
00:21:17
Zak
and it was it was It was good to watch.
00:21:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I've got that a couple of times. but Yeah. Good.
00:21:33
Zak
So, yeah, I think it was...
00:21:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's nice. but It's just a shame that all of our players that are stepping up and seem to be doing alright seem to be centre-backs. Like, We can't just play five centre-backs, mate.
00:21:44
Zak
I mean, at this point, mate, we'll just start replacing them up front.
00:21:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's not going to work.
00:21:48
Zak
yeah weve We've joked about it before, genuinely.
00:21:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:21:50
Zak
Like, if they want to give it a better go... put them up front.
00:21:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah.
00:21:55
Zak
If we have 10 centre-backs, we'll play enough to get... Because ultimately, again, it's about winning football games, right? This is what has been talked about before. And that's one of the... You can tell that, you know, Will was trying to do that towards the end and making sort of offensive substitutions and trying to make sure... But the problem is, is like, you could have, you know, i reckon we could have had all four strikers on on the pitch at the same time. I don't think it would have made a blind bit difference. I think, again...
00:22:19
Zak
They're all severely lacking confidence. And I don't know what really sorts that out. Do you know what mean?
00:22:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Goal. <unk> Just a goal.
00:22:26
Zak
Yeah, but but this is the problem.
00:22:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's all that sorts it
00:22:28
Zak
is it's like And ultimately, Greg, like you said, it's been oh yeah been a bit of a weird start to the season. We're 10th and Pompey are 11th. We are literally neck and neck with them in the middle of the table.
00:22:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
it.
00:22:40
Zak
To be clear, we are not having as...
00:22:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
was speaking of speakingcon Speaking of awful referees, if you watch any of the highlights from that West Brom-Portsmouth game yesterday, they should have had at least one penalty.
00:22:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Probably a red card. like that is They were I think even Pompey fans will say that they're quite lucky to come away with a draw in that game, truthfully.
00:23:00
Zak
to to To answer your question, though, when it comes to the refereeing, is like Stoke have doubled the amount fouls that we did and like add a few more cards. And maybe those cards were slightly harsher than normal. And maybe we got away with it a little bit.
00:23:16
Zak
But the fact that I'm not talking about the referee means that if they weren't at least mean to us. And I don't really think they were that bad to Stoke. I think that when Stoke made fouls, they mounted fouls for a reason.
00:23:28
Zak
But I think some of those fouls warranted yellow cards.
00:23:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:23:31
Zak
Whereas we, you know, when we did get the ball on the front foot and up real quick, we weren't having to do anything silly. And luckily, you know, Matty was there to jump back every time we lost the ball.
00:23:42
Zak
But obviously apart from the two occasions where once again, a misplaced pass inside our own box and the other one was from a set, because as well as scoring from a set piece, we technically also conceded from our own set piece, right?
00:23:55
Zak
So just silly
00:23:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I mean, if that isn't the most sensing... You mentioned earlier on about how nice it was, at least for Will still, to be block bringing off a centre-back for a striker. it is refreshing after the last season to at least get some of that sense of urgency.
00:24:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
I know you said it didn't particularly translate to the on-the-pitch performance, but...
00:24:15
Zak
But I think that that wasn't the transfers weren't the reason for that.
00:24:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
But...
00:24:20
Zak
Most transfers, sorry.
00:24:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Nah.
00:24:21
Zak
The substitutions weren't the reason for that.
00:24:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
But...
00:24:24
Zak
the The squad did not none.
00:24:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
But wouldn't it wouldn't it be nice to not have to chase a game at some point this season?
00:24:31
Zak
Yeah, this because this this is every game we've gone down first.
00:24:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
It kind of feels like that's what we've done. oh Yeah, it's going to be tough. Look, but look, got a whole week of football, to put it right. We've got a cup game coming up as well, and everyone loves the EFL Cup.
00:24:43
Zak
I'm just starting to think, Greg, he might not be first.
00:24:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh. Mate, look, this bump is what makes the roller coaster the worthwhile ride, right? It's all coming into place. It's all going happen. We knew the start was always going to be a bit shaky.
00:25:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
it it always is until the window's shut and we can properly settle in. By then, all of our strikers will have had a goal and we'll just be flying and we'll, you know, cruise the rest of it. It's fine.
00:25:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Probably a couple of bumps along the way because there always is. But look, it doesn't matter. It's in the past now.
00:25:20
Zak
Okay.
00:25:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
it's It's a good win for Stoke. Yeah.
00:25:22
Zak
It's a good win for Stoke. And it was, it was, and considering Greg, you said, and was worried it was going to be a really, really boring 0-0 game. Certainly it was entertaining. More than anything, it was frustrating. Yeah.
00:25:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Well, look, that is just about all that we have got time for today. Let us know your thoughts on the game in the comments or on socials. We are on Facebook, TikTok, X, Instagram, Blue Sky, YouTube.
00:25:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
All of them. Give us a shout out. Let us know what you thought. We will be back tomorrow with a preview of our cup game coming up against Norwich. Until then, thank you everyone for listening. Thank you very much, Zach, for joining me.
00:26:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
And have a wonderful day.
00:26:04
Zak
Thank you, mate.