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Daily Ipswich: Episode 113 - Damning Defeat To Spurs
34 Plays7 days ago
Rob & Richard reflect on what was a terrible weekend all round for Ipswich. The lads look back on the defeat at home to Spurs, discuss what went wrong as well as the positives to take and take a look at the league table to assess our situation with 12 games to go.
The Daily Ipswich Podcast, part of the Global Sports Podcast Network, is the home of all your ITFC. Join us every weekday for the latest news, build-up and reaction in the club's first season back in the Premier League.
Host: Rob Binns
Guests: Richard Popple
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Transcript
Introduction to the Podcast
00:00:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome back to the Daily Ipswich, brought to you by the Global Sports Podcast Network, the only place to find your daily content on every single Premier League club, the Premier League as a whole and women's football.
Spurs' Defeat: Setting the Episode's Tone
00:00:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
On today's edition, we are going to be reflecting on the dismal defeat at home Spurs suffered on Saturday. And to join me to suffer through the pain of reliving that game, unfortunately, is Richard Popple.
00:00:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Sorry, mate, you've when got the short straw to be here doing this one to me today. James and Tom have got the more fun and optimistic one tomorrow.
00:00:45
Richard
Yeah, suppose I suppose so. No, it's all right. I mean, you know, we're we're kind of used to it at this point, aren't we, really?
00:00:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it's not, unfortunately, it's not been as many wins as we hoped for with this to report back for for this podcast on we can when we and we sat down the start the season to go through it.
00:00:55
Richard
No.
Unexpected Spurs Win: Performance Analysis
00:01:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Especially in your case, when you're hoping we've finished, we'd scrape in the top half, but...
00:01:02
Richard
No.
00:01:07
Richard
Yes, that looks that looks more and um more sort of foolish prediction, but you know,
00:01:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah it yes Yeah, well, it feels like this weekend was a very, very big weekend at both ends of the table in the Premier League, which we all get on to.
00:01:11
Richard
it was It was many, many, many months ago now, and obviously we've we've got used to the fast lane of the Premier League.
00:01:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
But let's focus on ourselves first before we talk about potential ramifications elsewhere.
00:01:31
Richard
Mm-hmm.
00:01:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
it' It was a very strange game, wasn't it? Because... You could argue we were the better team and we walked away losing 4-1. I the first 10 minutes especially, you said we we could have had one or two and then 15 minutes later we're 2-0 down. It's very odd game.
00:01:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Where does that sit with you compared to sort of other games this year?
00:01:55
Richard
Yeah, I think i think the scorelines may be a little bit misleading. You could argue, yeah, that we had better opportunities, certainly at the start of the game. And then obviously we were pushing, having gone in at half-time at 2-1, we were very much pushing in the second half and obviously had a goal disallowed
Strategic Adjustments and Game Tactics
00:02:10
Richard
and all the rest of it. But, you know, but that's that's just sport, isn't it? you know Spurs took their chances. They were really clinical when they had those opportunities too and that's the quality that they've got.
00:02:22
Richard
They've obviously come back into a little bit of form a little bit before this game and, you know, even more so because of this game. So maybe it was a bit of a bad time for us to be playing them. Obviously, they've got quite a few players back and stuff. But I think the result, whilst maybe is a little bit misleading on paper, I think Spurs were probably good value for the win, to be perfectly honest.
00:02:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, we almost played into the hands, I thought, really, because the reason they've picked up in form recently is they've stopped being so gung-ho, sit the whole defence on the halfway line, and they've actually started being bit more solid defensively and relying on the counter-attack. So then, naturally, some reason, naturally, our response to that is to change our set-up and go, let's have loads of the ball, let's keep the pressure on and play exactly how they wanted us to.
00:03:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
It seemed a bit bizarre, really, from my perspective. not many times in the last three years I've questioned how Kieran McKenna set up for the game. but I think he got it wrong on Saturday, which we can delve a bit more in depth for later. but this Let's pick the positives out first before we get too harsh on it, though.
00:03:27
Richard
Hmm.
00:03:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
17 shots we had, which, admittedly, only five on target from there and not too many click opportunities. But we've had double-figure shots before half-time, which we've not we we've had many games we haven't got that in 90 minutes
Scoring Challenges and Missed Opportunities
00:03:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
this season. So,
00:03:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
there's There's improvements there on one end of the pitch, even though we've walked away with only scoring one goal. Do you think we've taken the first step in rectifying that? Because goals is the big thing we've got to sort out if we want to stay up, isn't it?
00:03:56
Richard
Well, I think it's at both ends of the pitch at the moment, isn't it? But yeah, obviously goals has been certainly the problem throughout the season on a fairly consistent basis. I think, yeah, you know, the first five or six minutes of the game, we should have been ahead.
00:04:09
Richard
We could have been one or two ahead, certainly. And with a bit more of a clinical kind of, you know, finishing these chances off, them then that could have been the case have been a very different game. But you people have spoke about this for ages, you know, that that that's been the story of the season, the fact that We haven't really taken the opportunities when we've had them. And then when we have fallen behind, we've not really been able to respond. so And, you know, we we seem to have run our race already to a certain extent and find it difficult to come back into games. But in terms of the attack, you know, Tottenham aren't very good defensively and they're missing quite a few of their players anyway.
00:04:43
Richard
So that was the area of the game that we could hurt them. I always thought we would score in the game and obviously we did. we nicked the ball off them countless times fairly high up the pitch. We created opportunities, but then we kind of stopped doing that at periods in the second half. Or, you know, Spurs got a little bit better, a bit more control of the ball, you could say.
00:05:00
Richard
But DeLat, I think, wasn't given
Defensive Weaknesses and Tactical Insights
00:05:04
Richard
enough of the ball. He was a bit of a peripheral figure for chunks of the game, which was disappointing because I think he really would have got at Archie Gray and and did a couple of opportunities that you saw him do that.
00:05:15
Richard
But yeah, i think I think our players do carry a threat, but... Yeah, unfortunately, you have to be clinical when those chances come along.
00:05:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, same. We're still a long way from the solution, aren't we? But it feels like it felt like a step forward that we've upped the amount of chances we were creating.
00:05:29
Richard
Yeah.
00:05:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
However many of them were realistically clear-cut is another question.
00:05:34
Richard
Yeah, definitely.
00:05:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
But so, improvement on that end. But it's almost the opposite at the other end of the pitch, isn't it? We were always saying, until about a month ago, that the strength we've got compared to other teams, we don't concede as many goals.
00:05:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
that That's the difference between us and, say, a Wolves, for example, who had the think it was the worst defence outright, including Southampton at the time. And they've they've picked theirs up under the new manager.
00:05:57
Richard
Mm-hmm.
00:06:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's got slowly getting better. And they're clean sheet for them this weekend. We've gone the other way. We let six in at City, e four in at Liverpool, four in again today. It's sort the one thing we had of going in our favour. They started falling away and there's some poor goals in there again, weren't there?
00:06:18
Richard
Yeah, I mean, I think i think you're right. that So at the start of the season, you know, even those first kind of like 12 games and stuff before we won the first game against Spurs, the only game I think where we conceded for was the City game, right? The second game of the season.
00:06:33
Richard
Other than that, we weren't really getting battered. And since then, we've been hammered by Newcastle, we've lost to Liverpool, Man City again, Tottenham.
00:06:44
Richard
And all right, these are all very good teams. That's that's completely understandable. But... It didn't really feel like that was much on the cards at the start of the season. And that Newcastle game, I think, had quite a big impact, particularly because it was at home.
00:06:54
Richard
We just got, you know, we looked terrible defensively that day. And I think you can kind of say again, for whatever reason at home, we don't seem to be as solid defensively. I guess that's probably because we're having to be a bit more offensive and on the front foot. And we're trying to kind of like take the take the attack to the opposition, which is what you should do at home, I suppose.
00:07:17
Richard
but it's not worked all year and it's our home form that's going to get as relegated fundamentally. So it's, yeah, it's really disappointing to see some of those goals. I thought the first goal was, <unk> sorry, thought the first goal was terrible.
00:07:30
Richard
and People are kind of blaming Ben Godfrey, but i have no idea what Dara O'Shea is doing there. He's basically standing behind Ben Godfrey and then he looks like he's pointing at him or something telling him where to go. but He should have been at the front post marking that space to make sure that he was the second defender, not letting that
Strategic Decisions: Offensive vs Defensive Approach
00:07:47
Richard
cross come in. So I have no idea what he was doing.
00:07:49
Richard
And I think that shows the kind of communication, it seems, at the back with the whole goalkeeper thing, and players being in and out through injury and suspension and all the rest of it.
00:08:01
Richard
We've changed our back line so much and it just feels like there's no cohesion there. and And unfortunately, that seems to be catching up with us a little bit.
00:08:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, definitely. there's The same old problems repeating themselves, certainly, in the like I say, in the last month or so.
00:08:15
Richard
Yeah.
00:08:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
But just going back to the set-up, know whether did you saw what was your thought when you saw that line-up come out? were you Because to me, it caught me by surprise.
00:08:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
that and like I know we've we've been very back and forth about the five-back set-up, haven't we? But we used it last week against Villa, and even when we went down to 10 we didn't switch to a four. We brought another defender on and stuck there.
00:08:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
we got a result. And obviously our first win of the season came Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with that set up and it frustrated Spurs. So to me, it was a surprise to see a four and some of the names and obviously Godfrey coming in.
00:08:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Makes sense if you're going to play a four, I suppose, with obviously Twanzai being suspended. But to me, the with the some of the names on there and the set up came as a surprise to me. And ultimately, it was probably quite a big reason and why we lost in the end. So did that sort of shock you as much it done me?
00:09:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
So that's how that lined up.
00:09:10
Richard
i didn't i No, I don't think so. And I think there is an element of like, you do want to do the thing that your opposition isn't expecting. And I think Spurs probably would have expected us to line up with the back five because of, as you say, we had we had the the victory at Spurs with that. But I think if you are at home and you're playing against a side that is quite weak defensively and the confidence is a bit fragile as well,
00:09:34
Richard
then you've kind of got to back yourself a little bit and put some of the players on, you know, go for a more attacking approach. And obviously that's what McKenna decided to do. So i think he I think that, you know, philosophy is correct, personally.
00:09:48
Richard
i don't think we should be going into games with a defensive mindset, particularly at home.
Key Game Moments and Defensive Lapses
00:09:54
Richard
I think you I'd rather us, if we're going to go down, I'd rather us go down having a bit of a swing than sort of like, you know,
00:10:00
Richard
losing games sort of one or two one and not really being in the games because we're not creating any opportunities because as you say we had 17 shots in the game so I'd prefer us to be playing with that more progressive approach and I think we have the players to do that I think unfortunately it goes back to what I said earlier I just think the the changes at the back personnel formation wise etc have has just really hampered any kind of unity there And I think individual errors have sort of hurt of us all year. And you could point at Ben Godfrey and I know he didn't have a very good first half. So maybe he was a bit of surprise in the team.
00:10:36
Richard
But what was the option? Ben Johnson, I suppose. And and Ben Johnson's not played very well at right back this year. So i guess why would McKenna go back to that? So i think I think he got it right, personally. I think he did what I would hope he would do. And and maybe it did surprise Spurs a little bit because we started so well.
00:10:54
Richard
But as soon as we fell behind... you know, it felt it felt like a difficult afternoon was ahead and unfortunately that's how it turned out.
00:11:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, so the the goal came, the first one felt be like a bit of a killer, didn't it? Because you know we don't score many goals. It almost, straight away, you know we have to go to score two now, which we haven't done many times this year at all. And it was against the runner player at the time, but we'll delve into the goals in a little while. We're going quick break now from one of our sponsors. And then when we come back, we'll talk about the five goals in the game.
00:12:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
And we are back for the second part of today's show. So let's dive into the goals, Rich, that we've we've mentioned already. Against a runner play, the first one, we'd had a couple of really good opportunities to go ahead already.
00:12:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
think the lap had caught the post, didn't he, on an effort by then.
00:12:17
Richard
Mm-hmm.
00:12:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
we were certainly looking on top that he sort of felt, if if anyone was going to take the lead, he it was going to be us. And then down the other end, Sons, he's toyed with Godfrey a bit.
00:12:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
I was not used to those days, he's sort of come across and done nothing to help. And then, It's a tap end for Johnson, isn't it? which he He's very good at putting himself in those areas. So you look at his cat, he's got 13 goals this year and I reckon about 10 of them have been within the six-yard box.
00:12:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's just in the right place every single time for one of them, isn't he? that A really disappointing one to concede, wasn't
00:12:49
Richard
Yeah, it's like Raheem Sterling, isn't it, at Man City when he was like actually an effective, good player.
00:12:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:12:55
Richard
Yeah, but johnson Johnson's really good. He's had a really good year, hasn't he? any And he does seem to be that partnership with kind of like Son and having a player like that because Kulicevski's great, but he doesn't quite play the same way. and doesn't quite sort of like bang into the box and hit the back post and stuff. But from our point of view, it was just way too easy. It was like one pass through the midfield,
00:13:15
Richard
Calvin Phillips was kind of jogging back and then he saw the danger and started to sprint a bit. But it was all just a bit slow. The whole thing was just slow to react. And I think that's the way we've kind of defended all year a little bit.
00:13:27
Richard
And yeah, Godfrey kind of gets done. I've sort of said my piece on Dara O'Shea. I don't know what he's doing at that point. It just leaves the whole box open. And unfortunately, Greaves and Davis don't react quicker than Johnson. So yeah, it it all looked a bit too easy, really.
00:13:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, and unfortunately, it didn't really get any harder for Spurs, did it, for the second goal. It was near enough a carbon copy, weren't it? Ball into Son, Godfrey gets beaten too easily, john ball across the box and Johnson was there again.
00:13:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
That was a frustrating part, he'd say, and it almost felt like no lessons were learned from the first one, despite some good play from us and in between the two goals.
00:14:03
Richard
yeah Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I suppose Son didn't go on the outside for the second goal. He kind of cuts back in, doesn't he? And sort of like makes his way across the box, towards the box a little bit and then pulls it back. And, you know, again, the defending, the the the reactions to it, could there have been a better reaction?
00:14:19
Richard
Maybe a couple more bodies being chucked on the line. i think I think Greaves kind of threw himself at the ball a little bit. But again, the reaction time seems slow. It just seemed like we weren't responding quick enough. Yeah.
00:14:32
Richard
But I think that's what it does look like when you're losing lots of games of football, unfortunately, you know, and you are playing good players. And I think Son knew he had the beating of Godfrey following
Player Performances and Defensive Balance
00:14:42
Richard
the first goal.
00:14:43
Richard
and you know, obviously we'll talk about the fact that he was hooked at halftime. know he's on a booking as well, so that probably came into it, but I think Godfrey was a bit spooked by it. He doesn't seem to be playing with a massive amount of confidence, particularly,
00:14:56
Richard
And arguably he's not really a right back anyway. So maybe he's being played sort of a bit out of position or not, or not in his favoured position anyway. So yeah, it was all, it was all a little bit disappointing and a bit inevitable, unfortunately.
00:15:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes, like I said, the frustration for me was just how similar they were. It was a ball over the top to Son who has looked so poor in many games this year, but typically he seemed to be on it as soon as he comes to Portman Road and say Godfrey he had a nightmare. then he would and so He's been skinned for both the goals. He's on a book and then he got hooked at half-time. It's not exactly the game.
00:15:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's not a game to be proud of by any means. But and she say it just felt like, like I said, so many lessons could have been learned from the first one. to then be beaten by near enough the same thing again the second time was was frustrating. But the response after conceding the second goal, as as it was after the first one, was very good. And obviously we went and got a goal back from Amari, who had another very good game. We obviously sung his praises after Villa last week and he was one of the shining lights in this game. I thought, again, that he's starting to hit the level that in the last couple of weeks that we've been saying for him for a while now, that we know he can hit and it's been a bit frustrating. He hasn't been, but...
00:16:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Really, it's a well-taken goal for him, weren't it? So just his third of the season, but looks to be turning it around a bit.
00:16:19
Richard
Yeah, definitely. I agree with you. I think it was and another pretty pretty strong performance from him, really. and think as well, speaking going back to the defence a little bit and thinking about those wide players, I know i know Hutchinson was playing in the 10 for this one, but there's been a lot of comments around this about you know the the the fairly lightweight, short stature of the players in those positions. But I think it's not really just about that. It's kind of about the work rate as well.
00:16:46
Richard
And it does seem to me that if you play that system of one striker and then you've got three attackers behind, those two attackers in the wide positions need to be doing quite a lot of defensive work because the danger was that Son, you know, after the first goal, that Son is one-on-one with Godfrey and he's got he's got the beating of his man.
00:17:03
Richard
So at that point, you have to double up on him. Now, at times, Philogene was getting back and at times, Clark gets back. But there doesn't seem to be that consistency of some of the top wingers in the league where the defensive side of their game...
00:17:16
Richard
I don't know. mean, who can we think of us as examples? I mean, an example would be someone like Gabriel Martinelli, who a lot of people have a go at in terms of like going forward because his numbers aren't great. But defensively, he always puts in an incredible shift and he always helps his fullback out.
00:17:32
Richard
And I think our wingers need to develop that side of the game. And McKenna said that about Hutchinson last year in the championship. And that's why he had a pretty ineffective first half of the season last year because he was like, it's all well and good on the ball and stuff, but i need you to be working hard and coming back. And Hutchinson did do that.
00:17:49
Richard
And he's a really hard working player in the team. And I think the other wingers that we have, mean, Burns does it a bit more naturally because he's been at the club for a while and stuff. I think Ogbené would have been that player as well because he's got he's got a strong physique and stuff. But Villagin and Clark aren't quite doing that to a consistent level. And I think that hurts us quite a lot. It makes us quite open.
00:18:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it's an important thing to have, isn't it? I mean, you look at a very recent example of yesterday, the Liverpool-Man City game. So Mohamed Salah is someone you would never say who as a winger who tracks back, but you saw he spotted how much Alexander-Arnold was struggling with Doku.
00:18:25
Richard
No.
00:18:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
And he just got back every time he needed to, didn't he? Which is such an important thing for your winger to do, particularly if you're struggling.
00:18:31
Richard
Yeah, absolutely.
00:18:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
I say it needs a bit of awareness from Philogene or Hutchinson, whoever was on the right-hand at the time, because I know they mix and match. But to just see, obviously, that Godfrey's been left 1v1, he's struggling, someone go and give him some extra help.
00:18:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
And like you said, that's something we're not doing a lot of the time. somewhat Broadhead does it, but there's not too many others
Second Half Optimism and Defensive Shortcomings
00:18:56
Richard
Brought it, does it? Yeah.
00:18:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
that do.
00:18:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
There's not many others in the squad who Smoddix doesn't do it when he's up there either because he's, know, naturally, he'd rather push further forward even though he does he does a lot of running but he doesn't particularly drop in like that.
00:18:58
Richard
Hmm.
00:19:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Philogene and Clark don't do it too often. We haven't got many people that do that and there's probably a reason why we get exposed out wide fairly often. Some of the goals we can see, we're quite good at defending through the centre but out wide, not so much which probably like you said, there's probably quite a key reason why because we're, there's not,
00:19:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
much defensive for responsibility from our wingers, certainly those who are available at the moment. But as long as they perform well, they do the day job at the other the pitch, maybe we'll go all right on that front. So the attacking side done well this game. But you sort felt from you sort of, you're almost expecting us to get back in the game, really, weren't you?
00:19:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
You thought we'd come out second half.
00:19:49
Richard
Mm-hmm.
00:19:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
We looked quite sharp off the start with, didn't we? We obviously made a change, we've made a difference. Thought we'd equalise, but Wolfenden was about three yards offside when he really didn't need to be, if we're being completely honest there. But it's fairly poor. like it is defend Talk about strikers' challenges at one end of the pitch, but that is a defender's awareness.
00:20:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's not spotted. He's completely gone. He's gone far too early. it's If that was the lap, you'd be raging at him, wouldn't you? Because it's Wolfenden, he's a centre-half, you let him off a little bit. But fairly poor. But then, yeah, he was sort waiting on us to equalise and then Suddenly it's 3-1 to Spurs with not long left on the clock. And then you knew it was game over at that point. Look, it took a deflection, so Palmer had no chance. But again, we don't cover ourselves in glory at the back, do we?
00:20:36
Richard
No, but as you say, up until that point in the second half, it was a really even game and it did look like we, if anything, we would get ourselves back into it with the equaliser. So that's encouraging, right? I think from the moment that we went 2-0 down, we had a probably about a 30-minute period in the game where we were really good and we were really competitive and and sort of won that period of the game. But unfortunately, you know, again, it comes down to were we creating really clear chances and were we making the most of sort of like, you know, half opportunities or whatever. And sadly, we weren't. And then, yeah, the third goal goes in, a little bit of luck for them. Again, we're a wee bit static, a wee bit easy to play through.
00:21:13
Richard
But, you know, things like that happen. And I think at that point, unfortunately, it was, you kind of did see, the level drop a little bit and maybe the belief sort of drop a little bit and stuff. But like I say, right at the start, you know, four one does flatter Tottenham a little bit. I don't think the game was 4-1.
00:21:30
Richard
But I don't think we can be sitting here thinking we deserve to win the game either. You know i mean? and I think Spurs probably were a good value for for the result overall.
00:21:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, definitely. to say It's not a game we should it's not a game you sort of walk away thinking we should have got something based on the performance. But for me, the key is it was a game where we could have and we didn't do enough.
00:21:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
that was That was the concern for me because that was it that we matched Spurs for the majority of that game. And that was a game to go and put a statement result in that
00:21:59
Richard
Mm-hmm.
00:22:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
We were competing well i just needed to get over the line, get the ball in the back of the net more times than we did. that was the The opportunity was there. We haven't had many better opportunities, particularly at home, where we've been lacking enough to get over there, especially in recent, like I say, the last month or so, we were clearly struggling for confidence. That was a game to sort of take it by the scruff of the and get the result. And that's where the frustration is for
Repetitive Errors and Frustrations
00:22:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
me. It's not should have, but it was certainly it could have, and we didn't do enough, which is the concern. And so the fourth goal...
00:22:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
it always felt It felt bit insignificant because you you knew he won't come back for 3-1 because the chances us scoring four goals in the game was incredibly low, even three to get a draw. But the fourth one annoyed me the most out of anything because you've just played into his hands, haven't you?
00:22:52
Richard
yeah
00:22:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
know what Kulisewski's like. You've let him come back onto his left foot. You've then backed off and let him shoot and then almost act surprised when it finds the back of the net. It's just you've you've done everything you wanted him to do.
00:23:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
or everything he wanted you to do, basically, as a defender in that point of view. And then you just go like, throw your hands up and go, oh, it's good finish, isn't it? But it hits the back of the net. No, you've let... There's been multiple times you could have... There was no effort to show him down the line, no effort to stop him getting back on his left, and no effort to block the shot.
00:23:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
And it's just finding the back of the net really annoyed me that it's insignificant it was as in terms of the impact on the game. That one, for me, was the most frustrating of the four to concede. don't know what your thoughts are on it.
00:23:34
Richard
Yeah, but I think it is that belief thing, isn't it? You know, at 3-1, you're like, oh, we've just been banging the door down or, you know, knocking at the door or whatever. We had a goal disallowed. And then the sucker punch, third goal for them. And you just, you know, the energy levels just drop fractionally and and good players punish you. But you're right. I mean, the basics aren't particularly done. But how many times could you say that this season about our defending, really?
00:23:55
Richard
Leif Davis, I think, of quite a few, maybe is is one of those players that is really low on confidence at the moment. He really doesn't... He wasn't getting forward very much, particularly.
00:24:07
Richard
Maybe that's because of the way Spurs kind of like, you know, played him and obviously Johnson's a threat and Kulusevsky's a threat as well. But yeah, he's not in his best moment. He's actually probably in his most difficult moment as an Ipswich Town player. So it'll be interesting to see how he responds before the end of the season. And I think, you know, from from a lot of us thinking that he was close to the England squad...
00:24:30
Richard
you know, end of championship, start of the Premier League time. I'm not entirely sure if you could say that now because you look at someone like Jed Spence, who's a right back really, but he's a much more effective, but he he's in, you know, a much more effective sort of vein of form, both going forward and at the back as well. And he's a great athlete. So you would you would suspect Tucha would be looking at somebody like him way ahead of someone like Leif Davis at the moment. But hopefully, yeah, Davis can get it back at some point.
00:24:59
Richard
might play into our hands because it means he might stick around if we do go back to the championship for another year but yeah it's it it it wasn't a great piece of defending I agree
00:25:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, certainly not. But take overall, so it's four fairly disappointing goals to concede on what was overall not a bad performance at all. Like you said, the scoreline flattered Spurs.
00:25:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
It wasn't a performance that deserved to lose by three goals, but the game doesn't play out on what you deserve, does it? It's what you actually go out and do. And that's where the frustration, like I say for me, was that the performance was there to go and get something and we didn't, which has been how many times we said that this year, which...
00:25:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
becoming increasingly a problem, as this weekend showed, which we'll have a quick break
League Position Concerns and Future Outlook
00:25:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
again now. When we come back, we'll talk about what went on around the rest of the league this year and the rest of weekend and how concerning that sets us up with as we enter the last third of the season.
00:26:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
And we are back for the final part of today's show. So Rich, mate, look, the weekend's gone pretty terribly for us, hasn't it? that
00:26:31
Richard
terribly
00:26:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, but look, let's preface all of this before we before we even have the conversation. There's 12 games to go. All sorts can change in that time. But it felt like a really significant weekend.
00:26:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah ah the boat I said it at the start of the show, at both ends of the table, you know, you think, And the end we're not that bothered about. Liverpool's league going to 11 points, you sort of feel it's pretty much unassailable at this point. And then our end, our and Leicester's gap to survival has increased to five points. And also, damningly, we've hit that point now where teams down the bottom start becoming horrible to play and picking results up, stereotypically.
00:27:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Every single team in the bottom half of the table picked up at least a point, except three promoted sides. which sort shows you maybe where the gap is because it's not just... know you can say obviously the performance was good, but like said, the flat spurs, but ultimately seven out of 10 teams in the bottom half, five of them have got weird Everton and Man United drew to each other.
00:27:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Then there's us three in the bottom three, all shipped in four at home, which is fairly damning assessment of the situations of all three of us really because... You have to get home as well so we have to be grouped in that category as well. I know Southampton are bit further back on their own.
00:27:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Tom said it when watching the Leicester game Friday night, that how are we on the same points as them? You might question that from the performances, but ultimately we are. Like I said, the gap's got bigger. still a long way to go, but it's another real hit to the confidence levels, isn't it? After a good result at Villa last weekend, that we started pick ourselves up.
00:28:11
Richard
Yeah, it kind of, as you say, it went as it went kind of as badly as it could do, really. But yeah, it sort of feels as if the the Premier League is, it might be a bit boring, if I'm honest, for the so but you know the final kind of 10 games of the season. Because as you mentioned, like at the top, you know, it looks like it's Liverpool's title, really.
00:28:29
Richard
I'd be amazed if they blew it from this point. It's kind of interesting around the European spots because there's lots of teams in the in the sort of 40 kind of range and they're all sort of bunched there together.
00:28:40
Richard
But at the bottom, you're right. I mean, I think that is that is a telling statistic, I think, about the the three promoted sides oh in the bottom three all shipping four goals at home this weekend. It did look like, yeah, that that's a pretty clear signal that these three are are the ones that are in real trouble. And I think with Wolves, they they have started to look a bit more solid over the past few weeks. And I know they've won, obviously, two of the last three.
00:29:04
Richard
Winning at Bournemouth is a very impressive result, given how good they've been over the last few weeks. So I think they're going to be super confident at this time. And I think realistically, if they win two more games, where are we going to make up that shortfall?
00:29:21
Richard
You know, it's already a five point gap. if they If they get to 28 points, are we going to get another 11 points this season or 12 points this season? At the moment, it seems pretty unlikely.
00:29:34
Richard
so Yeah, look, we all know it looks pretty difficult at this stage. And, you know, you get these guys, you mentioned, you get a kind bounce back result with the Villa one and you you hope you can build on it and stuff and then not quite being able to do that.
00:29:48
Richard
We obviously have another opportunity on Wednesday United and, you know, they're not a great side at the moment at all. So it is an opportunity to try and get something there. But ultimately, you're at the point now where you need to win games. So does the approach become even more kind of like gung-ho in order to try and do that?
00:30:08
Richard
But yeah, it was you're right, it was a very significant weekend. It felt like some things have been kind of like sorted out that are going to take a titanic kind of like reversal to be able to change.
00:30:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, like I say, big opportunity in the week. are you as says There's not many teams who look as poor at home as we do, but Man United are one of them. So certainly there's there's an opportunity there to maybe get a result in the midweek. But like you said, oh now there's always this to stereotype, isn't it?
00:30:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
you don't You don't want to play a team battling relegation in March, or eight march April or May, do you? Because they're scrapping for their lives. They're going to be horrible to play against. And that's what you've that's the point we've hit now. And that's where my worry is when I come out of this weekend is that obviously not all these teams are fighting relegation, but you don't want to play these teams down the bottom this time of year.
00:30:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Five of them have gone and showed that and got wins this weekend. And we've played well and lost 4-1. It's almost like if we'd have played badly, it would have been easier to take. because sort of We've played we put a very good shift in.
00:31:11
Richard
We've played all right. I don't, but yeah, we played all right.
00:31:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:31:14
Richard
I don't think we can we can say we played. I mean, yes, we did play well, but like you know, not for 90 minutes, right?
Upcoming Matches: Strategies and Opportunities
00:31:19
Richard
We just didn't.
00:31:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:31:20
Richard
So that's what you need to do.
00:31:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, but say again, when I look at this, again, where my worry is, I've said it all season as well, but when I say these teams getting their results, let's look at the two directly closest to us in the table.
00:31:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Wolves, West Ham, grinded out 1-0 wins away from home. which I've said it multiple times, we're not capable of that.
00:31:40
Richard
Mm-hmm.
00:31:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
I keep saying it, hoping that I'll get proved wrong at some point, but we haven't got one like that in the locker at home or away. We haven't got that grind out a low scoring result, get get over the line when you need to.
00:31:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
And that's how that's how you become difficult to play against in these scenarios, which is that's where my massive worry is. Because when I look at any of these games, regardless, don't have to look at who the opponent we're playing. Just from what we've got, I can't see us grinding out these 1-0 wins that you have to just fight everything for and scrape over the line for a massive three points. I don't think that's our style and we've got that in the locker.
00:32:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
don't know if you disagree with me on that.
00:32:22
Richard
No, I completely agree with you. I mean, I think even in the Championship, we were really open. Like, there were games where we were conceding, you know, one or two goals a game and we were just outscoring opponents in the Championship. And obviously, that's not the case here.
00:32:34
Richard
I mean, I was quite surprised when Tom predicted, I think on Friday, he went for a win, which I did too. He went for 1-0 and I just, don't see us keeping a clean sheet for the rest of the year, if I'm totally honest. I just don't really see it. I think the confidence is kind of...
00:32:50
Richard
yeah, really lacking at the back. And even though Palmer has kind of obviously helped, and I think i think he is a good goalkeeper, that he still ain't going to be able to keep everything out if we're just letting fairly easy chances kind of like be coughed up. So, yeah, I think it's very difficult to see us grinding those out. We don't look solid enough in that respect.
00:33:11
Richard
I mean, maybe if you go super defensive and just literally try and hit people on the break like once or twice a game and get lucky, then maybe you nick a result like that. But I think Yeah, unfortunately, we haven't found the magic formula, right? That's why we've only had three wins all year. But, you know, and another another another opportunity, as I say, on Wednesday. and Football can change unbelievably quickly. if you If you manage to nick a win somewhere, which we have done at other points of the season, obviously Tottenham, Chelsea, et etc., then all of a sudden you can use that as a springboard. I think we have to get to the Wolves game, which I think is at the start of April, right? We play Wolves at home.
00:33:46
Richard
Yeah, 5th of April.
00:33:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah Yeah, definitely.
00:33:48
Richard
We have to be... within no more than we are now away from them, which is five points. Because then if you win that game, you would potentially get to two. And then it's like a one game shift, a swing.
00:34:01
Richard
So that's that's the sort of challenge for us is not to let this gap get any further. And I think the reality is Wolves are going to pick up more points based on how they're playing at the moment. So Town are obviously going to have to do the same.
00:34:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Look, like I say, United's an opportunity on Wednesday night. Whether you want to admit it or not, because, as you know, the history of was yeah what they're like, and they' still there's still some very good players there, but their record at home under everyrow a ribbon-a-room is shocking.
00:34:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
There's no other way to put it. It's really, really bad. they They are an away team, much like we are.
00:34:38
Richard
yeah i don't think he wants that I don't think he wants that job.
00:34:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:34:42
Richard
It's so weird the way he's talking about it It's like, i kind of hate this.
00:34:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:34:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, yeah like that is a real opportunity.
00:34:50
Richard
feel a bit sorry for the guy.
00:34:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
like it's not it's not a It's not to the point of like it's embarrassing if we don't go and get something there, but it will feel like a massive missed opportunity if you come out of a defeat in that game, which feels mental to say, like I say, because it's Man United we're talking about.
00:35:00
Richard
no
00:35:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
But you take the you take the name away and just look on paper on paper,
00:35:11
Richard
Hmm.
00:35:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
he's that is a game that's a serious opportunity to go and get someone. Like I say, we're in that time of the year where people should be dreading playing promote a promoted team. Oh, not promoted teams, sorry, team down the bottom.
00:35:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
And we've got to start turning around because certainly after United, then we get a nice break, FA Cup, we can sort dare to dream of progressing further. You know, we're effectively 180 minutes away from Wembley if we turn up against Forest and then to get through and turn up in the game after that. But when we come back from the FA Cup,
00:35:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
and we're in March, it's do or die time, isn't it? Every single, key there's no excuses can be made regardless of who you're playing. It's go and get results as many as you can, you'll fight for your life,
Season Reflections and Tactical Improvements
00:35:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
basically.
00:35:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
But was I think, weirdly, were we somehow took a step in the right direction with some of the elements from today, on from Saturday, sorry, the despite the result.
00:36:09
Richard
Yeah, I think you're right.
00:36:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
But
00:36:10
Richard
Yeah.
00:36:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's getting them all together. because and Put it in context. look i've been I particularly have been very harsh in some of the stuff I've said on this game. Ultimately, there's one team in the Premier League that have won three games in a row at the moment it's Tottenham. It was a bad time to play them.
00:36:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
There's all these all these other teams stumbling here and there. They are quite honestly the only team to have won their last three games. so They are a side in form.
00:36:36
Richard
Yeah.
00:36:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
it was It was a tougher game than it would have been a few weeks ago, but we need to kick we need to go up a gear now because I say it was a damning weekend, the most damning we've had so far, I would say, in terms of not so much ourselves and what happened around us because it literally, like I say, every every other team in the bottom half that's not in the relegation zone already gained points on us this weekend.
00:37:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
I know you're obviously not looking up as as high as even like Everton really, you're not even looking that high and further onwards, but
00:37:01
Richard
ye
00:37:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
that is bad that's real That's bad. That's really bad. Like say, it's not just that.
Episode Conclusion and Future Discussions
00:37:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's the difference as well. as that With the promoter three of the promoted teams, people have been getting points, but you've all lost at home by letting four goals in. and
00:37:24
Richard
Mm-hmm.
00:37:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
can't It can't keep going that way can't keep looking at teams getting results. Like I go say, it's do or die territory now. and Hopefully, we kickstart it with a result on Wednesday night, which Tom and James who will be looking ahead to that game for you on tomorrow's episode. Like say, a big opportunity there.
00:37:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
And say the lads will talk you through all of that and sort of see how see how we might set ourselves up and what they think our chances are of a result at Old Trafford. But tune in tomorrow to hear from Tom and James on that front. But from me and Richard, that is goodbye from now. Thank you for listening to today's episode.
00:37:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
And we will catch you later in the week.