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Episode 68 - Crossover with Liverpool!
35 Plays21 days ago
Southampton –It's a big title race decider at the weekend as we begin our charge to the top of the table! We talk about that with our friends from the GSPN Daily Liverpool and how their season is going, and how ours is going.
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Transcript
Introduction and Crossover Event
00:00:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome to the Daily Southampton and the Daily Liverpool crossover episode for this week by the Global Sports Podcast Network. umm joined today my name's greg riott I'm joined today by, as always, by my co-host Zach. How you doing Zach?
00:00:23
Zak
Yeah, not too bad mate, not too bad. Looking forward to the return of real football, not looking forward to what the scoreline will inevitably be, but here we are.
00:00:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Alright, we've talked before, 15 points from these next five games, so we're going to be alright.
00:00:34
Zak
Uh-huh, uh
Liverpool Match Preview
00:00:35
Zak
-huh.
00:00:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I joined from the Liverpool side of the Global Sports Podcast Network team by, Louis, how you doing mate, you alright?
00:00:42
Louie Easton
I'm great, how are you?
00:00:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I'm alright, I'm trying to feel optimistic coming into the weekend, it's just nice to have for a football back. And Michael, how you doing mate, you alright?
00:00:51
Michael
Yeah, I'm good. I'm excited to talk about ah Liverpool playing their old B team, their old feeder club, so that'll be interesting to hear.
00:00:59
Zak
Yeah.
00:01:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's it. So yeah, we're a lovely crossover episode today. So we're going to, we're going to talk to the card and talk about Liverpool. We're going to talk about saints and, uh, I'm sure some predictions towards the end. So, uh, I guess let's, let's start with our, our visitors Liverpool coming this week. It's a bit of a contentious fixture in my household. It's got to be said because, uh, my wife is a Liverpool fan. So it's, uh,
00:01:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
it It could be a difficult weekend either way, truth be told. But I don't know, it's been a good season for you guys so far, right? Michael, are you enjoying it?
00:01:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Were you expecting it to go as well with your manager change?
00:01:36
Michael
Yeah, I mean, to be fair, like i like the the squad is the same. We didn't make any big sales. We didn't really make any big bit at big signing. So I wasn't too worried about like how well we were going to be doing. I think, I thought we were going to be like top four, definitely, but no I wasn't expecting to be five points clear by the November international breaker. Let's just say that. But I think like,
00:02:02
Michael
you You guys are the easiest point of our hard run so far. like Since we played Arsenal, we've had quite a difficult run and we still have quite a difficult run after this. I think there's a chance that we might play the kids against you in preparation for Real Madrid and Man City as our next two games. so but ah well We'll see what lineup slot brings out, but I think it will be a good game.
00:02:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, and so maybe a rotated side straight off the international break would be interesting, but I guess, Louis, do you think there's a chance that you're going to be looking past us and see that as a banana skin potentially, or or is it just a done deal?
00:02:27
Zak
Thank you.
00:02:39
Louie Easton
That's my fear. That is my fear.
Liverpool's Defense Analysis
00:02:41
Louie Easton
I'm way more pessimistic than Michael. I will say that because, you know, ah you you you see you look at our previous seasons and you just see where we finished one point behind Man City and, you know, we slipped over a couple of very winnable banana skins earlier in the season. But I don't think we will because, you know, this is one of the first international breaks in a long time where Liverpool haven't been at the 1230 kickoff on a Saturday.
00:03:05
Louie Easton
noon So, you know, it will be a nice extra day of rest for Liverpool. Maybe a couple of rotations with the hard fixtures coming up, but I don't think Liverpool are that naive to underestimate anyone in the Premier League, especially in his first season.
00:03:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, last time he came down to St Mary's was a rather explosive four-wall draw. Do you think there's going to be that many goals in it this time or do you think it's going to be a bit more sharp shot from you guys?
00:03:36
Louie Easton
I really just can't predict these things really. i i don't I do think Liverpool are a lot more defensive this season. The stats speak for themselves. We've had plenty of clean sheets and a a lot of our play has been without the ball and then countering as well. So that I do think if it is going to be a goal fest, it would be probably in our favour.
00:04:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm.
00:04:00
Louie Easton
but You know, not to write Southampton off, but I just can't see us conceding more than ah ah one goal this weekend. But I do think we will be quite dangerous in our attack as we have been all season, you know, with the forwards that we have, you know, we've got Diaz, we've got Gackpo, Nunez and Salah all available.
00:04:20
Louie Easton
And I can see Zach's cring cringing a little bit at that.
00:04:25
Zak
Yeah, it's right. The last time we actually we played Greg wasn't just, well, we, the last time we played at some Mary's, it was for all the last time we played in a team under Russell Martin. It was a three to win where I recognize a couple of the starting lineup, but let's face it. Most of it at that point was just, you just sent the kids out against us and they won three nil. And we we were just happy. We only lost three nil. I remember Russell Martin coming off the back of that and being like, well, you know, it's always hard to put them forward. I think we showed him the account of ourselves and I'm like,
00:04:50
Zak
That's great, but we really need a point at some point.
Southampton's Current Challenges
00:04:52
Zak
And a good count of ourselves losing 3-0 is terrifying.
00:04:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah know
00:04:56
Zak
And as you pointed out, your your squad's barely changed. Our squad has changed quite a bit over the last couple of years. So probably the 4-4 game was the last, I think it was the last game of the season. so we actually had quite a few players that are still here which is baffling because usually whenever i have these conversations it is well the last time we played we only have three players still at the club so it's like that's that's how much we've changed and and but i think they you can't
00:05:17
Louie Easton
Yeah.
00:05:22
Zak
underestimate how good you've been, because you're right. oh We've had yeah like one signing here or there, the monumental shift of a manager, and they're just winning everything. And we're just clinging on for dear life, hoping to get a point here and there.
00:05:30
Michael
Yeah.
00:05:34
Zak
We managed to just about scrape a win against Everton, which gave us an unbridled level of joy. Whereas last season, like you know just yeah it's going to be tough.
00:05:45
Zak
You have a very strong attack. I'm very scared. I'm very upset.
00:05:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah this if ah okay well to ah to bring it home If you had a weak point in your team that we needed to attack, where would your biggest point of concern be?
00:06:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Let's go to you Michael.
00:06:01
Louie Easton
Oh.
00:06:03
Michael
I mean, we don't we don't want to give away any secrets. Of course not. But I think, well, there's a chance that Trent might be out in this game. So obviously Connor Bradley is going to be playing on that right hand side if he is.
00:06:14
Michael
Like, I think Connor Bradley is a superb. right back I think that there is a chance that maybe your left-hand side I mean you play with if you played a five back nowadays aren't you so like maybe that's not an area that you guys could attack just with what was it what's his name Manning running down the running down the wing at Bradley I think these were in that contest every day of the week I think maybe you could like do something du who's gonna be a goalkeeper because isn't Ramsdale injured as well you've got
00:06:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, unfortunately so.
00:06:46
Zak
It'll be Alex McCarthy.
00:06:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:06:47
Zak
We'll probably step in, I imagine, because Bazoonie is still out.
00:06:48
Louie Easton
Haha,
00:06:49
Michael
Wow.
Liverpool vs Southampton Dynamics
00:06:50
Michael
Yeah.
00:06:50
Zak
i
00:06:50
Michael
Pazuno and... Pazuno and Ramsdale are both injured, so you've got McCarthy in goal, which is...
00:06:51
Louie Easton
yes!
00:06:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:06:57
Michael
I think long shots are going to be on for for this game. But I think... I think, like, you guys ah ah have some very good players. I think Jawa Rebo was very good at Rangers, and I think he could be good.
00:07:10
Michael
Obviously, I don't think he's been that good this season. and You've got... you've got Adam Lallana, who is the GOAT, and is a great player but think he's slightly over the hill and you've got Cameron Archer who could like in the future it could be good like I think he's got talent but like the fact that your strikers Cameron Archer and Armstrong have scored three goals between them is slightly worrying worrying um and I think there's not there's not many sort of weaknesses in our team that you could realistically exploit at this moment in time just where plight we're playing with such confidence
00:07:33
Louie Easton
Yeah.
00:07:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it's definitely there's definitely some dread heading in. you know Our last game, we we lost to walls and we managed zero shots on target.
00:07:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
So where we're we're fighting hard for the optimism, it has to be said. but
00:07:57
Zak
It's fine mate, we had 71% of the ball and that's all that matters, as as we all know.
00:07:57
Louie Easton
i've
00:07:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
but
00:08:00
Louie Easton
i i promise I promise you, I'm not laughing at how bleak your team is, I'm just laughing at Zach's reactions.
00:08:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
very
00:08:07
Louie Easton
yeah It's just every every time you seem to open his mouth, he just looks depressed, looks down at the floor.
00:08:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:08:08
Zak
is It is so difficult.
00:08:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
yes
00:08:14
Michael
yeah
00:08:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's the standard state of affair on the podcast.
00:08:16
Zak
so is's yeah for but Greg is ever the optimist, like I've got a clip lined up for him saying we're going to get 15 points out of these games so I'm looking forward to that immediately going, yeah exactly.
00:08:25
Michael
points. yeah because you Your next games are Liverpool, Brighton, Chelsea, Aston Villa and Tottenham and then you've got us again in the EFL Cup.
00:08:27
Zak
and
00:08:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:08:35
Michael
Even Fulham, that's also a difficult game, that's after that. West Ham, if they sack the manager they could have a new manager boost. Crystal Palace is probably the next game you're looking at getting points in.
00:08:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:08:46
Zak
And... But that's the thing, you say that. We we played bottom of the table and didn't manage a shot on target. So i guess I guess it's all just the...
00:08:52
Michael
Fair. think I think you guys are bottom of the table now but Wait.
00:08:56
Zak
Yeah, at that point.
00:08:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes, we are now. Yeah.
00:08:57
Zak
At that point, we weren't. At that whole like nice week, yeah it's it's it's very difficult for me to remain optimistic at the moment as a Saints fan. But I'm also still not one of the people that are immediately like, just get rid of the manager.
00:09:08
Zak
I just i personally think we just come up too soon. but
00:09:11
Michael
Yeah, I think i think he Russell Martin has a definite future. I think you guys you guys are playing, in like, you've got a lot of possession in games. Like, even when you were playing Wolves, you had 71% possession, which is like insane for a newly promoted team to lose 2-0 and still have that much that much of the ball.
00:09:30
Michael
There's something wrong there. I think that's more down to your strikers not scoring. But I think, like like, you've had a lot of possession all all through the all through the year.
00:09:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:09:38
Michael
like Even against Newcastle yeah yeah on the first day of the season, you had 77% possession. like That's insane. i think i think when um You're probably going to go down. like Let's just say that.
00:09:51
Michael
thinking
00:09:51
Zak
you You're right.
00:09:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Are you saying that this isn't the total race decider that we're hoping for?
00:09:53
Zak
We were thinking it.
00:09:58
Michael
No, but I think i think you're going to get the money. You're going to reinvest. like I think you signed players like Lavia like before you obviously sent them off to Chelsea. I think if you keep that that sort of approach with this parachute payments, I think you're going to be fine. And the way Russell Martin plays with some better players, you're going to be fine. But I think it's you might get poached by a bigger team like company did because it was a very similar approach in terms of play his way that he did in the championship and then
00:10:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, there's been a lot of discourse about him potentially sort of playing career mode and putting his philosophy above the team.
00:10:27
Michael
get patted but then get poached.
00:10:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
But yeah, it's it's an interesting one. But realistically, does us playing possession based football really play into your hands? Because, you know, a lot of what I've seen from you guys is catching on the break at speed anyway, right?
00:10:48
Louie Easton
I think we're adaptable. We can play either way and we've proven that constantly this season that we are comfortable both with and without the ball. We've got so much quality and we have got players coming back soon.
00:11:00
Louie Easton
I think I read somewhere that everyone's meant to be available for the Real Madrid match. know Harvey Elliott's back in training now.
00:11:05
Michael
Yeah.
00:11:07
Louie Easton
Trent I don't think looked too serious and I just really want to see Kiaza play but otherwise you know, our only signing. We don't even get to see him play. Other than Rio Ngo...
00:11:18
Louie Easton
What's his name? Rio Ngo Moha or something in the academy?
00:11:20
Michael
Oh yeah, the the kid that we signed from Chelsea, they were fuming about, yeah.
00:11:23
Louie Easton
Yeah, I mean... He looks... Have you seen him play? It's just ridiculous.
00:11:28
Michael
Yeah, he's and so he's insane. Him and Ben Doke on the wings, everyone's gonna get rinsed.
00:11:30
Louie Easton
He's got... Oh, mate. Honestly, and Beddoke, what an international break he had with Scotland. Robertson as well, scoring a last-minute goal against Poland. You know, it's it's all looking good for Liverpool.
00:11:40
Michael
To be fair, you guys could do with Bendoke.
00:11:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
we could do with a lot of things at the moment to be fair.
00:11:43
Louie Easton
yeah I honestly
00:11:44
Zak
We could do a lot of players.
00:11:46
Michael
Do you want me to just does your so send you as our academy?
00:11:49
Zak
Well, it would be a nice exchange
00:11:51
Michael
the
Sponsor Message: Zencaster
00:11:54
Zak
considering you had all of our best players over the last 10 years.
00:11:56
Michael
Yeah, there you go.
00:11:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:11:57
Louie Easton
yeah never forget what's his name Ricky Lambert what's it what's a baller what's a king on his day
00:12:03
Michael
Okay, we're gonna get onto Ricky Lambert now.
00:12:04
Zak
ha
00:12:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
All right, well, that takes us nicely, I guess, to our first message from our partners over at Zencaster. So 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 promotes all those ums and r's. It's super easy to start a podcast that sounds great and is delivered efficiently. If you're ready to tell your story, check out the link in the show description to learn more about Zencaster.
00:12:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
So yeah, normally I guess at this point I'd ask sort of what we should be worried about from you guys and where the goal scoring threat comes from, but maybe it's easier to ask, who don't you see scoring on Sunday?
00:12:46
Zak
Ugh.
00:12:50
Louie Easton
Joe Gomez.
00:12:54
Michael
I mean, I think everyone's up for a goal.
00:12:54
Louie Easton
we
00:12:56
Michael
I think even Keller, I think he could get brought up on the corner at the end. He'd just pop it in. But yeah, no, I think it'll be, it'll be an interesting game.
00:13:07
Michael
It'll be probably you guys would want to defend and keep the ball and stuff. But if you push up too high, I think Diaz, Nunez, Salah, Keizer if he's back, Gackpo, everyone, Sousa by running in behind.
00:13:19
Michael
I think you might get punished. So. I think you've got to play your way but not too too much your way.
00:13:28
Louie Easton
I mean, the thing is that I can see happening is Southampton will just sit back with their five at the back and just hope and pray and that they can cling on for a for a 0-0 as long as possible.
00:13:39
Louie Easton
And then it will take like 20 minutes into the first half.
00:13:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay.
00:13:42
Louie Easton
We'll score and then the get game plan will go out the window. That's genuinely what I see happening. But.
00:13:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
I just don't think that would be very popular with the home crowd. They're a pretty impatient bunch at times.
00:13:52
Louie Easton
Do you think?
00:13:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
So I think that they're going to want us to go out on the front foot and try and do something. We tend to be able to start fast. So I could definitely see us sort of catching you, sleeping a little bit and getting an early goal before we then you know turn around and get wake up the beast, poke the bear a bit too early, probably, and and suffer the consequences of that.
00:14:14
Louie Easton
I understand that but-
00:14:14
Zak
It could end up like the city game. It could end up like that, where we were, we, we start, not even the city game, like even the Arsenal game, where we talked about how we played really well. We did play very, very well. We got a goal.
00:14:25
Zak
And the problem was at that point, then all it takes is the equality of Liverpool to overtake. And then it will be, oh, well, it was 3-1 and we lost, but we went down fighting. That's going to keep us up for all those points on the board with our, with our one goal.
00:14:36
Louie Easton
i I get that, but if you're trying to play with intensity, you are playing against the team with the most intensity, probably in world football at the moment, Liverpool, you know, our players just do not stop running. it's it's as the only thing I can say in your favor as well is you should be pleased that this isn't at Anfield if you're trying to play with intensity because I mean at St Mary's you know you've got the home crowd on your side but as soon as we've seen so many times this season if it's at Anfield and it's a loud atmosphere
00:15:08
Louie Easton
the game plan just goes out the ring window and just run into your half. that won't happen today. And I do think that a lot of the tempo of the game will be decided in the first half an hour, like you mentioned. But I do want to touch on Taylor Harwood-Bellis as well, because i was at the I was at Wembley and I saw him score his first goal coming off the bench on his debut. Is that the sort of motivation that he might need as well, especially with such a sort of young leader in that back line?
00:15:39
Zak
he He is, I think, one of our top goal scorers for the season.
00:15:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you.
00:15:43
Zak
Pretty sure he scored a lot of that a lot of the Carabao Cup games he scored.
00:15:43
Michael
on one.
00:15:47
Zak
I think he's he is a fantastic player and I think his leadership quality is like a team being a future captain. I'd like it to be for us realistically. I don't ah don't see him living here forever. You can see that, you know, he he's really happy and proud of himself. Russell Martin even joked about how Ryan Manning helped him a little bit, get that goal by just being a bit bit rubbish for Ireland. In a similar sense to him with Ricky Lab at one point. So, yeah, he I think he is...
00:16:14
Zak
somebody that at the start of the season he wasn't playing then Jack Stevens obviously had his little bit of a meltdown at Man U and then he got back into the side and has been pretty much a solid starter for Mian U Greg Wright.
00:16:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I don't see anyone displacing him from the team. I think he's consistently one of the the better players in moving the ball forward in an otherwise somewhat passive approach normally as well. You'll find that piercing ball even if it ends up coming back to him in the long run.
00:16:44
Zak
Yeah, my worry with, I think my worry in general is that he's going to come off the back of that performance with a ton of confidence and he's going to go out of, out of, you know, start, run out. And then I don't want that confidence to be completely stripped away from him by losing a large amount again. and And that seems to be like we keep trying to sort of start our season after almost every game. And then we got our win on Everton and started to try to start the season again. And it just seems Every single game is like this, and I'm really glad for the lads that have had good international breaks. I would love it to turn into a positive momentum. I just worry that it's not going to with our run coming up. I don't know how you feel, Greg. Probably slightly more optimistic than me.
00:17:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, though I think that Liverpool are going to look straight past us and slip up and we're going to get 15 points in the next five games. And then, you know, those three points are going to push us towards our title run. I'm telling you, it's so where we kickstart our season and give ourselves all the
Southampton's Tactical and Management Issues
00:17:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
confidence. That's the way we've got to go in and believe. but
00:17:44
Michael
I mean, in this next run, I think like you can definitely get points off Tottenham and Aston Villa. like Both aren't on the top of their game, and especially if you guys can have people to run in behind of Tottenham in particular.
00:17:57
Michael
Because when they don't have Van de Ven, they need to drop a bit deeper and they're just not. So like there's ways that you can get out the one two at least two of the five teams that are coming up. But I think it's just you need to approach the games
00:18:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:18:10
Michael
ah ah Liverpool are, where we're one of the most informed teams in the league, I think. like ah ah Any team would struggle to come up against us, so I think almost your players need to be reminded of that and look onto Brighton or look onto Chelsea and be like, we can actually get something out of it.
00:18:28
Michael
Obviously, now this is going to age like milk if if you do do a smashing grab, but yeah.
00:18:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think that's the hardest bit.
00:18:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think that's the hardest thing because I definitely think that Russell Martin has it in him to get our players believing that we can beat you.
00:18:35
Zak
I think it's... yeah
00:18:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
And it's you're right, it's recovering from that sort of mental state if and when that you know doesn't occur that's going to be the real challenge. but said about if we can run in behind but really I think that's actually been one of our biggest challenges this season is that we sort of seem to have this anomaly where we have a striker that's good at running in behind who we keep trying to cross the ball to and then we have a six foot seven striker who when we bring on the pitch we keep trying to play the ball to his feet and it doesn't it doesn't make sense to me why we can't play to the striker's strengths who we have on the pitch I guess it's a bit baffling
Southampton Fans' Expectations and Challenges
00:19:18
Louie Easton
Can you understand why people want, like majority of Saints fans want Russell Martin out?
00:19:19
Zak
It's because.
00:19:24
Zak
Yeah, 100% because the the problem the problem is is that they seem to think that we're going to get somebody else in and then that's going to resolve the problem. And I just think that a vast majority of it is the quality. I think that a lot of our players are playing beyond what their capabilities would be under other managers, in my opinion. And that is partly due to his my management style, the influence he has.
00:19:42
Zak
in the dressing room the kind of the way that he wants and the way that he wants everyone to fight and then it gets annoyed with them when they don't and it's it's visible like i don't think any manager goes into managing a club and expects their players to get no shots on target in 90 minutes like it i just i just don't believe that that is how anyone wants them to play football but the problem is is that like People have quite short memories and people have come up, they we had the joy at Wembley, it was an incredible day.
00:20:05
Zak
like we've We've come back up and then a lot of Southampton fans, you know even myself included to a little bit, like we do a lot of episodes on 2014 and 2016 when we had the Wonder Years, and we had people like Van Dyke in our back line, which is nuts if you think about it.
00:20:14
Louie Easton
Mm.
00:20:17
Zak
like little old Southampton kept him for for longer than we should have um i had him put it that way and and the the thing is is that there there is that legacy there that that means that they think that is where we should be in the football table and we should continue to kind of try to go for sixth and eighth and then you look at how competitive the league has been this year and it's like we are they are trying their best we're just not as good as we we want to be
00:20:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank
00:20:39
Zak
And I think that swapping them out doesn't make quite a bit of a difference because we did that.
00:20:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
you.
00:20:42
Zak
We got rid of Hassenhutl and we brought in Nathan Jones, which again was absolute comedy gold for pretty much everyone, even us included. some The sound bites alone will keep me and Greg laughing for the next decade.
00:20:52
Zak
And