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Episode 366: Matchday Preview: The away version of the South Coast Derby!
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Southampton – It's the big one. Based on our current position, what could be considered our most important game of the season, especially after the damp squib of the last one! But do we have what it takes to step up to the big occasion?
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Transcript
Introduction to Daily Saints Podcast
00:00:13
DailySaintsPod
Hello and welcome back to the Daily Saints pod. My name is Greg and as always joined by my good friend and wonderful co-host Zach. How you mate? You alright?
00:00:23
Zak
Well, mate, it's a big one,
00:00:23
DailySaintsPod
You excited for this?
South Coast Derby Excitement & Importance
00:00:25
Zak
isn't it?
00:00:39
Zak
I just hope the players fired up for it, really. You know, they think I don't think we need to be fired up for it, right?
00:00:43
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:00:45
Zak
Fans are always going to be, you know, sort of gunning for a South Coast derby. So, will the players, the third question?
00:00:54
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, I mean, that's that is the real question, right? That is what we have questioned in the weeks leading
Questioning Squad's Mental Fortitude
00:00:59
DailySaintsPod
up to this. It is the the big question of the squad is, do they have the mental fortitude, the cojones, to step up to a big Derby Day game and do it slightly better than they did last time? Because the one at St. Mary's was, for all intents and purposes, naf If honest, mate, it wasn't a lot to go off, was it?
00:01:24
DailySaintsPod
It was tetchy, it was nervy, and I mean, I mean i feel like there's still probably a really good chance that that's pretty much how this one plays out, right?
00:01:33
Zak
Yeah, I don't know. It kind of feels like it's building up. I don't know. The last game felt like it was a build-up to this game because you're right. It kind of just ended in nothing. Both teams too afraid to kind of really...
00:01:46
Zak
lose, I guess. That's kind of how, that's kind of
00:01:48
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
Portsmouth's Relegation Battle & Criticism of Will Still
00:01:49
Zak
I'm at.
00:01:49
Zak
Whereas this game, I feel like it's going to be a bit more fiery. You know, Portsmouth have to start getting wins under the belt and they know that, you know, it will help them get out of the sort of floating around relegation if they get a win about winning eight starts. We know it can kickstart.
00:02:05
Zak
I don't know, I'm not going to be dramatic. It can be like our promotion campaign, but I think that Tonda and the team are extremely aware of how important it is And Tonda will be aware that how, it's probably one of the criticisms of Will Still's reign, right?
00:02:20
Zak
Was that it was just a flat, flat game for the most important game that was coming up in ages.
00:02:24
DailySaintsPod
yeah
00:02:26
Zak
you know a lot of what we talked about with Still was sort of like him coming through the door and he even getting in the taxi and being like, you need to win the South Coast Derby. You need to win the South Coast Derby. And I guess for Tonda, it's a chance to kind of change the impression. Because currently, although not a lot of the anger is directed at him, it's directed at Sports Republic.
00:02:46
Zak
Imagine becoming a side character when you're the head coach of the team. And that that must not
00:02:50
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
Team Dynamics & Fan Support
00:02:51
Zak
be great.
00:02:51
Zak
And like even yesterday when he was trying celebrate the win, it does very much feel like a sticky plaster, right? So, yeah, i think that it's I think it's a huge game for both sides.
00:02:58
DailySaintsPod
Hmm.
00:03:01
Zak
It always is. But I think there is definitely, as the season has gone on, added elements to make it more spicy if we even needed that. Plus it's away from home. So it's always going to be like, don't know, slightly more difficult and slightly sweeter if we win, right?
00:03:13
DailySaintsPod
Hmm.
00:03:17
Zak
So...
00:03:17
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, absolutely. I mean, you you always want to go and win on their turf. And I mean, we still sing about the last time we did it.
00:03:23
Zak
present
00:03:24
DailySaintsPod
Even if we did boo, you know, one of the players that got one those famous imaged goals that's painted on on all of the videos yesterday night.
00:03:33
Zak
Look, mate, we are anything if inconsistent.
00:03:37
DailySaintsPod
yeah But sir you're right.
00:03:37
Zak
Yeah. That's a fan base. That is a way to describe us at the moment. But yeah, it's going to be big.
00:03:46
DailySaintsPod
It's...
00:03:46
Zak
It's going to be important.
00:03:48
DailySaintsPod
It's going to be an interesting interesting one. I've got a couple of things before we get into like the teams and the tactics and all of that fun stuff.
00:03:55
Zak
Sure.
00:03:57
DailySaintsPod
my My sister-in-law, who, as you know, I go to the games with, made an interesting interesting point to me last night.
00:04:01
Zak
Mm-hmm.
Lack of Togetherness & Performance Impact
00:04:03
DailySaintsPod
I didn't mention it in the in the match review. But something about our team and their... I don't want to say lack of, but...
00:04:17
DailySaintsPod
the they don't show a huge amount of togetherness. You don't see the entire team coming together to walk around and clap the fans anymore. They just... Some do, some just about do the bare minimum that the manager is going to expect. And and that's kind of it. And, you know, Harwood-Bellis always comes over and and Leo always comes over and gives away his shirt. And I saw Jay Robinson give away a shirt last night. But...
00:04:46
DailySaintsPod
But you don't see... You see that as a group of individuals. You don't see them coming together as a team to enjoy that moment. And i wonder if that's some part of the struggle in the mentality building, right?
00:05:03
DailySaintsPod
Like, if...
00:05:04
Zak
Maybe.
00:05:05
DailySaintsPod
it's harder is is' harder alone than it is together, right? So, don't know. It was just an observation, per I don't know if you can read too much into it or what, but just an interesting one.
00:05:18
Zak
I think it's hard for there to be a sense of togetherness when so much changes so quick
Team Cohesion Challenges
00:05:24
Zak
and so often. Even the setup of the football team, right?
00:05:25
DailySaintsPod
Hmm.
00:05:27
Zak
Like we've had, you know, when we played Middlesbrough and we had what we would consider to be arguably our best team out, you've already still, like that was, we played that team like three or four times.
00:05:38
Zak
We haven't had a solid 11 for long. for for so long On top of that, there's the the chopping and changing of goalkeepers, chopping and changing all the time across the space. You've got players that have disappeared out on loan that we wouldn't have expected to, players that still haven't left the building, players that you know you'd expect to be an integral core part of this team, like Romelu.
00:05:58
Zak
who is playing in the under-21s and there's, you know, conversation around him. It's like, oh, he's around. and But but yeah yeah, I think you're probably right. And that's to do with the fact that we've just got, like, significantly different blocks of players, right? You've got the old Russell Martin players.
00:06:08
DailySaintsPod
m
00:06:09
Zak
You've got the the players have just been here for ages. You've got players we've brought in this season that they haven't... It's not like they've had a manager as a central figurehead to kind of, like, build their relationship around, right?
00:06:22
Zak
And and also, was one of the things that maybe we, you know... we kind of forget with Russell Martin is he did try to build that. But in my opinion, it was quite exclusionary. He had a specific group and that's why the the starting 11 didn't change week in, week out.
00:06:38
Zak
It's like anything in life, right? Like if you work in a team at work, if your team will all get on and know each other and you all care about each other, you're bound to work harder than not. But there needs to be the ability to to make that still, right?
00:06:51
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:06:52
Zak
I know that if something was incredibly important and it was a deadline and I needed to hit it, regardless of whether my teammates around me were trying to or not, I'm not going to just stop because they're not. And I think that that's...
00:07:03
Zak
hopefully how everyone is viewing the South Coast Derby in isolation.
Derby's Historical Significance
00:07:06
Zak
Like it's it's a game that allows you to become a legend, right?
00:07:07
DailySaintsPod
Hmm.
00:07:10
DailySaintsPod
Hmm.
00:07:10
Zak
With one game, with one game, right?
00:07:13
Zak
So all you need to do is win that and you'll go down in history and, you know, not to be too dramatic, but that is how important it can be.
00:07:16
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:07:20
Zak
That is how important, that is how we will remember it when we talk about the next one. You know, we don't know if it will be.
00:07:24
DailySaintsPod
It's a literal opportunity to, you know, put yourself in a position to be in the paintings on the walls, right?
00:07:31
DailySaintsPod
Like, like that is, it is as historic as that, uh, potentially.
00:07:31
Zak
Yeah.
00:07:31
Zak
Awesome.
00:07:38
DailySaintsPod
just, look, without wanting to go like to football manager on it, mate, do we just need to send them all bowling and get their team morale up to green? Like,
00:07:46
Zak
maybe. But then, like, I think of the the time that we still was supposedly stayed up with them, right? When they we stayed up in Sheffield, was it? When we had, like, three games in a week?
00:07:54
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:07:54
Zak
And supposedly, you don't know what goes on behind the scenes. Some some like personalities might not being be compatible. Or they're just bad at showing the pitch. We still do huddles and stuff, which I i notice a lot of teams don't do nowadays.
00:08:05
Zak
like That i guess that guess still happens.
00:08:06
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:08:07
Zak
and You don't know who's who's friends with who. and You know for a fact that like some of those friendships have been broken up.
00:08:10
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:08:12
Zak
right Ben Burrott and Diaz and Arma are really good friends. Same with Fraser. like They're going to be a little group together. you know these These social dynamics that that occur, you know what ultimately matters is is making it play out on the pitch. And I think it's been difficult to establish that with the constant chopping and changing. And also probably like, you know, it's not nice to come into a stadium and get, you don't know what your reception is going to be.
00:08:39
Zak
You talked about it yesterday, the day before with like Azaz, right?
00:08:40
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, 100%. so We get that.
00:08:42
Zak
Like you don't know if part of the, what's got on going on is mental. You know, as you said, being sucked out for Sienza and being like booed is again, it wasn't him being booed, but that kind of stuff depends
00:08:47
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, 100%.
00:08:54
DailySaintsPod
hard not to take it that way though, isn't it? With the stadium and 30,000 people booing when you come on. like even Even if you want to you know step back and see the logic of what was was and wasn't there, it's hard not to to feel that and let that thing.
00:09:08
DailySaintsPod
But yeah, I don't know. I don't know how big of a thing it is or how much to read into it, but it was was something I noticed and it was just an interesting point to think upon.
00:09:16
Zak
Yeah, I don't think they'll ever come out and be like, hey, guys. Hey, guys. Yeah, all the teams don't like each other, so that's why we keep losing.
00:09:19
DailySaintsPod
I mean...
00:09:22
DailySaintsPod
I mean, also, like, if if I'd played 90 minutes of football in the weather like it was, I'd be pretty eager to get off the pitch myself.
00:09:23
Zak
guess not.
00:09:29
Zak
I would want to go in, right?
00:09:32
DailySaintsPod
So so i kind of get it. It's, yeah, it's just just an an interesting point.
00:09:37
Zak
I think i think there's some there's some interesting thoughts about it.
00:09:37
DailySaintsPod
The...
00:09:40
Zak
And I think that some people will potentially say that's what you want in a figurehead around a head coach and a manager, et cetera. And that's been some of our criticism under Steele. Still, some of the criticism that's under Katonda is that, yeah, maybe we don't you don't have that kind of, you know especially where, you know i don't want to bring the age up, but like if they're the same age as you, I think it's difficult for you to have sort of paternal bond and try and build that.
00:10:01
DailySaintsPod
hmm
00:10:03
Zak
But Do we also want to see that? I don't know. What matters is that if they can put together a team performance for so for Sunday and we can, you know, but yeah, basically.
00:10:11
DailySaintsPod
we'll be happy it it's almost like a reset button right like a lot of the like like like we talked about the win being like a sticky plaster over the problems whereas this is Not like a full reset.
00:10:13
Zak
No.
00:10:25
DailySaintsPod
Those problems don't go away because we beat Portsmouth. But it just makes makes everyone feel a lot better. And and also, like as well as beating our rivals, which is obviously what a lot of people are going to be going in with the most important thing.
00:10:40
DailySaintsPod
We've talked a lot about the state of our position in the table this season. But if we win on Sunday, we could be as close as four points to playoffs, which is insane. like It just shows shows how like crazy the championship is.
00:10:51
Zak
Oh, that's the so championship, isn't it?
00:10:55
DailySaintsPod
The other thing I wanted to talk about before we we get to it is
Over-Policing & Atmosphere Impact
00:11:00
DailySaintsPod
is the atmosphere and what part you think that's going to play. Now, like at St.
00:11:05
DailySaintsPod
Mary's, we saw it was a slightly dampened atmosphere, and I think that that was a lot of the way down to... the police trying to wrap away fans in cotton wool, really, and just almost overdoing it completely. And I mean, I've spoken to a few of the the guys who managed to get tickets for Sunday. They've got be at St. Mary's for 6.30 to get on the coach, just to sit on the coach for an hour, no beer,
00:11:35
DailySaintsPod
to be driven to the stadium where they have to then enter the stadium earlier and and they have to wait for an hour after the end of the game to be well taken home on the coaches as well. Like, that's not... That's like a 12-hour day for a trip down the road.
00:11:54
DailySaintsPod
lie Like... Like, what are we doing? What are we doing to the top?
00:11:58
Zak
What are we doing? Well, it's one of those things where, the if you remember rightly, directly afterwards, the Hampshire police force were basically like, yeah, it was a brilliant, you know, absolutely massive win for us.
00:12:01
DailySaintsPod
Like...
00:12:11
Zak
I'm like, yeah, you stopped any level of violence thats happening. You've also stopped all atmosphere. It depends what's more important. From a footballing perspective, atmosphere is important. From a footballing perspective, you know, the idea that
00:12:20
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:12:23
Zak
it's a a lot of people letting off steam to be able to f throw barbs each other. Yeah, no one ever wants said to descend it. i think I think the problems you've got is that the previous South Coast derby, had a guy punch a horse in the face, right?
00:12:34
Zak
So so so because of that, unfortunately, you know, it's it like anything in life, the few you're in it for the many, but the extremes that have been taken from both sides, the build-up to the last South Coast derby, which has not happened this time around, probably because...
00:12:34
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, that'll do it. No, you're right.
00:12:48
Zak
the the amount of time has been too short. You had like people stealing John Westwood's hat. And, you know, I think, I don't know if you forgot about that story, Greg, stealing his hat, mailing it back to him, people peeing on stadiums and stuff, right?
00:12:57
DailySaintsPod
Yeah. Yeah.
00:13:01
Zak
Like there's a lot of stuff that, you know, can it can be considered quite extreme. But, but like, likewise,
00:13:07
DailySaintsPod
like Part of the reason you haven't seen that this time, mate, is that I think that in the back of a lot of both sets of fans' minds, it's potentially a game that neither sets of fans is really looking forward to the out outcome of.
00:13:21
Zak
Yeah, because could go either way. And I think that you know we don't have the level of confidence I think we did going into the last game, but also we didn't go into the last game with that much confidence.
00:13:25
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:13:32
Zak
We actually had exactly the same discussion about how it's a chance to be heroes. It's chance to go down in Saints history and what was a nil-nil draw. It was it was so of anticlimactic. you know Whereas this time round, like even even from a content creation side, from our side, and even noticing some of the other pull cuts, like there's not been half the buzz.
00:13:50
Zak
like you know we've not I was going to supposedly do a
Expectations & Reflections on Previous Game
00:13:54
Zak
history of the South Coast Derby before this one, do do my research and stuff, but it's kind of just come out of nowhere. And with the run that we've been on, the the quality and the side and the the sort of weird atmosphere, again, like a lot of the focus has been been elsewhere.
00:14:08
Zak
So, yeah, I think you're right for both sets of fans. It's kind of like, oh, yeah, we've got another one of these because the first one felt so flat.
00:14:13
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:14:14
Zak
and It could be massively exciting. It could end up with a really high scoreline. We don't really know. But I do agree with you that I think that over-policing has probably sucked the atmosphere out of it. They will say mission accomplished, but from a rival perspective, like...
00:14:28
Zak
kind of sucks. But then you've seen some of the scenes over the last couple of years with like Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday.
00:14:29
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, ruins it.
00:14:33
Zak
And, you know, it's it's difficult to strike the right balance of like safety and also just allowing people to like vent their emotions.
00:14:41
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, I definitely think they've gone too far the other way this time.
00:14:42
Zak
I don't think that's an easy answer. Agreed.
00:14:46
DailySaintsPod
But you're right.
00:14:46
Zak
I think that it's ridiculous, but it's like they they'll argue that, well, it worked because nobody, you know, they made two arrests and they were for blokes pretending to be stewards.
00:14:56
Zak
That's that.
00:14:57
DailySaintsPod
Mental.
00:14:57
Zak
In comparison to, like, comparison to what the usual arrest would be for, you know, punching a horse in the face.
00:14:58
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:15:02
DailySaintsPod
And look, let's
00:15:04
Zak
Fraud. Yeah.
00:15:05
DailySaintsPod
that And look, let let's not get it twisted. i still imagine that our fans that will attend and are attending are going to in full voice and make us proud, as they always do.
00:15:17
DailySaintsPod
Our away support is generally fantastic, but but I just feel really bad for them.
00:15:18
Zak
100%. It's just frustrating, isn't it? Because they're going to be sat around for six hours.
00:15:24
DailySaintsPod
And I will enjoy a beer from my sofa on their behalf to take that for the team for them. Right, mate, look, let's let's get into the nitty-gritty and the the predicted lineups and the team news.
00:15:35
Zak
What? Oh, God.
00:15:37
DailySaintsPod
the The obvious question we have to start with is, are we going to swap Alex McCarthy and into goal? No, sorry, that was a few weeks ago. Back four, right?
00:15:49
DailySaintsPod
LAUGHTER
00:15:52
Zak
I mean, that that is an interesting one because, again, there's a man that knows the weight and I think I predicted him to go in the last South Coast RB and he didn't.
00:15:55
DailySaintsPod
yeah
00:15:59
Zak
So, just it just feels weird, new goalkeeper going in such a heavy game and I guess...
00:15:59
DailySaintsPod
No. no No, no.
00:16:07
Zak
And that's modern football. is There's probably not. like Because of such a quick turnaround and transfers in and out and teams not quite knowing, I don't think it really matters. But I guess i guess he'll remain in. I'd be surprised.
00:16:20
Zak
But if it's a game, out of all of the games of the future that would have Alex McCarthy in it, it's the one I'd be least surprised that he would be in But I would still be surprised it's them out.
00:16:30
Zak
Back four, why would we not? but We want to attack them.
00:16:33
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, I mean, it it it ain't broke, don't fix it. I mean, honestly, without trying, you know, as I've tried my best to do all season, completely diminish this segment into its its smallest
Potential Unchanged Line-up Discussion
00:16:45
DailySaintsPod
piece. I'd be more or less happy if we were unchanged coming in.
00:16:50
DailySaintsPod
There are changes I would expect to probably see, but I think I'd be happy with an unchanged line-up.
00:16:56
Zak
You think Ross Stewart can manage another startup?
00:16:59
DailySaintsPod
beyond ten
00:17:00
Zak
That man looks knackered by the end it.
00:17:01
DailySaintsPod
I mean he only played like 50 minutes yeah but he's got four days to recover I think he'll start i suspect I suspect that we'll see Manning come back in for Wellington and I think we'll still see Howard, Bellis and Stevens as the partnership it makes sense
00:17:04
Zak
Yeah, but that's my point.
00:17:09
Zak
Yeah, okay.
00:17:15
Zak
Interesting.
00:17:21
Zak
Stephens makes sense. Club captain, big, massive, huge game.
00:17:24
DailySaintsPod
experience hmm
00:17:25
Zak
There's an expectation that he would be paying playing, right? and The same with Taylor Harbour-Bennis. He's already done an interview, i think, about the the game, sort of the classic sort of, oh, you're Roy Keaton's son-in-law, so like you know did you get to take some experience from him, et cetera, et cetera. So like I'd expect to see him in there. in there Right back will be interesting because they're
00:17:45
DailySaintsPod
I presume it'll be Jalur if he can manage it because we don't have anyone else who can play there do we or do we stick yeah like well
00:17:51
Zak
is not, is Bree not back? Because they've talked about him being in, like, they've talked about it a bit more since, can't remember where saw it, probably one of the old reliables, but
00:17:59
DailySaintsPod
yeah but is it's chucking him straight back into the south coast derby where you want him to come back like I don't know i don't know if that's the best idea right like
00:18:09
Zak
But this is the point. This is like where you could become a heroes, right, of the story. and And it depends. Again, like Leo pointed out, it's far more about personality and willing than necessarily anything else, right?
00:18:21
DailySaintsPod
Yeah. Yeah.
00:18:23
Zak
And so if somebody comes back with the club a long time, probably a lot longer than some of the players in our team we need to remember, just because he's not been here, has obviously come back off loan and has been happy to come back off of loan.
00:18:34
Zak
to to play with us. I don't know. i just I could see him. And also, physical player what was going to be a physical game.
00:18:39
DailySaintsPod
I mean, i'd be oh i would be this I wouldn't be disappointed to see him in. I always liked Bree. I think that he will do a very good job at right back. And like you say, yeah, slightly more physical than Gillette, who's a
Player Performances & Expectations
00:18:54
Zak
A bit like Fellowes Light.
00:18:54
DailySaintsPod
bit on the smaller side.
00:18:56
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, but and but then I guess moving up the pitch. Yander was still consistently one of the better players for me Downs specifically didn't get himself booked in presumably an effort to not miss out on this game because
00:19:05
Zak
Yeah.
00:19:10
Zak
No. Surprised that Shea Charles got booked. He didn't get booked. Yander got booked.
00:19:16
DailySaintsPod
yeah
00:19:16
Zak
It's wild. though Which means that probably...
00:19:18
DailySaintsPod
well but I think we're at the point of the season again where if Flynn gets another book and he misses the next game. So I feel like it was almost very deliberate in an effort to not miss this game.
00:19:29
DailySaintsPod
I would be very surprised not to see him in the starting lineup.
00:19:32
Zak
Yeah, I agree. Again, I don't think they're going to put on anyone. The only way I could see if Cam Bragg's all right now, the only way I could see him coming on is because of the hometown boy.
00:19:41
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:19:43
Zak
But Downs has been part of the sap for a while now, enough to know how important this fixture is going to be.
00:19:44
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:19:50
Zak
He's played all right the last game, actually probably one of his better games. Why? Because we didn't have to talk about him that much.
00:19:56
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, exactly.
00:19:57
Zak
That's usually a good indicator.
00:19:59
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:19:59
Zak
So, yeah, i guess I guess I'd expect him at Yander to start. don't know, maybe Shea Charles coming later for one of them, but who knows?
00:20:07
DailySaintsPod
The number 10 is a big question mark for me.
00:20:11
Zak
No.
00:20:11
DailySaintsPod
Azaz, not in the greatest run of form, didn't have a great game against United.
00:20:15
Zak
Didn't have a great game against Middlesbrough.
00:20:18
DailySaintsPod
i wouldn't be
00:20:20
Zak
It's just...
00:20:20
DailySaintsPod
I wouldn't be upset to see you know him give an arrest and see someone else tried in that role.
00:20:20
Zak
here
00:20:26
DailySaintsPod
i don't really think it matters who. I wouldn't be entirely surprised if we see Shea Charles taking up that role or Matske or maybe even Robinson.
00:20:33
Zak
potentially.
00:20:40
DailySaintsPod
artist Yeah.
00:20:40
Zak
but do you feel How do you feel about, you talked about potentially Archer going into that position last game.
00:20:40
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:20:45
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, I think...
00:20:46
Zak
I feel like he's been with the club long enough now to kind of know the impact and realise that it's a it's sort of like with Matski, it's one of those things where still hasn't had enough game time in the squad, in my opinion, to go into such a hugely important fixture.
00:20:49
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
Debate on Player Roles & Strategies
00:21:03
Zak
And I'd almost say the same about Azaz, but like Archer's been with the team long enough.
00:21:03
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:21:07
Zak
And also we want to really show our attacking intent, right?
00:21:08
DailySaintsPod
He knows. Yeah.
00:21:11
Zak
Because...
00:21:11
DailySaintsPod
Well, I mean, look as as someone who who watches us play and has watched Cameron Archer when he's you know available to watch and not watched him train, my footballing brain sees his profile and goes, him playing slightly behind Ross Stewart is a match made in heaven for the way he's going to want to play.
00:21:31
Zak
Yep.
00:21:31
DailySaintsPod
Stewart's going to bring the ball down and Archer's going to be able to run off the shoulder in behind and pick one up and... And I could definitely see it working. I don't know, if that's, you know, the, the role that they want to try him in. i know that, when Azaz is firing on all cylinders, there's a, a huge playmaker part of his game that I don't know if, if is an attribute you'd give to Cam Archer's play style, but I wouldn't be opposed to seeing it. That's for sure.
00:22:01
Zak
Yeah, it just depends.
00:22:02
DailySaintsPod
Uh,
00:22:02
Zak
If Azar's played like he did yesterday, it's just not... I don't know. If I see him on this team sheet, I'm not going to be upset.
00:22:12
Zak
I'm just going to hope that he has one of his better games.
00:22:15
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, definitely.
00:22:15
Zak
I'm hoping that like he had he's had like his little spell of not not having a nice time and you know, not doing his best and can come back into form.
00:22:25
Zak
Again, if he's a confidence player, they won. Regardless of the fact that didn't play great, but they still won the game. He was still part of that game that but won, that you know, so he can move into the South Coast derby with confidence.
00:22:37
Zak
And hopefully, yeah, we can be explosive, see what we saw against Charlton. Something like that would be really, really nice.
00:22:43
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:22:43
Zak
and You know, if we know if they can... work together and file on all cylinders, as you pointed out, it's it's like it works, right? It's just whether or not on the day it takes place and not wanting to have the fear of not winning.
00:22:55
DailySaintsPod
How about...
00:23:04
Zak
Right.
Speculation on Lineup Strategies
00:23:05
DailySaintsPod
Instead of having a number 10 play in that sort of gap, you just have Leo... Because Leo likes to come inside quite a lot and take up that space as well as playing.
00:23:16
Zak
It's
00:23:17
DailySaintsPod
you know He sort of rotates with with whoever's there. let Give Leo the freedom to do both of those things and maybe just play... Armstrong and Stewart together and just put, you know, both of our statistically speaking goal scoring threats on the pitch together in a, you know, two strikers playing off each other with profiles that, that work.
00:23:41
DailySaintsPod
Is it, is it that crazy?
00:23:43
Zak
it' crazy No, but it really depends on how Portsmouth are going to set up as well, right? Like it's a thing that I think sometimes we we struggle as because of how much we focus on our team. We we always have a focus on, you know, some of the times the the tactics do take us by surprise.
00:23:59
Zak
And I'm not going lie, I don't really pay enough attention to Portsmouth to know how they're going to set up. yeah And I don't know, can't really name at this point pretty much any of their players other than what's his so wass his name, Murphy. And like you know that's just because it's not a team I spend a lot of time about. And I know that there are other fans that take a different approach. You should obsess about your rivals and always know what they're doing and always know what they're up to. And I'm sure that they will be studying the tape no matter what and going over all of the last footage and going over how they've played the last couple of games and when they've been good and when they've not been.
00:24:33
Zak
and if they feel like they're able to exploit that by shoving two strikers, and I'm sure we'll see it. I just hope that regardless of what happens, we set up in a way that doesn't go make us go, and isn't overly defensive because we're going to want to score.
00:24:38
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:24:46
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:24:46
Zak
And it's
Defensive Setup Concerns
00:24:47
Zak
it's a chance to, you know, then re-say it Yeah, like...
00:24:48
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, the last thing anyone wants to see is the team sheets come out at 11 o'clock on Sunday morning it'll be another five back. It's just...
00:24:57
Zak
Would Taylor Hardwood, Bellis, Stevens, like, okay, great, okay, cool.
00:25:00
DailySaintsPod
Yeah. Yeah, that's...
00:25:01
Zak
And, you know, depends on, again, like injuries and stuff and fitness will take a, will be important. We don't know. We haven't had the press conference yet because, well, to be fair, this is a Sunday game.
00:25:12
DailySaintsPod
Tonda loves leaving it late
00:25:14
Zak
And Tottenham doesn't really like press duty. You can kind of tell at this point, unless it's post-match winning, right?
00:25:18
DailySaintsPod
it late. yeah Literally the last thing he possibly thinks about. I think the last one was like 4.30 on a Friday. it definitely felt that way.
00:25:26
Zak
True, but you do still get slightly more information than you go have Djuric, which like you could sum that whole... part His press conference is up in two and a half minutes. they could like they They are the epitome, or they were the epitome of this could have been an email, right?
00:25:38
Zak
Whereas, you know, i think that there's been a lot lot of different questions have been asked at Tonda this year, and I don't know if he necessarily knows how to answer them all, at least in some of the responses he's given. But we don't know necessarily what the the fitness of this of the squad is. But...
00:25:54
Zak
You're right, having our two quote-unquote statistically best attacking options on the pitch would be good. It's just whether or not i actually play pay pays off. And do you want to risk that in a game that is this important?
00:26:06
Zak
That's the other question.
00:26:06
DailySaintsPod
other like you It was just a thought, just a crazy, crazy thought that Adam Armstrong has always been a player that plays off of someone holding the ball up and Ross Stewart's a player who holds the ball up and maybe, just maybe, a lot it's just basically, mate, it's Paul Hottonacu and Cameron Archer playing together again from last season.
00:26:19
Zak
Greg, Greg, Greg.
00:26:27
DailySaintsPod
That's all I'm all i'm getting at.
00:26:27
Zak
it's Yeah, it's it's you've just changed your tune. You've just changed you just swapped in and out with different players.
00:26:30
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:26:34
Zak
That's it.
00:26:35
DailySaintsPod
Yeah,
00:26:35
Zak
But yeah, if I don't care what it is.
00:26:35
DailySaintsPod
that's it.
00:26:38
Zak
like If it's bold and it works, it's fine. It'll all come down to the end of that 90 minutes. And if it ends up nil-nil and everyone's disappointed, we'll then go... but we'll then go potentially another year, potentially another couple years, looking forward to a South Coast derby that will wonder well what happened though in the in the course of the last two, right?
Predictions & Potential Legends
00:26:57
Zak
Extremely forgettable encounter last time around. So let's hope that it's not this Sunday.
00:26:59
DailySaintsPod
Very much so. Indeed. Well, look, let's let's get to to the crux, mate. Let's get to the bit that everyone wants to hear and and work out what we think the score's going to be.
00:27:13
DailySaintsPod
Before I throw over it to you to get the to get the the thoughts, the little AI spiel based off of not a lot of this podcast,
00:27:25
Zak
Woo!
00:27:26
DailySaintsPod
in Portsmouth, says a Saints win with over two and a half goals. So it's it's got expectations of the game. I don't know if I agree with them. So don't How you feeling? do you think the score is going to be?
00:27:42
Zak
I'm stuck between three one and 3-2. I can't work out if we go... i feel like we're playing a team at home that are absolutely gunning for us, I feel like it would be an incredible show of character for us to go 2-0 down and then in the second half score three goals.
00:27:56
Zak
and I don't know if that's the playbook. I just just have a feeling it's not going to be easy. i don't think we'll manage to keep a clean sheet, but I do think that we definitely have the firepower to to win that game. And, you know, goals from, in my opinion, Leo, Fellows, because he's due one, and this would be an incredible place to go down in history, and maybe Ross Stewart, because I think that for somebody that's been in and out and in and out and had all the injuries that he's had and had little purple patches here and there, I think it would just be a really nice way to cement him as a a person that's remembered playing in Southampton shirt down the line, right?
00:28:32
Zak
Because, you know, I felt really bad for him, quite frankly.
00:28:32
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:28:36
Zak
they know There were times last season, mate, when we were were talking about him and we genuinely forgot he existed. There were times that you forgot his name after we signed him because we technically signed him in the championship and had that long, right?
00:28:42
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:28:46
Zak
So...
00:28:47
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:28:47
Zak
Yeah, as that's how I feel. I don't know necessarily if you feel the same, if you think it's going to more dominant, if you think that we're even going to get win. I feel like you predicting loss-losing the South Coast Derby is out of character.
00:29:01
DailySaintsPod
What?
00:29:01
Zak
so I'll let you talk, mate.
00:29:01
DailySaintsPod
Not likely to happen, is it?
00:29:03
Zak
so
00:29:17
DailySaintsPod
Just like a terrible game in a draw that does nobody any favours, but I just... I don't think I can head into the weekend with that vibe.
00:29:27
Zak
I think it will do a fantastic effort episode on how over-policing ruins atmosphere in the follow-up, because I feel like that's where you're at, is that you thought the nil-nil was because everyone was so stunted because of the over-policing and you still think that's going to happen.
00:29:27
DailySaintsPod
So...
00:29:31
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:29:38
DailySaintsPod
i mean Yeah. No. But like I just don't feel right putting that out into the universe as my prediction. So let's go 5-0. Look.
00:29:49
Zak
Right, okay. Bit of a...
00:29:52
DailySaintsPod
and
00:29:53
Zak
I see, it's a bit of a jump from what you think, nil-nil. It's a goal more than last time, and somehow we're keeping a clean sheet during all of that. So, okay.
00:30:01
DailySaintsPod
Look, just i'm putting I'm just putting it out in the universe in an effort to to bring it into existence, right? And we're just going to have one goal each for like the entire front line. just Just everyone taking turns, and it's going to be fantastic, and we're going to love it.
00:30:20
DailySaintsPod
and we'll sing about it for decades to come, about that time that we, in one of our poorest runs of form, in a position that some of our fans are calling in the worst we've ever been, go down right and smash and five new yeah
00:30:41
Zak
but We see, we'll see, mate, we'll see.
00:30:44
DailySaintsPod
I'm hoping to will it into existence. And I mean, it's all that's going to be playing on my mind all weekend. So let's hope that it comes true.
00:30:53
Zak
Let's hope here's hoping. will
00:30:56
DailySaintsPod
But look, that's it, mate. This is all we've got time for before before then. So let let us know in the comments or on the socials how you think it's going to play out. If you're looking forward to it, you're going down to Fratton Park, let us know.
Engagement & Support Encouragement
00:31:14
DailySaintsPod
We'd love to hear from you. We are Daily Saints Pod everywhere on TikTok, Blue Sky, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube. Hit us up, let us know.
00:31:25
DailySaintsPod
Give us a like and a subscribe while you're there. We're a newly independent podcast and all of that stuff goes such a long way to helping us out. and We would really appreciate it. But until then...
00:31:37
DailySaintsPod
I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. We'll be back after the weekend to discuss it, whatever happens.
Closing & Team Support
00:31:45
DailySaintsPod
But but we're going to win 5-0. When that happens, it's going to be jubilant episode. But until then, everybody, have a wonderful weekend.
00:31:55
DailySaintsPod
Come on, you saints!
00:31:57
Zak
Whoops.