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Episode 020 - Monday Review! Finally a Win!
11 Plays2 months ago
Tom and Josh celebrate our first win at home this season with a 4 -1 result against Ipswich!
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Transcript
Celebrating West Ham's Victory
00:00:10
Josh Keech
Hello everyone and welcome to another episode of our GSPN Daily West Ham broadcast. Now very happy faces from me and Tom today. How are you doing mate?
00:00:18
officialgspn
I am ecstatic, mate. It's exactly what we needed and exactly what we were talking about in the in some of the previous pods when it's preaching about how we need to get some positivity in the team and a full one win over it, which definitely does that.
00:00:33
Josh Keech
It's one of those, isn't it? For listeners that can't see our faces, it's going to be an absolutely incredible one, to be honest, that we've just been celebrating up and down with the recent result against Ipswich. Not only have we said that we needed to go in with absolute full-out energy, we have, and four goals, absolutely just says it on the tin, to be honest. It's one that we can be happy in the fact that we know that a lot of our key players that we need to get goals have got a bit of a confidence boost now going into the international break. And there's there's a lot of positive talk that we can say it seems almost you know, the ship's being a bit more steady, you know, it looks like we're going in a bit more of the right direction, we should have been doing. And hopefully we can just carry that forward, to be honest, I don't got a two week, a bit of a break now coming up, but probably one of our biggest games of the season coming up next. So hopefully this little momentum boost is what we needed just to help us, you know, sort of steer in the right direction. or what What are your initial thoughts?
00:01:22
officialgspn
It's, yeah, like like I was saying a second ago, it's just exactly what we needed. A win, a win that makes it seem like we're going in a positive direction. And I think it is. And there was, as the game started to progress, I felt like the the early goal has helped so much because it's calm nerves, maybe a little bit too much, which leads to the second then equalizing. But then after that, we kind of steadily started to increase the pressure. And then it seemed like it was only a matter of time until we scored again. and then Obviously the fact that we then go on to score three more is is amazing.
Antonio's Confidence Boost
00:01:55
officialgspn
so So I'm just really happy and i'm I'm happy that the goals were spread around the team as well because it seems like a lot of the the boys needed a confidence boost and getting a goal in a pretty a resounding win I think is something that goes a really long way to getting in the confidence and morale up with the team.
00:02:12
Josh Keech
that's it. Yeah, I mean, it's, it's just brilliant is that that every, you know, most of our attacking players pretty much had enough shots on target to pretty much have a very strong chance of scoring. And even then as well, we've had the fact now that you know, everyone who was in the, you know, the attacking positions of all scored, which, which for me was a bit of a relief, to be honest, I think every, every one of the players that we've been speaking about in the last couple of weeks, we'll make to get a goal on the score sheet. So, as I say, it's that big momentum boost now that hopefully they can take that in knowing now, particularly, I'm going to say about Antonio, just because of the fact that we've been saying about his recent run in form and still lack of injury with but the obviously fault of being out for a bit longer that
00:02:47
Josh Keech
Hopefully I provides a bit more confidence to him to know that he has got the the tools to do things But I mean ah best place to start I think is to break down ah all the goals that we've scored because but to be honest I think all of them were a pleasure to watch you always have seen your team score anyway But all the goals were genuinely good goals as well the most exciting being obviously to start with scoring in in a minute Which seems to be something that we've not particularly seen anything nearly as of exciting as so far this season So that one for me, I think has been particularly you know, what a great start
Analyzing Calvin Phillips' Error
00:03:16
officialgspn
Yeah, definitely. I think it's kind of made even sweeter the fact that it was Calvin Phillips that kind of made the mistake for us to capitalize on. You know, he was someone who came to us and really didn't do a lot. Did he in his time at West Ham? He was pretty poor and didn't get a lot of minutes. And yeah, it's it's just kind of ironic, maybe kind of bittersweet. I don't know what you want to call it, but we'll take it. I'm happy about it. I'm i'm not really bothered about what anyone else thinks, to be honest. um And I'm glad that Antonio got it because I know that we've been talking about Antonio in quite a judgmental and people might think harsh way, but it's just because we want the team to be moving forward. And when he has played and he hasn't performed, like you you have to have that discussion about whether he should or shouldn't be in the team. And the way that he's responded is the perfect way. I think if you've got people criticizing your performances, the best way to combat that is to go and to play well. And that's what he's done. He's got on the score sheet, I think.
00:04:12
officialgspn
He looked really lively, really up for it, and I don't know whether that's because he fancied himself against the Ipswich defenders or, you know, it's just saw kind of an amalgamation of loads of different contributing factors. You you don't know, but I'm just glad that he got on the score sheet as well so early in the game. And I think that's another thing that helped his confidence is it was so early in the game, he could then build upon that kind of positivity that I think he got from himself and he could sense from other people as well, you know, um Yeah, just just really happy.
Record-setting Goal at London Stadium
00:04:44
Josh Keech
that's I mean we we look at it really and not only are we celebrating that we scored within a minute it's also the only time I think London Stadium it's a record now that's the earliest goal we've scored and it's another one that Antonio seems to just be breaking all these little records that we have for goals scored at West Ham so it's a nice one for him I guess to know that he's got another record done obviously and I think from what I've heard from his reports in the media it's always a good thing to see that you he wants to after that game just carry on building on that and and and keep demonstrating that he has got the facilities to do what we need from him obviously at the moment while we've got a few more injuries up front and a few more problems but I say i'm I'm equally just happy that I can't help but celebrate how early we as we score and we we can just you know and Calvin Phillips as well just absolutely showing why we didn't want to keep him I think i think it just shows everyone else outside of West Ham why we didn't want him
00:05:34
Josh Keech
And unfortunately, it was which you paid that price of realizing that I think a bit too early. But ah but then equally as well, obviously, I know that obviously first goals brilliant thing we can excite, you know, we can be really happy about as well. All four of the goals I say are all fantastic. Second one going in, we've obviously had the likes of CUDA score as well, which I think was probably one of those ones where if I had to If I really wanted to pick a player to score, it would have been him because I think if we're looking at the recent couple of games, he's looked like he's had so many good chances to score and it's just not, something's always happened at the last second to make it so that he hasn't, whether it be a brilliant save or but so much of the woodwork's been hit with some of
Kuda's Redemption
00:06:12
Josh Keech
his recent shots. It's just, thank God that he scored because I really want him to see just you carrying on doing the job that we know he can do. and
00:06:19
Josh Keech
I think he's one of those players that are always scared at the next window for and obviously the end of the season and I just want to see him carrying on doing a solid job and I think he's gonna be one of those sort of fan favorites that we just love to bits and we do anyway but a brilliant goal from him finally getting a good one in.
00:06:34
officialgspn
Yeah, definitely. he's He's been so unlucky not to score more in the season generally and in this game. He could have scored about three goals this game, like with some of the quality opportunities that he had, but it just didn't seem like it was falling for him all the time. So the fact that he was able to get on the score sheet is amazing. And and yeah, like like you said, the kind of sense of dread looming over our heads that we feel like he's going to be poached by a ah team that's maybe slightly above our station is is always there. but we have to kind of accept what we've got now. We've got him, we're going to have him till the end of the season. I don't see him going in January so let's try and get the most out of him and this is hopefully the start of him kicking on and getting some good goals and assist numbers this season.
00:07:17
Josh Keech
Yeah, I know our our score predictions usually were saying about sort of 3-1 was where we were looking for. And obviously brilliant that we actually got more than that. But I genuinely thought this could have been at least a 5 or 6-1 game, to be honest. There were so many shots from players. Kuda's had a couple in the very start of the half, the the first half. i went that I thought, god, he's actually going to score. You could be on for more than one or two goals there. Sucek had a cracking shot in the in in the middle part of the first half. I just thought that there's so many players here that are demonstrating that we we know they can do the job.
00:07:45
Josh Keech
that I was just so happy to see that we we had, you know, that quality there. So at least in the first half, I thought we did really well, obviously, you know, the laps going and he's one of those players that we were thinking was a ah big worry for us anyway, that he is that that player that we know that he can get those goals in. And that's where one of their biggest threats were going to be coming from. So I do think it was a equally an early goal in for them. that I think it's one of those things where you're trying to get a feel for the game and settle and you know, we look at like Brentford who scored, you know, three three goals practically in the last last three games in five minutes. You know, it's been a shot one for us to score like that and two for us to actually get a good grip of the game very early in, which is, I think just echoes how much the team has
Bowen's England Squad Exclusion
00:08:24
Josh Keech
been improving. So it's, for me, probably one of the best first halfs I think we've had in a long while. And i'm I'm just glad to see it happen as well. But the final two goals, obviously, I know we've got, ah you know, Bowen did an absolute job and not not surprising that he got such a high rating after the game because
00:08:40
Josh Keech
not not only do we see these goals from Bowen just week in week out but it was just one of those ones once again Calvin Federer has been caught in the middle of it once again another another brilliant time to see him at at fault but it's just you just love to see it and I think it's gonna cause a bit of grief for the England when it comes to the national call-ups and stuff that Why is he not going? And I think that we're going to get those question marks coming around for this international break. And this brilliant performance that he's done right before it is just it's going to cause them a bit of a bit of grief in the media, I think.
00:09:12
officialgspn
Yeah, he, I don't see any reason to why he's not there. He's, you know, one of the most consistent, wide players in the league, regardless of nation and his English. So yeah, I really don't see why he's not been picked. And I think as his form continues, the the sentiment around why he's not in the team and the push and the arguments for him being in the team, I think will only get louder. They're already very loud from West End fans, but so many opposition fans this season will be punished by Jared Bowe and contributing goals or assists against them so I think yeah the the longer we go into the season the more people will start to be like oh maybe this guy who is scoring goals and getting assists and has been doing that consistently for the past few seasons maybe he should be a stalwart in the England setup and um I'm not saying he has to start and I'm not saying you know he's the best
00:10:03
officialgspn
you know, player in the world, but he is so consistent and he's such a ah good, solid player for that England squad. The fact that you can play multiple positions as well, you just know exactly what you're going to get. And the way that he plays is so much more direct than a lot of other players. Like these days, generally people want to, you know, they want to try and do skills and they want to do little one twos and you know, go around the outside. Jarabone is very much just, he's going to drop, he's going to put his head down. He's going to beat a man and he's just going to bang it in from, you know, edge of the box with his left foot. And that's exactly how he got his goal today. And if you're talking about classic Jarabone goal, the goal against Ditch was so perfectly Jarabone. And he, he picks it up, creates space for himself and then just bangs it, you know, far side, bottom bins. It's just easy for him. So I, I don't see any reason to why he's not
00:10:55
officialgspn
in the England squad and I think most West Ham fans probably feel the same. I know you do definitely.
00:10:59
Josh Keech
Yeah, it is. It's one of those things that I just can't, I really can't see why he's, ah why why he's not gone. And there's a few other players as well that I'll talk about, obviously, later on about why I think they've, I can't understand why they've not been at least considered either. But then, obviously, I want to talk about the final goal as well. Obviously, our final goal scorer from our team, obviously, being Packeter. And I think that was another one of those players that if I was looking at really wanting to go today, you know, at least this weekend, I'm glad it was him as well, because If I'm being honest, every week we kind of talk about, yeah we see a bit of a drop in form from Kufau, Antonio, Sucek can be a bit hit and miss as well. Same as obviously with Mavropanos as well, now being replaced in the starting lineups by Tadebo. He's falling into that category. I think if we look back at recent seasons, he's nowhere near at that quality we've seen him before.
00:11:45
Josh Keech
and whether it be outside with the news that's going on at the own, circling around doing the imminent news over the next year. But but it's definitely one I think we look in of an analysis over the last couple of games, we can definitely see that there's a bit more of a shadow to how we've seen him previously. And it's one I think hopefully that could be just a bit of a confidence or, you know, as the rest of the team getting settled as well. But his goal was absolutely brilliant just being in the right places, playing that position of being a bit in that free roaming pocket and being able to pick where he needs to be and make those runs into the box which obviously without that coming across a six-yard swing was just where he needed to be. Antonio is there as well to help try and put it aside if needed. We've got all the players that we need to get goals more often all up there to get the goal which is what I can't complain about because it's what we say every week so I was really glad to see him score as well.
00:12:34
officialgspn
Yeah, it's the piqueta stuff is difficult because when when he turns on he's Unbelievably good and he's his quality. It seems to come so naturally. He really has that kind of brazilian flair that everything that he touches seems to Pay off in a way that isn't necessarily what you're thinking and I think that works in his favor so well because he's able to Get around the opposition in such unique ways when he's doing like back heels and you know all sorts of um
00:13:05
officialgspn
Brazilian trickery, I'll call it. um I think that's such a big part of his game and it seems like something's happened and that little spark of brilliance isn't quite there, it's not quite come out in the you know that in this season. You don't know whether it's adjusting to the new manager or you know any sort of wide range of things behind closed doors, you you don't know. but I just hope that this can ignite that little spark that we know he has because on his day he's you know he's amazing. and he that's It's very obvious why City want him so much when you see him at his best, it just which haven't seen him at his best this season. so so yeah ah Hopefully this can be the start of an upturn in form from him.
00:13:49
Josh Keech
That's it. And I'm going to talk to you next about all of the sort of individual players. I think have done an absolute job as well for this game and previously as well, because I think there's been a few that we've looked at a very tight bit, you know, few games coming around in a couple of weeks at the moment. And it's now that we've got another two week rest, I think, which is.
00:14:06
Josh Keech
well needed for us at the moment to keep getting everyone even more settled with the lack of people we've got actually going away this time round. I think we're in a very vital, but we're in a very good spot to be able to just build on what's been happening. So hopefully we can see more improved results like this against Spurs as well. But before I talk about individual players and things that I thought went well and equally, the things we could equally do better on, it's time for a quick word from one of our sponsors.
00:14:54
Josh Keech
Right then, as I said, i want to I want to talk to you about a few of the players that I thought from our team that you know particularly I think did ah an underrated performance that probably haven't been shouted about too much after the match. And I think off the back of that we can look and have a bit of hope towards you know that. We've been saying there's a lot of players that we need to get settled. And I'm seeing that we're getting a lot of the players now are getting a lot more game time, which for me is the big plus that I think has been that kind of catalyst to help get the team more settled.
00:15:22
Josh Keech
Now with that the the player I think that's probably gone a bit under the radar recently would have been Tadebo from his last couple of starts that he's had for the club. I was so completely baffled by how well that he's played recently in the last couple of games and particularly with this one I've got a couple of stats for you to have a little sort of listen to from just from the Ipswich game alone not only did he get five solid clearances within the half also as well 95 passing accuracy and four out of five ground joules won now if we look back to seems like ages ago now but it wasn't that long ago against Bournemouth getting subbed off within the first half it's once again we're seeing players coming leaps and bounds and it's one now where
00:16:07
Josh Keech
he's not looking shaky, he's looking completely solid and that relationship between him and Kilman seems to be growing after each each minute basically at this point.
West Ham's Emerging Solid Defense
00:16:15
Josh Keech
I think we've said that Mavropanas has been a little bit shaky but can be, you know, show that quality he has got. I think this might be these couple of games now that have shown that Toduo is the one to star and for the money we pay for him as well, he's showing that caliber of player he is and what he can do for us.
00:16:32
officialgspn
Yeah, I really like the the back four that's kind of emerging as what is going to be our back four this season. It feels really defensively solid, and it's really calm as well, which I really like. it It's always so reassuring, and I know I've said this in previous podcasts, to have a defense that you're confident in when they have the ball, because I've seen it a lot from Max Killman, the way he takes the ball, and he's you know got a really good passing range, and he's got a really calm head on his shoulders, and it seems like Steve has looking like a really good pairing for that they they're both very calm they're both physically really good I think Tadeem is probably a little bit more athletically gifted than Kilman but I think ke Kilman kind of brings the the leadership and the presence and the but kind of the strength which which I really like so as a pairing they're really solid and with the the fullbacks as well I really like Wambasaka and how he's been getting on
00:17:26
officialgspn
the way that he's elevated his attacking contributions, as well as his defensive ones. Obviously, everyone knows about how good of a one on one defender Aaron Mambosaka is. But since coming to us, he's been kind of unlocked in his going forwards and I think he's contributed really effectively when he's been given the opportunity and when he's kind of found the opportunity for himself to get a bit further up the pitch which I really like because we all know that Emerson is quite good going forwards and we've had questions about him defensively but in in this game i think I think he was really good I don't think he got really exposed I think defensively Emerson was really solid today which is
00:18:04
officialgspn
It's just really nice to have a nice, solid, good back four because we've we haven't had that this season and we've we've not really had a back four that we can trust in a couple of years, actually.
00:18:12
Josh Keech
that.
00:18:17
officialgspn
like there's always been kind of holes that we can pick out in different parts of our back line. So, so I'm really happy. And yeah, the TDBO stuff, he he just seems really good, really good, like a really high level defender.
00:18:30
officialgspn
And there was, there was one clip of him dribbling out of defense. I don't know if you saw this.
00:18:35
Josh Keech
Yeah, I did. Yeah, that was my the vitamin.
00:18:37
officialgspn
Yeah, there's there's a clip doing the rounds of him kind of beating four or five men and then ending up making a run as like the furthest man, which I think It just shows his confidence and his his quality that he has to not only be a centre-back, maybe to fill in as a centre-mid or a striker if we need it as well. and but and In all seriousness, he he he just looks really classy and you you can see the quality. and I want to stick with this back four now. This is the back four I like. Emerson, Kilman, Tadebo, Wampusaka. That's what I want and I hope that we can kind of move up the pitch in
00:19:16
officialgspn
solidifying who's starting and who kind of are going to be the main guys this season.
00:19:20
Josh Keech
Yeah, i'm it's is one of those where so we've not been able to sing so much praise for how solid the team has been so far and I think from that it's been quite reassuring at least with the last couple of matches to see that we are getting better. I think ever since the Liverpool game we can look back and see how much the team is improving again.
00:19:39
Josh Keech
you know we look at the very start of the season and from that pre-season to Palace as that constant upwards curve and then if you were sort of drawing our line I'd say from Palace up till Liverpool it has very much plateaued and gone down again and now we're seeing that exponential kind of increase in performance between all of the players and I think across the board everyone has just upped their game. i I wish you could be a fly on the wall and just see what's going on to explain this sudden just improvement in performance. I just you can almost not put your finger on it but you can notice the differences which is always a brilliant thing to
Kilman's England Squad Snub
00:20:09
Josh Keech
say. Now ah we spoke briefly in in the first segment about obviously Boer not being called up for for England and it was very sort of I guess ominous but very positive to see how he reacted after the match has that been one of the first questions I think that the media had asked him in his reports that how
00:20:25
Josh Keech
you know not being picked is just even more motivation to just light the ground that he runs on on fire which for me is you know what we'd love to see anyway because we know that he's just going to carry on showing what he can do which is brilliant to see but equally i think not only should at least i think boeing should definitely be going anyway we look at the stats so far and from the last you know at least from the start of the season he's got more goals and assists in solanke gordon grealish morgan gives white and phil foden all individually so far this season yet at least they've had the more you know the call-ups and the chances to go up this in this in this particular you know session now
00:21:03
Josh Keech
I just can't believe it. I really think that it's going to be one that we're going to face from a ah a bit of a problem for when we start playing everyone in the in the next coming international break and I think that's where we're going to probably have a lot more of our focus over the next couple of weeks in the podcast while we wait for our game against Spurs. It's one that I think definitely a lot of people will raise questions about why he hasn't gone because I think that he had the chance in September, his his very the time he had there was fantastic, but I equally think this is the second time in a row now where everyone's going why is Kilman not going he's been falling into pundits man of the matches in in every week that he seems to be playing or even when we're losing he gets that kind of undeserving you know he gets to the kind of
00:21:44
Josh Keech
ah accrediting sort of job that everyone knows that he's doing so well, even after losing three nil to Chelsea or is it you can't really blame him for too much in the sense of his performance has been on the ball every time, and he's settled so quickly as well as a bit of an ah very interesting problem as to why he hasn't been at least considered to go. Same as one Bassaka, I think we've been incredibly starved at left back recently and you know I can't understand why we know that he can play there after he's done the job for us for a few matches, why why aren't we considering him either? I think there's a lot of questions to answer from from the ah from the England management at the moment as to why we're not even considering at least these options because there's nothing you mentioned about it, it's that
00:22:22
Josh Keech
ah scaredness I think from us that there's gonna be another the big six bias on the way again when we know we've got players that can at least show that they've got that caliber to be able to play for their country.
00:22:32
officialgspn
I think historically it's been something that we've had a problem with at West Ham. Our players don't seem to be given as much of an opportunity in the England setup. It is part of the the big six bias that you talk about. it The bigger teams send more players because they play for that team. and you know you You understand why, but it when people are performing at such a decent level so consistently,
00:23:01
officialgspn
And I say decent for the three of them, but you know, Jarrad Bowen is on another level. Like Jarrad Bowen should be there. And that's, I don't even think that's a conversation to have. Like if if he was doing what he was doing, but he just so happened to wear a Liverpool shirt, he would be there. No question. So that's a whole different ball game. He should definitely be there. I don't see any reasons why he's not. um When it comes to Wamba Saka and Kilman is,
00:23:25
officialgspn
Yeah, also, like you mentioned, is we've not had a luck so we've not had a large amount of quality in the defensive positions, particularly in, you know, ah left back, we have struggled and further um left footed center back. We've not always had someone that's been able to do it comfortably. So the thought of those two being in the setup, it seems like something that would help so much because obviously Wambasaka being able to play both left back and right back I think is really good and you look at Trippier who's done it throughout the years and some of the other guys that have done it I think and Wambasaka is definitely up there with some of the the best English fullbacks in the league this season I think he is and he's you know showed it offensively and defensively so yeah I think he should definitely be in the conversation and and with Max Kilman I the way that he plays it is so reassuring and it's
00:24:21
officialgspn
kind of the the leadership that I think the England team has maybe sometimes lacked. He's such a presence and the way that he is on the pitch, it's so reassuring. And I think for an England team, which right now is is very young, you know, we've got a really young team. So I think bringing someone who is slightly older, a bit more experienced, I think you'd do really well. and I would like to think that in the future they will start to be introduced into the fold and I don't know if this is going to happen and maybe with the kind of changing of the big six, you know, with Aston Villa getting up there and Newcastle kind of knocking on the door and us hoping to be there, obviously not right now, but that's the aim that players from more teams will be considered and I think these Westland boys need to be considered as well.
00:25:04
Josh Keech
Yeah.
00:25:13
Josh Keech
Yeah.
00:25:14
officialgspn
Okay, so after this quick ad break, we are going to talk about some of the stuff we learned from this game and some of the stuff that we can take moving forwards.
00:26:02
Josh Keech
All right then, now we we look at how well we've played and we can't help but celebrate enough about how this win is at least a little bit of a fire I think with a few of the players and hopefully taken the pressure off of Lopategi's shoulders just a little bit with the media. um Now if we're looking on the other side of the coin a little bit with it, there's a couple of things in the match that I've sort of realized as a few games have gone on now that we need to address a little bit that cause from my side a bit of concern but also as well just some things that we could just polish off our game a little bit better and I think the best place to start with this would be the sort of if we're looking at the last couple of games the treatment we've had with Somerville about how he's been treated in terms of his use as a player during a match now I think
00:26:46
Josh Keech
if we were to pick who I think are the best players throughout the last we'll look at the last three or four games open from Chelsea onwards which I think is where we've seen a bit of a downfall and an upwards trend very quickly I think that you look at the individual players themselves and he's been one of the only ones I think that has shown so much promise in the work and the passion of what he wants to do and i it was one of those ones I just wanted to score this week because he would have just sealed the deal and him getting a few more minutes but I I'm really surprised that we haven't utilised them enough. I think a lot of people will be asking it as well as why we're not. ah We have the injury at the moment that should be telling us that we should be playing in with Fulcrum being out. I i say anyway that I think our front three should be Somerville, Bowen and Kudas and that gives them the option of them playing in certain positions and equally we could equally play Kudas in the pocket if we really wanted to and give, you know, Pagan type of a break every now and then because equally he hasn't had much rest either.
00:27:39
Josh Keech
I'm really shocked to see that we just haven't been using him enough and it's one the question that if I could just ask Lopetegui, I'd love to know why because i but I don't think it's been that deserved that he shouldn't be getting minutes. so'm I'm really confused as to why we're not using him enough.
00:27:53
officialgspn
Yeah, I see what you mean. For me, I don't think it's that big of a problem, really. It's a really long season, you know, and there will be opportunities for him to get game time. So I don't think right now it's too much of an issue. And as long as every time he is playing, he is, you know, being positive and he's showing that he wants to fight for that starting position. that That's all you can really ask for right now. And then, you know, further we get into the season, that's when we can start to rotate more. But I think early on right now, we're just trying to work out what the best team is.
00:28:27
officialgspn
And for me, I don't think some of those stars in our best team. And I probably, I understand you saying, you know, you think bone to go up front, and we have some of them and kudos as the the wide players, because that is a really, it's a really promising and threatening front three.
00:28:32
Josh Keech
No.
00:28:45
officialgspn
But I I think I prefer Bowen to be out wide because I've mentioned this in a previous forecast is his kind of defensive work and the way that he can influence the game because he drops back and he picks up the ball and he he does more kind of general work in build up. I really like that. And I think when he goes up front, he can get a bit lost and isolated sometimes if we're not on the front foot. And and this is maybe one of the games where we could have used some of it, because you know we were on the front foot a lot more. Our expected goals was you know a lot higher than Ipswich's. So this is maybe one of the games where we could have done that. But going forward, I would much rather see someone who is more comfortable playing up front. And I know we've we've spoken like maybe a bit harshly about Antonio, but
00:29:33
officialgspn
the way that he started this game was positive and I think if the next game I would start him again just from the way that he played and you know getting the goal and being tenacious and like I think that he has earned himself one extra star but on this at the same time I would also then not be opposed if he doesn't perform like he did in this game to then maybe look at rotating it but
00:29:42
Josh Keech
Okay.
00:30:03
officialgspn
i think I think structurally, us having a ah proper recognised number nine playing, I think it does a lot for the way that we hold onto the ball and the way that we build up. But equally, I do see your point of view completely.
00:30:18
Josh Keech
I just think it's been one of those, you know, championship I like, you obviously be a player of the season, I think is the, it's just one of those sort of times when you're looking, I think what you've said is fair. Yeah. Antonio did do very well in comparison to, he's been a sudden appearance of, you know, what we, what we like to see from him in a normal game, which, which is that but it's just what we want to see really. And I can see why he should start against Spurs. And, you know,
00:30:45
Josh Keech
he can do a job we've seen him score against Spurs before so it's it's one of those games you know where there's a lot of pressure we should be sticking to what we've been doing well which is this game and how we've been set up so you have that that reason I think of being completely fair with it and yeah i think that's probably that's probably where my opinions come from not that we don't use him enough as well but i think you're right this is probably the game we should have played him a bit more 83rd minute is when he comes on plays barely 10 minutes when realistically this is probably the game where he should have got a bit more you know a few more i would have said at least 50 to 60 minutes if he's coming on as a sub and you know getting that
00:31:22
Josh Keech
solid game time to bring his form in because we know that he can do the job anyway. We've seen him so set the ground ablaze. like I always been building my Liverpool fans that he put Bradley on toast against Liverpool. He just absolutely spun him every time. And I just really want to see more of it. And I think I think a goal we'll see in his deal or a couple of goals will hopefully gain a few contributions will hopefully give him the the not only confidence but that reassurance from the manager that he can play and should be able to get a bit more time hopefully but in equal size one thing we can celebrate obviously but with the amount of goals we scored is a bit more freedom in our substitutions so
00:31:56
Josh Keech
I couldn't have helped but celebrate enough when we got to see Ugyem play for the first time from what it seemed like ages, at least in the Premier League. We've not actually seen him get any minutes yet, so that was something that I could, I think we could all relish in, that we can see that the work that he's got, because obviously i don't he didn't play for too long either, but what quality he did show in the limited time he did play shows that we've spent, and you know, the money's not been wasted, so to speak.
00:32:21
officialgspn
Yeah, I think his cameo was positive. It showed that he can play in the Premier League and I think that's something that becomes quite apparent when you have a younger player and they get substituted on and very quickly you start to see if they're there or not. Physically they're there and mentally they're there and it seemed like he was there which is really good. and You know, I'm going to sound like a bit like a broken record, but it is a long season and, you know, minutes will become available when injuries obviously happen. And, you know, maybe we fix just start to get a bit kind of closer together. And maybe we have a ah dip in form, you know, like like we have recently, I can quite easily happen again. So that's then opportunity for more players to to play. but But yeah, that's a a really positive change. And I knew I knew you'd love that. and
00:33:12
officialgspn
I know you love him coming on and making a little cameo and I'd like to see him more. I think it's kind of the same with a lot of the guys on the periphery of the starting 11. You want to see some more cameos and you want them to be able to show what they can do because it's very difficult to fight for your starting place just in training. Like I can't imagine how frustrating that is. You know, you're training really hard every day and then it comes to matchday and you you only get 10 minutes. so So I completely understand your frustration with the you know the lack of Somerville minutes. And I think Guillerme kind of falls into the similar category of you know we we know that he has quality and we just hope that we can get the quality out of him in you know when it's when the time
Promising Young Brazilian Talent
00:33:57
officialgspn
is right. I think Somerville is obviously maybe slightly more ready because you know he's a little bit older and he's been playing a lot in England. He's been playing England for a while. so
00:34:06
officialgspn
So yeah, I think it's really positive and I think he's just a really exciting player. it's It's always good to have a young Brazilian on your books and it's promising that he was able to come on and, you know, look positive like he did.
00:34:18
Josh Keech
Yeah, I think I think my biggest takeaway and I think my key final thought of this match and going into the obviously the international breaking against Spurs I think that the last couple of matches that the key word I'd be using is reassuring that we're not we've been saying that the kind of what if the the awful form carries on and what happens at Christmas if it all stays like it is and I think that reassurance we've had in the you know the Brentford game and this one shows that you know obviously I know we were saying that we should be beating Ipswich anyway but four four goals against it which is something we can happily celebrate and know that we've got the quality to score goals which is equally one of our biggest weaknesses and you know Brentford aren't one of those teams that we we think is going to be an easy win it's a bit like with you know Fulham previously where it's going to be a tough game because there's a lot of teams now competing for those top spots at least for those sort of fringe Europe league and you know conference league spots up into that the first half there's a lot of teams knocking on that door now so with that obviously comes the challenge there's a lot more harder teams to beat and
00:35:16
Josh Keech
that that reassurance for us, we we know that we're not going to be, if this carries on, we're not going to have that headache of what happens at Christmas because we know that we have that quality.
00:35:26
officialgspn
Yeah, definitely. I completely agree. Like when you look at how we have actually been playing, there's only been a couple of games where we've looked completely outclassed. Like we have kind of competed quite aggressively in most games and any game in the Premier League is going to be tough. It seems like the the quality of the league is only getting better. you know People question you know how good the promoter teams are in recent years, but it's been going toe to toe with everyone. you know And the fact that we were able to make it so there was no doubt that we should win this game, and we did, I think it is really positive. And that's the sort of mentality that we need to keep taking forward. it so
00:36:09
officialgspn
Let's obviously we want to win, but let's play well.
Maintaining West Ham's Momentum
00:36:13
officialgspn
Let's show that we can compete and just hope that the results will come because I think they will. yeah You have to have faith. You have to you know be confident that things will come right and that the manager doesn't know what he's doing. So so yeah, I have faith that it will come right. And I think that Lopategi has earned himself you know some some credit, which I think he's deserved because, you know, in spells, in many games, we have were looked really good. So, so yeah, just really happy day all round. And I'm so glad to be doing this podcast in a ah positive, happy frame of mind rather than us losing five nil to Ipswich and us being like bloody hell, what do we do? What's going on? So, so yeah, I'm really happy, man.
00:36:54
Josh Keech
Yeah, it's a nice bit of relief, I think. And yeah, it's it feels very odd to be celebrating once. I think to you know the the goals against Palace and the win there was seems like almost ages away now, but that's the last time we've been relatively cheerful. So it's ah it's very refreshing to be able to be quite happy for once. So yeah, it's been actually a pleasure.
00:37:12
officialgspn
Yeah. ma Well, thank you very much for listening to this episode of the daily GSP podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please rate this podcast five stars and check out our socials that are all linked in the show description. We also have a lot of other podcasts under the GSP and umbrella. We have the wrap up podcast in many languages. We have the fantasy football podcast, the women's football podcast, and obviously every single Premier League club has a podcast. Thank you very much for joining me, Josh. Say goodbye.
00:37:39
Josh Keech
Thank you everyone for listening. Hope you have a great week.
00:37:41
officialgspn
and we will talk to you again very soon. Goodbye.