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7th December - That Saturday Feeling - Episode 2 -
19 Plays11 days ago
A lot has happened over the last 7 days in the Premier League and we are here to pick our way through the good, bad and the ugly - What's behind the renaissance at Chelsea and who's managerial seat is hotter than that dodgy phone charger you bought back from Ibiza
Ken Davies - Global Sports Podcast Network
Jesse Sarwar - Daily Liverpool Global Sports Podcast Network
Nick Britten - Global Sports Podcast Network
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Transcript
Introduction and Guest Introduction
00:00:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
the Global Sports Podcast Network. Welcome to the second edition of That Saturday Feeling. I hope you're having a wonderful Saturday morning. My name's Ken Davis, and today we've got the A Team. We've got Jesse Sarwar riding the red wave at Liverpool, a host of the wonderful daily Liverpool Podcast on Global Sports Podcast Network, and Nick Britton, who's riding the poor warm roller coaster to oblivion at Derby County. So a very warm welcome to that Saturday feeling, to Jesse and to Nick.
Liverpool's Goalkeeper Controversy
00:00:41
Jesse
I can.
00:00:43
Nick Britten
i car i was wondering i was wondering today right I was wondering today whether Jesse would be feeling it a little bit more contrite mood after last week when, as you all know, listeners, ah he spent the entire time telling us how Keller, his Liverpool hero, was the best goalkeeper, best second goalkeeper on the planet, only for him, of course, to drop an absolute era of gargantuan proportion to hand Newcastle ap appointed a point and deny Liverpool two points on Wednesday night.
00:01:11
Nick Britten
So I don't know whether you're feeling a little bit more contrite today, Jesse, or not.
00:01:14
Jesse
Not at all, not at all.
00:01:15
Nick Britten
You don't look at it.
00:01:16
Jesse
And in the same way that Mohammed Salah is by a country mile, the best player in the Premier League. And that didn't change when he missed that penalty against Southampton. and Just sos one, one mistake.
00:01:28
Jesse
Keller has been in goal for what, nine, 10, 11 games unbeaten. Unbeaten. So top of the league. Yeah.
00:01:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
and he's a great he's ah He's a great keeper. By the way, just Joe Forrester's in Saudi Arabia, as we recall this.
Joe Forrester's Saudi Trip and Upcoming Matches
00:01:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
He can't be worse on the call. Kate is in Leeds preparing for Leeds demolition.
00:01:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think that's the word of Doerbe County this lunchtime.
00:01:52
Nick Britten
No, it won't be, because I'll tell you this.
00:01:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
so
00:01:55
Nick Britten
Paul Wall will go with a plan tomorrow. He'll go with a plan of 25 players behind the ball and see if we can pick one or the on the other break.
00:02:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yep. So, well, we're talking about the Premier
Premier League Highlights: Liverpool vs Man City
00:02:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
League. There's been a lot of moving parts since we last, only seven days ago, but it seems like a lot's been going on. So, Jesse, start with you. ah What have been the headlines in terms of the results this week for you? Who's been having a good week and a bad week? I mean, what's your general feeling about what we've seen over the last seven days?
00:02:29
Jesse
Yeah, well, it's, you know, the gap has closed top of the league. um Liverpool after a great win over Man City last weekend, um I thought had a ah good point at Newcastle. I think disappointed really at the end of the game, I think you have to feel because if you're ahead 90 minutes, you want to see the game through. ah But I think around about the half hour mark in that game, I would have taken a point.
00:02:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:02:56
Jesse
So I think Liverpool will be reasonably happy with that. Arsenal had a good win at Manchester United and Man City are back on you know on winning on on the winning track. So I think in terms of the top teams and Chelsea continue to impress and I'm sure we're going to talk more about them. um But yeah, all the top teams seem to be doing really well.
Fulham's Rise and Marco Silva's Impact
00:03:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
What a game, by the way, just as a neutral. ah the the The Newcastle Liverpool game was just, ah just set your hair on fire, didn't it?
00:03:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, obviously mine, not yours.
00:03:30
Jesse
I didn't set mine on fire but I think the 4-3 back in the 90s did that.
00:03:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, yeah.
00:03:36
Jesse
um but yeah there's a great There's a great tradition of great games between Liverpool and Newcastle throughout the Premier League and and yeah this is just added to the collection.
00:03:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
there it was
00:03:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:03:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
So Nick, what were your takeaways this this last seven days?
00:03:50
Nick Britten
Well, it felt, certainly the weekend round of games, it felt like the kind of recalibration of normal football again. Man City back winning, Man United back losing, Newcastle back entertaining, Spurs being very Spurs. They put such an inept performance against Bournemouth last night. It really was sort of dreadful. Yeah, Southampton continuing to commit absolute football suicide. It just felt kind of things ah things were back in the groove after a few weeks of of of abnormality.
00:04:20
Nick Britten
But I want to have a shout out. I think the highlight of the week for me. I want to have a shout out this week to Fulham who Played really well against Brighton. I watched the game last night played really well against Brighton. They're up to sixth in the league And and just quietly, you know quietly Michael Silver is just continues to do you know such such a good job and I've got players there who have been around other clubs and they haven't quite made it and they found a home at Fulham and ah none more so than Alex Owobi who's
Chelsea's Title Ambitions and Mareska's Strategy
00:04:53
Nick Britten
it's got five goals and three assists in 14 games this season which has been brilliant he's 28 he's kind of reached the peak of his career and Arsenal he played 100 games for Arsenal didn't just never quite settle there
00:05:06
Nick Britten
played even more for Everton and 123 appearances in which he's scored six goals. Now Fulham has scored five goals already this season in 14 games and 10 goals overall in 44 games. So he'ss he's found his kind of natural place to be and Fulham just seemed to be that team that could pull players in who haven't quite made it elsewhere.
00:05:26
Nick Britten
and ah lit them into a really good unit. I've been i've been so impressed when I've seen them ah the last few games. So for me, highlights of the week are Fulham, who are who were doing a great job there.
00:05:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, he's done, continues to outperform Marco Silva, I think, and done a fantastic job there. I think there's a couple of other teams that yeah probably get an honourable mention over the last week.
00:05:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, Bournemouth got a pretty impressive six points haul this last week. ah I mean, they under the radar, they're doing a great job.
00:05:55
Nick Britten
Yeah, they they were, they were, they're Bournemouth. Yeah, Bournemouth were excellent last night. They made, they, they, they were so comfortable against Tottenham and how they didn't score probably three, four or five goals. They just had chance after chance after chance. So yeah, they're continuing to improve and continue to, to be very, very at home in the Premier League, doing a great job.
00:06:17
Jesse
Both very good managers, both very good managers.
00:06:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:06:19
Jesse
And it just goes to show that, you know, you don't need to have a collection of, you know, 50, 60, 70 million pound players to get a tune out of, ah you know, a decent collection of of players.
00:06:30
Jesse
And I think Marco Silva, I've always rated Marco Silva. I think he's a very, very good manager. And I think he's just found a bit of stability now at Fulham. I remember when he first came to the Premier League, you know, he was kind of job hopping a bit, but now he's kind of found his feet and Ariola at Bournemouth.
00:06:46
Jesse
I thought, you know, what a great job he's doing. And there's definitely something in the water over in that part of Spain because there's a whole collection of coaches from the Basque region.
00:06:58
Jesse
I think Arteta is from there. I think obviously Ariel is from there.
00:07:05
Jesse
Unai Emery is from there. So, you know, Lopategi is from there. So he might be the nominee there.
00:07:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, a lot of taking years from there as well.
00:07:10
Jesse
He might be the nominee there.
00:07:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's someone I think we'll we'll talk about a little bit later in this ah in this podcast.
Spurs' Inconsistencies and Managerial Challenges
00:07:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
I suppose the other thing we could say this because Joe's not here. I mean, we were talking about last week how Spurs are so inconsistent and then just seem to be pulling it round.
00:07:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then, you know, they they get one point out of, you know, the Fulham and the Bournemouth matches. And you think, you know, what's Postercoglio doing?
00:07:36
Nick Britten
It's really difficult. By the way, we did send Joe to Saudi Arabia because he was just trying to threaten to turn this podcast into a Spurs one. So we've sent him to the other side of the world so but for two weeks' banishment. We might let him back if he behaves. I wonder if Angie's going to come under a bit of pressure. I wonder how long this can carry on because he came with such a fanfare last season and he everybody loved him and it was eligible this and eligible that this season they just haven't been good you know it's as simple as that they just haven't been good
00:08:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
you think they just over-performed last season and we kind of got used to it? Well, Angie's a bit of a genius now after beating everyone at Celtic. I mean, and and and it just has kind of reverted to type this year.
00:08:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
The last year was the outlier, not this year.
00:08:21
Nick Britten
Well, they just haven't replaced Harry Kane, have they? It's just the goals. And you can always rely on how the servers are playing, Harry Kane would score goals. And he's impossible to replace, by the way. It's just so difficult. And so, like, he's doing a good job. And I think everybody's quite happy with him. But Son isn't the player that he was. He flickers in and out a little bit too much. He's still a brilliant player, by the way. ah but he's But his goal stats aren't kind of what they were. and It just doesn't seem to click at the moment. And a lot of managers, we're going to talk about Russell Martin in a bit at Southampton. A lot of managers only kind of have this really dogmatic, ideological way of playing and won't change from it, regardless of what happens. And I just wonder whether Spurs are a little bit of a victim of that at the moment.
00:09:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Interesting.
00:09:07
Jesse
I think he's put himself under pressure as well though, start of the season unnecessarily. He reminded everyone that I always win a trophy in the second season. And I just don't know why he said that because now that's always going to be thrown back in his face now.
00:09:24
Jesse
And you can almost see them targeting ah the League Cup, Carabao Cup, and and not letting the Premier League slide, but that's going to be his focus because he's put himself under that pressure to win a trophy. But look, I remember last week in the in last week's episode, I think it was so one of the Gallagher brothers said that Spurs were ah football's biggest frauds.
00:09:50
Jesse
They're not. they are They are what they are. ah you know We've got a term for it, spursy. We call teams that are so inconsistent, just spursy, and that they are just being spursy. And I don't see that changing. And Postocogliot, love him as I do, just as a neutral, because he's so entertaining.
00:10:11
Jesse
um I don't see Tottenham getting beyond kind of sixth, seventh in the Premier League with a manager like that because just ah Tottenham just lose too many games where they should win.
00:10:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Interesting.
00:10:25
Nick Britten
or or or Or just put in as they did last night. just They just don't turn up. They just put in their performances.
00:10:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
so
00:10:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, that's on the manager though, isn't it really? I mean, it's on the players, but it's also on the manager. You've got to get them up for these games consistently, and the best managers do, and yeah mean he's just not doing
Chelsea's Young Talent and Future Prospects
00:10:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
that. So if things are not looking great in North London, they're looking distinctly greater in West London, Chelsea.
00:10:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Mareska's doing a great job. Chelsea are on fire. Are they your legitimate challenges? I mean, seven points I think, aren't they behind Liverpool? I mean, you I was on some Chelsea forums earlier today. They think they can do this. um Is that just pie in the sky? Or actually, have they got something really going on at Chelsea that the other big teams have got to be very, very careful of?
00:11:17
Nick Britten
ah think I think the answer to that, and take those answers in question, ah well, there are as legitimate challenges as anybody else. I think they are hitting, they're hitting a really good momentum, a really good stride. ah Players that have struggled perhaps over the last couple of years are suddenly now under Maresca reaching their potential or fulfilling some of that potential. Nicholas Jackson made a great example.
00:11:41
Nick Britten
who suddenly looks like the player that people wanted him to be. Carcedo in the midfield, it looks like the player that they thought they were signing to begin with. You know, Kukareya players like that, who've been flitting it about in and out a little bit last year, suddenly now look, you know, rock solid. The scoring goals, which which is always important, and you know, which has let them down a little bit ah in previous years. ah They are a really good side this year. And if you think back to the summer where Mareska came in and he had some 40-odd players and who's going to get rid of, he's being he's been brilliantly ruthless. And there was a lot of criticism of shipping some of those players out, Ben Chilwell players like that, and everybody's going, well, how's he going to do it? But he's done a brilliant job. It's worked really, really well. And even the so-called second team, who are the kind of the Europe or the Cup teams,
00:12:34
Nick Britten
are now influenced the first team. And it really shows the value of having a large squad and real strength in depth, which I think Chelsea has. ah But his ability to manage this whole situation where you've got so many players and fashion them into a winning team is is unbelievably brilliant. I think he's he's doing such a fantastic job, probably against what a lot of people thought at the start of the season.
00:12:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, managing the ear contender at the moment, Mareska, no no doubt about that. jesse' Jesse, obviously, you're sitting there at the top of the pile, Chelsea biting on your heels or or threatening to. I mean, are you are you losing you losing sleep about this? Or what's your thoughts?
00:13:18
Jesse
I don't know about losing sleep, but they are definitely a contender. I think that they've got the one thing that a lot of the other teams don't have, which is a very, very deep squad. I mean, Liverpool are now starting to feel the injuries now, particularly in defence. Canate is out, Cossa Simicas is out, Conor Bradley is out, obviously Alison is still out. And Trent is only coming back into the team after a hamstring injury.
00:13:47
Jesse
So that might start to bite. And if we see Liverpool drop points at the weekend, this could be their blip. And this could be a time now where chetwell Chelsea and their depth in their squad ah really comes to their advantage. But as Nick said, Maresca has done a fantastic job. you know He was ruthless in the summer. He got rid of Raheem Sterling after a lot of criticism. And Chelsea now just becoming a much calmer outfit.
00:14:15
Jesse
you know, a lot less noise off the pitch. And so, you know, the focus is what they're doing on the pitch and the improvements that you see that in the players that he's got is at his disposal. ah Fernandez, you know, he's been employed in a more advanced role sometimes.
00:14:31
Jesse
And he's much more consistent. Kaiseido, you've already mentioned him, roundly mocked last season. um you know But he's showing that level of consistency. Even Cole Palmer. Cole Palmer scored 22 goals, 11 assists from the right flank. First thing Maresca does, he switches him to a number 10 position. you know Again, a brave move because most managers would think, look, it's not it's not broken, so let's not fix it.
00:14:57
Jesse
But Palmer has been moved. He's still productive. Nine goals, six assists this season. ah But again, I think the other ah player that has to be mentioned, Nick's already mentioned him, is Nicholas Jackson. He's now beginning to show that ruthlessness in front of goal that he didn't have last season. And that could be a real key ah factor for Chelsea this season.
00:15:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, I know I've got three Chelsea players in my fantasy team and I'm pleased to have. I would never have been saying that last season. um One of the things I noticed as well is so they've got on average the youngest squad in the league. ah you They're building something at Chelsea that yeah if he gets this right, you know they've they could be building a platform for the next five years here.
00:15:41
Nick Britten
Yeah, very much so. Very much so. it looks It just looks right at the moment. The balance of the team looks right.
00:15:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:15:48
Nick Britten
It is funny, isn't it? Last year, ah Cole Palmer was the standout player. And now, but you see, it's kind of felt like you were just totally reliant on him all the time. Whereas now he's just, you're not, and he's spoken about less. So that's not being any kind of, that's not being at all disrespectful for him. It's just there are other players who are stepping up. And Matt Wakey forced his way into the England setup. And you just would never have thought that was possible looking at him play last year. So, so yeah, are they go back to your original question, Ken? Are they title challenges? Well, yeah, why not?
00:16:17
Nick Britten
Why not? We've got this really busy run of games coming into the Christmas period. It is not a good time for any manager to have ah an injury list piling up. It's probably the worst time of the season. And a lot can change. A lot can happen if teams go on a bad run of form or or a good run of form. So when we look at the Premier League in mid-January, I think that will give us a very, very good idea as to whether Chelsea are genuine title contenders.
00:16:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Interesting.
Man City's Resilience as Title Contenders
00:16:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Now, just before we move on, do we still think City a legitimate title contender? So are we writing them off now?
00:16:49
Jesse
No, they're contenders. They're contenders. They're just too good. They've got too much experience, too much money for the January transfer window, which they I think they will use ah to their effect. So yeah, they' they're still in it.
00:17:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
but they did get a proper battering on Sunday. And that was that was something to behold. Right, so if that was the...
Anticipating Upcoming Fixtures: Key Matches
00:17:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
review, if you like, of the last seven days, which has been a fascinating in seven days. Looking forward to this weekend, ah what are the fixtures that kind of stand out, two or three fixtures for you to think, you know, they're going to have a big, big bearing on the way people are thinking about the Premier League on Monday morning? What are the, what are all Tuesday morning? What are the, what are the ones that so that really stand out for you as the games to watch this weekend?
00:17:41
Jesse
ah The Merseyside Derby, I think, obviously stands out. It's the early kickoff. It's the last Derby at Goodison Park. So I'm actually quite happy that it's an early kickoff. I would not want a Goodison Park at 7 o'clock or at 5.30 under the lights.
00:17:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:17:56
Jesse
I think the 12.30 kickoff for once actually suits Liverpool. um So in terms of a fixture, I think you know that's That's a big one because I think if Liverpool win that one, four points from two away fixtures this week, I think will make that Newcastle um draw look a lot better. um But then you've got um Monday's game, which I'm sure we'll talk more about, which is El Sacico between West Ham and Wolves. And that's going to have a ah massive impact um at the other ah end of the Premier League and in terms of the future of two managers.
00:18:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it will. Nick, game games for you so that you've got marks on your card.
00:18:38
Nick Britten
yeah Yeah, actually, the most for me, I think the standout game or the most interesting potentially the most interesting game of the weekend is Manchester United against Nottingham Forest. Because Ruben Amarin hasn't been the greatest start to his Manchester United career. One old draw with Ipswich wasn't great. It tanked Everton 4-0, but let's face it, Liverpool will do that and more to them tomorrow, probably.
00:19:04
Nick Britten
And you know close win against the Norwegian champions in the Champions League ah Forest is a really interesting sort of challenge for him I think on Sunday because or Saturday because It's the forest for a very very good side this year. They've already gone to Anfield one They will feel that a bad defeat against man City on during the week, but they they will feel that they can go to Manchester United and get a result and And if they go to Manchester United and get a result, not only do they keep their very, very good a sort of Premier League season going, but it makes Amber and Starr look pretty average in the extreme. It really does. But if he was to, if he managed to win that game and win it,
00:19:48
Nick Britten
fairly comfortably I think everybody you know will be lauded and everybody be saying oh it's been a great start so I think a lot quite a lot of hinges on that game I think it'll be a very good game I think it'll be you know competitive good game and it will tell us quite a lot about where where both teams are and secondly I think as Jesse has already pointed out it's it's the big one it's the big one isn't it this West Ham ah Versus wolves who ah who maybe neither maybe both maybe neither ah Managers will survive ah is It's it's gonna be fascinating. It's gonna be a fascinating game. I saw West Ham. I don't know if you guys might have seen the game I saw them play the other way Against Lester on on Monday night and I thought they were really good. I actually thought they played really well, but they just defended appallingly and
00:20:37
Nick Britten
Leicester took their chances and took them well. But West Ham had something like 30 shots on goal during that game, end of which were on target, which is, which is for an away performance for a team that's down at the bottom of the league is very, very good.
00:20:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:20:49
Nick Britten
But they just, is one of those games you could tell sort of midway through the second half where every shot just cannons off a leg or a backside or a post or what have you. You could just tell that it wasn't going to be is one of those games.
00:21:00
Nick Britten
It just wasn't going to be their day. ah I would fancy West Ham to win that game. I think if they could tighten up their defence, I would expect them to win it. ah Gary O'Neill has, of course, in the last few days had the dreaded vote of confidence publicly by the walls board.
00:21:16
Nick Britten
That's never a good thing. And it should be a fascinating 90 minutes.
00:21:21
Jesse
and certainly didn't get the He certainly didn't get the of confidence from the away fans the other day, did he?
00:21:21
Nick Britten
I mean, that's the amount of teams approaching.
00:21:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
no he did not there's a couple of games that kind of caught my eye as well which i think it should mention which i'm i'm looking forward to by the way we're going to talk a lot more about the managerial hot seat uh in the second half of this uh this conversation but a couple of games that i'm intrigued by as well uh palace v city I know Palace and and I know a City, you know, rebounded in the week, but I'm interested in this game and Palace turning things around a little bit. I think it's going to be a tough game for City and I think I'm very much looking forward to see which way that one goes as Palace have got kind of back into winning ways. The other big one for me, Spurs Chelsea. ah You know, if Chelsea go and turn them over 3-1,
00:21:28
Nick Britten
No, no, no.
00:22:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah and she's goingnna be and she's gonna be in a tricky place. And so I'm very much looking forward to that game. I think that's gonna be the game of the weekend. I can't i can't wait for that.
00:22:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Anyway, so that's that's what we've got to look forward to. By the way, at the end of this podcast, we're going to be doing some predictions. So I want your home, draw, or a ways in each of the fixtures during the course of the week. But we'll get, of course, the weekend. we'll get We'll get onto that at the end of the podcast. But before we get into the second half of this episode, just want to remind you that Here at Global Sports Podcast Network, we spend a lot of time selecting our delivery platform. And when we did that, Zencaster came out the clear winner with 4K video recording from the phone and AI editing that automatically removes all of those ums and ahs. And I can certainly do with that. It's super easy to start a podcast that both sounds great and is delivered very efficiently. So if you're ready to tell your story,
00:23:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Check out the link in the show notes to learn more about Zencaster. Right, okay, so here we go. Managerial hot seat. ah who's who Who's on the list? Who's on the short list? Who's still gonna be here in January the 1st? Who's gonna be getting their CV polished up over the weekend? Jesse, I'm gonna come to you first on this. ah Who do you think is literally as as we thought you might be losing sleep at the moment.
00:23:52
Jesse
Gary O'Neill was gone. ah I think he'll be sacked. I mean, I was i was shocked that he was still in a job after the last international break. um
00:24:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
By the way, can we predict in this the first to go? So I mean, go go through your runners and riders and then tell us who you think is going to be first gone.
00:24:12
Jesse
I think that so obviously, um you've got Gary O'Neill, you've got Lopategi at West Ham. That's the obvious one. um I think, I think Southampton, um Russell Marting is, you know, how long can the board accept not just their failures, not just them being rock bottom of the Premier League, but just this refusal to just change the way that they play and to just hand goals on the plate to the opposition. So I think those three for me are the ones that are most at risk. um I think Oliver Glastner at Palace was getting a bit shaky, is that a very important win over a relegation rival.
00:25:01
Jesse
And now they've got City at the weekend and if if you can get something out of that, even a point, I think that's ah that that's ah a huge one for him and it's a huge one for the Premier League because Man City have dropped more points then.
00:25:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Nick.
00:25:17
Nick Britten
Yeah, I'd like to talk about Russell Martin and why there's every chance that he won't get sacked despite Southampton being bottom of the league and having had a ah dreadful start to the season. Five points from a possible 42. No team have done what they've done, which is lost 11 out of their 14 games and and survived. They've all been relegated. They've scored 11 goals. They've led in 30, nine of which have come from a direct kind of Eric playing around in the back, Eric from the goalkeeper on defender. ah He would be, you would think, wouldn't you? You would think that he would be absolutely primed for getting the sack. And he does seem to live in a little bit of a fantasy world. I think, you know, they got booed off. They lost 5-1, right? They lost 5-1 at home to Chelsea midweek. They got booed off by the crowd.
00:26:09
Nick Britten
And in his media interviews afterwards, he was just talking about how proud he was of the players and how well they're played. And it just doesn't stuff like that just doesn't resonate. That's worrying. you know that that's That's worrying when managers are saying those kind of things. Because even if you think it's true, and even if you don't want to call the players out, because it was a lot of that was second string Southampton players. They've got a lot of injuries at the moment.
00:26:32
Nick Britten
There has to be a balance somewhere along the line, except that you've just been tagged 5-1 at home and booed off. But there just wasn't. And you get a lot of that from Russell Martin. And sometimes it works, but I think the more games you lose, the less credibility you have when you come out and say stuff like that. On that saying all of that, though, it's a very difficult situation because Southampton don't have that talented a squad. They've got ah like a lot of teams that come up from the Championship. It's difficult. And there's absolutely no guarantee that getting rid of it would work. He sold a new three year contract in the summer, so it would be expensive to get rid of him and his team. It cost them a lot of money. I think the last time that Southampton were in the Premier League, which only a couple of seasons ago, they went through three managers. And at one stage, at one stage in that season, they were paying three managers at the same time, you know, current ones and previous ones in
00:27:23
Nick Britten
Hassan Hootle, Nathan Jones and then Russell Martin. So it's it's an expensive business and I think the board will also be aware that his record in the the Championship is very very good so he would certainly be the man to bring them up if they got relegated and he does seem to have the dressing room at the moment. The players do seem to want to play for him At some stage you just think the goalie would just hoof it long but they're not, they're sticking to the mantra, they're sticking to that that ideology that even though it costs us games and even though we're losing points and even though we're going to get relegated we're still going to do it which
00:27:57
Nick Britten
some, you know, it depends on which side of the fence you fall on this, some might say, well, that sounds like an under sevens grassroots manager who just wants to give his time, his kids time to develop and play. Some would say, it sounds absolutely ridiculous in the cutthroat world of professional football, that you can't as a manager, be prepared to adapt and do what it takes to win a game of football. So there are lots of views on this. There are lots of views on this. But I think there are ah think so hopeed at odd I aren't in a hurry to do anything. I think they accept where they are. ah But you also look at it and go, well, if they just tweak it a little bit, if they just get rid of this insistence of playing from out for the outside back every single moment of every single game, they could probably pick up more points. And then you're looking at the teams around them. They're as good as them. They probably are as good as them. They've got some decent attacking players. So
00:28:48
Nick Britten
Martin's a really interesting one. I think you're right in as much as Jesse's right in as much as Lopategi and Odile are probably the two red-hot favourites to be the next SACs, even though, of course, Lopategi is above Sean Dyche in the table. Nobody's talking about Sean Dyche, even though West Ham are above Everton, which is an interesting one. I don't quite kind of get why he's due for the SAC when he's above Sean Dyche.
00:29:15
Nick Britten
ah Nobody's talking about Kira McKenna either, even though Ipswich are marooned in that bottom three. And I'm not saying they should, by the way. Not at all. But nobody is. Nobody thinks that Kira McKenna should get Ipswich again. Losing at the Hoda Palace, the sort of games were where you fall into that rhythm of losing games. and It doesn't really matter how well you think you play. You've got to start picking up points.
00:29:40
Nick Britten
It's those types of games. Nobody expects you to beat the top teams if you're in Switch, but you should be expecting to meet Palace at home. There's those kinds of games that can do you in. So lots going on there. As you say, Ken, it was a good week for Oliver Glazner. I'm taking responsibility for that, by the way, because this time last week I said I was worried for Glazner and I said, you know, they've got a difficult run of games coming up and they've got to start winning games and they went and won. So Palace fans, that's on me. I'm going to take all the credit.
00:30:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm sure Glastner was delighted that so that you've taken or stole stolen his thunder there.
00:30:10
Nick Britten
Well, the Boxer Chef 8 hasn't arrived at my door yet, which I'm a bit worried about. I'm sure it's on its way.
00:30:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
up So, ah yeah, I mean, i'm I'm with you on all those guys. I was looking at the next few fixes. One of the things I always think is is interesting when we're trying to speculate on who's going to go first is looking at the games they've got coming up. And you look at O'Neill, he's got West Ham away, Ipswich at home, Leicester away, you know.
00:30:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
There's some winnable games there. He's got to win them. I mean, he's just got to win them if he's still there. ah Russell Martin, next three, Villa away, Spurs at home, Liverpool at home.
00:30:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, horrible.
00:30:51
Nick Britten
Yeah, i don't i don't I don't think, look, put it like this. The world's worst Premier League record is 11 points.
00:30:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Who's got that?
00:31:00
Nick Britten
I can't possibly call it. Although it is these days worn as a badge of badge of honor by Darby Feds.
00:31:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Only because they've got no other badges of honor.
00:31:07
Nick Britten
ah
00:31:10
Nick Britten
ah FA Cup, League win.
00:31:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Here we go.
00:31:14
Nick Britten
Yeah, yeah.
00:31:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Here we go.
00:31:15
Nick Britten
We've won an awful lot more than Wrexham.
00:31:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's cheering his mic off, Jesse.
00:31:17
Nick Britten
with one an awful lot more than lower league Rexton. So let's just get back in your box.
00:31:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay. ah we've won it We've won the Welsh Cup 31 times.
00:31:22
Nick Britten
ah You're the only team in it.
00:31:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
I love you now.
00:31:27
Nick Britten
That's why.
00:31:27
Jesse
You can hear listeners falling away by...
00:31:28
Nick Britten
and so your chip with it
00:31:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, so anyway, I'm going to ask you to to make your predictions in terms of who's going first.
00:31:38
Nick Britten
first and he'll go after West Ham win on Monday.
00:31:40
Jesse
Yeah, same with me. I think Gary O'Neill goes first. I'd like to see them beating West Ham.
00:31:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
OK, I think La Potigy goes first. ah I think they're going to get, to I think Wolves are going to turn him over in in the big in the big one.
00:31:51
Nick Britten
we lo take
00:31:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
and And I think...
00:31:57
Jesse
A lot of attention could go as well.
00:31:57
Nick Britten
why why do he the have interest what Why do you think that? i' genuinely it why do you think that
00:32:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Why do I think Wolves are going to beat him? tomorrow Why do you think he's going first?
00:32:06
Nick Britten
but Well, why do you think wolves are going to turn them over?
00:32:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
I just think there's a lot of actually actually think there's ah there's a bad feeling, there's a bad smell around around the yeah the Olympic Stadium at the moment. and i think
00:32:20
Nick Britten
That'll be the Gasworks next door.
00:32:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, probably. But but i I just think it's ah it's ah it's a crucial game. I just think yeah ah just my money's on. What else are we going to come to in our predictions? We're about to get to you now. My money's on there wolves to surprise a few people. And I think David Sullivan says, sorry, enough, enough.
00:32:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Anyway, we shall see. We'll return to this next Saturday. So, right, let's get onto these predictions. What I'm gonna do is I'm gonna go through all the different games, and I want you, Jesse, and you, Nick, and I will give mine. I just want home, draw, or away. The way we're scoring this, by the way, is you're gonna get two points for a correct answer. It's dead simple. So, Jesse, Evan Liverpool, home, draw, or away.
00:33:12
Jesse
Away.
00:33:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Nick.
00:33:15
Nick Britten
Oh, away. Definitely. and That's got to be the biggest banker of the weekend, doesn't it?
00:33:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm not sure, ah but I'm going away as well. Villa against Southampton.
00:33:25
Nick Britten
Well, actually, no, this has got to be the biggest banker of the weekend. at Home for me.
00:33:29
Jesse
Yep. Home.
00:33:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I think we're all on the same. I hope we don't have all the same things all the way through. I don't think we will. at Brentford against Newcastle.
00:33:37
Jesse
I'm going to draw.
00:33:40
Nick Britten
I'll go your way for this one.
00:33:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, I've gone draw on that one. ah Palace versus city.
00:33:50
Jesse
I've gone draw again.
00:33:53
Nick Britten
Yeah. This is, this is a, this is a tough one, isn't it? Um, yeah, I gotta, I gotta back, I gotta back the Eagles on this. I think the score draw.
00:34:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I've gone draw as well, by the way. So we are we're pretty close. United against forest.
00:34:10
Jesse
Home win, unfortunately.
00:34:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Jesse's going to home win, Nick.
00:34:16
Nick Britten
Um, you I fancy Forrest to get something out of this. I don't know why. There's just something about it. It's just one of those games where you look at, you think they can actually win it.
00:34:28
Nick Britten
I'm tempted to go for an away win, actually. Shall I couldn't do that? Stick my neck out. Go on. I'll go for an away win.
00:34:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right, good lad, good lad.
00:34:35
Nick Britten
Forrest can beat Mario now to Ultra.
00:34:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
This is, by the way, why you never win prediction leagues, Nick, but good lad.
00:34:40
Nick Britten
just This is very true.
00:34:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
what
00:34:42
Nick Britten
I have always thought of...
00:34:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm going I'm going for a draw as well. Actually, I think I think that's going to be a tricky little game for United Forest to play and ever so well, though it pains me to say that as well. Full of Arsenal, Jesse.
00:34:52
Jesse
um And this is not just hope, but I think a home win. I think Fulham are just a team that Arsenal will will not want to play. I think they're going to beat them.
00:35:05
Jesse
A home win.
00:35:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Cracking game in prospect, Nick.
00:35:06
Jesse
Yeah.
00:35:07
Nick Britten
It is a good game of prospect and having spent all of the early parties podcast, Lording Fulham, and they are very much my team at the moment and most definitely the team of the week. They're doing a great job. ah Nonetheless, I'm going to go for an Arsenal win here.
00:35:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Arsenal a away win. I've gone Arsenal away win as well. Ipswich against Bournemouth.
00:35:26
Jesse
away win.
00:35:28
Nick Britten
Away with.
00:35:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
We've got three A's in a line there. Leicester versus Brighton.
00:35:36
Jesse
i've gone for a draw.
00:35:38
Nick Britten
Yeah, I go for draw as well. I think, you know, Vadis Roy had a, you know, hes he's he had a good win against West Ham, albeit I think a very lucky win. Brighton just struggling a little bit. They worked they weren't great last night. They weren't great at the draw against Southampton the other day. ah Yeah, it could be difficult. It could be a tough afternoon. So yeah, school draw.
00:36:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Score draw has gone for a draw as well. ah Van Distel Roy, is the Van Distel Roy bounce going to continue do you think? One out of one, isn't it?
00:36:11
Nick Britten
Well, I don't think you can call that a bounce. I genuinely don't think you can call that a bounce because Leicester were the second best team in that game against West Ham on Wednesday.
00:36:19
Jesse
A win's a win, though, isn't it, Nick?
00:36:19
Nick Britten
Sorry, Monday. It is a win.
00:36:21
Jesse
A win's a win.
00:36:22
Nick Britten
It is a win. But I think what you're looking for is evidence of improvement.
00:36:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
and you didn't see any.
00:36:28
Nick Britten
And that didn't see any. say
00:36:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Fair enough. Hope so, because ah you know my money is on him to to fail unless to go down. Spurs v. Chelsea, this is a chewy one. What do we reckon, Jesse?
00:36:42
Jesse
Entertaining draw.
00:36:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Nick?
00:36:46
Nick Britten
Yeah, I've tossed a coin. I've literally know what no idea what was going to happen in this game.
00:36:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Shall we toss a coin?
00:36:54
Nick Britten
Anything can happen. You can make a case for anything happening in this game, but I've got i got to go for an away win.
00:37:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Very good. I've gone for a draw. And finally, we're all going to be on the edge of our seats on this one on Monday night, West Ham against Wolves. I've already pins my pinned my hopes to a Wolves victory. Jesse, Nick, fight it out between yourselves. What do you reckon?
00:37:20
Jesse
I'm going for a home win and Gary O'Neill sacked.
00:37:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay. nick
00:37:25
Nick Britten
No fighting required. Homewail, Gary O'Neill sacked.
00:37:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
and I'm going to weigh you in for the pettigy, sacked. So that should be an interesting thing to review.
00:37:34
Jesse
Lopateki gets sacked as well in a couple of weeks time.
00:37:35
Nick Britten
Jameel Opatage, is that who you mean?
00:37:37
Jesse
I think Lopateki is going to get sacked after that as well.
00:37:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, blimey.
00:37:41
Jesse
to to
00:37:41
Nick Britten
Question is, what happens if it's a really dull, dull, dull draw, which is which is a possibility here?
00:37:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Russell Martin gets sacked.
00:37:45
Nick Britten
Yeah.
00:37:47
Jesse
yeah
00:37:47
Nick Britten
yeah
00:37:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Right. Okay. So, well, that's where we are. That's what we've got looking forward to coming up for us to see the rest of this weekend, I should say. Hey, it's been great to great to catch up with you again. Anything else you want to leave our listeners with before we we pull this one to its inevitable conclusion?
00:38:06
Jesse
Yeah, if you're a Liverpool supporter, obviously, there's some huge games coming up. So tune into the Daily Liverpool Podcast for all the latest on Liverpool.
00:38:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Nick?
00:38:17
Nick Britten
Yeah, just that just that, whoever your Premier League team is, tune in, look for look on Spotify for the daily, and then put your team in. yeah You'll find great content throughout the week, Monday to Friday, for all the Premier League teams. And I sense a bit like this week, next week, there's going to be an awful lot to talk about.
00:38:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
I suspect. So that's the good thing about the Premier League. It's the gift that keeps on giving. So if you are interested, your team, ah Global Sports Podcast Network, the only network that brings you exclusive daily news and views on your Premier League team and the Premier League as a whole, and women's football. And if you're Italian, we even do it in Italian. If you're Spanish, we do it in Spanish. I mean, whatever. it's your Your whole Premier League listening experience there. It's a unique listening experience that puts fans first, bringing you the very latest news. So that's Global Sports Podcast Network, the network that we are proud to call home. Every club, every day. Thanks for listening. It's my real pleasure. Probably get the other crew back next week and be interested to see what what they've been up to in Leeds and in Saudi. And we'll see you soon. We'll see you next week.
00:39:31
Nick Britten
Cheers, guys. Thank you.
00:39:32
Jesse
See you guys.
00:39:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
There you go.
00:39:41
Jesse
Did you not click the ah the sting?
00:39:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
What a pro I am.