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S1-E105 : Wolves Crossover!
0 Playsin 7 hours
In today's episode, Craig visits the Wolves podcast to discuss al things about the game at the weekend!
Host : Christopher Mackintosh
Guest : Craig Matthews
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Transcript
Podcast Introduction and Host Welcome
00:00:02
Speaker
Every club, every day. The Global Sports Podcast Network. Hey, everyone. Welcome in to Daily Wolves. And it is, of course, the crossover episode because it is not just me from Chris from Daily Wolves today. I've also got with me Craig from the Daily Arsenal Pod.
Team Standings and Aspirations Overview
00:00:19
Speaker
Hey, Craig, how are you doing? I'm good. Thank you. How are you? I'm living the dream. um It's not a very good dream, to be honest, down the bottom of the table, but um it's a dream of some kind. So we are a bit more of a nightmare, but we're we're getting there. We're getting there.
00:00:34
Speaker
um But yeah,
Pre-Game Thoughts from Arsenal and Wolves
00:00:35
Speaker
welcome in. So we're going to be doing a crossover episode, so we'll get some thoughts from both sides of the dugout ahead of this weekend's game and see where we're at. Now, you guys are obviously over Arsenal doing a little bit better than us this season. You're second place at the moment, what, six points off the top? um So how how is it going? Well, how is it for you and the rest of the Arsenal fans at the moment? How's the vibe for you this so far this season?
00:01:01
Speaker
Up and down season I'll say frustrating at times, good in times, frustrating in times. It's been like up and down season because obviously Man City have struggled in the league and we haven't really had Liverpool doing so well. And our teams are not afraid to do a relegation of Canada last season, they're doing well this season. So every game we have to win all our games to hopefully if Liverpool's still apart. So it's one of them seasons where We've had an awful lot of injuries as well, so it's been been very up and down, I would say.
Wolves' Season Challenges and Player Strategy
00:01:33
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, obviously, as you're aware, we I mean, you're still doing ah great things compared to us. You'd expect to be after your last couple of seasons pushing for the top. um It's ironic, like you say, that the year Man City are still in Liverpool, go and continue without Jurgen Klopp and just keep doing more of the same. and We're obviously stranded down in 17th at the moment. We're only out of the bottom of three on goal difference, thanks to Man City whipping Ipswich. That pushed them back down.
00:02:01
Speaker
um So it's been a bit of a roller coaster for us as well and obviously we played each other first day of the season we were like opening game so we've come full circle were over halfway what did you make of the first time we met obviously that's going way back but what did you make of wolves on first time around.
00:02:19
Speaker
ah I've always liked Moors with the team. Moors has always have some been a good team like and from the league over the years. They've always had great players. They played full of Nevers. You had Pedro and Neto. You had um a downward story. You played a few guys as well. You had some decent players on your team. I think what's happened over the years is that every season and you sold you your best player and it's very difficult to maintain if you sell your best player every summer and not replacing them with the same quality of player.
00:02:47
Speaker
and but it eventually it will come up, eventually it will catch up to you and if it will happen to up to you. It's happened now and it's like you guys are this struggling, the league, well I think you have some, right now you've still got some good players in your squad, you've got you've got you've got you've got some decent players in your team. So I don't know why you're not so at the bottom of the table, but hopefully you guys can get out of the table and push off the table now with the new manager in charge now, I would say. Yeah, we've i we've had we had the little bit of a new manager bounce when Vitora Pereira came in a few games ago because we got two wins and a draw off the back of that. And then then we've gone into a tough run. ah You guys are next. But I mean, we had we lost to Forrest 3-0, we lost to Newcastle, we lost
00:03:43
Speaker
most recently to Chelsea. like So three losses on the bounce going into this game. So the new band manager bounce is officially over. I think, like you said, there's a lot of discussion in the Wolves fan base at the moment about the fact that regardless of the manager, a lot of it is self-inflicted pain from board level in terms of, like you say, selling off certain assets and not replacing them or replacing them with younger players that aren't necessarily ready to take that spot you know in the in the first team.
00:04:11
Speaker
And so, yeah, despite the fact there is some talent in the squad, the biggest concern for us is the way we're shipping goals. You've probably seen we're actually decent scorers. Like, if you look at the the chances created in the goals, we're one of the top scorers in the league still, amazingly, even though we haven't actually scored for a couple of games. But it's just, defensively, we are woeful and we've conceded something like from 19 set pieces.
00:04:34
Speaker
or something, so it's the only thing keeping us going is the fact that we are creating chances because like you say, kunya um there's a lot of there's a lot of speculation around him at the moment. There's a lot of unrest in the wolves dug out right now. The Mina is actually that you mentioned. It looks like he's on the way out. He was pulled out the squad recently because he said that he wasn't fit to play and he wanted to leave before that with the previous manager, ironically, but it's rolled on to this manager.
00:05:02
Speaker
and then um and stripped to the captain see and just basically looks like he's he's just waiting to leave and now the speculation around can you just add into a lot of unrest this transfer window almost can't wait for the transfer window to end just to just settle everything back down cuz yeah where we're at if if something there's lots of speculation there's I've seen loads of rumors today literally as we record this about nothing forest looking to make a record bid for Kunya, but they they can't, but we just can't. if the If he goes, then it's like, it'll be, I mean, the relegation fight will just be pretty much done.
00:05:36
Speaker
Yeah.
Arsenal's Pre-Match Concerns and Defensive Issues
00:05:37
Speaker
Um, but look, so looking ahead to this weekend though, in terms of, you mentioned some of the previous players that, that we've got, but in terms of the current squad, um, what are you concerned about? Is Konya the one you're most concerned about generally? Or is there any other things that you think are going to slip you up? Do you think it's an easy ticket? Do you think, I mean, you've won what you've won one, two, three, four of the last five, I think, or something.
00:06:01
Speaker
but that striker you've got, the one on Lassen, say Lassen up in Lassen, he and some decent streamers have decent player as well, and it's a very good striker to you guys as well. Obviously Kunie is the loved one, one that you'll think you want to prove a point against, so he'll be still there, he's in the right mind space to play. You've got some decent players in your team, you've got that young, what's his name, Toti? I like him, I think he's quite good as well.
00:06:27
Speaker
Totti is still out injured at the moment. He's on he's recovering. So um he yeah he won't be playing this weekend, but he's a decent... and We need him because defensively we are struggling. He has got some good plays. Obviously, you've got on training men like Docati.
00:06:44
Speaker
What's his name again? Yeah, Docati. He's a good player as well for you guys. love yeah Obviously, the goalkeeper is the one I worry about the most for you guys after all that this season.
00:06:56
Speaker
It's not as solid as it was a couple of seasons ago, and it was very good for you guys. I think you can see there are a lot of goals this season, and I don't think, you know, who's your best number one lead, and it's probably been changed between Sam Johnston and the goalkeeper Joseph Saar. So it's a bit like, who's the best man to keep for the clean sheet, or who's the one to come back and see the more goals there?
00:07:16
Speaker
It's going to be an interesting game. It's not going to be an easy game for us to walk over and win. You would think we'll go there and beat you guys, but it's not going to be like that. Premier League is not like that, especially after European games during the week. It's going to be a hard game. You guys are going to set up very defensive, hit us on the counter-attack, maybe on set-pieces or something like that. So we have to be on our A-game to try and win the game on Saturday, obviously.
00:07:43
Speaker
Yeah, the um I mean, you the the European game you mentioned that's happening right now as we record this is probably the only silver lining for us that you mentioned going into this weekend. Potentially, maybe you'll have to rotate a bit more or, you know, rest some people because, to be honest, you're playing us at a time, you're probably playing us at the best time to play us with the last three defeats and the the performance against Chelsea on Monday night was just That was the the worst game under the new manager. It looked like things were just starting to slide back to how they were before the new manager came in. Definitely. So I think as much as I want Molyneux to be a fortress and as much as we want ah to get some points from this tough run, because we've got the likes of Villa and Liverpool next, I just think, yeah, I think they think this is just going to be you potentially, as much as I don't want to say it, it could be an easy three points for you guys playing us at the right time. Yeah.
00:08:40
Speaker
Have you got any injury concerns of your own coming into this weekend? Because I'm not up to speed on the Arsenal injuries. I know it's like a lot for a while, not until March. I think the end of the season for him. I think he's a serious injury and the hamstring injury. We're still waiting for Tommy. Tommy has to be back in training apparently. Same with Ben White back in training. California is back in training now as well. Wainier is back in training. I think he's on the bench tonight. So we've got our player. It's referred to coming back slowly or surely. So hopefully that will help.
00:09:10
Speaker
the team to ah so the amount our selection headache, the squad. So hopefully, yeah. Hopefully, yeah, hopefully good. um Yeah, from our perspective, as I mentioned, Totti's still out. um Konya hopefully is fully, will by then be fully recovered from his virus because he'd been suffering with a cold, which I'm going to hope is part of the reason he didn't play well on Monday because he looked really off his game. I'm hoping it was that and not so much the transfer speculation. um yeah you You just don't know.
00:09:41
Speaker
um Before we dig a bit deeper into um the match itself, let's just take a moment to remind everyone that here at the Global Sports Podcast Network, we did spend a lot of time ah selecting our delivery platform. Zencaster came out the clear winner with 4K video recording from your phone and AI editing that automatically removes all those oms and oars. It's super easy to start a podcast that sounds great and is delivered efficiently.
00:10:07
Speaker
If you're ready to tell your story, check out the link in the show description to learn more about Zencaster. Did you see that, Craig? It's like I'm like i'm a professional or something. It's crazy.
00:10:17
Speaker
and i Have you been to the Molyneux, by the way? Have you been to...? I've never been to the Molyneux. I love to go. Have you got an opportunity to go and check it out? I've been to the Molyneux game to go, too.
00:10:33
Speaker
Yeah, it's um that the stand that we put the away fans in for most Premier League games is the oldest stand, the Steve Ball stand. It was finished in 1979, so it needs a bit of work. um So it's quite funny because ah everyone, but then, you know, you don't want to welcome, you don't want to welcome the away fans too much. We don't want it comfy.
00:10:50
Speaker
um But yeah, so I have to say I'm really scared going into
Fan Unrest and Team Management Problems
00:10:54
Speaker
this weekend. um The manager after the last game was actually saying, I don't want to say slagged off, but basically came out and said that kunya he wants to see couldn't you do better and be more.
00:11:09
Speaker
ah what's the word, more like a captain on the pitch and not kind of ah behaving the way he was in terms of looking frustrated and, um you know, like shrugging and looking like he didn't want to be there. So again, with with him and Lamina wanting out at the moment, it is going to be an interesting weekend. And what I will say is if you guys score early,
00:11:32
Speaker
um particularly, and then it starts to go one way. Molyneux is great when it's rocking, but with everything that's going on at the moment, there's the potential that it could get quite easily toxic from a home perspective, you know because because there's a lot there is a lot of unrest. so yeah yeah And I think we're in the and not we're only not in the bottom three because it there's three teams that promoted ah looking like they could go. Well, obviously, ah everyone's coming coming up and going straight back down at the moment.
00:12:02
Speaker
And if he filled it as well as the tears in the league, then the walls though, that could go down. Um, I mean, I think Southampton and Leicester, obviously I think they're pretty much a done deal. I'm a little bit scared of Ipswich at the moment, purely because not because I think technically they're a better squad. As you mentioned, we've got on paper some good players. Um, I mean, we've got two of Brazil, the Brazil's midfield in, um, Andre and Gomez, but they're just being asked to do so much to defend that back three. Our centre backs are lacking. We've got a new centre back coming.
00:12:37
Speaker
um agbadu but he's only had like what two Premier League games now and he's alongside. Doc is a right wing back but he's playing at centre back at the moment because Totti's out and it's just a bit, everything's a bit frazzled so and we've only gone out and bought one player so far this transfer window and we desperately need them. The fanbase has been saying we need We know we've needed certain players for a long time, but now we're sat here not seeing it. And now Ipswich are going out and signing great players on loan or, you know, bringing players in and spending money. And we're not doing it. So if they, if they, if Ipswich are up for the fight, which I think they are, then it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter, does it? At the end of the day, how much quality you've got on paper, if someone else is up for the fight and they're more physical and they're gonna, they're gonna really get stuck in, then i'm I'm slightly scared that they could take us the distance.
00:13:31
Speaker
um But I'm upset because I kind of want everything that I always want everything to be. I feel like everything should be down there by now. Yeah, they won last week, didn't they? That's top notes. Yeah, I think bringing in David Moyes may probably is going to just make them a little solid and safe. He's going to show up sharp pretty much. yeah Yeah.
Arsenal's Title Race and Roster Concerns
00:13:52
Speaker
So how are you feeling for the title race at the moment? Do you think you're going to do it? Do you think you're going to come good over Liverpool or do you think it's?
00:14:00
Speaker
When these signings, our squad is very thin. It's a very fun, about a 22-month squad. Our squad is the smallest squad in the league. One player is injured. The bench at the moment has currently got a lot of kids on the bench at the moment. I would say we need to start in January before the window closes. We've only got a couple of days left of the window left.
00:14:24
Speaker
It'd be good if we could get one or two players in, just to cover the gaps at the moment. We'll start the gap until the end of the season, so I would love to see someone come in, hopefully who. I don't know, see what happens. And what do you think about, because you mentioned everyone's saying that Arsenal have occasionally looked at Konya. Would you, as an Arsenal fan, would you want him at the moment in your squad? Do you think he gets in the first team, for example?
00:14:52
Speaker
I think he gets into the first tee 100%. He's a good player and I feel like his goal output would be much more better Arsenal because he's trained for a bigger team. No disrespect to Wold obviously but he's trained for a bigger club and then he will get um the more we create more chances as well so he'll get onto more chances at school.
00:15:09
Speaker
um he He could actually get that spot on 11, 100%. I agree against what's on 11. So yeah, yeah. So I'm curious though, because obviously that there's a big, there's lots to talk about how much it would take to prize him away from wolves at the moment, especially given that we're in a relegation battle because, you know, he's a difference maker.
00:15:31
Speaker
bearing in mind you know we we bought him i think at the time around forty forty five million and which look didn't looked looked overpriced at the time but he's he's done a lot for us how much how much do you think oh how much would be you be happy for the club to go out if you if arsenal went out this window and said we're goingnna get kunya how much would you would you be happy for me sixty six to five million i was there I was saying about that. I think that's bla' fair enough for him. That's a fair enough for him. I know he's in Brazil International now as well, but I think it was about, what, 78 million for him. So you know how the transfer window is, the transfer, the price of the players have been slated now. So 65, 70 million is worth the money you get from him, and you can get two or three adequate replacements from him as well. So that would be a good deal, I think. I don't know what other finals thing, but I think that would be a good deal for him.
00:16:24
Speaker
Yeah, it's interesting to hear. I mean, walls fans, ah and um I think the club valuation of him is is higher, like in that, at least well, you you got close to like 70 odd million, I think, 70 to 80 million, um given that they'd want to make the profit on the fact they spent like 45 on him. but um But then again, the way the club have been acting at the moment, I wouldn't put it past them taking that deal um that you mentioned.
00:16:50
Speaker
ah The thing is you you said yourself about then putting that money on to onto to a couple more players. That's the thing that's the thing that's um frustrating the Wolves fan base at the moment, is that the money comes in for those. we you know We sold Neto in the summer to Chelsea, sold Kilman to West Ham. you know We bought took in over like a hundred million pounds worth of money almost between practically two players.
00:17:11
Speaker
And yet hardly any of it is being rest reinvested back into the first team. So it's it's a scary thought. It's a scary thought for someone like whether it's yourself or Forrester who are pushing out the table to to come in with a bid like that um because the Wolves fans are just scared at the prospect of that money not going anywhere near the team.
00:17:33
Speaker
I'm going to ask you a question. They're probably not in debt, are they? When they first got to the Premier League, they were investing a lot of money in the Championship. When they first came to the Championship, they'd buy a net worth of net worth from Porto. They've had the Championship for a little bit, and all these big-name players, like you've got Raul Jimenez, he's not full of them now. All these big-name international players who are coming to Wolf are like,
00:17:56
Speaker
And I thought, yeah, this team could, and I think you guys did one from the, noon on the Nuno Espero Santo. You got, um yeah, we got into the Europa League. We've got two seventh place finishes in a row. And then Nuno, and then it was the COVID season that kind of ruined Nuno's reign for us. Cause it all just went a bit pear shaped under COVID. Yeah. And then he got sacked and then he got bought, but I, I did, I didn't like Gary with Nuno. I thought Gary Nuno did a great job to you guys as well. I thought he was a good manager. I think.
00:18:24
Speaker
What happened this season, obviously he told you on best players. Maybe people will say he lost the dressing room in the end, but I thought he was doing a good job last season for keeping you guys up in the Premier League. and He beat some big teams as well last season as well. He beat but he beat Man City. I think he beat Chelsea as well. He did beat a couple of the big boys last season.
00:18:44
Speaker
um But I think he might, as I said, he might have lost the dressing room this season. There's a lot of in-house fighting as well. A lot of games you all come up with. Fighting stewards and all that kind of stuff after the game. So I can see none of the frustrations he was coming from. But it's a shame really because he'd done so well in the Premier League and now you guys are in a relegation battle. It's a bit like you know and iis Yeah, you asked about the the money so the club the club is not in debt currently because they they've they've been making a stringent effort to not ah like not overspend the last few seasons and they kept using that as an excuse for a while.
00:19:23
Speaker
um They want the club to be self-sufficient. They keep talking about, you know, the, you know, how the likes of Brighton and clubs like that kind of more self-sufficient because they bring in players and then increase their value over time and sell them on and bring on the next one, that kind of thing. But there's, there's a way to do that effectively and a way to do that ineffectively. And at the moment it feels like it's not effective because there's, like we mentioned, they're selling them off for great money, but then they're then they're going for such young or inexperienced players that they're not able to then, they're not able to then replicate it. So so there's, it's just kind of not working and you can see where, you can see the results of it now in, in where we're at. And so a lot of the, so yeah, there's a lot of discussion about that money. It's just going to, to just line their pockets is, is a lot of things. Cause it's a financial firm that just wants to, to make their money back on all the marketing.
00:20:11
Speaker
So it is a, it is a shame, but at some point they're going to realize that potentially that, well, you know, that you have to invest in this league or you're not going to stay in it. If, because if you stand still, if you stand still, then you're going down.
00:20:26
Speaker
So, but yeah, we i mean we have a couple of good ones. Strand Larsson that you mentioned is is pretty solid. It's his first season. He scored seven goals already, a couple of assists. um He's now, he was on loan with a ah clause to buy and that has been activated because he's appeared more times now. So ah so that he will be bought in the summer. ah Which league he'll end up in, I do not know.
00:20:47
Speaker
Kunyu was offered a contract extension that's been stalled because apparently he's asking for a relegation release clause in the new extension. um But we shall see. All right, before we get into like what we think of the the game coming up exactly in a bit more detail, this just remind everyone that this podcast is part of the Global Sports Podcast Network, the only network bringing you exclusive daily news and views on your Premier League team, the Premier League, women's football and fantasy football.
00:21:15
Speaker
a unique listening experience that puts fans first, bringing you the very latest breaking news from your team. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and make it your first listen every day. Global Sports Podcast Network, every club, every day.
00:21:29
Speaker
Yeah. All right. So this weekend, then, um what do you think is going to be what you we can go through the exact score lines in a minute, but are you just thinking it's going to be a straight up win? And are you expecting any changes in your lineup, as you mentioned, because you've got the midweek game? Are you expecting any drastic changes or?
00:21:50
Speaker
I think he'll rotate the sport again for that game. I think he'll rotate the sport depending on how to play, how to get this tonight and how to play. It's a recovery from tomorrow to Friday. It's a Saturday game. He'll kind of see how the players are and what I find to make a decision on Friday for the game on Saturday. So, yeah. And do you think it's going to be a walk in the park? Straight three points?
00:22:14
Speaker
I don't think, after the last three games, we've been walking up apart and asking them if it wasn't like that. They thought they came back and threw 2-2 of us. As much as we were struggling, I don't underestimate no team in the Premier League. I don't care if you're bottom or top. Anyone can beat anyone on the day, so you have to be up for the game 100%. Yes, we're going into the game as favourites, but if we don't show up in the game, you guys could capitalise on that. So we have to make sure we have our A game.
00:22:39
Speaker
win the game nice and early, whats some of it make some changes at half time or second half, keep the players fresh. That's all I can say really. i I'm usually Mr. Uptomistic on our part for anyone that isn't like, here's this on your side of the feed, um you know, in the Wolves team, I'm usually a Mr. Uptomism, but right now, after the last few performances and everything going on, as you've probably told from some of the stuff we've discussed so far, I'm not there. um So as much as I'm normally the guy saying, yeah, we'll get at least a draw or we'll get three points or, you know, sneak a 2-1 win or whatever it is,
00:23:15
Speaker
To be honest, we're letting in goals like no one's business right now. what We've let in three goals a piece the last three matches, like some 3-0, 3-1, 3-0 or whatever it was. So, i I hate to say it but I think it could be, I think it could even be something hard like a 4-1 Arsenal win.
00:23:33
Speaker
um that genuinely, I don't like to say that as a home fan, but that's kind of how it feels this week with everything going on around the team. and So yeah, you heard it here you heard it here Arsenal fans, that's what I think.
00:23:47
Speaker
um Would you be, I mean, obviously you'd be happy with that, but you said you don't think it's going to be an easy game and I hope it won't be an easy game. I hope I'm really wrong, but obviously, do you have a a score line in mind? I think 3-1 Arsenal. I think he got a score against Arsenal, so think 3-1 Arsenal.
00:24:05
Speaker
Yeah. We can usually say that we haven't in the last couple, but we, we usually can score a goal and make chances, but I say we just can't keep clean sheets. So I think it's going to be, I think it's, it's going to be one of those days. I'm, I'm afraid. Um, and from a wolves perspective, it's, uh, yeah, it's going to be a tough run in this next few games. It's going to be really harsh. And then after, us who have you guys got after this game? Um,
00:24:31
Speaker
I think, I think we've got Man City coming off as well. We've got Man City coming off soon, let me double check, hold on. I know we've got to play Newcastle again as well. Yeah, you've got roll call you got Man City, so you've got, because you've got Champions League again, and then you've got Man City at home on the second of Feb. Yeah, so that's the second, yeah. That's going to be a huge game for you guys.
00:24:56
Speaker
different, 100% agree. So we've got you guys on Saturday, then we've got my city at home, let's do away, West Ham at home, not in the forest away, my night at the way, Chelsea at home, Fulham at home, Everton away, Brentwood at home, Ipsley's away, Crystal Palace at home. So we've got some hard fixes coming up.
00:25:20
Speaker
yeah yeah well yeah Yeah, it doesn't get any easier for us. We've got we've got you guys, then we've got Villa next. And then after the f FA Cup game with Blackburn, we've got Liverpool. and So yeah, it's it's going to be a rough ride. But whatever your performance is, anyone out there, or if your team, whether your team's doing well or bad,
00:25:42
Speaker
just remember um that the mozzo of our city over here in Wolverhampton is something I always sign off with at the end of a show because I think it's nice. I think it reminds people that there's always there was always light at the end of the tunnel. so um ah will Before I drop that, I'll say, Craig, it's been awesome chatting with you today. Thank you. I'd normally wish you luck for the weekend, but you don't need it. so I'm just going to try and keep all the luck for us. okay I need it. We need it. It's not bad.
00:26:10
Speaker
um But yeah, so thanks everyone for tuning in and just remember no matter what's going on out there, out of darkness, come a flight.
00:26:23
Speaker
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