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Southampton x Leicester Crossover
7 Plays2 months ago
Jake is joined by Greg and Zak from Daily Southampton to preview the game at the weekend. We talk this season, Tyler Dibling, the 9-0 win and even Claude Puel gets a mention!
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Transcript
Introduction and Crossover Episode
00:00:02
Speaker
every club every day the global sports podcast network hello and welcome to the daily south hampton and the daily lester crossover episode from the global sports podcast network i'm joined today by my wonderful co-host zac hello and from the lester side of the uh this pod the network uh jake how you doing jake nice to have you on Yeah, I'm good. ah Nice to speak to you both. I'm interested to to hear your thoughts on Saints' season so far and I'm i'm sure I'm interested to hear about Leicester so far and and we'll get into it.
Leicester's Recent Performance and Optimism
00:00:39
Speaker
Well the most exciting part of our season so far I think is that we're past the international break and back to football and we will get straight into that. So yeah we can as always cover both sides of the topic so ah let's just get straight into it. So Jake what are you making of the of the season at Leicester so far?
00:00:59
Speaker
um Obviously the the last game we played before the international break we beat Bournemouth 1-0 so um suddenly I can feel a bit of positivity because if anyone has listened to any of the ah crossover episodes or episodes I've done previously I was very negative to be honest but for most of the season and um but yeah that first win has definitely lifted spirits, a clean sheet as well um and Yeah, it was a better performance during the first half. We were definitely a bit lucky during the second. and You know, the afternoon at the Woodwork, two or three times, had a goal disallowed. But, yeah, generally we've been in every game. um You know, it's been tight in every single match. And then we managed to get over the line against Bournemouth. So hopefully um we've got yourselves, obviously, the weekend and then we've got Nottingham Forest in a week or so. um So we've got two games there and a couple more where we could hopefully get some points from.
Expectations for Upcoming Leicester vs Southampton Match
00:01:51
Speaker
I would only say that that's what exactly what we thought about Forrest and that we got spanked from. So don't underestimate the Forrest lot. Would you say from a Leicester perspective, you you guys are coming in expecting to win this or just hopeful to get something from it?
00:02:09
Speaker
um I wouldn't say expecting to win because I think that probably would play down. I mean, look, you guys have got any i've only got one point. However, um you've been in in games, obviously Arsenal, you went ahead. So I wouldn't say expecting to win, but we're we're certainly hoping to carry on where we've left off in Spournemouth and get another win. And realistically, um you know when I was looking back over and previous games you know and it was something that stuck in my mind the last time we got relegated obviously together but you actually beat us in both games home and away and we were one point from staying up and it's always stuck in my mind that if we'd drawn one of those games I think at home you you scored late from Che Adams and away um we hit we we didn't have a shot on target but missed lots of chances in a really weird game as a lot of our games are. So maybe that was the game where I don't know how we won it because I can't remember who it was that just consistently missed on the goal line. that was in a day in that show yeah i was like it was like Literally it was harder to miss the goal and it was nuts. and
00:03:17
Speaker
Yeah, that was probably what one of our only wins of the season, Greg. on this season and And that's what probably sent us down. So there you go. So I'm hoping we we can get a win on Saturday. um and And it's a game that really see when you look back on the end of the season,
Leicester's Defensive Challenges
00:03:31
Speaker
both ways, yourselves included, you're going to think we need points. So ah yeah, it will also be a tricky game.
00:03:38
Speaker
the pessimist in me says we lost 5-0 the last time we played and before that we lost 4-1. So to be honest you you know that I know that the Premier League was a different kettle of fish but then and the the personnel were very different, ah the style of play is very different and it is kind of from our side, it's very worrying that a lot of players and that a lot of say fan base are kind of going into it thinking, oh, Leicester's incredibly beatable. And I'm just looking at the last two games we've played at a different league. And I'm like, guys, you, you're right. but Especially where our defensive line has been a big problem so far this year, but hey-ho.
00:04:14
Speaker
Yeah, i am I mean, look, our defence is not ah sure by any means. Matt Hermanson, I think I'm sure I've been seeing he's made the most saves in the league um and he hasn't done that by accident because ah we leak chances and shots for him from good positions. He's not making, you know, saves from 30-yard shots. He's making saves from from in the penalty area that um realistically not many keepers are making. So we will definitely give up chances. um a hope and We're hoping you're not going to take them, home so make good sense.
Anticipation of a High-Scoring Game
00:04:45
Speaker
I think we're going to get chances as well. I'd be surprised to hold my hands up now because if ah if i'm I might jinx it, but I'd be surprised if it's an ill nail. Yeah, sounds like it could be a a relatively high scoring affair, to be honest. My first interesting stat of the day ah might change interesting in this point to upsetting from our perspective, but
00:05:05
Speaker
I don't quite understand the maths they've used to calculate this statistic on the stat site I'm looking at, but it says that ah Leicester City is 406% better in terms of goals scored this season. So I think that's based on the goals per match number.
00:05:26
Speaker
ah I like it, it's interesting. yeah That, I think, sums up the problems we've had all season, right? It's just getting it in the net. I know it's a key part of this game, however, we'd really like to see it starting happening more often for the Saints, wouldn't we?
Leicester's Tactical Changes Under New Management
00:05:44
Speaker
Well, I guess from your side, ah Jake, where where is the threat coming from? Where are the goals coming from this season? What's your what's your sort of setup under Steve Cooper? Is it much different?
00:05:55
Speaker
Yes, yes it is for sure. Enzo Maresca last year, you know we've we've just mentioned the two games last year where you know we scored which score a lot of goals generally, we scored a lot of goals in in the two games that we played last year against you know Southampton and ah it is a lot different. we We still like to have the ball but it's certainly less passive possession I would call it. We had a lot under Maresca between the centre-halves, that's not quite the same now um and we can mix it up.
00:06:19
Speaker
um I think actually we we're much better against Bournemouth because we went direct. um A lot of channel balls, a lot of safety passes in terms of if there was danger. and but But not just getting rid of it in the first half, for getting rid of ah the ball's sake, trying to still control the game. And actually we did, second half on the other hand, we didn't at all. It was really digging in. So we've shown a real balance and mixture of performance of style um and sort of just adapt, trying to adapt to the game. Generally, we've been better in second half than first. However, as I say, the last games Bournemouth, that was absolutely not the case. So um maybe that was a case of Bournemouth reading our play and adapting tactically. That's how it looked in the ground. um And also maybe us tiring a little bit, a mixture of both.
00:07:07
Speaker
And where are the goals coming from?
Key Players and Goal-Scoring Concerns for Leicester
00:07:10
Speaker
who what's Who's the player we've got to look out for? Surely not still Vardy. um i've got I've got to mention him because he as long as he's fit he'll always play and he is definitely a threat and you know you guys know that as much as anyone in this league. and But other than Jamie Vardy, Stephanie Mavididi on the left hand side, Wenonote who I don't think realistically he's going to start because he comes back from Argentina duty I think the day before so I would be very surprised if he played which is really disappointing because he's brilliant I'm from Brighton so if he plays him Mavadini for sure
00:07:48
Speaker
um Jordan IU is probably going to play, but I'm not sure he's a goal threat. I quite like him, but he certainly he doesn't seem like a goal threat at this point. um So maybe that's an area that that concerns me, because if you've got a front three of IU, Mavardini and Vardy, he's sort of relying heavily on Mavardini and Vardy for the goals there. um And IU doesn't, so far for us, hasn't really tended to look like scoring in the league. I can see that. observ it No, go on after you. I said, um like I could see that happening, though. Like, Vardy's just a menace and has been, especially just for years. And the problem is, is that defenders against, like, that type of player, specifically our defenders against that type of player, have always struggled. And, you know, you can see even us stacking two players against Sakura in our last game against Arsenal didn't really
00:08:37
Speaker
didn't really stop that. And it it really worries me because if we are giving away the chances we give away, Vardy is the kind of bloke to put them away without thinking about it, right? And I'm still mad at him for an injury in Virgil van Dijk like five or six seasons ago, but that's just me being paid. True football fan holding on to something from five or six years ago, I like it. I completely understand it myself.
00:09:04
Speaker
If we're being really honest, I mean Jamie Vardy is the the atmosphere it at St Mary's on Saturday has the potential to to turn and it really could be one piece of ah Jamie Vardy's standard level of approach to that that really could turn it on a knife edge, to be honest.
00:09:24
Speaker
um it's as you've just said there he's always a frat especially we've we've created some decent chances for him and he'll put them away um it's just he hasn't had loads of them and that and that's probably whereas a few years ago he had lots of chances and would be a good finish if he'd had lots now he's just clinical with what he gets um And it's it's whether we can get him on saying that last year was born with anyone which the highlights he missed an absolute sitter. That was the most un-Jamie like Jamie Vardy like shots I've ever seen where it looked like he was he's playing the wrong sport. So um hopefully he's got that one out of his system. Yes, and hopefully there's many more of that to come at least just once, right?
Zencastr Promotional Segment
00:10:05
Speaker
OK, well, that leads us nicely to our first message from our partners over at Zencaster.
00:10:13
Speaker
So here at the Global Sports Podcast Network, we spent a lot of time 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 ums and ahs. It's super easy to start a podcast that sounds great and is delivered efficiently. If you're ready to tell your story, check out the link in the show description to learn more about Zencaster. Okay, well, I guess, Jake, I will...
00:10:41
Speaker
ah hand over the reins to you and i'll kind of talk a bit about Southampton.
Southampton's Team Dynamics and Management
00:10:46
Speaker
Yeah, I'm going to go straight in to you, Zach. I just want to know your thoughts on um Russell Martin overall, your thoughts on him currently. And i I don't know if you might correct me here. I've read that after the Arsenal game, he was he was quite defensive in the press conference about certain things. and And obviously, the season hasn't started particularly well. And yeah, I just wanted to pay your overall thoughts and the feeling around the fan base about Russell Martin currently and overall.
00:11:16
Speaker
So I've always been a bit of a Russell Martin defender and I think if you look at the season that we got relegated and the absolute state of the club and we had three managers on the bounce, you know, Hasna Houtou, he did an immense amount for us, don't get me wrong, but apparently everyone had decided his time was up. ah Nathan Jones, which was an insane one month period of time where this sound bits alone will have us go in for years from his press conferences. And even even very recently, he turned around and decided to give you know, some more, some more sort of gunfire directly at us, which wasn't wasn't ideal. And then obviously, Ruben Sellers, he's done a fantastic job at Reading, but just wasn't ready to, you know, I think he was in charge at the time with our win against you. But that was one of the very small
00:12:06
Speaker
but amount of wins he got. right I think it was that and I think it was a game against Chelsea and other than that you know he he said a lot but didn't really know how to do didn't really know what to do and sort of the difference with Russell Martin as he came in implemented a system that we struggled with the first sort of couple of games of the
Southampton's Playing Style and Challenges
00:12:24
Speaker
championship. you know we We had a losing streak before we had that long sort of unbeaten run. And then obviously towards the end of the season as well, when a lot of the teams have sort of found us out, you know, 100%, you guys, what was 20, 23rd of April, we we played with that five nil loss. And by that point, you know, we were, we were playing like we did at the beginning of the season eight Sunderland. But I think that a lot of what has happened so far this season, I don't think is entirely down to him. I think a lot of it has been mistakes that have been made from personnel
00:12:54
Speaker
And yes, we play out from the back, but they are drilled this kind of stuff on the training ground. And we know that the quality that we're playing against and we have been willing to change like formation, but he's not really going to change the fundamentals. And a lot of people sort of wish that he would, and that he would start playing the game differently. But the problem is, is that we have a lot of players that have signed for us, a lot of people that have extended their contracts, a lot of sort of the philosophy around the way that our football club works now, around the way that he wants to play football. We remember the Claude Poelier years where we yeah we came eighth, but we got rid of him because my lord, we were so bored.
00:13:37
Speaker
i know clearly Yeah, exactly. So like, don't get me wrong, like, yeah, it was great that, you know, we got to to a final with him and this and the other, but But, you know, there is something about the way that we play now that is exciting to watch. But as Greg always points out, there is nothing more terrifying than watching us play a pass out for the back, accidentally give it to a player. And the problem is with the Premier League is it's it's different to playing against, you know, the rotherums of the world. You pass that to a striker that has a, you know, instinct for goal is going in. yeah And that's where we've been punished. And I think they're starting to tighten things up. I think the the mass change of personnel has not been
00:14:17
Speaker
as ah effective as they hoped it would be. It's taken them longer to gel, and I think that's why we're in the position that we're in. But I understand that football is a results-driven game, and the fanbase are starting to see time running out. But I also would say, well, who who do they feasibly think we should replace him with at this point? And also, do did do they really think that when, quote unquote, time is running out, that we are, despite the fact that it feels like it's been months, six, seven games into the season, I still think that he should be given the time to sort of implement the changes. And I think you saw the positivity from Arsenal. And a lot of his defensive comments were very much him saying, well, look at Arsenal and Arteta and look what they managed to create. I think the difference with Arsenal and Arteta and Southampton and Russell Martin is that I don't think Arsenal were at any point of accidentally dropping down into the championship again. We are very much at that sort of risk level. so So yeah, I can understand a lot of the criticism
00:15:14
Speaker
From a personal perspective, I think it would be mad to give him the boot
Southampton's Potential and Season Expectations
00:15:18
Speaker
now. But I also am aware that, you know, time it will run short in a league this competitive if you don't start to get results. And that is what we need sooner rather than later. And I think that this game, asked how it as all the games so far have been touted, is an incredibly important must-win match. However, you know, we saw a free hit supposedly against Arsenal.
00:15:44
Speaker
I don't know, it's it's a worrying one, but I think we should keep the faith. I don't know how you feel about it, Greg, but um of ah you know you know what my opinions are. Yeah, i'd ah Greg, i'd I'd like to hear your thoughts as well, because um I guess, I mean, Poel getting mentioned, I tried to erase his time with us from from my memory, to be honest, I sympathise with that one. and But no, I'd like to hear your thoughts, Greg, on just what what you thought the season, obviously Martin in there and and some of the recent games and what you're thinking sort of in the next, I don't know, four or five matches, because I can see you've got Wolves and Everton in there.
00:16:21
Speaker
um And obviously, they're games where you could certainly get points from. Yeah, I'm feeling a bit more optimistic than Zach, I think, which is um not really surprising to any of our regular listeners. But I think that the performance against Arsenal was our best of the season. And I know a 3-0 loss coming out of that might sound a bit defeated, but really, it was just their quality that shined through at the end towards towards the end of play. you know we compared who they bought off the bench against who we managed to bring off the bench. And it yeah it was ridiculous. Did the same thing. yeah So if we can keep that that level of performance, we've got a great chance on Saturday to really hopefully kickstart the season. And you're right, the next fixtures and the next sort group of games ah are important and an odd mix, but we've also got you know City away.
00:17:16
Speaker
in that mix as well. i sort of i that yeah So I don't know, it's going to be an interesting one. And um as far as Russell Martin, I think that i think the club have made it abundantly clear that he's our manager and we're committed to that. um And I would be very surprised even with all of the noise if we see him go any time before Christmas, even if we haven't won a game by then, to be honest.
00:17:45
Speaker
um And I think that that's reasonable. So we're only six or seven games in. And at this point last season, we were in a similar position in the championship. So yeah.
Impact of Ross Stewart's Injury on Southampton
00:17:57
Speaker
we We hold on hope that that 25 game unbeaten run this season will kick in as well got hall i like it and I also wanted to ask about Ross Stewart, which I'm sure at some point you've discussed and talked about um And he's obviously I don't know how many he kind of played many games since moving last summer. Maybe four or five Maybe even not that um obviously went off injured in that first half against Arsenal. um Is there any news on him and in terms of injury? um What are your thoughts, Zach, on him so far for Saints? I think that was the first time it actually started much for us which was devastating and i think I think that's the only word I really have for it is I'm devastated for him yeah um because people are saying it seems to be a waste of money and to be perfectly honest
00:18:45
Speaker
not not due to his fault, but it has been. We've spent we spent quite a lot of money on somebody that has really been unable to make an impact with you know completely separate injuries. And I just think it's it's really, really unlucky. And I think that, you know, had he been fit and been able to actually start scoring last season, it would have been significantly better. He's played all right so far. um Obviously nothing outstanding. He played all right at the beginning of that sort of Arsenal game, but then, you know, went off again with a fresh different injury.
00:19:14
Speaker
And I just don't know how long the club are willing to sort of put up with that without, you know, how much they're willing to go through trying to rehabilitate him again, get him back on the field sort of thing. If this is going to happen every so often and they might consider, you know, cutting their losses and going. And yeah, to be honest, just I just find it a really sort of tragic case of unfortunately, these things happen in football and it's one of those sort of situations. but you know, hopefully he can come back and do good and sort of show the player that we wanted to sign. um But its I just, i don't I can't have the optimism there just because of how many times now in a row, but more than anything, I just feel devastated for the guy because if you just want to play get on and play football and then you have this happen every, every sort of couple of months, got to be frustrating for everybody involved, to be perfectly honest.
Tyler Diblin's Impressive Performance for Southampton
00:20:06
Speaker
But um it did give Archer a chance to shine last time as well, because I think you forgot his goal there, mate, when you said we got beaten through now. You call me the pessimist! You're right, I did. And we've spoke before about how hopefully that's the goal that will push him on to that bit of confidence, so I'm sure we'll...
00:20:27
Speaker
see plenty of that, hopefully heading into the weekend. ah I've obviously talked about Stuart, which, as you say, is it's sad. He's almost barely played now for two years, other than his games here and there for Southampton, and it is very sad. But on on the flip side of that, someone from an outside perspective I'm concerned about for Saturday, I'm really but excited about. To be honest, watching, he looks like a really good talent, Tyler Diblin. Like, obviously, you know, only 18 looks fantastic. um Greg, what are your thoughts on him?
00:20:56
Speaker
Yeah. So it's, um, it's a bit up in the air to be honest, because he withdrew from the England under 19 with, uh, or he didn't meet up with them because of an injury. So we're all hopeful that that was just a sneaky little play on our part to avoid any extra game time. as easily um Really for us, been the first name on the team sheet so far this season, the, um, just the confidence he plays with as a,
00:21:23
Speaker
effectively a child is mad. He is you know an 18 year old a man who yeah just seems to be the main driving force and the main focal point at the moment. And yeah, definitely one of the the glittering parts of an otherwise pretty great season so far, but but definitely the the shining example.
00:21:45
Speaker
How come we hope to see he's played so much this season where he didn't play so many games last year? Is that um due to a change of ah of transfers of players moving on or just how come he's ended up in the team this year? I think that, to be honest, he was sort of right on the fringe last season and he just had a really exceptional pre-season. And I think that he um blew everyone away with that. I don't think we knew that he was going to be quality for us one day, um but didn't quite expect him to pull it out of the hat quite as quick as that. and And really put a statement point on how essential he's been to the team so quickly. um But yeah, it started in preseason. He really had a ah ah a great preseason and forced his way in to get some appearances off the bench. And then when he came on off the bench in those early games, he was the
00:22:39
Speaker
again, that shining star that was the sort of the positive element that the team really would needed and looked for. And it was just, you could not put him to start. It was, uh, yeah, it was lauded before that as well. Like to be, to be clear, he was coveted by Chelsea and I think he went there for all of a day and then obviously some, for some, for whatever reason, backed out of that contract and came back to us. And, uh, that's, that's a beautiful thing for us because the way it used to it being significantly the other way.
00:23:07
Speaker
And even, you know, you saw some of our ah sort of young, young starlets like Jaden Magoma as well. ah He's one of the ones that, you know, has has recently gone out of the door and we've we've lost quite a few, even at an Academy level nowadays. So it was very kind of nice to retain him. And I think that there was always that sort of recognition of star quality quite early on. And I think there was a reluctance to maybe use him. But then when he kind of exploded onto the scene this season,
00:23:36
Speaker
It's been sort of, I think Greg, some of the last time, it's it's almost like having a new signing. So i we're very glad to have. I think the reluctance came a lot as well from some injuries we've had in the last couple of years with younger players, um, with sort of Tino, liver, Mento, and Romeo, Lavia, both young and got thrown in with lots of minutes early on. Um, and then had it's, you know, injuries that almost ended their season. So.
00:24:02
Speaker
I think the reluctance to play him quite so much at the start came from that, but he's really made it difficult to leave him out. And we'll continue this conversation once we have a word from our partners at Global Sports Podcast Network.
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00:24:18
Speaker
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Speaker
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Predictions and Conclusion of Crossover Episode
00:24:44
Speaker
Okay. So we've covered the saint side of the story and the lesser side of the story. And we're going to get to the the crux of it and go to our predictions. But before I ah hand over to Jake as the away team to go first, I've got another little stat ah So in our last in the last 24 matches of ah Southampton and Leicester, 54% of those games have had three or more goals and 33% have had four or more goals.
00:25:14
Speaker
say bear that the ah heavy affair one way or another so i think you have on ja guarantee no one no guaranteed him no one side best on my so the way in it late i said um no he sure surely not surely not and I'd be so surprised based on, ah you know, ah you you mentioned in there that you've still scored goals, but as we've got one clean sheet and that was one clean sheet, well, born off at the barn post and had a goal ruled out. So it wasn't like we looked comfortable. So my score prediction when I was thinking about it, I'm going to go for a 2-1 to Leicester because I think you will score at some point. and But I also think we will. um But I'm expecting a tight game. Obviously, last year,
00:26:03
Speaker
you know, we won 4-1 away and we managed to beat you 5-0 at home and we scored lots of goals, but this isn't that team. This certainly isn't that team. I don't think we have the capability to score that many goals, to be honest, home or away. um We're going to hopefully stay up this year by grinding our results, winning by the old goal here and there um and doing enough. So, yeah, I'm thinking a 2-1 victory for us, um but I am expecting a a tight game, but with goals, hopefully. I think that's fairly reasonable prediction, I think. Zach, what do you think, Kim? I don't know. It depends. I'll always give my heart and my head because I struggle whenever. So my heart wants to say 3-2 and my head says 3-3 because I think it will be a high scoring game. I think that considering the sort of seasons we've both had, the starts of the season, we've both had the fact that we've got all this pressure on us and the fact that we both seem to open up at the back. One of the things I didn't get to mention was obviously
00:27:01
Speaker
you still retain some of our players from the 9-0 loss, which is the most bizarre bizarre thing ever to put out highlights of beating a club 9-0 and then hire both of the two of the back line that let in those goals, including one of the blokes sent off in that game. um However, so yeah, like i'd love I'd love that to happen, but I could see i could see us maybe winning 3-2 or losing 3-2 if I'm totally honest. I think it's going to be a high scoring game and I think it will probably be decided like that. but Let's go with my official prediction as 3-3 just for funsies. And I'll wrap up, as ever, the optimist on the show. ah Those numbers, to me, it screams goals, you know, sloppy defenses from both. I think we're in for a classic. I think we're going to go for a 4-3 win and um maybe even first one match of the day.
00:27:56
Speaker
I think it could be 6-0 and we'd still be last because it's two promoted clubs. They'll put United in whoever United are playing, they'll be on first for sure. If they keep getting beat it's on them really, isn't it? um i mean ah whatever the score we can ah both as teams take solace that it's always more miserable for United and we're still playing better than Everton. So yeah yeah on that positive note, it's swiftly run out of time. So Jake, thank you very much for joining us. Thanks for for being here. Pleasure, good fun. The Daily Leicester and the Daily Southampton crossover with the Global Sports Podcast Network and we'll see you next time. Every club.
00:28:51
Speaker
The Global Sports Podcast Network.