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00:00:01
Daily Southampton: Episode 136: Tactics Tuesday! Do we have any?!
72 Plays11 days ago
Southampton – We talk about tactics, shapes, man marking, and Cameron Archer!
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Transcript
Introduction and Banter
00:00:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome back to the Daily Southampton, part of the Global Sports Podcast Network. My name is Greg Elliott and today I'm once again joined by my good friend, Zach Ingo Finch.
00:00:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
How you doing, mate? You alright?
00:00:23
Zak
Yeah, Merry, Merry cheese to everybody. We're one day away from the weekend, one day closer to another weekend game where we're, but then, yeah, I'm all right.
Game Strategy and Tactics
00:00:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
It is everybody's favourite day of the week where we... have the unenviable task of diving into the tactics that cost us the game on Saturday.
00:00:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
And yeah, that's that's what we're going to do. So, right, Zach. Back five versus who's at the back, what's going on is what we saw on Saturday, right? The first half was very distinct back five with man marking.
00:01:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then after that,
00:01:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Do we really know what happened?
00:01:06
Zak
after After that, it's it's we're going to lose and we're already like to no down.
00:01:11
Zak
So let's just chuck the kitchen sinker and hope that it works. It's the kind of vibe I get.
00:01:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
We kind of went to... We kind of went to Jan Bednarek at the back. Everyone else in some form of midfield or going forward. I think Aribo was supposed to be playing centre-back as well.
00:01:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
But definitely at several points was the furthest forward on the pitch. And then ended up at left wing... and then didn't get back in time. Yeah.
00:01:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's the detriment of man marking, right?
00:01:40
Zak
we ever just going to play...
00:01:42
Zak
Yeah, we ever... This is the problem.
Defensive Strategy Concerns
00:01:44
Zak
Sometimes I wonder, like, we've been playing this back three for so long now. And even the even the Russell Martin, we had, like, this weird sort of versus a back four. And then every time he did a back four, it was kind of bad. But it's just like, it does feel... We just ship goals left, right and centre.
00:02:00
Zak
I don't understand. i almost wonder, is it like better that we try and play Rusk was in charge for those two games and just actually aim for a clean sheet rather than trying to win? and And sometimes I wonder if that's the case. like Again, if we had another three draws, we beat the Derby's record, right?
00:02:16
Zak
derby sorry burme fan deby's record right i I understand that there's a problem in attack. We've got this problem where we can't score. And because we have this severe problem that we can't score, it seems really weird to me that we keep trying to chuck the kitchen sink at making that work rather than shoring up the way that our defense works.
System Flaws and Critique
00:02:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:02:34
Zak
And we're so prone to individual errors that it means that any system we try and implement doesn't matter that because when they when we go one-on-one with somebody, we lose a ball. Or alternatively, we pass it back and it gets lost. Like,
00:02:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah I actually think the main problem from what i saw, at least what I saw on Saturday, is that the back five kind of shifts the problem further back on the pitch than you'd like.
00:02:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
like I kind of feel like with a back four and an extra defensive midfielder pushing the problem a further 10-15 yards up the pitch. we like with The midfield we had just got walked over so easily.
00:03:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
and i know some of that was down to personnel and some of that was down to the system or lack thereof, but it's...
00:03:15
Zak
Thank you.
00:03:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
What's the point in having all of these defenders when we concede so many regardless? We should just put more strikers on and try and outscore the opponent, right?
00:03:30
Zak
Well, we tried that. And like I think that's what that's what it felt like we tried to do. And then, like yeah, we got a goal back. And then the problem is is that then it was so easy to just take advantage of us. And all it what it required was the for Bournemouth to turn it on, basically.
00:03:43
Zak
They went, oh, no, this game's getting close again. the Better score another goal than Seattle game. and And that's what they were able to do without without really...
00:03:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:03:51
Zak
it It wasn't like us where it feels like every goal we get is like we have had to put so much time and effort. And it's like... is the amount of pain we have to get through to just score and like don't know for the rest of the season is it better than just go nil nil or are you right is it let's chuck this kitchen sink it and and then just go all out attacking but the problem that you've got is that you were also very astute in the way you're talking about how this is essentially a bedding in period right and as much as people don't like to hear it and as much as we can speculate over the future of the manager
00:04:23
Zak
The current plan, as it is, is that Juric is going to implement the way he wants to play.
Manager Juric's Tactical Adjustments
00:04:29
Zak
And he's still tinkering, practicing, deciding on personnel, having difficult decisions to make because he's falling out with personnel.
00:04:35
Zak
So they're still learning. You can still see that there's some, you know, and I think someone said, someone pointed out that the sort of Russell Martin situation Ball is very much a get-out-of-jail-free card for the fact that maybe Juric isn't as good enough.
00:04:49
Zak
like I don't know whether I disagree with that or agree. it may Sometimes they kind of just revert back to what they know. But also, it's just i'm wondering if it's going to pay off in the long run.
00:04:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:05:00
Zak
like You seem to have hope that it will, but then you look at sort of performances at the weekend. It must be confusing if you're told to do something for the whole first half that you've practiced in training all week and the second half just completely sod it off and do what you want because that's that's very much how it felt like the especially towards the end when you're bringing on all these attacking players where i'm like well i guess we just don't care if we concede at this point because at least if we score again
00:05:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:05:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:05:22
Zak
ah just But we can't outscore our opponents. We haven't been able to. The only time that I can think of in recent memory where we came out was that Huddersfield game in the championship where we were down you know at halftime. Then we came back and somehow won by like five goals or whatever I was thinking in the end.
00:05:37
Zak
And this season, again, and you talked about it you know when you were like, oh, tall, Paul toolpo equally why the lines are coming. But when we were like 2-0 down, in my head, to win, we need score three goals.
00:05:48
Zak
and we can barely score one.
00:05:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:05:49
Zak
And I don't know if it's necessarily down to the system or what. do what do What do you think? Because obviously yeah you you are more tactically minded than I am when it comes to this kind of stuff, right?
00:06:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. I think that it's...
00:06:03
Zak
That's a big ramble, I'm aware
00:06:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think that it's it's tricky. I think that part of it will be down to Juric and his system. And I don't think that Changing it up in the second half is necessarily a bad thing. And who's not to say that that is something that they work on. Like, oh, right, well, in the second half, we need to switch up a gear. So we're going to make attacking changes.
00:06:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
It might well be something that they're comfortable with doing. But it feels really disjointed.
00:06:37
Zak
Yeah.
00:06:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
It doesn't feel like there is. Like we accused Russell Martin a lot of not really having a plan B. And my real concern with Juric is that sometimes it feels like there's not even a plan a Like, it I look at the starting lineup and the formation and it just doesn't ever seem to really gel or click.
00:06:53
Zak
Thank you.
00:06:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
And it takes some tweaks on field. And even some of those are questionable at times. I've seen a couple of people talking about how after their right back got booked,
00:07:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
And we could have used that as a chance because it was Suleyman causing him problems that immediate as that happened, Suleyman got switched to the other side anyway, which took away that, you know, issue that really could have been done with, could have got ourselves into a better position and either put him under pressure because he didn't want to do something stupid and get sent off or, you know, play
Player Fitness and Behavior Issues
00:07:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
against 10 men. Although famously, we all know that is more difficult anyway.
00:07:38
Zak
Yeah.
00:07:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
is i Yeah, i I don't know what the answer is. And I don't know if but don't know if any kind of tactics at this point are going to stick enough to help us. It's very clear to me that the main difference is, I'm going to come back to it again, beat the same drum, is just the fitness and the ability to stay on the ball.
00:08:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
You know, you don't get as much time on the ball as you do in other leagues. Every team is just fitter. faster, more aggressive and hungrier than us. That's just the only way it seems.
00:08:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Every time Bournemouth got on the ball, they looked dangerous. Every time they weren't on the ball and we tried to keep the ball, either the player that had the ball was swarmed or there were just no options. And part of that was down to their pressing, but also part of that is just down to how static we are.
00:08:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Only a couple of our players really seem happy to move about the pitch or move too far away from the man they're supposed to be marking. Presumably because what's so important in the system is the ability to instantly pick that player back up when in transition.
00:08:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
But actually what that's leading to is no space for us to work with and no options. The amount of time someone's just help holding onto the ball for too long because they've got nothing else they can do for it.
00:09:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
The same can be said of you know, the amount of times Paul actually manages to bring a ball down, which he is quite good at. He gets, you know, Ramsdale is very good at finding Paul with a long ball. I would say maybe 70% of the time he gets the first touch on it.
00:09:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
That first touch isn't always great, but if there was someone running up there with him, you've got a good chance of getting on it. But Cameldean has this horrible trait that I've noticed just giving up on a run immediately as soon as, like, the first piece of adversity kicks in. I know you said... we raised this yesterday, and you said that that maybe preserves him to keep his pace, which is his dangerous point for the rest of the game. But I just don't buy that. I just... You're getting paid hundreds of thousands or, you know, at least tens of thousands of pounds a week.
00:09:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like, just run for 90 minutes.
Young Talent and Skill Issues
00:10:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's not... I run around on a football pitch for more than 90 minutes a week and I don't get paid thousands of pounds to do it.
00:10:05
Zak
You do.
00:10:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like, I know it's a different level and a different intensity, but it just, it shouldn't be that hard, should it?
00:10:16
Zak
No, I'm full agreement with you. And I can raise some of my points after a word from our partners.
00:10:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:11:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, so we are back. And Zach, you you might have some other thoughts on fitness.
00:11:05
Zak
Yeah, I think it's it's the it's not just the fitness thing as well. It is sometimes a combination of the fitness and the disconnection. And it's like, I think I've talked about it before, where it just feels like a lot of the players do need to just go back to basics because those are the things we're really, really struggling with. is you know You're talking about how there aren't men there.
00:11:23
Zak
Sometimes there are, but like this the the level of misplaced passes, considering we... we became so well known for having such high passing accuracy and almost playing like quote unquote prime Barcelona.
00:11:33
Zak
We have fallen from those days where I will watch every single, is that that seems to be a lot of our problem in attack as well. If something's building up, they try and find the space and then they pass it directly to another player. and And this is the other problem where like you can we can isolate and blame the tactics as much as we want.
00:11:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you.
00:11:49
Zak
But sometimes the players just aren't doing what you said. and and As you said, they're just not doing their job. like We criticise Bree a little bit for just being out of position. There seems to sort of be an over-reliance on, oh, well, this guy will pick up there because of this defensive duty.
00:12:02
Zak
And you don't know if it's because of such a disconnect and such a... sort of misunderstanding of what's to be expected of them, especially as obviously everything is being chopped and changed throughout the game nonstop, or if it is just the fact that everyone is so low on confidence, they're just bad and are struggling and overthinking everything, right? Like some of the players, as we pointed out, you could see it on their faces a bit more.
Player Attitudes and Future Prospects
00:12:24
Zak
So Downs, when he was in the team, before he decided to have whatever strop he's having at the moment, Taylor Harwood-Bennis, he was starting to get more and more angry and that was causing him problems because he was often at fault for individual errors that cost us games at the end of the day.
00:12:38
Zak
doesn't stop him from being a really good defender. but The problem is is that you can have a good 85 minutes, but if you have those one mistake in you, that's a problem. And it's like, i you know if it's a bedding-in period as well,
00:12:49
Zak
The club have made it perfectly clear that, you know, you're going to start bedding in all this stuff with players that just might not be here at the end of the season. Like even like Grombeck, who, you know, is currently on loan. i don't think there's an option to buy.
00:13:00
Zak
He's going to disappear. You've got a lot of players they're trying to like bed a system in. And I think that also is the disconnect where a lot of the players now are knowing that we're relegated. and potentially, don't know, not caring about what they're being told to do, not really caring about the tactics that are being asked to be implemented.
00:13:18
Zak
And I don't think that it's because they don't want to win games, but I don't think that there's as much of a consequence, right? Like if you have already decided that you are relegated, you have already decided that you might not be here at the end of the season, you can try your best within the system, but the system isn't failing.
00:13:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:13:33
Zak
And like, you can see that they're getting frustrated with each other sometimes as well. far more than they used to be. like You can see that visibly on their faces. And again, this is where I can't work out if it's down to just interpersonal relationships due to how horrible the season's been.
00:13:48
Zak
And a lot of the blame is being put onto Juric and his system because it doesn't seem to be working half as well as the heavy metal football team. that he wants and he is recognizing that. So he is having to do what feels to be like patchwork, right?
00:14:03
Zak
It doesn't feel like, you know, i think it comes back to your point of it doesn't feel like there's sometimes even a plan a It feels like this is the plan today for the players that I've got that are willing to put in 100% on the field.
00:14:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Sometimes it doesn't even feel like that, though. That's how disjointed it is. like You look at it and see it what they're trying to do, and it's like, well, what are we doing? like We're lumping the ball up to Tallpool, who hasn't been able to take it down because he's got two defenders around him or is being completely man-marked, but is able to ping a touch off.
00:14:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
But then there's no one running onto that touch, and I can see that. I see it happen hundreds of times across two-three-week period.
00:14:46
Zak
But this this is the thing is neither of these things are working.
00:14:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
but it's not picked up on.
00:14:48
Zak
So when we were passing out and playing out from the back, we will be were despising the idea of passing out from the back. Whereas now we're pinging it Tallpool and that did work for like a game, but it turns out that like Premier League opponents,
Tactical Analysis and Player Potential
00:15:00
Zak
real good.
00:15:00
Zak
They pick up on that real quick.
00:15:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, you can't just do the same thing.
00:15:02
Zak
And
00:15:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
You need a middle ground. You need options.
00:15:04
Zak
Everyone's seen the montage of Paul against Liverpool now. like every you know Obviously, it depends on like this is where some at the outside of the the outside of the direct people on the pitch come into question, right? The data analysts, your people who are looking at your opponents for each game and and making those decisions and saying, this is where you can exploit the weaknesses and stuff. It doesn't feel like it doesn't feel like we do that probably half as much as we should. And like, maybe it's blind optimism at this point, but that's kind of where I hope with the stuff that Spores is doing comes into play a little bit, but difficult, isn't it?
00:15:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it is not easy. Okay, I've got a couple more points to touch on that are loosely based on tactics. But first, a message from our partners at Zencaster.
00:15:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
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,
00:16:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
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 learn more about Zencaster.
00:16:16
Zak
you
00:16:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, so we're back. I want to talk about not so much Tallpool. Actually, i want to talk about Cameron Archer and how harshly I think he's been done by Jurich so far.
00:16:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
He, before Russell Martin left and in the in-between period, was one of the only players who consistently, you know, not a huge amount of times, but he scored goals that were proper goals, right?
00:16:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like he, he put himself in positions to score goals and he wasn't always able to convert those two goals. Sometimes they were chances that you look at and think, how did you not score that?
00:16:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
But, How many times have we said even said that about Tallpool? He just doesn't seem to find himself in those situations as often. And then he's clearly a confidence player. We saw that at the start of the season.
00:17:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
And now he gets five minutes here, five minutes there. How is that doing him any good? Why isn't he getting an in instead of Tallpool? And instead of just lumping it up to a big target, man, why aren't we playing a way that can...
00:17:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know put the ball in behind that he needs to spin off a defender and run through on goal that we've seen him do.
00:17:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
what what What aren't other people seeing that I am or vice versa? why Why isn't he all of a sudden getting a shot?
00:17:44
Zak
So yeah this is where I find it difficult because I don't know, don't ever sort of start accusing people of like not putting in a hundred percent in this or the other, but he he definitely had a rumored move that didn't happen or potentially maybe that was just a rumor and it was never going to happen in the first place. Right.
00:18:03
Zak
And you don't know if that was off the back Rusko leaving. you know Obviously, the down situation come out the public. We didn't expect that to come out into public as much as the sort of... So so part of me wonders if it's if it's to do with that. Because again, like I don't think we're always picking what I would say are our best players.
00:18:23
Zak
but he is picking the ones that he has the confidence in to do the job on the pitch that he wants to do. Why is he specifically hitting Petulpo as a target man? Because it like worked once or twice, I guess.
00:18:34
Zak
Whereas having sort of I don't know if this they don't want to try it. They don't think it's going to work. They don't think that the players, they don't want to mess too much up by I don't know how much say everybody has.
00:18:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, yeah.
00:18:47
Zak
It's weird, I guess, is where I'm at with you. i find it weird, but i i have to believe there is a logical explanation because surely if you're paid hundreds of that or thousands of pounds a week, tens of thousands pounds a week as a manager as well, you are not making decisions entirely based off of just like...
00:19:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:19:06
Zak
non-issues and it's but i will point out one thing you know on that and not to not be disrespectful disrespectful to to cameron archer is that we are seeing a lot of players who have moved on on loan or just not at the club who are doing really well like where it's a diaz scoring goals maybe it's because it's the championship who knows you know and likewise adam armstrong scored in the first game yeah okay it's championship opposition but they're still i call I can't just accept that it's just because of the sheer gulf between the teams.
00:19:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:19:40
Zak
Because you see all the FA Cup, you see bits and pieces.
00:19:42
Zak
Yes, there's like there's bits and changed around. But we have seen games where we should have definitely probably done something, where we've thrown it all away. so I guess, yeah, I think he's been hard done by.
00:19:53
Zak
I feel like there has to be be a reason why. i don't know if he's picking people who's based off solely how they're doing in training.
00:19:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:20:00
Zak
I don't know if he's picking picking... He's clearly picking people based off of of attitude as well, right?
00:20:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah And also, to come full circle, right, to bring it back to a point that I've been banging since, like, October, maybe. Suleyman has been effective when he's on the pitch. His skill is picking up the ball reasonably deep and using his pace and his control of the ball to run at defenders or fullbacks. And he is good at that. And he gets in positions like that.
00:20:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
And he is able to go down either side and cross a ball in. And he is either able from either side to cut in and at least make it look like he's going to have a shot and be a threat.
00:20:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's fine and that's good. But he is not good at running on two balls and running in behind, which is what Cameron Archer is good at. I've speculated on all of these balls that bounce off of tall pool that need a player to run in behind and run on to them.
00:20:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Why can't we have Cameron Archer and Torpaw play together ever? why Why is this the combination that nobody has put together when it makes so much sense?
00:21:10
Zak
And again, like, I think it's, it must, the only thing I can,
00:21:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
like I get it. I get it's hard to leave Camel Dean out because he has been good. But it just feels like an option that works.
00:21:20
Zak
Why can't you have two at the front, one on the left, one on the right, and then keep a midfield and just not have a central player? There's lots of different ways you can set up. There must be reasons for not, or otherwise we're just insane, mate. That's where I'm at. like i kind of I agree with you. and i'm like I think there's a world where you can have all three, if I'm totally honest.
00:21:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah, it just means that Matty Fernandez has to maybe drop back a little bit from, he's kind of been playing this like false nine role and really sort of dragging the team up. It just means that he probably has to drop back to a slightly closer to a maybe even an eight, but maybe a sort of number 10 role where he sits behind this front three instead of being the driving force into it.
00:21:40
Zak
There is a world where you can have all three without it being as much of a problem.
00:22:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
which might not necessarily play to his strengths, but he is a versatile player who will thrive.
00:22:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
like Yeah.
00:22:12
Zak
Part me just wonders, they just not like each other.
00:22:15
Zak
It's that way. Two and Karen Archer just don't like each other. And then that's why they're not playing them together. Because they because obviously, like yeah maybe you know chemistry could can play a role, right? We're NFL fans, right?
00:22:28
Zak
as well. So, so you know, Mahomes and Travis Kelsey have one of the best partnerships in NFL because they're like busy mates as well. So it's like they know what each other's thinking. And like even me and you today have had had a weird situation where we were trying to think of a word for good that's in with the kids.
00:22:43
Zak
And I said, or down you know down with the kids, and I said to like Peng, and then you also said Peng, Without, you know, sometimes there's just that level of of of connection and maybe they just don't have that bond and that's a struggle.
00:22:56
Zak
Whereas we know for a fact that he does have that bond with Suleymane. They're good mates. And that means that there is an expectation that you play together better. Right? So i think that's, that to be fair, that's a complete cop-out answer because i I can't find an explanation for you, Greg.
00:23:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
I just don't think we've seen that.
00:23:12
Zak
I think it's insane. They should just try it out. What is there to lose? Season's gone anyway. Just test it out.
00:23:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Just play Yanni B at the back with...
Lineup Changes and Strategy Shift
00:23:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Bree, Kyle Walker-Peters and whoever you want out of Wellington and Yuki, then have a midfield of Uga Chugwu, Uribo and Matty Fernandez and play Archer, Tallpool and Sulemana as a full front three. And then when whoever gets tired first gets tired, because one of those front three will,
00:23:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
bring Tyler Diblin on to make an impact off the bench.
00:23:54
Zak
There we go. We've solved all our problems. Great for manager.
00:23:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's it. That's it. That's the solution. I can't wait for them to play exactly that on Saturday and still get beat 8-0 by Brighton.
00:24:04
Zak
i but This is the other thing. I think it's i think the problem is is that I know we're dragging out past runtime at this point, but like This is where you say, oh, it's nice to have a plan B instead of a plan A. And as you pointed out, sometimes it feels like there's no plan a And sometimes it just kind of feels like there's no real plan at all.
00:24:24
Zak
And so then what is the the impact of of changing it up like this every so often? Because like at this point, if you're experimenting for what's going to work next year, you're not going to have half the players you currently have. So it's going to be difficult to bed into a system anyway.
00:24:41
Zak
so yeah, just just try some stuff out. You know, like Russell Martin tried it twice, to be fair to him. He did that one thing against Bournemouth where he got battered because Maxwell Cornet was kind of on his own as a striker.
00:24:51
Zak
And then also we had that game against Spurs where he did play Solomana and we played four at the back and got battered before 25 minutes in.
00:24:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:24:58
Zak
So I can also understand the risk of not playing to this way. But like either way, I guess what...
00:25:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:25:06
Zak
I just don't think at the moment there's any combination of players on the pitch and... team sheet other than potentially, oh, they've started Cameron Archer and Torpoor together that's going to make me go, that's different and exciting.
00:25:20
Zak
I just don't think there's anything they could do. It's the problem we've got at the moment with like this the way we're playing.
00:25:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
jack back and we're playing him in goal now.
00:25:29
Zak
but Yeah, okay okay, like completely out there. But what mean is like realistic form-ups and combinations. You know, the only thing that I think most people sort of raised their eyebrow at was Will Smallbone, who, yeah, okay, didn't play great. But then Ivor did the whole of the midfield. I think Eribe also didn't play great.
00:25:46
Zak
So I just think we got bossed in the midfield because, you know, they were better than us.
00:25:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah I know that we're very quickly running out of time and this is not entirely related to tactics, but i very briefly want to touch on a rumour I've heard floating around with you about why we don't play Bella Koch app.
00:26:00
Zak
Oh, no.
Contract Clauses and Team Dynamics
00:26:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Now, some have said that there is some sort of clause in his contract that means if he gets to his 25th Premier League appearance, which would be his next game with us,
00:26:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
we have to pay some sort of money to either his old club or as like a bonus to him. And that is the reason we're not starting him. Now, I don't give this rumour any weight whatsoever because, for a start, if that was the case, why wouldn't we play in the FA Cup?
00:26:37
Zak
Oh, good. that' was about to say exactly that.
00:26:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
and
00:26:38
Zak
Like, so we played it with the cup once this season.
00:26:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
But...
00:26:41
Zak
So that's definitely a thing that can happen in football manager.
00:26:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. But I don't know. what do you Do you think there's anything to it? Or is that just...
00:26:49
Zak
And it's definitely a thing that you will do when you sign a clause into a player's contract and then on the 24th appearance, not do it. Do I see that being in real life in the way that we're running our football club? No.
00:27:03
Zak
I also think they would have just sold him.
00:27:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
It happened to AC Milan once with like a player that like if you played more than Griezmann.
00:27:04
Zak
Well, it was Griezmann as well, right? Griezmann.
00:27:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:27:10
Zak
Every only 60 minutes, because if he played more than 60 minutes a game, that was like a problem where they'd have to pay out.
00:27:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's right. It wasn't AC Milan. It was Atletico.
00:27:16
Zak
but so so So, yeah, like, don't get me wrong, that that kind of stuff exists.
00:27:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:27:20
Zak
But also, like, we've had multiple opportunities to sell him. We blocked the transfer tick for him. because I guess they were holding out for more money. So if that was a big worry, why would you have not just sold him to get rid of that worry off your books? That's insane.
00:27:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:27:33
Zak
Maybe, maybe we are actually in the wrong. And, you know, at this rate, I'm not really surprised if Southampton Football Club were doing that. You know, theyre they they like to make financial decisions that seem to take a hit against the football.
00:27:45
Zak
But I just think that, like... good Lord, that would be and extremely bad negotiated contract for everybody involved. And I don't know how much i don't know how much weight I throw into any of these rumours, because again, that is something that I could just make up because it happens in Football Manager, tell you, and it gets around...
00:27:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:28:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah put two and two together. Oh, he's got 24 Premier League appearances. That's weird. Yeah.
00:28:06
Zak
yeah like, there's nothing...
00:28:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Put two and two together come out with 34. Like... like
00:28:10
Zak
ever been man mentioned about that previously. i again, think there's either some personal stuff or some, you know, people constantly mention like, oh, he was on his own at half time and it wasn't training with the others and blah, blah, blah, blah. blah Like, I personally, like, i've got I've given my opinions quite a lot on this and I find it upsetting that it's still like a massive subject because honestly, he's probably just a guy that wants to play his football.
00:28:33
Zak
He's clearly either not impressed Juric or Juric is upset with him after having a clean slate. Martin didn't like him and about half of the squad we had anyway. now the other That half of the squad are now getting a look in and the other half of the squad that were Martin's favourites are now... Well, Flynn Downs hasn't played in like two, three games at this point. So yeah, just I just think for for a professional footballer, it must suck.
00:28:56
Zak
But also, I know for a fact that we have also had players that have had problems with... attitude and even some of the big players now like Jan Bednarek went off the Villa and called us a small club came back with his tail between his legs we've forgiven him now but that is just also as a thing as we've discussed before that can happen right I don't know what the answer is and you know I think it's harsh to consistently speculate on what is going on behind the scenes I think it was really bad either way that any sort of medical stuff was leaked that's awful and shouldn't have ever happened
00:29:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:29:28
Zak
If he gets a chance, happy days. I don't think that speculating every single week that he's going to get a chance helps because you could say the same about our new lad in the under-21s. You could say the same about Victor Udu, who we bought on deadline day, who's not played and probably won't because he's going to go into the under-21s.
00:29:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hoodoo?
00:29:44
Zak
Whatever happens.
00:29:46
Zak
Whatever happens in the future with him, and you know it's it's going to end up as one of those weird periods of time and weird transfers, like, for example, Kevin Danso, or you know of other transfers like that that just haven't worked out.
00:29:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:29:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:30:00
Zak
And whether it whether it's because he's got an attitude problem, whether it's because he was too big for his boots, whether or not it's just because Juric doesn't like him and he actually would come on and absolutely boss the game. the end of the day, we're not going to know and consistently speculating on it is difficult.
00:30:15
Zak
because and and kind of feels silly at this point because it's like I just don't just don't see we talk about every week and it's just because we've got tons of players that probably we can talk about on top of that that don't play week in week out that are in the under of twenty one
00:30:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah.
00:30:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:30:32
Zak
i don't know I don't know what my point is here. i've done a real good job of just ramble rambling on this episode.
Conclusion and Listener Engagement
00:30:37
Zak
But I guess the answer to your actual question, circling it back because I have to do that or otherwise I'll never answer any of your questions. I'd be like a real good politician.
00:30:48
Zak
Answering your actual question, I don't really give any credence to to those sort of rumours, especially with some of the sources that have come out you know in recent times have been trash.
00:30:58
Zak
And you know how many transfer stories did we see that went nowhere?
00:30:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:31:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes.
00:31:02
Zak
And that includes out. Some were definitely... you know I wouldn't have put any money on Adam Armstrong leaving on the date, but he did.
00:31:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
no
00:31:09
Zak
But I would have put probably more money on some of the other players that haven't.
00:31:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Crazy.
00:31:12
Zak
So is what it is.
00:31:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
It is indeed. Well, that well and truly is all we've got time for today. Zach, as always, thank you very much for joining me. Thank you everyone for listening. Thank Let us know, what do you think we can do to not get absolutely battered by Brighton?
00:31:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Answer on a postcard to Staplewood Training Centre. They'll be greatly appreciated, I'm sure.
00:31:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
And take it in and take it in. But yes, please let us know in the comments. Hit us up on the socials. We're on Facebook, X, TikTok, YouTube, on the Global Sports Podcast Network channel, Instagram, Blue Sky, all of them.
00:31:37
Zak
falls straight into a shredder, mate.
00:31:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Give us a shout out. We will take on board anything you say and go from there. Thank you everyone for listening. We'll be back tomorrow with wildcard Wednesday. Until then.