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Daily Forest - Ep 86 - Forest qualify for Europe! But will it be Champions League or Europa?
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Marley and Stuart reconvene to discuss the Leicester game, European qualification, the Marinakis controversy - and Marley's start of season promise coming true!
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Transcript
Marley's Underpants Bet Fulfilled
00:00:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello welcome back to the GSPN Forest podcast. Joining me, Stuart, words I never thought I'd say when he this was first promised with underpants on his head is Marley. Marley, remind the newer listeners why you are sat there with forest underpants on your head.
00:00:26
Marley- EUROPE
So back in August, September time, during the first international break of this season, and Morgan Gibbs-White had just had his first England call-up. The whole Forrest world was going crazy. We made a prediction before we even beat Liverpool on this show.
00:00:41
Marley- EUROPE
I think it was Mark that Forrest would qualify for Europe this season. I promised him that Gary Lineker style, I would wear pants on my head if Forrest qualified for Europe.
00:00:52
Marley- EUROPE
And yesterday... Forest did the unthinkable and secured qualification for Europe. So the Forest underpants are out. You can see their underpants, although they do look like a bandana.
00:01:03
Marley- EUROPE
And, oh, Jesus Christ, I've never been happier to wear pants on my head than I am today.
00:01:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
So hopeful hopefully it's the first time you've worn one pants on your head, not just one of many times and sometimes you've been happy for it. But yeah, it's certainly been been interesting, Marley, that, yeah, first of all, let's start start with the positives. European football, that is as good as we could have hoped for just three years after our after our promotion. So whichever of the three competitions it ends up being, what's your plans?
Plans for European Away Games
00:01:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Will you be going to the away days? Will you be standing outside the Club Rouge Hotel, laying off fireworks in Nottingham to keep them awake at night, what would your European routine look like?
00:01:42
Marley- EUROPE
my european routine would look well it would look similar basically because it's a um Because it's going to be an evening game in midweek, I would book the day off work.
00:01:55
Marley- EUROPE
I would get to the pub 12 hours before kickoff. I would drink all day. Then I'd go to the game.
00:02:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Perfect, perfect. So we're looking at a Yeah, 8pm kick off on it on a Thursday night. So you'd be there for 8am, Trembridge Inn, Weatherspoons, pint of and of Guinness with your traditional breakfast and getting getting started.
00:02:14
Marley- EUROPE
Sounds very, very good.
00:02:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, same for what what do you think the ticket situation would would be like? I mean, I think if it's Champions League, I would worry that there might be something like Aston Villa did where they charged their fans 97 quid for tickets against Bayern Munich.
00:02:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
But if it is Europa League, you think it will be what treated like a domestic cup game in terms of tickets or more like a Premier League game? How do you think it is, would be to get into the world famous city ground?
00:02:39
Marley- EUROPE
I think it'll be season card holders get their season card seats. Then it goes through the MyFortBets membership, just like it normally does. But i think it'll be harder to get tickets in general because they'll sell out quicker and more people want to go. And I think going be slightly but not too much more expensive. It might be £60 rather than £80 and £60 rather than £40 for the most expensive tickets in each band.
00:03:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, mean, it's really interesting because ah we going to assume Europa League at the middle of the two Would you say it's looking like Europa League now are you still holding out hopes of Champions League?
00:03:19
Marley- EUROPE
Look, I would say it's still in our hands because as long as we keep good forming, win our next game, our last game is against Chelsea. So long as we're above Villa, it's beat Chelsea and we're in the Champions League.
00:03:31
Marley- EUROPE
So it's still in our hands, essentially. But I am starting to settle.
00:03:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's just Villa have an easy run-in against as those two Europa League finalists, United and Spurs, who seem to be having their own personal competition, who can be the worst ever team to win European trophy.
00:03:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know like If just one of United or Spurs decides to show up for a league game, maybe... Who's the play? you friday United on Friday or Spurs? on No, Spurs on Friday, Villa have. So maybe some of the Spurs players decide they should get their act together to play for themselves into a position in Angie's team for the final, maybe Spurs can upset Villa and then you're right, then we'll be back into our own own hands, only need needing to beat West Ham and Chelsea.
00:04:08
Marley- EUROPE
well
00:04:10
Marley- EUROPE
Well, it's not a season for Spurs where they can really consider, let's rest players for the Europa League final. They've had a shocking season. They need to pick up league places and they need a bit of momentum.
00:04:21
Marley- EUROPE
So I can see them going for this game. And honestly, with all players fit and actually playing like I know they can, I think Spurs can beat Villa.
00:04:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, yeah, they will certainly have the motivation. that They can't, as said, sleepwalk into this European final. They do need to pick up some form and some so attacking threat. that That's right. But we sound we're sounding now quite confident that Forrest will beat both West Ham and Chelsea.
00:04:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
But we were confident against Leicester. We were
Forrest's Recent Poor Form: Analysis
00:04:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
confident against Everton and Villa. What do you think is the reason Forrest's recent slight dip in form? Is it just the injury to Zanodoy? Is it pressure? Is it a number of factors? Or is it just that...
00:04:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Third was a false position anyway, and fifth, sixth, seventh is more our level. What was your overall thoughts on the recent games?
00:05:05
Marley- EUROPE
I think there three contributing factors. The first one, is the obvious one. I think the teams we've played have kind of figured out, let us have the possession and we won't be as dangerous.
00:05:18
Marley- EUROPE
we're only date We were only that dangerous when we had pace going forward. Sit behind the ball and let us have possession and you can break us down. Reason two is injuries. Not in a way we've had a lot of injuries, but at the most crucial time in the season, the injuries we've had have all been really key players.
00:05:35
Marley- EUROPE
Aina, Hudson-Odoi, Murillo and Wood. You couldn't really ask for four worse players to get injured if you tried. And the third reason, and I think one of the biggest reasons, is Wembley.
00:05:50
Marley- EUROPE
I think if we lost...
00:05:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
In terms of the the focus turned too much to that game, gam you mean, or the lot lack of confidence from pushing City so so so close but so far?
00:05:58
Marley- EUROPE
A mix of both, I think... If we'd lost on penalties to Brighton, we'd be home and dry in the Champions League by now. If we'd spent money in January, we'd be home and dry Champions League by now. But the focus did shift a bit to Wembley and we were a bit distracted after that Brighton game. You could see it. And since going back from Wembley, you could see the drop in confidence, especially in Morgan Gibbs-White in the first couple of games back. You could see he did not look as confident as he did before.
00:06:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Maybe that was due to what a certain Mr. Guardiola was whispering into his ear at at full time, but we'll come to a transfer rumours in a future episode, I'm sure. But no, think all those points you just mentioned, Marley, are sort of linked points, that Forrest have 11 great players this season, but they don't have a great squad.
00:06:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
So if they've been a great squad, they would been able to fight on two fronts, focus on a Champions League semi-final whilst keeping up their league position. They wouldn't, they would have, perhaps one at Wembley, and they would have also so not been so reliant on those four absolutely key key players, like you say. So, yes, it's very interesting. I mean, I'm sure the full story of January will come out. But what we set what we're hearing is, what we're made to believe is that it was Nuno's personal choice not to sign anyone, which seems for a manager's smart and experienced as Nuno, does seem unlikely, especially as we've seen how much he does not trust Jota Silva.
00:07:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
He does not trust Ramon Souza. So does seem very odd that Nuno would say he didn't want to make a signing. So maybe there's something behind the scenes there that we don't know about yet.
00:07:29
Marley- EUROPE
Yeah, I think it's more to do with the fact that Nuno likes a smaller squad. And so without the option of any outgoings to sell any players, if there were no offers in company, wouldn't have wanted a signing.
00:07:40
Marley- EUROPE
I think obviously we heard all these striker rumours, but they were all, if they sell Taiwo Awani, if they lose Taiwo Awani. So it all sounded like we needed to sell to buy because of Nuno's preferences of a smaller squad.
00:07:53
Marley- EUROPE
And we just didn't get the offers to sell the players.
00:07:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, so the chess pieces just didn't quite mix up. So if we'd have sold Taiwo, we would have got a replacement. But equally, we weren't... No replacement would agree to join because they know they would come in and they wouldn't be able to dislodge Chris Wood from that starting XI unless something
Squad Depth Challenges and Line-up Decisions
00:08:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
happened to him.
00:08:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Which, luckily, it was only three or four games in the end that Chris Wood, Chris was mentioned. we'll quickly go for the first advert then we'll talk specifically about about the game yesterday against Leicester.
00:08:17
Marley- EUROPE
Yeah.
00:09:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, Marley, yesterday a ah disappointing two-all draw against Leicester. I mean, we got the point we needed for European qualification. And like you say, there's still still a possibility of making the Champions League.
00:09:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
But you were at the city ground yesterday. um start of the team selection, were you disappointed to see Dominguez start on the wing and not Jota Silva or Ramon Souza?
00:09:25
Marley- EUROPE
Um, yes and no. I was disappointed because Dominguez on the wing, Dunwinges as people call him on Twitter, doesn't work that well. We've seen it multiple times this season.
00:09:36
Marley- EUROPE
But at the same time, I don't like starting Jota and I don't like starting Sosa. I think they've both shown that they can have minimal impact off the bench, but they can't start. And so as a result of that,
00:09:49
Marley- EUROPE
I think starting one of Gibbs White, Dominguez or Anderson on the wing is needed. And we just need to bring someone the summer.
00:09:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I mean, no that's a shame because because it's at home against one of the worst teams in the league, already relegated Leicester. I mean, yeah, i'm I was personally dis disappointed actually to see um neither Sozin or Jota be given the start. You're out to Minguez.
00:10:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
has played well on the wing, that Man United win very early in Nuno's tenure being being a a key example. This is not the game where you need a defensive winger. We should have gone for two attacking wingers.
00:10:19
Marley- EUROPE
Thank
00:10:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, to go back to even a Brian Clough quote was that if your first choice, I'm not going to do the accent, I don't know if you're acting talent, but if your first choice winger or player is injured, play the reserve one.
00:10:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
If the reserve one is injured, play the youth team one. If the youth team one isn't good enough, then shouldn't be at the club. So maybe that this is the time for a Joel Andala or someone very random, someone who is at least actually a winger, should have started, even if it's not the first or second choice.
00:10:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
But and like we saw with Zach Abbott in Wembley, surely and a teenager playing that role would have been a better option than an out-of-position senior player. So so my my take is it was quite disappointing to see Dominguez start as much as people do actually say that, yes, his work rate was good, his pressing was good, but his creativity for me just wasn't there.
00:10:57
Marley- EUROPE
yeah Yeah, and talking about Zach Abbott, I think he's a player I want to get at least one start this season. I think if Murillo isn't back for West Ham, I would rather see Bollie or Abbott starting than Murato.
00:11:20
Marley- EUROPE
And with Bollie being getting on a bit, probably not going to make the club much longer. Abbott is the future. I want to see Abbott getting that start.
00:11:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I think so. I think especially as he didn't get anyone down, who was very solid at Wembley. I would certainly agree that Zach Abbott as a right footer as well she could have gone in to start start alongside Milenkovic on Saturday.
00:11:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
it's It's weird about Moretto though. Earlier in the season, ah think it was when Moretto had made 10 or so sub appearances, Forrest conceded just one goal in that time on the pitch. But how can a player be so good as a closer, so bad as a starter? Is it mentality?
00:11:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Is it game stays? Did he get lucky at the start of the season and he's been found out he's not actually that good? What's your take on Marato? How was his first season in Nottingham gone and will he get a second season Nottingham?
00:12:08
Marley- EUROPE
I think it's a mix. I think ah felt there is a case to be made that at the start the season, our defending was a lot more solid than it is at the end has been recently. And that has corresponded with Morato's record. But at the same time, I think he's better as a finisher than a starter simply because his main Main game, essentially, is to clear the ball far up the pitch as he can.
00:12:35
Marley- EUROPE
And that is a lot better to finish a game than it is to start a game.
00:12:42
Marley- EUROPE
Because, yeah.
00:12:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I know. It's it' it's it's a shame, shame there isn't it? I mean, players don't grow up wanting to be to be a finisher. that They grow up wanting to start and play 90 minutes every game and every week. So, mean, who knows? I mean, I said we will certainly do some squad audit episodes and transfer plans.
00:13:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, yeah, maybe someone like and Andrew Omobamadele after a promising loan at Strasbourg. Maybe he comes back in the team as the closer off the bench and we have to move Moretto on. what Was it Pekano, the guy at Olympiacos as well.
00:13:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, yeah, i mean, we will we will certainly come to do transfer transfer prediction episodes in and the next few weeks when we know which European competition we're in.
00:13:20
Marley- EUROPE
Don't forget.
00:13:23
Marley- EUROPE
Don't forget.
00:13:26
Marley- EUROPE
Don't forget we bought Tyler Bindon and loaned him back to Reading in January. He's just scooped up player of the season.
00:13:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah I mean, he is, again, someone who we're getting really, really good, good reviews from. So it certainly would be interesting to see if if Tyler Binden is in that forest squad in in the preseason tour or whether he is loaned out maybe to, to the championship. But no, you're right. There are promising talents on the forest books. It'll be interesting to see who, who plays when, when it comes to, when it comes to that next season.
00:13:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes, we've covered, covered the team then that we would have maybe put in Abbott for Moretto. And yeah, we, I said, put in Jotter or Sosa or Andala ahead of Dominguez. um But apart from that, when Leicester,
00:14:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
took the lead? what What was the feeling inside the stadium that Forrest would get it back to 2-1 easily as they did? Or did you have have bit of worries at down?
00:14:19
Marley- EUROPE
No, definitely worries. I think mainly due to the ah recent form the club's been in. And there was a lot of bad feeling as well. think there was a large feeling that the original save from cells was amazing.
00:14:32
Marley- EUROPE
But for defending after should have been a lot better to stop Conor Cote, of all people, getting his head to that ball and having an empty net to nut it into. Part of my grievance is that Morello would have been there.
00:14:43
Marley- EUROPE
But you can't dwell over spilled milk, really. It's a case of it happened. It's over. Look ahead to West Ham.
00:14:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. And then with the when it worked related the two goals, with the attacking moves, I know there were, it gives about a header, um probably his first header goal for Forrest or his second.
00:15:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's certainly not a frequent header, which again just shows how...
00:15:07
Marley- EUROPE
mr He scored... He scored headers from corners against Man U at home. No, not Man U. Wolves at home last season.
00:15:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yep.
00:15:16
Marley- EUROPE
Brighton at home this season. ah That's off the top of my head.
00:15:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes. So...
00:15:20
Marley- EUROPE
Because he has this glancing header at the near post into the roof the net that he's done a few times.
00:15:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, so it's something that Leicester should have defended better against than them with his from Sangare winning the ball back. Sangare, Einer, Gibbs-White, Wood. um For that second goal, I mean, Leicester were there for the taking.
00:15:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Do you think putting Ryan Yates on slowed the game down or was it more quite a knotty coming on ah show on that kid Manga, that the 15-year-old showed that Leicester somehow had better attacking subs than we did and they managed the game better than we did?
00:15:53
Marley- EUROPE
I think there's two factors to it. I think the first factor is Leicester has seen this as they're already relegated. It's the derby match. They can halt their rivals from pushing towards Champions League. They were up, up, up for it, which is what I was worried about.
00:16:12
Marley- EUROPE
And they just had that this extra little bit of desire that our players, I guess, lacked because they've had such a good season. They haven't just got nothing to play for. This isn't just a case for them of ruining a rival season.
00:16:24
Marley- EUROPE
And um the other, I think the fans as Leicester as well, being so up for it, played a big part. The other part of it was just shocking defending. Murato didn't do very well at all for that Buenonotte goal, as good as it was.
00:16:37
Marley- EUROPE
And again, I think Murillo on the pitch, that goal isn't a goal.
00:16:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I know. Again, that certainly is the theme theme of this episode ah and the theme of the season. That if it's Hazard of Dorey, not Dominguez, we we get get more attacking thrust. If it's even a fit, Anderson-Gibbs-White double pivot, that will work well for a while. But we have to put Sangare in. Not that Sangare was disappointing, of course, but it just shows that outside that and core group, even though the style of play as well, like Sangare was dropping...
00:17:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
very deep, but even then he's a very different player to Dominguez. And Dominguez have been playing in in that central role. So yeah, I think it's just a a number of factors coming to a head, ah which kind of ended in that very strange last 10 minutes.
00:17:21
Marley- EUROPE
Amen.
00:17:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
So for those listening, if whatever reason didn't see the game, a clearly offside, Anthony Alanga was racing down the wing.
Taiwo's Injury and Its Implications
00:17:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
But of course, you're not allowed to flag for offsides until after the move is finished, which meant the move continued.
00:17:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Tyra Aroni, course, he had to at least try and score. And he ended up getting badly injured while he was receiving treatment. Forrest made the final sub, meaning Taiwo had to walk around the pitch for the last 10 minutes. Forrest has essentially put themselves down to 10 men.
00:17:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
And after the game, Maranakis stormed onto the pitch, looking to pick a fight with somebody. And Nuno happened to be the person in his crosshairs. What did you see in the stands, Marley? Could you tell it was a clear offside? Could you, did you think Taiwo should have scored? He thought he was onside or what was was it like from, from your view in the stadium?
00:18:07
Marley- EUROPE
both It was so far offside, he might as well have been swimming in the Trent, but at the same time, Tyway still should have put it in the back of the net. It was a massive frustration that if it was flagged, then the injury would never have happened.
00:18:22
Marley- EUROPE
It was a massive, massive, massive sense of frustration when the substitution was made and at one point when Taiwo was literally walking towards the ball, if he ran he would have got to but the servers attempting to connect.
00:18:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
And it so temporarily lost Marley mid-flow. We'll play the second advert and hopefully Marley will return to us then.
00:18:43
Marley- EUROPE
Wi-Fi's gone.
00:19:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, Mali, you were deep in the flow about Taiwo's injury when he had to, was so excited, you froze, so we had to have little whack on the ad break. So, yeah, we've just, you're discussing what it looked like for you with Taiwo being injured in the stadium.
00:19:21
Marley- EUROPE
Yeah.
00:19:25
Marley- EUROPE
Yeah, sorry, not sure what happened there. The little Wi-Fi icon in the bottom corner of my screen vanished. And then came back again. um I must just have lost connection for a second.
00:19:36
Marley- EUROPE
But yeah. We were fuming when a substitution was made. Even more fuming when we saw Tywo walking towards the ball. Which if he'd run he would have got too easily. And sparked another attack. What I'm hearing is that the medical team twice signalled to Nuno.
00:19:51
Marley- EUROPE
That Tywo was okay to continue. So Nuno went ahead with a sub that was planned. Rather than changing it. Turns out Tywo wasn't actually in okay. And Nuno apparently was just as frustrated and fuming as Maranakis. And it wasn't Maranakis having a go at Nuno at the end. It was both of them meant mutually complaining about the physios and the linesman.
00:20:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I mean, that's strange, isn't it? Those are physios. um Well, what did James call them in an earlier episode? Was it a Liam Gallagher and Sanjay or something? are Equally unpolitically correct for the but for the other guy, but we all know who we're talking about. They receive a lot of screen time and yeah, they've largely been successful this season. and Just until recently, Forrest had been largely injury-free all season.
00:20:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Do you worry this that the fallout has continued on the training ground tomorrow? I mean, today and and tomorrow as well? Or do you think Nuno and Maranakis, they're smart enough, they're wise enough that they can forgive the physios this one mistake, however bit big a mistake it was,
00:20:56
Marley- EUROPE
Well, Nuno was saying um in his interviews, it was a moment of emotion and passion and it was a miscommunication rob more than anything. So I'm assuming they'll just, yeah know, it's one mistake. Everyone makes mistakes. We'll move on.
00:21:09
Marley- EUROPE
Things are going to go wrong. It's an industry. In industry, things go wrong. You've got to move forward. Hope it doesn't go wrong again. Learn from your mistakes.
00:21:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I mean, do you think, I know this not related to to the injury or the incident, but you said you thought he had scored. Was that Tyrone's last act in Nottingham Forest yet?
00:21:30
Marley- EUROPE
Oh, big question. And I think it will be yes.
00:21:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, because if if it is an injury, of it will be out for the next the next two games. And yeah, he is, unfortunately, as much as we all love him for his six goals in four games to keep us up at the end of twenty two twenty three i mean, you've got ah upgrade on on the backup player. We've got to have someone, Chris Wood, 33 now. he's He's going to not be able to play 50 matches and we're going to have 50 matches next season or at least 50. We want domestic cup runs as well as European runs.
00:22:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
So yeah, we need someone to share the load with Chris Wood. And unfortunately, it isn't looking like Tao O'Neill as much as he did keep us up in in that first season.
00:22:11
Marley- EUROPE
Yeah, a bit like Joe Lolly, a few years ago, who was on fire, picked up an ankle injury, and when he came back from his ankle injury, he never recovered, got shin splints, and was just never the same player.
00:22:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
It looks to go...
00:22:23
Marley- EUROPE
That's what it feels like with Taiwa Iwani. He was so good, got his groin injury, and after the surgery, he's not been the same, and he's picked up another injury. It's like the same storyline.
00:22:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I mean, it's it's unfortunate of him that you're right. He did have trouble groin injury. but His injuries this year have been getting his nose broken at Exeter, crashing into goalpost just now.
00:22:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
so yeah, he has certainly not had a lucky season at all. I think it'd be good for for everyone everyone concerned. I mean, in terms of PSR, so he bought him for £17 million. three years ago. if you divide on a five-year contract, so his book value now is only about 6 million. So we sell him for more than 6 million. It counts as a profit. And i don't think we'll get much more than 10 or 15 from him.
00:23:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
But a small profit for a player like that, that's what we need to do. We need to be, if we are losing players, we do need to make profits with profits on them. So yeah, same time I total.
00:23:14
Marley- EUROPE
Talking about injuries, by the way, there is one player whose injury record at Forest I find quite bizarre.
00:23:22
Marley- EUROPE
Nico Williams.
00:23:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm going Nico Williams, yes.
00:23:25
Marley- EUROPE
He's had three injuries since being at Forest. One of them, OK, he pulled his hamstring against City at home. and But two of them, he's been injured by his own teammates.
00:23:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was a or even at that first year in the game against Southampton. I don't know. He got broken. Was it Tofflow even?
00:23:43
Marley- EUROPE
No, he broke his jaw against Brighton at home after being bicycle kicked in the face by Brennan Johnson.
00:23:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:23:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
That was it. That was it.
00:23:52
Marley- EUROPE
And this season away at Bournemouth, he was elbowed in the face by um Anderson as they both went into the same challenge gender or a juttled for the ball with an opposing player.
00:23:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, his his his best mate as well.
00:24:03
Marley- EUROPE
And ah that broke his nose.
00:24:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, he says certainly had a strange time event and that mask, plastic mask on Nico Williams' face, as site as you say, we've seen seen twice due to teammate inflected injuries. well One more point about yesterday, actually. I would have played Toffolo ahead of Nico Williams just because we had all that space on their right flank, our left, and Nico had so much of the ball, but kept on cutting in, which at times works, but I think a game like Leicester's, it called for someone like Toffolo swinging in balls with his favoured left foot, so Toffolo, he's matched fit again. He played well against Spurs and City. So I personally would have had but brought Toffolo on as one of my attacking subs even just because Nico was getting all that space down the left but having to cut inside.
00:24:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
So for me, I would have played Toffolo yesterday or at least brought him on.
00:24:50
Marley- EUROPE
Yeah, that makes sense. That makes a lot of sense.
00:24:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, then in in the next next last few minutes of the episode, West Ham on on Sunday will Certainly I aim to do a prevo preview around Friday and talk more about the bigger issues as what develops over the week.
00:25:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
But how big a factor do you think the FA Cup final will be on our game? Because if Crystal Palace win, it means we still need to claim the Europa spot and we'd otherwise be in the Conference League position.
00:25:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
But if City win, it means that we're guaranteed in the Europa League. Do you think that would mean we would lose focus again on Sunday if the Europa League is... secured or if we're only focusing on Champions League, the players won't care if it's a Europa or conference, they just want Champions League.
00:25:36
Marley- EUROPE
Players will want Champions League. They'll push for the wins and push for Champions League until it's mathematically impossible, no matter what happens in the FA Cup final. So I don't think it'll affect our game at all. I think it'll just affect the feeling for if we don't win.
00:25:49
Marley- EUROPE
I think we'll feel less disheartened because there's that cushion of no, we're definitely in Europa League. But coming into the game, there'll be no change.
00:25:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, great. Attacking against a West Ham team who should have nothing to play for, apart from one player of the West Ham squad. ah We signed him as a free kick specialist, but James Ward-Prowse hasn't actually scored a free kick since his Southampton days. It will be typical if he gets his first free kick since his Southampton days against the team who, of course, had that strange loan spell at part of the season. and So even though he didn't show us anything, I am still worried about James Ward-Prowse and his set-piece deliveries.
00:26:25
Marley- EUROPE
Yeah, I think all he did in set pieces for Forrest is he got one a assist away at Chelsea. Great free kick from near halfway. Hard nodded across by Milenkovic and home by Chris Wood. Other than that, he didn't do much.
00:26:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, he was sent off, of course, later on that Chelsea game, which I think was his last last start even. So yeah, that was... ah Yeah, it'll be funny going back through these episodes at the start of the season. and I know one of our most new TikToks was James ranting at James Ward-Prowse earlier in the season.
00:26:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
So before we go, Marley, apologies, we didn't do an episode in the last couple of weeks or so. So I think the last episode was our Wembley preview. You were talking about your day. So how how did your day at Wembley go? it go how you hoped? Was it enough pubs as you hoped or talk us through your your day out at Wembley?
Wembley Day Recount and Future Excitement
00:27:09
Marley- EUROPE
It was a nice day out to be fair. I am caught the train from from Grantham into London. I caught the wrong tube further into London. Then got on the correct tube and went back through London to Wembley.
00:27:21
Marley- EUROPE
Went to Stadium Sports Bar which charged me £10 to get in. Then went to the bar where I got charged £9 for a pint of beer. We had a few pints. A few kids were chasing an inflatable beach ball around and...
00:27:36
Marley- EUROPE
getting worryingly close to knocking people's pints out of their hands. Then we walked down to the stadium, went to our seats, watched the game, went to McDonald's and went home.
00:27:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
how How did it compare to the playoff game? Like in terms of when you look back on this era in five years time, 10 years time, will the playoff one always be the special day or it was there enough at Wembley even for losing Cup semi-final that was still one of your more memorable away days of this season at least?
00:28:08
Marley- EUROPE
I think the playoff final will always be the special Wembley away day, simply because the first one. It'll be the one we always remember. I think it's definitely more special because we won it and we got promoted and it's what started this wonderful journey in the Premier League. and Talking of actual away days this season, I'd rank them.
00:28:27
Marley- EUROPE
Worst one was definitely, definitely City because we lost 3-0. Then I'd say Newcastle because although it was a decent away day, We lost the game, so you can't really rank it any higher.
00:28:41
Marley- EUROPE
In the middle, I'd put Palace on Monday, because last week, because yeah was a decent away day. it I got a nice day out in London out of it, um but we drew. i left the house at nine in the morning. I didn't get home until four in in the morning on Tuesday, so that always minuses from it.
00:29:00
Marley- EUROPE
Then it's Wolves, because although we had a better scoreline against Wolves than United, the atmosphere wasn't as good. Wolves fans didn't create as good an atmosphere. The away end was awful, so there wasn't really that good of an atmosphere in the away end.
00:29:14
Marley- EUROPE
Then United topped, because although it didn't create much of an atmosphere themselves, the away end is a lot better at Old Trafford. So in a more entertaining game, we were able to create a better atmosphere.
00:29:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, let's let hope there's um some many many, many more famous away days to come in in the next season. um So of I think, yeah, I think it's the third year in the Premier League.
00:29:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
of Of course, you're not an away member, but you've been able to get, what, six tickets that was, I think. So, yeah, I think it's five.
00:29:42
Marley- EUROPE
Hi.
00:29:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
it's the Premier League away. Novelty runs up runs off slightly. It means more people getting the chance to to go to games, experience these stadiums. Yeah, let's hope that we... Get another Wembley ace away away day soon. And more importantly, those European away days. Mali, thanks for joining. And I'm absolutely delighted we've been able to do this episode with you with those underpants on your head.