Transcript
DailySaintsPod: Hello and welcome back to the Daily Saints pod. My name is Greg, once again today joined by my good friend and wonderful co -host Zach May... Nice win at home to kick off the home season. How are we feeling?
Zak: Yeah. Good. Really good. I know that it wasn't the prettiest of games, but like you know history wasn't exactly on our side for against Stoke.
Zak: and there were a lot of worries you know yeah about The fact that their keeper is one that we have struggled against at St Mary's always puts in a bit of a blinder. And...
Zak: Yeah, like I think that it was it was tough and I think it... It proved why... I kind of worry about this plan to just sell literally all of our players. and run with a squad of 15 because like Our bench is just really good.
Zak: Like the fact that we've we've had our Laren back up actually come good and score at home on his debut at home.
DailySaintsPod: yeah
Zak: in a similar way to larry
DailySaintsPod: Such good goal as well.
Zak: we've we've had like
DailySaintsPod: We'll get to that.
Zak: the return of Prime Azaz with some of the most beautiful through balls I think I've ever seen. We've had... you know some Some...
Zak: sort of surprise. appearances I guess from Nathan Wood and Matski once again being kind of forced into that central midfield role that
DailySaintsPod: He did well.
Zak: regardless of every look I said that he And it was true. He did play in that role when he played Fressy Tokyo. I don't think he suits it now, Greg.
Zak: Like...
DailySaintsPod: I disagree. I think you did really well.
Zak: Yeah.
DailySaintsPod: I mean, it yeah, it's easy to to jump to... jumping in. maybe slightly too aggressively for the start of the play that led to the goal.
DailySaintsPod: But actually, I think he was genuinely very solid in that position. he He put himself about. He made himself dangerous. He didn't struggle with the physical side of it at all.
DailySaintsPod: you know, he managed to blast one over but to be fair he didn't really you have much of a choice, you just have to see it for it.
Zak: Yep. Yeah, yeah that to be to be fair, that that is if he has a trait for like football manager or FIFA or whatever.
DailySaintsPod: Hmm.
Zak: That is a trait that he would have, which is, I'm going to take on this impossible shot. And a couple of times it paid off last season.
DailySaintsPod: Yeah.
Zak: So I'm not...
DailySaintsPod: Yeah.
Zak: I'll never... To be honest, I'm never really going to complain about players having a pop.
DailySaintsPod: a if it wasn't as ambitious as Jack Stevens effort. So, you know, it was at least in the box.
Zak: No, but like...
DailySaintsPod: So,
Zak: Like... I can understand that. With potentially Taylor Harbour Bellis out the door, we're going to need so we only need a defender to step up and start scoring the goals that Taylor Harbour Bellis would score.
DailySaintsPod: with it Yeah. All right, like look. Look, right up until the point I saw the ball leave Jack Stephens' foot, i was I had the same vision in my head that I presume he did of that cruising top bins and the entire stadium erupting. Like...
DailySaintsPod: it
Zak: We all have visions of that. I guess we should, what we should actually do though, but yeah, so to summarize how I'm feeling, mate, really good. But we should start. properly at the start, right? So let's talk about lineups.
DailySaintsPod: Sure.
DailySaintsPod: Oh, there's one one big talking point.
Zak: how Yeah.
DailySaintsPod: i suppose Right.
Zak: Yeah. Shall we tackle the elephant in the room?
DailySaintsPod: Yeah.
Zak: Press Conference Friday. oh you know how he played he played really well that time that you know he He struggled last time in January. he'll He'll be back and he'll you know he'll put in a good performance tomorrow.
Zak: proceeds to not play I'm guessing due to headspace. And like, I think that.
Zak: Hey.
DailySaintsPod: it's because he's out the door, right? He's... some kind of like, like there's, they've put in a bed that's going to have been high enough to
Zak: I...
Zak: Start conversation.
DailySaintsPod: you know at least accept conversation, right?
Zak: Yeah.
DailySaintsPod: like That both teams feel like there's a point that they're going to be able to agree on. and you know it's come out in the press that he's happy to go to Villa, and why wouldn't he be apart from maybe looking at them play today?
Zak: What's...
DailySaintsPod: but Like, you know, they' they're in the Champions League this year. They've got European football. They they should be competing in the Premier League.
Zak: does does that make them Does that make them take a second guess though? Because like... i I like Taylor Harbour -Baddis. I think that he's been a really influential player for us. I don't know if he's quite at the level of Champions League, Premier League defender yet.
Zak: and is that Is that what they're going to go out of their way for?
DailySaintsPod: you You forget that... You forget that it wasn't that long ago that he was getting called up for the England squad as well. I think that he's a...
Zak: True.
DailySaintsPod: And especially in the tail end of last season, we saw a lot of the parts of his game that were a concern, him really grow out of. like He really matured as a player as the season went on.
DailySaintsPod: and
Zak: Maybe it's just me being bitter, I guess.
DailySaintsPod: Okay.
Zak: But it's...
DailySaintsPod: Yeah.
Zak: I don't...
DailySaintsPod: lot I hold no ill will for making
Zak: I don't... I...
DailySaintsPod: that move if he makes it how could how could you right like yeah oh
Zak: I can't resent a player for wanting to play Champions League football and the Premier League in a team that is really strong with a really, you know...
DailySaintsPod: Hmm.
Zak: famously good manager.
DailySaintsPod: Hmm.
Zak: alongside some you know quite big names I think they're already showing that they have struggled from being pilfered this season in a similar way, right? They lost Tielemans to...
Zak: Manchester United who we'll talk about that another time but that's another funny funny segue for this weekend But like, I think... Yeah, I think because of the fact that the last time around this happened, and even with the sort of... noise around Benfica and stuff, it wasn't it didn't really seem to affect it.
Zak: This has.
DailySaintsPod: Hmm.
Zak: And I think this has is because you're right, it's it's big and important.
DailySaintsPod: think it's just I think it's just further down the line, right? it's It's, you know, it's... potentially happening real soon and you can't hold that against him and and the thing is if it does fall through and he does end up staying as a Saints player, then I fully believe that he is the sort of player that will still just go out and give it 120 % every game because because that's what strikes me as the sort of player that he is.
Zak: Well, that and he'll get a slap on the wrist from his far -in -law mate, like...
DailySaintsPod: It feels like... a Well, yeah, exactly, right? you is you don't you you don't win You don't win over that family. uh lineage without that sort of level of dedication and aggression so yeah i think it's fair enough and to be fair Nathan Wood really stepped up into the role.
DailySaintsPod: if If you excuse the goal, because it's not... Not just Nathan Wood's fault, there were four other players who stood and watched it.
Zak: Anyone could have cleared that ball. Literally anybody.
DailySaintsPod: Yeah.
Zak: like I've already seen some...
DailySaintsPod: Literally.
Zak: some criticism for Perez, which is just insane. something like was he I'm sorry, if you look at you've got four defenders in front of you, you'd think...
DailySaintsPod: Yeah.
DailySaintsPod: any of them, just just stick a foot out, right?
Zak: at One point. That was all that was needed. All that was needed was anyone to be aware that that ball was coming in.
DailySaintsPod: Yeah.
Zak: and and get rid of it. And it was it was dumb, and it just made the game more painful than it needed to be.
DailySaintsPod: Yeah. What? Hmm. but But other than that, I think Nathan Wood had a very... good very solid game i thought he really stepped up and really put...
DailySaintsPod: like a kind of performance in the is a statement of I want to be. the first choice centre -back, whoever we bring in. I want to be the name on the team sheet.
DailySaintsPod: and It was great.
Zak: Well, this is this is the thing, because I... Right, so... I worry about, obviously, there's going to be a lot of people that say that we need to replace Taylor Harbour Bellis immediately, which I understand.
DailySaintsPod: Hmm.
Zak: And like I agree with. But I also think I don't really understand what the point of having quasi is at the moment. Personally.
DailySaintsPod: Yeah.
Zak: I don't understand if if he we haven't sold him or he's not on loan. why we're kind of It's like was's almost like a collection. we've forgotten he's here. is how it feels to me personally just the way that people kind of like
DailySaintsPod: I...
Zak: Is it just he's not good enough?
DailySaintsPod: I have.
Zak: Is that what people think? Is that what you think?
DailySaintsPod: No, I think he... I think he... is potentially good enough i think that he's lacking in experience and maturity and a lot of areas that especially the way that we pay our centre -back need.
Zak: How are you meant to get that?
DailySaintsPod: I don't know I have I have concerns about...
Zak: How were you meant to get that? Like...
DailySaintsPod: and I don't know, a potential lineup of Quasi and Wood. Rolof, less so. Quasi and Stephens. But I think, I don't know. I i don't know. I don't. really have uh or haven't really formulated a clear cut reason in my brain of why That is.
DailySaintsPod: But my brain sees it and thinks, oh, I don't know about that. Maybe it's because we saw some of that under wheel still last season and it wasn't great.
Zak: I've...
Zak: I think it's going to be... It's going to be hard to replace with so little of the window left that I don't really know where we're going to go from.
DailySaintsPod: Yeah. Yeah.
Zak: Obviously, one of the centre -backs we were linked with for like five minutes disappeared right under our nose to Burnley, who also didn't have a great time.
DailySaintsPod: Yeah. But look. We'll
Zak: But...
DailySaintsPod: We'll sort it in due course, mate. At the end of the day, this is the problem with the the transfer window continuing into the season. is that Until it's done, it's going to be what it'll be. And there's probably...
DailySaintsPod: several things in motion that we just don't know about because that's the nature of it but
Zak: It's well yeah this It... We were talking about this.
DailySaintsPod: But at the end of the day... It is what it is.
Zak: We've talked... about this previously right sorry i need to keep cutting you off there We've talked about this previously. Where? buying players and the transfer window closing when it does.
DailySaintsPod: Hmm.
Zak: It's frustrating. And having that deadline means that... that the entirety of the way that football transfers work. is essentially like a house chain in the UK.
DailySaintsPod: Hmm.
Zak: which is is like... 17 people in a line are trying to buy the next house. So you need to wait for this part this club to buy this player from this this club.
Zak: Obviously, this is exactly what's happened with Taylor Harbour Bellis, right?
DailySaintsPod: Yeah.
Zak: Konza has now gone. which means that they need to replace him. They looked at a player that fits that profile. That player is Taylor Harwood -Bennis. We're then going to have to look to one of the people that we want to replace with who might not be able to move until they have decided to replace.
Zak: the hymn with somebody else and like this is why it's taking so long and like i understand the frustration where i'm already seeing the like sign some players meme and you're like
DailySaintsPod: Hmm. Yeah.
DailySaintsPod: Yeah.
Zak: Guys, like we need to sell half the squad before we immediately...
DailySaintsPod: Yeah.
Zak: Sign up. everybody and I don't think it's going to happen until the end of the...
DailySaintsPod: But before before you go too much further into this thought, mate... It's not Transfer Thursday.
Zak: Howdy Roy!
DailySaintsPod: We want a match. Let's move on and talk about the actual game and the players that are going to stay here and the players that put in a wonderful performance yesterday because I'm still buzzing about that.
Zak: Yeah, sorry, it's just
DailySaintsPod: Sorry.
Zak: Right, so back to the midfield. Obviously, you've said your piece about that scheme.
DailySaintsPod: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, look, I think Matsky stepped up well.
Zak: I don't. You know? Yeah.
DailySaintsPod: Bounds is looking probably in the best shape. I actually read a piece that said that he'd gone... away in the summer with Will Smallbone and gone to see like some big name fitness coach and worked on a level of fitness and
Zak: That wouldn't surprise me.
DailySaintsPod: Thank you. I think it paid off. he looked Really, definitely in the best shape he's been in. In a Saints shirt. He did still get his obligatory booking, though. so
Zak: Well, yeah, but so so did Bree.
DailySaintsPod: a
Zak: And now the fact that both of them are seeing each other, it's almost like are they are they planning suspension for the same time to go on holiday?
DailySaintsPod: It's Yeah, but... But Bree's booking was soft and Dan's booking was a booking. So...
Zak: Yeah. but you you get what I'm saying, right?
DailySaintsPod: Okay.
Zak: Like, you know, maybe they jet off to Ibiza together to catch some sort of like you know DJ set.
DailySaintsPod: Yeah. Maybe.
Zak: but
DailySaintsPod: Yeah.
Zak: Yeah, no, i I agree wholeheartedly. And it I think I've talked about this before, but it reminds me of that season that Redmond came really, really good.
DailySaintsPod: Hmm.
Zak: And he went off and did exactly the same thing where he went to like a private coach in the US and basically proper like through all of this, you know. For all of his efforts behind that, in between the actual proper pre -season, and obviously it paid off dividends because it was probably, I think it was, that was the best season he had under us.
DailySaintsPod: Yeah.
Zak: And it's nice to see him kind of get over this illness problem
DailySaintsPod: Yeah.
Zak: It's not the season
DailySaintsPod: He looked look great. put himself about in midfield. covered it incredibly well was was the first to sweep up and tackle in many occasions and of course Got the assist for the early goal with an incredible through ball.
DailySaintsPod: to Cole Aaron.
Zak: Yeah.
DailySaintsPod: which
Zak: 100%.
DailySaintsPod: Yeah Who continue to nutmeg the keeper in the calmest... fashion I've ever seen. Just... exactly the start we needed. but But yeah, and and as far as the rest of the lineup...
Zak: Agreed.
DailySaintsPod: I think we're seeing... that. at least at the moment. Dobbin and Sienza. try and do too similar a thing and actually having azaz back in and having leo
Zak: Yeah.
DailySaintsPod: basically doubled up on the entire game, freed Azaz up to float around like he likes to do and make himself a nuisance through the middle and over on the right and occasionally overlapping Leo as well. and it made a huge difference having Azaz in.
DailySaintsPod: And yeah, we...
Zak: He was... player of the match for me, like having him back full time, having him back in that role, you know.
DailySaintsPod: We look good. Mm.
Zak: Obviously, he eventually came off, but he did play the pretty much the entirety of the game. And... just having him back and fit. After. We didn't know how long it was going to take, especially with how long he was out during the summer. Didn't basically play the preseason, haven't seen anything of him.
Zak: and you know for all the hot and cold and the criticism we've kind of given over last season. and not just us, like across the board, I don't really understand like where it's coming from because we've seen that with him, we are clearly a stronger side.
Zak: and you know he he showed it today.
DailySaintsPod: I think... I think it's twofold. like I talked a lot last season about how... some of the things that he tries to do are so... on the line because of how good they are that sometimes when it doesn't work it looks really bad but I also think it's because a lot of the other bits that he does do incredibly well are very easily lost in invisibility like if you watch the ball the entire game
DailySaintsPod: You miss a lot of the... different pieces of movement he does to drag defenders a certain way or just be in positions that are causing a nuisance so as well as you know being able to play those passes and break the lines that way he's also incredibly switched on in the sort of tactical football sense and he will you know be the component that moves a player out of the way to create the space for leo or or actually several times in the game fellows
DailySaintsPod: to to change the direction or go and you know fellows had uh A much better game yesterday, for sure. he He's really... worked on mixing up.
DailySaintsPod: going down the line and crossing it in and cutting inside. I still want him to... learned to shoot with his left foot because every time he did cut inside, he... looked for a cross or a pass, which is fine, but...
DailySaintsPod: So many times the shots are just there for the taking.
Zak: i've I've told you it's because you keep saying that he's going to score and like you've cursed the poor guy and like whatever whatever accidental voodoo doll you've created of sort of Tom Fellows you need to you know I don't know if he signed like a West Brom search shirt from many many years ago for one of your kids and then that turns out that that's just like the source of this curse that you need to break because he's now a Saints player or what but like there is
DailySaintsPod: Hmm.
Zak: I don't know. I think that we could probably have someone extra there but then like adosi came on and you know did pretty well and i think we should probably hopefully see more of him if he doesn't go.
Zak: Because he wasn't one of the ones in that list necessarily have been shopped about.
DailySaintsPod: Well that's the thing, right?
Zak: so
DailySaintsPod: Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. And I mean, that's the thing, right? i want to I want to get on and talk about all of the substitutions because... I had feelings in the game. The...
DailySaintsPod: that maybe in hindsight feels silly. But... But before we got to that point of the game with the substitutions, obviously we went 1 -0 up with that wonderful goal and that fast start from Larin.
DailySaintsPod: just doing Kyle Lahren things. And then... i don't know we just like fully switched off for a solid 10 -15 minutes like it just went back to slow and not really on the ball and not being able to keep the ball misplacing passes or or diving in for silly challenges and not making it. And then it was just such a soft goal to concede.
Zak: Dee!
DailySaintsPod: Like, it it was really staffed.
Zak: Do you think of a scene? Well copped. Spygate. Short of pre -season. pre -season opponents being like crap German sides.
DailySaintsPod: Hmm.
Zak: honestly. do you think I think their potential contributing factors to... obviously we had a game and then very, very quickly we've had another game and then very quickly another game. And we're kind of. they need to build up to pace.
Zak: We wanted a really, really fast start.
DailySaintsPod: Yeah.
Zak: And arguably, like one win out of two is is a faster start, you know, than we would usually manage. Right?
DailySaintsPod: Yeah. Yes.
Zak: So... Like, that's that's a good thing. But I do wonder if there's just like a hangover from from preseason and there's some...
DailySaintsPod: Other... i don't know if it goes as deep as that i mean one thing that i thought about today when I was kind of reflecting on it was actually just that
Zak: No.
DailySaintsPod: it was quite hot yesterday like it was i was struggling right I was struggling in the stands and I left the stand sweating like I'd played 90 minutes with them.
Zak: Yeah.
DailySaintsPod: as As I so frequently do, as you know. tend to be fairly animated uh in the stands but
Zak: Yeah, I'm a what?
DailySaintsPod: But it was Hulk. so i just think like I think it was, oh, we got the goal, good. Like, just that moment of relief. was almost just enough to
Zak: Switch off for a little bit
DailySaintsPod: like almost subconsciously slow the game down and it just... Yeah, it was just really silly and such a silly goal to concede. just no one tracking the runner no one trying to clear the cross everyone just leaving it for each other and it was just just really sloppy and really dumb
Zak: it it was yeah It was a silly goal to concede.
DailySaintsPod: And then...
Zak: At least it's not like an individual error like last time. But actually, I think that might be slightly worse.
DailySaintsPod: Yeah.
Zak: you like i just wish some you know If someone had tripped over themselves and then they'd scored off the back of that.
DailySaintsPod: Yeah.
Zak: you'd almost feel better about it than the fact that all of them were unable to clear the ball.
DailySaintsPod: Yeah. But then we eve straight after that, we really like switched back on and we got... pretty much straight back on it and i actually think i sent you a text before half time saying It's coming. Maybe not this half, but like we are the building back up to it. And and we looked you know a lot better. We were keeping the ball better. and They didn't really for the rest of that first half have.
DailySaintsPod: many chances. I think there were a couple. There was a good block from Wood that I remember. And, Some other just it kind of bobbling about uncomfortably and us not dealing with it particularly well, but nothing like really clear cut that I can think of.
DailySaintsPod: And then, you know, we come out to the second half and the second half was. Such a different game. Because it became abundantly clear very early on that Stoke were quite happy to play for the draw and waste.
DailySaintsPod: every minute of time available which you know shouldn't come as a surprise but does.
Zak: No, but it's frustrating that they said they were going to start cracking down on stuff like this, and that it doesn't really seem to be happening in, you know...
DailySaintsPod: Yeah. One of the stupidest things for me is... i actually missed the bit where they said they were going to start counting down for goal kicks. But that makes sense. I like that.
DailySaintsPod: But... But he doesn't start counting down until the ball is placed. So they just take 10 minutes to put the ball down and fanny about knocking it to a defender for him to take it. And then, oh no, and it's not in the right place.
DailySaintsPod: And then he starts counting down. I'm like, this is not doing anything, right? This is this is silly.
Zak: Well, yeah, it's it's it's it's like anything, right? like we've We've previously worked in we work in software development.
DailySaintsPod: Yeah.
Zak: and we've When there is a rule that was in place for, late let's just say, a team of people that we we almost were had some sort of weird control over, but not really.
DailySaintsPod: Yeah.
Zak: you know, you would you would patch a hole that could be exploited to to say maybe waste time. And then immediately what happens is people realize where the gaps are and then start wasting more time elsewhere.
Zak: So like, unless you're actually going to be properly enforce it, people are going to exactly do exactly what you've seen and go, oh, okay.
DailySaintsPod: Yeah.
Zak: well if If they're not going to start counting until I kick then, I can just have a little waddle around and and sort of have a conversation.
DailySaintsPod: Yeah. So then... And then on top of that, you know, all of their players are falling over and holding their heads or holding their hamstrings. and It just led to a lot of frustration and, you know, we saw it nearly boil over. There was a bit of a... Uh...
DailySaintsPod: moment of handbags between Jack Stephens and their goalkeeper when Their goalkeeper basically rolled the ball away from what was our free kick and Stephens took... offense to that.
DailySaintsPod: And the referee didn't do anything about it because referees love goalkeepers and don't punish them in any way, shape or form. Not even the least. upsetting thing that the referee did in the afternoon to be fair it wasn't a great performance but
Zak: Yeah, I know you weren't you weren't happy with the referee.
DailySaintsPod: uh but very rarely am to be fair so but yeah and it was it was frustrating and they you know they set out to frustrate us and for large parts of the half they managed us but we still managed to put together chances
DailySaintsPod: One chance that sticks out in my mind was Ryan Manning, who for about... 20 seconds turned into or at least in his head turned into some form of like Cristiano Ronaldo regen when he sat down one of their players and then tried to Travelo it into the goal.
DailySaintsPod: And we're just like... I really like Manning and he's been really solid for us, but like... Know your place, right? Like, you're a fullback at Southampton. Like, what are you doing?
Zak: What? But... but But also, as we've just pointed out, like, you know... we we would have We're happy when Matsky does that because we're like, oh, that's a thing he likes to do. And I think that...
Zak: Having more shots and sometimes they accidentally go in is better than when we were spent. We spent, I want to say about two to three years, Greg, just saying, shoot, shoot the ball.
DailySaintsPod: Hmm.
Zak: every day
DailySaintsPod: Yeah, but maybe not try and like a like a finesse shot with the outside of your boot, you know, like just just don't overcomplicate it. But look, I respect it.
Zak: but It's fine, yeah.
DailySaintsPod: it it it it You know, it... it worked he took on the player he got a shot away so i can't grumble too much but but it did it from from both myself and all of the people around me in the stands, got an absolute look of befuddlement, like...
DailySaintsPod: maybe Maybe this isn't the time or place. You've just conceded to Stoke. like
DailySaintsPod: But And then... For me... About the 53rd minute, I'm like... Laren looks tired. Right, he is not. able to press in the same way as he was pressing for the first half.
Zak: And then... We were talking about the fact that he was looking a bit leggy.
DailySaintsPod: And... Hmm. And Fellows... slowed a bit but then actually seemed to get a second wind and really like grew into the game And Leo wasn't having a great time.
DailySaintsPod: against. their fullback, although their fullback was on a booking.
Zak: he He is Really? clearly carrying an injury and I think that from from what like
DailySaintsPod: Hmm.
Zak: his shoulder from when he came down the other day, right? The the last game when he came down hard and we were like, oh, and then he was, he somehow managed to play out the first half and be kind of like, well, surely he's going to go off at some point.
Zak: and i should play a lot of the second but like that must be affecting him And like, that's what I think.
DailySaintsPod: Yeah.
Zak: And I think that, you know, people are saying, no, he's not.
DailySaintsPod: Yeah, that Annie was marked out. And and he.
Zak: yeah, that's the other thing is that he will get marked out now as well.
DailySaintsPod: He wrote the... He rather uncharacteristically for him. kind of threw his arms up and moaned at the rest of the team for not really giving an option at one point during this frustrating period.
DailySaintsPod: now And I get it, right? is It was frustrating. We were all frustrated.
Zak: Hmm.
DailySaintsPod: But, you know, I'm looking at that and and I'm like... I just... I just think we needed... some we need changes and i said that around the 55th minute i'm looking i'm like we need something soon like that we need to inject something into the game and and i'm stood there and stands on and it gets ticks over to to the 60th minute i'm like well that's all right that's the normal point he makes changes it will be in a minute Then we get to, like, the 68th minute.
DailySaintsPod: I'm like, oh, I think he's leaving it a bit late. but like I know that I criticised him last week for for taking Laren off too early, but I'm like, he's he's not... really having an impact here and then immediately after i thought that finish as burst on the break from the back and carried it all the way up the field.
Zak: It... Yeah, leaving...
DailySaintsPod: And... you know, Stokes' legs were tiring and he played a wonderful through ball to Laren, who... does did a Laren thing and shot quickly because that's what he tends to do. And the keeper pulled out a brilliant save. I couldn't fault anyone in that play. Didn't end up in a goal, but it was a shot on target. You can't ask for more than that.
DailySaintsPod: And I was like, well, maybe he's onto something. and it gets to what like minute so the 78th minute he made the changes and of course it's still 1 -1 and I'm like We've been down this road before. Right, we're bringing on Dobbin for Sienza, and we're bringing on...
DailySaintsPod: Mubama for Laren. And yeah, Laren was tiring, so it makes complete sense. Enzo was tiring, so it makes complete sense. but What a horrible amount of pressure to throw them into to come in in 12 minutes and expect an impact.
DailySaintsPod: And, like, what a ridiculous amount of pressure to put a young player under. It's so unreasonable to of of him to expect that. And it just didn't matter, mate, because they came on and bish -bash -bosh, tick -tack, bang, calmest finish in the world, bottom corner, what more do you need?
Zak: There you go.
DailySaintsPod: I shouldn't have worried, it too.
Zak: You've got to remember he's he's played in the the championship previously. He was coming up against previous opposition.
DailySaintsPod: Hmm.
Zak: Now, we know that when Finnazaz comes up against Borough... that's not usually a great performance. But he just seemed up for it. And like, I think...
DailySaintsPod: Yeah.
Zak: you know, there was an interview with him and in like in the week as well But like... he's he just seemed proper up for it. And, you know,
DailySaintsPod: Yeah.
Zak: When he was...
DailySaintsPod: I mean, in his opening interview, he he very brashly said... I'm just here to score goals. And and you know I think that says a lot about... his mentality, but also...
DailySaintsPod: You know, Dobbin involved in the build -up play of this goal. It's a beautifully worked goal. Just... textbook, pass it in a triangle around the defender. Calm as you like, finish.
DailySaintsPod: And, you know, much like Kyle Lahren did on his home debut. Just... What better way to introduce yourself to the Saints fans than score an important goal?
DailySaintsPod: And...
Zak: Yep.
DailySaintsPod: You know, the Northern went wild. It was great. And Jack Stevens showed the the extent of his housery that we know he's got in him as he falls over and pretends he's hurt his hamstring before laughing it off with the ref and walking away.
DailySaintsPod: And...
Zak: This was... It's one of those moments where like... oh, I know that he got some stick last game. And I know that he has been a very, we have had very Marwite opinions of him over the last couple of years.
DailySaintsPod: Yeah.
Zak: But it's moments like that, you're like, man, I'm glad he's a Southampton player.
DailySaintsPod: Yeah.
Zak: Oh, yeah.
DailySaintsPod: it's great and look it's it's exactly what we love to see through the team
Zak: yeah
DailySaintsPod: Look, we relished it up until it became a meme because it went the other way when Howard Bellis put goggles on at the Middlesbrough defence. It's the sort of thing that...
DailySaintsPod: We love a bit of a nibble, we love a bit of a bite, and the time -wasting was egregious, and I'm glad that it came back to bite them, and I'm glad to see that the players felt that way too. and What a brilliant moment for Mubama.
DailySaintsPod: right in front of the northern men to get that goal announcing arrival
Zak: Yeah. 100 %
DailySaintsPod: I'm sure that he'll start on Tuesday and based on the way that West Ham have been playing to this point, I'm sure he'll score then as well. and you know, just... Just seems to be fantastic. I mean...
DailySaintsPod: it's it's exactly the thing right goals and assists for those players are what sparks the confidence. We talked about it so much last season. well Oh, they just need a goal. and
Zak: Not just last season, multiple seasons, mate.
DailySaintsPod: Yeah.
Zak: It's been a through line since we've done this show that...
DailySaintsPod: Peace.
Zak: the way that we are able to, you know, get the goal scoring up is... is
DailySaintsPod: Yeah.
Zak: having that consistency and being able to score goal after goal after goal and build confidence.
DailySaintsPod: Hmm.
Zak: We have so many players that are confident. Strikers, Armour, for example, Archer. All those kind of players need a run. And obviously, Lowry managed to get his run last season, has continued it into the World Cup and now continued into it.
DailySaintsPod: Yeah.
DailySaintsPod: Hmm.
Zak: into the first three games of the season. And obviously, you know the fact that Obama seems to back himself that much and so far has proven it.
DailySaintsPod: Yeah.
Zak: in a very very quick turnaround but also the fact that we're able to make those changes that late and then still be able to make a difference because you're right it was pretty late on and it was there was frustration and you know across the board
DailySaintsPod: You can't dispute it. Mmm. Yeah.
DailySaintsPod: Yes. It was. Yeah. And even before he scored, he also got himself in a really decent position, received a beautiful through ball and had a shot on target. Right, so he's, you know, he was putting himself in there, getting in the right places, and then, yeah, calm, composed finish. And then, you know, at that point, both substitutions of have paid off and...
DailySaintsPod: uh directly being involved in the goal. after Directly after the goal, we bring on a dozy for Fellows. who then you know, against everyone's beliefs.
DailySaintsPod: contributes to the third. And...
Zak: Yeah, with... So how offside do you think that was?
DailySaintsPod: I'll just floatly off - slightly off the high panel here.
Zak: You seem to think it was only slightly, and I... Looking at it again. I don't know man, I feel...
DailySaintsPod: the The picture, the the picture the the screen cap from the highlights, I mean, it's it's made worse because the angle of the camera isn't... in line with the pitch right so if you look if you try and tilt it to to the line Number 16's shoulder.
DailySaintsPod: is kind of in line with just about Idozi's knee. So it's only really like a bit of his head and a bit of his shoulder that's actually offside. So it's tight.
DailySaintsPod: It's not a clear -cut one. That said... in real time stood behind the goal. I went, that was offside. Didn't look like a penalty either. But on replay, it was definitely a penalty. Assuming that the play was onside. I think it was... Pretty close, but was offside.
DailySaintsPod: And, you know, inconsequentially in the 93rd minute, but not great for s Stoke there. Player got a second yellow card and sent off.
DailySaintsPod: to much to the joy of all the Saints fans. And yeah. rock -paper -scissors between Idozi and Mubama for who was going to take the penalty, so up upstairs Ryan Manning to slid it away.
Zak: yeah that's so
DailySaintsPod: bloody you
Zak: Rewatching that clip was really funny. Hee hee. Ugh.
DailySaintsPod: Bleh.
Zak: And he scored it. You know, as you said, they maybe having that ridiculous amount of overconfidence earlier on was exactly what you needed to have when you step up and take a penalty. with
DailySaintsPod: Yeah. absolutely and look he puts it away gets himself off the mark for the season and
Zak: Yeah.
DailySaintsPod: Yeah. But just... it was It was a performance that... for a period of time, felt a bit flat. and felt frustrating, although I think a lot of that frustration comes from...
DailySaintsPod: Both. the end of last season, but also... all of last season where there were lots of games like that at St Mary's that didn't end that way with that frustration.
Zak: I also just think it's it's expectations. The expectations are so high.
DailySaintsPod: Hmm.
Zak: And like... you know, The expectations are so much higher because, you know... even looking at Hull, right? I think you might have sent me a tweet, something that was like, that's the most absolute Manchester United thing to be beaten by a team that the only reason they're up.
Zak: is that, you know, Southampton were kicked out of the playoff final, which to be studies stuff like You've just lost a whole sit down. Number two, like...
DailySaintsPod: Yeah.
Zak: That's a bit insulting to hold to just assume we would have won and assume we'd have gone up because, you know. they would have they they're a good team and they're they're on merit.
DailySaintsPod: They're a good team. That's pretty good.
Zak: But it is is one of those things where like, you know,
DailySaintsPod: Hmm.
Zak: that that could have and should have for a vast majority of the fan base been where we should have been.
DailySaintsPod: Hmm.
Zak: Right. and And it's frustrating. And because of that, it feels like you know if we're taking on Stoke at home, we should be winning that game. We shouldn't be losing you know our first game of the season.
DailySaintsPod: Yeah.
Zak: There's obviously a lot less i think time. You're already seeing... good lord we weren't the only ones it was like how long has Tonda got after last season and it's like it's been a game and a half like we're talking about like Let's just calm, let's have everybody calm down a little bit.
DailySaintsPod: Yeah. Yeah. It's crazy. I love it. But look, we...
Zak: So we won.
DailySaintsPod: were
Zak: That was the main thing.
DailySaintsPod: And...
Zak: That's what matters.
DailySaintsPod: and other like noteworthy mentions of the game is that whilst that discourse does exist in the social media spaces that we follow and watch and obviously as people that follow the football club very closely we hear a lot of it But one thing that echoed around the ground before the game even kicked off was...
DailySaintsPod: We've got a Tonda record. And... I mean, that that tells you everything you need to know. I mean, admittedly, he did get booed slightly later on when he didn't wave when the the crowd asked for a wave.
Zak: and I also have to...
DailySaintsPod: But I think that we can forgive that for being focused on the game at that moment.
Zak: Look. English isn't his first language, right? like We know that.
DailySaintsPod: But look. we I fully believe. in in tonder he's shown that he's Go. The... the ability to continue to win right this is a decisive victory even though it didn't feel it for the entire game.
DailySaintsPod: right especially with the benefit of hindsight it
Zak: But there's there's a lot of games that we won last season that we didn't feel it for the entire game.
DailySaintsPod: Yeah.
Zak: Good Lord, we were 3 -0 down against Leicester.
DailySaintsPod: Yeah.
Zak: you know, a point last season and won that game.
DailySaintsPod: Yeah, exactly.
Zak: So, admittedly, let's talk.
DailySaintsPod: Hmm.
Zak: you know, Looking at it where Leicester are now, maybe... maybe it wasn't actually as amazing as we thought it was however
DailySaintsPod: Yeah.
DailySaintsPod: It's part of their downfall, really, wasn't it?
Zak: uh Yeah, I genuinely think at that point we just passed whatever curse we had onto them.
DailySaintsPod: Yeah.
DailySaintsPod: bit quickly
Zak: Like, Russell Martin's there now. like but but What can you say?
DailySaintsPod: That's a good one.
Zak: like I look forward to them coming back up to the championship before being slapped back down.
DailySaintsPod: Yeah.
DailySaintsPod: Honestly, i was just I was just happy to be back at St Mary's. It felt like in such a long time.
Zak: Yeah.
DailySaintsPod: It's been more than 100 days since since that Middlesbrough game, that Middlesbrough semi -final.
Zak: I think it's it's the fact that it's just being back.
DailySaintsPod: and the It's great.
Zak: It's being, it's football is back.
DailySaintsPod: So she...
Zak: It's the championship is back. Bing. The games are back. It's just it's important.
DailySaintsPod: Hmm.
Zak: to remember the other thing the key thing i wanted to point out is like you spent the morning meeting a lot of the players as well we're not even going to get into that now because quite frankly we don't have the time but you you did get to meet a lot but one of the key things that
DailySaintsPod: Right. No. Yeah, we rocked up to the stadium at 9 o 'clock.
Zak: Yeah, you were there literally all day.
DailySaintsPod: We were not messing around. We were excited.
Zak: You made the most of it. But it's one of those things where
DailySaintsPod: i was and And that was, i it would have been earlier if my daughter had had her way.
Zak: I know. But it's it's one of those things where... the The realities of social media and what's been made of, you know, this whole thing and all the build up and also almost less at least how like the the games are treated and all this.
Zak: It's all, none of it's reality, right? when you When you rock up and you start chatting to people and they're like, oh, I can't really wait for the season to kick off. Hopefully Larry gets a couple more goals. He was really good for us last season. All of a sudden, all these like massive long tangents of discords and threads where people...
Zak: where people just get completely like lost in the source, just go away almost immediately and you realize that it's not.
DailySaintsPod: Yeah. Yeah, it was there was a palp a palpable...
Zak: It's that complicated.
DailySaintsPod: a palpable positive buzz. And I learned that I'm not the most delusional Saints fan. That shout out to the one person I heard who said... Damien Downs is going to get 10 plus goals for us this season. I feel like that.
DailySaintsPod: even by my standards, is a stretch.
Zak: Yeah, like with with you as well, you know I know that you are... unbelievably positive and optimistic. and can sometimes just be brought crashing down to earth but there are always going to be people around us that's like well i just don't understand why we didn't win five nil and be like it's just
DailySaintsPod: Yeah.
Zak: What?
DailySaintsPod: yeah like but look It was brilliant. like there were people There were people there giving over like handmade cards to the players. just so excited to be back that in itself had to be a boost for the players.
DailySaintsPod: the atmosphere at the ground. at the start of the game was fantastic it it did Calm down. But it was hot. Like, like it I have been at St Mary's plenty of times where the atmosphere is still a buzz, but people just don't have the energy to actually sing at the top of their voices for 90 minutes. So there are lulls where, like... recover and take on some water but But, you know, at the key moments... it it
DailySaintsPod: it We were in full voice and... It was just great. that There were limbs. for you know both those final goals and just so many people... like I think back to... to like a point of last season where...
DailySaintsPod: We got to the 90th minute and... half of the stadium had emptied after the game just before like the end of the game and like two of the players came over to clap. fans and i think the quote from the podcast was that just like a team of individuals there's no togetherness about it at all and then like i looked at
DailySaintsPod: the post -game scenes yesterday and like an entire stadium full of people cheering on and all of the teams stood together and forcing Mubama out to cheer with the fans.
Zak: Yeah. but and Apparently there's all this all this chaos, by like you know according to some people, this chaos behind the scenes that people are still really mad and salty.
DailySaintsPod: and uh
Zak: I think if there was one player that was mad and salty and didn't want to stay... that player left and that player is called Ross Stewart. And you know what?
DailySaintsPod: Yeah.
Zak: I don't really blame him. I think it was an awful dark chapter for the club. i do feel that as with time reflected that maybe everyone went a little bit insane on what they consider to be the most evil thing going on especially considering like the UAE government have come out and been like well if these man city charges are bad that's going to be really bad for UK and UAE diplomatic relations which quite frankly is like an insane level of corruption.
DailySaintsPod: Yeah.
Zak: Okay, sorry.
DailySaintsPod: Yeah.
Zak: And it's like, We had a guy with a phone. And again, like I know that things like that are bad, but...
DailySaintsPod: Yeah.
Zak: yeah the This whole like myth of apparently everything is terrible, i I just don't think people are thinking about it as much as...
DailySaintsPod: Yeah.
Zak: people like and that togetherness is still there. And they clearly still have this goal. And okay. It was labored. But it was a win, and that's all that matters.
DailySaintsPod: if Yeah. Yeah, look, I mean...
Zak: Minus one, mate.
DailySaintsPod: It's going to be laboured because, as we've said so many, many times, it's not an easy league, especially this year. Anyone can beat anyone. we're not going to steamroll. many teams in this league, maybe Pompey.
DailySaintsPod: But...
Zak: Look. As of right now, mate, Millwall are top of the championship.
DailySaintsPod: Look.
Zak: So, you know.
DailySaintsPod: Yeah.
Zak: That's that... III.
DailySaintsPod: Yeah. West Brom are right up there as well it's a crazy league anything can happen But look. It's great. Like you say. nearly back. in positive terms.
DailySaintsPod: And you know, as the song goes. Sama -na -na, eh -eh, waka -waka, eh -eh. minus 4 We don't mind. Sites are going up. Might be the paraphrased filtered version anyway.
Zak: Oh, mate. Well, for starters, it's minus one now, so it's not even as much of a deficit, so...
DailySaintsPod: Yeah. Perfect.
Zak: we have to We have to see how it pans out. And then obviously now we've got a cup game on Tuesday. which I'm sure we're all looking forward to seeing what full rotation we end up having.
DailySaintsPod: Yeah.
Zak: We might actually see Kwasi again.
DailySaintsPod: And then a championship match against top of the league. Yeah.
Zak: Exactly. so
DailySaintsPod: Yeah.
Zak: All part of the fun, innit?
DailySaintsPod: Oh, I can't wait. Well, look, mate, it's been an absolute pleasure. uh waffling at you about this game it was so exciting to get back somewhere i've i've missed it so much And I didn't really realise how much I had missed it until I was walking out of the stadium and felt emotions that you can only feel on days where your team win.
DailySaintsPod: it's you know like absolute pure deepest joy that you feel especially being as animated as I tend to be that you've earned from her. from Subway 3. But it was great.
DailySaintsPod: It was wonderful. Look, that's all we've got time for. Let us know your thoughts and opinions on the performance on the game. on the socials or in the comments. We're Daily Saints Pod. Absolutely everywhere.
DailySaintsPod: x blue sky tiktok facebook instagram youtube everywhere hit us up and let us know and while you're there why not give us a subscribe if you enjoyed listening uh it really helps out And we would really appreciate it. We'll be back tomorrow.
DailySaintsPod: to talk about a match preview because the games just come that thick and fast uh
Zak: Woo! Makes a our life easier.
DailySaintsPod: That certainly counts.
Zak: No, no, no!
DailySaintsPod: Think about the football.
Zak: Yeah. yeah
DailySaintsPod: That's what we are here to do. We love it. But until then, everyone, have... A wonderful day, as I know you will, riding the high of that Saints win. We will see you then.
