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EP 57: Matchday Review - Leicester
22 Plays26 days ago
Join Matt, Jake and Luke discuss all things from the weekend's action against Leicester.
The boys highlight all things brilliant and all things needing to improve for the blues. Where do Chelsea go from here, is this a statement win in their push for a top 4 finish?
Host: Matt Blagdon
Guests: Jake Chandler and Luke Charlton
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Transcript
00:00:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome
Introduction to Daily Chelsea Podcast
00:00:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
to the Daily Chelsea, brought to you by the Global Sports Podcast Network. I'm your host Matt Blagdon, and today I'm joined by two superb guests to discuss all things Chelsea versus Leicester this weekend. um first My first guest is a season ticket sensation. He's also a very happy man. It is, of course, Jolly Jake. How you doing?
Chelsea's Recent Performance and Player Rumors
00:00:33
Jake
very rare very very jolly after looking at the table today and our little result Matt, you're doing very well.
00:00:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Good. Good. Yeah. Great to have you here, Jake. And of course, uh, of course this is, I think, you know, who's going to come next. He's waxing ever since he got on board to the stream today. It is of course lyrical Luke. How you doing, Luke?
00:00:54
Luke
Yes, very, very well. Very, very, very happy indeed. Can't contain my excitement of over such an excellent victory today. And yeah, I'm looking forward to delving deep into what was a great win.
00:01:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
hmm loving
Nicholas Jackson's Growth and Role as Striker
00:01:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
all with this alliteration coming out it's just coming out naturally f for us all now it's a lovely trait of this um anyway ah great win for us boys um on the weekends a solid win that we really did need to have this result for us to really push on with our charge to get top four this season and you know hold on to third place um It's a bit remarkable to think that just think six months ago ah there was one player in but in particular in the Chelsea squad that could have been used plus cash for a swap with Alexander Esak.
00:01:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Now don't get me wrong, Esak is still a quality player but I'm pretty glad we held on to the player in question in that deal.
00:01:45
Jake
I don't think so personally now. I think
00:01:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
He wears the number 15 and he did score in the 15th minute in this game. I'm of course talking
Analysis of Jackson's Play Style
00:01:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
about Nicholas Jackson Jake, what do you make of his performance today? And is, you know, is there any debate between him and Nkunku now for that top striker spot?
00:02:04
Jake
um don't i don't think so personally now i think consider Considering Ninkuku has, you know, it's not as if Ninkuku is like a brand new signing sort of thing. He's he's been here for a little bit now and and I'm not saying, you know, he's had injuries and stuff, but the thing that everyone complained about with Jackson was his finishing. Like he was in in last season, he was getting into these positions all the time. um If he has definitely gotten better under Maresca, you know, you don't know how much of that is down to Jackson improving on Maresca's tactics and stuff like that as well. You can, you can debate that.
00:02:34
Jake
But what he's doing is he's leading our line and he's scoring goals. And there that is what we've been crying out for for a while, where now, you know, there's a very good possibility we've got it. um
Debate: Jackson vs. Nkunku
00:02:45
Jake
With someone who's just got, yeah for Jackson, for me as well, I think in Cuckoo, when he does play, I think he's a little bit quiet. um Whereas I think Jackson, obviously, I think he gets into a lot of players quite a lot. um He's just got that sort of personality that I think really just drives our team up just a little bit more. And I think also he has that a ability to sort of annoy other defenders as well. And I don't think Nkuku really has that himself. He does it in sort of like a skillful way, but Jackson will get in their face, really face up to them. um For me, Jackson is is the starting striker now. And I think we were talking about him possibly Nkuku infringing on that a little bit. I mean, a few weeks ago with those
Praise for Jackson's Tenacity and Goal Instincts
00:03:22
Jake
conference league performances, but the way Jackson is performing in the best league in the world, no, he can't be displaced.
00:03:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's high praise indeed. Yeah. I mean, he's just a bit more aggressive. He gets, he's a bit more physical than in Cuckoo and he's a bit more of a handful for defenses. Luke, I mean, I guess that was, you know, highlighted in his goal against Lester on the weekends. Why don't you just talk us through that? What really impressed you about his goal?
00:03:49
Luke
I think it was, it was
Jackson's Development in Counterattacks
00:03:50
Luke
the tenacity and and just the general strength he showed and it shows a real development in his own game because that's the type of opportunity that he would never have got. I think in his first, say 10 games with us when he first joined Chelsea, because the physicality of the league, he's definitely developed with it. He's always been quite a strong presence, but I think that's the kind of position you see a lot of strikers will try and take the easy route and claim a foul there where they'd be looking to get a free kick, move the ball at the pitch, but he actually kept going.
00:04:16
Luke
um just on the off chance he'd get the ball ahead of Voutfeis and he did manage to and and it was an instinctive strike, it was an excellent finish um and I actually think I think Leicester's keeper did quite well today um so the fact that he was able to catch him off guard that early on I think was but was was quite a good, um again showed even the higher level of quality that that finish actually was. um To touch on a little bit kind of what you were talking about with Nkunka as well I think there's an element as well where Jackson He stretches the back line a lot more than you would get from Kunku. And that resulted a lot last season, a lot of offsides. And and there's been a bit bit of that this season, but he's definitely learning how to time his runs a lot better. And he's not, he's moving out to this to the to the wing a little bit less or doing it so at the kind of more appropriate times um when the ball is deeper. But he's definitely, he's
Jackson's Transfer Fee and Performance Comparison
00:05:01
Luke
moving a lot more central when we're running on the counter attack.
00:05:03
Luke
um So you have to look at it now and think that in Kunku again, his game is a lot more like Zhao Felix, a lot more like Cole Palmer. He can play as a centre forward for sure, but he he will want to drop deep and affect the play, whereas Jackson essentially will not go much deeper than halfway through the opponent's half because he wants the ball to come to feet or to come to to take to play off of him and he can bounce off to someone else, lay it off and and move the attack forward.
00:05:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:05:25
Luke
So I think as an out and out centre forward, he's far and away our number one and and he's improving week on week. So that that yeah that conversation about Kunku is For certain different games, certain different profiles, he's useful. he They are slightly different players. I mean, I don't think Jackson scores the gold and Kunku scored away at Bournemouth. So there's elements there where they both have their own merit. But ultimately, yeah, for for for a striker in the Premier League, Jackson is pretty much the archetypal player we need, and he's just getting better each week.
00:05:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, the
Critics and Praise: Is Jackson a Top Striker?
00:05:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
commenters were making a note on that, just how, you know, we only bought Jackson for about 32 million from Villa Real. And so, you know, now it's kind of looking like brilliant business in today's market. I mean, since he's arrived in England, only Harland and Watkins have scored more non penalty goals than Jackson. ah Jake, do you think Jackson is finally silencing the critics and will they actually give him some time of day now?
00:06:17
Jake
you know what i don't i don't think he is silencing the critics and i think it's for me that that that's more down to just the amount of slack he got last season i think the press last season just won incredibly harsh on him like he it was almost like no one was watching him play and yeah to be honest if he looked on paper like statistics weren't weren't that good but you know we so we saw what he was doing for the team you know he was always trying really hard for the team he had his passion you know he just he couldn't finish um he is starting to sort of finish those goals now but you know i don't think people are starting to look at him maybe in the same way chelsea fans and i think this is this is arguable in the way that chelsea fans think of him but i think maybe he's the third best striker in the league based on current form at the very least i would say
00:06:59
Jake
um I don't think there's going to be a lot of fans of other clubs and I think personally a lot of journalists who are really going to admit that yet. and And maybe we do need to see this for maybe a longer stretch, but the way he's playing, you know he's he's not really dipping in form at all. I don't really see um
Jackson's Confidence and Chelsea's Future
00:07:16
Jake
why he shouldn't be getting into this pro. He's doing incredibly, incredibly well and he's the main thing for me is just he's doing everything that is asked of him. you know he He was asked to improve his finishing and that's exactly where we are. and now As I just said, I think he's probably the third best striker in the league.
00:07:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, absolutely. I mean, he scored five goals in six away games this season so far. So really leading the charts in that sense. And Jackson even said after the game himself that his form is just beginning and we'll talk about it when the season is done. So he sounds like a man with confidence in himself, belief in himself, belief in the team. And um yeah, maybe we should take a similar approach of a long term view. It's sometimes a bit difficult with Chelsea Palace to do that, but and we should do that.
00:07:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
and Anyway, more on another stand up player in this game after this break.
00:08:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Welcome back. We are talking all things Chelsea and Leicester after this weekend's action. Another player that was a stand up performance and actually got the player of the match was Enzo Fernandez coming into the side again to start as Labia was still carrying a bit of a knock and probably some tactical changes as well from Maruska. He got a goal and assist and got a nine out of 10 according to foot mob. um Luke, you know, so he probably had his best game this season in this Premier League. Do you think this was a real statement performance from him?
00:09:22
Luke
I mean, he was excellent today for sure. It's hard to get a little too carried away there because I think Lester's midfield, the fact they're all on yellow cards quite early on, they they couldn't really keep up with him in general. I don't think he were many of our players for most of the game. um And a lot of their opportunities came from our mistakes. And at some points there was some nervousness that we felt, especially in the back line, we still have issues with Jackson, i'm not Jackson, sorry, Sanchez um um in goal. And then you think about it,
00:09:50
Luke
the today was real, real, real, real indictment that there were some players there that maybe weren't having their best games, but for Enzo, yeah, he was excellent. He looked really fit, which I think is the biggest thing that maybe has been a bit of an issue for him, I suppose. He was mobile. He kept, he kept the energy at both ends of the pitch. I think the system in particular that we um we may cover in tomorrow's episode, but he really suited him today. I think he was able to, to be a bit more of a free role, but a deeper role than say Palmer being in a free role.
00:10:19
Luke
um So he could time his runs, he could time his opportunities and he but he was keeping the keeping the game ticking over. um and And a big positive I think that you can say is that we didn't feel like we missed Lavia today. When normally in a lot of games we felt like when it's been Quesado and Fernandez, it hasn't been the right sort of balance. um But today it felt it felt felt fine, it felt really good. um They both are doing their own individual roles and and they did them well.
00:10:43
Luke
um And yeah, he he he certainly um he he certainly he he didn't put do anything wrong. he He hasn't really damaged his chances in any way. He did exactly what was asked of him. He had a really good performance, really influential performance. um And yeah, I think if he can keep building on this and hopefully get a bit of run against now, have that responsibility back on his shoulders, we can see him in hopefully maybe more intense matches. um it It could do him the world of good.
00:11:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, absolutely, Luke. I mean, he had 78% pass completion, which is maybe a little bit low for his standards, but he did win seven out of his nine duels against Leicester. And like you say, they were on yellow cards, so maybe they were slightly easier duels. But I think we have been a bit critical in previous matches where, on his physicality, being maybe shrugged off the ball a bit too easily compared to either Quesada or Lavia.
00:11:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Jake, do you think ah he's recognized that and really worked on his physicality? um Or is it just um a case that there are certain games that Enzo's grateful and we're going to just switch between him and Lavia depending on the opponent? Or do you think Enzo can really fight for that spot alongside Kaisado now?
00:11:50
Jake
Um, no, for me, I think it is specific games for Enzo, which to be honest is a bit sad considering that we're talking about, you know, a hundred million pound player. ah Um, but I think he, I think there was a couple of reasons why he probably did better against, against Esther today. One, I think he was, he sort of seemed a little bit protected. And I think that was, that was more last season. I think when we saw a casino and Enzo together, it wasn't as if sort of casino was sort of like protecting Enzo. It was more that.
00:12:19
Jake
casado just had so much of the work to do, therefore it looked like he was sort of doing that, like he was picking up a lot of the slack. Whereas now it seems, if Enzo, there's quite a few times I noticed in this match where Enzo seemed a little bit uncomfortable with his position, or he wanted to, not necessarily uncomfortable with his position, but he wanted to be in a at least higher place or a different place to be able to play the pass that he wants to. He can see the space and we know his passing is incredible. we knows He knows what space he can see.
00:12:43
Jake
and And the ball went back to Cassado. If you look at the passes between Enzo and Cassado today, they were constantly, usually you quite look at them and they're going side to side across Armid Field, but they were constantly backwards and forwards, backwards and forwards. and which is Which is one thing I'll compliment Enzo on as well, which is what Lavia and Cassado seem to have mastered is one play goes forwards, one call player goes back. And that's why they have that really good synchronicity. But Enzo sort of did a similar thing today. And I don't know if that was because, Luke, as you mentioned, um they had free midfield all three of their midfielders in yellow cards by, what was it, half an hour in?
00:13:14
Jake
Maybe 40 minutes or something like that.
00:13:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah absolutely yeah
00:13:16
Jake
and So I think that impacted the game and obviously, you know, you you know you hold back challenges, you you try and make less interceptions if it's closer to a player and stuff like that once you're on a yellow card.
00:13:16
Luke
Hmm.
00:13:24
Jake
So maybe that helped Enzo today. and But no, I think, I think for Enzo, it has to be just certain games. You know, I don't think he'd be able to pull off a performance like he did today against anyone in the top six at the moment.
00:13:37
Jake
um Not to say he ever won't maybe play any more of these games.
00:13:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, absolutely.
00:13:40
Jake
He'll build up that form. But yeah, for me, it is still very much Lavia and Kaseida as a mid-field partnership for me.
00:13:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah Interesting. I think a lot of times fans would agree with that just because they give such a solid base and we want that, you know, protection in front of the back three that we inevitably go to when we're in possession. I do just wonder, Luke, though, that his goal ah that Enzo scored was, you know, based on like kind of attacking um assumptions and being in the right era, being quite poacher-like.
00:14:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, Jackson makes a fantastic effort to get ahead away in in the first place. A great save from the Leicester keeper, but then Enzo follows up on the rebound. We say, you know, sort of, it could be Lavia or Enzo on game dependents, tactics and formation and who the opposition is. But do you think you could see Lavia doing a similar thing in the future by anticipating that run and actually getting that headed sort of goal?
00:14:36
Luke
It's very early stages with Lavia I think, but he doesn't have, i mean I mean Enzo hasn't got a lot of game time in terms of professional men's football.
00:14:39
Jake
of my I mean, I'm coming in, so I'm involved.
00:14:43
Luke
He's still I think only on, I don't think he's even near like 200 games yet of of of professional football. um But he his role, I particularly look at kind of how he plays for Argentina and how he's played for us in the past, he has a lot more of an attacking intent than certainly I would say Lavia does on paper from what was intended of that kind of player.
00:15:02
Luke
I certainly think that we don't restrict, I think restricts the wrong word, but Caesado has less of an attacking and impetus when he's with Fernandez as to when he's with Lavia. Lavia is certainly the one that's deepest, picking up the ball on the half turn and playing that first pass to Caesado. He may run on, they may interchange of course, but the preferred setup is certainly that it's someone dropping deep or an inverted fallback and then and then Lavia is the one at the base of everything. It's almost almost like a third center half that will drop in if needed to be. um So it's an interesting dynamic to see when when Fernandez comes in. I think he he's got much more of an attack minded
00:15:39
Luke
brain in that sense I do think he looks forward more than he looks um to consider what's around him he he's much more focused on how can I influence the game as opposed to I've got possession here who's got the pressure on me and it's that's that it's that it's playing with you with the blinkers on in that sense and I think he certainly has that a ability he's a perfect laser well Clark cut winner so but it's more the point of that you look at it and you go for the team I still think we need to work out what his actual final role is in the midfield and that's why I think as as Jake's kind of hit the nail on the head there he works for certain games but ongoing is is he the answer?
00:16:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah Jake, anything to add to that?
00:16:20
Jake
Yeah, I just, one of the things I was looking at just just now was actually the average positions of the players during the game. And like we've already said a couple of times, you know, Lester had a lot of yellow cards, so that probably influenced, you know, what they did in terms of midfield during the game. But actually, it looks like Kiseido was actually sort of as a halfback, sort of sitting in front of a bad issue and a cold wheel. And for Mendez, this average position was actually more with Cole Palmer in in in actual fantasy during the game.
00:16:46
Jake
um so maybe it's maybe it's more that i think i just i just try to think maybe maybe this is all credit to casado really because he's been so incredible recently maybe mireska also trusted him in this game to leave him as the lone midfielder and fernandezan was able to justify could focus on attack which obviously we won the game you know so obviously it did work but i just thought it was quite interesting from the average positions
00:17:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, absolutely. It is one of those weird conundrums, you know, 107 million pound player and, you know, three managers. I mean, you know, the great Graeme Potter, the great Pochettino and now the great Maresca still trying to figure out where he is best placed. um But despite all of this goodness, there were still some struggles for Chelsea in the game, but we'll come back onto that after this break.
00:18:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Welcome back. And now we just discussed some of the things that maybe we didn't do as well.
00:18:07
Jake
you.
00:18:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
And even though we put the 2-1 win and you know, so we did dominate possession. We had 70% of possession in the first half and 64 overall in the game. We actually limited Vardy to 13 touches in the entire game and Leicester only had ah where they had less than a hundred passes in our half in the entire entire game so we really dominated ball possession, which you know plays into Mariska's plans and You know obviously players like as if Nanda's like we've just touched on um Luke where did Chelsea struggle in this game though? um What were things that we could have done maybe done a bit better with?
00:18:47
Luke
We, it's, it's again, it's ah it's a naivety in certain games. We we've taken teams and put them to the sword. Um, I think ultimately we have to look back at that and say that that's probably individual and performances that have allowed us to do that. I think in Cole Palmer's four goals, I'm thinking a performance against wolves of metal. He's hat trick. It's.
00:19:05
Luke
it It comes in flurries and spurts within games, not necessarily a tactical plan of saying this is how we're going to isolate them and beat them consistently. It's just moments where we've taken advantage. um And I think we all thought fairly early on with with a goal within 15 minutes that we would probably push on and get two or three more, particularly the way the game is lining up. And the fact that we didn't, and we allowed Leicester to kind of come back into it,
00:19:27
Luke
Essentially through our own fault because they they weren't really doing a lot more apart from pushing out the pitch a little bit more that's what it really was and we didn't really adjust to that very quickly on the field and it again that comes down to the lack again lack of maybe lack of experience lack of leadership on the pitch to say.
00:19:42
Luke
look, someone needs to get into the defender's ears and get into the goalkeeper's ears and say, just kick it long. Like if they're pressing up, Jackson can hold off. He's already proven. He can hold off these defenders, get it to his feet, get it, into and get it, get it. So he can knock it on with his head. Kukarela was having a field day down the left hand side. So it was, it was, there was opportunity to do that. And I think it's just,
00:20:01
Luke
That's when you see it you really see it in in kind of real time, that a manager doesn't have as much influence once the game's kicked off. But he obviously spoke to them at halftime, made some tweaks. Lester weren't anywhere near the same. We pushed on, got our second goal. um But it it was never comfortable. And I think that's still something we're still probably reeling a little bit from previous managers and previous expectations we've had, um where we don't feel comfortable with the 1-0 lead. It's not quite, especially when we've got a defense that's, again, still learning.
00:20:27
Luke
um But I think, yeah, oh ultimately this, this is a type of game where we played well. Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying we didn't, but we should comfortably be winning these games. If we're looking at being title contenders and the fact that we still feel a little bit naivety, a little bit of unshornness, a little bit, a little bit worried, I suppose, is, is just a sign that there's still more to come. There's still, there's still more growth and he's happened with this squad, but, but I think it will, I think it will. um And we're just.
00:20:52
Luke
The more we're playing consistently with the the players that I believe Maresco wants in his starting 11, the clearer it's becoming the odd one or two that maybe don't fit in the long-term plan. So I'm feeling more confident in the future with the way that we're set up now.
00:21:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, interesting. A lot there, Luke. um I guess on this, Jake, you know, sort of we just need that kind of clinical aspect that we have have did have of with our teams of old with Drogba, Lampard and Terry, and we might see that coming a couple of years once this team's really jailed like luke Luke's touched on.
00:21:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Um, I do just want to make a note that, you know, when it was 1-0 in the game and, uh, we have that breakthrough and Palmer shoots, but then Madawake blocks it. He can't jump out of the way. I think, uh, you know, so we all bit felt like no way. Is it going to be one of those days where we just completely dominate and we just still don't come away with three points? Um, is there an aspect of us just being really unlucky in those situations, Jake? And are we potentially just a really unlucky side?
00:21:54
Jake
um I mean, I i think there's there's an element of being unlucky to it, but There is, the from when we look at other teams, there is something to be figured out here, like Liverpool at the moment, like I speak, I don't, you know, I don't like love Liverpool or anything, I speak about them quite a lot, but what I love about Liverpool at the moment is just their efficiency, like it's it's incredible, like their their XG, like the shots and the shots on target, they have matches near perfect to the amount of goals that they score. um We rank very high in terms of shots, XG, all that sort of stuff in in the tables, but
00:22:29
Jake
we don't have the same sort of we don't have the same sort of clinical action. And yeah, elements of it come down to what we saw today when Manawake got in a way of a shot. you know this There are going to be times when that sort of thing is unavoidable. But I think there is probably something to work out, and I think it's probably down to chemistry as well. You think about the main thing that a lot of people have said with Liverpool so far is that slots come over, but he's taken over essentially the same team as what Klopp had. So all that chemistry is sort of there. There are things to be played a different way, but that chemistry is there. Mareska is building that up with us now, but also we need to have the same players in the team. And I think that's why at the moment, and but it may it I think it did actually seem to harm us a little bit when we were swapping a few attacking players in and out, because it started to mess up the chemistry. And I think when we had those few weeks where we had one squad for Europa and we had one squad for the Premier League,
00:23:16
Jake
And they sort of knew that was those two squads, both of them were playing incredibly well, like the chemistry, the link up play between all of them was fantastic. and So I think there's there's work to be done because we can get to a better point, but certainly we are getting a few unlucky situations. So just this season, to be honest, I think there's a couple of those one against Arsenal as well. I think there's there's always been a couple where we are leaving most games saying, oh, we could have had two or three more there. You know what I mean?
00:23:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
But I guess that's the point, isn't it, Jake, in terms of we don't want to be saying that. um It almost feels like we've been saying that from last season with we've had so many chances, we just haven't buried them. And then that can cost you so many points um in the season. Of course, we did concede a penalty ah but right at the end. And thankfully, it was pretty much right at the end. So there was no real time for Leicester to stage a proper comeback and try and get a point from us.
00:24:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Luke, on that, you know, sort of, is that penalty that we conceded just down to, I guess, a lapse in concentration um or is that a real discipline issue?
00:24:19
Luke
I think it's hard, it's hard to read into it too much because it literally was pretty much the last kick of the game. We've had obviously warning signs there with the the potential penalty that wasn't given earlier in the game as well. um Again, I just, I just put it down to a little bit of naivety, a little bit of maybe fatigue as well. They've had some of the, some of the players have had a long intellect.
00:24:38
Luke
it's ah It's an international break. You have to kind of come back, get yourself back up to speed. So it's that meant mental fatigue. of Maybe they've done a lot of training on the field, did a lot of concentration on tactics, different things like that. It was a slightly different setup today as well. And it's kind of adjusting to to positions and and and your responsibilities. and and Again, this is I think comes back to the point of us saying we would be much more comfortable if we were two, three nil up already, because we all sort of know that there we are liable for a little mistake like this now. And we're happy to take that on. I think the the the issues start coming if these mistakes are still here in two, three years time with these players.
00:25:11
Luke
um But right now, I don't mind that being an occasional problem. um But as you say, we we have the ability to to outscore teams massively, and um we we aren't really doing that. That's the one thing I think we're just still sort of missing.
00:25:24
Luke
But yeah, the the the defensive the defensive moment for for to to concede a goal is never good, never in any moment of a game, even if it doesn't affect the result. it's You want the clean sheet, you want you want you want to build on that foundation. For for a defender, it is like scoring a hat trick when they don't concede a goal. So they want to make sure that they're doing that, and they want it builds confidence and and belief that they can. um but But ultimately, yeah, yeah look I think it's it's just one of those things. It's another kink that they'll get out of of their um their system.
00:25:51
Luke
um Generally, I don't think um don't think it's going to hold them back too much.
00:25:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Interesting. And I guess, uh, just ah struggles, maybe less, you know, sort of focused on this game, but just generally with our injuries, both Reese James and gusto were out for this game. Um, you know, not even on the bench for gusto. Um, obviously we won the game and for fun, it can fill in at right back. But Jake, is this, you know, sort of, if that continues, is that going to potentially cause a lot of hazards for our squads and, and potentially our results?
00:26:26
Jake
Yeah, I mean, ah this is the first time we've sort of had, we've been quite lucky this season. how what were you with This is the first time we've had, I think, you know, four players, four first team squad players sort of injured on the same same day. Sorry, three players. I mean, it's Augusto and Rhys James. I mean, Augusto, I think it was a virus. So hopefully, you know, it's not an actual injury issue that we were sort of talking about here. But I was, you know, you know, we were talking, we have a group chat together and we were talking, you know, I was saying I was quite shocked at the lineup. To see Badia Shio, a censor back who is has been suspect for most of his appearances so far, since his injury and for Fafana, who can sort of play right back, but it just it for me, it made me worry a little bit that
00:27:06
Jake
um we wouldn't we wouldn't have that that link up play from sort of front to back you know what i mean i was quite worried with that because i think fana is there's good he's good he's got good ball playing skills for a center back but as a right back i think you need a lot more and we see that with gusto as well and we didn't really see too much of the inverted midfielder too much today either i think because you know obviously as luke said earlier kukarela was just having a load of fun down the left hand side so why invert and fafana that wasn't really his job but um It's a little bit worrying. I think from the discussion we had the other day as well, maybe we should be looking at another write back if Reese is going to be out this long, because we don't want to be completely dependent on Gusto for that quality write back position. um ah if this I am slightly worried if this is the lineup we put out with only three injuries to the squad. Because if we had this lineup against the bigger team, I would be certainly a lot more worried about what result we'd be getting.
00:28:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm. Yeah. Uh, we're almost out of time. Luke, any final thoughts on that? Anything to say on, you know, sort of the worries on Gusto and Rhys James' injury record?
00:28:12
Luke
um Yeah, I mean, again, it's it's too early to say in terms of from a gusto standpoint, we we did touch on James at the night and and and we have to look at it and say that ah ultimately, the long-term future, we need to plan maybe a bit more for that position. I feel like we have we have pretty good strength and depth in most parts of the field, the pitch. But um I also have to maybe look at it and say, again, we will cover this in our tactics episode probably. But I think some of it may have been a personnel choice today because I think we did try and line up a bit more as a conventional back five at points where it would be Madawecky and Kukarela were almost wing backs, but they were obviously playing a lot higher up the pitch because we were dominating the ball. So it it almost felt like that a little bit more today. So when we saw the team sheet, we were all a little bit concerned. But in reality, I don't think those fears were ever as as maybe as obvious as they could have been. We were thinking, oh, Fafana's got to play it right back. Like we've seen Dassasi play a couple of times this this this season. And it wasn't quite the same. um But but yeah, ultimately, no, I think
00:29:11
Luke
It could be an issue, but but Touchwood, we've been fairly okay with our injuries so far this year. um i I want to touch on something I saw actually about um with Jaden Sancho. There was a sport Bible article I saw like an hour after the game where they were saying about how he's... It must have been written by a Man United fan. I have no idea, but they were saying how he's been a flop and how, oh, everyone's tweeting about, oh, he's just coming off the bench. You can't even start on this team. Not really realizing he's been away for about four weeks, not not featured. He's came on for 10 minutes at the end. it's like he's gonna he hasn't been bad for us he's been really good and he's obviously just been using certain matches where Neto's come in as well and has performed excellently so it was it was just poor journalism I just wanted to touch on that basically of saying like yeah he'ss he's crap he's a flop and it's like but he yeah there's but Yeah, that's my frustration. I've got that out of the way. So that's fine. um But I'm glad that he came back on and he was now potentially in contention to be starting again. It gives us a little bit more options on the on the on the wings as well. so So that's a good thing, I think, going forward. I thought Shao Felix was really good today as well. um So that's ah another another point as well. um But yeah, no, on the whole. Yeah, it was it was a good game. Good good victory.
00:30:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Absolutely. Yeah. um Well, listen, you've heard it here for first. Don't do poor journalism. Otherwise, Luke will be coming for you. Okay. You've been warned. You've been warned.
00:30:24
Jake
And he's lyrical. We'll join Elizabeth back.
00:30:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Exactly. He's incredibly lyrical.
00:30:27
Luke
Yeah, that's that's me.
00:30:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Exactly. That is Luke. That is Luke. It's on his LinkedIn. It's there.
00:30:35
Luke
Yeah, linked in lyrical loop.
00:30:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, it's not. um But listen, thanks so much for joining us, guys. We're out of time, I'm afraid. um Jake, thanks so much for joining us tonight.
00:30:45
Jake
Fantastic to be your after-win, as always.
00:30:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
And lyrical Luke, thanks for being so concise with your opinions.
00:30:53
Luke
as As always, as always, as's I do try.
00:30:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Absolutely, absolutely. I've been Matt everyone. ah Do check us out for Tactics Tuesday coming up and all the episodes later this week. Bye bye for now.