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00:00:01
Episode 346: Championship Roundup!
0 Playsin 10 hours
Southampton – Another weekend of crazy championship action! And we go through it all!
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Transcript
00:00:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome back to the Daily Southampton part of the Global Sports Podcast Network. My name is Greg Elliott and all as always today, joined by my good friend, a wonderful co-host, Zach Ingo Finch.
00:00:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
hey do mate? You alright? You're good? You're good?
00:00:32
Zak
Yeah, I'm not too bad. It's that, like, the problem is I'm still at work and the week for Christmas, it's kind of like...
00:00:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Oh, no, just end of sentence, mate. End sentence.
00:00:43
Zak
fuck
00:00:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Problem is I'm still at work. but
00:00:46
Zak
Yeah, it's been significantly busier than I'd have liked it to have been considering it's the week of Christmas. so But it is what it is. We go again. I've done more wrapping, so at least that's of the way.
00:00:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, that's something. Oh, I still need to go and get presents for my wife, so wish me luck on Christmas Eve.
00:01:02
Zak
That makes me feel bad.
00:01:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Uh... but Look, as you alluded to, it's been busy. It's always busy. There's always football to keep us busy. And one of our favourite episodes that we started doing this year is a nice little championship roundup. So I guess, mate, let's just get straight into it. As always, going go reverse chronologically, pseudo-alphabetically,
00:01:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Or like you'd like to say, in the order it is on BBC Sport. And
00:01:36
Zak
much better and less confusing for me. yeah Thank you, mate.
00:01:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
and start with f Friday night's fixture. the the The fixture of Wales, right? sort the Is it the Battle of Wales?
00:01:46
Zak
Man, this was this was a wild game. and you both watched bits of this, right?
00:01:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I was watching it. It was, man.
00:01:54
Zak
it it didn't It didn't flatter Welsh football.
00:01:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was some...
00:01:58
Zak
And that's putting it in don't know, nice way.
00:02:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
It definitely didn't definitely didn't flatter goalkeepers in Welsh football anyway, that's for sure. That was...
00:02:06
Zak
No, you you're you're right. This is one of those situations where I think you said that, like, you'd think that you said, I remember you texted me saying it would be curtains for Baz if this happened, right?
00:02:19
Zak
And watching it back, shocking, isn't it? but It's not good.
00:02:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
I saw someone describe it as if Onana had signed for Wrexham. look like they was like It was calamitous.
00:02:35
Zak
Oh, it's, it was, it was, yeah, like it's, you feel, you feel for the guy, but also like it's, it's hopefully doesn't do anything like that the same, but if they go down by like a point, you can't help but think about those moments, right?
00:02:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:02:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:02:54
Zak
That's, that's kind of where I'm at, but yeah.
00:02:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
But I mean, it saved the graces of Burgess, who scored his third own goal in as many weeks.
00:02:56
Zak
Yeah.
00:03:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, it was a hell of a finish.
00:03:03
Zak
that That's what I mean. Like you said, it's not great for goalkeepers, but it's not great for either side. If you scored three a goals in a couple of weeks and then, yeah, just wild.
00:03:14
Zak
True.
00:03:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
look
00:03:15
Zak
Yeah, it'd be really good if it was at the right end of the net. Maybe they should just swap in places. If he keeps doing that, swap him with a striker. this is like When we talk about like putting you know Joe Arrivo in centre-back and putting Taylor Harbour-Bellis up front, maybe there's some logic to that.
00:03:28
Zak
Who knows?
00:03:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:03:29
Zak
You're putting it away better than you're defending it.
00:03:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:03:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. I mean, like, they were talking about it on Sky Sports, and a 1-0 goal is unfortunate, and then 2 in a season is, like, pretty bad and really unlucky. 3 in a season would be really, like, poor form.
00:03:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
3 2 games is
00:03:55
Zak
It's a bad day, right?
00:03:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. i mean can you I mean, if you base that on last season for us at like this point in the season, and you know that would be as many as goals any single player had scored for us like at this point, right? like like Three would put him top of the scorer's list, so three own goals. It's like...
00:04:19
Zak
Yeah, wast it wasn't. It didn't flatter. Other random bit of Wrexham news that you might have forgotten, Greg, is that J. Rodriguez has been added back to their registered squad. Do you remember that J. Rod still played for them
00:04:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
I did not.
00:04:31
Zak
so them? So yeah, maybe we talked about that our season opener that maybe we'll get to see him and I think he went out injured and like like everybody forgot. And not to take credit away from the second tier podcast that tweeted out about 10 minutes ago going exactly the same as you, Greg. Completely forgot J. Rodriguez was still at Wrexham.
00:04:49
Zak
this But yeah, there you go. How timely.
00:04:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, you're right. A fascinating game. And yeah, Swansea getting the win Yeah. i mean no Yeah, crazy stuff happening. What was the goalkeeper doing, man? Honestly.
00:05:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Honestly.
00:05:05
Zak
Look, he had a bad day.
00:05:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Moving on. He definitely did. Moving on to Saturday lunchtime. Blackburn 2, Millwall 0.
00:05:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, basser that's an interesting result, right? That's... not what you'd expect from that game. Blackboard burn sort of struggling down at the bottom in pretty poor form and Millwall, I mean, up until last week, were in pretty good form. And that's a pretty strange result.
00:05:37
Zak
I thought Blackburn did all right when they played us. I mean, you know, so I'm not really surprised that they were able to kind of get those sort of plucky wins out nowhere. And it's the second home win for them that's probably very important.
00:05:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:05:47
Zak
And yeah, Millwall wobbling a little bit, right? It's a reason that they've not been in the Premier League for a long, long, long time, if ever, right? I genuinely don't know enough about Millwall to tell you. look at I'm not going to BS and be like, wow, the last time they were the league because I don't think they ever have been, but I might just be ignorant.
00:06:05
Zak
But yeah, like,
00:06:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
I feel like they definitely were. i feel like we've played them in the Premier League. Yeah. Yeah. They spent a lot of time.
00:06:12
Zak
in the noughties.
00:06:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Not in our lifetime.
00:06:17
Zak
and So not in the Premier League, mate.
00:06:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
no
00:06:20
Zak
The First Division. but you What you've done there is mix up a bunch of teams in your head and be like, I've seen that kid in the Premier League before. It's like, you probably...
00:06:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh no, they were in the Premier League in 2000 to 2001 and they finished 20th.
00:06:30
Zak
Right.
00:06:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
So that's fully what was watching.
00:06:37
Zak
Right. in our In our lifetime, but I was still only about eight, nine years old, mate.
00:06:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Just about.
00:06:42
Zak
So, okay, either way, ignorance aside, you can see they're wobbling a little bit, right? From like sort of third dropping down to sixth and, you know, two losses on the bounce now.
00:06:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:06:53
Zak
i guess from their perspective, they just need to try and, you know, get get back to it. But I don't think that they they would have been expecting it. Do you know their goal difference is minus six? The sixth, that's kind nuts, isn't it?
00:07:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
thus That's kind of crazy for someone that high up the up the table, to be honest. it's
00:07:08
Zak
Yeah.
00:07:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, that's fascinating. I mean, they've got some tough fixtures coming up. They've got Ipswich on Boxing Day and then Bristol City on the 29th and then us on New Year's Day.
00:07:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
So you you wouldn't fancy on them turning it around in that short period of time, really, based on those fixtures.
00:07:29
Zak
Well, that's good for us though, isn't it? So that's what we got to capitalize on. We'll just try and capitalize in general, I think at the moment.
00:07:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's it.
00:07:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, on on anything. Next on the list, another Saturday lunchtime kickoff. Preston North End won. Norwich City won. A couple of late goals. Norwich thinking they'd won the game with an 85th minute goal. And then Preston equalising in the minute. Yeah.
00:08:00
Zak
We've learned that harsh lesson, right, of of celebrating too early and shutting off. And, you know, even against, it looked at our gaming, it's Coventry, right? Like, we switched off for, like, I think we were talking about it, right?
00:08:12
Zak
That switched off for, what, a couple of seconds and then we were punished for it.
00:08:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:08:17
Zak
And I think that's the case in games like this. at see You play right up into the final whistle. And sometimes people don't.
00:08:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
No?
00:08:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
no
00:08:25
Zak
And that's the outcome. But again, fair play to Preston.
00:08:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
i mean is to obes in I mean, it's it's it's fascinating one because, honestly, on the Taylor form, that's an excellent point for Norwich.
00:08:29
Zak
Consistently
00:08:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
But again, because of the way that's happened, that's going to feel like points dropped. And, you know, much needed points. Norwich now sitting all the way down in It's... sir
00:08:47
Zak
But I don't know. Again, can't. I'm still bitter. And I think I'm going to be bitter for years, Greg. So where I'm at is, oh, boo-hoo.
00:08:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
a
00:08:57
Zak
And I'll allow myself to be bitter.
00:08:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:09:00
Zak
You know, Preston, who, you know, I remember how mad we were after that after our defeat for Preston, right? Which ended up being, what, Will Stills' last game.
00:09:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:09:09
Zak
But like, they're on merit. They're fifth. You know? Like, they they're doing it.
00:09:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:09:14
Zak
They're grinding. They're doing the us, right, of the other year of just like managing to grind out quite a lot of draws with the occasional win in between.
00:09:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:09:21
Zak
And that's just like keeping them in it. And, you know, sometimes you've just got to do that. and It seems to be working for them. Fair play. That's all I can say.
00:09:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. And in the other lunchtime kickoff, Southampton won Coventry won, which we covered in depth yesterday. if you want to hear all of our thoughts and opinions on that and on Frank l Lampard in particular, go back and give it a listen.
00:09:43
Zak
yeah
00:09:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Definitely worth it.
00:09:45
Zak
Us, every other Saints fan, every other Saints podcast, we will have lots of opinions about Frank Lampard that maybe we didn't have as much of the day before, but you know.
00:09:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:09:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
All right. I stand by that. i love I love to see it in football. That's exactly what, for me, it's all about. a bit of A bit of ribbing and a bit of entertainment is what we all love to see. Right, before we move in to the three o'clock games, let's have a little break and hear a message from our partners at Bionique.
00:10:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, mate, and we are back. So moving on to the three o'clock kickoffs, Bristol City to Middlesbrough nil in, I mean, Bristol proving why they're still up and amongst it, right? Right up there.
00:11:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Maybe a surprising loss for Middlesbrough, who, you know, on that point had won four on the bounce. So it's kind of crazy.
00:11:19
Zak
Yeah, it's about a bit of wobble, aren't they, really? You wouldn't really expect it from them. But at the same time, like considering they dominated possession for most of that game, they still managed to lose. It's kind of...
00:11:32
Zak
ha it's not It's not too good. feel I feel bad for them a little bit, but at the same time, it's only good for us to potentially increase our prospects.
00:11:42
Zak
and Obviously, even more beneficial for Coventry because it wouldn't have really mattered if they'd won, law or look like one loss or drawn, to be honest.
00:11:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mmm.
00:11:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
m
00:11:51
Zak
which I guess kind of annoys me a little bit more because those two points would have been far more valuable to us, right? They they would have only put us back back into sort of 10th, but you know we're trying to climb up the table and any help we can get, I'll take. But yeah less than ideal, you know it's probably the first, you know I can't remember, it's the first time they've lost in a while, right?
00:12:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, and like say, before this, four wins on the bounce and then that this loss. So, yeah I mean, getting into the the sort of money end of the season, right, where this busy fixture so schedule really starts to, don't want to say separate the week from the shaft, but but it really puts players and pushes them to their physical limit because it really does start to come thick and fast basically until the end of January now.
00:12:33
Zak
Thank you.
00:12:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Next on the list, Cholton Athletic 1, Oxford 0.
00:12:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Cholton ending there. very unfortunate demise in form, still even with that win, all the way down in 17th after such a promising start. Yeah.
00:12:57
Zak
Yeah, well, they're lucky they got those wins on the doors, right? And then, obviously, they came up against us, and the the whole thing was going to be, you know, we were we were getting prepared for banter stations, right?
00:13:09
Zak
Like, we were ready to be absolutely sort of having to deal with Nathan Jones's, you know, stick.
00:13:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:13:16
Zak
And then, obviously, the result was we batted them. And then, since then, they've really not managed to find their feet. And I think they managed to pull, like, a draw out the bag when we last chatted, right? and you know to to quote unquote stop the rot and then now you know managed to get a win but the same time it's not somebody that you'd expect them to be but it is a member of their cohort right coming up you know
00:13:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it's part of that bottom part of the table, sort of struggling struggling and languishing down there. and Now sat in 22nd. It's, yeah, I mean, Oxford, yeah, struggling as well, right? It's been a tough year for them. And they also don't have a very good run of fixtures, Zach, because obviously they play us next, so...
00:13:57
Zak
and hopefully tougher still.
00:14:03
Zak
Yep. And I feel like, you know, judging based off of form and how we're doing and where we're at, hopefully it's a nice one to turn around our current spell of sort of mediocrity.
00:14:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:14:16
Zak
It's not even mediocrity. We did really, really well. And then we just had two games that, you know, we lost one a bit silly.
00:14:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:14:23
Zak
And then... somehow couldn't get the ball in the back of the net a second time in our last game. So it's not, yeah maybe I worry about underestimating them, but it is is one that like, I'm not hugely surprised that with how well Charlton have done so far that they managed to kind of like do over their quote unquote, like, you know, league league one cohorts.
00:14:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:14:47
Zak
So, yeah. yeah
00:14:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, interesting indeed. Right, the next fixture on the list, Derby County 1, Portsmouth 1. I mean, Derby gaining more points, right?
00:15:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like, since we were told they were rubbish and not expected to do anything this year, I know it's only a point to to Pompey, but man.
00:15:01
Zak
yeah
00:15:06
Zak
Darby, you're on the same amount of points as us, mate.
00:15:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:15:10
Zak
And were I think we're only ahead by goal difference and not by a lot. But yeah, I guess i guess that's that.
00:15:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:15:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Pompey sort of dragged themselves out of the relegation zone. A couple of points clear now.
00:15:23
Zak
By the skin of their teeth, right? A winner in a draw is the only thing that's really kept them out.
00:15:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:15:28
Zak
And, you know, with Norwich supposedly sort of getting back to where you'd expect them to be, they are really going struggle.
00:15:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:15:37
Zak
You know, if we can beat Oxford, we'll unfortunately probably end up doing them a favour, which I'd ever like to do, but it is what it is. They're going have to do something more like... If that if they lose Jacob Murphy, i don't think that there is a single...
00:15:50
Zak
I think that's kind of it for Portsmouth. Genuinely, I'm not saying it will relies on one the player, but it's very much like us last season with Matty Fernandes, even though we didn't stay up.
00:15:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:16:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:16:01
Zak
Nah.
00:16:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Indeed. But look, let's not give them too much thought or airtime anyway.
00:16:07
Zak
don't know.
00:16:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Not worth the effort. Right, let's have another little break and hear from our partners before finishing off the rest of the week's championship action. Here at the Global Sports Podcast Network, we spent a lot of time selecting our delivery platform and Zencastr came out the clear winner.
00:16:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
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00:16:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
If you're ready to tell your story, check out the link in the show description and learn more about Zencastr.
00:16:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
right, mate. And we are back. Next up on the list, Hull 1, West Brom 0. A penalty in the eighth minute of stoppage time in the first half for Hull.
00:16:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
And West Brom get a player sent off later in the game.
00:16:58
Zak
So it's a lot stuff, it's time for it.
00:17:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
There's a lot of stoppage time in the first half, isn't it? But... I mean, I can't claim to have watched what happened there, but it sounds like a pretty crazy game, to be honest. But good good points for Hull, keeping their sort of run going.
00:17:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Three wins on the bounce for them now, up in fourth place. And and the Baggies sort of struggling and right down that sort of bottom end of the mid-table.
00:17:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's almost a bit sad to see them.
00:17:30
Zak
You've got to wonder how long Ryan Mason still has, right, considering how they haven't been doing great.
00:17:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm.
00:17:38
Zak
Hull, on the other hand, you know, we've made a fourth. Like, their ascendancy continues to rise. Again, it's like Preston, similar sort of vibes of surprise of the season, especially where they kind of just about survived in in recent times.
00:17:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm.
00:17:53
Zak
Yeah. So, with many luck, you know, I think they're a really good side. You know, they beat us, and I think when they beat us, it was well-deserved. And I think we we went into that game underestimating them. I don't think there'll be a lot clubs that underestimate them any further. But...
00:18:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, and yeah, as far as Ryan Mason goes, I mean, I've i i've heard lots of West Brom fans who thought he should have been gone after they got beat by us. So, i mean, once that thought becomes part of the the stream of consciousness, it presumably is only a matter of time.
00:18:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
And yeah.
00:18:26
Zak
this is in the zeitgeist right like you know but then saying that we we're all so terrible for that right but then i think the problem is is the reality has usually been when we like start getting annoyed as a fan base they usually end up going but that's usually because they we get annoyed and then they lose like six other bouts so that they wonder why we're annoyed and
00:18:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:18:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:18:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:18:48
Zak
so
00:18:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Indeed.
00:18:50
Zak
But yeah, not not exactly probably where they'd want to be right now. But on the flip side, you know, Hull really, really doing well.
00:18:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:18:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Next up, Ipswich 3, Sheffield Wednesday 1. No surprises here. Wednesday still, bless them, just about hanging on in there as best they can on minus 9, right?
00:19:11
Zak
but Minus nine is harsh, right?
00:19:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I mean, it's...
00:19:15
Zak
Minus nine is so harsh.
00:19:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
it's I know it's early in the season and we're not even, you know, 50% of the way through the games played, but it's surely a done deal.
00:19:24
Zak
They're so down. There's absolutely no way they're going to get 30-odd points to come out.
00:19:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:19:30
Zak
And at 30-odd points, I'd hope that nobody else gets anything else rest the season, mate.
00:19:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Not in the...
00:19:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:19:34
Zak
They are gone.
00:19:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
And not in the, you know, the state of disrepair they've been left in either. And it's sad, but Ipswich bounce back.
00:19:39
Zak
No. It's sad. It's...
00:19:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
theyreup They're up high.
00:19:45
Zak
is it' it's sad and it's unfair and like the fact that there's still charges floating around other clubs that don't seem to really be going anywhere yeah it's it's kind of I do feel really really bad for them the only good thing is that their current you know that their most recent owner is out now and they can kind of get back to it but it must be awful just to go game in game out like both of the players and the fans knowing you're probably going to head into a game losing
00:20:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:20:13
Zak
knowing that you're not really going to be able to get, you know, the sort of what you would want on the field and, Yeah, it's just it's just feel really bad for them. Hopefully they don't go the way of like a plimmer for a really struggling League One, right?
00:20:27
Zak
Like that's that's where I'm at.
00:20:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
m
00:20:29
Zak
just hope that when, you know, hope that they able to get something out of it long term. But credit to Ipswich, you can only beat what's in front of you. That's the other thing.
00:20:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:20:38
Zak
You can't say, you know, in their they're they exactly kind of way you'd have expected them to be, maybe slightly higher if it wasn't for the fact that Coventry are doing as well as they are. And...
00:20:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, that's it. They're pushing on and sort of sticking up there and amongst it. Like you say almost where you'd expect them to be. but
00:20:56
Zak
Yeah, they managed to keep their manager for like so long at this point. Almost forgot what it was like to have a manager like more than a season and a bit, right? But hey-ho.
00:21:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Crazy times. Could you possibly imagine? Right, next on the list, QPR4, Leicester 1. Leicester getting absolutely battered is...
00:21:19
Zak
Well, they lost to us and then they they they like came back and they did a little win and then a little draw and then a win and they're supposedly on their way back in. And then obviously there's there's talks of stuff going on behind the scenes, right? I don't know. there are any rumours? We talked about this, right? Which feels a bit like a nothing burger. if It feels very much like it's it's it's clickbait headlines, right? Where it's they haven't paid people before Christmas, right?
00:21:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:21:45
Zak
which is something they usually traditionally do.
00:21:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Payroll forgot that paying before Christmas was a thing is what happened by the next bit.
00:21:49
Zak
Like, yeah, but obviously, like, I wouldn't be surprised if, like, behind the scenes, it's like, oh, yeah, Christmas this year, going to pay them on, like, the normal day in, like, January, and everyone's like, okay.
00:21:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:21:58
Zak
And they just forgot to say everyone to everyone was like, where's our pay? I don't know if that's entirely the whole story, but it but it's like considering people are using it as an excuse to be like, oh, they're not paying the staff.
00:22:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:22:08
Zak
I'm like, no, no, they're not paying the staff early.
00:22:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:22:11
Zak
That's that's very different. Like, that's not, that's a but.
00:22:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Very different, yeah.
00:22:16
Zak
that Obviously, the way the headlines are made is to to make you think potentially. but By the way, like, that
00:22:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. But they still have this impending points deduction hanging over their head.
00:22:24
Zak
they're... Dulé?
00:22:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. suppose It's it's is still going through the appeal process, as far as I'm aware.
00:22:26
Zak
Dulé is December. Like...
00:22:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
They had like an appeal date, I think, two weeks ago. So we should surely be hearing something about it by now.
00:22:40
Zak
Because what happens if...
00:22:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Let's just
00:22:41
Zak
What happens, right? So they get they get themselves up the table. They get themselves into like the top places. well Is it going to come at the end of the season? like Why is this not sorted out? i think It's mad.
00:22:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's baffling. It is absolutely crazy.
00:22:53
Zak
genuinely, like, i I feel like, to be honest, if I could sort out all of the court processes in, you know, with with a much better solution, we wouldn't have all of the problems we have in general in society with backlogs, right? So, i you know, it doesn't, it is what it is, but it is frustrating, I guess, for them, frustrating for their fans, frustrating around, because also, you know, from the perspective of, you know, clubs that try to do everything fairly, know,
00:23:21
Zak
Like at the moment, you can kind of, it just kind of feels like you can just get away with it. I've already seen that with, you know, multiple other clubs and, you know, the fact that that Chelsea are just able to buy their own, their own like assets, but it's fine because they're changing the rules, but they're not going fine anybody because it was within the subset of rules.
00:23:38
Zak
So like, it is what it is. We're not, we are here to talk finances and this or the other.
00:23:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:23:43
Zak
We're not those types of people, but what is the way it doing is,
00:23:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
We'll save that for another episode. Yeah.
00:23:47
Zak
But what it is is, is frustrating and hangs over them. And that's sure to have an effect on and off the field, right?
00:23:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:23:53
Zak
That, like, you know, they don't really know if this is going to happen, where it's going to mean, like, how big is the point deduction going be?
00:23:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
And you can see that, right?
00:23:58
Zak
Like, it's still...
00:23:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Because they're underperforming where from where you'd expect them to be.
00:24:02
Zak
Yeah.
00:24:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know They're in the same points as us, but but I think we we're underperforming too. So... It's going to an interesting push come the end of the season. And I guess this this like busy, festive period is is, I guess, for us and for them and and sort of all of these teams that are kind of stuck in this mid-table limbo, it's the the period of time where you can really turn it around in quick succession, right? Because you know between now and you know the 2nd of January, four games, three or four games,
00:24:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's a big turnaround of of points, right? You can really kick into gear or you can really find yourself sort of struggling and behind the pace quite quickly.
00:24:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
it'll be interesting to see.
00:24:49
Zak
There's an example of when people were like, oh, we didn't we we only beat QPR, they're not that good. And it's like, well, this is this is what the championship can do, right? And on top of that, it's like the return of their old manager who's gone on to break break a but brighter things in the first half going 4-0 down to his old side as always.
00:25:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:25:08
Zak
Well, basically, they did a Nathan Jones. LAUGHTER
00:25:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah.
00:25:14
Zak
rock rocked up to his old home, the stomping ground, they got absolutely like handed to him.
00:25:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:25:19
Zak
But we'll just have to see what happens with it all. But it just leaves a bit of a bad taste in my mouth. But then there's a lot of things that are dodgy that go on and behind the scenes that do.
00:25:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
No.
00:25:29
Zak
is my point is really whinging too much about it. But he says after spending five minutes whinging about it.
00:25:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right. Moving...
00:25:36
Zak
Anyway, moving swiftly on. Good win for QPR, mate.
00:25:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
moving Yeah, good win for QPR. Moving on, the Blades, Sheffield United continue their reclimb of the table. They beat Birmingham City 3-0. I mean, what I've seen a lot of doing the rounds on social media is someone being out there at the start of the season saying...
00:26:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
We're not the Birmingham City that was in the championship two years ago. Mark my words, you'll see. Quote this tweet, and lots of people have been.
00:26:11
Zak
both Both them and Wrexham just sort of sat together, mate.
00:26:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:26:15
Zak
Like, you know.
00:26:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
but yeah I mean, it was always going to be tough for them, and I mean, they got absolutely pummeled by the blades, to be honest.
00:26:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
20 shots, target.
00:26:27
Zak
Yeah, what's it? but it's similar when you get a red card though it goes one of two ways right you either if you if you have a team that are good enough to defensively organize like Coventry did against us you can minimize the damage where possible because like you know even even then Coventry still let a goal in it's how he ended up getting an equalizer
00:26:45
Zak
But when it comes specifically to like Birmingham, like you're not going to say that their defence is like top 10 championship defences, right? or Otherwise, they wouldn't be where they are.
00:26:56
Zak
And you know Sheffield United, you've got a resurgence in form. They clearly were hungry to get the goals. You've got Bamford, who's come in and made a bit of a difference. even even Even a couple of goals contributing to him. So that, like...
00:27:10
Zak
to that team is enough for it to be worth their while, right? Because you came in as a free agent. So yeah, like, it's don't underestimate anybody.
00:27:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:27:20
Zak
But the problem is, is that a red card like that will always change the game.
00:27:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, very much so.
00:27:23
Zak
the different difference being, of course, so that they were already 1-0 down at that point. So then it's just damage control as opposed to anything else.
00:27:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, that's it. Much harder to fight back from that position.
00:27:32
Zak
Yeah, because then you you need to try and you need to try and score at least some point to at least try and get something out of the game. If not, you may as well just send everybody off.
00:27:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:27:42
Zak
It is what it is. Fair play to Sheffield United.
00:27:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Indeed. And our last fixture of the game week, Watford one, Stoke City nil. Watford go four unbeaten. That's two wins, two draws.
00:27:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Uh, pushing back up towards, I'm guessing, where they want to be, towards those playoff places.
00:28:04
Zak
Yeah, leapfrogged us.
00:28:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Stoke continued to to drop and drop off a bit from their sort of big push at the start of the season. So...
00:28:15
Zak
stuff Stuff becomes a struggle, doesn't That's the problem. As as the season goes on, everyone gets tired and you get all these like close amount of games.
00:28:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:28:21
Zak
you've got you know We've come into our element a little bit as we've got really, really busy and a couple of sides have just not been able to maintain where it is. And I think that's kind of, you're seeing that with Stoke now.
00:28:31
Zak
I still think they're a really good side. I think they've been a fantastic side to watch this season. Watford, you know, I think I questioned a couple of weeks ago in our Championship Roundup, what was the point of bringing back Garcia? I guess if it continues to be the way that it is currently, it's probably a good move.
00:28:47
Zak
Because, you know, they were very, very close to the bottom. But then also it's been quite as tighter than we'd like to think, right? Portsmouth, 21 points, just outside the playoff places with 34.
00:28:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
e
00:28:56
Zak
It's not as tight as it was, say, a month or two ago, there's not a huge amount of points in it.
00:29:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
starting to starting to spread and like say as we go through this festive period things will start to become a lot gapier I think I think we'll have a much clearer picture in the new year of where everyone is at and that's that's it mate that's the entire list that's another week of championship goodness in the book
00:29:15
Zak
Yeah.
00:29:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
And, I mean, nice to take the opportunity to sit down and look through all of that because I don't think it's something who we're going to get the chance to do until the new year, to be honest, with... the with all the busyness of games and stuff coming up.
00:29:42
Zak
keep it.
00:29:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Let us know any highlights of the game week that you have in the socials or in the comments. We are GSPN Southampton everywhere. We're on X, TikTok, Facebook, Blue Sky, Instagram, YouTube.
00:30:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hit us up. Let us know. we'd love hearing from you. We will be back tomorrow to preview our Boxing Day fixture against Oxford. But until then, everyone, have a wonderful day, and we'll see you then.
00:30:10
Zak
Happy will.