Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
Episode 405: Matchday Preview: Making it 14 against Oxford?!?
109 Plays14 days ago
Southampton – Another game at home! Can we make it 14 unbeated? In a game where we have learned the hard way this season no to underestimate our opponents, but one we are still hoping to get the win, to keep our playoffs destiny in our own hands.
Follow us on social media:
Linktree - https://linktr.ee/dailysouthamptonpod
X - https://x.com/DailySaintsPod
TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@dailysaintspod
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@DailySaintsPod
Instagram – https://www.instagtam.com/dailysaintspod
Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/gspnsouthampton.bsky.social
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572875812052
Our Sponsors
For advertising and sponsorship details or to learn more about the scale and demographics of our audience – email us - dailysaintspod@gmail.com
Copyright | 2026 | Daily Saints Pod | All Rights Reserved
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction and Host Catch-up
00:00:13
DailySaintsPod
Hello and welcome back to the Daily Saints pod. My name is Greg and once again today joined by my good friend and wonderful co-host Zach. How you doing mate? You all good?
00:00:23
Zak
Hello, mate. Yeah, better than I was yesterday. was unable to join you yesterday. So, yeah, i'm looking forward to chatting some chancellor football with you. Glad we didn't have to sit and pain over the agonising game that was yesterday, even if it was, don't you want, good victory, good win. Just, could have been just an extra It would have made it slightly, slightly more comfortable.
00:00:45
Zak
It's as I'm on fire, you know,
00:00:45
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:00:48
Zak
Just, ugh, what game. What a hard-fought, horrible game to to to do well at.
Chancellor Football Game Recap
00:00:54
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:00:55
Zak
Shout out to Peretz 2 for some incredible saves.
00:00:57
DailySaintsPod
Absolutely. Man of the match for me. Yeah, interesting game where, like you say, it was a tough slog, heartville hard fought victory, but like consistently good performances across the entire pitch.
00:01:09
DailySaintsPod
Like a really good performance against, it has to be said, a good team on good form.
00:01:10
Zak
Yeah.
00:01:14
Zak
Yeah.
00:01:15
DailySaintsPod
it was a tough game. It was, but it's the, I think the sort of game that separates the difference between a great season a good season, right?
00:01:17
Zak
Yeah, there's no doubt about it.
00:01:26
DailySaintsPod
You win those games that are tough, grind out the result, see one.
00:01:26
Zak
Yes.
00:01:30
Zak
I told was the one I was worried about.
00:01:31
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:01:32
Zak
It was the one that I thought could have the potential to really upset the momentum that we currently have. And it proved not to be somehow, because there were definitely some moments where I felt like it was going to...
00:01:47
DailySaintsPod
Yes, yes
Team Standings and Playoff Prospects
00:01:48
DailySaintsPod
they were. But yeah, up into the top six now, firmly our fate in our own hands, you know, good good place to be, right?
00:01:55
Zak
Yeah, for sure. Yeah, i I love playoffs, Greg. They are my favourite. I definitely don't often watch, like, not watch penalty shoots out. Shootouts are the amount of stress they cause me.
00:02:07
Zak
So, yeah, i look I look forward to that whole thing again. You know, unless we want to push for, like, second. Could we do that still? that out of the realms possibility at this point?
00:02:20
Zak
LAUGHTER
00:02:20
DailySaintsPod
No.
00:02:22
Zak
is that being too optimistic? what did you I I, I'm aware, I'm aware it's all, all of that stuff is, you know, is, is a pipe dream for where we're at at the moment.
00:02:26
DailySaintsPod
if know If we win every game and all three teams above us lose every game, maybe, doesn't seem like a likely scenario, though, based on the way it's going.
00:02:43
Zak
However, just, just, you know, that's, that's the level of confidence it's putting into me, mate. And,
00:02:49
DailySaintsPod
That's it.
00:02:50
Zak
Yeah.
00:02:50
DailySaintsPod
it's it is It's hard to It's especially hard for me, mate. You know that i fly and feel all of the emotions with my full chest. And it's it's hard to not...
Reflecting on Past Games
00:03:01
DailySaintsPod
just feel like we're never going to lose another game again because it's is' crazy. It's really hard to ground myself into and and, you know, you think back to even as little as a year ago where actually it felt like we were never going to win a game again.
00:03:19
DailySaintsPod
It's...
00:03:19
Zak
Yeah, I was going to say, like I can remember how it just felt like I don't think that the 11 players we have can put together a performance set enough to score and win a game.
00:03:20
DailySaintsPod
use
00:03:27
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:03:28
Zak
But we did, and now we're up.
00:03:28
DailySaintsPod
but Look, we only conceded three goals this week. That's pretty good, right? Like, it's where we've come from. And...
00:03:36
Zak
oh we'd say We'd say that on a Tuesday, mate. But I agree with you all heartedly.
00:03:42
DailySaintsPod
It's...
00:03:46
Zak
Yeah.
00:03:48
DailySaintsPod
Another game coming up quickly. And... you know Saturday, another game at St Mary's.
Preview of Upcoming Game Against Oxford
00:03:55
DailySaintsPod
Two games in a week. It's exciting.
00:03:58
DailySaintsPod
It's good times.
00:03:59
Zak
Yeah, Saints versus Oxford. As we know, it's got history. A whole, like, what? Like, 15, less than 15 times we've played them, ever?
00:04:10
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:04:11
Zak
Greg's trying to tell me we've played them twice.
00:04:11
DailySaintsPod
I'm guessing it.
00:04:12
Zak
Keep trying to tell him friendlies don't count. Yeah.
00:04:15
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, well, yeah, we were discussing it before the game, and my normal website for historic stats has two games, and you're right, one of them was a pre-season friendly. So it's is' not a huge sample size to go on, but, I mean, they beat us on Boxing Day in in a horrible game.
00:04:30
Zak
They did. we We underestimated them massively.
00:04:33
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:04:36
Zak
We put our foot in our mouths a little bit. The teams like Oxford comment continues to haunt me couple of months down of the line. So then i think I looked back, and I might have looked back last time, mate, to the last time we played them before this that wasn't a friendly.
00:04:51
Zak
And it was 1996. I would have been four years old. Oh, fuck! Lundqvam was still playing and everyone else I started listing off you as well Greg were like have no idea who that is have no idea who that was so yeah I joke when I say it's got history
00:05:08
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, just slightly before the time when I could absorb information like players at the age of four.
00:05:13
Zak
yeah so it's it's difficult to really go off of any sort of history between us because like there's not really a lot of history between us there's the previous game they beat us and that's it
00:05:23
DailySaintsPod
But what we have what we can look at is is
Unbeaten Run and Team Confidence
00:05:29
Zak
Thank you.
00:05:29
DailySaintsPod
the current form and try and compare that.
00:05:31
DailySaintsPod
So obviously our form at the moment is I mean, I can only describe it as exceptional, right? 13 games unbeaten.
00:05:42
DailySaintsPod
Just unbelievable run that we're on The confidence levels are high. The performances are high, even without, you know, what you could describe as key, important, maybe even our best players.
00:05:57
DailySaintsPod
We are putting 11 players on the pitch who are playing with confidence and quality and is it's it's good stuff. Oxford, not not in such good form. Their their overall form is is okay. Three wins, one loss, one draw.
00:06:18
DailySaintsPod
all in. Most recently a draw, one all with Charlton, where that was the the game with the penalties, right? Both teams only scored a penalty.
00:06:28
Zak
Yes.
Southampton vs. Oxford Performance Analysis
00:06:30
DailySaintsPod
for Before that, beating Blackburn, beating Preston, beating West Brom before West Brom remembered how to play football, and a loss to Stoke. But their away form tells a different story because it it is not pretty reading. Apart from a 3-1 win away to Preston, it's not not good, mate.
00:06:50
DailySaintsPod
Two losses, two 0-0 draws.
00:06:53
Zak
it's a very different... time as well because we were still playing back five that point right so so here's some names mate that played in that game some of which you haven't seen for a hot minute right so Romeo came on for Flynn Downs after 56 minutes Ryan Fraser made but probably one of his last appearances for us if not his last in the 70th minute replacing Tom Fellows Jay Robinson replaced Leo Sienza 56 minutes in
00:06:58
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:07:17
Zak
Adam Armstrong started that game and continued it for a full 90. And Joe Eribo was on the bench. Alex McCarthy was also on the bench. And you start to think, like, man, things have changed quite lot more
Lineup Changes and Player Impact
00:07:30
Zak
than I think we like sort of recognise.
00:07:30
DailySaintsPod
Yeah. Yeah.
00:07:33
Zak
And that that includes myself, because I know that we talk about how we didn't do that much transfer business in in January. but's It's weird that like the shape of the team we have now is is significantly different and sort of some of the kind key personnel that were brought on as subs and stuff just aren't here anymore. So, yeah, bizarre situation. Completely different to the last time we played. i think the mentality switch is there. like We're talking about conceding sort last minute goals and things and we showed that yesterday we can do our best but most importantly there's there's a name i left out there greg which was uh gavin bazuni was in goal and now we have perez who i feel like it makes it his his mission to not let a goal in the goal no matter what and i feel like that should be the number one goal of a goalkeeper And it's really nice to have a goalkeeper that completely makes that his priority.
00:08:19
DailySaintsPod
yeah absolutely
00:08:24
Zak
Even if it requires, I don't know, diving headers, kung fu kicks, and sometimes spotting a ball that no one else has spotted and managing to get a hand to it.
00:08:24
DailySaintsPod
yeah
00:08:32
Zak
So, yeah. Oof. Mad.
00:08:35
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, I mean, that that double save last night in particular jumps out. And, of course, that incredible save against Coventry.
00:08:39
Zak
Yeah.
00:08:43
Zak
Yeah, like and the game before. like he he is He has genuinely won us points.
00:08:44
DailySaintsPod
Things that...
00:08:46
Zak
The same way that Laren has won, you know, he's scored, has secured a vital point against West against west Brom in his first game with us. Obviously, he scored that header.
00:08:57
Zak
Like, these are these are transfers that have ultimately done nothing but win us points. We wouldn't be in the position we're in today without those two players is is where I'm at.
00:09:07
Zak
And it again, you know, we probably had better for them for a lot of the game, but they ultimately scored two crucial goals. I feel like I have a lot more confidence in our ability to shut them out in the upcoming game than I did probably in December.
00:09:24
Zak
And, you know, we also played a different way, which is, you know, good to see.
00:09:24
DailySaintsPod
Definitely, yeah.
00:09:30
DailySaintsPod
yeah Yeah, it should... you You know, on paper, it should... All of it lines up for me that it should be a comfortable win. As we know, games not played on paper, things never seem to go that way. Here's one that jumps out at me off the page on points per game. Here's Southampton is 106% better in terms of points per game than Oxford currently, based on form, which is...
00:10:01
Zak
that is also This is also us coming into West Brom and you saying before.
00:10:01
DailySaintsPod
Yeah. Hmm.
00:10:05
Zak
Obviously, I think there was a bit of difference of emotions because you had arrived, you were you'd gone to the away game. It was your boys' first away game as well. you were very much like, yeah, we smash them. And obviously, we underestimated them and they went on to suddenly, you said, play football a little bit better.
00:10:22
Zak
I think it's just about not... I don't think there'll be as much complacency this time around, regardless of whether their away form is spotty. I think that we are in a position at the moment where every player is aware of what's at stake.
Strategies Against Low-Block Teams
00:10:36
Zak
Every player is aware of what points matter and which don't.
00:10:40
Zak
And I think that we will hopefully have the concentration levels to, you know, win or at least that get a goal on a team that I imagine is going to play a bit of a low block, right?
00:10:53
Zak
Do you think it's going to give Alton vibes a little bit?
00:10:54
DailySaintsPod
you would You would expect so. Yeah, you would expect a team at that part of the table with the the amount of nil-nils and one-nils in their recent game history. It reads like a team that are going to be coming in with this low block that we...
00:11:12
DailySaintsPod
evidently struggle against and I will say that I saw patterns of play last night that that are clearly designed with doing better at breaking down this low block in mind right and it's part of the reason that that Norwich were able to come at us as much as they were because they pressed that very well and and made it difficult.
00:11:14
Zak
Yes.
00:11:38
DailySaintsPod
And, you know, hopefully that'll kick in. It's just, yeah, it's it's it's not going you're right, it's not going to be an easy game to walk in. I
League Unpredictability and Injuries
00:11:47
DailySaintsPod
just think it's it should be more comfortable than Norwich. Yeah.
00:11:51
Zak
I agree. I also think that it should be more comfortable than it was last game. But I'm also just...
00:11:57
DailySaintsPod
yeah
00:11:58
Zak
I don't want us to just treat the champions... We know. We talk about every week. Everyone's probably sick of us talking about it. But any team can beat anybody in this league. And that's what makes it such a fascinating league.
00:12:08
DailySaintsPod
Yeah. Yeah.
00:12:10
Zak
It's not... as clear-cut, right? Like, it is a surprise when Man City lose in the Premier League. It is a surprise when Arsenal drop points.
00:12:21
Zak
And, you know, like, Wolves are probably the only team at the moment that are creating what I would consider to be exciting results in in the Premier League. Whereas the Championship, it's like every week, you know, you'd expect Coventry to win a game and they might lose it. You'd expect Middlesbrough to be pushing to secure second place and they might drop a few points here and there.
00:12:39
Zak
Obviously, I said Norwich was the game that I was the most worried about because I have the level of confidence that you also have in this game.
00:12:39
DailySaintsPod
Then
00:12:45
Zak
just very aware that we underestimated this game last time and it has something else.
00:12:49
DailySaintsPod
right was was still we're still saints in our DNA we are still perfectly capable of slipping up in a game that we absolutely shouldn't be after you know such quality performances in games that were you know expected to be difficult that is yeah hmm
00:12:52
Zak
yeah it's no Yeah, it's still...
00:13:07
Zak
Yeah, like it it's unbeaten. Those unbeatens have quite a few draws that I think none of us would have liked to have had. And, you know, you don't want Miss to be another one, but it could be.
00:13:16
DailySaintsPod
no important to get the win, important to keep the pressure on the teams around us and keep it within our own, you know, keep our destiny in our own hands, right?
00:13:17
Zak
It's where I'm at.
00:13:23
Zak
Yes.
00:13:27
DailySaintsPod
Because if if we keep winning, nobody catches us up.
00:13:27
Zak
Correct.
00:13:30
DailySaintsPod
That's that's the simple maths of it. That's what it comes down to. That's that's what we can do.
00:13:36
Zak
but want to rely on Rexford losing their game right against Sheffield United.
00:13:36
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:13:39
DailySaintsPod
Absolutely.
00:13:39
Zak
We want to make sure that we are winning our game against Oxford. So the wrap result doesn't matter. That's kind of where we should be at.
00:13:45
DailySaintsPod
Absolutely.
00:13:46
Zak
But...
00:13:47
DailySaintsPod
I don' agree with you, mate. No conspicuous by their absence on the team sheet last night, as predicted. no Leo, no Ross Stewart. Tonda came out in the post-match presser and said, it was just a bit too soon.
00:14:01
DailySaintsPod
I'm hoping we'll see them Saturday. So for me, that reads as not going to be in the picture at all. How are you thinking about that?
00:14:08
Zak
the the problem is The thing that...
00:14:13
Zak
How do I put that? When it comes to the team sheet yesterday, it was completely unsurprising. And you pointed it out that, you know, obviously they've said that they're back on the training pitch. We've never been told the results of the scan from Leo.
00:14:30
Zak
to my knowledge, right? there wasn't There's not like they've come out and been like, the scam results were really good. He'll be back playing this weekend. it was just like, back on the training pitch.
Player Performances and System Flexibility
00:14:40
Zak
I could turn up to the training pitch, mate.
00:14:42
Zak
happens I could be there.
00:14:44
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:14:46
Zak
Maybe they're both...
00:14:46
DailySaintsPod
Yeah. I can stand on the grass too.
00:14:49
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:14:51
Zak
You know, I think that some of the... I think the same with Ross Stewart is that it is... If he is going through injury problems again, they don't really want to... I think it must be demoralising and especially you don't want to be like demoralising the fans around...
00:15:04
Zak
and And exactly like what we've talked about with this like predicted injury crisis, which to be honest, has been handled significantly better than I thought we'd be able to. Like a dozy almost scored the other day, right?
00:15:15
Zak
Like that that's the long shot of it. If it wasn't, obviously he didn't realise at the time was offside, but he had the ball in the back of the net.
00:15:20
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:15:21
Zak
with He's clearly he's capable of doing it, just hopefully next time onside.
00:15:23
DailySaintsPod
Yeah. Well, that's because it wasn't him that was offside, it was Azaz, and he actually didn't touch the ball, so... I don't want a plus one VAR here because I don't want it.
00:15:33
DailySaintsPod
I hate it. But if it was gone to VAR, it probably gets turned over. i don't know. He kind of makes a play at the ball, but we we don't care.
00:15:39
Zak
Yeah, well, we got...
00:15:42
DailySaintsPod
It doesn't matter because I'd still rather have a goal chalked off than deal with any level of VAR discussion.
00:15:42
Zak
Yeah, that doesn't... 100%. Like, what doesn't
00:15:48
Zak
your percent like like
00:15:48
DailySaintsPod
And then Finis has put right his offside mistake by scoring an unbelievable goal. So...
00:15:55
Zak
but we All you've got to do when it comes to VAR decisions being wrong and and's just look at the absolute farce around AFCON and it being re-awarded are just bizarre. not Not another reason for everybody hating it, right? but But for me, ultimately what that means is that Dozie's been able to come in and debutise pretty well and to to the Sienza position. And I think the fact we've heard nothing about him, we've just heard they're in training, i wouldn't be surprised if we don't see them on the deep street. If we do, I'd be pleasantly surprised, but I think that there probably is something else going on. But that would be a real big way to kill momentum. And I think Tonda is smart enough to be aware of that.
00:16:33
Zak
And if not, and they are actually training and they are just trying to make sure they're fit for Saturday, then I get the wonderful reward of them both being on the team sheet on Saturday. But I'm not as worried about them not being there as I maybe was when they both first went out injured, right?
00:16:43
DailySaintsPod
yeah
00:16:48
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, that's the joy of the confidence spreading through the team is that everybody has stepped up, right?
00:16:54
Zak
Yes.
00:16:54
DailySaintsPod
Like the the players that were fringe or a concern or you had worries about have have stepped up and made things happen. Adozi, I think, was brilliant last night.
00:17:07
DailySaintsPod
And genuinely, I said on the show, was a a bit surprised to see him come off, but I can only presume that was you know managing minutes more than than anything else.
00:17:16
Zak
15 minutes because he's probably going to play tomorrow.
00:17:18
DailySaintsPod
yeah
00:17:22
DailySaintsPod
but But yeah, just brilliant to see it across the board. So let's get into it, mate.
Tactical Approaches and Consistency
00:17:30
DailySaintsPod
What do you see the team sheet looking like? We kind of stuck to this 4-1-4-1 shape with with Sammy giving the freedom to play a bit wider at times last night. Do you...
00:17:44
DailySaintsPod
Do we think we stick with that into this game or we going to go back to what we were doing in an effort to sort counteract this low block?
00:17:47
Zak
i
00:17:53
Zak
I think potentially we stick to what we we stick to what we've had the last two games, right? And I think that part of it is probably to do with personnel. And, you know, Laren, I don't know if he's going to be playing for the amount of time, Because he played the full 90, which I was quite surprised by.
00:18:10
DailySaintsPod
Hmm.
00:18:11
Zak
I expected at any point for you know him to eventually be be swapped out with Archer, but he he was not.
00:18:16
DailySaintsPod
he was He was looking good, though, man. He was running at a pace for a lot of the game.
00:18:18
Zak
Yeah.
00:18:20
DailySaintsPod
He was was looking good.
00:18:20
Zak
No, I get that.
00:18:21
DailySaintsPod
And he looked a bit tired towards the end, but not anywhere near what you'd expect.
00:18:24
Zak
But...
00:18:26
DailySaintsPod
And, you know, our biggest concerns about his fitness were that it had been a while since he played. So maybe they've just ramped him up well. Maybe he does have 180 minutes in him because it wasn't injury concerns, was it?
00:18:37
DailySaintsPod
It was just lack of minutes previous.
00:18:39
Zak
pretty much. it It was more of a, can he manage the the full game? and You know, definitely can do now. I think maybe, obviously, if we're talking about sort of positions goalkeeper ha lol obviously in my opinion we keep Manning and Bree still I think Wellington's only just go back into training and Bree should start if he's able to Harba Bellis and Stephens are fine the only way i would see Stephens potentially coming off is if tiredness that's it
00:19:01
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:19:10
Zak
and I would be happy with anyone that sits in that position. i think Downs will remain where Downs was, right? Especially, like, you know, he's interchangeable with Cam Bragg. One of the only question marks for me is whether or not Yander gets a shoe in or Charles gets a shoe in.
00:19:26
Zak
But I really wouldn't tinker with it too much because on again.
00:19:28
DailySaintsPod
happy with either of them, right? That's the thing.
00:19:29
Zak
Yeah, that's the thing.
00:19:29
DailySaintsPod
Both of them do that role so well. it's It's perfect fun. You're right. I think that we, you know, if possible, I just think the starting XI stays the same.
00:19:39
DailySaintsPod
I don't see any reason to to change it. Like say, apart from potential tiredness or niggles or issues, but we're heading into an international break now, right? And I don't think many of our players or many of the players who we're worried about going to be going away.
00:19:56
DailySaintsPod
So it's a good opportunity to to rest up and get ready for the the sort of final running, which is going to be intense, right?
00:20:06
DailySaintsPod
there's There's a lot of games in a short period of time to come after our little break.
00:20:10
Zak
Yes.
00:20:12
DailySaintsPod
you know, we know from from the perspective of planning ideas and content that we've got to think really hard about what do for this little two-week window in the international break.
00:20:22
DailySaintsPod
And then we don't have to think about an episode any time for the rest of the season because it's just match review, match preview, match review, match preview.
00:20:29
Zak
Batch preview, batch preview. Batch preview.
00:20:30
DailySaintsPod
yeah So...
00:20:31
Zak
You're right. It does does kind of kind of you know get a bit but hectic up until that point.
00:20:37
DailySaintsPod
say So, yeah, like with with that knowledge that that break is coming, I think that that would be the case. We'll push the envelope even on some of the...
Formation Changes and Managerial Strategy
00:20:47
DailySaintsPod
you know If we had another game the Saturday after, we we there are some risks that we might not take.
00:20:54
DailySaintsPod
But I think because of that break, I think that we'll be basically unchanged unless less the hand is forced. And like you say, maybe Wood starts instead of Stephens because of tiredness, although Stephens looked...
00:21:07
DailySaintsPod
It just seems to grow as the season goes on in his presence on the pitch as well. So, yeah, unchanged just to kill the segment dead, I guess.
00:21:18
DailySaintsPod
Going to have to start remove it as a segment to talk about on the show, mate, because we're being consistent.
00:21:23
Zak
I don't know, yeah, but things will think all start to, as you said, like people will start to heal up and then will start to maybe swap formations around. but This is like, what, like the third or fourth but formation change under the Eckert system, and it's been good, and the players know what is expected them and trust in it.
00:21:33
DailySaintsPod
Hmm.
00:21:39
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:21:44
Zak
And I find it interesting. I saw a bit of a an interview snapshot with Russell Martin about his time at Rangers. Yeah. this morning and I think I said to you that kind of makes me glad that we have got the manager we've got now because I think that one of the things you said was if anything I should have been more rigid with my system which
00:22:02
DailySaintsPod
Crazy. But that's the thing, right? This is the formation Tonda has been playing at the moment, but it's it's not that much different to what we were doing before. And I don't think that he's completely married to it.
00:22:15
DailySaintsPod
I think that he will adapt it to the team we're playing or to the players we have available or or any of that stuff because he would just
00:22:21
Zak
its even that is it it's the fact that It's the fact that we've had an injury and it's changed the style of play and he's changed it for the personnel and picked something and tinkered with something to make it work for who we have. And that's exactly you want. What you don't want is, well, I refuse to change it, so we're going to put this guy in a centre-back because that's what we've decided we're doing. Right? Right.
00:22:46
DailySaintsPod
Yeah. Yeah, exactly. And it's it's that's good. it's it's nice It's nice to be in the position we're in
Managerial Attention and Media Speculation
00:22:56
Zak
one of the things that I am slightly worried about with how good Honda's work has been is that he's starting to starting to pick up the attention, right? And I mentioned it the other day where, you know, we were talking about whether or not we'd want him next season, regardless of what the playoff results are, right?
00:23:15
Zak
And we were starting to talk about how those rumours knocking around. And now we' we're also starting to see other people are very much noticing the rise of Selactam. There was a brilliant video by a YouTuber called Ryan Hurst that has a kind of look into how Tonda has sort of changed the team on from a team that was lacking confidence under Will still and whats what's been done.
00:23:36
Zak
And yeah, if anything, that I'm like, oh, no, the more and more attention that gets shown from Sky Sports and all that kind of stuff, the more that, you know, there's a chance that, you know, the summer we might not have him as our manager if...
00:23:49
DailySaintsPod
If he gets pilfered...
00:23:50
Zak
i was Yeah, yeah.
00:23:51
DailySaintsPod
Look, you'd like to... Look, I think that... I don't think that that is as much of a concern.
00:23:58
Zak
Thank you.
00:23:59
DailySaintsPod
And maybe that's just the optimism inside me. But... You know, he's still inexperienced. Like, doing this good of a job with us is fantastic and incredible.
00:24:12
DailySaintsPod
But from from another team's perspective, it's doing it that once in this one season. So...
00:24:18
Zak
Might have struck twice in it. Well, that's what we thought was still, wasn't it? before We thought we'd be able to do the same thing he did in a couple of teams in France.
00:24:21
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:24:23
Zak
But this has also, I think, been a season where a lot of the tinkering and the changing and taking punts has not tended to work out for most people, right? Like, you know, you you look at Russell Martin going into Rangers and sort of the weird Wilfred Nancey experiment at Celtic. And even in in the Premier League, you've got, what, Nottingham Forest on their fourth permanent manager of the season.
00:24:45
Zak
Tottenham now with an interim that gives Ivan Juric a run for his money with the least charismatic man I've ever seen on the planet. it's It's been a...
00:24:53
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:24:54
Zak
The only hope that we've got is that like, hey, he's doing a really good job at ours, but maybe maybe you don't immediately pick him up. But, you know, he's got a bit more experience in in the Bundesliga and they are the kind of players that are looking at it.
00:25:06
Zak
almost looks like when we were talking about Danny Roel potentially coming in and there was a lot of people from Bundesliga looking at him. it just gives me similar vibes, right? But the difference being this time is he is already our manager. So hopefully that they can actually go out to actually keep him.
00:25:21
Zak
but,
00:25:22
DailySaintsPod
Uh, yeah. And the allure of managing in the premier league, be that next season, if we go up or getting promoted to the premier league with, you know, your input to get your players in over the full season, uh, is, is strong.
00:25:42
DailySaintsPod
That's a big one, right? That's a big stick.
00:25:44
Zak
Yeah?
00:25:45
DailySaintsPod
Uh, so uh, I think it's all good. You're right. The noise is is always concerning as a Saints fan.
00:25:50
Zak
Hopefully.
00:25:54
Zak
It means we must be doing well for the noise to happen though, right?
00:25:56
DailySaintsPod
yeah When you start to see media pick up, like, oh, that's Siennes is a good player. And you're like, no no, he's not. Don't worry about it. He's he's rubbish. Don't want him. he's
00:26:07
DailySaintsPod
nope No, no, no. You don't want it because we want him to stay and play with us for much longer. But look, that's
Predictions for Oxford Game
00:26:16
DailySaintsPod
that's that, mate. Got to head to the crunch point of the show where we we sort of think about what the outcome and the score is going to be. The short take in the summary I'm looking at, Zach, is that Southampton look best for a win with a reasonable chance of both teams scoring.
00:26:37
DailySaintsPod
So...
00:26:37
Zak
off and then you're not bored of it now honestly right okay fine
00:26:43
DailySaintsPod
Never, mate. Never.
00:26:46
Zak
right a day like
00:26:48
Zak
off goes
00:26:49
DailySaintsPod
So, I don't know, mate.
00:26:50
DailySaintsPod
What are you feeling? how How do you think it's going to play out?
00:26:55
Zak
Well, 3-1 was a miserable take from me for Norwich, and that's because I trusted this ridiculous AI. So I'm going to go with 2-0. And I just think that we need to score a goal to to control the game and bring them out to try and actually, you know, come back at us. And then I think that we pip a second, and then that's it.
00:27:15
Zak
Done. Game to bed. And then, then you know, yeah we've we've put the fate in our hands, even more so for the time that we play against Wrexham. You know?
00:27:25
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, keep that momentum going. Love that. on Where are those goals coming from?
00:27:30
Zak
where are these goals coming from I don't mind at this point yeah you I don't know I don't I don't have a specific vibe around a specific player of of course I'd love a dozy to get one but I'm genuinely just at this point secure the goals any means necessary win the game next one
00:27:34
DailySaintsPod
then Yeah, yeah.
00:27:51
DailySaintsPod
Alright, good. no I like that. Well dodged. Very political answer from you, mate. I appreciate it. I... oh yeah
00:28:00
Zak
But I ain't running for office anytime soon.
00:28:02
DailySaintsPod
i think i'm feeling I'm feeling good about it. And I just think that our quality... is I don't think it's going to be an easy game. but think our quality is going to shine through. i think it's going to be a definitive stamp where we come against a team with a low block and show that we have...
00:28:24
DailySaintsPod
you know, picked the lock and worked it out. I think it's going to be I think Laren's going to get a goal.
00:28:30
Zak
interesting good
00:28:33
DailySaintsPod
I think Dozie's going to get his well-deserved goal. And let's have a Matski goal from distance.
00:28:43
Zak
yeah of those one of those things that you know we we predicted long ago that might actually happen from him that we haven't seen as much but he is starting get the score sheet a lot more
00:28:44
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:28:49
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, it's
00:28:52
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, yeah. oh Deliberately or not. Still genuinely not sure.
00:28:58
Zak
that All I'm saying is that I didn't curse Matsky, but you definitely cursed fellows.
00:29:03
DailySaintsPod
Yeah. Yeah. yeah Yes. Look, I went out and formally apologised in my episode yesterday to your fellows, mate.
00:29:11
Zak
I don't
00:29:12
DailySaintsPod
It's all good. I think it's fine. It'll come when it comes. But, yeah, I'm feeling good about the game.
00:29:21
Zak
Good. Good.
00:29:22
DailySaintsPod
think that it'll be... i think that we'll score... like halfway through the first half, like reasonably early, 25 to 35 minutes.
00:29:30
Zak
Yeah. Sort of similar to the Zaz go yesterday.
00:29:32
DailySaintsPod
and And then we... Then we'll push on and get another one, probably around the 70th minute.
00:29:43
DailySaintsPod
And then they'll have to push at us and try and get something from the game, and that'll open us up for the third before the end of the game. that's That's how I see it playing out. I just think...
00:29:54
DailySaintsPod
I just think that the confidence and the quality is going to shine through and we're going to put it down
Podcast Closing and Social Engagement
00:29:59
DailySaintsPod
that well. And just handle it. Move on, have a nice break, and then come back and win the rest of the running as well. that's That's what I see playing out.
00:30:13
Zak
Okay, fair do's. I mean, you know, I think the the positive thing is we're both still predicting wins, right? So how could we not?
00:30:19
DailySaintsPod
Yeah. don't know i don't know in my particular case, mate, if you can take that as any kind of judgment on anything. I don't think so.
00:30:26
Zak
No, you predicted a win for the entirety of the most like you know doomed Premier League season we've ever had. So you're right. I keep predicting wins, and that's unusual.
00:30:35
DailySaintsPod
and doesn with me
00:30:35
Zak
LAUGHTER
00:30:37
DailySaintsPod
That is a good thing. But listen, that is all that we have got time for today. So let us know your thoughts and your score predictions in the comments, on the socials. We're Daily Saints Pod absolutely everywhere. X, Blue Sky, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube.
00:30:56
DailySaintsPod
everywhere, hit us up, let us know. We love hearing from you and I would love to see how you think the game is going to play out tomorrow. right We will be back after the game, regardless of it plays out, to talk about it and analyse it and just just share our thoughts, opinions, feelings, all of the good stuff.
00:31:20
DailySaintsPod
Until then, though, everyone, have a wonderful weekend, and most importantly, come on, you saints!