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Episode 168: Crystal Palace Preview!
0 Playsin 12 hours
Southampton – Zak and Oscar discuss tomorrows game, can we predict a line-up? They give it a good go and discuss some more!
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Transcript
Introduction to The Daily Southampton Podcast
00:00:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome to the Daily Southampton, part of the Global Sports Podcast Network. I am your host today. My name is Zak Ingoe Finch. I am joined by Oscar. How are you doing bud?
00:00:20
Oscar
Yeah, all good, thanks. How are you
00:00:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, not too
Anticipation of Football Return and Relegation Concerns
00:00:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
bad. Are you looking forward to a return to non-international football or real football, as Greg often calls it?
00:00:29
Oscar
you? Well, as much as I think you can.
00:00:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think that's the problem, right? Like as a Saints fan at the moment, trying to look forward to football, it's like, that's, it's a big ask, especially with, uh, potentially relegation confirmed if we lose.
00:00:47
Oscar
Yeah.
00:00:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, that's pretty, it's pretty harrowing, but guess we'll, we'll
Crossover with Daily Palace and Southampton's Situation
00:00:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
talk about either way. So, those of us that listened in to yesterday, we had a crossover with Dan from the Daily Palace. It was good fun.
00:01:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Greg tried to pretend that it's all going to be all right. I said otherwise.
00:01:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, yeah, it's just we come off the back of a busy international break. Obviously, Greg pointed out yesterday that I think that Alfie House tweeted out that it's been like 17 days in a row since the Saints have been beaten, which is like the longest period of time since the season began, only because we haven't played a game, which is...
00:01:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Harrowing, harrowing statistic. But maybe maybe we have more room for positivity a
Southampton's Struggles and Coach Juric's Strategies
00:01:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
little bit. We also went through last week, I think the can't remember if you were there or Oscar, but we were going through like our next run of games, potentially where we can pick up points.
00:01:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I've established that barely anywhere is the answer. Maybe this game, maybe can at least, I think we should go in to grind out a draw.
00:01:48
Oscar
Yeah.
00:01:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
However, it does kind of feel like we have no idea what Juric is doing nine times out of ten. And again, like baffling to go three at the back again and having no striker at the start of Wolves.
00:02:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
And we're now, I just don't know what to predict. do you How do you see this game playing out? What do you think? do you feel?
00:02:16
Oscar
Yeah, i think I think he changed he changed it for the Liverpool game probably because of who Liverpool are and realised if he doesn't change it, then the likelihood is that we would have got absolutely popped. I don't really understand why he changed it back, if I'm honest, but it seems like that's his go-to and i think he'll probably stick with it as much as I don't think he should.
00:02:38
Oscar
You'd like to think you'll learn from the pack the Wolves game that a it's not going to work and b it's not going to go down very well if it doesn't work again so i really see no what's the harm in him changing it it's not it's not exactly like it's working and you know it's not going to damage his reputation because you can say well we had to try and change something everyone really yeah fair enough it's not unless it goes like monumentally wrong
00:02:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:03:03
Oscar
So, I would, you
Recap of Past Games and Strategy Calls
00:03:04
Oscar
know, I'd play. We drew with Palace last time. They're few teams we've got points off of. I know they are in a better place. Oh, no, do we we didn't, did we?
00:03:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, we lost 2-1. It was one of the it was one of the better games, yeah, it was but but it was a standard.
00:03:18
Oscar
Better performance.
00:03:23
Oscar
Yeah.
00:03:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
SA. But it was the game that, like, Mateta, like, completely just ran around Bednarek the entirety of the game, where, like, me and Greg were just sat there like, how?
00:03:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
How has Bednarek not been sent off?
00:03:43
Oscar
yeah but yeah none Yeah, exactly. Spent 90 minutes fouling him and get nothing.
00:03:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. but it It feels like there should have been of draw, and it feels like it's one of the games we should be able to at least pull a draw from.
00:03:49
Oscar
Hmm.
00:03:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
And although Crystal Palace are in fantastic form right now, I don't want to use the phrase that Greg uses, which is it could be a banana skin.
00:04:03
Oscar
Yeah.
00:04:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
But like if we go out there and actually put something together, could. And it's it's just... Again, like at this point, in my head, I'm just like, surely these players want to fight for some pride. You don't want to go down as the worst Premier League team in history.
00:04:16
Oscar
not
00:04:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
All you need to do is get a win to win. But again, if you just dried out some results, if you build on something, anything, I just hope that the last 17 days away or whatever... I know that not the entirety of the squad hasn't been together, but they've maybe gone back to basics a little bit and, and you know, decided to take the games to them.
00:04:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Because you're right, change there is absolutely no harm in changing anything we're doing right now because nothing has been working.
00:04:42
Oscar
yeah yeah
00:04:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
nothing. There's no point trying to stick with it. It's not going to get better towards the end of the season.
Southampton's Limited Victories
00:04:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's not like the run of games we've got coming up are going to be easier.
00:04:46
Oscar
know
00:04:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
As I said, the only the only way that I think that we will end up getting past that 12 points is by beating Everton at Goodison Park as some sort of cosmic joke to completely ruin their last ever game there.
00:04:59
Oscar
one yeah
00:05:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Because that that's that that would play a wonderful narrative. But... Yeah,
00:05:05
Oscar
Last time we went down, that was one of our very few wins, wasn't it? I think we scored a fluky free kick.
00:05:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
I believe so.
00:05:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
That checks out.
00:05:13
Oscar
We beat him 1-0. Hmm.
00:05:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
And they're also one of our only teams that we've beaten this season. Them and Ipswich.
00:05:18
Oscar
Hmm.
00:05:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's it. Which, when you think about it's nuts that two wins out of, you know... If you look at the fact that we've got nine points and Palace have 39, a whole 30 points more than us, and they had a similar start to the season as us as well.
00:05:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
And as I was discussing with Dan and Greg yesterday, very much feels like... Palace are in a position of where Saints were a couple of years ago. Like, we're not exactly pushing for top.
00:05:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
We're not really pushing for Europe, although the the state of the European places, Palace kind of are at this point.
00:05:48
Oscar
Yeah.
00:05:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
But, like, we were consistent. Our team team wasn't changing hugely. We would go on a run. We'd have a bad run. But it wasn't like what it is now, where it's just like catastrophic failing after catastrophic failing.
00:06:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
So it's just a bit bizarre. But it is one of the few teams where I'm looking at and I'm like, where are we going to take points from? It's going to be probably this game, potentially, what, Leicester?
00:06:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
And as I said, maybe Everton. But then Everton under Moyes now have got the injection that they needed to get kind of back into...
00:06:13
Oscar
yeah
00:06:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
doing better. It's just a whole, it's a whole thing.
00:06:22
Oscar
Well, they've built off a solid base, which again, i don't, Southampton don't seem to have understood for the last three years that that's what you have to do.
Building a Solid Team Foundation vs. Tactical Shifts
00:06:29
Oscar
You have to build a solid foundation.
00:06:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
You can't,
00:06:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
you cannot just keep switching it every time.
00:06:32
Oscar
You can't just try. Yeah.
00:06:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
You can't just go, I'm going to try this type of football. going to try this type football. I'm going to try this type of football. Then all sudden you've got like, if you're a player and you're running in your head, you're like, which type of ball do I need to pass at this point? I know. I'll just sky it. And you're like, good.
00:06:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's the worst thing you could have done.
00:06:49
Oscar
Yeah.
00:06:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
But
00:06:51
Oscar
I don't know if... Mateta played at the weekend, didn't he? Because I think I saw him playing with some sort of facial expression on, which that's that's a bit of a that's a bit of a shame.
00:06:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
I believe so.
00:07:02
Oscar
My only you know slight thing would be maybe they'll maybe that rest him. I mean, I don't know. That's the only hope that I have, because if there is no Ben Arek, and Ben Arek struggled to deal with him last time, I don't know who comes in to deal with him.
00:07:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's the thing, especially we'll talk in the the next next section about sort of team selection, as we always do, because, yeah, we've obviously got potentially a few concerns. Full disclosure, we are recording this before the presser.
00:07:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Just because schedules, guys, sometimes it's really hard. We all have busy lives and and full-time jobs, and we we fit this in somehow daily. So we didn't get a chance to listen to the presser yet, but we do we are aware of some concerns off the back of the break.
00:07:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
So we'll chat about that after a word from our partners at Bionique.
00:07:59
Oscar
designed to deliver precise
00:08:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
And we are back. So, yeah obviously, we're talking about team selection a little bit.
Injuries and Team Selection Challenges
00:08:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Ramsdale was withdrawn from the England squad.
00:08:46
Oscar
Thank you.
00:08:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Obviously, we We've discussed many times that he's probably not going to be here next season. But obviously, until at that stage, he's probably first on the team sheet. So, if we are potentially missing Pederec and Harwood Bellis...
00:09:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
who might be out of injury. From what i can remember, Hardwood Bellis' injury was, I think, precautionary more than anything. They just kind of sent him home because they didn't want to risk him. Benrec clashed heads again, where at this point, I don't know what's going on.
00:09:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's got a bit of eggshell going on right there. Constantly cracking heads. So I guess we'll see if he's well enough to play. If both of them are out, what do we do?
00:09:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Do we actually play centre-backs at centre-backs? That feels like a wild concept conception at this point.
00:09:30
Oscar
Yeah. it's It's like playing Jurich Bingo at this point.
00:09:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
whatever It's difficult to just guess because it's like one point we had Stevens playing up front and we had Jerebo defense.
00:09:41
Oscar
you
00:09:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's like...
00:09:45
Oscar
Yeah, I don't get it. If it were me, yeah i think for For the most part of this season under Juric, I've had a, if it were me, this is what I'd do and this is what I actually think he'll do because he doesn't see the end.
00:09:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, makes sense.
00:09:58
Oscar
But I would go with a back four if it were me. Again, reset to type and it's the one game recently we've actually looked okay defensively. And I would go, if it that if he is fit, then I would start Harwood Bellis.
00:10:12
Oscar
I'd have Walker Peoples, Harwood Bellis, Jack Stephens possibly, or Nathan Wood, although he doesn't seem to like him.
00:10:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
00:10:17
Oscar
Because I think Nathan Wood maybe be able to deal with Mateta a little bit more because he's at least a little bit more athletic. And Ryan Manning is a back four. But I suspect that won't happen. I think it will be a back five or three.
00:10:30
Oscar
And it will be...
Tactical Mistakes and Learning from the Past
00:10:31
Oscar
well, I'm not 100% sure about the wing-backs, but potentially Sugawara, Harwood Bellis, Bella Kotchap Joe Aribo, I think is probably what I'll end up doing.
00:10:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, it's a harrowing, harrowing indictment of our season in it.
00:10:42
Oscar
and the left back, left wing-back, i
00:10:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
that It's just we're having to literally roll a dice every game. And and you're right. Like, I'm sat there like, well, surely he would not play Joe Aribo centre-back. And then it's like, I've managed to like put a mental block to the fact that even happened when we had centre-backs to play there. Because it's like, oh, well, he's not left-footed enough.
00:11:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
And it's like, yeah it was it was kind of nice to see us come to an end end of the injury crisis. And then it seemed to not really make much of a difference anyway. So yeah, um'm I'm kind of with you.
00:11:14
Oscar
Yeah.
00:11:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'd much prefer sort of that but back four because it it did so well. But... he's going to go, well, it's not Liverpool, is it? It's Palace. It's like, yeah, Palace that still beat you. Because bear in mind, I think this is the first repeat game that Juric has had.
00:11:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
This is the first second game against one club under the same, because obviously he was in charge. It was 29th of December, I think, the last game. So he just just got in charge, just been in charge.
00:11:37
Oscar
yeah
00:11:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
He'd been in charge for the West Ham game. And I think this must have been second or third. and And so, so yeah, has he learned anything, you reckon?
00:11:44
Oscar
it
00:11:47
Oscar
Well, if i were recall correctly, that was a game that we were ahead and basically the game completely spun when he took off Ugo Chukwu because he was controlling midfield and again is the one athletic player that we've got and we know Palace are full of you athletic, powerful players.
00:12:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
my friends
00:12:03
Oscar
Good runners with the ball and I think losing Ugo Chukwu from that middle and and basically ending up with it a midfield two with a re-bow and small bone, I believe.
00:12:13
Oscar
I can't remember exactly, but... sort of is what did for us. So I'd like to think that he will keep at least took a Gachukwu one. Who plays alongside him, again, is is a bit of a mystery. I mean, if you go with my back four, then I'd play a Rebo next to him.
00:12:28
Oscar
Again, I'd still like to see Flynn Downes and and a Ugochukwu in a double pivot, but no one seems to have liked that idea. So... Yeah.
00:12:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
would be interesting see what it's like under Juric because say I know it didn't really work as much under Martin. And that's, but then also i just don't think he managed to get the best out of Urichukwu early on and sort of prioritised downs, which is understandable at the time why he would do that.
00:12:41
Oscar
yeah
00:12:46
Oscar
no
00:12:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
So would be interesting to see him play now. But again, it's like how much faith do we have in Juric actually put out a team that he thinks is going to win? and And that's like, yeah I know it sounds crazy because we sound so, so, so critical for people that aren't football managers.
Adapting Tactics to Team Resources
00:13:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
But like, also look at the run of our, like the last couple of run of games, look at our season and look at the fact that he he came in and said, yeah, don't worry, I'm not going to, I'm going to come. I'll make sure like but bring this heavy metal style of football. And also i will compromise if I need to.
00:13:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
And the only compromise so far seems to have been Liverpool where it just resulted in us scoring.
00:13:21
Oscar
Yeah,
00:13:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
And that still wasn't win, was it? And as as you said before, it's all the so these like plucky little losses where like, we lost 5-1, but that one goal was fantastic. So...
00:13:31
Oscar
yeah but we we would
00:13:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
say
00:13:33
Oscar
under martin And we were creating much more. So, like realistically, what has he come in and changed? If we were losing every week, but it was not just plucky, but it was... You know you could see everyone was fighting for the same for the same thing. You could see everyone's working hard and at least buys into what they're doing.
00:13:51
Oscar
Then, fair enough. I don't think you'd get any Saints fans moaning about it. I don't think you'd have... But it just seems like, at the moment... it It's, I'm going to come in, I'm going to stick rigidly to a philosophy and not adapt it. And maybe that's just the modern way now. I don't know. Whereas like, you know, for me, and and obviously not at the same level of coaching by any stretch the imagination whatever, but you do what you need. you I personally think you set up based on what you have in your team.
00:14:22
Oscar
and you work it that way rather than you make your the players fit into whatever you're trying to do. But you know like I know Greg's gone on about it, styles of play and philosophies. like I think there's an element of it. You've got to have certain principles.
00:14:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
it's just It's just logic, right? it's like It's like looking at something, seeing it's not working, and then trying to fix it, rather than looking at something, seeing it's not working, and then just going, well, clearly they just need to try harder, or clearly we need to just drill in that they need to make this pass better.
00:14:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
And it's like, well, yeah after a while, like if it's keep, if it still isn't working, change it. And that, that is, that is the simple answer to those questions is that there is something that isn't working.
00:15:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Stop doing the thing that isn't working.
00:15:06
Oscar
yeah
00:15:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Try something else.
00:15:08
Oscar
I don't think Saints fans are are unrealistic. like I think we all know what the situation is. We all understand that Juric was given a poison chalice when he started. But just recognise certain things.
00:15:20
Oscar
Is it a good idea to leave Armabella Kocha one-on-one with Pedro Neto? No, probably not. like recognise that and think, oh, we shouldn't have done that. maybe we should Maybe we should switch it to not expose our centre-backs 1v1 against very fast wingers but or or attackers.
00:15:36
Oscar
Like, again, it's just adaptation, which we don't seem to be able to do. And I'm hopeful that someone like Spores being there as well to be the another football brain, which obviously there doesn't seem to be much of, you know, again, I'm not criticising Sports Republic too much in terms of the things they're doing, but certainly I think there's not much football awareness behind them,
Finding a Working Strategy and Team Cohesion
00:15:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
No.
00:16:00
Oscar
as was seen, you know, without Jason Wilcox.
00:16:02
Oscar
like It was just left to Martin and we trust him to do whatever he's going to do. So maybe that's something that will help, but I don't think that will start helping until next year unless unless they've got into him in these last couple of weeks, which is a possibility, I suppose.
00:16:17
Oscar
Yeah.
00:16:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
this is the thing, right? Like, it's just, it's trying to find some that works. So like, obviously, to make sure i I point out the fact that I have at least contradicted myself once in this in this podcast today, by saying at the beginning, like, one of the reasons that Palace have done so well is that they they have they've kind of built on something and and not had to chop and change as much as we have. We're talking now about how we should chop and change more.
00:16:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
But the problem is, is it's that they have found something that works for them. we are not finding something that works for us. And they're saying, oh, we need some time to bed in a philosophy. And it's like, well, we had that with Martin, it still didn't work.
00:16:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
So we've changed it, but we haven't really changed it dramatically. And also, the way that Juric does it is so erratic. Because again, it's things like, well, because of the fact that I want a left-sided player to be a centre-back, despite the fact he's not a centre-back, i'm going to stick Joe Rebo there.
00:17:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
And that's when yeah we start to question it a little bit. And I think it's just having... Yeah, exactly. As you said, just adaptability. Adaptability is a big thing and team cohesion will be another.
00:17:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
And that will have to be built from the ground up because I just don't think that the players at the moment yeah at this point, it's like brothers in arms in the trenches, but all you're actually thinking about is going home.
00:17:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
You know, and I don't really blame the players either because it's got to harrowing, but it is also understanding it's that so a little bit of pride.
Striker Roles and Team Needs
00:17:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Now, I'm aware that we we talked about the defence and not much else for this half because, as I think you pointed out, Oscar, it's just rolling the dice, isn't it? Like it really, when we talk about team selections week in, week out at the moment, but it's so hard because it's like, so how how about i pose a really simple question?
00:18:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Do you reckon we'll start with a striker?
00:18:03
Oscar
Well, i've I've heard rumours that there's been a lesser spotted Ross Stewart in training this week.
00:18:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Interesting.
00:18:09
Oscar
So that could be interesting. You know, I don't think he'll start and I don't think if he does play, you know, think there'd be a sweepstake on whether he lasts more than 10 minutes or even five.
00:18:20
Oscar
But could that be an option? Maybe. I think Onuatu...
00:18:27
Oscar
I think you've got to mix it up a bit with Palace. Don't get me wrong, and they're obviously a lot better at doing that than us and maybe playing through the lines is a better way of doing it. But I just think, again, yeah Onuatu, if he's there, he gives defenders something to think about.
00:18:41
Oscar
So i would probably start him. And it also probably... determines what we're going to do with him for the rest of the season, right? I mean, again, we did our buy and keep sale.
00:18:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:18:52
Oscar
Sorry for for going forwards. I personally think, will he score goals in the Championship? Probably. But I don't think he wants to be here. And but if he's going to be, then he needs to start proving it. And he needs to start, we need to get him scoring goals.
00:19:06
Oscar
So, yeah, I would start with a striker. But again, who knows? I've actually noted down that in my, Juric formation that no I think Mati Fernandes will sit there and he'll have Dibling and Sulemana sort of as inverted wingers but in my 4-3-3 I'd have him up from
00:19:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it's what it's what you'd like
Adapting to Opponents and Score Predictions
00:19:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
to see, right? Like strikers playing in the position. and And I think, yeah, as you were talking about with the way the Palace are, it's you need to give them more than one thing to think about, I think.
00:19:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
And my concern is that if we're going play pretty much the same way we've played so far this season under Juric, they're going go, OK, well, they're going try and do this. And they're not even really that good it. So I guess we'll just defend really well and then get the goal in the 30, in the 60,
00:19:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
which is what they did last time round. And, you know, the rest will be history. But we'll take a little break to hear from our partners at Zencastr.
00:20:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Then I'm going to ask your score prediction. I gave mine yesterday. orll I'll remind the audience of that and also Greg's. And then we'll wrap up for the day before the return of real quote-unquote football.
00:20:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Until then, here is a word from our partners at Zencastr.
00:20:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Here at the Global Sports Podcast Network, we spent a lot of time selecting our delivery platform. Zencaster came out the clear winner. With 4K video recording from your phone and AI editing that automatically removes all those ums and ahs, it's super easy to start a podcast that sounds great and is delivered efficiently.
00:20:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
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00:20:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
So we are back. Do you have a score prediction, Oscar? Is it as happy as mine? Let's find out. What do you think the score will be today?
00:20:56
Oscar
Well, I've tried to be a bit more optimistic recently and predicted a couple of wins and it's not gone too well. I mean, in fact, I don't think you could be too optimistic about try attempting to beat a relegation rival at home, but
00:21:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
not.
00:21:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
it apparently not
00:21:17
Oscar
I've put down again, i tend I've sort of split into heart and head again. Heart's not exactly that optimistic, but head i've gone 1-1 i think we've i think we've got enough quality to be able to compete if we do things in the right way think we score but not probably not more than one to be fair and i think it will probably be sort of a bit of a kg kg you know maybe we nick when they equalize the the trouble i have with that is that
00:21:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hmm.
00:21:48
Oscar
whenever that happens, if we score first, we tend to lose. Whenever we score a second, we tend to lose. So I don't but don't really know. at my heart, I've gone with a 2-1 win. I don't see it happening. I can't see us scoring two goals at the moment. But, you know, you've got to predict.
00:22:02
Oscar
If we're at home against Palace, you've got to be predicting, got to be at least hoping for a win. But i think I think we can get a draw out of it. And I'll take the record.
00:22:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Interesting. For sure. It's interesting how the time off has changed all of our opinions a little bit. And by that, I mean a real little bit.
00:22:21
Oscar
and
00:22:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
So Greg, unsurprisingly, went for a 2-1 win because he can't predict the loss ever. And he doesn't... At least now, he's quite honest about the fact that we never keep clean sheets because there were times he was always going 2-0, 2-0, 2-0.
00:22:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's always at least 2-1 now. I predicted a 2-0 loss because, again... I think you're right. we've We've got the quality there to probably at least get a draw out of it if we play the right way.
00:22:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
just don't have faith that we're going to be set up to play the right way. So I just think it will be a routine because as Dan suggested, Palace aren't out for blood.
00:22:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
They're very much happy to score 1 or 2 and then just defend really, really well. So that's that's how I see it playing out. Just sort of... That doesn't mean that I don't think we'll try. i just don't think that we've got the form at the moment to get the goals or be well.
00:23:14
Oscar
you know
00:23:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
But...
00:23:14
Oscar
I forgot about their attacking options as well. I forgot about you know the likes of Ezi and Sama.
00:23:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah, it's not like...
00:23:21
Oscar
Maybe one's optimistic, but I'll stick with it for now. We'll see.
00:23:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, exactly. There we go.
Balancing Optimism and Realism on the Podcast
00:23:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
So across the team, we've got a win and a draw and a loss, which I think, you know, is is the good the perfect balance we need for this podcast.
00:23:28
Oscar
yeah
00:23:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Because if not, it would just be me drowning out poor Greg with how miserable I am. And plus, as i as I said to you many times before, it's really nice to bring a head of football intelligence to me and Greg chatting absolute rubbish. Yeah.
00:23:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
whether or not you think, oh, well, it's youth coaching, you still do far more coaching than me and Greg, mate. So I like don't count playing football manager as real coaching because it's a game.
00:23:52
Oscar
Yeah.
00:23:55
Oscar
yeah
00:23:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
So you can manipulate the statistics in the right way. That means you can just win everything if you try enough.
Farewell and Hopes for Avoiding Relegation
00:24:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
But yeah, either way, I think that we'll leave it there for today. Either way, football's back. Hopefully it gives us something to smile about.
00:24:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hopefully everyone that goes down to St. Mary's gets gets the win that they want. Happy birthday to Greg's little boy who will also be able to enjoy his game at St. Mary's.
00:24:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Please, Southampton. do something to make a smile of this midweek fixture. we we We hope, we just we would love to get past that 12 points because then even if we're relegated, we're not the worst Premier League team of all time.
00:24:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
And at this point, that is all we can hope for. Thank you joining Oscar. I hope you had nice time. We'll we' be back with you tomorrow. i don't know what we're going to be doing tomorrow because i've just realised. review. That's a ridiculous question from me, isn't it?
00:24:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
What are we doing tomorrow? We'll be back with a match review for the Palace game where we'll either be as joyful as I am right now or miserable. Let's hope it's not the latter. And with that, I will bid you all farewell and thank you.
00:25:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
And we'll see you in the next one.
00:25:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you.