S4 E17 - Spurs Like Bringing Goals to Newcastle

Ritch Grove and @leebrown2 review the West Ham and Newcastle games, Ange's recent comments, new deals and also look forward to the Forest away game.

Episode Transcript

(00:03):
You know, there's no place Iknow if I would, I wouldn't want
to breathe Ryan here. And youknow, in this minute of trying to
bring success to one of the biggestfootball clubs in the world, the basic
under the like principles that ye allon my team to play football that scares
the life out of every opposition.Like that's that's kind of the end game.

(00:34):
And welcome to the vas I Spurspodcast in what will be hopefully a
nice upbeat podcast. As Rich,we've finally won a game. Yes,
I know it's beat. While it'sbeen a month. Yeah, well prior
to that, we had one pointin fifteen and of course, you know,

(00:54):
some people were getting a leadle bit, you know, letting their asses
go somewhat. But you know,those of us who can see the bigger
picture, Rich, you know,obviously you and I we are able to
kind of hold our nerve and likesome people we might know who are unable
to hold their nerve, and wecould see we can see what was coming

(01:15):
and when the injuries were improving andand you know, starting to make a
difference to what we're doing. Andwe will look at that and I think
we'll kind of see that really overthese two games we're going to look at.
First of all, though, Richardjust wanted to get your take on
the new contracts for Udogie and FraserForrester. Yeah, perfect, I mean,

(01:37):
it's it. It's one of thosethings, you know, I think
unfortunately for him, if all goeswell, the best thing about Fraser four
starving and do contract is you'll neveractually have to earn any of that money
and a good sort though, Ithink they wouldn't want to because you know,
you've got Austin hanging around. SoI suspect he's the sort of person

(01:59):
who's sort of maybe I don't knowif he maybe doubles as a coach whatever,
but I get the impression he mustbe a sort of a good all
round egg for them to want toextend his contract anyway. Well, I'm
assuming there's something about transitioning to acoaching role in it, you know.
I mean, you'd have thought thatwould be the main proviso for it,
you know, I mean I noticedthey haven't offered a contract extension to our

(02:21):
other decrepit goalkeeper. Yeah. Yeah, I think obviously he's got designs and
other things, and I think thatas we said in the last part that'll
probably just that would just Peter Huttowards the end and then he'll go with
our best wishes. So but yeah, I'm pleased about that. And of
course you know they've up Doggie's wagesapparently according to Romano. I know,

(02:42):
he's a sometimes of dubious legitimacy,shall we say, but I think this
one he seems to have it right. And you know a lot of sources
are coming out. It hasn't yetbeen confirmed by Spurs. I do not
believe, but I don't think he'llbe mentioning that if it wasn't the case.
And yeah, it looks it camebefore the game that announcement, didn't

(03:08):
it all that that for? Soyeah, obviously you know he's gone and
had a pay rise and then puttinga blinder on Sunday afternoon. Yeah,
I mean, you know, he'sstill a young man. I mean what
I think we said before, Ithink he's twenty one, is he or
something like twenty twenty one. Imean, he's got an incredible future ahead

(03:29):
of him. So I'm glad we'vetied him down improved his contract details because
there will be some clubs sniffing aroundI think in a year or two times.
So we need to we need toshow ambition. And I hope we've
rewardered him sufficiently because he's one ofthe best in the country. I think,
yeah, I mean he was ahuge miss when he wasn't there wasn't
he you know, And and Isay, you know, perfect way to

(03:53):
sort of top off this this whatmust have been a very good week for
him, a very satisfying week withhis first his first goal and a a
stellar performance. Absolutely, mate,So we need to do this. Let's
let's rewind to the wet spam derbythe Cup final and we'll just skate over

(04:15):
this one, I think, becauseit is an evening to forget. Let's
let's just get your sort of thoughtson on on the whole for that game.
Mate. I don't know, Idon't know what you're I don't know
what you're talking about. Thursday night. Nothing doesn't It's a big cup final.

(04:36):
Don't you remember nothing happened on Thursdaynight, did it? No?
No? I was I was readinga book. I was had a nice
quiet night reading Modern Practical Joinery byGeorge Jellis. I've got it here A
lot, you know, probably betterto have. Well, yeah, you
know, it was one of themterrible things. You could see it coming

(04:57):
like a fucking train down the tracks, couldn't you. Because we were delightful
to watch for about the first fortyminutes, you know, we were just
I just sat there and thought,oh, what a pleasure to watch this
football team. And then it wasonly one nil and you start thinking,
ah, fucking hell, this isyou know what, don't yeah, And
I think you know, I saidto you and the others later in the

(05:20):
evening, why did I not havea tenor on James Ward Prowse to score
against us? Because that fucker alwaysseems to do that, you know,
Yeah, I mean calamitous. Weshould have been well out of sight by
the time scored. We should havebeen three or four up at the very
very very least. And you know, I mean Sonny came out after the

(05:44):
game and he was, you know, quite forthright in his well, you
know, sort of angry. Really. He spoke about the frustration of us
letting it go from being in thatposition. But yeah, you know,
two calamit goals, you know,tiredness slipping in there, especially for their
winner, you know, silly,you know, daft sort of underpowered backwards

(06:08):
pass and we should never have letthem get into that situation. I work
with a west Ham fan and luckilyI didn't see him on Friday. I
did see him this morning though,and I walked into the building this morning
and he went, we're not fuckingtalking about it and just walked around the
corner. Because of course they gotabsolutely mollered by Fulham at the weekend.

(06:29):
Yeah, I was quite grateful forthat. And then later on I cornered
him and we were having a bitof a chat and even he said to
me, he said, I've gotto tell you though, mate, He
said, fuck me, you lotare easy on the eye when it's working,
aren't you. You know, yeah, I have to say, actually,
I mean, you know, myoverall thoughts are very similar to yours.
I thought, we you know,we massively dominated and then you know,

(06:54):
a longer it went on, ithad that villa sort of vibe about
it. Their two goals were totalflukes, just off the back heel or
someone, and then you know,they were calamitous type goals. But you
know, actually the west Ham fansafterwards, they were very very quiet,
and I think they realized that theygot very lucky that night. I mean,

(07:17):
of course they were. You know, the fans were going bonkers,
singing, you know, all theusual has happened again and Champions of Europe.
You're never sing that, not recognizingthe fact that we've got three European
trophies ourselves, the clowns, youknow. But I just think that their
fans, the ones that I knew, were much much quieter because I think

(07:38):
they realized we that we smashed them. And when I look back at some
of the WhatsApp messages of another group, I mean, we're just friends basically,
who and something. They're all sortof mixed different football fans, uh,
And some of the West Ham fansare saying we're getting battery, that
we're going to lose, we're goingto and all their comments were they thought
they were just going to get absolutelyhumped and they should have. They should

(07:59):
have. Yeah earth they never sayingwith the Villa game, how on earth
we didn't smash those the bits Ihave no idea. Yeah, I know,
it's bonkers, isn't it. Andthen I was listening thinking about Villa.
You know that that they I thoughtthey were really underwhelming it was a
real smash and grab when they cameand took three points off us, and
and and then you know, ofcourse I was listening to them in the

(08:22):
in the van. They were onthe radio, their commentary at the weekend
when I was driving, and andand and of course, you know,
they've put some some good results togetherand they're above us in the league.
You know, they're in the topfour. And now everybody said, we've
got to start talking about aston Villaas serious title contenders. We've got to
start to And I think, didyou not fucking see them? Yes?

(08:43):
They did, you know, Andyou know this is another cliche. Oh
well, you know they played badlybut they still won't Spurs. No,
No, that's not playing badly andgrinding out a win. They stole them
three points, you know, andreally and truly like like then, they're
no more, no more title contendersthan fucking Manchester United, are you know.

(09:05):
They're having a good run, they'rehaving a good moment, but they'll
fizzle out. I think they'll finishsixth, seventh, Yeah, yeah,
very much. So. You know, they've only got to pick up a
couple of injuries. Somebody needs todo to John McGinn what John McGinn does
to everybody else and Matty Cash pleaseso yeah and Matti Cash yeah yeah yeah
particularly but yeah so. But goingback to spam, I did I think

(09:31):
I just said this before we startedthe recording. I was watching the Match
of the Day last night and I'vebeen laughing about this all day because if
you watch that Match of the Dayfootage of west Ham at Fulham at the
kend at the start of the gamewhen it's nil Neil, the crowd volume
is really ramped up quite eye inthe mix in the footage, and all
you can hear is the west Hamfans singing Champions of Europe. You'll never

(09:54):
sing that. And I can't rememberis that commentates who commentates on that game.
It might be Jonathan Pierce. Hesays Manchester United, Manchester City have
something to say about it, andthen the next thing you know, they're
five nil down. Yeah. I'vebeen laughing about that all day. They

(10:15):
must have done that deliberately. Butyou know that that our game now you
look like the Villa one. Youplay that game and eight or nine times
out of ten we win that andhandsomely they they didn't look good. I
mean, they resulted to some moraltactics that they're Irish Argentinian pack o tar.

(10:39):
He broke cooler his nose. Sothat's why I had to wear mask
in the next game, isn't heYeah, yeah, yeah, it is.
You know, it's one to forget, It's one to forget. However,
I feel the injustice of it,you know that that you know,
they the team will have come.I'm feeling particularly aggrieved at themselves that they

(11:03):
let that happen. And I thinkif there is a positive that we can
spin on this, and I knowI'm famous for trying to spin positives and
enough you know that that actually,you know that has probably fed into the
hiding that we gave Newcastle yesterday.Yeah, yeah, I agree, because
actually following that was sort of leadsnicely on then actually to poster Cooglo's comments

(11:26):
and so post match there were somereally really reassuring stuff. I mean,
I think he was at pains topoint out to some of the sort of
condescending voices in the media, youknow who you heard all this kind of
this stupid naive trope that keeps comingout, which I think is really lazy
and just and just regurgitated by others, you know, dinosaurs. Basically that

(11:50):
seemed to not understand what he's doing. But his comments were a lot.
I'm not here to just to playto pretty football. I want to win
games, and he was at painsto point that out. He also finds
some warnings that the players, youknow, telling them that they're going to
need to this is not going toget any easier. They're going to need
to come out through the other side, you know, with us or without

(12:11):
us, because I think he saysalso like change means change sort of paraphrasing
here, but he says it meanschanging everything, like the mindset, and
if some of the players are carryingscars from the past, then let's get
rid of them. You know,we're beginning, We're at the beginning.
We've got a long way to go. And he's talking about the sort of
benefit of his experience. He canhelp them with that because he's been through
it. But you know, Ilike he's kind of strong where he says,

(12:35):
I know unequivocally what we need todo. You know, that strong
message is I think it's not justfor the media, but he's also for
the players. Even though it's inthat sort of public forum for them to
sort of hear that that he's probablysaying very similar things to them, but
they'll be under no illusion, nowI think it's not. It then follows

(12:58):
that you get some of the playerscoming out afterwards with some really strong sort
of tweets, like Romero's one,talking about the Spurs family building towards something
special and sticking together and learning together. And I don't know if you this
is kind of worth pointing out,I think in the in the next game,
which will come on to net straightin any second now, actually,
but just in case I forget,there was a beautiful moment when Poro knocks

(13:26):
the ball and I'm jumping ahead hereto Richie for his second goal. Who
then Poro runs off to the sidelineand just goes and hugs straight to Ang
and you know, you you,you know, you know. I think
it's quite clear that the players lovehim. Yeah. Yeah, I mean
it's clearly there's a wonderful sign,a very reassuring sign, and it's a

(13:50):
sign that they have got this together, this this and this this wonderful sort
of mentality about what it is they'redoing. You know, I mean that
that goal as well was beautiful becauseRichie's touch was dreadful, it was important.
The past was so perfectly weighted.It was it was like a dead

(14:11):
ball dropping out the sky to himand it sort of bounced off his off
his ankle and sort of went offto the left, and he still was
able to control and finish, youknow, whereas you know, any any
more power on that on that passthat that then bounces off his angle and
goes out for a goal kick andany less and it's the defender behind him.

(14:33):
I mean, it was just perfect. Yeah. I mean, he's
got to be in the shout atthis early stage already have been our player
of the season. He's certainly ourmost he's certainly our most improved player.
I think, you know, Isay that because we saw more of him
than we saw of some of theother new you know. I mean,

(14:54):
although we saw played a little bitlast year. I mean, you know,
famously played really well in Milan,and then we didn't see him again
for months. You know, someof the others were on loan, Kuleski
was carrying injury things like that,so you know, but but I think,
you know, the player that arrivedin January and probably thought, what
the fuck have I done? Andthe one we're seeing now two entirely different

(15:18):
people, are they not? Yeah? Oh absolutely absolutely mate. Yeah,
but that just shows you what agood manager, someone who can actually coach,
can do, but who can actuallydo it. Yeah, exactly,
you know, And I mean thisis the thing, this is, this
is the contradiction in terms about peoplethat are doing all of this. You
know, well, will it youknow, it's too naive and will it
work? And you know, buthe's going to get found out and you

(15:41):
know they've already been found out andall these things. Is the is that
it fails to take into account theway that he's coaching is improving these players,
because it's not as if those playerswere doing this job better under anybody
else. No, absolutely, bangon, mate. So so we get
into the beginning of this game then, So were there any surprises in the

(16:03):
change of lineup for you? Ijust quickly run through it. We had
Vicario, Doggie, Davies, Romero, Poro, Sar, Presumer Kulu,
Richie and Johnson's Let's also dropped tothe bench. Richie goes up front,
doesn't he instead of instead of Son? So Son goes left and then we

(16:26):
get Kulu in that sort of numberten role. Did that any of that
surprise to you or did you?Did you? No, not at all.
I mean I think that's you know, with the players that we've got
available, that's that's the best lineup, isn't it. You know? I
mean, yes, they are stilltweaking it to try and make it work
with Johnson and some on the bitchtogether because I think sometimes they try to

(16:47):
do too similar a job and maybecancel each other out. But you know,
the other thing is switching it withKuleseevski, bringing him in from the
right and playing him in that deeprole makes up for the fact that we
are with out Benson, Kerr orMadison in that creative sort of deeper position
as well. And the other thingabout it is is they're not static roles
that you know, we saw itall through the game. Every one of

(17:10):
those players, just like in everyother position on the field, really every
one of those players is the positionalplayers more fluid, you know, I
mean, you know they're all switchingand dragging people out of position, and
you know then you know they're notvery They're not so fixed as they were
under say the previous manager system wherethey very definitely had an area of the

(17:33):
pitch they operated in. So soI don't I mean there's a bit I
mean sort of things. We don'treally matter where where they are when you
write it down on a piece ofpaper because it's not going to be where
they are when you look at thescreen of the pitch. Is it no?
Exactly that? I mean, Ithought Richie might have played in the
lesson so on still up front,but actually it makes it made perfect sense,
I think, you know. Imean, obviously, hindsight's a wonderful

(17:59):
thing. You can look at it, and it clearly did make sense.
I was surprised Laselso did drop out, but having said that, it worked
really really nicely with Sara coming backin. And I think one of the
things that perhaps because I'm just gonnaask you in a second as well,
rich but you know about the keydifferences in this match and what made him
more effective, and I do thinkthat you know, there are a number

(18:22):
of factors here, but Sar wasone of them. For me. I
thought the way that he played wasmuch more cohesive. He needs less touches.
I mean, of course, inthe last game when we had Hoiberg
on. I mean, I couldsee the thinking there in that he might
be a bit more solid, buthe slows the game down, he needs
more touches and often gets robbed onthose types, sar, doesn't you know

(18:44):
there's some lovely moments you had,especially that one where he's sort of if
you've seen the video going around,where he sort of dips in his shoulder
in and out and sort of takeson a couple of players and he looks
like, you know, yeah,I mean he's a far more cultured footballer,
isn't he with the ballers? Yeah? Yeah, I mean, you
know, I I I have,I have a bit of a thing about

(19:07):
I was really really really impressed whenwe first landed him. I was really
pleased. I mean, you know, if anybody is pulling their nails out
board, you can go back andprobably listen to me about him before he
was getting starts for us, sayingthis guy is going to be bloody huge.
We need to get sided, youknow. And I'm really really pleased

(19:27):
that the the you know, largelyfor my own ego obviously, because I
can now sit here and go Iwas fucking right about him. No,
I mean, but you know,I think there's this understanding that he's developed
with Presuma in that in that middlehe's wonderful. Presuma's not really captured his
form. You know, we spokeabout this last week. I think,

(19:48):
you know, since since his suspension, you know, he's kind of dropped
off a little bit. But whenyou put him next the Sar, they're
so effective as a car. Yeah, absolutely, because wonderful thing it is,
you know, back to the heady, heady days of the Mason bentlev
you know, yeah, yeah,I mean the thing is with with with

(20:11):
Bersuma, He's not he's not reallyyou know, that kind of creative player.
But but you know, he's he'sa tidy passer, you know.
So I think with him and Sara, they are a good combination. But
the fact that that like I think, you know, I means for such
a young man, the way thathe is calm under pressure, takes the

(20:32):
ball and gives it, you know, it is just and I think that
one of the reasons why it worksso well for this system is because he's
so quick and he reads the gameso well, and and I think that
he just he really is a bitof a difference maker, you know,
And just imagine, you know,we've got the players we've got to come
back, Benton Kerr, Madison vanderVern and I think, you know,
there's a lot to get excited about. But in terms of you know,

(20:57):
a players aside anything else, youthink that we're maybe a difference in that
match can for you that made itfeel like this is why actually today we
took our chances. Is more effective? Well, I don't know. I
mean I think possibly the frustration ofit. You know, you get to
the point where you just you know, maybe they've had that that that couple

(21:18):
of weeks. I mean, let'snot forget that we've gone to Manchester City
and picked up a point, youknow, in you know previously to the
west Ham game. You know,so it's not as if we'd been dire
dire right up to the minute ofkickoff. You know, I think there
was a momentum building. There wasyou know, there are people are beginning
to come back. Obviously more timewith the coach as well. You know.

(21:42):
The other thing as well is thatNewcastle come and they're not scared,
and I think that helps you knowthat even in their heightened state, you
know that they've had a lot ofinjuries. You know, they've got a
lot of key players out. They'rethey're they're obviously getting used to playing in
Europe, which they haven't had todo for a very long time. You
know. The Champions League schedule appearis appearing to have quite an effect on

(22:07):
their ability to form in the league. And you know, I think the
thing is, like, even withall those things being the case, is
that they come and they play onthe front foot Eddie, how's teams play
in a in an aggressive, optimisticfashion. Yeah, I think that helped
us a bit. Yeah, Ithink it did, you know. I

(22:32):
I it allows you the space,you know, I mean west Ham come
to kick the shit out here.Aston Villa come to do the same,
you know. And it's no coincidenceof the best two games that we've played
in the recent weeks have been againstteams that will come and say we're going
to play football today. Yeah.I also think apart from from those things

(22:53):
that you've just said, they're rich, the balance was better overall. I
think Kulu and the number ten positionreally worked well. I mean I described
him as a monster. He justhe just he takes so much stick from
everybody and just gets up and goesyou know, he doesn't, he's fearless.
And and then I thought, Sonny'sgetting to the byline. He was

(23:15):
getting to the byline better and cuttingit back and a number of the goals
came from that. I thought thatthat was important. Yeah. So,
I mean it's a combination of allthose factors. I think I think just
made you feel that this was thiswas going in the right direction. But
any he knows for you at allon that first half, or did you
feel that we had we had thisone? Now? I thought we were

(23:37):
going to be all right, youknow. I mean, strangely enough,
before the west Ham game, Idid think it might be the other way
around. I thought we might givewest Am a really good scene too,
and then have a much more difficulttime against Newcastle. But after we lost
against west Ham, there was mymy in my mind, I thought,
there's no way, there's you know, we're not looking this other one.

(24:00):
And I don't think really it wouldhave mattered who would have come after the
way that we lost against west Ham. I just don't think it would have
mattered who we played yesterday. Wewere going to beat them, and the
way we started and you know,it was clear that we were quicker to
the ball. I mean, thepossession and the time on the ball starts
in the first fifteen to twenty minuteswere with something like eighty eight or eighty

(24:22):
nine possession for the first quarter ofan hour. They couldn't get anywhere near
us, and you thought they've hadit, They've got nothing in their tanks,
you know. Yeah, I meanI thought we looked like we were
pumped from the beginning. I mean, even Ben Davis looked like prime CAFU
when he had that earlier clearance onthe very you know, at the start
of the game, he just theways kind of like slid in and took

(24:44):
that knock that ball, so youknow it basically cleared that goal scoring chance.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, getaway from his toes a little bit.
Yeah. Then of course to Romeroalmost scores, and he's kicked off
the line as well, isn't it. And yeah, and then Roberto nearly
scored. He has another good addedchance later in the game. It's obviously
something they're working on, isn't it. You know. So the Sun gets

(25:10):
to the byline, he cuts itback for a doggy that's a goal.
And then later on Sun gets tothe byline again and cuts it back for
Richie for Richie's first goal. Yeah, both times. You know, he
really does make a mockery out ofhere, and Tripia doesn't. Oh yeah,
yeah, yeah, you know,you look at it, he just
turned him inside out. I thinkTripia, like a few of their players
that we just mentioned, they lookeda bit looked a bit leggy, a

(25:33):
bit tired, you know, becausethey've got a similar situation to us there.
I mean, they've got the addedEuropean games, but but they're you
know, they're down to the barebones with ear injuries as well, so
you know, I think that's thatis taking a toll on them. And
they've got a big game coming upthrough the week, which basically they need
to win all they're out, sothat may have been on their minds too.

(25:55):
But you know, like A said, I'm not feeling sorry for anybody
else. They wouldn't feel sorry forus, So you know, we just
we just went for it. Ithink give a special mention, actually,
yeah, to Ben Davis, becauseI thought Ben Davis had another quietly brilliant
game. Yeah, I mean Iwas just going to say that, you
know, before you start moved onto Sun's goals. You know, I

(26:18):
think Ben is just being invaluable atthe moment, you know, from the
player who has been at the clubnow for for a decade or more that
you know, has has has neverI mean, yes, he's played a
lot of matches in that time,you know, but he's been an also
like a squad member for much ofthat and he's bided his time, and

(26:40):
he's been patient every time he's beenasked to come in. He's done a
job, you know. And andagain now you know, possibly going into
the last leg of his career asit were, you know, and playing
in a totally different system under yetanother manager. You know, the personnel
around him has changed in you know, and and he's just risen to the

(27:03):
occasion with such ease. I just, you know, all credit to his
professionalism, because what an asset tohave to be able to call somebody like
that. Absolutely mate, Absolutely yeah. So let's get into the second half,
you know, more of the samePorrow, lovely long range ball to

(27:23):
Richie. As you say, hisfirst touch isn't the best, but he
somehow makes more of it. Maybea fit less, leggy defense might take
it off him, but just givehim the credit. He you know,
it wasn't the best touch, buthe redeemed himself as a nice shot.
He scores a second goal. Youknow, at that point we're out of

(27:45):
sign where I think that's let's seeit really. Then then porrow another lovely
fru ball, this time to Sonand he goes through and is brought down
and Son steps up as a firstpenalty of the whole season. That's unbelievable,
mate, m M, yeah itis. And and it was a

(28:07):
very Caine esque penalty the way,wasn't it. Yeah, you know it
was. And yeah I did thinkyou know, you know, opposition supporters
always used to go on about usabout Hariy Kane used to buy penalties,
and then like you say, youknow, he leaves and we don't have

(28:27):
one for three and a half months, and you think maybe there was something
in that. After all, Istill think, I mean, we may
well still go in the market fora for a striker. But if Richie
maybe finds those goalscoring boots, Mikestarting to move by itself there, maybe

(28:52):
finds his goal scoring boots, thenperhaps it could be you know, between
Richie and Son, and then weget maybe we get a new left winger,
because I think probably that might beour weakest area on the left.
Yeah, I mean, I don'tknow. I have been very patient with
rich Arlison and very optimistic and veryhopeful that he's going to come good.

(29:15):
I like him as a player.He certainly, you know, as a
player, is of the right caliberto be the person that we have.
You know, you know, thisisn't a Fraser Campbell situation. Here is
you know, it's worth of BraziliInternational, you know. But you know,
with all of the troubles that he'shad, you wonder whether or not

(29:37):
he wants to be there. There'sa lot of talk about him moving on,
whether he wants to be in England, whether he wants to go back,
you know, to the Southern Hemisphere, or maybe even go to Europe.
I don't know, no, no, Richie. I think his teammates
want him to stay. I meana lot of the messages afterwards i'd seen
on things like Instagram, we're allkind of praising you know, Richie do

(30:02):
it, putting up the pigeon thingsand all this kind of stuff. I
think they're massively behind him. Ithink they really love the guy. Whether
he will stay or not. Idon't know if that really does have a
factor. But as in terms of, you know, the way his peers
feel about him, it seems asif they massively wanted to work for him.
Yeah, I mean you get thesense, you know, and you

(30:22):
see when he scores, you know, the way that they embrace him.
You saw when he scored it.You know, it wasn't at the weekend
previously, you know, Son shovinghim towards the crowd and you know,
really sort of begging him up,and you know, you can see that
they're all rooting for him. Youknow. Sometimes there's a touch of the

(30:45):
soldado about it, though, isn'tthere? You know you oh god,
you know it's just gone wrong forhim, and you know he is obviously
a self confessed confidence player. Maybehe'll he will get that confidence back now.
Maybe having this operation, you know, he's whatever he was carrying before
it, maybe that will make adifference as well. It would be lovely
if it comes right. I stillthink we should buy a lot of center

(31:06):
forward. Yeah, yeah, no, I think I'm agreeing with you,
mate. But yeah, so thenwe have a couple of substitutions. Hoiberg
comes on and give us the ballaway and newcast will get an equalizer.
That's towards the end of the game. I think when when when Skipp and

(31:26):
lase Elsa come on. I thinkthey do a decent job. And I
think, you know, do youthink Skip should have scored at the end
or do you think it was abit too too much? I mean,
obviously it was too much for him, but yeah, probably should have.
Yeah, yeah, but you know, we're we're we had four in the
bag by that point, and weso I forgive him. Yeah, yeah,

(31:48):
yeah, I mean I did sortof groan a bit and think,
oh, mate, come on,what a fucking shame, you know,
Yeah, yeah, yeah, comedown and have buried that for five because
I really wanted five or six becausethey've done it to us. Oh yeah,
well that that one that we werehumiliated in. Yeah, that would
have been nice to have done likewise, but there you go. And then

(32:09):
actually, what a little after theshow party we had with Vicario and Wilson
at the end, which I thinkis related to his podcast where basically Wilson
and Antonio were doing a takedown ofour richie that we've just been talking about,
and Viccario is making faces at himall the time, isn't it while

(32:31):
he's playing the game, sort ofdoing up, pulling his tongue and making
faces at him. And I thinkit was getting under Wilson's skin big time.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, Imean Wilson came out in the interview
afterwards and said it was disrespectful andall that. But I didn't mention anything
about the podcast exactly that, youknow, Yeah, I mean I don't.
I don't think there's any harm init at all, you know,
I mean, it's the same,it's the same nonsense as you remember when

(32:53):
Richard when we were Nottingham Forest,Richarlison, you know, doing his little
keepy up, He's in the hornerand everybody going, oh, it's ventifully
disrespectful. You know, how darethese players enjoy themselves while they're doing this?
Funnily enough, it was Brennan Johnsonthat cleared him out that day,
weren't it. It was? Ithink, wasn't it. Yeah? Anyway,

(33:14):
then post post match pasta Coogloo hasa few sort of interesting comments.
Actually, he sort of admitted thathe'd probably have been a bit hard on
the players, but he was purposelyso because he didn't want to give them
any any sort of leeway for excusesmentally for what was going on. But
then did admit, now you knowthat we're getting a few of our players

(33:37):
back, that how much of animpact the injuries have had. And you
know, and if you are takingseveral of your best players out, it's
going to impact any team like we'reactually and he you know, he didn't
mention names, but look at looka City, for God's sake, you
know, they they have struggled withoutRoger and de Bruyner. Mm hmm,

(33:57):
yeah, yeah, absolutely, Imean, yeah, it's I mean,
it's it's I suppose it's a difficultbalance, you know, because he has
to be hard on them, youknow, in order for us to get
out of this situation and to turnthe form around, whilst also balancing the
fact that you know, actually,if you throw too much shade on the
squad that you've got, you know, look at all of our players that

(34:20):
we've got out, and I'm havingto play these fucking idiots. That's hardly
motivating for them as well. No, it's not Conte levels of sort of
throwing you under the bus stuff,is it. It's you know, it's
clearly psychologically aimed at motivating them.So yeah, and he as he was
talking like, you know, italso gives him an opportunity to learn about

(34:40):
his players under that kind of condition, because he's been at pains to say,
you know, you're everyone's talking aboutwhat they're seeing the nice I'm only
going to know and we're only goingto know what this team is all about
when it's not going right. Thenyou see what we're trying to do and
that we still stick to those principlesand have the courage to do so.

(35:02):
And he has remained you know,so all this chat about you know all
he needs to sort of get abit tighter here and shore it up here,
and people aren't understanding what he's tryingto do and he's trying and what
he's trying to learn about his playersand say to everyone about this is the
type of club we want to be. M Yeah, yeah, very very

(35:22):
much so, very much so.And you know it's it's predominantly squad wise,
if not first eleven. Why isa squad that has failed under every
other, every other system and everyother attempt to tighten up to do it
the way that pundits fans everybody thinksthey should, you know, to to

(35:42):
take proven winners, to take managerswith a track record of winning the league.
You know, uh, and andyou know this club and this squad
or much of it you know ashas kind of failed routinely, and and
and so you know, why notbloody try it different? And why not
why not throw the book out andrewrite it from scratch, because because rehashing

(36:05):
the same old, same old hasn'tachieved anything. That's right. You know,
if you compromise, what you're goingto get, you know, you're
you're You're all you're going to getis a compromise throughout. You have to
have his He's always been again atpain to say, all teams that win
things have a vision and a wayof doing things, and they stick to

(36:28):
it. They stick to the planand eventually will it will you know,
it will bear fruit mm hmm,absolutely absolutely. And you know I think
like you know, he's he's exactlyright as well with his you know,
you will only know this in adversitybecause everybody that's ever done anything difficult in
the life, yeah, you knowknows that. You know. I mean,

(36:55):
I'm not an elite sportsman, butI am an elite academically and you
are doing a PhD. You know, you only know you're fucking good enough
for it when you're ready to jumpoff a bridge, you know, not
everybody's telling you you're really clever,and it's all going well, you know,
yeah, so does that anyway?Yeah, And I think that last

(37:17):
post match, or it might haveeven been a pre match, now lose
track of what's going on really.Comments by Posta Coglo. I think some
of them were about kind of lifein general. I think about just being
resilient and just like learning through yourmistakes and understanding that you know what you've

(37:39):
got to do to make it workand make it better, and just you
know, coming through things some throughsometimes, you know, as you were
saying, through through adversity, youknow, builds character and strength, and
he's looking for that in his players. And like you were saying, well,
we said earlier, when he's talkingabout sort of those scars, if
they're if they're not ones that youcan shared get rid of, then we

(38:04):
have to, you know, wehave to. We have to move forward.
You know. It's like any organizationwhen you've got people that let's say,
for want of a better term,blockers who just you know, are
just negative all the time. Doesn'ttake many. You only have to have
one person who just has a negativeattitude and it can spread very quickly.
So I think he's working out whowho Who are the people who you know

(38:30):
are there for the team. Youknow, even if you're not going to
be on consistently, you know whatpart you've got to play in this journey,
and you're willing to do it,then you know, come along on
that journey. And I think that'swhat he's saying. Basically, that means
us fans. You know, he'stalked about before about we some we also

(38:52):
have to appreciate. We have togive the fans something for them to cheer
about and get happy about. It'syou know, it's not the other way
around. A lot of the timesyou hear the managers blaming the fans,
saying, you know, well,you weren't there for us, you weren't
doing you have to give us somethingfor that. We're the ones that dedicate
our whole whole lives to supporting ourclub and being there and you know,

(39:14):
and and going through all that,and we pay for it. We don't
get paid. And like that,you so yeah, very much that yeah.
Yeah, So anyway, let's let'spreview the upcoming game or Friday the
Forest game away, and do youthink there will be any changes or stick

(39:36):
to the same team. I mean, I wouldn't be surprised if there were
changes for this one. It's it'sbound to be a physical game, isn't
it. And if that's our ifthat's our first eleven that we saw from
our available players, if that's ourbest football inside that we saw on Sunday
at the moment, he might wantto protect some of those players against the

(40:00):
Forest side who are really struggling.I mean, it might be Steve Cooper's
last game in charge. We don'tknow, you know, it's a manager
bounced and well yeah, yeah,yeah, so it's you know, it's
one of them. I wouldn't besurprised to see maybe Lacelso come back in,

(40:20):
maybe Hoiberg start, maybe please Well, but you don't know, do
you, Because it's going to bea physical game. It's Friday night,
I think, isn't it. Yeah, So yeah, yeah, it's a
way I think it will. Ithink it will be a physical game.
But also think that that you knowthat they do tend to come out the
traps fast, and I think itmight be a bit, you know,

(40:42):
quite a bit too in and throwingearly on in that game, I can
see, you know it, they'llbe I think they won't play low block.
I think they'll be a bit moreopen, so that then I think
that might well suit us. ButI do think, yeah, I think
they because what they lack in quality, they'll probably make up for in physicality.
I agree, mm. I mean, I think, you know,

(41:05):
it's a difficult one to call,isn't it, Because if they if they
do come out, if they don'ttry a load block, if they do
come out, I think we'll takethem to pieces. But if they if
they are in a holding pattern fromthe start at home, when they're under
pressure, when their manager might beabout to get the sack, then then

(41:25):
then actually I think the crowd getson top of them, you know,
and actually that plays to our advantage, perhaps even even more, you know.
So I don't think it's going tobe an easy game, but I
do I do expect us to beatthem, I you know, yeah,
I mean, maybe they do playa load blocker in and because they might

(41:50):
have clocked that that's kind of thebest way to to you know, to
beat us or to have a chanceagainst us, is you know, to
play that way and hopefully get oneon the b because if they try and
go toe to toe with us,as you say, we'll tear them a
new one. Yeah, And Imean I think the thing is, you
know, perhaps if there's something thatwe can say for us on this is

(42:13):
is that if anything you know Isaid earlier. You know, obviously Romero
scored from the corner on Thursday,and he very nearly scored from a corner
again on Sunday, you can seethat we are that's not the you know,
that's the most obvious example. Weare a team that is now that
looks like we're trying different things tobe more effective from set pieces. And

(42:34):
perhaps that's the workaround for teams comingagainst us playing a low block that we're
going to actually put more into thosecontrolled situations where if they're packing the box
that from a floated ball, infrom the corner, from a free kick,
you know, we're going to beable to bring players up and dominate
the air. You know. SoI'm not as worried about teams coming out

(42:55):
or not coming out, and youknow, putting eleven players behind the ball
and keeping on there as I was, because I think, you know,
they're working on ways around it.And I think if you can't beat a
side that's that's probably going to suckits manager in the next couple of weeks,
then then I think you've got moreto worry about, actually, you
know that, than than than actuallywhat happened on Thursday night. Yeah,

(43:17):
so they'll put you on the spotnow, rich your prediction. I think
we'll beat on three one. I'mgonna go three nil. Yeah. Yeah,
well, there you go. Somuch positivity again, and I'm rightly
so. And actually, if youlook at the fixtures we've got coming up
until the middle of March, Ithink we should be positive. Actually,

(43:39):
we've got some some pretty nice fixturescoming up into you know, to that
springtime. Yeah, yeah, absolutely, you know it's we've had a sticky
patch. Yeah, I think isthat we've got Manchester United again, I
think early January. That's why Isaid easy fixtures, easy games. Yeah,

(44:01):
We've got Everton fairly soon Everton.I think that's a really nicely timed
fixture for us because obviously they've hadtheir points deduction and they've had the bounce
from it. They've done, youknow, when they're out the bottom free
now, so you know, bythe time they reach us, perhaps that
head of steam is beginning to dissa little bit more on the hard work

(44:22):
begins to set in again, youknow, I mean, Sean Dyce's nobody's
full but we should be. Weshould be beating them. Yeah, that'll
be. That will be a toughergame, I think. But yeah,
just just just generally though, lookingforward, I've looked at the sort of
coming fixtures and bearing in mind ofcourse we're getting players back in January as
well. I think you know,there's some very favorable fixtures in and around

(44:49):
it, even dotted around in Aprilas well. I think there's a lot
there to be hopeful for for usgetting a top four finish. I hope
so, I hope so, andI think you know, with the with
the current form teams in the league, I will be extremely pleased if we
do get a top four finish atthe expense of Matty Cash. Yes,

(45:09):
amen, And on that note,we'll wrap it up, thank you very
much, mate. And I'm onyou Spurs. You know, there's no
place I know if I would Iwouldn't want to be right here. And
you know, in this minute oftrying to bring success to one of the
biggest football clubs in the world,the basic under line principles that I want

(45:37):
my team to to play football thatscares the life out of every opposition mate.
That's that's kind of the end game.