Sensei Phil: you Welcome to the Talking Shrimpers podcast sponsored by Surgical Holdings. Yeah, welcome to the Talking Shrimpers podcast. I'm your host Sensei Phil. With me is Charlie and hopefully Chris. He's a he might disappear. might see two in a minute or three. Who knows? ⁓ Yeah, he's having a few problems, but yeah, he's back. Hopefully he's he's back for good. Right. Bit of club news before we crack on with the game. So out has gone Charlie Kendall. off to Worthing. They would just mention Charlie, mean, yeah, great servant for us. He scored some, probably didn't score enough goals for us from Charlie, but definitely scored some really important goals. The one that kind of stands out for me was, I think it was the winner in the playoff, it at Rochdale? I think he tried to credit himself with the playoff final goal, which was an ongoing end, but yeah, I mean, he did score some decent goals for us. Yeah, no, he did. And as you say, he leaves, you know, with his I know ill feeling or anything like that. just think, you know, it just... I think he probably wasn't going to be higher up in the pecking order when it comes to the strikers with the way Kieran wants to play and stuff. And Charlie said himself, he's got family, got an age where he wants to play regular first team football. But yeah, like you mentioned, he scored some good goals and some really important goals for us. yeah, wish him all the best, except obviously when we play. Yeah, except when comes to Vukes yeah, wish him all the best in his career. Yeah, and just announced not long ago before the podcast come out tonight in is Ryan Batram on loan from West Ham for one month a right back Chris interesting one that I just wonder Why that's been done. Obviously, we've got a lot of games coming up Maybe there's concern that Vontay won't won't be at the plate all five What was your thinking on that one? Right back. Yeah, we need defenders, but I think a left back have been better That's why. We'll definitely come up to the defense. Yeah, it surprised me. think to be honest, I think we need, you know, a few players. I believe that we tabled a couple of bids for players, which I don't know what's happening at the moment, but yeah, we'll see what happens. Anyway, on to Saturday, we had Carlisle away. Now three changes. Goodliff came back in, fulling that groin injury. Oya Bady also came back into the back four and Anthony Hartsgun. came back into that central defensive role which I did mention last week I wonder if that might happen. Now out went Harry Taylor, Daniel Cox and Lewis Twamley. We'll go straight for the match stats. I'm not going to look at the first half and the second half because I think pretty much they were even over the course of the final match stats. So for Carlisle 53 % and for Southend 47. Now 18 shots for Carlisle with 11 of those on target. for Southend just a seven, three of which were on target, seven corners for Carl Oll and four for Southend, just the one yellow card for Carl Oll and four yellow for Southend. Pretty much the picture of the game, wasn't it, Chris? ⁓ You know, well on top, Carl Oll. Very much so. I thought we were poor, very, very poor. mean, three shots on target for the entire game and we managed to put two of those in. Just goes to show that the the game was, yeah, for an attacking side that plays pressing attacking football, three shots on target. It's got to be some questions asked there. And then to have, what, 17 or 18 shots against us, that's a pretty, yeah, I'm struggling for words because it was that poor. I was disappointed with the attack, I was disappointed with the defense, and then I just thought the midfield was just non-existent. I don't know what's going on with the squad at the moment or the team at the moment. It's just not, they're not gelling at all. Well, Chris is doing our post-match reviews on our website. Do have a good read. I really enjoyed the read of that and I think it's pretty accurate, you know, what you said. But yeah, frustration not to hold on to three late points, but fortunate to get one point in honesty. And yeah, was a frustrating performance all round. Charlie what did you make of it? we'll go through the goals in a moment, we conceded early, but yeah it was a very frustrating performance all round. Yeah I mean I didn't get a chance to actually watch the game. Yeah you were lucky. on my way back from… You were fortunate! Yeah I think I was. I did listen to over on BBC Essex, they did a great commentary of it so I was listening to that on the way home. ⁓ Where do we start? mean, yeah, it wasn't from what I could hear. It didn't sound good at all. It sounds like we just did not get to grips with the physicality of Georgie Kelly. And he, I think, could have quite easily got a hatchet within a sort of opening 20 minutes listening crazy. Yeah. We were really striving to pick him up and deal with him. And I think with some of his physicality, listen to it, it sounds like we were kind of leaving him thought I'm presuming it was good lift that was potentially marking him was I'll come to that no I wasn't too sure but either of the centre halves let's say yeah and it seemed that they were kind of on their own there was none of this sort of coercive unit with the midfielders there to help manage that so he seemed to have a lot of time to control the ball you know and make his pass or get shot away and stuff and That seemed to be the reoccurring problem throughout the game. So that was a real frustrating thing. And I think to go 1-0 down so, early, it's happened before there, hasn't it? think it last season, it was a bit of cock up, wasn't it, at the time that we gifted them the gold. But to go 1-0 down, it's a ground, I think they have quite a lot of... success at and it's a real difficult place to go to and get a result and then when you find yourself one nil down and they're absolutely dominating possession all across the park you really did fear for us so yeah it's it just like Karissa said there was no just everybody just didn't seem to be coercive enough and there was yeah I don't know it just just wasn't working was it Yeah, well it's the third time we've conceded in the first 15 minutes and actually the second time this season we've conceded in eight minutes. So yeah, absolutely right. But we'll go through the goals. So first of all, obviously it's a simple ball over the top. Now it's 5v2, so we should be able to deal with it. Goody has picked up Ajiboy and we pick up the runner Kelly. Now he's already eyed up that space on the left that we talked about the last couple of weeks. But this week we've actually got three men to deal with it and that's Ryan McAdam and Hartigan who's obviously came in to protect that space in that midfield and now actually I thought he will come to him Chris but I thought he actually had an okay game. But yeah goody has to then force Ajiboy wide and I thought he'd done that brilliantly he's pushed him out wide. Now the only place Ajiboy can put that ball is into that space into the near post. and Kelly just has to make that run across now Kelly switched on he knows exactly where that ball's now there's only one player that makes that run across with him albeit a little bit too late the player slightly behind Kelly and that is Ryan Kelly just has to then connect and wear a goal down now I also think you have to question People talked about good lift, but I think he actually did a reasonable job. He took him wide, pushed him wide. So the guy's either got to go backwards or he's got to try and find that space. But that relies on runners not going with Kelly and exactly what happened. Now, I think you've got to question the decision making of Fontay. He had to deal with as a boy and as we said, you've got three players that are kind of in that middle area. Now if Vontay's a spare man and he goes to that near post, then those players don't have to worry too much about that runner. But what does Vontay do? He goes towards Adgerboy as well and Goodliff, which then leaves that space open. he then realises it's too late. I thought, know, Kelly, he's a very smart striker. You mentioned him, I think, last season, Oli. He knows where that space is. He's drifted from that left into that space and it's just ⁓ a simple finish. Definitely Chris, defensive work to be done still isn't there? ⁓ very much so. mean yeah I think you've pretty much summed it up. I mean Goodliff did exactly what he was supposed to do. He didn't dive in, he stood him up, pushed him out wide which is you know what you expect off your defender but the defender should expect at least back up behind him. And it just wasn't there. was no one tracked. And Goodliff can't be responsible with the three players behind him, can he? No. You know, he's done his job. He's saying, right, you've got to go backwards now because I'm not letting you go anywhere with it. I've got three guys behind me to deal with that. Exactly. And no one tracked the runner, left him with acres of space. And then say, Vontay pushed. I'm not sure what Vontae was trying to do. I know you said already that you liked Oude Eikhoed during the game. Sorry, I hardly can during the game. I thought he was absent as well. There should have been someone coming back into that mid area. to track back looking at what was going on but there was just nothing there was no communication at all between them. think you learn after that Chris what I was saying about Hartigan I think he kind of picked up after that but yeah it was was too late we're already a goal down. were all fixed ⁓ off weren't Yeah yeah but again we had 30 minutes against Yogle at the end of the game where everything was working and everyone was playing well and yet they come on start the new game and everyone was asleep. It's like what's going on? You know the coach arrived an hour ago not five, ten minutes into the game you know why are we sluggish at the start of each game? I just don't understand where the communication is coming from. Who's I mean I know Koke is the captain but is he the right person to be the captain in that middle area? Do we need someone at the back who's got a better voice? Does Duncan need to speak up a little bit more? Someone needs to be getting that back four or back five when you got that the defensive midfield talking and communicating amongst themselves. Now I think you mentioned it last week Chris or maybe the week before that you know Keirin seems to be rotating a bit at the back now obviously Goody was out with Gwyn last week that couldn't be helped ⁓ I think he is our probably our first choice centre back if I'm honest, you're of you're not sure who's playing from one week to the next, you? And for me, it is a problem area because we're not getting consistent, you know, that unit, teams that are going to do well to win the league, you have to have a good foundation at the back. But it seems like Charlie really think he's taking time, isn't it, to settle that back four? Yeah. And I think we've definitely got a weakness on that. that left side because we've been exploited a couple of times now. Kenny's obviously seen that space again. He's gone through it. And as soon as he's not seen those runners, he's drifted across. So, you know, they're all quite young players aren't they? McAdam is young, Duncan is young, Cox is young, Ryan's not out of experience. So it's going to take time, isn't it? Yeah. I mean, I'm a little bit... I might be a little bit too super critical here, I don't know, maybe you'll tell me otherwise, but I think, first of all, just touching on Goodliff taking, was it Adgerboy, wasn't it, sort of out wide. Now, yeah, absolutely, he's done what I think he's come across, forced him out. I just feel that he maybe could have done a little better in actually preventing the cross coming in. It felt like it was kind of a, I've got him out wide now. I'll kind of make I just built that could he have done a little bit more to actually get that blocking and prevent the cross from coming in I don't know that's some you know it's off the debate I guess but like you say that middle I think when that cross has come in It's the lack of communication. Kelly's come across either someone tracks that run with him, they run with him and they make the block or they communicate and go, he's coming on to you know, but it was by the time they'd actually, by the time he got the ball, was too late. He's already connected the ball. He's had a tackle at the front post and then everyone's sort of looking around scratching their heads and we're just all over the place and out of shape. And what's concerning is it's We've got one clean sheet so far this season. And from a team that, know, the club that was so, so defensively strong for the last couple of seasons, we're so far off it at the moment. And I think that is coming down to, it's a whole new back line. It's not a, what's the word? It's not a... about four that we play with week in week out, do you know what I mean? Chopping and changing regularly, almost weekly to be honest with you, each game it seems to have a different pairing or different left back, different right back and I think as soon as we get that settled then I think that's when we'll start to see that stability but chopping and changing every week is really is having an effect and you say it's quite a young back four that we've got or back five if you include like Duncan you know in a relative you know let's say Rayan you know he's not the most experienced you know hasn't had a lot of game time Cox is still very young so Goodliff is by far the most experienced of them all and you asked who's the best pairing now if I want my two centre-arths For Kelly, for example, he's a big physical guy that's winning headers and strong. You want your best people with headers and I think maybe Cox was probably better suited in that role against Goodliff with someone like that. Now if you want someone who you want to play out from the back, then you've got Rayan. I think he's a better footballer from the back, if that makes sense. But we can't keep chopping and changing them week in, week out because there's got to be that... You sort of sixth sense you need to know straight off the bat that maybe boys behind you he's covering you or he's in a certain position, you know, same with the goalkeeper he knows the lay of the land ahead of him and until you get that understanding amongst that group, it's going to take you know, we're going to be susceptible to to conceding. Yeah. Now, you mentioned Georgie Kaye last season, a ⁓ player you obviously admired. Caused us to issues all day. Like you said Chris, could have had a hat trick in that first sort of 20 odd minutes. Do you think we're really missing that type of striker? Obviously we brought Promising, who I think is absolutely fantastic. But do you think we're missing that kind of good old fashioned centre forward who can get his head get in there and you know, what a good player he is. Yeah, think there's a call for that. But I think the problem's further back. I think that midfield. We've got to look there first, haven't we? Yeah, we've got to fix that. We've got that defensive issue where we're conceding goals early, so we're putting pressure on ourselves. I don't think the midfield trust enough of the attack. mean, playing one up front all the time is costing us as well. You've got Cardwell, he ran his socks off again. to what? To nothing. And then we bought Promise On to replace Cardwell. When we had those two strikers up front against the oval, I thought we looked very good then. So I do think we need that second striker, but then you're going to sacrifice a midfield player to cover that. Where are going to sacrifice that player from? Yeah. Because at the moment, it's just not working. I think the defensive unit is not moving up with the midfields. So we're getting a big gap in the middle. And then you're getting one or two, one of them may go forward and you're getting that lumped, that ball lumped over the top into that gap that's being caused by them pushing too far forward. So I think we just need to be a bit more of a unit going forward and a bit more of a unit coming back as well. Yeah. And sort of narrow that space, that gap down in the middle. ⁓ And I think that would work if we had the two forwards because I don't think we didn't have that midfield where all four of them are pushing forward, which is what's happening at the moment. There's a lot of questions isn't there? Well we were delighted I think to go in at half time just one nil down. It could have been as we've had three or four. An awful first half. But you know Kieran made a tactical change at half time. Messiah Edwards came on ⁓ for Koca. Cole Clough switched to his preferred left side. Leon went back into the number 10 role. But nothing really changed did it? Then we made another double sub on 58 minutes. Omuchere promised on for Cardwell. and Popula on for Colclough. You mentioned Cardwell. I thought both of those actually were absent. I thought Colclough had a terrible game, if I'm honest. He didn't really get into it at all. Maybe that's because on the right, it wasn't probably his preferred side, but I think even when he switched to the left, he went down quite a lot, was doing a lot of this to the ref and, you know, not getting the decisions. Yeah, it was pretty abject. Yeah, seven minutes from time. We got very fortunate, let's say. A back pass from Juru ⁓ and Promise is as sharp as anything. He knows when he got to that ball he can't score. He doesn't have much on. So what does he do? He turns his man brilliantly. Like he did at Yeovil, Leon made a really smart run to that unoccupied space on the edge of the box. It's a great layoff and a great finish. Very fortunate. but a great link up again, wasn't it Chris? Between those two, and Pony. Not in the form of a really good understanding, aren't they? Yeah, and I thought it was obviously a goal against a run of play, but they did try and they were huffing and puffing around in the area and to get the goal I thought, yeah, okay, we're now coming back as the comeback kings, which is we're getting called on the TV. which I think is a bit of an unfortunate nickname, but that's what we're getting at the moment because that's what we're doing. I mean, the link-up play was great. think, yeah, I promise I'm a chair-o. He should be, you know, fitness is the question. But he is a fantastic player. He's got good vision. He obviously saw the back pass was going to be short, straight in there. And that layoff was just perfect. I mean, he couldn't have put it in a better spot. But what's he had a combination of about 50 minutes now two assists and one goal. So yeah, not a bad start for him really. Yeah. 90 plus two. I think we were happy to have robbed Carlisle of a point, which was fortunate. And then McAdam goes and hits an absolute beauty from a corner. Top bins. Charlie, what a strike. Yeah. Yeah. Goal is a pleasing contender. Yeah, I think it's miss hit. I it's wrapped up. I'll be happy if there's any better than that. it that way. mean, he's not going to hit a better strike at a ball score, better goal in his career, I don't think. And yeah, mean, just quickly touching on Promise, you said about the goal being a little bit maybe fortuitous and lucky, but I think if you actually look at the grounds that Promise made up against their fullback, you would have fancied their fullback to get that ball. was, know, he's, he's done really, really well to get that and he's had a good shot to then have that sort of peace of mind to look at it. But like you say, him and Leon, it was a similar goal, wasn't it, against Yeovil? Yeah, it was. It was. They've definitely, there's something there between them, is, pardon the pun, promising to see, yeah, as you say, McAdams strike, wow. I mean, when that goes in, you're like, you know what? I mean, how many times has that happened to us where we have been, you know, we have peppered the goal, peppered the goal, hasn't gone in, hasn't gone in, and we're at the wrong end of it. It's happened time and time again. So you think, ⁓ hang on, maybe a bit at the tides turn, it's our turn to enjoy. the smash and grab and at that point you think yeah we'll be happy with a point here let alone all three and you you hire the car and you're absolutely buzzing with it and you look at anything a couple of minutes left to play surely this game's done and dusted however yeah well a fortunate three points we fought smash and grab after a goal worthy of winning any match but then yeah 90 plus seven heartbreak So a ball is pumped into the box. ⁓ It's Ryan that's beaten in the air and George Kelly once again latched onto the knockdown. Another really good finish. 2-2. Decent result, you've got to say. A poor performance. Yeah, we were definitely fortunate but you you take that. Yeah, no, you're spot on. I think you were just touching on about... I mean, I like Cardwell probably didn't have the greatest of games. I think, and you said about, we're missing a kind of a Kelly player, someone that's just going to bully defenders and that big physicality up top. I think, although... Cardwell's got that physicality. just feel that if the difference between him and Kelly if you look to that game Every bullet come to Kelly. It was sticking. It was sticking to him. Yeah with Cardwell That's what I think he's got to work on a little bit think he's a bit isolated at times as well. but that's where it's more important for him that he's got to ensure that he can keep hold of that ball and then allow players then to come on to him a bit and support because at the moment it seems like we're sort of banging it up to him and his touches are not always spot on or like you say he's very isolated so I think if we're going to play that like Chris has mentioned I think I would personally like to see him and Promise play together up top I think they're going to complement each other really well against Gioveville we saw exactly that I think they're going to give defenders a real headache you know there's a lot of this you know playing up one up top and in wing backs and stuff but I think just a good old fashioned 4-4-2 sometimes is yeah especially at this level where It's nice playing the attractive, football and the flair players and stuff and look, we're scoring plenty of goals, know, say plenty of goals, we're scoring goals. That's not the problem, we're creating the chances. Like you say, it's defensively that we're sort of leaving ourselves a little bit open and that's fine. If we're gonna do that... then yeah, we've to make sure we're outscoring teams and yeah, come, you would have said at the start of the game, take a point all day long, but I think just in the manner of how it sort of transpired, yeah, it wasn't a great performance. We'll take the point, absolutely, but there's certainly work and questions asked on that performance. Well, as you say, if you're honest, we were very, very fortunate to take a point. actually, think Kieran said that as well. ⁓ So, yeah, we certainly didn't deserve all three as nice as it would have been. But yeah, point in the end. But yeah, guys, I just want to ask you just just with seven games in now, it's not a disaster with fifth, just one defeat, just three points off the top. We've scored 14 conceded 10. I think it's clear where our kind of shortfalls are, isn't it? What's your assessment so far? Chris, start with you. I don't think it's been a complete disaster. I think we've been lucky. But how long does luck actually continue for us? I mean, you look at the Carlisle game. I mean, we should have been 3-0 down, 4-0 down before half time, in theory. ⁓ I mean, I think Deirstreik is going to be disappointed if he didn't have a hat trick in the first half. Yeah. That sort of thing, I think, is going to play. I mean, if we can get to 10 games and we've got 20 odd points, which is the next next three games, we should pick up nine points, I reckon. That's going to give us 23 points. Now, when Wrexham won the league a few years ago, they were on 25 points by 10 games. So it puts us in that right position. But then we still got to go for the next 36 games and get two point three goal or two point three points per game. going forward for consistency. The way we're playing at the moment, I don't think we've got that in us. I think there's going to be a dip in our luck. And I feel we need to do something about that. you mentioned luck, Chris. ⁓ Just looking at some of our results, Perfet's fortunate at Solihull to pick up three points. Fortunate to get a point. Woking as well. ⁓ 2-0 at home to Yeovil. Turn that around 3-2. and a 2 or a Kyle O. Wasn't it Napoleon that said I prefer lucky generals than good ones? Now I'm not saying Kieran's not a good coach but he certainly had bit of luck hasn't he? Listen I'll take that if we can get out of this league with a bit of luck I'll take it. You can't keep riding on luck. To get out of this league, you need an element of luck. You've seen that with teams that have won it previously. Look at last year, York, for example, couldn't have got much in the last game of the season. So you certainly need an element of luck to go your way. However, you don't want to rely on luck to get you out of this league. And I think, take Carlisle. to one side for a moment. Out of all those other games, there's been elements of those games where we have had a lot of control. Whether that just be through, you know, maybe not for the entirety of the game. It might be a first half, might be a second half, it might be for spells between either. But there's been elements where we have had control of that game. We've had the pressure, we've created the chances, you know, and... That for me I think is important to remember because I think if we're not creating those chances and we're conceding at the other end, then alarm bells would certainly be ringing. Look, Carlisle are great outfit. They're going to be up there no doubt about it. They're a very strong team. So yeah, I think we can put that Carlisle game to maybe one side and go, it was a real poor day at the office for us. You just hope that we don't see too many of them and I think actually playing tomorrow night, Tuesday, I think it's probably set us up perfectly. think it's a you know, a great opportunity to, you know, respond to that performance. And I just feel that at the moment, you sort of mentioned what we missing or what's needed and I think in a minute we certainly are missing. just someone in the middle of the park that is going to grab, we mentioned it a few times now, but it's very, very quiet. It's a very quiet squad. It's a very young squad. We just need someone and big and physical that's going to... know, themselves about and really disrupt stuff and make things happen and have a bit of knowledge about them and I think if we can get that down the spine maybe, you know, there's another centre back to go beside Goody that's got that about them or, you know, someone up top or even in the midfield. that can dominate possession a little bit and disrupt it a little bit. think that's all we're short on at the moment. think we're two or three players away from that kind of physicality. And I think when we get that, along with the attacking sort of flair players that we have, and this defence is kind of settled, then I think we'll be a real tough team to break down. But yeah, he does make you nervous that back four at the moment, I'm not gonna lie. Well, there's certainly some talent in that squad. yeah, Chris, do you think seven games in, do think Kieran's got an idea of his best 11 yet? No, not at all. I don't think he does. I think he's got an idea of what he wants his best 11 to play like and be like. But I don't think he's got the players that he wants at the moment to provide that. Like Charlie just said, I think we need a bit of muscle in the middle there that's not going to go, which is where Kolkoff probably should have come in and been that player. And it just seems, yeah, he's chopping and changing too much. So I don't think he does know his best 11. I think he's got an idea of what he wants them to be, but. I think he's trying to league one football at the national league level. I don't think the players have got the skill set to do it and to turn on and be there for 90 minutes. And that's the struggle I think we're going to have for the rest of the season, I think, until until we can do something about it. What's what's our best option up top? mean, we've talked about Cardwell together with with Promise. But then do you take Leon out? I mean, we're seeing Promise and Leon. looking Charlie said promising he is looking they look like two players are on the same wavelength you know they look like players that that can actually provide goals for us I think that's where they're gonna where the goals are gonna come from at the moment but then it do you take Leon out if you've got those two up top you know you have the free because then you've got gaps in the middle what was what was the answer That's what Dier's had a kick That's what Dier gets paid the dickies. That's he gets paid them big money for. I mean, I personally, mean, the vein and form that Leon's in, I'll be very reluctant to take him out of squad, especially if we're looking at the link-up play Should we try promise then? Leon just up top together? He's Leon Astralia. Well, it's an option, isn't it? It's something to think about, certainly. know, Dier's mentioned that we obviously had those two... offers that we put a bid in for that both got rejected and he's now said that look he's going to look after that Carlisle game he wants to look at maybe prioritising something a bit more you know someone a bit more physical so could we see you know that that sort of player come in that we you know we may be crying out for because then if that's the case then there's something else for him to think about because you know maybe two or three players that then need to sort of drop move around and stuff so it's less food for thought there and there's options there as well you know we're quite fortunate that we you know we've pretty much now got sort of a couple of players in each position that we've got a couple of players that can play in a couple of positions so if we need to change it we have that flexibility and that ability to do it but I just I'd like to see us sort of with a regular kind of starting 11 for a few games. And I think, you know, I think that will really will help us. And we might see it now in no disrespect, you know, we've got a couple of the teams that down the bottom there that you we are probably expected to win. be brutally honest. Yeah. So. Will we see that? I don't know, but think keeping a clean sheet as well will be massive for us. think if we can get a clean sheet, it's something to then build on for the next game and that will build confidence. But yeah, there's plenty of food for thought there. You say a clean sheet, but Tamworth have scored one less goal than we have all season. They've just conceded too many. But they can score goals, they've just conceded. the consistency in the players and we've got players that can play in different positions. Is that too much of choice for Dier? Has Dier got that issue that he thinks he's got players that can play? I mean, we played Colclough in the wrong place against Carlisle for most of the game and then moved him across. Do we have too much of a choice at the moment and Dier's getting starstruck with that and he's losing the... consistency and the cohesiveness of the team because he's moving them around too much? I mean it's why it isn't because I think he's got his way that he wants us to play he's being very open with that you know it's flair players just attacking it's but I think at this level we've got to also be prepared to just dump it up long and build on it and get bodies in around it and play off of that. You know, it's what Carlile were doing with Kelly and it caused us all sorts of headaches, it really was. I think for all the niceties that it looks playing the Flare players and the attacking prowess, I sometimes... It's a case of you got to defend. We're the pads up top and we're lumping the ball like let's clear our lines at the back. Let's play in there after a little bit and build on, do you know what I mean? You know, winning those second balls off of Cardwell, off of Promise, do you know what I mean? Yeah. Making something, you know, work from that. Alright, quick round up of the Academy. So Jack Stone has gone on loan to Eastbourne for a month. Hopefully we can get some goals from him. Under 19s, they played Forest Green in National League Alliance Academy South Division. Opened up, one all draw. Ronnie Jerusalem with the goal. Great to see Ronnie back. Really good player. One that I do really rate. So yeah, good to see him back and get in amongst the goals. The under 17s, they... Got a 7-0 win in their league over now against Hartford. Two goals each for McGinn and Prinky Otto Halls. One each for Hobday, Jaynes and Doy. Last week we covered the under-23s well during the pod, didn't we? That finished 7-0 in the end. We didn't quite get all the goals in. Jack Stone with the hat-trick. Olly Himes with one. Nick Zlatay from the penalty is so good from the pen. Joe Poxon we mentioned. And Noah Tundivari completed. that scoring so what a week for the academy they are absolutely on fire so yeah well done to those ladies played Enfield town yesterday 2-1 defeat to Enfield in the end, Barthie drew it with a second goal in two games we can't seem to get back-to-back wins can we Charlie but yeah listen there's progress there I think that the things that we have have been very narrow could have gone either way Yeah, absolutely. think it's by the count so they were very unfortunate not to get the at least a point from the game so but it's pretty they're listening to sort of the interviews there that Nick and Dan done it sounds like there was plenty to be positive about so I'm sure that'll come as well yeah you know still very early days you know they've had a bit of a mixed bag to the start of the season haven't they but and a dodgy liner as well sorry I wanted to yeah yeah I wonder if he was there I wasn't at the game so I wonder if he was there but I mean there's another pet the scored another penalty wasn't it I think they got so yeah look they'll keep chipping away and I'm sure the results will then start to follow as well yeah right news of that giveaway we'll just show you once again Ollycoker signed shirt from last season now all you have to do is follow the pod next Monday and count how many take that song titles you hear me say. After the show has been uploaded you'll need to subscribe to our YouTube channel and write your answer in the pod comments how many that you've got. It will close just before kickoff against Barrow on Saturday the 26th then we'll pick a winner out on the pod the following Monday. Please note that this won't be for delivery it will be collector only at Roots Hall so don't bother putting it down if you're in Japan or wherever you are. from New Zealand. Unless you pay for my flight then I'm more than happy to come and bring it across to wherever you are. yeah, so subscribe to YouTube, put down how many you think there were and yeah, we'll have a bit of fun with that. We're going to put it out to all our channels. on TikTok, Charlie, Instagram, Twitter, have I missed anyone off? Be on the webpage www.talkingshrimpers.co.uk Indeed indeed. So yeah, good luck with that and Have fun will count up sure toss shot. It's your chance to shine. There you go. There's the first one right Tamworth sitting in the bottom three Just five points on the board as Chris mentioned they have scored 13 goals and but they've also conceded 19. They had a 3-1 defeat away to Harrogate on Saturday. players left back Luke Fairlam was their player of year last year. A player that I've mentioned before, a very experienced Dan Creeny. He's getting on a bit now, but he's a real handful. The other one knows George Ikeli's. He's returned to them from Solihull. He scored a couple of goals in the 90th minute. Now I just wonder, I'm hoping we... Please don't do another Kyle Oll because you know that they'll be pumping it into the box to him, especially probably in the last 5-10 minutes. I don't know whether he'll start. I think he might come on for last 15 minutes. But yeah, that's going to be a... I don't think it's going to be an easy game. Chris, they score goals, don't they? They score goals, they certainly do. And we can see goals. It's gonna be interesting. your calculator. I mean their keeper's pretty, he's not too bad either as well. heard some good things about him. Is it Yaz Singh? Their goalkeeper? He may have put 19 in or may have let 19 in but I think that's got to go down to his defense rather than I think he's saved quite a bit of damage for them throughout the season so far. ⁓ It's going to be an interesting game. think they do attack the ball, they do lump it forward, but then it gives us something to work with now. I mean, we know what they're going to do. Yeah. So does Dyer now look at what happened at Carlisle and change it? Good question. We'll come to predictions in a bit. Charlie, what are you expecting tomorrow night other than our heart rate going through the ceiling? like you say, that They haven't had the great result. Tamworth, you know, they certainly score goals and they certainly concede goals as well. So it's an opportunity, isn't it? Looks set to be a very entertaining game. don't think, didn't they have, I forget the name's gone now, but didn't they have the guy who had like a ridiculously long throw? I don't think he's there anymore. Yeah, no, Tom, Tom's wasn't Tank, Tonks, that's it. Tonks, yeah. Yeah, he's left now. Yeah, he's thankfully. That was an absolute whack bit of a footy. had that would cause all sorts of issues. They're obviously going to be asking questions of our defence. They would have certainly looked back, sure, at the cold-air game and seen the sort of problems that Kelly was causing us and wouldn't be surprised if look at a similar kind of tactic. And it's whether or not now that we look at changing up the pairing at the back to manage it. I mentioned earlier that if you want someone to sort of command the aerial threats, then you ought be looking at potentially good lifts and cocks in that role. If you're thinking you're going to have a lot more of the possession and you want your centre back playing out, would he stick with Rayan? I personally, I would prefer to see Cox come in for Rayan, I'm not there tomorrow night if I'm being honest, just to have that aerial threat at the back and manage any sort of long physical balls that are going to come into us. And then you look at the other end of the pitch, again, I've said it, I'd love to see Cardwell and Promise play together up top, really would because I think that can really do some damage and also I think it gives other teams something to think about because all the time you've just got the one up top you kind of know who your target man is when you've got two players like that all of a sudden it draws another player back you know defensively and it stops that freedom of them you know pushing forward so it'll be a very interesting game Yeah, I'm sure we're going to be on the end of it. Does he prioritise over attacking game and go for their weaknesses? Because obviously they have got a weakness there, they do concede goals. Or does he go for the more controlling game, which is trying to stop their goal scoring? It's just one of those. Yeah, think at Root Hall, I think you're going to see him more attacking than conjoined. I think he'll want... to see you know the more getting on the front foot early doors creating early chances and trying to get that lead. Well it's a conundrum Charlie isn't it because you want to go out as you said and attack early but you know if we didn't push all our men forward. I don't think I can see do we? Ron Tadden got caught out with a ball over the top so we've got a kind of We've got to be a bit wary of that now. So it's like, you're damned if you do, you're damned if you don't. We just won't have a midfield. We'll just have... Yeah. ...in eye, six at the back, five up top. You sound like Thomas Tushall. No, I don't want that again. Yeah, who knows, who knows. I'm glad I'm not a manager. I'm glad I just sit in the stands and hear the rumble every now and then. But yeah. I think if they compact themselves a bit more... together as a unit, think that will help could still get rid of that space that was being created in the middle there and stop that long ball chance coming through. think, yeah, just managing controlling that middle a little bit more. want my centre mids to have a bit more about them and, you know, control that a little bit more, have a bit more fighting, as you say, filling that void between the bat four and the midfield four there. That gap needs to sort of reduce and, yeah, hopefully we'll see that tomorrow night. Very interesting to see Primus and Cargill up front though. I think that would be good. Yeah, from the start I'd love to see that. Well then I think if you're doing that you've got to have someone like Hartigan in the middle because you've to protection there. And actually I didn't think he played too bad Saturday. Yeah, there was that early goal, I don't think that was completely his down to him. No, no, no. You know, they were all kind of switched off and for the most part I think, you know, they had a lot of possession. but I think for the most part he was picking up those positional areas. thought his dead ball was brilliant. He put an excellent free kick in. His corners were dangerous as well. to be honest, he needs minutes. was good player for Barnett, wasn't he? Yeah, I don't think we've seen the best of Hartigan yet by a lot of shot. think he needs minutes, he needs a run of games at the moment. He's sort of just been a bit a big part player, hasn't he, this season so far? And that's credit to old Aker and Coker and the lads in the middle there that keeping him out of the squad. when we're talking about wanting to dominate possession in the middle then you when you look at the squad we've got a heart of it is the person that you would you would certainly call upon as someone who can ⁓ he did it at barnet didn't sorry that's what he this exact role he did at barnet when they got the most yeah yeah yeah exactly yeah yeah yeah but the thing is who do you drop then if you're gonna put promise and ⁓ carpool up front do you drop coke or do you drop coke yeah exactly It's a tricky one isn't it? I thought they both were played for Carlisle so... Well, another one we haven't mentioned, Ryan Backram is coming for a month's loan, right back. He can also play centre mid as well. So James Backwell is another one who we've not even considered. Might he come in and get some minutes? ⁓ Yeah, it'll be interesting when we see that line We mentioned Kyle Hart on a game that was relatively poor from us. sounds like, when he came on, sounded like he had a really good... promising sort of spell so I think it gave us options that we were missing I don't I personally don't think he had an amazing game ⁓ yeah he was kind of he gave us a bit of legs to go at them for a bit but it we didn't get too much really that's no fault of him I just think is the way they set up and you know we couldn't deal with him physically. deliver to him could we? no we couldn't get him in the game really. But yeah listen it might be an opportunity for him to come in tomorrow. ⁓ of a change up. You've also got Kamara looking at coming back in as well haven't we? Yeah and what's his name? Guy we've forgotten. Rico Richards. Rico yeah. Where is he? Where is he? Look there's still players there isn't there? Jesus listen to us we're telling we're saying that Dio can't keep chopping and changing and we've been changing. This is like playing football managed for There's another five there for you to think about. Yeah. Well ⁓ Okay, we'll come to predictions in a bit, but then up next on Saturday We've got Gateshead away now a place We don't like so much going to certainly the fans don't because it's miles away from the pitch. You can't see We had that nil nil draw there Charlie couple seasons ago wasn't it last season? Where we finished above Gateshead we had to go there get the draw. We've got the draw But yeah, it's not a great place. We've not had loads of joy there ⁓ But yeah, another team in the bottom three, actually second from bottom. Just four points. They've only scored five. They've conceded 13. Now a 4-0 defeat against Forest Green on Saturday. You would say anything less than six points from these two games would be disappointing, surely, wouldn't it? We said that before with Kidda Minster and... Yeah, we did, didn't we? I'm reluctant to go down that avenue. mean, you say about Gaetan, didn't we have them first game of the season last year, we won, was it 4-1? 3-0, think, wasn't it? ⁓ was it 3-0? Yes, we got that result. Look, we've had some decent results there. As say, it is a tricky ground to go to. I personally haven't been there, it's not one of top of my list that I'm going to rush to go to if I'm brutally honest. Fans are miles away from the pitches. You take binoculars with you. Yeah, exactly. They've probably got just as good a view of what you have Chris from Los Angles. Yeah, exactly. But like you say, you do fancy a result tomorrow. On paper, on paper, it says six points doesn't it? But we know in this league, who would have had Werben to beat Carlisle on the opening day of the season? So this league's got a habit of throwing up some funny old results and I think we cannot take anything for granted in this league whatsoever. I think we've been in it long enough to know that now. But I think if we apply ourselves correctly and we can build on performance week in week out then we should be able to get results at these grounds. looking at the teams in and around the playoffs I mean obviously Borum are the leaders at the moment 17 points not lost a game yet. Harrogate and Second they've obviously come down done really really well. ⁓ Fylde you wouldn't have expected them in there. Kiddiminsa another team that came up so there's two teams that came up from from below will they lost out horn church just outside ⁓ you know in eighth another team doing quite well so i don't think we're going to expect to see some of those teams in there come the end of the season so we were listen i think for us you would expect us definitely to finish in that playoff spot the the league title is not out of the question i think we were a bit off it yet we've still got a lot to to sort out in that squad and in that that first 11 if you like ⁓ but listen we're still in with anything could happen couldn't it yeah no definitely no i've i've got called mr doom and gloom last week we love you for it ⁓ i i feel we're gonna win both of these games yeah I think that's, and to be fair, think we have to. These are the games where we definitely have to be putting those wins in if we want to be anywhere near this championship at the end of season. I think we're going to be too strong for both teams. I think we're going to, yeah. I won't give him predictions just yet because Charlie was just copying me again. think we're going to be disappointed if we don't have six points out of these two games this week. And if we play like we did against Carlisle, then we're in for a shocker. But I don't think we're going to be that bad again this week. No, I think you're spot on there. actually, Lee, we've got a comment here from Lee Harlow. And he said most of top teams are still leaking goals. And I think that's quite important because you look at that. is no team that we can argue Boreham would. Their scoring goals are fun. But they do still concede as well. that will give teams encouragement to know that, you know, there's, people look at us in the same light and go, this is a team that's only kept one clean sheet so far this season. If we go at them, there's opportunities there. So there's a long way to go and see. now is going plenty of know twists and turns for sure ⁓ yeah like you say Phil I think as we as it goes on there's probably a couple of those teams that are currently in those play-off positions that we're not going to see there at the end of the season but who knows what what do we know yeah it's a very open league this season yeah very frustrating because it's probably the most open it's been for some time yeah yeah it's a real opportunity and it just needs one of these teams like Bournemouth will be looking at, Carl Lowe will be looking at and going, we just need to grab this league now. We need to dominate this, you know, this top position and you know, we'll be good enough to get out of this league. And I think that's the frustration is that it's there for the taking. We just need to try and stop these goals leaking in. Well, let's get some prediction. We're going to start with you, Charlie. We're just going to start with Tamworth for now. Tomorrow night. Back under the lights. Yeah, I know I'm joking. You know what I talk about, know, leaky defense tomorrow, but I'm actually gonna go to Neil win. Yeah, I'm gonna be happy with a two year old. Chris. Three one. Okay, yeah, I think we're going to concede because I don't think we've sorted that back out yet. I'm going to go to one win. ⁓ So narrow to one win. Okay, on to Gateshead. We will start with you this time, Chris. You said it's going to win. So how many goals? I reckon it's I think this is going to be a clean sheet. This is going to be a four nil. with the confidence of having beaten obviously Tamworth tomorrow. Charlie, you to be in tired legs? 3-0 win, nah, will be good. 3-0 win. Two clean sheets, 2-0, 3-0. Well, I'm thinking purely from the selfishness of our little prediction league. If I go something different and I get it right, it could give me a little sweetness. I'm going go for a 1-1 draw. 1-1 draw, well. Yeah. I think we're going to have a few tired legs. He said I might be wrong, I'll be happy with 3-4-0. But yeah, it's horrible place to go to Gateshead. I'm going to go for 1-1. Four points probably too bad. Yeah, I think we all need to go with Lee. Lee says here that he predicted a 2-2 last week and he's saying a 3-2 this week. So maybe we need to go on what he's saying. I hope he's going 3-2 in our favour. ⁓ yeah. Yeah. So yeah, we'll see. Yeah, okay. So I legs Phil but we keep chopping the sides. Yeah We just mentioned about three players I'm just be fine. I'm one. It's all I'm doing. Yeah Right, we'll be back next Monday with reaction from both Tamworth and Gateshead Listen out for those take that song titles and I said don't forget at the end of that pod make sure you subscribe and put the the number of songs you hear and we will announce the winner after that. Good luck with that. We'll also be looking ahead to another home match the following week against Barrow. Hopefully another free points from that one. Thanks to our sponsors surgical holdings and to you our listeners. Don't forget to comment like subscribe up