Sensei Phil: you ⁓ listening to the Talking Shrimpers podcast sponsored by Surgical Holdings. Welcome to the Talking Shrimpers podcast. I'm your host Sensei Phil. With me is Charlie and Chris and we're also joined by Jack, representing our sponsor Surgical Holdings. Jack is back. ⁓ How are you mate? ⁓ good thank you. good. Happy after the free two win at the weekend. Yeah we're going to be chatting about that. How much is summer? Yeah, really good. Really good. had a great summer. too quick, you know. Yeah, it does, doesn't it? Yeah, plenty of... It was a hot one, wasn't it? Really hot. Yes. But yeah, really good. Thank you. Hopefully a few more hot days yet. Yes. Well, we're going to come to that game in a moment, but just to let you know, the under-20 free's are currently in action in the Wave Championship. That's against Biliriki. We'll try and keep you up to date. I'll give you the team news. So, Sims is in goal. Joshim's... Sorry, Jack Sims, obviously getting some minutes with Josh Barrett out. Onu Ward, James Backwell is also in the lineup. Prince Day Zlatov, Dylan Lovely, Jack Stone is captain. Hyams and Messiah Edwards is also getting a run out. ⁓ On the bench is Carter Engel, Howard Perfect, Funder Berry and Joe Poxon. Now I can tell you that After three minutes, we have taken the lead and it is who else? Charlie, Jack Stone, of course. Yeah, Great. Charlie will keep an eye on that. Hopefully we'll get a few more goals. yeah, Chris, how you doing, I'm doing good. You're up. Coffee on board. Coffee coming on board. It's not on board yet. was a bit of a late start this morning. We'll give him a few minutes. I'll be a of sleep story. Yeah, so club moves before we start we talked about lack of a striker in the squad last week and we were promised a striker and we got one. This is what the fan said before the game. I know a about him, what he doing? Obviously sounds promising from what we've heard but... ...recall signing. Names promising, Recall signing really from Bristol. Was it Bristol 1, was it? Wasn't it? Yeah. But... ...get it going, hopefully we'll just sign and score a few goals. Could be a good winger. Maybe a good replacement for Kamara, especially if he's injured. Brings a bit more attack to the team as well. I would definitely agree with Reggie here. Especially as we can see that, ⁓ promise I was watching is his interview when he first signed with us and he seemed very respectful, kind. think he's going to do well. Hopefully you, ⁓ come in and hit the ground running. It's like we've been, ⁓ crying out for. It's only in the box. Good ball in the back of the net. And hopefully you, ⁓ us 15, 20 cards that we need. Get us promotion. But I promise, I don't really know too much about him to be honest with you Phil. I know Cardwell started well and he works hard, which is brilliant. We need to get the goals. We need to get the goals in the net. So hopefully you can bring us some goals. So good luck to you, promise. Watching videos of him and what I've seen, I he's going to be very valuable to us and the way we play our football, attacking football, I think he could definitely help with the wingers as well with assists and everything. Hopefully we get to him today and see what he's all about. I promise let's hope he keeps his promise and scores few goals for us. I love that. All the puns are coming out now, aren't they? So yeah, Promise Omiceri, on loan for the season from Bristol Rovers. 25 years old, two goals in League One last season. Now 62 apps and 11 goals for Fleetwood. Bristol Rovers from Fleetwood for more than half a million just under two years ago. Jack, what have you made of this signing before the game yesterday, Saturday? Well, you never know with these sort of signings because everyone goes in straight away and slates him because they look at his goal record and go, we're here, we signed someone that's not prolific, blah, blah, blah, blah. But, you know, same with Ben Pemway a few years ago. You know, you've got to wait until he's on the pitch and then you decide what, you know, can watch it with your own eyes at the end of the day. know, stats only sell so much of a story. Yeah, very true. to be fair, I didn't know much about him, but I was looking forward to seeing what he did on the pitch and obviously he delivered. Yeah, he did. We'll come to that. We also signed Xavier Mattia Edwards I mentioned is in the lineup tonight getting some minutes Played for Watford five times. We've signed him on a non-contract basis. So obviously just short-term deal to cover ⁓ Kamara who's obviously out with that hamstring ⁓ Had a bit of preseason minutes with with Southend Charlie didn't he I don't remember seeing him too much I think I I saw him against maybe Northampton. I can't really remember but yeah, he's been brought in Maybe it's quite a shrewd movement by Kieran because obviously with Kamara out, there's a guy that's come straight here and he knows the squad, he knows how they want to play. yeah. Yeah, no, absolutely. think, yeah, I'll be honest with you, I don't remember seeing him too much pre-season. I mean, I didn't go to every game, so there's every chance he played the games I weren't at. But it sounds like it was a bit of a toss-up between himself and Kamara as to who... was gonna get that contract and they've obviously kept tabs on him and maybe it was always in the back of the mind that if we are needing a replacement or full short in that area, then he's someone that we can go to and I think that non-contract ⁓ option that we've got with him, it gives us that little bit of a buffer, doesn't it, in that. that cover where we are short with Kamara. mean, listening to Kieran, sounds like actually Kamara might not be out as long as we first feared, which is but still it gives us that bit of ⁓ option there for, you know, for his absence in the meantime. Yeah, let's hope so. Well, there were starts for Taylor, McAdam and Karl Kluff. Good lift out with groin injury. Hopefully won't be too long. ⁓ No place in the squad for Charlie Kendall. Now there's been quite a few rooms on social media today that a few clubs are potentially looking at him. Obviously can't speculate on that. We've absolutely no idea. You never know what to believe with social media, do you? But yeah, looking at those first half stats, 60 % possession for Southend, 40 % for Yeoville. We had four shots with two of those registered on target. Just the one shot for Yeoville. ⁓ Five corners for Southend and one for Yeoville. Now, Southend started slightly shady in the first half, goal down at half time. Again, the goal was a bit of a sloppy one. Davies the scorer. ⁓ 25 minutes, it came. Now, it was very similar to the Woking Equalizer, I thought. They've clearly done their homework to find the space in behind on that left-hand side of our defense and they exploited it brilliantly. Now, The move was started by Davis. ⁓ We're not actually in a bad position at the back, although I think Cox and Taylor have probably got to come over to close that gap. Davis is being picked up by Oldacre, ⁓ but when the ball is played to Slavy, it's Leon that I think should be coming to close that man. Instead, Cox obviously comes out, steps out the line, which then leaves the gap behind him. Now, that's normally where the defensive midfielder would pick that man up. And what it's done is left a gaping big hole at the back behind him. Now, Davies then, he's off. He's in the space. It's a great first time ball by Westbrook from Slavey's layoff into the space. And an old hacker has not tracked Davies running into that area. Now, Taylor has seen the danger. He was a bit like last week with, you know, Goody when Vontae kinda let his man go and Goody's suddenly seen the danger and he's come in. This time it's Taylor, he's seen the danger and he's come running across to Davies. But I think he just needs to hold him up there. Just force him wide. He's got Cox and Vontae still to come in and occupy that space behind. And I think Davies is wide enough to not get that shot on target. But instead, Taylor dives into the challenge. He loses his footing and unfortunately, Dave is then is free, unchallenged to go in. He's claiming for a foul, Taylor. No, no foul. It's not a foul. It's poor decision making, Chris. It was very poor decision making. It's a decent finish to be fair, but it's our own doing. 100%. I mean, there was lots of calls from the West Wing saying, hey, that's a foul. Not a foul, not a tape. He went down behind the player, not in front of him. He tripped himself up and I think Dyer said after the game that, ⁓ they've reviewed it and they looked at it, it looked like a foul to them and I was like, well are they reviewing? It was, yeah. Again, the weak defence. Their defence is being pulled apart, especially as you said down the left. We've got to do something about it. But conversely it might be giving us that chance where people are pushing forward because they know their defence is weak and it's giving us that space at the front, so who knows. Well, it's twice in a row, isn't it? We've been exposed there and players have run into that. But they clearly did their homework, I think, against us, didn't they? Because they've spotted that weakness that it was good, intricate passing in that midfield. They know that we're not tracking players and it's brilliantly worked. But it is a carbon copy of the Woking goal. 100%. And I think Taylor was pretty naive for the entire game, wasn't he? Yeah. Now on Taylor, I've seen a lot, you know, people got different opinions about whether he's actually suited to a back two or, you know, back three. I think if he's in a back three, maybe he's making that challenge because he's got, he knows he's got men behind him, but in a back two, he hasn't. So I think he's got to be bit smarter with him. don't know. What are your thoughts, with him in a back two or back three? Yeah. I'll be honest, think Taylor at the moment, know, start of this season, he hasn't looked like his sort of old self from last season. He was someone that was really dependable at the back there. And as you mentioned, he was playing in a different formation back there. was in a back three, know, majority of the time under Kev. Now- And brilliant as well. You know- he's more suited at a back four for Dyer's formation. I don't think Taylor necessarily suits that. With the challenge, think he's just got to be bit stronger there. And like you say, a little bit of naivety a bit. think if you just sort of stand him up and say when he first picks the ball up in that position, he's got to do very, very well to get a strike away and score from there. think if you stand him up, you know... you forced him to make a decision but... Forced him what? Yeah exactly but you know as soon as you go to ground and you don't win that tackle all of a sudden you know you're really in a problem and yeah there was the appeals I think they were probably more in hope than anything else to be honest with you. I'll be honest when I first saw it I thought it was a penalty a free kick sorry but then obviously as you know you look at highlights and things and you can see yeah it's just not you've got to be stronger there but yeah he just seems to be struggling at the moment and I wouldn't necessarily I think at the moment the defence is a real concern, I'll say a concern. I over the last couple of seasons we've been very very strong defensively. That was one thing that we could really be proud of was our defensive record. This year a lot of the changes seems to take place in the defense. There's no sort of cohesion or no sort of rhythm at the moment. And I get that some of that is enforced with some injuries, know, Goodliff obviously missed out. if Goodliff's fit, he starts on, you know, last week. So it sounds like it a bit of a precaution more than anything more sort of serious with Goodliff. But yeah, we certainly need to start sort of... getting that dominance at the defence and then I think, you know, once that clicks I think we'll be a real tough team to beat but at moment it seems a little bit too easy to score against us. Yeah, well nothing clear cut first half really. thought Leon and Coco, sorry, Coco, Colclough, Coco as they call him, both showed glimpses. ⁓ Tramley I thought was very, very quiet. DJ a little bit wasteful in possession. But yeah, what I didn't get was booze at half time. mean come on guys. What's that about us? Jack was you there? Did you hear that? Yeah, yeah, I was there I was in the in the East and yeah, you do hear the booze There's no need for that really. mean like it half time and we haven't played bad It was just you know, the defensive error really it's not like we were four nil down at half time and you know You know saying ridiculous like that or something. But yeah, it wasn't really What they're thinking sometimes sometimes Charlie, I mean, might heard it was a few in the greens as well. Yeah. Yeah I don't get the burden of the team at all. gee, there's absolutely no need. Especially after six games in half time. Six games in, yeah. Look, just people need to calm down a little bit. I mean, I'll be honest, I did boo, but it wasn't the team. It was the referee. I'm sure we'll get onto his performance on that performance later on. I'm not the words I can't describe but for the benefit of the team is absolutely no need. I think we mentioned it before, there's come on Jesus Christ, give him a break. I say if we're going in five nil after we've jumped in at half time, I just think, I think yes, you're allowed to be disappointed with a performance and stuff but we've still got another 45 minutes to go. I'm probably the opposite of that. I'm one of those guys that... You pay your good money to go and watch a football game. You expect to get the best out of the players and you expect the players to actually play. And I thought their first half, they didn't look like they wanted to play. I thought they were slow, lethargic. They weren't passing the ball around. They want us to cheer and be the 12th man for them when they're playing well or trying to lift them. Surely that has the other side of the coin as well, where if they're not performing and they're not doing what we asked them to do. The crowd should be able to show their displeasure towards what's going on. And it was mentioned last week about booing as well, at the end of that game. mean, we've had two games in a row now where we looked absolutely, well, before obviously the comeback, we looked absolutely poor. And it looked like we were doing exactly the same thing again, the first half of that first game, of last week. So the fans, I think the fans have paid the money. They got the right to boo. I get it, I just also think though, there's a little bit, mean, I was chatting to someone the other day and I said. think the fact that we've started three games on the win, then we dropped off a little bit. All of a it's like, now if you flip that, if we lost and drew the first two games, then all of sudden won the next three, people would be going, I think you'd have a completely different look on things. And I think with six games in, I do think, now if the players aren't trying and you can clearly see there's no effort, then yeah, 100%, when you can see players down tools and stuff. But I think at the moment, I think still a little bit early to... I that people pay their money and their entitles to make there, but I wonder what effect and what that will have. And I agree that players also have to raise to get the crowd going, don't they, as well? It's like sort of a catch-22 situation. I mean, you look at what our plans are. Our plans are to win this league and score 100 goals. That was stipulated by Dyer, that's been said by the owners. That's what we want this season. You're not going to do that on that first half performance. You're not going to win the league and you're certainly, you're going to lose the league if you carry on playing that way by the end of October, beginning of November, if you carry on playing in that style of game. You you drop 10 games in the first 15 games, you're done. The season's pretty much finished. You're looking at playoffs if you're lucky. We're not going to score 100 goals playing the way we played. ⁓ And we need to change that. Well, second off, you did wonder if he would make any changes. Now you saw the response from Kidamintzda and Woken at half time, you know, they both came out, made changes and, you know, and kind of destroyed us really, if you like. And you just wondered if KD was going to make change as well. There were no changes at half time, but clearly, so clearly he believed in his set up. He just wanted the response from those players. And actually, I think we did see a bit of response. I think we saw an increase in intensity. And to be fair, you know, I'm very close to the dugout and I could hear KD all first half shouting press forward, push up, push up. And they kind of weren't listening, you know, and he's saying it all the time. But I think obviously he got into my half time and we did see an immediate push up. The intensity, you know, went up and we probed, we probed at Yeovil. We didn't create, I think too many early clear cut chances. But then on 58 minutes against the runner play, Yeovil went two up and again, it's not down to tracking players. Now the ball found its way out to Ryan Jones on the right and it's five against six. So we should have a man spare. In fact, we've got two spare in the box. We've got Cox and Aldaqa. Now defensively, we're actually really well set up this time. Vontay, Taylor, McAdam and coca are all good ⁓ In their marking positions, you know, we're well set up Cox's spare and older spare now the only pass That Jones can make because the way we set up is to McCormick on the edge of the box Now old aka is is not looking at him. He's not marking him. He's looking at the ball instead and to be fair Vontay probably can see what's in front of him. His back's turned and he should be giving him a shout. Same with Duncan. I think he should be giving him a shout there. It's a good ball by Jones. And when McCormick picks it up, he hits it first time. He's got to hit it first time. But even though DJ hasn't closed him down, I think Duncan is in a really good position. He's got a good view of it. I think he shouldn't be beaten from there. I think it's an easy save to make. It's a really cool finish by McCormick. Jack, what have you made of Joe Duncan? I I like him. sounds like we're putting him down. I like him since he's come in, but I think this is one he should be saving. Yeah, he has done well since he's come in, but yeah, do agree. It's one he should be saving. I think he's just took one step to the right. So when he's gone back to dive left, almost got to transfer his sort of, you know, the stance over. So by the time he's gone back that way, he's not been able to get the full reach to save it. Otherwise, I think... if he's in a natural sort of position to go to dive, he's probably saving that. So he should be doing that, but I think it's just a bit, well, unlucky, whether he should be doing better positionally, I don't know, but I think it's a bit unlucky with that one, my eyes. But overall, I think he's done well for us. Charlie, what have you made of him? one, I was saying to the guy next to me Saturday, you know, for all the things people were saying about Colin, he put so many clean sheets in. Now Joe's got one in six. It's not great at the moment. We're not letting loads of goals in, but yeah, he's not getting clean sheets. But he's a great, I think he's a very good keeper. Yeah, I think he's a brilliant keeper and I mean, he's a fantastic replacement for Colin. And I think it's unfair in a way to judge him on Colin's clean sheet record when, as I said, the last two years defensively, not just as a goalkeeper, defensively, we've been very, very strong. Now we've changed the way we set up defensively. We've got new players in defensively. There's still that little bit of cohesion that's not quite there. I think as soon as that clicks and there's a bit of routine amongst that back four and the goalkeeper, I think that's when, because I think if you actually look at the goals we can see, there's... I wouldn't necessarily say that Duncan's been a fault for a lot of them. any of them, know, awoken, he made two blinding saves before that, you know, so, and, know, it's just the fence not quick enough to react to them. So I think, yeah, okay, he's not kept clean shit and look, he will want to keep clean shit as will all the defenders, you know, that's what they get judged on. But I think to compare him, his clean sheets with Colin, they're completely two different teams now. And I think at the minute, I think, you know, you put Duncan in a team last season, he's getting you five clean. sheet you know he's getting clean sheets more on a regular occasion yeah occasion so but yeah I've been really impressed with him I really have I've said it time and time again I think his handling is really really good his his kickings fantastic you know he can pick up pass and stuff and you know he's very very good. He gives a good option at the back there doesn't he he's always available he's coming at the edge of his area he's always available for the for that back that back that back pass to spread it wide again yeah Yeah, and he won't mind pinging us, you know 60 yard We'll come back to that moment but the under 23s are now free nil up We missed the goal so now ollie heims has scored the third goal. He had a great great season They've started so well every day tonight Charlie see if you can find who would have second goal scorer was yeah, ollie heims putting his free nil up So under 23s absolutely flying But yeah, going back to those goals conceded obviously against Woking, one this week. Chris, I think doesn't it show kind of the lack of maybe that defensive midfielder in there to pick up the runners, to break up the awesome opposition play? But I don't think we're far from getting it right. And we've got to bear in mind, you know, the defense is kind of new, they're all quite young as well. I don't think Cox has had a lot of experience and Norris, Rayan. Ayyub Bedi, ⁓ McAdam is obviously coming quite late. So they are kind of still getting used to each other. Personally, I think Goodliff and Taylor have got to take command there. They've got to make the decisions. yeah. And I think obviously Goodliff, obviously we missed him at the weekend. And I think Taylor was having, he was being run ragged by Walker. And Walker was trying to get that second yellow card on him. And it was pretty obvious what he was trying to do. Yeah. And Slavoff as well in the first half was doing exactly the same thing. were a lot of physical pulling and kicking and shirt pulling and it was going on. So was definitely a target for them to try and get Taylor that red card. And Taylor was falling for it, unfortunately. And he was being pulled off his game. I thought Vontay had a very good game in the defence. I thought he was... I gave him a man of the match as well. I thought he had a really solid game. And that's where I think the other three now need to start. If they can play that sort of start of that composure, I think that's going to give us. But we do need someone in charge there, directly in front of that defence or in the defence itself. There's a gap and that gap is being exposed. Yeah, I was going to ask about that because I was going to ask you both actually, well all of you. Do you think we're currently wasting Koka by not playing him in that number 10? Now, KD is clearly not comfortable with Hartigan because he would be the first choice, you know, as a defensive midfielder. He was brilliant there for Barnett when they went up. Maybe he just needs minutes. He's not quite up to speed yet. But at the moment, it feels like you've got Oldercut and Koka, both very similar, you know, good on the ball. We see that Oldica is not best at tracking players. Both of these goals he was involved in and not tracking. And then at the moment you've got kind of Leon in front of that in the number 10, who also doesn't like coming back to track players, but he's brilliant and he's on the ball. we've got a lot of, you know, is KD kind of shoehorning Leon into the team and we've been sacrificed goals at the other end as a result? I think so. We looked at that when they They should have scored a third goal, Yeovil, but it was a great tackle to stop that third goal. But in that build-up play, we were attacking and there was no one in that midfield that tracked back. The ball was won by our defence, played forward again, and went straight to Yeovil's plate and there was no one there. And everyone in the crowd was like, what's going on here? And no one ran back. No one made that run back to cover that gap. And the ball then got... flicked out the left again, straight into the centre of defence and Walker should have scored the third goal, dead and buried then. Luckily for us it was a good tackle. We need that player to hold, we need that holding player in that middle there, which we're not getting. We've got two great attacking midfield players that are great at doing it. They're making space and they're making the opportunities. Yeah, but they're not coming back and making those challenges or marking and closing that space down. Yeah, we mentioned before like a Tim Lynn, like that. We're kind of missing at the minute. Charlie, have we discovered that goal scorer yet? Discovered that goal scorer? Yeah, the under-23s. ⁓ sorry, yes. I thought we were moving on. Not yet, not yet. Yes, it was a Jack Stone penalty. Jack Stone penalty, there Slatev being brought down and yet Jack Stone slotting home. So one for Olli Himes and two for Jack Stone. He's eye-hat-trick again. Yeah, so so talking the goals to Neil down we then have to give huge credit I think to Kieran Dyer He made some brave changes just five minutes later 63 minutes he swapped Twamley for Pappula He swapped. yeah, baby's come on for Taylor who we said was on a yellow card So probably a very bright, you know, very sensible decision, but he made a tactical change as well now promise or a cherry came off a coke gun. So he then goes two up top. He's got two out wide. There's still no enforcer in the middle. He's still got Leon behind him. And then we've got DJ kind of doing all the running. So some might call it kamikaze football. Charlie, worked, didn't it? Looking at the stats before we comment, 66 % Southend, 34 Yovel, nine shots for Southend, seven of those on target. Yovel just a two. One on target for corner South end and one for your bill. So yeah the stats show It really got us back into the game. And yeah, is it was it insanity or or just genius? First of all, just with sort of the game and I think in the first I think the second half, you know It clearly showed me sort of a lot more dominant in the first half was a little bit more sort of lethargic in that but saying that although he was a little bit slower and lethargic I still don't think I know you know, one, maybe two attempts, but it was a bit of a game where neither team really had a clear cut sort of opportunity, was it, in that first half? was a very, compared to previous games where, particularly in the first half, we see us really going at teams and the pace is there. It was sort of opposite this week. But yeah, think with Kieran's change, think... A little bit, I don't think he had a choice to be honest. think a couple of them were probably a little bit in for Huge gamble wasn't it? I think with Taylor, you know, he got, you know, he was running a risk of getting sent off. And I think, you know, we're 2-0 down. If you're going to go 2-0 down, you might as go out trying to score then, you know, defend a 2-0, you know, and Dias even said in it previously, said, we're going to, I'm going to go out and I'm going to try and win games, you know, so whether that be a 2-0 down or 1-0 up, he's going to still go out and he's not going to change his... look or his philosophy on attacking football. And then I think I was, I'll be honest, I was half expecting Clive Ouell to come off. I really was for Promise. I think I wasn't expecting to see the two of them up. Now I love seeing the two of them together. think, you know, Convent showed really well, actually two big sort of physical strikes. And I think in the end, that's what sort of Yoval struggled with, especially Promise when he came on. mean, what a player, if we keep him fit, he's going to be a right, you know, real real gem for us and you just hope you we can keep him for the whole season but yes I think it was an element of a couple of changes were sort of enforced and then it was he had no other choice you know if you want to win this game you've got to go bring on your attacking talents and stuff and yeah it absolutely ⁓ paid off in the end isn't it it's one of those in there you know if it doesn't You know, you look at losing 2-0 and he gets questioned and that, but I'd sooner question him, him having a go and whether we get a point, you know, or a win. It was a fantastic performance second half, he really was. Well, it was a big gamble, as I said, and know, full credit to Kieran. Now, one player I have to give huge amount of credit to, I think, is actually Rayan, who, you know, we've picked up on his defensive frownies over last couple of weeks, but... You know, was a lot of pressure on him because you've got two men up top now. You've got two wingers, you've got Leon, and you've only got Oldeco there who has shown in the same game that he's not been great at tracking players. So it really depended on Ryan to come and bring that ball into that middle and, you know, and occupy that space. And I think he did it absolutely brilliantly. No, he did. I think it really good for what he did. It sort of made that... It filled the gap, as you said, but it gave us a different shape. And I think that through Yeovil, that shape change. It also, I think, it gave us a bit more freedom in that midfield as well. I think it gave Old Acre the permission to go forward and not track back. And it gave Pupula the opportunity to come across and use bit more of the pitch and a bit more of the space. which then obviously then allowed Cardwell and promised to have that, the ability to take those, take the defenders on. So I think that shape change really, really helped us. And speaking of Cardwell, he run his legs off all game. He was, he was, we've been a little bit critical of him every now and again. Yeah, he's not getting the credit for it. just got a lot of fans on social media. He's not getting credit at all. And he plays it. He was one of the brighter sparks in the first half. I thought he was constantly giving giving it all and but he was fighting a losing battle on his own up the front there. But when that shape change happened, you could see the difference. I mean, it was he was that he had someone to play off. There was the ability to cause it, bring space, drag players away from from a promise to make that space in there. So I thought it was, yeah, you were saying Charlie that he, you you thought he was you half expecting him to be pulled off the pitch. to be fair, he put in such a shift, he may well have been. But staying on there, he suddenly got a ⁓ second wind and he looked, I thought, really good. Yes, the sacred is I think what Cardwell does well and when he's up there on his own, he doesn't necessarily always reap the reward of it. And you mentioned about him, you know, he's able to pull defenders out of the way to create these gaps and that. I don't think he's always, you know, it's fine pulling defenders out of the way, but if you've not got anyone sort of in behind you to then make the most of that opportunity, it sort of goes on notice. It just looks like, ⁓ well, Cardwell's out of position again or whatever. Do you know what I mean? To someone who's sort of looking at the bigger picture. And I think, as you say, having promised now, He, you know, and the two of did it together, you know, if, I'll take, I'll drag this player out and then you can come in and eat up into that space. And you said about Ryan, he just pulls the whole team forward, doesn't it? All of a sudden now, playing in their half and you know, they're on the back foot and under pressure. And yeah, I think, you know, was fantastic. It really was. Well, I kind of, when he brought Promise on, I kind of joked to the guy next to me and said, I don't know about Promise, we need to bring Miracle on from the bench. And to be fair, We got a miracle. ⁓ it was only three minutes later. We got back into the game. ⁓ Jack, a free kick just outside the day. Now looking at that, you know, wall. Yeah. It was really well set up. It was an ad, David Beckham, AKA DJ. It's gotta be perfect. And it was absolutely spot on. Yeah. You could just see as soon as he He hit that, you can see that was, he's going to need some save to save that pretty much right in the corner. He can't really do it actually about that at all really. Yeah, it's perfectly hit. That's what we needed as well to get us back in the game. Charlie, we got everyone up, didn't we? Well, he got everyone up. You you mentioned it pre-season, that he's capable of it. And yeah, it was an absolute beauty, wasn't it? Yeah, I mean, I think it was in pre-season with... say Northampton I think if it weren't, or was it Leighton-Oren actually I think if it weren't for Kieber having an absolutely fantastic save from the top corner that sort of prevented him from scoring then. So we know he's capable, you looked at his sort of highlight reels and a lot of them were the free kicks he's scoring. So he's not a fluke, he's somebody who's very, very capable and to be honest I fancy him now. In that area I think he's had a couple in that opportunities and he's been unfortunate not to have scored before. He's certainly got a real, real talent there and it's certainly an asset for us in those positions now because I think if someone we've been crying out for, we've been quite wasteful in those sort positions in the past with sort of real dangerous positions for free kicks on the edge and quite often we see him going over the stand or hitting the wall or not even getting on target. But with DJ, I fancy him nine times out of 10 ⁓ if they're not going, if they're at the very least they're on target if not going in. Well, I'm not sure I fancy him. He's a good looking lad, Charlie, but he's kind of a good looking lad. He's alright. I wouldn't mind his hair and teeth. Give it a few more goals on that. Cardwell's got a competition. Anyway, yeah, listen, 13 minutes later, we drew level. We win a free kick now, just on the halfway line. DJ takes it short. Leon has played a brilliant ball through the lines. to promise who switched on, he's ready to run onto it. Now he's used really clever play. He's got a number of players around him, but he somehow got through them into the box. He can't pick a shot off. So instead he's looked up and he's got Leon on the edge who's made up a lot of ground. And it's not the hardest of shots, but it's accurate. And it's somehow found its way in. Roots Hall was absolutely rocking, wasn't it, at that point? Yeah, it was at the roof went off didn't it at two or I mean I think the main thing there with Leon strike was it was quite a crowded kind of box wasn't it? I think he just had to get it on target and if you can get it on target with that, you know and get through those feet the keepers probably a little bit unsighted a little bit and say it's not always about you know, the The the pace of the ball or the power of it, know, just get on target ask a question and it shows doesn't it you get it on target and all of a sudden, you know, we're too old. And at that point, you fancied us, you really did. I I think in a weird kind of way, I just want to mention, think I earlier about the referees performance in a weird way. I think that referees performance helped us a little bit in terms of getting the crowd up. It gave us something to really shout and argue. And I think that, you know, that all of sudden it lifted the crowd and then getting the second goal, the energy that was within that stadium. was incredible it really was and you know you looked at the clock and you still think ⁓ so what 10 was it 10 minutes or so to go i think ⁓ and yeah i really really did fancies to you know you you knew was going to create another chance it's just whether or not was going to be clinical with it so what what you're saying is we need more bad refs this season i'm sure i'm sure the enterprise league will Well, how about giving us a few? Yeah, I'm sure he's not the first and you won't be the last. But no, I totally agree. it was, yeah, I mean, we've talked about sort of maybe Leon's, you know, tendency to maybe switch off, you know, when he's not on the ball. Same with DJs, probably done it a couple of times. But there's no doubt about their talent when they are on the ball. They're quick thinkers that they get things going. These are very, very good. defensive players in this league. Chris, if they can keep it up, think, you know, they can have a decent season. ⁓ definitely. I think if we can get 80 minutes out of them rather than 30 minutes playing like this, I think we're going to be a side that's going to be troublesome for absolutely anybody we come up against. I think it's probably one of the worst shots we had all game that went in, to be fair. But it was well taken. was certainly, when Promise played that ball back, you could see the thinking and you could see where he's come from, the league he's come from, where that's going to cause problems for the National League players because that ability to see that gap and that movement, rather than trying, normally you'd see them, they'll get the ball there, they'll try and turn them, try and turn the player, fall over. not get the free kick or get a free kick just on the edge of the area. But he was thinking, you he was thinking and that gap that was there, Leon obviously give him the gap and he played that ball straight through to him. It was a great build up play for that goal. It also shows you, as you said, Charlie, you don't have to smash the cover off the ball. I mean, both, and that's both goals, the free kick as well. He didn't try and absolutely lever the free kick and we certainly didn't smash the cover off the ball that time and both went in. So maybe that's what you know done the keeper maybe he was expecting the shot to He was expecting a pole driver but didn't get it yeah. Yeah and it really wasn't yeah. Well six minutes later we secured the win. McAdam has got the ball ⁓ he's played a brilliant ball into Promise. Promise he's been marked by Govins now he's calling for the ball and and he's picked him out brilliantly McAdam. His first touch it's brilliantly controlled with the chest it's perfect. His second touch is even better. He's taken it away from Gobbins. Now he's created a space for himself to get the shot away. It is, it's a difficult angle, but it's such an explosive finish. It's a very, very, very good goal. And, and from a top quality player at this level, Jack, what, did you make of him? I mean, what, what an impact, what a substitution. Yeah. I was in the East Ham and that. pass was made and suddenly one thing is he passes into him and the next thing I know he's turned him out and he's smacked it in the back of the net. I'm like ⁓ happy days sort of thing. Kind of all happened so quickly but yeah a terrific player even from just the first few moments of him coming on you know you know just holding off the players and you know being that target man that we kind of need to you know especially work with Cardwell I thought he was brilliant. Couldn't ask for much more really. And when we were watching it in real time you just saw it go smashing the back of the net but when I was saying Charlie, when I've looked back at it and you look at the stills, you just see the quality there of the call, the awareness of the space. know, Gubbins is very close to him and he wants it. He wants the ball. He's quite happy for Gubbins to be right up against him because he knows that by getting that ball he can take it to the side. His second touch was just brilliant and the strike was fantastic. Yeah, like you say, his first touch, superb, it gives him half a chance. And it's that second touch that all of sudden gives him that opportunity and that angle on goal and takes it away from Gabo just to get enough space there to get his foot round it. And polar opposite really to Leon, isn't it, we've just said about, you don't always have to lever the ball. I think in that position, I think it's the power and the pace of the ball there that right at the goalkeeper's, he's got a very... small target really to aim at there. think it was the only option he did have was to rifle into that top corner there and the power is just enough there that his the keep is never going to stand a chance there and yeah there you go that's you know dream start for promise wasn't it you know yeah it was well at at three two ⁓ i'm thinking Kieran we're a little bit angpasta coglue at the minute ⁓ And to be fair Kieran switched on his immediate response is to replace Hartigan For Coleclough and an Austin for cardboard with tighten up shop. He's done the job I Think we gotta give huge credit to Kieran die for this win Jack Yeah, I agree. agree. His tactics were spot on. You know, he knew that 2-0 down. I was thinking, we need to go to upfront person. Like when I was thinking, I was thinking to who I go with for football. There's only way we're to get back into it is to check. You've got to change out massively. So that was really good from him. And to then shut up shop because I know, well, with Keir and Dyer being an attacking money manager, you never know, you might want to get another one or something, you know, and they still leave us exposed at the back. So to be that switched on and then realise, you know. just got a shot up shop here sort of thing. It was good for him. Chris, it was a gamble and it's not always going to work. We might get the odd defeat by it, but don't mind that at all, you? You know, got to take a risk. got to show your intent and I think that's what he did. He said at the beginning of the season that we're going to lose games by attacking, by playing attacking football and we were losing. and he had to switch it up and he switched it up and give him credit for that. was, that last 30 minutes was some of the best football we've seen all season. If not for the last couple of seasons, was fantastic. Gives us a question though, do we drop Cardwell now, put Promise up front or do we have to play two up front and who do we lose in the midfield? Yeah, some big questions, isn't it? Well, we'll come to Cardwell. We'll have a look at that because I think, yeah. There are some options we need to maybe look at. But yeah, let's just switch the Academy. under 19s, they played last week. beat Maidenhead 6-0. Goals for Matt Blake, Nick Slatev, Emmanuel Honu, Harry Day, Logan Hamlet and George Howard. Brilliant for them. Charlie, they're still 3-0. I think they're halftime, aren't they? Yeah, no, they're five minutes in now. So yeah, still 3-0. 50 minutes away. Yeah. Yeah, no change. Absolutely brilliant. Keep tabs on it. Well Charlie and I went to see the ladies yesterday. They played Wormley at home. Really hot day wasn't it? We were a bit slow starting. Wormley took the lead after 15 minutes. Charlie it was almost as if they had a night out or something. We started very sluggish didn't we? Yeah it was a bit of a slower start. I wonder if it's the same tactic for that weekend. I wonder if a group email went out across all the South Bend teams. It was very much a very sluggish sort of start to the game. They found themselves 2-0 down and I think it wasn't until they had a, as you mentioned, it was a bit of a hot day yesterday, wasn't it? So they had a drinks break after about 20 minutes or so. And actually I think that done us the world of good because we were 2-0 down and you know, running out of ideas really. And then it gave Nick a chance to get the girls in, have a bit of a chat. I think he made a couple of substitutions for Abby Dell one, didn't he? And she pretty much made an instant impact and, you know, it us to two, one. And then after that, it seemed to be a real shift in, you know, performance and the girls just sort of got stronger and stronger as the game went on, or particularly that first half. Well, as you mentioned just before the hydration break, it's around 25 minutes. Wormley went two up. It was a lob over Molly Lee. Although I have to say, ⁓ I think she was, you know, I think Wormley helped a little bit with the wind. There's a bit of a wind up and it kind of helped the ball, assisted the ball into the back of the net. Not a lot I don't think she could have done back about that. But yeah, the comeback was then on. As you said, Abbeydel came on and immediately she latched onto a through ball and a really good finish. You were really impressed with her, weren't you? mean, she's got such a competitive edge about her. And she just makes, she was a real handful for the defenders, wasn't she, all afternoon? Yeah, she really was. She's a fantastic player, I think. She really is. And yeah, she just is a real grafter and can make things happen for the team. yeah, I think, you know, she's a real standout player, I thought. Well, we then drew level, Maisie Kelly striking from distance, an absolutely brilliant goal, 2-2. And then Georgia Highland then found the ball on the edge of the box, unleashed a brilliant shot in the back of the net from a tight angle to put us three up. Very, very good finish. We saw the first half out, you know, I think they had a few opportunities, but I thought Lauren Johnson, I thought she was absolutely superb at the back. And Sophie Stack as well, I thought, you know, she was really good when she was getting on the ball. causing a few problems. And we got to mention Amber Denton, I think she made a saving tackle just before halftime, which it could have gone 3-3, but yeah, we went in 3-2. But yeah, Lauren Johnson, mean, she was an absolute colossus, wasn't she? Yeah, she's superb at the back there, isn't she? She certainly leads by example. Yeah. you she was getting her body in front of everything and taking some blocks and stuff and I want to give a mention to Grace, she's a very technically gifted player in the middle there, know real creative spark for them so yeah there's plenty of positives to take from that performance and as you say they certainly deserve to be going. After they got that initial 20 minutes or so out of their system you felt that once our first goal had gone in, was a real shift in performance and they just went from strength to strength and not for the help of the officiating. Yeah, was going to say it kind of remained tight second half didn't it? Southend had a number of free balls but down to a flag happy line-o. I was a bit concerned actually that we were a bit close to Southend Airport and he was maybe going to few A planes down the garrison. He's flag went up so many times. It was so many dodgy decisions. It was unbelievable He spent it more time up in the air and let's be honest now Maybe it was still wrong Yeah, I thought he just had the sun in his eyes and he was just blocking the sun. Obviously you wouldn't believe it. was so bad. Officiating is very very difficult. It or six really really really bad ones. very difficult to officiate I get that but We were in line with quite a few of them and they're not even close. They're really not. There's yards in it and you think, come on, like, you've got to be doing better than that. And it's frustrating because it just goes on to the pitch, doesn't it? You know, the girls get frustrated, even the men's team, you think you're up against poor officiating. just think so, you know, unfortunately, I think we said to the girls, like, you kind of have to give, give them, you know, a yard even, which is rubbish because the way you're trying to to play, you know, as defenders, want to play the offside trap or whatever. And if you've got a line that's not giving it all, can't play on the show because the end of the have to the line though, near the end because you didn't get one decision right. they? Now he's the blinder of the game. Yeah, we changed our minds. He spotted an off the ball incident in the box and alerted the ref gave a penalty. Darcy drew it, stepped up brilliant finish into the corner. 4-2. So yeah, well done, Lino. You might have got 10 wrong, but you got the important one right. Well, they're up next. They play again at the Garrens next Sunday. They got Enfield, so looking forward to that already. Gonna be a tough game. Okay, right, we've got news of a giveaway. Let's just bring it, if you can see it. So we've got this signed Ollycoker shirt from last season. That is a giveaway. ⁓ Just keep watching next couple of weeks we tell you how to, what to do. Now we had a great idea of trying to get as many songs as we could in the podcast, but then Kieran Dyer went and it. Kieran, you've kind of killed it for us. So we're going to have to come up with something else. But yeah, keep watching. ⁓ You'll find out how to win that shirt. We'll come up with a. Another one, Charlie, won't we? Maybe it'll just be different pop star. Different song. We'll see how goes. Right, so coming up, we've got Carlisle on Saturday. Now, Carlisle sitting in 14th after their loss on Saturday to Borum. Now, their record at the moment, played six, lost two, drawn two, won two, scored 13, amazingly conceded 10. Now, Mark Hughes was replaced by Rob Elliott, a name that we were also linked with in the summer. They lost on their opening day to newly promoted Worthing at home. Since then, they went four unbeaten until Zac Brunt finished them off at the weekend. It's going to be, I think they're in a false position at the moment. Obviously they're conceding goals, but listen, they've got firepower up front. Charlie, is this potentially our trickiest game yet? Certainly up there, isn't it? I mean, if you look at the teams you've played so far, they're certainly a team. You talk about the big hitters of the league, if you like, and they're certainly one of them, aren't they? By their own standards, they'd probably like to have been a bit higher than what they already are. But as you say, they've had a bit of a mixed bag of results, ⁓ a bit of a shocking result on the first day of the season for them, I'm not sure. Maybe people would have had that. down on their best slip. but yeah, they've, know, similar to us, they've had a few changes in this, you know, in pre-season. Mike Hughes gone, as you mentioned, Rob Elliott's come in, you know, but, you know, they've got Regan Lilley, ⁓ Lilley's still there, Kelly up top as well. So they've got some real threats still within their team. It just looks like, you know, they've still got, similar to us really defensively, there's obviously some. frailties and inconsistencies there. So it could be a very, very high scoring game. could be. Kieran, just go for it. Go all out. It's going to be a cricket score. But yeah, players to watch. You mentioned Ryan Linney. He's a real handful. I think we've got to watch David Ajiboy. He's dangerous up top. And I think Chris, he will be. He likes to operate in that area where we kind of showing a bit of a weakness, you know with that left side We've got to close it up there. Haven't we now I gonna ask Chris. Do you think maybe? He'll switch it up here and maybe bring Hartigan in Bearing that in mind or do you think you'll just go kamikaze football? I'm hoping you'll bring her again in and not play kamikaze football because if we go behind too many then I don't think we're have another comeback like we did but I mean you look at Carl I mean they beat scum for four to So it shows that they can score goals and that we've got to be concerned about that in that defence. But it also shows they can seek goals as well. mean, they've let Ferdinand in. So we've certainly got to be looking to show our dominance early on and score some goals. If we can not waste those chances and actually put a few away, I think we'll roll them. But it could be a cricket score, like you said. Now one player we have to take it is a former Arsenal under 21 Miguel Aziz very very very good player. We can't afford to let him dictate the ball Because he will pick us off ⁓ But Jack Carlile, they would have fancied their chances this season wouldn't I have you been surprised poor they've been Yeah a little bit Yeah, I would thought they would have been sort of up there by now He's sort of you know in the top couple of you know, third top three or four odd pool But you know, it is early doors, a few, you know, I mean, they lost to Boreham Wood, but then Boreham Wood, they're going to be up there. So, and as I say, it beats Gunfort 42. So, you know, it's a bit, it's a bit of a, I guess another similar to Yeovil in a sense, is that it's a sort of a learning game of seeing where we are compared to them and, you know, as they are, they're a very similar team to us, conceding lots of goals, scoring lots of goals. it's going to be an interesting one for sure, and hopefully high scoring, but. Do you see Boreham as the front runners? I mean now at the moment, but do you see them sort of going all the way? Yeah, I think if they you've lost Abdulmanic. Yeah, I think if they can keep Zach Brunton... ⁓ it's his face, I've cut his name, but Matt Rush, that's the one. If they can keep them and they keep going the form they're in now, which I can't see any reason why not, I think they're going to be right up there and probably the favourites. But obviously it all depends on their form, but I can't see them falling off anytime soon, so I think they'll be right up there. Well, I did watch that game. Brunty obviously scored from the corner. did text him yesterday, he said, did you mean it? And he said, ⁓ you of course I did. It's typical Brunty really. But yeah, mean, I think Kyle are there for the taking. It's just hard to call this one. I don't even want to do the prediction. Well, if Kyle press, I think it's going to give us that space. And they're a pressing side. So I think that will help us if Kyle press the game. But we still got to be careful in that defensive midfield. if they ⁓ give us a good press, I think it's going to open the space up behind. And if we can get Promis in the game along with Cardwell, then I think we're going to be probably a bit too strong for them. Would you start them both up top? Yeah, why not? That's if Promis is fit enough. Yeah, true. But I would certainly, I think we saw enough that... it could be worth the experiment for the first 45 minutes to play both up front. but i think as well that that you're going to think i think what it's showing that probably our office team i think that we played this yeah i can't ⁓ but i think what one thing we can take out as well as yes the school on the stuff but i think the character that shown within the team ⁓ that may people may have questioned a little bit of the previous two so results ⁓ we can answer and why we can buy think to be tuning down you know and then turn it around and dig in the way we did. I think that shows some real character and I think that within the team will really help as well. And Saturday I think with Kyle Oat, yeah they're going to be a very difficult team. But previous years we've been unfortunate really not to get a result over them, particularly when they come to our place last year. So yeah it certainly is. But I think like Chris said, I would like to Cardwell and Promise start together. really would. Do you think he'll start with Hartigan in the middle, maybe? Yeah, possibly. Possibly. think, you know, defensively, he's probably our most experienced in that sort of role, isn't he, really? He's mentioned he played with Barnett and, you know, successfully. A game player. And was team of the year, I think, wasn't he, in that position? he someone as well you know in that bit of experience that he's got that he that may be nowhere he'll come into his own because i don't think we've seen the best of heart of good this season so far really don't i think there's still plenty more to see from him and it might be these bigger games which kieran alludes to you know we were a very young team still and we've you know we've only got a half you know two or three experienced players and heart of god i'd argue is under one of those sort of as one of those players. I think maybe yet he'll be looking at him as bringing him in, you know, starting that game, you know, just to sort of shore it up a little bit in the middle and try and dictate and disrupt that middle of the park, particularly where Kyle Isler then looking to try and break. I agree. mean, like you say, we haven't seen the best of him yet, but I think he's going to be a really important player for us this season. I think once we get him going, ⁓ then yeah, he could be. You know, like he was saying, was pivotal in Barnett's promotion win. So yeah, hopefully he'll bring that to us as well. Well, before we go to predictions, I can tell you Southend under 23 has gone 4-0 up. And of course it's a hat-trick for Jack Stone, Charlie. No surprises there. 5-0. Is it 5-0? Zlatov has just scored as well. ⁓ well done. Nick Zlatov. Well, we haven't got time to stay for the rest of that, but yeah, 5-0. Not bad evening for them. It's been a good weekend, innit? Yeah, it has. really has. No comeback for them though. Yeah, they're straight at it. So yeah, well done Danny Heath and lads. Absolutely brilliant. Right, let's get some predictions. I don't know where to start with this. I think we should start with Jack, don't you? Yeah, go on. Set the pace for us, It's impossible to predict. So I'm just going to go with what I've been thinking when I was just thinking about it then. I've gone too up, but... I just think it's going to be quite a lot of chances. Probably going to be some frustrating misses for both teams, reckon. And then I reckon it will just end up, whether we go 2-0 down or something called 1-0, 1-0, 1-0, 1-0, and all that. I don't know. But I just got my head 2-0. So I think I'll go with that. Charlie. Right, ready? I'm going a 4-2 win. What's wrong with me? You got too much sun yesterday. me, you'll be coming back next week. you so. 4-2. Mark my words. Let's go with Mr. Doom and Gloom. Chris, what you got? I actually going to agree with Charlie. I think 4-2 as well. I think it's going to be of those games. Do you know what? When he won the 2-1 last week, or this week, when I was thinking, ⁓ is Chris going to pull this out of the bag and get the maximum points this week? I didn't want him. I reckon 4-2. I reckon we're going to take our chances up front. We're going to be attacking football, but we've still got those frailties at the back, and we're going to let a couple in. So I think 4-2 is going to be a good score. I'm gonna go in between I'm gonna go free to to us. You know, yeah. We've got Lee saying a 2-2 we've got Pat saying a 2-1 and what are we drinking? I'm completely sober. Coffee for Chris, very strong coffee. I'm not drinking. I'm sober as a judge. yeah, come back next week to four two and me and Chris will say told you also. Yeah, I'm sticking to it too. We'll be back next Monday with reaction from Kyle L following Southings free to win. We'll have more news on that giveaway. And we'll be looking ahead to a match a Tuesday night match at Roots Hall with Tamworth. Thanks to our sponsors surgical holdings. Thanks to Jack for coming along. Great to see you again, Jack, and hear you. Always good to have your views. And thank you to you, our listeners. Don't forget to comment, like, and subscribe. Up the shrimpers. Up the shrimpers.