72+ EFL Pod: Bloomfield’s battle & Bromley edge closer

22:11Aaron Paul:There's a lot to look forward to Matt as well new stadium so plenty on the horizon for Oxford United to best of luck, as Woody says. We're all behind you. So, yeah, good luck, Matt. And thanks for joining us on 72+. Really appreciate your time. My pleasure, gents. Take care. Matt Bloomfield, Oxford boss, with us on 72 +, the home of the EFL from Five Live Sports. Hello, this is Matt Jolly's Urgent Questions, your daily dose of political mayhem from the heart of Westminster. Order, order. I call Matt Jolly. I'm a supporter of flags. It turns out time is finite. Government doesn't want to be involved in this.

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24:19Joby,

24:21Aaron Paul:you come back and we're at Easter weekend. Which, again, we know is absolutely pivotal. And I think when you look at some of the games that they've got, you know, that Portsmouth one, you know, looming large. Obviously, they've got Holes first to obviously having a really good season. but it could genuinely come down to those matches against those teams in and around. They're huge. I know the term six-point, it gets thrown about a lot, but they're absolutely massive. Portsmouth at the moment, they are the team that I'd be a little bit concerned that in terms of their current form, obviously really bad result against QPR.

24:56Concern is an understatement. Yeah, so they're the ones that you are looking at and I know you do take it game by game. I get that, but that is 100 % one of the games that everybody in that squad's looking at going we need to win that game if we are going to stay up that's got to be three points it just has to be you know because then you're you're clawing them in as well and you know putting them in bigger trouble so massive massive easter weekend coming up i think they want a good performance at home hopefully get something out of that which would set them up for um you know which again is just a massive game because they've got some tough ones after that derby going for the playoff rexham going for the playoffs um they have to play a whole derby rexham milwall in the last

25:35Aaron Paul:that could be a mega game that Portsmouth game the energy of the supporters as well will be really important because the Portsmouth supporters, their energy is quite down they're quite angry and disgruntled whereas the Oxford fans, you can tell that they're revitalised by what Matt's done there, so the supporters will really play a role in that, and that could be the difference. And again when you're going into these periods off the back of varying results, obviously they both lost but because Oxford United had had that good run up to them you can kind of almost go right let's put that one away it's against a really good Southampton team they were better than us fine you know but let's look what else we did whereas the Portsmouth this two weeks now is going to be the longest because it is doom and gloom it is you know 6-1 against you know a team that you know I know they won the previous game but we've spoken about it they are on the holidays with QPR do you know what I mean so I think to have that QPR are the most consistently inconsistent team I've ever seen in my life.

26:33Aaron Paul:The worst thing is, but did you see, so me and my pal, we looked at it, and I'd read a stat on the Saturday that said that they had six touches in the Portsmouth box, and he turned around, he goes, did you watch it? I said, well, no, I was at the game that I was at, and he goes, mate, we've got to watch the highlights. We sat and counted the touches, and we were like, this is what, they were great goals, they were great, great goals, but some of the defending was, again, Benny Hill, Benny Hill-esque. Talking about teams getting big results, West Bromwich Albion, what a resurgence under James Morrison.

27:06Aaron Paul:I mean, I didn't... It's that spa day, mate. That spa day. Would he... Did he hear about that, would he? You want your players... Wait, took him on a spa day? Yeah. Took him on a spa day. I text Jed Wallace. He turned around. He said, Village Hotel, mate. Swim and sauna. Bit of a change of scenery. I said, Jed, you were straight on with the cucumbers. He said, no chance. You know what? We stayed at the Village Hotel around about Christmas time. I can't remember who he was playing. I'm going to say Walsall, but it might not have been. And there was a take that tribute band on there. I saw the team hanging around watching the Take That tribute band.

27:35So a spark day might be one thing, but we had a Take That tribute band, which done us a world of good that night. What's your favourite Take That song, Jibby?

27:41Aaron Paul:Back for Goods. Would it? Yeah, Back for Goods is my favourite. That's the only one you know, isn't it? No, I love a bit of Take That. What kind of music are you into? I like a bit of everything. Do you know what I'm into at the moment, which will make you laugh? I'm into a bit of Madonna again a little bit. Oh, wow. Is that getting any plays in the dressing room? Well, the funny thing is, they've started playing Lucky Star, because they keep saying, I'm lucky. so that's become a little bit of a feature It's amazing where you get a little tune when you're on these runs and that becomes the sort of go-to and like whatever the song is and that is obviously yours at the minute it gets flipped on and you're like right this is it lads as you look back on, again there'll be songs that I look back on now in my career Stick with promotions Do you use a music app on your phone?

28:24Aaron Paul:Yeah I have a Spotify but I don't get involved in the music, let me tell you Can I have a look at it? You can, yeah. Feel free. You need to do the, when they do the raps, you know, the Spotify raps. This would be interesting. Can I look at it? I want to look at what is Spotify. I think this is a new feature we've got over here. Let's go on Woody's Spotify.

28:45Aaron Paul:I don't know what you've come across. Okay. I know that there'll be a map out there. There are some interesting, interesting searches on there. Last search, Ed Sheeran, great tips. Oh, yeah. A bit of Ed Sheeran. And a bit of Ed Sheeran. So when you need to chill out, you've had the stress of the game. Do you know what I mean? I sometimes put my earphones on on the way to a game and I normally, this will make you laugh, I normally put a little bit of Abba on just to chill me out. Is there any Abba in it? There's no Abba in it. No. Top 20 Coldplay, greatest hits. Yeah, I'd Coldplay a little while ago going to a game.

29:18Aaron Paul:Hopeless romantic love mix. Yeah, that's when I was going to my romantic stage. I think that's where I got a result when I was all lovey-dovey with the team. Nice. Just to let you know that the top track on that is I Don't Want to Miss a Thing on that hopeless romantic love mix. Next searching in Woody's Spotify is Bruno Mars' greatest hits. He's got a good one out there. Yeah, Bruno. Don't mind a bit of Bruno Mars. Dolly Parton. Love a bit of Dolly. Rhythm of the Night, is this Love of Marley. Big tune. And I'll cap it off by saying he's twice searched and once saved Angels' Robbie Williams, which is an absolute tune.

29:57Aaron Paul:Very, very eclectic. I don't know. That's a nice little feature. I like that. We're onto something, hasn't we? Yeah, absolutely. James Morrison. So, I don't know. We sort of fully digressed on the spa day. Gem Wallace had the cucumbers on. West Bromwich Albion, though. Now four points above the drop zone. I never saw this coming. This sort of like, this blossoming. But spring has come and West Bromwich Albion, they're flowering beautifully. Well, the big thing about both of those games, clean sheets, something we've touched on. And again, when you are in a battle, you know, being hard to beat, and I won't ever get bored of saying it because it's the fundamental thing of, you know, how do you then get that confidence to start coming back?

30:38And it might be, you know, and listen, they were really close against Southampton. They got pegged back right in the last couple of minutes there. That could have been a killer blow. But, you know, to come back from that and then now find those couple of wins, again, they will be going into this break now absolutely bouncing. You want the next game to come because the confidence that, you know, So that feeling back in the dressing room, you know, is absolutely massive at this stage. So, you know, as you say, massive credit to James Morrison, because there was a few eyebrows raised. You know, was it a situation that you need a bit of experience?

31:09Someone who's been there, clearly their appointments prior to that haven't gone anywhere near how anyone would have hoped. So, you know, again, someone who knows the football club inside out. And sometimes that is what it takes. You know, how do I get the best out of this group of players? And at the moment, he's had a really positive upturn the last couple.

31:26Aaron Paul:Let's drop into League One. It is, of course, the international break. Still plenty of games to look forward to in League One and League Two. And if you support a championship or even a Premier League club, go and watch your League Ones and your League Twos. Go and follow Bromley all the way to Barrow. In fact, last season when you did play Barrow... That is a long trip, that, though, isn't it? When they were playing Barrow last season, I caught Byron Webster in a service station. That's right. Do you remember? We bumped into the service station. Yeah, yeah, yeah. He didn't bump into he's a bit of a stalker like that.

31:58He follows the manager in that round mate. Anything for an interview.

32:03Aaron Paul:I was following the Bromley coach all the way to Barrow. Actually that's what you know that's one of the 92 I haven't done and it's really jump at the coach for Saturday you want to work at the Duke Rivers. That's why you might want to sit out. If I can get a seat on the bench I will come with you. I will cancel my game I'm going to Reading on Saturday. Are you doing Reading? Okay. I wouldn't put you through Barrow honestly. I just wouldn't. I need to tick it off. I mean, it is a journey. You don't. We had them in the National League. And like, again, I mean this with the greatest respect and probably, you know, my career and, you know, never thought I'd be going to Barrow for a game.

32:36And then towards the end of it, it's sort of like, you know, we're in the National League. It's just so fun. It's not just like there's clubs that are really north. So like a Carlisle, for example, if we're Southern base, which obviously we are talking here, but it's just up. And then it's just across four miles. Beautiful, beautiful area. in terms of the surrounding areas. But it was just so fine. Anyway, we end up getting promoted thinking, brilliant, not going to have to go back there again on a Tuesday night. And then a season or whatever later, they end up getting promoted. I've got to go back there.

33:04And I'm like, oh no, I can't escape them.

33:06Aaron Paul:He's hoping they get promoted, Bromley get promoted just so you don't have to go there. Honestly, I mean, it's a long, long way. Last year, we stayed in a beautiful hotel right on Lake Windermere. So that was really nice. And in the morning, it took about three or four players out on a boat. We was on the boat on Lake Windermere, which was lovely. But then we went to the ground and that was a completely different experience. Can I just say, sorry, just one point I'll have to make and actually was a great thing of playing a little bit lower down towards the end of my career. And we went there on a Tuesday night and I joke about it.

33:35Listen, we get the best treatment. We're getting coached up there. You know, we're staying over if we need to stay over, properly looked after. And, you know, you get off the bus on, again, a Tuesday night and you see the fans that travel up there and you're just like unbelievable. Amazing. You know, the effort that they make, you know, the expense, the time. So, yeah, shout out any of the Bromley fans that are going to be making that trip. And again, I think sometimes they maybe underestimate how big a help that can be when you step off that bus or that bit of time in the game where you need that bit of a lift and getting to share that after, hopefully after a good win.

34:08They're just brilliant moments. Joe, it's been massive for us. I mean, we haven't got a massive fan base. You know, we're quite new in the league. And our away fan base has grown and grown and grown. And I can't tell you, and I know everyone says this as a sort of cliche, our players are so appreciative of our fans that go Newport last week and even more collectively when we get a result you can see the players are generally buzzing for those people that have spent the money and time to go there and I really am quite proud of my team of players like that because I generally know that they really are chuffed that these people put themselves out for that

34:43Aaron Paul:and they have impeccable service station conduct I saw no one with a tray which is very very good no one needs to be getting a tray for a meal in the service station. Everything has to be in a cardboard box and out of there. You might have mismade in it. Well, funny enough, I text him because I said to Barrow and I was like, where's your gaffer? And he's around here somewhere. I text him and I was like, you've gone for a burger. I might have been asleep. And you've gone for a burger. He's like, no, no, no, I haven't, I haven't. Could not find him anywhere. Could not find him anywhere. And I taste the gaffer as well.

35:13Aaron Paul:Anyway, Barrow would win just one win this calendar year. How do you make sure there's no complacency? How do you make sure you had a banana skin? Yeah, I mean, exactly that. It's a tough game. You know, I think the margins for a team, top and bottom in all the games, it just comes down to margins. And I think it's just making sure that we don't come away from what we are. You know, that's really important. We stay playing how we are away from home because we've got a way we play away from home. And I think also we prepare the lads to know that it's going to be an ugly, horrible weather day probably.

35:41And if it's anything more than that, then it's a bonus. And just, I'm in a real nice position without tempting fate that, you know, I've got a group of players that just, they don't get complacent because, you know, you've mentioned Byron Webster's. Byron Webster's keep the group, you know, on their toes and keep them all sort of tuned in. So, you know, hopefully with all of that and a little bit of luck on the game, we'll go to Barrow and hopefully get the result that everyone expects us to get, but we don't. You know, we know we've got to earn it. Just on that not getting complacent, because it's a very easy thing to say when you're sitting in a position you are and you've got a team who has really been struggling.

36:14I just want to ask you about Project 73, as it was originally. And then now that's been turned into Project Champions. Yeah, I mean, at the beginning of the season, I always do a sort of goal setting. And I do that not with just the team, with the whole football club, you know, the chefs, everyone, you know, they make them all a part of it. And that's something I've always done. So we've got a target that we hit as a group and as a staff, everything. When we got, we called it Project 73, we told no one outside the building. It was kind of kept sort of quiet. Don't let anyone outside the building know this because you know what it's like.

36:45Yeah. People on the outside jump on it and then they start ridiculing you and then they up their game against you. Once we got close to 73 and we knew there was a lot of games left, I already started calling it Project Champions in-house. And then I got asked about it on a radio or TV interview. And, you know, I've seen managers say, we're just taking every game as it comes, and I've got no problem with that. But I wanted to sort of, you know, be more honest and more, you know, and be there to be shy a little bit. and also want my team to follow suit with me. And I'm saying, look, we're top of the table.

37:21Why are we going to just take every game as it comes? We want to be champions. And if we fall short of that, Joby, then listen, we've still had a great season. But I want the guys to buy into it. And I set a little challenge to him last week. We had three games in a week and I laid it down to him. If you really are serious about being champions, you have to win these next three games. And the point is, they churned out three 1-0s. and credit to them and they've had the buy-in to it as well. So as much as I get the plaudits for the Project 73 and the Project Champions, you've got to have a team that buys into it and they've done that and we've got another block of games coming up.

37:59We know what we've got to hit in this next block and we're going to keep playing through till we get there. Let's finish with this. 72 plus, 72 minus on the Football Daily.

38:12Aaron Paul:Yeah, it's time for Joby's best and worst the EFL moments of the week. Who's on your radar, Jobes? I'm going to kick off with my 72 minus and club that we've already spoken about on the show. Leicester City in the relegation zone. They really need to start making things go for them so they can't be missing penalties like this one from Patson Daka. Daka steps up. A very straight run up as things stand. Arms on his hips. Moves to his left. Strike and goal. Hits the post. And a brilliant save by Selvig to tip it onto the woodwork. Four minutes to go until half-time. Patson Dacca misses a penalty.

38:52Aaron Paul:Yeah, Joby, you're 72-plus this week, please. Well, it's very much time for me to give a little bit of love, not just because of our studio guests today, to the goalkeepers and one of the saves of the season. If you haven't seen it out there, please get yourselves online and check out Millwall's Anthony Patterson with a brilliant reaction save in their game against Ipswich Town. Good pressure from Town. Shot from Neil. Blocked off. Finished. Oh, what a save from Patterson. It was superb from Athon from what? Eight, nine yards. Patterson, though, flung out a big right hand and somehow got it over the bar.

39:31That was superb goalkeeping.

39:33Aaron Paul:Can I just build, by the way, on the back of that and ask you, Woody, Alex Neal has made one heck of a decision because Max Crocombe came in as like number three. They've had injuries. They've had all sorts of problems with goalkeepers. But he made a call to bring in Anthony Patterson. You're not bringing Patterson in to sit on the bench. And his debut weren't great. I'm not going to lie. I was there with his debut. It was against Sheffield United, I want to say. It wasn't great. But to make that call, to get rid of Crocombe and replace him was huge. But that was a big save. Big save. And look, Patterson, I'm a big fan of Patterson.

40:14He played against us when he was on loan at Notts County a few years ago. And he was unbelievable. And I've followed his career quite closely, you know, in the sudden season, the promotion, etc. He's a solid goalkeeper. Solid goalkeeper that I really think could go, you know, to the very top. And, you know, Alex Neal has been brave bringing him in. And obviously Dean Thornton there, the goalkeeping coach, has probably had an input in that. And, you know, what a great signing. I think he's been a fantastic signing. I ask this with respect.

40:43Aaron Paul:Why did he not play for Sunderland in the Premier League? Yeah, that's something... I've got my own view on that. And I don't know if I'm in a position to say that. But I think if I was Paterson and I was his coach, and I have been a goalie coach, so I feel maybe I've got the credentials to say that. I think he just needs to just, from the outside looking in, he really just needs to tide himself up. And when I say that, I mean, lean himself up, look super athletic. He doesn't look super athletic. I'm not saying he looks overweight, but he just, when you look at some of the keepers, they look super athletic.

41:17And I just think he just looks a little bit probably on the eye, not like a top goalkeeper. When I've seen him play and he is a top goalkeeper.

41:25Aaron Paul:Anthony Patterson, you are an absolute hero. Let's talk fantasy. No pato in our fantasy EFL teams. Big congratulations to Superdons 1988, top of our list in the league. The first team to break 3 ,000 points. Woo. I've got a solid 13 points. I've kind of resigned. 13? Yes. You mean 130? Yes. That's a typo in the script. I've slipped down into bottom 10, but fear not, we are on the charge. We are going to be working our way up. Joby, you broke the 100 point barrier this week. Well done. Well, I actually remembered to change my team. I had a little lapse for a couple of weeks where everything got a little bit on top.

42:03Yeah, it happens. Oldham, mate, put your money on clean sheets, lads and ladies. Anyone out there listening, that is what you want to be doing at this time of the season. So a couple from the Oldham players. Goalkeeper, Matt Hudson, with coming up big for me. Notts County with a win, but then they lost as well. And then Donny with a couple of wins. So yeah, all good.

42:23Aaron Paul:Oldham, the form team in the EFL right now. five wins in a row unbeaten in 10 surging towards the playoffs the code to join 72EFLPod 72EFLPod if you like me are already preparing for next season I'll give you the code throughout the summer just before we go on 72 Plus Huddersfield Town boss Liam Manning has been granted compassionate leave for the remainder of the season the League One club said in a statement that the decision was made after Manning made the club aware of ongoing personal matters relating to the tragic passing of his newborn son Theo in October 2023 24 from our family to the Manning family um look we we say good luck Liam we are all with you he's a diamond diamond human being um just look after yourself mate yeah listen I think this is one of those times where you know personal issues and your family come way way above football and you know the most important thing is that he has the time that he needs and it's really tough I I remember reading an interview by Matt Taylor actually about the personal tragedy that he had to deal with and him juggling that with trying to manage a football club.

43:28So we wish him well and obviously Huddersfield as well for between now and the end of the season.

43:33Aaron Paul:Joby, where are you this weekend? I'm actually at a tournament. My little boy's got a tournament down in Cardiff. I say a little one, it's a pretty big one. So we're going to go down there and watch him. I might try and pop into a game on the way down, possibly Reading. So you might even see me, seeing as we're in set pool. but the last two games we've both been at you haven't bothered to see me so I'm not sure if I will we won't be in the same seats though because you'll be what director's box hobnobbing I'll be slumming it in the media seats no I like the normal seats do you? yeah they've got a nice padded seats although I was amongst some Arsenal fans for the Carabao Cup final and that got a little bit tasty towards the end of that game they weren't best pleased I can tell you that much I bet that was fun Andy?

44:14Barroway? yeah Barroway probably in about five minutes just look out if you see ads lurking about any service stations

44:23Aaron Paul:I'll be sat outside the ground just thumb up if I get on the bench and he's already sat on the bench I know he's seriously I'm going to dust off the old Puma Kings mate don't worry I'll be ready I'll put the boys through their paces gentlemen thank you so much for joining us Woody always a joy to have you that is it for this episode of the Football Daily Astros here on 72 Plus the EFL pod we'll be back next week by the way Championship fan Premier League fan whoever you support go and watch your League Ones and Twos this weekend enjoy we'll catch you then I'm Rich Hall and this is Sports Strangest Crimes presents Confessions of a Super Bowl Streaker when people ask me what I do I say to them well by day or by night the story of one man's mission to conquer the Holy Grail of streaking the Super Bowl Mark Roberts is too lively for this body.

45:17He's just like the entertainer.

45:19Aaron Paul:Mark pushes the boundaries of what is socially acceptable. No chance. Texas, it's really strict. But then the more I thought about it. More of a fine guy. What are you about? Sports Strangers Crimes presents Confessions of a Super Bowl Streaker. Listen on BBC Sounds. Warning. The following ZipRecruiter radio spot you are about to hear. is going to be filled with F-words. When you're hiring, we at ZipRecruiter know you can feel frustrated, forlorn even, like your efforts are futile, and you can spend a fortune trying to find fabulous people, only to get flooded with candidates who are just fine.

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