611: Kings of Anglia: More group therapy after another Wrexham defeat

26:59But that was only a tiny little period in that Premier League season. If Kiefer Moore had signed for Ripswich, how many minutes would he have played? How many games would he have started? Single digits, I think, in terms of starts at least. And George Hurst last year, I know that there's a difference this year, but last season I thought was really good in the Premier League. so then there's a different argument this year but he goes to to rexham it's a welsh club he joins up with the welsh lads and it never felt right it never felt like the right time and it never felt like the right player he's 33 as well um yes he delivers goals and scores goals at this level um rexham played a pretty good amount for him over the summer um and i don't think that it would have worked at all signing him 12 months earlier when he then went to sheffield united and Sheffield United, he didn't really do that much.

27:54Let's be honest, he was pretty average. And at the same time, I wouldn't back him. That was his fault.

28:02Ross Halls:That was his fault for not getting promoted. Exactly. It was his error. His error in the playoff final against Sunderland. And I wouldn't have backed Kiefer Moore to necessarily, and I know he's a good player and I know he's scoring goals in the championship, but how many would he, how well would he step up to the Premier League? I'm not too sure. I mean, look, he wasn't getting any minutes and any opportunities at Bournemouth. A different club, I know, but it didn't feel like the opportunity was right from then. Pardon me, Broadhead. Different story entirely. Ipswich wanted to keep him. It wasn't a case of anything else.

28:37He wanted to leave. He wanted to go and play for his boy town, boy town, boyhood club, boyhood town, where he's from, where he came through the academy. It was disappointing, but I think the club owed it to him to let him go. He's a very good player and given that he was in the last year of his contract, what would you rather have? Would you rather have let him go for 7.5 million rising to 10 or would you rather have kept him for this season and then watched him leave on a free at the end of the campaign probably to go to Wrexham? I think ultimately we have to be okay with how that one played out and I think that Moore isn't too dissimilar, to be honest.

29:23Ross Halls:Yeah, I sort of agree with you there as well. But yeah, it's just one of those things, just ex-Blues, butters us in the butt. Let's hear though from Kieran McKenna-RAJ on the goals conceded because he had a bit of a chat with good old Stu post-match and yeah, this is what he had to say about the goals. I think the big part of the game that you're going to reflect on is from 3-2 to 5-3. What do you put that period of the game down to if you've managed to kind of analyse the goals against too much yet?

29:54Kieran McKenna:Yeah, I think there was different periods. I don't think it would... You know, we'll have to analyse them all because, yeah, we conceded the first goal. It's a really good strike from Kiefer, but we should defend the basic flick on better. But the response was good. And, you know, we get the goal back we were most disappointed with the second goal to be honest and that was a phase where we weren't defending with enough intensity as a team and we didn't stay strong enough as a team to defend in that goal so as a group that's probably the one we're most disappointed with. Again we score a great goal before half time, we get back to 2-2, I think we came out really well the start of the second half another really good goal to go 3-2 we're pushing for the fourth goal really and yeah look maybe at 3-2 you can say and I think we further said we didn't manage the game well enough we leave ourselves a little bit open on a transition where they're able to counter through the middle of the pitch I think at that point we were really pushing for the fourth so we could have managed that situation better having said that the goal is a little bit lucky as well in terms of we still have our Dara and Darnell and Cedric behind the ball and defend the 18 well and block the shot and it just falls right to their player.

31:13Kieran McKenna:And then at 3-2, you know it's going to be really, really tough and you're going to have to stand up well. And we didn't do that on the set play in the first corner maybe that they had in the second half. We don't attack the ball well enough and they score almost unopposed on the six-yard box. So, yeah, I think the last goal, to be honest, goals like that can happen when you're 4-3 down and you're chasing the game and you make a little error. So, yeah, there was so much in there, to be honest. His ultimate feeling, of course, is the frustration at loss and anger and disappointment the goals have conceded.

31:50Kieran McKenna:That overrides then, certainly at the moment, the positives of the fact that we came back from behind and put ourselves in a winning position. We've scored three goals against a team who are hard to break down, especially after conceding early. So, yeah, we will be really honest and harsh with ourselves on those goals when we watch them back now as a group and really try and rectify the mistakes we made.

32:14Ross Halls:I'm sure they will do, AJ, because, yeah, I'm sure Darao, Shanco will be watching that bat and going, oh, dearie me, that was not good. So, yeah, no race course redemption for town. Yeah, first time I could see the five goals away from home since the Paul Lambert era. I remember going... Outside of the Premier League. Outside of the Premier League, of course, yeah, yeah, because that was, yeah, we're doing that pretty much every week. Only once. Only once It was only the City game Yeah true But yeah I still have You know Bad actually Memories of that That 5-3 against Lincoln Under Paul Amber It was a bloody cold night Just before New Year's And yeah That was just shamble I think Brennan Johnson Did he score No Was it Tyler Walker I know someone scored a hat trick I think it was Brennan Johnson I was at Tyler Walker Anyway People remember I'm sure That was not a good day But that was League One Now we're in the Championship And AJ We're fourth or third or whatever in the table.

33:10Ross Halls:We're still, you know, fourth happy days. Well, not happy days because we'd rather be in the top two. But there's a lot of discussion after this because, you know, we have yet to once again win from, you know, losing the position since that Southampton incredible Samiento night. You know, a lot of discussion about the team, you know, not connecting just yet. But then the derby game, I just, you know, that feels, it wasn't that long ago. It was like, that was the last league game. And now we've had this moment. Yeah, we're going to hear from, you know, Leif Davis very shortly. You spoke to him after the game.

33:46Ross Halls:And it's funny, you spoke to him after the derby win because he scored that goal. And it was all like happy and everything positive. And then we have this shambles the last two games. Yeah, how are you feeling, mate? Because this season just keeps throwing us curveballs. frustrated because everything's there right you've got as we've said all along and that i don't think there's any denying this on paper key phrase on paper this is the strongest squad in the division it is i think the most expensively assembled squad in the division you've got players on an individual level have been stepping up and we've seen it we've seen them on a collective basis put in performances that then go and get complete performances and complete results and every time it happens we talk about right this is the moment for them to to go and to kick on and there are so many times where we've seen it in the season that can be the 5-0 against Sheffield United this is lift off they went and beat Portsmouth and they drew at Bristol City and you're frustrated they won at Norwich after that and the Norwich game we were all feeling this at the moment we're going to fall in love with the team oh but they've lost back to back to Borough and Charlton and they recover they have that good run they beat West Brom they beat QPR.

35:06They draw against Watford in a game they should have won. They go and thrash Swansea away from home. They go and draw Wrexham in a game that they should have won about 10-0 with the chances they had. They go to Hull and win and then it's the setback of the defeat to Oxford who were right in the relegation zone and we've now put in a honkingly bad display at Blackburn which felt like the low point and oh we're back again this Coventry beating them 3-0 and Stoke and then you go to Leicester a really poor Leicester team and don't hardly lay a glove on them, let's be honest. And then all of the period that comes around the end of 2025, start 2026, which then was all undone by that Sheffield United result and failing to beat Preston.

35:48And we've now started, we're having this period again. It feels like Groundhog Day where they've gone and they've beaten Derby and we all thought, wow, this is the moment. And Coventry had dropped points on that day and Borough weren't looking as invincible at that point. Wow, we can start to make up the gap. and there's been two back-to-back losses to wrex them and we feel like we're in a worse spot than we were two, three weeks ago before that derby game, after the Sheffield United result even. It's the frustration of knowing that they're close in a way that makes it worse, where you can compare Ipswich to, let's say, Leicester and Southampton, the two teams they came down with.

36:29They're nowhere near. Nowhere near. they're miles off where they they should be where the performance level should be and at that point it's like pure anger and hatred and it's almost worse in the way the fact that this team is there it should be there we've seen that they can be there but they're incapable of kind of putting everything together and going on the run and it's not an excuse anymore of saying they need time to gel it's new players we're in we're coming into march and we're still having these discussions and that is now a point where we have to dig deeper beneath the surface of saying bonds are being built and all these kind of things.

37:08You look at Wrexham, for example, and I appreciate that Wrexham are lower in the table, three points behind in a couple of places, but they look like a team over the weekend, and that is a team where the vast majority of those players who started against Ipswich have been signed over the summer, Haim, Doyle, Kabore, Sheaf, O 'Brien, Thomason, I think, Windas and Kiefer Moore all have come in.

37:32Plenty of others who've come in and they look like a team. And this Ipswich side, who have more expensive players, it's not happening for them. Now we're at a stage where we need to dig deeper into what the causes are behind that because if it's going to be Watford tomorrow, I have no faith that they will then follow that up with a string of wins or a string of unbeaten results. Yeah.

37:57Ross Halls:I think we had this conversation before about the team connecting, the fan base. We've had moments this year. This team is the first team in 16 years to beat Norwich. We had Daro, Shea, Speech and the Huddle, our people and stuff like that. I felt like the Derby game, that was the first time where McKenna really celebrated again and everyone was fist pumping and all that jazz. I don't know. I think the problem is we do compare this team to the back-to-back promotion team. And I think that's probably the problem we're having at the moment is because we're just looking at that band of brothers and just, you know, you had the Connor Chaplains of the world, you know, Sam Morsey, the Egyptian king, you know, Broadhead with his goals and other players as well, you know, Burgess at the back and Wolfie at the back.

38:43And it's, yeah, it's very hard to compare

38:47Ross Halls:because I think we had a journey with that team in League One. you know they were all signed most of them were signed during that demolition summer under Paul Cook obviously Kimma kind of came in we finished 11th don't remember maybe you can't remember that we did actually finish 11th in League One and then we you know the following season we you know got promoted finishing second and then went into the championship just going okay let's see how we do I always felt like okay we'll just if we finish mid-table we'll be fine but we go on to get promoted back to the Premier League after 20 plus years which is incredible um and yeah of course a A lot of them have gone now.

39:22Ross Halls:There's only really Wes Burns and Leif Davis and obviously Christian Walton in the starting games. The rest have gone out on loan or been sold. I'm sure it's hard to sort of figure it out, AJ, but why is this team not connecting? Is it because it's just the individuals that have been signed for a lot of money? They're maybe on a bit more money as well.

39:44Ross Halls:Yeah, I feel sorry for the players a little bit because, yeah, maybe they've come in at a time where yeah they've been signed for a big money you know some of them got signed we're in the Premier League and we're losing week in week out so they've not had sort of individual moments yet yeah some maybe maybe yeah some fans haven't been connected to them because yeah maybe they haven't been good enough you know Jadion Filagy only recently became you know now a sort of fan's favourite because of his goals and moments but yeah I'm sure we could do a whole podcast on this but we won't yeah A couple of parts too.

40:17I think it's exactly what you said there. We've been on the journey with Nathan Broadhead, with Connor Chaplin, with Wes Burns, at least being a regular with Wolfie and Burgess and Harry Clark and Sam Morsey, Massimo Luongo, all of these guys. We were there. I can't say I was because I wasn't there in the League One days, but start to finish, the fans had followed that journey. of unexpected highs we didn't think that was going to happen and that was what created the band of brothers feeling i think that um being in the battles that they were in created that where in the league one days it was sheffield wednesday and plymouth and it was standing up against them and and trying to win the league and then in the championship it was being the underdogs the huge underdogs colossal underdogs a newly promoted team battling um the three sides that come down from from uh yeah a new sudden championship coming battling the three sides that been relegated from from the premier league and coming out successful in that and the games that they had and the way that they won matches and that's what made us all fall in love the style of play that got built under Kieran McKenna.

41:38There are good things with this group, but it feels like a group of talented individuals still. And it's hard, isn't it, where there's still a lot of this group that has, and I'm kind of countering myself earlier by saying there's no excuses because of the time they've had, but you look at what the previous group had, having suffered together in League One, a lot of them, and gone through the days of playing, away at Fleetwood and away at Morecambe and away at Forest Green. And there's almost like a back-to-the-wall kind of feeling that you get with these guys who are trying to achieve something where they're going to these places and playing these teams and having to grind out to get back to where they think they belong.

42:24Whereas now, it's different. Now you've got£15 million Jack Clark,£20 million Jaden Villagin, and Anis Mimetti, superstar in the championship, and you've got O'Shea and you've got Burns and you've got Tchubarakpom, former Golden Boot winner, and McIntyre, who costs the money that he has. And when it doesn't work for them and when they're not fitting into the style and the style of football, let's be honest as well, it feels very different to what we saw under the previous group. It just means that we're not enjoying it as much. And also, it's different when you've seen it before. isn't it it's a bit like where you go and watch a film a brilliant film you watch it the first time you're like this is amazing i love every second of this and then you go and see the sequel and you're like well i've seen the first one and this one's kind of the same and there's bits of it i don't really like as much and i really like that first film a lot more and that's kind of where we're at at the moment and hopefully it can still develop into something but right now the script's not quite good enough and the actors are all very good individually, they're all Oscar winners in previous roles but they're not quite making the right cast at the moment

43:43Ross Halls:Question for you favourite sequel? Was there any favourite sequels? Cool! Just to mix this out a little bit You know Have you got anything now that you've asked me that? I'll give you time to think Ooh

44:01Ross Halls:Rush Hour 2? I like Rush Hour 2. I haven't really thought this through when I asked that question. One of the best films that, it's not necessarily the second one, but I think almost improves as it goes along has to be the Toy Story saga. Says the person who has a mental age of a five-year-old, clearly. But there you go. Yeah, I'll take that. Yeah. I think Terminator 2, I think back in the day, if you've watched the film, that was pretty good. Was the second Terminator one with that famous scene where the woman's hand turns into the spike and it goes through the guy's head when he's drinking the milk?

44:36Ross Halls:I think so. I haven't watched it in a while. Was that the second one? I think so. Listeners, you're going to need to let me know if I've got the right one there. Yeah, and comment your best sequel. Your favourite sequel. It's equal. At the moment, this sequel is not going very well. But I think that is the problem, though, with this team at the moment we're getting. It's just comparing to that team. And I think we need to get away from that because that happened. Unbelievable memories. That will never happen again, I don't think. Back-to-back promotions, it doesn't happen that often. Wrexham could be on their way to make it four promotions in a row, which is incredible.

45:13Ross Halls:But hopefully we can stop that. But yeah, there's a lot of chat though, AJ, around luck of leaders. You know, Doro Shea, captaincy debate as well. but we're going to hear from Leith Davis now because you spoke to him after the game as I say it's a very different chat you had with him prior to this game Derby scored the goal a lot of people go give him the captain's armband and then of course he comes out and speaks this one let's hear what you asked him and what he had to say Leith what's the message been from the manager there because he's someone who's always looking for the positives and being able to take good things out of games but it feels like today even though I know you've got those three goals it's difficult to do that on a day like today Yeah definitely I think it's big character we've got to show like I say when we went 3-2 up I think I said it before that we did start the second half really well and there was moments in the first half where we looked like a bunch of boys they wanted it more like in the first half flying into tackles and that's what we've got to be like from the start not just I've seen everyone it's got to be It's not just one certain player on the pitch, it's everyone on that pitch.

46:24There's 11 players on the pitch that have got to do the nasty side of the game. And like I say, that first half wasn't with us for the majority of the first half. It was a lot of them sliding, fighting for every ball. It looked like they wanted it a lot more on the pitch, which it should never, ever be that. For me, the heart in this group should run all over every team, do everything we can to do to fight against every other team those harsh words that you've spoken about with your teammates because you you're a leader in that group you're somebody who's been here for for ages that's something that does need to be said among you do you think well i know i know these boys uh we respect each other um we can say anything about each other they'll take it they'll take it as um it's good feedback um as also as all came off um in the change room as well and said what he needed to say and everyone just agrees with we've got to be a team uh to be a team you've got to agree with things as well and what other people say you can't you can't fight against that it's intrinsic feedback that we have to do off the pitch you need to be together as a team and see what's going wrong off the air on the pitch if you don't then we'll get nowhere yeah and that's what that's what we said in the change room I think and like I say in that first half it was they wanted to fight more than us in the first half and then I think second half the manager came in as well and said at the end of the game there, there was good moments at the second half where we did look like a threat we've obviously, they've got a good record as well defensively they don't concede a lot of goals but to come here and score three goals it was a positive but yeah, like you say, it's just the clean sheets that we need and we've had that good defensive record all year Is that still an area of improvement?

48:12Trying to scrap and fight Sheffield United to Durham, Preston, for example, games like that, is it not just a one-off maybe at this stage? It feels like it's becoming a bit of an issue in a few games. Yeah, definitely. I think obviously it's the first time in the Championship for some people. Still learning, still adapting to it as well. It might take a few seasons, could take a season to fully understand it. Let's say this and the Premier League are two of the toughest leagues in the world. it's always hard for you've seen teams come down and struggle to get back up to the Premier League because it is a very very tough league and that's the heart that you've got to show to get out of this league, you've got to fight for every first ball, second ball, whatever it's got to take on the pitch, it could be one of the rashest games you've seen but you've got to work for it, you've got to fight for it like we did Derby, we didn't give up on that game to when that whistle blew at the final whistle

49:08Ross Halls:Yes, AJ Looked like a bunch of boys Quote, Leif Davis We actually didn't discuss it about the five goals Conceded because this year This season, one of the Meanest defences in the division And then to concede five Is just Unacceptable, away from home But yeah I will admit though I don't really see much I think actually Stu asked me this Did you hear much on the pitch, there wasn't many players really standing up. I'm sure you're deflated, you're not really happy yourself, but I can't see many leaders out there. What's the problem there with the lack of leadership? I'll try and look at it both ways.

49:54I think the leadership isn't always screaming at people

49:57Ross Halls:and shouting. There's different leadership styles. Let's make this very clear. Sam Morsi set a very different bar It's not necessarily a higher bar, but a different bar to what Dario Shea did. Dario Shea is not the kind of person to scream and yell, probably go into the changing rooms and throw his boot at someone's head or something like that, whereas Sam Morsi is that, and that's absolutely fair enough, and he is probably the kind of person that if you weren't doing your job, he probably would rip your head off inside the dressing room. That is different leadership styles, and you see that throughout the country at various different clubs.

50:34So I think that you do have to go a little bit beneath the surface. And it's also difficult where we're sat here looking at it on the outside and trying to say what the differences are about leadership. Where leadership is seen on a day-to-day basis. It's seen in the dressing room. We don't see in the dressing room. It's seen on the coach. It's seen on the training ground. It's seen on a team night out. It's seen on community days or whatever. but it's all of these different things. So we can only speak so much about it. But from what I can see, yeah, I would say that there are things that do concern me, not just within Dario Shea.

51:17I think that's kind of a separate point almost, but maybe across the whole of the squad. I don't like the fact that we're talking about Azul Matasiwa being the guy who comes in and has to have a go at people and say what's not right and what has to be said over anyone else when he's only been here for a number of months. This is his first experience of English football, and I think that there are others who probably should be doing that. I think there's definite question marks about O'Shea's approach to things on the pitch where, I mean, that first goal is a great example. Don't scream at your teammates to go and get into position when you're not into position yourself.

52:03don't kind of throw your arms around when things aren't going your way. They're still to me, and maybe this is a harsh, not really an accusation, but opinion to make. There's almost an arrogance to the way that Ipswich play at times as well. I think almost kind of seeps into that leadership role and a feeling that they don't always need to show more grit and desire and heart and flying tackles and energy and intensity. because they have the better players than the opposition. That doesn't get you over the line in the championship. So those are things that concern me. Again, it's not always a case of saying X player did this, so he is a better leader than this.

52:46I know there's lots to talk about. Let's make Leif Davis captain off the back of those comments just because I asked Leif Davis about these things, and he used terms like a bunch of boys and calling it embarrassing performance or whatever the term was that he said. doesn't mean that he's a better lead than Daro Shea. It doesn't mean that Daro Shea hasn't gone into the dressing room and said those things. But I think it's fair that they're areas that fans are concerned about, for sure. They didn't have a good game either. No, but I mean, it's a very different, I'd say. It wasn't one of Leafs' better games, but I'd probably say Daro Shea is worst in an Ipswich shirt.

53:24Ross Halls:Yeah. Yeah. And, of course, the debate now is about, oh, yeah, he should not be captain anymore. But for me, you can't do that mid-season. But then it's like the question, like, can you, is a captain on Droppable? You know, like, you know, Sam Morsey, he didn't have a great game, you know, every game. He had a few, you know, poor ones throughout his time at the club. But yeah, it's an interesting one because, yeah, clubs have done it in the past. I'm sure there's different managers have done it. Sometimes backfired. But that is a debate that's going on at the moment, AJ. A lot of town fans think Dara O'Shea is not the man to wear the captain's arm band.

54:02Yeah, let's make it clear, he said for the 10th time on this podcast, Dara O'Shea will not be stripped to the captaincy. This season, I don't think he'll be stripped to the captaincy full stop. I think that there is a reason why he has been put into that position. And that's not going to change, I don't think, until the day that he leaves the club. and it also comes down to how you carry yourself off the pitch. People I've spoken to have highlighted how Daro Shea is as a person, for example, and as a leader among the other players. He's the one who's making sure that they're at their community events.

54:46He's the one who's always making time to go and talk to fans and talk to whoever. and he's the one who's approachable. He's the one who sets the standards in how to behave as an Ipswich Town player. And that's a really important thing. He's the one who's pushed players and made sure that they're attending everything because as a player, you've got a very busy life. You're training, you've got to have family time and all that. And it's important that you're giving back to the community as well. And I know how much of a face Daro Shea is in that aspect. I don't know how seriously he takes that side of the game.

55:24And that isn't the be-all and end-all of being a captain. You have to show that on the pitch as well. But I think it's important to see the other side of that, to see the peak behind the curtain in a way. Yeah, so for me, you don't change it mid-season. I think it would be terrible. I don't see him losing the captain's armband full stop at any point while he's an Ipswich Town player now that he's got it. And ultimately, just because you're the one who's got the big armband on doesn't mean that it's all your responsibility to lead the team. Other people need to step up as well. And it does feel like maybe there is a slight void in that area, not just with O'Shea, but also in midfield, in attack, those on the bench as well, who need to step up in that regard.

56:16Can you drop a captain? Yes, 100%. I think it's difficult to drop a captain for an extended period of time because at that point it's like, well, now the armband's someone else's really. But if Dara O'Shea wasn't in the starting line-up tomorrow at Watford, would I be unbelievably shocked and astonished? No. We saw that with Sam Morsey last year. There were plenty of games where he, by choice, was not in the team, even though he captained Ipswich for the majority.

56:45Ross Halls:and once again it goes down to comparing captains again or teams you know we're comparing the back to back promotion winning team and now we're comparing Sam Walsey and Dara O'Shea who are two different characters and yeah a lot of people say that's why Sam Walsey let Sam Walsey go once again he went to change his life to go to Kuwait and of course he's come back and stuff yeah I just from what I hear with Dara O'Shea stuff he does off the pitch is incredible so yeah we've just got to back this team because I'm sure if they do do what we want them to do we'll be lapping them up and we'll be like praising them forever but just at the moment we had another bad day at the office it's just annoyingly it's happening often and that consistency is not there but then we've gone on winning runs hopefully they can change that narrative again though AJ going to Watford on Tuesday who have got another new manager in charge.

57:47Ross Halls:But anything else from the Wrexham game? That was your first visit to the race course round. That was my second in the space of eight days. I have a bad feeling, though, ladies and gentlemen. I think we potentially... I'm hoping it doesn't happen, but if we do end up in the playoffs, I'll bet you we'll bloody have to go and we'll play Wrexham in a two-legged affair. Yeah. And we'll have to go back to the race course. but yeah, thoughts on your first experience there my friend? Quite like the Wrexham story, I feel like there's a lot of people that just hate, despise Wrexham, I've got a mate for example who just loathes them and I can't quite figure out why, you know what, I quite like it I quite like the documentary it was an experience going there, it's probably not one of my favourite places to go as a journalist the press box was very cramped I think it was actually, from what I've heard, more cramped than the cup game literally just shoulder to shoulder across that whole row with all the fans behind you as well.

58:44Quite noisy fans. One lady who said, well, this seat here is usually free and I put my coffee here. Can I put your coffee next to your laptop? I guess. And then having to pass her a coffee back during the game. God almighty, all of the knees were dug into my back. Did you, I didn't actually listen to last week's pod, did you mention about the slow slow motion

59:09Ross Halls:I don't know, I wasn't on the pod I know Stu would have been asked by Hefe, but I'm sure that maybe got mentioned, yeah I think I did I think I did get mentioned she is since gone I think that's just a rotation of staff members who served the food but this was a guy who had like a gold watch it looked a bit too cool for school for that role he was awesome, he was serving the food right and um we we had this kind of sweet and sour chicken with rice and this guy was it wasn't great uh and this cue was stretching miles back and he would every time someone would come up he'd pick up the little cutlery in the pot and hand it to them just because we couldn't get it ourselves obviously uh and then he'd do stretches he'd like go like turn his neck like this and he would very slowly put exact amounts of chicken and exact amounts of rice taking about a minute on each bowl to do it oh my god it was quite funny and to the point that I did get the giggles right as he was about to serve me and he did his whole neck stretching routine but yeah bits of it that I liked going to Wrexham quite a lot that I probably didn't I don't want them to get promotions at the expense of it so let's say that but I would quite like to see them do well alongside it, of course.

1:00:37Ross Halls:Yeah, I'm not against their story. I'm not like, oh, you know, Disney, Hollywood sort of story and all that, you know, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McAnally. McAnally? Matt. I like McAnally. There you go. Yeah. I'm a big fan of Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Really, really great series. I love that. But, yeah, it's just an incredible story for them to go, potentially back-to-back to back-to-back promotions, but hopefully we'll beat them to it. That is the goal for Richardstown. We can bounce back, AJ. Can they bounce back against Watford who have got another manager in charge? Will Steele's brother, Ed.

1:01:20Ross Halls:We've had two Steele brothers managing teams in the championship this year. Of course, Will Steele got sat by Southampton. Now it's Ed Steele in charge. I think didn't Will get like he decided he turned it down so they went oh i've got a brother though called ed i think there had been some interest yeah i mean this is obviously we're now on to another watford managerial cycle and it's odd because they've always been this whole season they've been around the playoff places haven't they they've always been kind of in and around there and yet they're on to their third third manager of the season um tom cleverly was sacked in may so they started of the season with Paolo Pezzolano, the Uruguayan manager.

1:02:00He lasted until October. So they went back to Javi Gracia, who got them to – he kept them in the Premier League when they were up there and also got them to the FA Cup final. And then he got axed at the start of the month. And now they've got Ed still in. I can understand it to an extent because the run at the start of this year had been pretty poor. Around kind of December time, the end of December, they had this four-match winning run. Then they got absolutely walloped 5-1 at Bristol City in the Cup. And then they hadn't won a single game under Gracia since then. Even under interim management, they didn't do that well.

1:02:37And now they've got, yeah, Ed Still has come in and he's done pretty good, I'd say. They got a decent draw at Preston. And then most recently had a really impressive, a really impressive 2-0 win home to Derby, which is good going given where Derby are at the moment. look at their squad. There's lots of quality. Imran loses the main man, given that he scored the equaliser, was the opener actually at the time, wasn't it, at Portman Road. Lots of really nice players in there. Nestoria and Kunda, Kuremgaard, the strikers, got eight this season. Otman Mama, who has been really impressive, but picked up a knock in that game against Derby.

1:03:17So I imagine he'll miss this one. Good options on the bench. Georgie Chak for Tadze. Barr who again got injured in the game against Derby so probably won't be involved tomorrow the depth is there, the technical quality is there I'm not sure what to think about the managerial appointment though given that his whole history has been as a manager in Belgium at Charleroi at Kass Open, at Kortrijk and at Anderlecht as an interim spell, he's been assistant with his brother Lons in France and he's also been an assistant out in China, but as Will still found out at Southampton, coming in and managing in the championship is a whole different kettle of fish.

1:03:57So interested to see how they get on in the long run and absolutely no clue what to expect from Watford tomorrow, apart from maybe a rough idea of who you might start.

1:04:05Ross Halls:Yeah, because they're ninth in the table, only three points off the playoffs. So, you know, this will be, yeah, it will be a tough game. Rickards Road can be a tough place to go. Of course, we've got great memories the last time, once again, comparing the teams again. But, you know, the Sam Morsey winner there at Vickers Roads, really good win that one. I remember it was like rain, it really like pouring it down in rain. But I was like, just, I didn't care because Sam Morsey picked up the ball and scored the winner right in front of the town fans. But yeah, I don't know, my friend. I've got a few stats actually to throw at you because I've just found.

1:04:43Ross Halls:So yeah, Robson brings some stats. So, fun little fact. Watford are winless in their past five league games against town. Drawn two, lost three. Because normally we actually had a bad record at Watford as well. But we've won three of our past visits to a kid's road and losing one of those. So, yeah. But big talking point, though. AJ is the team. How many changes do you think McKenna will? will McKenna go out of nowhere and just... Like Christian Watt, there's been a few people thinking maybe Christian Watt should be dropped. Alex Palmer bringing back his number one. Maybe the defence, shake the defence up a little bit.

1:05:27Ross Halls:You know, midfield, forward line, you know, you've got to start Ivan Azonga, he just scored a goal. Nunes, is he ready to start now? What's your thinking? I'll give you a stat as well, where we're at it, before I go into the team, because it links back to a conversation we've had. Watford leads the championship in points recovered from losing positions 25 points this season something that Ipswich of course have really really struggled with since winning promotion from the championship last time and Town of course haven't kept a clean sheet in the last four games either let's go through and have a think about the team Walton will start in goal I don't understand even though it wasn't his best game you don't just say oh well you've been subpar in one match out you go Alex Palmer was back in.

1:06:12I cannot see that. Darnell Furlong at right back, given that Ben Johnson didn't even make the bench in the last game. Davis at left back, keeping O'Shea in. I'm going to put him alongside Jacob Greaves, I think, for this one. I think something needs to change at the back after conceding five goals. I think the easiest change to make would be swapping one of the centre-backs around. Harsh after he scored that belter, but I wasn't really too sold on his defensive display. Matasiwa continues. he's got six games to go to tread that yellow card tightrope doing incredibly well by the way sam morsey levels as well um alongside him i think it'll be dan neal um need to get him his first league start at some point i don't think it's a jens kjuster game and jack taylor i know did good stuff in the build-up to the goals but was not good enough for me uh against wrexham um as on to lead the line.

1:07:08And then there's a few more question marks kind of behind that. Burns won't go again, I don't think, given that he's only just come back from an injury and obviously has had that long-term ACL issue beforehand. So I think there'll be a change on the right. I could see it being Casey McAteer, but Sindra Waller again, he just isn't playing at the moment and he needs those minutes. He's cost£17.5 million. And with a player like him, he needs minutes to adapt. to the level. So he would start for me on the right. Mixing it up a little bit. Marcelino Nunez is good to start. Jeremy Kenner confirmed that in his press conference after the game against Wrexham.

1:07:47So I'd expect to see him starting in the number 10. And that would allow Jack Clark to have a rest. Because I think he needs a rest. Because Jadon Villagin, I don't think, will be back for this one. And Jack Clark is tired. He looks knackered. He looks shattered against Wrexham. Didn't have any of that spark we've seen for him before. So I put Anis Mometi onto the left flank for this game.

1:08:10Ross Halls:Nice one. Going back with the Christian Walton discussion about people saying he should be dropped. He didn't get helped by his defence against Wrexham. No, no. So yeah, maybe the first goal maybe he shouldn't have been beaten at his far post. But yeah, the others in the post, sorry, my bad. Yeah, his defence didn't help him out there. So yeah, I wouldn't drop him just yet if he has maybe a few other bad games and maybe a debate can be had. AJ, some more stats just found when you were chatting. I meant to bring this up earlier. It's actually about midweek football for Watford and Itchwich. So Watford are unbeaten in their past 10 midweek games.

1:08:53Ross Halls:Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. Four wins, six draws. Then Itchwich have lost just one of their past nine midweek games. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, of course. Won five, drawn three. Of course, that one defeat was the Charlton game at home in October. So both teams pretty good. So that leads us to predictions. Obviously, all of us got it completely wrong against Wrexham. Stu got some goal scorer points. He did. He did. So he's now, I think, three points away from you. He's so far away from me. I need to now be more... 12, I think. yeah not good I need to be more strategic with my predictions now I need to be a bit more smarter do you know what the way I'm thinking though this game could go I think it'd just be the reversed scoreline it would just be 1-1 just like the Portman Road game so I'm just going to yeah I want to go 1-1 I don't know if I've took your prediction or not no you haven't I'm going to go 1-1 and I'm having a little think of my first goal scorer so as I think about that, I'm going to ask you more prediction and we'll do our first goal scorer together.

1:10:03Sounds good. Ipswich aren't bad at bouncing back. That is one positive I can take from when they've lost before. The double defeat to Borough and Charlton, they went on a decent run where they won four of six after that one, keeping a handful of clean sheets. They lost to Oxford and drew Blackburn and then they responded with two wins, one of them against League Leaders Coventry. lost to Leicester. They responded with that pretty lengthy unbeaten run where they won six or seven, I believe. The only game they didn't manage to win was that Boxing Day stalemate at Millwall. They have won only one of their last five and now it's time to show that resilience again that they have shown previously in the season and I'll back them to do it.

1:10:50I don't think it's going to be a hugely convincing win, but I think they'll have enough in the tank to go to Watford and get three points. A Watford team that have shown improvements, but still are not 100 % there, I don't think, off the back of a difficult run that they had under Gracia, an interim manager, Charlie Daniels. So I'll go for them to win the game 2-1. First goal scorer. I'm going back to my roots of picking him every single week, now that he's fit again. Marcelino Nunez. I'm so sorry, Ross. You can pick him as well. You can pick him as well.

1:11:28Ross Halls:Oh, no, I just feel like I'm just copying that, you know. But you didn't copy me because I knew as soon as I said that and looking at your reaction that I'd taken him. I'm sorry. That's fine. Do I just go rogue and just hope for the best? The reason why I went for Nunes is because he's already scored against Watford this season for Norwich when he went to Vickers Road when they won 2-1. it was a League Cup game but it's still a goal against them because I just I can't think of anybody else if he does start again could he go and score against them Anis yeah but then is he going to start

1:12:14Ross Halls:Daniel if he starts he scores a goal there's a score of many but set piece goal maybe you've actually now annoyed me AJ I'm so sorry

1:12:31Ross Halls:do I just back O'Shea why not he's got a lot of flack recently he goes and scores a pull header and yeah he puts his fingers in his ears and does that AJ or do I just back Jack Clark I'll just get in there early I'm going to go with Nunes as well I don't care I'm mainly chasing I'm actually more chasing Heath at the moment Oh no, you and Heath are both on the same points Oh, that's depressing Yeah, sorry mate I may change my mind This is not locked in just yet We're going to recall the boot room So go and listen to the boot room Where Ross will actually finally decide Who he thinks will be a first goal scorer there's your perfect hook, there's your teeth we are about to go and record it yeah go and find out which player no, are you going for it now?

1:13:31Ross Halls:I'm doing a back-to-back games goal, come on lad he's locked in, he thinks, but has he actually? go and listen to the boot room to find out if that actually is Ross's prediction or not yeah, sorry guys, I'm sorry you know me, I just flip flap everywhere sometimes but yeah we shall see AJ going to Vickers Road I remember the press room is just just lit with all Elton John images just everywhere it's alright yeah we like Elton John he's alright yeah yeah yeah but it's just honestly like we I think there's one or two pictures of Ed Sheeran at Porton Road but Elton John is everywhere honestly in the press room every picture is Elton John but yeah anywho my friend any other business as we wrap off this mammoth two-man pod.

1:14:19Ross Halls:We've gone through a lot, some bad things. But yeah, any other business my friend? I remember the last game at Watford as well when Ed Sheeran was still a home and away fan at that point and he was in the box with Elton John, wasn't he, for that game? I think they were watching it together. I think you tried to get some photos of him couldn't quite get there but uh i think the sky cameras picked it up that day so who knows maybe maybe uh elton will be there and will be joined by by ed again um probably not i'm sure ed's touring i think he's in australia good old joe doggett who's a caraway listener in australia now i think he was at one of his concerts recently yet he was wearing his kings of anglia hat oh we love that big shout out to joe um biggest shout out to a merch store as well if you want to get some Kings of Anglia merch you can get.

1:15:17Ross Halls:Go check it out. Go to Booty, shirts, mugs, all the other bits and bobs you can get. And that's a good opportunity. Come find us and we'll sign it. We'll sign it for you. If you bring your merch and give us a pen, we'll sign your KLA merch. Indeed. But yeah, check it out if you haven't already. And also, KLA Live. Tickets are on sale. We would love to see you at the Baths. And it's April 18th after the Borough game. we hope it doesn't get moved but it's going to be a great night cannot wait to see you all there we had a fantastic night in was it March or April 2025 after the Night in Forest game we lost but it was a great sort of night bringing the community together so make sure to get your tickets it's going to be a really really good event to chat all things town with us also check out our sponsor our main sponsor Starlight Spirits is still there bringing us a nice code So check them out, KOA.

1:16:14Ross Halls:I think it's 20 % off. But Molecular is our main sponsor right now. UK, use the code KOA10. They'll get all your cleaning products for your car and all that jazz. One day, maybe I will be able to get that. I think last week, I think we tricked the listeners a little bit, AJ, because Hefe said, I had a life-changing moment. And I think a lot of people were like thinking, Ross has finally done it. He's finally passed his driving test or theory test. and then out of nowhere it's me just saying oh no i like carrot cake now or i said fruit cake first and i went carrot cake when's the next one not not carrot cake when's the next theory test are we doing another one um i am gonna hopefully get the theory test booked in um but once again i want to be prepared i've had a lot obviously been very busy with a lot of travel with games also you know bought a new house so i've been very yeah that's fair enough um you can get mick mills to test you in the car tomorrow.

1:17:12Ross Halls:Yes. Yeah, big shout-out to Mick Mills. Be travelling with him to Watford. And, yeah, maybe he can help me with my theory test, potentially. Talking about captains. Good old Mick Mills. But, yeah, we shall see. If you are going to the game, enjoy it. Safe travels. Hopefully, we'll be celebrating three points. If not, throw the coverage with us. We'll be there as standard. But thanks again for listening to another Kings of Anglia History Town podcast. Hopefully, it wasn't as depressing as it could have been. I think we tried our best to balance it out, as we do on here, with a bit of nonsense as well.

1:17:45Ross Halls:But yeah, we'll be back, of course, to break down the Watford game, hopefully discussing a win. We shall see. Thanks again for watching and listening. Bye for now.

1:18:09Thank you.

1:18:40Thank you.

1:19:28We'll be right back.

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