Mike Dowling
Hello and welcome to a different episode of Sutton United Talk Time on Podcast. I'm your host, so that's used very loosely, Mike, and we're an association for Lucky Star Gym. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to organize this week, so very, very kindly, Finlay and Jenny have both given us their views, and you'll hear from them shortly. Don't forget, like, share this episode.
Mike Dowling
Definitely tell me what you think about just people talking to camera, because that might be much easier for me. But yeah, share us like on social medias at Sutton Podcast and thank you to everyone who does that on a regular basis. Yeah, here's Finlay to start.
Finlay
And breathe. Wow. Good evening, everybody. Hello, Mike.
Finlay
Hope everybody is well. As I'm sure everyone saw, Mike unfortunately can't do a podcast this evening, so he asked me just to jump on and give you some of my thoughts on yesterday. I think if someone was to ask you to define a perfect, entertaining FA Cup tie, I think looking at Sutton versus Farnham is probably a pretty good place to start. It was a brilliant game yesterday.
Finlay
I've taken some strepsils, I've looked over my commentary notes, I've composed myself because my mind went blank after the game. It feels like such a blur. Everything was going on. There was so much adrenaline, so much tension, so much excitement, so much running.
Finlay
Yeah, it was a fantastic game of football. Line-up-wise, Farnham made two changes. Sutton, we made three. Nadesan, Ogbonna, Tisard dropping to the bench.
Finlay
I expect us to make changes. A quick turnaround from Saturday to Tuesday. Even at Premier League level, you don't expect teams to stay unchanged, especially with Chris saying that there were players that had cramp. Bono did take a knock on the aftermath of a challenge, so definitely wasn't expecting him to start.
Finlay
It was good to see that he was at least in the squad because the impact that he had was invaluable, which I'll get on to in a minute. Benching headache, which I know myself, Andrew and Mike were all talking about. Would it be in Juku? Would it be in Addison?
Finlay
Chris went with Nduku, which I do think is the right decision. Nduku, I think he's just in a better state of mind mentally on the football pitch. A goal and an assist on Saturday, four goals this season. He's looking really energetic, he's looking in real confidence and that's what you want.
Finlay
A striker starting in a big game, in an FA Cup replay, you want the striker to be in form. And unfortunately for Nadesan, at this current moment in time, isn't him. But I do think Nadesan being benched could actually be a really big positive because for him personally, it might be at the start, oh, you know, I'm not scoring the goals. I'm not doing what I was doing in pre-season.
Finlay
I've been brought in to put the ball in the back of the net and it's not happening. So from that perspective, you can think, ah, his confidence is just going to keep on going down. But on the flip side of that, it could be a bit of a wake-up call, thinking, I wasn't scoring, but I was still playing. Now I'm benched in an FA Cup replay.
Finlay
I've got to start scoring some goals, I've got to start making something happen. And he came off the bench and boy, he did just that. Personally, I thought that was his best performance of the season. He came on and He really flourished in that wide position.
Finlay
Whenever Simpa or Mo got it out to him on the wide flank on the right, kind of inside the penalty area, he put four or five fantastic balls in across the 18-yard box. Aaron Jones nearly had one. His shot obviously just went wide. I think definitely from the gantry and a TV perspective, it looks like an easier chance than what it was.
Finlay
Obviously Jones, he's running onto it and he ended up in the crowd. So, you know, he's running onto it with full swing. It's a bit of a tight angle as well. Similar to the one Nadesan had against the Oval a couple of weeks ago, wasn't it?
Finlay
Which was a fantastic save by their keeper. But Nadesan thought really, really good since coming when he came on and he set up Will Tizard And the story of the season for Sutton really has been... Whether we just score and get back in the game, or we get something from the game, it's all stemmed from the bench. And yesterday, Ogbonna, goal, and what assist for Simpa?
Finlay
Nadesan assist for Tisard. And Will Tisard getting the goal. And if you look at that bench of Nadesan, Tisard, Ogbonna, Eccleston, and you said to me, right, one of them is going to come off the bench and score. I wouldn't have said Will Tisard, but brilliant.
Finlay
Really pleased for Tisard, obviously coming back from injury as well. Really, really pleased for him. 120th minute, there's no better time, no better feeling in front of the home end to score the winner. Mo Dabre coming in.
Finlay
I said on Sunday, actually, I really want him to start. I remember Steve said when he first got his first minutes against Rochdale, he's one of those players that he gives 100% every game. And that's something that you can't coach. You've either got it or you haven't, which makes Mo such a valuable member of the Sutton squad.
Finlay
And he was brilliant. He was kind of picked the ball up where deep, where Phipps was kind of playing on Saturday, and he just drove forward 15, 20, 25 yards, went forward. He had a couple of shots straight at the goalkeeper or laid it off to Boutin or Simpa or Jones on the right to try and make something happen. So he was brilliant.
Finlay
Boutin, we said again on Sunday, without Vincent or Boonton on the left flank was probably why Owen Dean had a field day. So, despite no Boonton being a wing back, there's still that proper defensive cover which Sean, because when Farnham got it back and it was Mason, whether it was Mason or Owen Dean or Jack Dean or Sanders or McKenzie trying to get Farnham forward, Boonton was there to be that extra cover. And he was brilliant.
Finlay
He got him behind. Nearly set up Jane Harris in the first half, a good ball across. Harris couldn't quite reach it. And the three goals that Sutton scored.
Finlay
Brilliant. Lewis Simpert, probably the pick of the bunch. Brilliant. Top right corner, Ogbonna equally as good.
Finlay
His drive, his pace to just evade the challenges of Mason and Ryan Kinane and Jackson to get in behind. He was brilliant. And Tisard's goal. Absolute bedlam.
Finlay
Brilliant. I have seen comments though, and this is what's quite interesting, to say that the better team might have lost. I do agree to some extent. Farnham could have been 2-3-0 up going into halftime.
Finlay
It was a brilliantly well taken goal by Bobby Joe Taylor. Taylor was then set away again in behind and he hit the post. But I think David did quite well to kind of make himself big and narrow the angle. Darryl Sanders as well, edge of the box, curled his shot, hit the post.
Finlay
Looks like it was going in the top right corner. And unfortunately in football, the line is, if you don't take your chances, it will come back to bite you. And for Farnham, unfortunately, for them it did. But Sutton again, like we said, the spirit, the togetherness to come back three times.
Finlay
And they did it again yesterday in front of their home fans as well, which really there's more pressure to perform. But yeah, it took five attempts, but Sutton finally took the lead. And I think we were all expecting a very different game of football of one which Sutton would dominate and Farnham would just be penned in for 90 minutes. But Farnham, it was still the beautiful game of a counter-attacking football and they looked so dangerous on the break.
Finlay
And I'm gutted they're out from the perspective of I've really enjoyed watching them. They're a really good, exciting team. But Brilliant, brilliant decisions made by Chris throughout the whole game. Even with Ogbonna, when he first came on, he stassed on the left.
Finlay
He was then juxtaposed to the right-hand side, and him against Mason was a fantastic battle. But as the minutes went on, fatigue of Bonner was able to have more freedom, and he was brilliant. Nadesan great, Charlie Bell coming on as well, really good, kind of covering that Mo Dabre role. And yeah, credit to Farnham, thought they were absolutely excellent.
Finlay
you know, away from farm, they were brilliant. And it was another point, looking at the draw, Telford at Home, for Sutton, you might wonder with motivation, you know last year it was Birmingham at home in round one and you know all of a sudden context wise it's like championship side at home wow you know this is a team that are now what now dominating Well, they're having a really good season in the Championship. Sorry, they're in League One last season.
Finlay
What am I talking about? A team that were promoted to the Championship. It's been a long day. But no, Telford, you might have thought maybe Farnham might have a little bit more motivation for the tie because for Farnham, it's still a team above them in the National League North.
Finlay
But Telford are a team not to be underestimated at all. Put six past Darlington. in the fourth qualifying round, beat Kidderminster as well, 3-1. I think they beat Dorchester as well, so they've had to play some good teams and they've got some very good results and they've scored goals.
Finlay
And yeah, it was a brilliant game yesterday. and Hartlepool next for Sutton on Saturday. They're teasing us though, the TV cameras, 5.30 kick-off, so you just know Saturday's going to drag. But I think I mentioned on Sunday, Hartlepool also had a replay and there was a cup upset, they lost 3-1 against Gainsborough, so from a morale perspective, Sutton edge Hartlepool.
Finlay
And luckily, despite Sutton going to extra time and playing that additional half an hour, Hartlepool have also had to be forced to play another 90 minutes. So Sutton, I do think, three unbeaten now under Chris, six goals scored, clean sheet, one clean sheet. Yeah, Sutton, I think it really could be a turning point in this. And Chris, I think he said on social media and in his interview, really praised the fans yesterday.
Finlay
And he said it was no coincidence that all three goals were scored in front of the home end. The fans were great. And even speaking to Chris personally after the game, he's loving it. He really is enjoying his time here.
Finlay
He's loving the fans. He's loving the staff. And small things like that is a big building block for success. And there's one final thing I was going to say.
Finlay
David Azaya, we spoke about how impactful he was on Saturday and yesterday, yeah, nothing you could do about the first goal. The second goal, he didn't command his area to the knowledge and the expectation that we expect of him and that he is capable of. But it's one thing a goalkeeper making a mistake, But then it's another thing, you know, being able to capitalise and Farnham did that well with Ovendean. But Farnham, absolutely brilliant.
Finlay
But Sutton, we scored more good free goals. Nadersen, Simpa, Ogbonna, Tisard, Moe, pick any player on the pitch and they had an impactful performance. So it was Hartlepool next. And yeah, so Mike, I hope that's okay.
Finlay
And yeah, we're into round one and only a couple of weeks away now from Telford, I think the 1st of November. So Mike, have a good evening. Hope this is okay. Cheers.
Jenny
So what have I got to say about Tuesday? Well, firstly, Farnham, excellent side, well-organised, fit. I thought they were getting a bit leggy in the extra time period, but I thought they were good all round. They're a good side.
Jenny
And whether they're playing above themselves because it was the FA Cup and they raised their game, I don't know. They look a good side. Great away support as well. Our team.
Jenny
Yeah, they started well. We didn't let a goal in in the first five minutes, which I was really pleased about. When we play up from the back, I just feel, I don't know if that's right, we seem to hold on to the ball a little bit too long. If we play up from the back, don't dilly-dally with it because the opposition get time to move back, get into their defensive positions, set up nicely.
Jenny
We can't get through. I'm not complaining about that, but as soon as the ball's rolled out to the player, be a little bit snappy. We see in the warmups, they must do it in training, but when we're on the pitch, when we're in a match, they just seem to slow it down. Again, I put that down to lack of confidence and not wanting to do it wrong, lose the ball.
Jenny
But invariably we often did. Up front, We had some brilliant movement in that here at Egbona, the players down the wings. I'd have loved to have seen Dylan play, but obviously he was on international duty. But when we crossed the ball, often, you know, we got no one to tap it in.
Jenny
We haven't got a poacher and we need a poacher. But what I will say is, you know, really pleased for the manager. First game at home, first win for him. in all competitions.
Jenny
And it was the first win for me. I wasn't there when we beat Carlisle. So it's the first time I've seen us win this season. And it was a relief.
Jenny
Simpa's goal, having been sitting behind in that stand, absolutely awesome. Brilliant. You know, let's have some more. Come on, lads.
Jenny
Hopefully that's built their confidence up. They're not a bad side. You know, just a few more matches. Few more goals.
Jenny
Hopefully the extra time hasn't taken too much out their legs. Let's go again against Hartlepool and let's get a league win that I can see, but also that we can start moving up the table. So it's not all bad, but it's lots still left to do, but let's go for it. So good luck for Saturday and well done.
Jenny
First round of the FA Cup.
Mike Dowling
Okay and that's it. Thank you very very much to both Jenny and Finlay for all their thoughts and their opinions and helping me out. We're back again after the Hartlepool match where you'll hear me waffling on a bit. For the predictions, obviously I didn't ask those guys to put them in, but for the predictions the AI has gone for 1-0 to Sutton with Brandon to score and I'm going to go a little bit more exciting and I'm going to say it's going to be 3-1 and
Mike Dowling
who am I going to pick? I'll tell you what I will pick or David, David O'Connor to score first. So that's another episode of Sutton United Talk Time Podcast done. Let us know your thoughts, get your messages in, share on social media and yeah, in association with Lucky Star Gin and thank you to Jenny and Finney.
Mike Dowling
I know I've said that lots but I really do mean it. Take care and we'll catch up soon.
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