How do you transform defensive woes into defensive dominance? That’s the question we tackled in this week’s episode of Sutton United Talk Time on Podcast, joined by the insightful trio of Andy, Rory, and Toby. With Sutton United’s recent run of clean sheets taking centre stage, we explored the evolving resilience that’s shaping the season.
01:01 - 01:37
Sutton Podcast: Hello and welcome to another episode of Sutton United Talktime on podcast. It's the Sutton podcast and we are an association with Lucky Star Gin as usual. I'm your host Mike and on the panel today we have got Andy, Worry and Toby. And Toby is going to be checking his tennis work. He's got his stature on, he's going to football in a bit but we'll get some information from him. We're going to be covering the match that did actually expectations of it not. And a great 0-0 draw, I think. We've kind of all agreed. It might not
01:37 - 02:12
Sutton Podcast: seem so great to the 30-odd there, and well done to everyone. But in hindsight, I think you mentioned earlier, Rory, it looks good. And we're going to look forward to altering them on Saturday. Seems the players are all going, have gone up, come down, going up. Who knows where they're staying at the moment. We love hearing from you. Do join in the conversations. Give us the likes, retweets, shares, all the other bits and pieces. I really, really do enjoy it and it does help other people suffer as well. So Andy thank you for approaching me on
02:12 - 02:18
Sutton Podcast: Saturday going do you need anyone? I went yes on Tuesday. How have you been?
02:18 - 02:21
Andy: I've been very well thank you. How have you been?
02:21 - 02:24
Sutton Podcast: I've been very good thank you. Always very good me.
02:24 - 02:25
Andy: Good.
02:25 - 02:30
Sutton Podcast: And Rory, been a little while we've had a couple hit misses for you but how have you been?
02:31 - 02:33
Rory: We have yeah all good thanks Mike yeah.
02:33 - 02:37
Sutton Podcast: Excellent and Toby first time on. How are you?
02:38 - 02:39
Toby: All right thanks.
02:39 - 02:55
Sutton Podcast: Good good good. So the knowing me, knowing you question. I think I can't
02:55 - 02:56
Speaker 7: remember, I
02:56 - 03:05
Sutton Podcast: didn't write this bit down. It was what opponent do you most dislike or hate? I can't remember how I worded it but which opponent is your least favorite?
03:05 - 03:07
Andy: My least favorite opponent and why?
03:07 - 03:12
Sutton Podcast: Yeah, so Andy, which is your least favorite opponent and why?
03:13 - 03:52
Andy: There were 2 contenders for this And 1 on logic kind of kind of took took the winnings place, but this the second worst is Borenwood Because they have no fans The location has bizarre microclimate Where 1 game for example, I think about 15 years ago, we got off at the station, it was raining. And if you know Borenwood, you've got 1 end of the high street is the station, the other end is ground. By the time we'd got from the station to the ground, it was heavy snow. And the game was called off at 7.40 on
03:52 - 04:04
Andy: a 7.45 kickoff. Another 1, another game we had there where it was kind of, there was like fog at the game, but only in certain patches on the pitch. Very strange. But yeah.
04:04 - 04:10
Sutton Podcast: The travel from there is just always, always travel problems. Yeah. Always.
04:12 - 04:51
Andy: But it's kind of like, I don't, I don't dislike them quite as much as my number 1, because we do actually sometimes win there. My number 1, I think, is Eastley. It's a soulless ground with some quite nasty supporters. We never win there. Even just going there is a depressing experience. Yeah. Kind of like a village team that really ended up by accident in the conference because they had a lot of money from an insurance guy who decided to then try and invest in Sunderland. And that didn't really work out for him either. So he went
04:51 - 05:06
Andy: back to Eastley. So for me, they're kind of a team that really are they still there? So luckily, I mean, through circumstances, you're my control actually missed the way going there this season. I know I wasn't upset. So, yes, easily someone for
05:06 - 05:11
Sutton Podcast: me. Excellent. Rory, who's your least favourite and why?
05:11 - 05:41
Rory: I think probably 2 probably Bromley I've never liked going to Bromley I don't know just because I don't like Bromley as a place particularly and it wasn't a great ground and I don't really remember us winning there very much. So Bromley would be 1 and then probably Kingstonian would be another I have terrible memories about. I think I was on holiday when I was 14 or 15 or something and I came all the way back from Norfolk to watch us in the second leg in the FA trophy semi-final where I think we drew the first leg
05:41 - 05:51
Rory: 0-0 and then we got batting fine. Yeah, and I've always gone to Kingston ever since, I know they're pretty rubbish now but yeah, Bromley and Kingstonian for me.
05:51 - 05:55
Sutton Podcast: Fair enough and Toby do you have a most disliked opponent?
06:01 - 06:08
Toby: It's quite a big ground in the supporters are a bit, and yeah that's really annoying.
06:10 - 06:12
Rory: That's true yeah, their drum was annoying.
06:14 - 06:16
Toby: And we don't really win there much, no offense.
06:18 - 06:50
Sutton Podcast: Okay, well let us know your thoughts, Everyone except Jenny, you don't really need to tell me you don't like swimming, Jenny, everybody knows that. Yes, your thoughts, and let us know which is the club you most actively dislike and why. And all opponents actually not just club. So, Rory, what did you think of the lineup? Few changes, obviously we're trying to keep the squad fresh. Some of it may have been forced upon us, But what did you think of the line up and what was your expectations of the game yesterday?
06:51 - 07:22
Rory: I think I was quite, yeah, I was quite optimistic having won 4 and well, 4 out of 5. They just lost the last 4, I think. So I was reasonably optimistic. I thought the line up looked good. I think a little bit disappointed that Will Davis obviously had a knock and wasn't there I think we probably missed him up front I'd say and I know Toby was disappointed that De Silva wasn't on and but overall yeah I thought it looked like a good line-up. Obviously disappointed about Josh as well, not being on. But it looks a
07:22 - 07:27
Rory: pretty, yeah, a pretty attacking kind of line-up as well, wingbacks and all that. So yeah, I was reasonably optimistic.
07:27 - 07:51
Sutton Podcast: Yeah, I mean, Will is possibly having that little moment where we had with Omar a couple of seasons ago where everyone kind of gets on his back he's not doing this he's not doing that and then he's out for a game or 2 and everyone suddenly realises hang on this is what he does okay right that's why we need him in the side but Toby what do you think I know De Silva wasn't in the team But what did you think of the lineup and what were your hopes at a game?
07:53 - 08:10
Toby: I think Nana did all right when he came on But I felt like Yeah, No offense. What was it? Who was up front that missed in the first half? Madison was that good But apart from that was all right Simba did well
08:14 - 08:25
Sutton Podcast: I'll look forward to telling that isn't Andy what was your Expectations going to match and would you kind of think of the lineup?
08:25 - 08:54
Andy: Well, the expectation for me, it was kind of like, are we going to do what we did on Saturday and switch off for 20 minutes and allow them to score 3 goals. But I was less worried about that, bearing in mind all of the games before that. I think that was just more of an aberration. So I thought, yeah, we can keep it tight at the back here. And it really depends on how we go forward. Yeah, we've probably not got the strongest strike force at the moment. And Halifax are very good at defending. So yeah,
08:54 - 09:25
Andy: I was like, well, maybe we can nick this 1 now, but I can't see us getting talked. In terms of the lineup. Yeah, it looks absolutely fine. To be to be totally honest with you. I'm still getting used to all the new names You know, I I ain't young anymore and I ain't as agile in the brain. So It's it's kind of like oh, okay. He's fine. Yeah, fine. Yeah. Yeah, fine. Yeah. Yeah So, I didn't really take a huge amount of notice of the lineup, but I just thought with this team We don't necessarily it's
09:26 - 10:03
Andy: Sometimes sometimes you have teams who you will pick a certain side to face a certain opponent. We don't have that. What we have is we have a way of playing certain opponents slightly differently, depending on the opponent, but it's more of a case of players adjust to that way of playing rather than the formation or the lineup adjusted to the players. It's kind of is that sort of mentality. So a lot of them are quite interchangeable. So the lineup itself is not like maybe so and so should be playing instead of so and so it's kind
10:03 - 10:04
Andy: of like yeah it'll work.
10:06 - 10:42
Sutton Podcast: I said that a few or similar a few weeks ago when you're looking at the bench and you're thinking there's a case for every single 1 of those players starting let alone in the squad so yeah we're in a really good place but you mentioned just defensive Andy because obviously the cup game doesn't matter in the cup you want exciting big big scoring matches that draws people in I'm not accepting we defend it was a part of a propaganda. But what do you think about this sort of stinginess, well someone said it to me, of our
10:42 - 10:47
Sutton Podcast: defence all of a sudden. It was like we said they're making this fake.
10:48 - 11:19
Andy: Yeah I've been harping on about our defense because people are saying, oh, we need to know we need to just, you know, 2020 season goal scorer. But I'm saying our goal scoring isn't really a problem. It's our defense. It's a problem. There are so many points we have dropped because we couldn't hold onto a lead. For a screen at home earlier this season, Rochdale away, York at home, all of these, yeah, we should have come away with more than we did get. And that was because our defense switched off. And then there were other games like,
11:19 - 11:54
Andy: I mean, Dagnam away, particularly where our defense was just completely absent. Things were not turned up. So it's kind of like, well, yeah, defense for me is the thing that really needs the, really needs the attention. And it's pretty obvious that it's got that attention. Steve probably sees, yeah, this is a problem. And as a result, we've just gone completely the other way and just be utterly frugal. I think I mentioned on the forum earlier, I think, before this kind of little run started, Braintree, we were I think 17th or 18th in the defence table from
11:54 - 12:25
Andy: best to worst. We've now gone up to 10th. So we've made huge improvements. And it doesn't matter if we're not scoring 456 goals at the other end. It's about keeping that clean sheet because without a clean sheet you're not going to get anything. So, yeah, I think they've obviously, it's pretty obvious on the pitch, they've really, really worked at that. And As a result, you're seeing some of our defenders really starting to come into their own. And Steve's point about these players don't have a ceiling, or the team doesn't have a ceiling. I think when you
12:25 - 12:48
Andy: look at players like Charlie Waller yesterday, who earlier in the season was, I would say he was struggling. I think he was really lacking confidence. He was superlative yesterday. Absolutely fantastic. So I think it's a case of, again, I'm going to say this probably every time we speak on the podcast this year, This team is getting better and better and better with every game.
12:49 - 13:19
Sutton Podcast: Yeah. I mean, Roy, you were nodding along. What are you thinking about our sudden switch around? I mean, what, what, what's that now? That's in the league, that's 4 clean sheets in a row. And that strange trophy, suddenly that's, that's 5 clean sheets out of 6 with just like those last 6 games we considered 3 goals and that was all in 1 game and so what were you thinking about what's changed for you is it literally the confidence just the lack of individual mistakes?
13:21 - 13:54
Rory: Yeah I completely agree and I think yeah and Andy made this point even before the game started last night actually about the defense so kind of called it yeah In contrast to the last game we went to was Hartlepool away but obviously we were well in control for 20 minutes and then threw it away through poor defending second half. It's such a contrast to last night. Last night we looked solid, we looked comfortable on the ball. I think there might be something about, I think Barbrook was immense last night, I think that kind of holding midfield,
13:54 - 14:16
Rory: giving that kind of protection to the back 3, I think it was last night, made a real difference. So I think it's yeah, like you say, I think it's probably growing in confidence. Playing Yeah, and seemed really kind of comfortable playing out from the back as well, which we were saying before we we joined, it's such a difference to the Mac Gray era.
14:16 - 14:17
Sutton Podcast: Oh no,
14:19 - 14:48
Rory: I can't quite get used to it when they're kind of passing it around in the penalty area. They all seem really comfortable, really comfortable and like you said before they could fit in any any kind of position and you don't really worry now about them kind of losing the ball in their in their own half they just seem a lot more comfortable and I guess it's because of the youth as well I think I was reading something I think maybe the program last night which said us and Halifax were the youngest teams in the National League.
14:48 - 14:54
Rory: So just as Steve said, I think, yeah, team doesn't really have a ceiling. I can keep on progressing.
14:55 - 15:07
Sutton Podcast: Yeah, I mean, we're definitely certainly 1 of the youngest and it is, yeah, it's the little change has been if we let in 1, it doesn't automatically mean we're going to let in another. They've just got this new sort of resilience of, okay, we're
15:07 - 15:08
Andy: so last season.
15:08 - 15:23
Sutton Podcast: Yeah, we screwed up now. We'll move on. I mean, Toby, what do you think? What do you think If your last game was Hartlepool where we were just kind of handing them goals and then last night where we were just stopping everything What do you think is the difference?
15:24 - 15:39
Toby: I just think I don't know. I just think we we played well We played a bit solid a bit more solid, but I think we could have used a bit more of our chances like took our chances a bit more. But apart from that, I think we did all right.
15:39 - 15:46
Sutton Podcast: Yeah. Yeah. Well, Rory, I mean, it's a point on the road, but We haven't won in 2.
15:48 - 15:50
Rory: Look on the bright
15:51 - 16:09
Sutton Podcast: side. I mean, always when you go and watch a 0-0 and you're nearer than a lot of the people that travel, but you go all the way to watch it and there's a 0-0 to come out the other side. Possibly people think a little bit like, oh, last night, but in hindsight, what do you think of the point of the way it had effects?
16:10 - 16:39
Rory: Yeah, I was told, I suppose I felt after the first half, I thought we could have taken some of those chances in the first half. So yeah, at half time I thought second half we're going to win this, but it didn't quite work out like that. But I guess if you take a step back, I was listening to Steve's interview this morning where he was clearly delighted with a point. And I think when you take a step back, a point against a team that were tenth in the league is a tough place to go. A long
16:39 - 16:53
Rory: way to go on a Tuesday night as well. A few players injured. I think I would have definitely taken a point before the game. It was just that we started really well, if we'd have kept that momentum going, it just seemed to ease off
16:53 - 16:54
Speaker 7: a
16:54 - 16:59
Rory: bit in the second half for whatever reason. But yeah, definitely pleased with the point and the clean sheet.
17:04 - 17:08
Sutton Podcast: Absolutely. She's got to stop waving around. I'll flash the microphone there. Andy,
17:08 - 17:19
Andy: what would you do for of the the long way to go for a point? I I for a new I really enjoyed the game. It was I mean the first half we we were dominating. I don't think there's any doubt about that. We were playing like the
17:21 - 17:21
Speaker 7: home side.
17:21 - 17:36
Andy: I think they looked a bit nervous. I mean, Nads had that really good chance about 10 minutes in, which for some reason didn't make the highlights. I don't know who edits these things, but There's been so many really, really good highlights they've obviously missed. I know they've only got 3 minutes,
17:36 - 17:37
Speaker 7: but yeah.
17:37 - 18:16
Andy: Anyway, it's really a case of this side is just growing in confidence. And there's obviously teamwork that's working really well. They're kind of, they're almost knowing who they're going to pass to before they pass it sometimes. And actually I want to paraphrase Mark Frake on the forum today. He said that's something absolutely spot on I think. It's like this Sutton side is the easiest on the eye that he's seen for some time And I think that's a really really good point We when when Steve Morrison first started that first game that to all draw Newport was
18:16 - 18:18
Andy: it you pull the bar? I can't remember anyone.
18:18 - 18:18
Sutton Podcast: All right,
18:18 - 18:54
Andy: Barry wasn't it? Yeah Yeah, You can see the style of play just changed immediately. It was passing out from the back. It wasn't just hoofing it and hoping and I think it's starting to come to fruition a bit more. And I thought another issue we've had this season is that we've been a bit careless with some of our passes. We've lost possession easily quite a few times. There wasn't that much of that. If anything, Halifax were probably doing that more than we were last night. So yeah, we were picking up possession where we probably shouldn't have
18:54 - 19:33
Andy: done. But yeah, I think probably from the Birmingham game onwards. Braintree was great, it was a win, but Braintree were quite a poor side. I think beyond the Birmingham game, even though we obviously didn't win, I think it gave those young players a hell of a lot more confidence. And it's going to be blips on the way. There's going to be another Rochdale away somewhere. Hopefully not on Saturday, but I think there's that game was quite a turning point for us. And, every time I see a Sutton slider, obviously we're seeing some really, really nice football.
19:35 - 19:56
Sutton Podcast: Yeah. I mean, Obviously with what we're used to and non-league football and seeing the players go forward turn go back You're like you're doing just keep forward just keep forward, but it is that thing of they're just looking after the ball. They're not going to lump it all if there isn't anyone to get it so they're kind of just keeping it going backwards and pressing and we're not used to that.
19:56 - 19:59
Andy: The weird thing was is they didn't actually do that very much last night.
19:59 - 20:00
Sutton Podcast: Didn't they not?
20:00 - 20:10
Andy: No, normally yeah it's kind of a playback to the keeper but wasn't that much of it. They were keeping the ball but it was more keeping the ball in midfield rather than playing back
20:11 - 20:25
Rory: Yeah, yeah, I think you're right I know a couple of times we kind of over played it a bit as well where we could have kind of crossed it, got it in the box, kind of turned back, went back a little bit or tried to play the nice pass. I guess that comes with a bit of experience.
20:27 - 21:02
Sutton Podcast: I think Rory kind of basically mentioned this, it was a game with 2 halves. Luke and Sam, like the first half we were all over, it's all over them, the home team I think you said Rory, and then the second half we weren't so much. But I think a lot of people often forget, me included, so I don't think I'm being holy, is there's another team making adjustments and trying to win the game as well. And as you said, only they're 10th, so they're not exactly, I know we're 7th, the end. Do you think a draw
21:03 - 21:06
Sutton Podcast: was a fair result on the match? I know obviously we want to win everything but
21:06 - 21:07
Speaker 7: do you
21:09 - 21:09
Sutton Podcast: think it was a
21:09 - 21:10
Speaker 7: fair result?
21:10 - 21:12
Toby: Yeah. Yeah. I think doesn't work guys.
21:12 - 21:12
Speaker 7: I think
21:12 - 21:20
Toby: we could have took a bit more shots though like we I thought we crossed a bit too often. I felt we could have had
21:20 - 21:21
Sutton Podcast: a couple more shots outside of the box but
21:21 - 21:21
Speaker 7: apart from
21:23 - 21:35
Andy: that, that was good. Yeah. We weren't too potent up front but our defense really dealt with their threats. Quite a
21:35 - 21:35
Speaker 7: lot and I think yeah, Jack made a couple
21:35 - 21:42
Andy: of saves but there wasn't anything he yeah, he pretty didn't really break sweat very much last night and I wasn't the cold temperature either you know.
21:44 - 22:08
Sutton Podcast: And you got Simpa through another over an hour I think it was yeah yeah I mean yeah it's 1 of those sounds really weird and Rory that we're going oh we're going to get Simpa back especially when Andy was saying earlier on it doesn't really matter who we play because they were all interchangeable but are you pleased seeing Simba coming back into this side to be an option if not the main man?
22:08 - 22:38
Rory: Definitely I thought he was calling yesterday some lovely little flicks and turns I think there was a chance in the first half that he had as well where he kind of turned the defender on the left-hand side. But yeah, he's just got that quality, doesn't he, that lovely kind of touch on the ball, lovely 3 balls. So yeah, it's great to have him back. And I think the combination of him and Barbrook is really strong. He's wearing his Amari Patrick shirt
22:39 - 22:40
Sutton Podcast: from last season. Yeah.
22:41 - 22:41
Speaker 7: Hey, Amari.
22:41 - 22:50
Sutton Podcast: So it's changing. Yeah. I mean, Andy, what do you think of the Lewis Simper question?
22:51 - 23:23
Andy: Lewis Simper is a quality player, it's quite obvious, but I don't want to say he's the best player that we've got, even though potentially he probably is. What I want to say about him is that he's the 1 that's adjusted to the way we play and how Steve wants us to play quicker than I think probably any other new signing. With some of the other ones you could see it took a while to get going but Simper I think adjusted really really well so he's probably in that kind of like adjustment progression stage he's probably further
23:23 - 23:34
Andy: on than some of the other players and as a result he looks like he's you know more quality than the others I'm not necessarily saying he is but he is quality if that made any sense whatsoever I'll be surprised.
23:35 - 23:49
Sutton Podcast: Well are we pleased he got a little knock? Obviously, it was painful. I'm not suggesting I want our players to be in pain. Are we pleased he got a little knock kind of before the transfer window opens up? Or maybe has that called some interest in you, my wonder.
23:51 - 24:26
Andy: I mean, who knows? I mean, I don't think there's a standout player who will go in the January transfer window. When we were going great guns in the National League last time, I mean, it was obvious. Yeah, Ajiboy could have been picked up. Goodliff could have been picked up. But there were so many players that couldn't be picked up. None of them were. And I think probably bearing in mind we are, you know, we are kind of seventh at the moment. I mean, you know, we may come a bit high. We may go a bit lower.
24:26 - 24:56
Andy: I don't think teams are going to be looking at us that that well, because in January they're going to be signing players who are going great guns in goal scoring. We haven't got that They're gonna be signing players who are standout defenders. We don't have a standout defender. We've got now getting a stronger defensive unit They're gonna be looking for playmakers in the midfield. We don't necessarily have that not even Lewis Emper Yeah on on his good day. So I think I'm I'm quite comfortable about the transfer window at the moment I mean, it could be
24:56 - 24:58
Andy: proved wrong. Who knows but yeah
24:59 - 25:03
Sutton Podcast: About you, what do you think? I mean, it's a we're a few weeks away from it, but
25:03 - 25:09
Rory: Yeah, I and I'm still getting used to the fact that we have to transfer window We
25:09 - 25:16
Sutton Podcast: don't have to transfer window. We can sign anyone at any time but clubs up the board. Yeah Yeah
25:17 - 25:17
Speaker 7: Do you
25:17 - 25:18
Rory: think there's
25:18 - 25:18
Speaker 7: anyone in danger?
25:18 - 25:40
Sutton Podcast: I mean, 1, I mean, he's not on the odds at all. But 1 thing that made my heart race earlier is that Neil Harris is leaving Millwall. And I was like, we're looking for a new manager. I was like, don't you dare. But he's not even on the odds page. But do you have any of those little heart racing moments for him or is it just I'm overly overly panicked?
25:42 - 25:43
Toby: I think strength in depth,
25:43 - 26:07
Rory: I think is something that we we have now, like you said, Mike, kind of coming off the bench. Any of those players could do a job like Civvy didn't start, and I think he's been really good this season, he didn't start. He got Chloe and people that were out injured. I think we've got the strength in depth that if the worst comes to the worst and a player leaves or a couple leave, then there are people there to fill those gaps. Albeit, to Andy's point, I do think
26:08 - 26:08
Speaker 7: if
26:08 - 26:37
Rory: you take Simper out of the team, he's quite integral to what we're doing. And I think we missed Will Davis up front last night. I think if you took someone like that out of the team I mean Addison, I think he's a good player, but he's not really your kind of Target man hold it up and lay it off for other people I know we're not quite playing that style of football, but I think if if you take someone out of the team that's the only area I think I'd worry but I can't really see any
26:37 - 26:38
Rory: players leaving.
26:41 - 27:11
Sutton Podcast: We've mentioned the run has kind of started with Braintree slash Birmingham and that does coincide with Mr Keepers on Otto's Jack Simms coming into the side. Steve is obviously a great keeper, great shot stopper, but something seemed to click. I know he's in the church game as well, wasn't he? But something seemed to click when Jack came into the side, what do you think he brings Rory to the team? I know he's very, like last night he came bombing out a couple of times very quickly,
27:12 - 27:12
Speaker 7: what do
27:12 - 27:14
Sutton Podcast: you think he brings to the team Rory?
27:14 - 27:24
Rory: He was proper quick off his line a couple of times, Joran got clattered once, despite the home fans booing him for some reason when their player got a yellow card.
27:24 - 27:24
Speaker 7: So at
27:24 - 28:02
Rory: least it is over. I think he just looks really kind of sure of himself. You don't worry when the ball went towards him, he had a couple of shots, quite pacey shots second half, which he grabbed no problem and he just looks quite calm and assured and he's better distribution I'd say than Steve. So a couple of nice throwing out of the ball last night to Jackson on the right-hand side and so whereas Steve's not really equipped for that kind of game so yeah nice and kind of assured and I think that gives to what we
28:02 - 28:10
Rory: were saying earlier gives the defensive bit of confidence as well if they know the keeper is reliable He's good with his feet. So yeah, it's been quality hasn't he? It's been really good
28:10 - 28:21
Sutton Podcast: Part of that little unit. I still not sure I like the way he kind of bowls it out 5 a side style I'm like, no, you can't do that But Andy what do you think he kind of brings to the side and
28:22 - 28:55
Andy: a bit of confidence and I think Steve Arnold's confidence got shot because Steve Allen was in goal when our defence basically was non-existent. And a goalkeeper can't do it all on his own. He needs, you know, that defensive unit, goalkeeper and defensively to work as a team. And I think what had happened every game when we were losing 3-0 or letting in 4 goals or whatever, and defence were kind of missing, I think it just knocked his confidence to 6 and I don't think he necessarily is, from what I know he's a lovely guy but I
28:55 - 29:28
Andy: don't necessarily think he's kind of got the kind of the bullish Dean Pizarnas sort of attitude that he can just brush it off And you could just see near the end of his kind of like run in the first team, just some of the clangers he was making was awful. I think in terms of keeper ability, there's cigarette paper between him and Jack Sims. But I think Jack Sims has confidence and the confidence is because the defend he's got more confidence in the defense in front of him. So I think potentially you know if if you
29:28 - 29:42
Andy: know Jack Sims when he got clattered into last night was was injured and Steve Arnold had to come back in I still think we'll be okay. But you know it's Jack's shirt to lose now and he should no signs of doing that.
29:44 - 29:45
Sutton Podcast: He's still playing shirt.
29:47 - 29:48
Andy: Yeah all right.
29:51 - 30:17
Sutton Podcast: How were we looking Because I know we've got a few injuries. We've had a few games recently. But 1 of the things with our team is the fitness, the running, the constant. I mean, Aaron made comment on the pressing numbers last night, which is interesting to bring up in the interview. But Andy, what were you thinking? How are we looking as a squad? Do you think at this stage of season, which is a busy time, we're still looking really, really fit and good.
30:18 - 30:47
Andy: I think we are. I mean, our energy levels didn't really drop significantly over the 90 minutes. Even, you know, even in the last 5 minutes, the energy levels were still there. OK, we made a couple of substitutions, but even the ones that have been on the pitch for the whole 90 minutes. Yeah, I think fitness wise, I think we're okay. But I think that's also part of Steve's job to manage that over this really busy period because it's now what? It's 2 games a week now until mid to late January, I think. Something like that.
30:48 - 30:48
Sutton Podcast: I think we
30:48 - 31:18
Andy: might be beyond that. Christmas might even be up to the beginning of February. So that is yeah, that's going to have to be managed because some yeah, some players will burn out, particularly the younger ones who won't have that experience to say, well, actually, I just need to have the experience to change my game a little bit so I can keep those energy levels and the repair time and all of that, even though the repair time is going to be quicker. You can't play at that pace for 90 minutes twice a week. It's just yeah you
31:18 - 31:26
Andy: can't physically do it. So but I think I think it's yeah there was no sign of fatigue last night. Hopefully there won't be on Saturday
31:27 - 32:01
Sutton Podcast: either. Yeah. And there was a case earlier in the season where Madison didn't play this the next game on a Tuesday because he'd and Steve kind of said because he hit his top speed Too often and it was yeah, what's he talking about? But it is that that thing of okay No, he was ill But it was Steve basically saying that you can't go at 100% for too long. You have to manage it. But Rory, what were your thoughts? I mean, obviously, you're not seeing them live as much as we are. But what were your thoughts
32:01 - 32:04
Sutton Podcast: on the energy levels and the fitness levels of the team?
32:04 - 32:37
Rory: I completely agree with Andy, they just kept going and going, I think second half, Sidhu was running back, sprinting back to defend and stuff, he must have been knackered. But yeah, they didn't look at all like they were flagging, even in the final few minutes, still kind of pressing and coming back. So yeah, they looked properly up for it. I think having that young team, I know I definitely take on board what Andy says about there's a danger that they kind of run out of steam a little bit or don't know how to manage that. But
32:37 - 33:09
Rory: I think the fact that they are quite young and hungry goes a long way. And hopefully the fact that they're looking after themselves properly. I'm Steve saying about staying in hotels and not having long journeys back in the middle of the night and thinking about all of that and the diet and everything that all plays a part in this as well. So doing it properly will make sure they can kind of carry on. But yeah, it's a really busy period, isn't it? But we've got that big squad in touch with if we don't get too many
33:09 - 33:12
Rory: injuries and that'll help.
33:12 - 33:51
Sutton Podcast: We had a little spell but they all seem to be coming back and I haven't heard anything about Josh. I know it was painful but I haven't heard any more about Josh so hopefully he's just being rested. League position, we've kind of, I don't want to say it but we're kind of definitely securing ourselves for a side that people have been criticizing And we've been saying we're very inconsistent. We've not found our form Suddenly we're there in seventh nicely in the top 10 and we're all kind of agreeing that we're still going to improve. I think
33:51 - 34:22
Sutton Podcast: I worked it out earlier and I definitely could be corrected on this. Over the season we've got 1.5 points per game. Last 5 games we got 2 points per game. So league games obviously. So where do you feel this stands us instead of the season Rory? Do you feel we are going to be pushing on now? They're making a lot of me of doing it before Christmas, not after Christmas. But how do you feel it's kind of going to be on the season? Is this going to be really a valuable away point?
34:23 - 34:53
Rory: Yeah, I definitely do. I think if you get, I think as Steve said in his interview, if you get those draws away from home, win your home games, then you're in with a fighting chance, aren't you? You're averaging that kind of 2 points a game. Yeah, I'm really pleased, I think, where we are, given that the team's still gelling and knitting together. The fact that we are seventh, where it feels like we haven't probably hit our stride yet but you know that that's to come because they're playing such quality football that the goals are going to
34:53 - 35:20
Rory: come, we've secured the defence like Andy was saying, the fact that we've done that, the fact that yeah there's still loads to come I think from from a number of those those players and players which I suppose haven't had that much game time which are going to get even better like Jack up front. I thought we were good last night and played really well and then they're coming off the bench and stuff. Those players can offer us something different too. So yeah, I think we're exactly where we'd like to be, probably ahead of where I thought
35:20 - 35:26
Rory: we might be given the number of changes. So yeah, really pleased, really pleased with how things are going.
35:27 - 35:43
Sutton Podcast: Definitely a little bit ahead of the curve from where I thought we would be. Andy, what do you think on the sort of league position? I know promotion, everyone wants promotion, but it's not the be all end all the season. But how do you think we're performing in the league?
35:44 - 35:48
Andy: Right, I think we're probably higher than I would have expected us to be at this point.
35:49 - 35:49
Speaker 7: I
35:49 - 36:19
Andy: thought I thought the kind of the accelerated will come on after Christmas. It seems to have started early. And this is the thing about leagues. Every team will go through a bad patch. The question is, have we had our bad patch or is there another 1 yet to come? And we don't know that. But every team will have it and generally a team that wins the league with the 1 that has the shortest bad patch. I've said this before and I'll say it all season, If we finish seventh where we currently are at the end of
36:19 - 36:54
Andy: the season, that will be a huge achievement with the rebuilding of a squad that we've got. To be honest, I wouldn't want to go up because I think this squad, however good it is, they're not ready for League 2. So it might be, yeah, it might be it might be a bridge too far. But again, with playoffs as well, you get into the playoff. Usually it's a team that goes into the playoff in the best form that is the 1 that goes up, which is what happened probably last season. So I think I'm really happy where
36:54 - 37:03
Andy: we are, particularly, you know, after those naysayers going, oh, we're going to be in a relegation battle. It's like, no, we're not. We want to be close to relegation.
37:03 - 37:07
Sutton Podcast: Double, triple, quadruple drops, all sorts of things have been said.
37:09 - 37:37
Andy: And again, if you look at if you look at the sides above us, I mean, you've got the 3 richest sides in the first, second and third. OK, that's That's the main reason why they're there. Gates had got the momentum last season and then you've got Oldham and Rothschild who aren't short of a penny themselves compared to the other teams. I think we're doing really, really well. Again, it's kind of maintaining that and a point away from home like last night in a difficult place to go to get a point, great point. And if we get
37:37 - 38:14
Andy: a point on Saturday, that will be a great point. What we need to do now is we need to translate that a little bit more with our home form and almost make it make Gallagher and a bit more fortress and actually think actually really we don't want to accept anything apart from a win at home. Then we then we know we're going really, really, really great guns. But, yeah, we'll see what happens. We've already played out of the teams above us. It's 1234 of them at home already. So, it's only Barnett and Rochdale we haven't played
38:14 - 38:24
Andy: at home yet. York, Forest Green, Goathead and Oldham. And we lost 3 of them out of the 4 of them. So we just have to make sure that we get the results where we need to get the results.
38:24 - 39:01
Sutton Podcast: Exactly yeah I mean the more as you said we've been at Gander, Green Lane the more we can make John Meany out of his comfort zone and come over and do the free punches. Right, before we wrap up, gotta be said, Tuesday night, in a game that everyone was fully convinced that we were going to get called off at a late stage or something because the weather, 30 people making the journey, the roads and closures and whatnot, it was just atrocious. So absolutely fair play to everyone. Andy, I know you've been sort of, you were in
39:01 - 39:02
Sutton Podcast: the barrow crowd that time?
39:03 - 39:15
Andy: No, I wasn't in the barrow actually tonight. But generally, yeah, it takes quite a lot to stop me going to a game. I was on the Woodford 15.
39:18 - 39:26
Sutton Podcast: Yeah, absolutely fair play. And even Steve sort of acknowledged that. Well, I was only expecting my son and my mother in order to be here. So
39:27 - 40:01
Andy: Steve hasn't hasn't had that situation in terms of, you know, a league game being postponed, rearranged at short notice, 250 miles away. He had no idea how many die-hard fans there are, but it was actually, it's probably worth mentioning, is It was, I think Nick Williams called us the OGs last night. You know, the ones that will basically go, you know, thick and thin, these games. And the funny thing is that when you do have a situation where there's less of you, you talk more to the people that you're with, and it actually gets it more,
40:01 - 40:12
Andy: much more of a family atmosphere. You end up talking to people you would never talk to at home game, because you've got that kind of almost slight siege mentality. It's really
40:12 - 40:44
Sutton Podcast: nice. Stockholm Syndrome. Amazing. Stockholm Syndrome. Yeah, I mean, there was a lot of the faces that I recognized but actually on the picture I was looking now I was going actually there's a couple that I don't necessarily recognize as the OGs from way way back. Your kids, I know Roy your kids don't have much trouble with it, there were a few kids there as well who do have to travel all the way back. But what did you think, Roy? Were you expecting 30? I know teams sometimes mock, like, oh, look at the Sutton crowd. It's like,
40:44 - 40:54
Sutton Podcast: yeah, you know what? That's quite good for us to be doing 200 odd miles. Were you expecting that many more or did you think it would be kind of you and your kids?
40:56 - 41:24
Rory: I think that's such a great effort from people. I feel a bit of a fraud because it's only a couple of hours for us from the northeast but I think that's such an amazing effort for people. Someone in the toilets was saying yeah 600 mile round trip for a 0-0 draw which on a Tuesday night is impressive, that is really impressive to do that and to be fair I mean there was only what a thousand or so Halifax fans so in the grand there's 30s pretty good out of a thousand.
41:24 - 41:39
Sutton Podcast: Yeah, I said I've got well I worked out for just the 2 of you and I've got 6.6 of your way out here but then the Adobe on for a little while so it's actually a little bit more it's probably almost 10% 10% isn't it free 10% of 30s free well done.
41:45 - 42:02
Andy: The season. We've only under 2000 once. So it's kind of, yeah, he's like, actually, who's the better support team? It's just, I mean, that's another great thing about this season is how our crowds haven't dropped. That's really impressive.
42:04 - 42:19
Sutton Podcast: Joe made a very valid point that a lot of our crowd are that 16, 17, coming up 18 year olds. And he said, there's 6, 700 of that age group. Because they're all in the next 2 3 years gonna have the money to spend and they're gonna be in the bar
42:19 - 42:19
Speaker 7: and all
42:19 - 42:55
Sutton Podcast: the Rissets up. Oh, we have a load of money and a lot of more coming not necessarily on a Tuesday So they do have school but they are coming to those away games as well But let's quickly we're gonna do the good the bad and the funny so Rory what was good for you last night?
42:57 - 43:14
Rory: I think overall performance and I thought Finley was quality. I thought, yeah, previously looked a little bit, maybe a bit lightweight. And I know that that was a criticism at the start I thought last night he was immense. He was getting stuck in. He was yeah Properly on the ball. So yeah, he was really he was a really good point for me last night
43:18 - 43:19
Sutton Podcast: That was
43:19 - 43:32
Rory: the accusation at the start I remember when you spoke to his old or spoke to someone about him when he was on loan, the current way he was on loan, they said oh he looks lightweight but he's not And I think we're definitely experiencing that.
43:32 - 43:40
Sutton Podcast: Yeah, I think he's trying to go for the Eastie role here. I think he gets 1 more. And isn't it Christmas? And what was good for you?
43:41 - 44:03
Andy: I'm going to go for Charlie Waller. I thought he was not for the first time, actually, in recent weeks. I thought he was fantastic. Right place, right time, doing the job that he's supposed to be doing, which, you know, if you compare the Charlie Waller to last night's Charlie Waller at Dagenham, it's like a completely different person. So yeah, I thought he was superb.
44:04 - 44:14
Sutton Podcast: Yeah, I think he definitely suits the 3 rather than being out there. I know he scored a great goal, but I think he definitely suits the 3. And a few of them do as well. I think Tyler suits it as well.
44:30 - 44:32
Andy: I mean, he's got 1 on
44:32 - 44:42
Sutton Podcast: 1 with the keeper. He should have we should have we can't keep picking on him just because he missed against Birmingham didn't that cost to no 1 in the ninety-first minute when we're hanging on and now I'm missing against
44:42 - 44:43
Speaker 7: Halifax. I
44:45 - 44:46
Sutton Podcast: just caught them up
44:46 - 44:46
Speaker 7: like that.
44:46 - 44:48
Rory: It's not fair. Oh, perfect. Rory,
44:49 - 44:49
Speaker 7: What was bad
44:49 - 44:54
Rory: for you? Not a lot. I don't think It's a nice ground. I like going to Alifax. It's a nice place. But my cup of tea kept leaking all over my trousers, so that was the bad.
44:55 - 44:59
Sutton Podcast: That's outrageous. That's not bad. I know. That's absolutely shocking. I don't
44:59 - 44:59
Speaker 7: know what to do
44:59 - 45:05
Sutton Podcast: with all these tea. What was funny, apart from you having wet trousers, Rory, what was funny for
45:06 - 45:08
Rory: you? They weren't that wet, I should say.
45:09 - 45:11
Toby: I know the funny bit when Steve turned around well
45:11 - 45:22
Rory: not that funny I suppose but kind of halfway through the first half I think Steve turned around to the Sutton Crown and said, yeah, we're getting there. We're getting there. And it did feel like that. I thought that was quite nice. It's less funny, but just nice.
45:22 - 45:24
Sutton Podcast: Yeah, no, good. We'll go with that. Andy?
45:24 - 45:39
Andy: I was going to say the same thing. It's like Steve, he broke the fourth wall. You know? Yeah, it just like comes over. It just literally gets out of his technical area, turns around to us and goes, yeah, we're getting there. We're getting there. Thanks.
45:40 - 46:15
Sutton Podcast: Definitely getting more comfortable. I know it's hard. He comes from a very professional background. So there's a lot to get used to at Sutton United, to be fair. So yeah, it's just that kind of, I don't quite know. He thinks people are out to somehow catch him out on something when most of us just don't care about most of these things we just want to know how you are and what's going on and definitely like with the players and stuff people in something are more interested in the person because Jacko when you're talking about his eye
46:15 - 46:47
Sutton Podcast: I'll be back soon I was like I don't care when you'll be back I just want you to be fine and have your eyesight. We don't actually care when you're on the pitch. Obviously we want you there, but it's more important that you're healthy. I didn't do the free cube preview. I didn't organise it in time with an All-Together 1 fan, But what do you guys think of? Saturday I know it's early and you don't do the prediction. So you can go for Rory kind of thinks about it But what are you taking from from Saturday
46:47 - 46:51
Sutton Podcast: Andy and give me a prediction anyway just pick some numbers out
46:51 - 46:52
Andy: okay I'm not expecting a 0-0
46:54 - 46:55
Speaker 7: all
46:55 - 47:17
Andy: she can score too many goals they let in too many goals it's for me it's a little bit like Solihull. So I'm hopeful we're going to get at least a point from that. Bearing in mind they are literally just below us in the league.
47:21 - 47:21
Speaker 7: I think we can
47:21 - 47:28
Andy: get something out of this. We just gotta again carry on doing the great work we're doing in defense and I think we're
47:28 - 47:32
Sutton Podcast: we're for a real shout here. Okay. So score draw. What do
47:32 - 47:33
Speaker 7: you reckon?
47:34 - 47:38
Sutton Podcast: 55446666.
47:38 - 47:40
Speaker 7: Excellent. Lovely. What do you reckon? 5-5, 4-4? 6, 6-all. 6-all, excellent. Lovely. Rory, how do you see the
47:40 - 47:50
Sutton Podcast: game going? And you'll be gutted at 7-all now. How do you see the game going, Rory? And what do you think and what kind of score line do you think? Obviously, you can change your mind on the prediction.
47:51 - 47:54
Rory: Which I'm not doing very well at, which I didn't last year, right?
47:55 - 47:59
Sutton Podcast: But yeah, I think we're not going to talk about that very much anyway. So,
48:02 - 48:24
Rory: yeah, I think it's just sound deciding we can build on the momentum of cheese day. I fancy us to go there and get result. Yeah, we might make it 1 nil I reckon. But yeah, feels like quite a big game doesn't it? Yeah, 7 against eights does feel like quite a big 1, but I'd be happy with the point I think just that had effects I'd be really happy with the point, but I fancy us to go there and get get all 3
48:25 - 48:56
Sutton Podcast: Well, I'm gonna go to nil on the basis of they're gonna be out a little bit of revenge And they're gonna kind of attack and we're gonna exploit them on on the break and get a goal which would frustrate them and then we'll do it again and they'll just be like, right, we're not doing this game anymore. Just stop playing. That's my decision and it's final. But I'm going to wrap it up. I think done very well there talking about Neil Neil draw for that long Yeah, as always we appreciate everyone's attention and feedback. Let us
48:56 - 49:31
Sutton Podcast: know which team you dislike the most and why and Follow like and share on all social medias. It's at Sutton podcast I'm even on snapchat. I don't know what the hell I can do on there because there's like 4 characters you're allowed but I'm on it and Do subscribe and like all your preferred platforms and the YouTube thumbs up are always a joy and we are back on Saturday, Sunday even, because doing it on Saturday would be a little bit pointless. I have Mark Bravery and 1 other, I've just put out a plea to see if
49:31 - 49:56
Sutton Podcast: anyone is able to do it because someone has had a change of plans. So if you are around and you want to do it, let me know. But yes, thank you to our sponsors Locky Star Gin. Thank you to the panel of Andy, Rory and Toby for half a day, taking off after 45. I think that's quite good. And thank you to the listeners. Hope you've enjoyed this episode of Sutton Podcast. Take care and we will see you soon. Bye bye.
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