Hello, West Galloway, Red. We're back after a short break and so is the Premier League as Nottingford take on Brighton at the city ground on Saturday. Joining me to discuss the game and a serious injury setback for the Reds are first of all, Reds fan Emily Anderson. Good evening. How are you?

Good evening. Nice to do an evening podcast.

Feels very relaxed. Yes, this was around people's availability. We thought we'd do do an evening one. And then our second guest has kept us waiting for about 10 minutes as he sought his mic issues out. Michael Clark, are you well?

I am really good. Thank you. Although my volume is really loud, so apologies if I speak up alittle bit. But yeah, I'm great. Thank you. And thanks, everyone, for holding on my felt tech issues.

If people in the comments think our volume is uneven, then drop a comment in. There's not much I can do about it, but I'll have a go and try and fix it. Mikey, you're wearing... You put a poll on Twitter saying, is it too early for a Christmas jumper? And you're wearing a seasonal Christmas jumper already?

I am, yeah. I never used to be a big Christmas fan, but last few years I have been. And since I'm working all over Christmas because I work in retail, I'm starting early. So all I wanted was a little bit of validation on Twitter, which I got I think one in five agreed with me. So there you go.

And Emily, you're also wearing Christmas jumper.

Yeah, mine's a bit more subtle than Mikey's but when Mikey mentioned he might, I just thought I don't want to be left out. And equally, Mikey, I just like celebrating Christmas. So what is it? 23rd? Maybe a bit early, but yeah, I don't mind.

And I'm wearing one of my 10 blue hoodies that I.

Own as normal. You are the grinch of the podcast.

I am. Yes, certainly. Certainly. Right, lots of people in the comments have been commenting on this, so we should say something. You might have seen on Twitter the post on Tempst about his wife, Laura. No one who listened or watched over the last 18 months would have known that Laura had terminal cancer throughout that time. She died last week leaving behind Tempst and their two young children. I know everyone listening to this, we're both shocked and sending their support. I say shocked because of the way Thempst carried himself throughout such a terrible time. I'm reading this like a robot, by the way, so if I read it properly, I'll just start crying. I cried when I wrote this as well. Louis McGuglin messaged me when he had to say it's a mark of the man that he conducted himself as he did on here and in life. No doubt the strengths that he showed will help him and in turn, his kids going forward. I can't speak highly enough of tempt as a mate and a person. I look forward to him coming back as soon as he's ready. In the meantime, I know everyone associated with the podcast is thinking of him and everyone who listens and in the comments and lots of comments very much appreciated before we start.

Right, not easy to move on from that, but obviously it's been a difficult few days, partly why we took a bit of a break, but we're back. So let's talk about football. Tara, Wanye, Emily, I've said on here, the key to Forrest season is Tyra Wanye, and he's out for three to four months. What are your just general thoughts on the car crash news of today? Or is it not that bad after all?

Initial thoughts, absolutely gutted. I can't believe that. I can't believe our luck. We've got him back and he scored in the last timeout. He was doing what we know Ty can do, breaking up defenders, being strong on the ball, making great runs, scoring goals, and we got the devastating news today that he's out... It's a groin injury, isn't it? And he's out for two or three months, which is terrible. So for us fans, it's a horrible shock. And we go, Oh, how do we go into the Brighton game without Ty? But the more I think about it, Steve Cooper and his staff will have known about this. This isn't a shock to them. They would have been preparing for Saturday without Thai. And I think we need to have that same mentality, really. And we also can't just build a team around one player. As Steve Cooper says, time and time again, we've got to think next manner and hopefully Chris Wood can step up. Do you remember in the looting game? No one gave Chris Wood a chance, and if we weren't so poor defending that day, his two goals would have won the game.

So we've just got to put our faith in Chris Wood. I am gutted, but equally, it's not like we can do about it.

Yeah. I've been a bit of a backer of Chris Wood this season, Mikey, and you have consistently. I suppose the problem is, Wood's a decent Premier League striker who's done well for us, but there is a considerable drop off from Tyro, and it presents a big problem for how we play as a team, doesn't it?

It does. It's a different proposition altogether, isn't it, Chris Wood? But I think you've got a lot of positive. And I think Emily makes a great point saying that Steve Cooper and his coaching staff will have known about this to go. They said it was a situation that needed to be managed. Now, obviously, something's happened to maybe flip the switch to say, Actually, he does need surgery. And if we get surgery now, then we can get him back for the back end of the season. So they'll have known this, he's gone for surgery, and we've got Chris Wood and Eric on the bench. So it's not as if we don't have any options like we had at Liverpool when we had to play a language from. And Chris Wood is a seasoned Premier League striker. His profile is completely different. I understand that. He's not one that's gets the odds like Tyro did at Man U. That's not his game. But what is his game, as Emily quite rightly points out, is getting on the end of crosses and holding the ball up and bringing others into play. So I think if you're looking for positives, and I'm clutching at straws a little bit, like I said, they would have known about this, they would have trained for it.

And also, you'd expect that there's a pattern of play that we'll see in the next few games with Chris Wood knowing that, let's be honest, he's probably going to start all those games. So they're going to know that. And like I said, Chris Wood has never really let us down, including myself a little bit, but he does a good job for when he comes in. So let's be positive. And also, and I know we'll touch on this, Brighton have got a few injuries as well, more than a few. So it's almost two patched up teams that we can't see on Saturday. So God knows what's going to happen. But like I said, we've got Chris Wood, we've got a rege, we've got options behind him. So it's not the end of the world. And Tyro has gone in for his surgery. And if you remember when he came back the last time, he was brilliant. So that gives us something to look forward to quarter two time, maybe March. Yeah, bad news. But let's try and be positive about it, knowing what Chris Wood brings to the side, which is he's on the pitch to get a ball and they'll score a goal.

So it's not the end of the world.

Mike, he mentions his previous surgery, Emily. It's the same injury again, going back to South Hampton last year. That's a concern, isn't it? A player gets the same injury twice. Do you have long term concerns about Tywo's viability of ever playing 35 games a season for us?

Yeah, I mean, that's bound to happen, isn't it? When this happened to his last season, he hasn't shown us, unfortunately, that he can play the best part of a season, definitely not a full season. But again, we just have to go with what we've got, because when he's fit and firing on all cylinders, I wouldn't want anyone else upfront for us for Forest, and I'm sure other Premier League clubs would be vying for his signature if he could maybe stop getting injured. But that's obviously his Achilles heel, he's growing into his Achilles heel, isn't it? So yeah, it's just really frustrating and it's just typical of our luck, isn't it? That we get an amazing striker that can't stay fit.

It's frustrating. You went away on international duty knowing he's carrying an injury, but then players take pride in playing for their country and you can't really stop them. If it was an England player, they'd want to do it. So I take that on board.

It's not up to tie either, is it? If he's a footballer, he loves playing football. If he thinks he can play, he'll play. It was up to his coaching staff and fysios that have said you shouldn't play for Nigeria. So you're not... I don't blame him at all. He loves football.

A couple of ones on that as well, Mike. You're branching out. Firstly, before we get to January, I take it it's wood, not a regee for you. A few people have said give a rege a shot, but I'd be going to wood again.

You know what you get with Chris Wood, and I know that might sound a strange comment because a rege is arguably played while he has at a high level, scored winners in Champions League finals. But in terms of his body of work for Forest, it's a solid 60, 70 minute job, Chris Wood, I would have thought. So I think he'll get the nod. He came on against West Ham. He seems to be the first change, and then obviously threw Reggie on when we went three two down. But I think Cooper as well talks about him being part of the leadership group. And I think it's at times like this where he'll step up, he'll show them and I think he'll get the shirt on Saturday and I think he'll play basically until either he gets injured and Reggie comes in or we try something different. But I think he's the next man up and like I said, he's a proven backup. He's been around the block. He's got a T-shirt. He's been in this league for a long time. So I've got no overall worries. It's just his profile is very different to Tyro. Now, Eric, like I said, I can understand people saying to give him a chance in the first team, but if I was Divock Reggie, I'd be thinking, right, I'm going to get on 60 minutes now, not Chris Wood.

So I'm going to get on. And if I raised my level of performance to a level where I know I've been before, maybe I can get the shirt for the next game. So you've got to look at it in a positive way. But I'd be very shocked Matt if Chris Wood is not on that team sheet on Saturday.

Yeah. I've got enough faith in I'm probably putting my FPL team, I think, and get a couple of goals between now and Christmas.

Don't curse him.

Please don't curse him. He was in my team when we played Luton. Just like.

One game.

I think what it does, I think it affects how we play is the problem more than Chris Wood, the player. We're just a much more limited team compared to a one year because of what he offers us overall. But yeah, we are where we are till January, which begs the question Emily, eight games until then and then every egg in one basket of buying an experienced striker for you?

I think so, yeah, because all other areas of pitch we've got, I think we're pretty damn solid and we've got really good backups as well. Our midfield is looking really good and we have backups there. We've got enough central defenders, haven't we? To start a whole team of central defenders it feels like, although we're losing them now already. So we've got to get a good striker. And if it's easier said than done, I've said this before on the podcast, most clubs are struggling to find an out and out striker because it seems to be a dying art. So I don't... I don't know where we'd go. We've probably got to go maybe to our Brazilian scouts or somewhere further afield that can find us a little gem from over in Argentina or Brazil, possibly.

Good to have lots of people with us, 400 with us already, which is great. I'd like to Casey, who is in the States. So I know he said he's going to his first game at the weekend, I assume that's.

With his son as well.

So that's great. So enjoy.

Happy Thanksgiving Day to you. It's today isn't it?

Oh, yeah, yeah, of course. Yeah, yeah. Well, he'll have had turkey, but not a Christmas jumper on yet. So yeah, welcome, Casey, certainly. Let's turn our attention to the Brighton game just in more general terms. How are you feeling about it, Mikey? In fact, I know you were very optimistic about it pre about 11:00 AM today. How are you feeling now?

I was very optimistic about it because I've seen their injury list. I went into my work office today in Leed, hence why I'm wearing the forest on just to wind a few people up. And the first time I got a message from you Matt, and it was saying I can't believe it. I was thinking what's going on? And then.

You see the tyro. You said a full letter of word, I think was the only thing you said.

Yeah, I was closing it around. And I was thinking, Oh, what's going on? And then you're looking, you're thinking, Oh, what a dreadful bit of news with tyro. And then you find out that Danino might be carrying a lot, Noc, Marillo. We're not too sure about Allenga, obviously Poole. You're thinking, Oh, blimey, we're as decimated as them. I'm still positive because I think Brighton's form is not very good. I think the true five and the last six, they're certainly not on any good role or form. I think European football is catching up with them a little bit like it does. Thursday, Sunday, it's tough and they've not got the biggest squad. I'm still positive. Maybe not as positive as I was at 8:00 this morning, but I'm certainly still positive. I think I cast my mind back to last season and the way we played against them last season tactically incredibly astute from Cooper. He let their centre-backs have the ball and take it into our half. And when I first watched that, it became very apparent to me that that was a completely tactical master stroke, because as soon as they lost it, we broke on them rapidly.

Do I expect it to do the same again? Probably. I think if we had a tie away fit and maybe Callum Hudson or Doherty try and be a little bit more high pressing, but I'd expect them to have 60, 70 % possession in this to break. But I still think we'll get a result. I think we've got enough. I still think we've got bench options. And I think, as I said, they've not been on a great run of form. And we are bloody good at home. Now, let's not kid ourselves. I think that is damn good. So it takes a hell of a team to come to our place and beat us. So I'm still really, really optimistic even with today's news, I fancy very tight game, maybe a one nil or two on.

Good to have a slightly different audience with us on an evening as well. Anna's first live show continuing the stateside theme, Christian in North Carolina and Christian in San Francisco. One here from Greg, I'll answer quickly. Is Hudson Doy back in the frame for selection? Cooper said he's close to returning to training, so I would think two or three weeks before he's back on the bench, I would say.

That's about right isn't it? For the timeline I think it was six weeks, wasn't it? Initially.

I think so. Right. Talk about Brighton then. I spoke to a Brighton fan in the build-ups to the game. People who watch no Mark Southerns does F. P. L. Blackbox. Mark was on last week's podcast. His partner in crime on Blackbox is Az Phillips, who's a Brighton fan. So I spoke to Az and he wasn't very optimistic, although he did feel like Bryant would win the game on Blackbox, I saw. But talking of injuries, I'll play this clip from us. It's 58 seconds long discussing Brighton's injury issues and then I'll catch people on the other side.

A lot of teams may be using the international break to recover some players, and we've actually ended up losing a key player and not getting his stupid ass back. There's a picture of him with a brace on his leg. So he doesn't look like he's going to be ready for the weekend. So yeah, and Deserby is rotating a lot. I'm not sure what our strongest 11 is at the moment. I'm not even sure what our strongest defense is at the moment because he's playing, I got out of position. Van Hek is coming. Sometimes it's gross at right back. Sometimes it's other players. So yeah, I think it is a good time to play us. We've still got players that can hurt. I think Fatti is improving. He's been a bit of a success story over the last few weeks. He's getting more minutes and is playing well. I think a Dinger has been absolutely brilliant for us all season. Whether he plays on the right or on the left, I don't think it matters. I think he can do well. So I think we'll score. It's just how many can Forrest get against us? And I think if you should be confident of scoring a couple, I think.

So it should be an entertaining game.

Yeah. I mean, we spoke before a one-use injury, but I don't think it really changed anything. And the player as mentioned about a key injury for them is Matoma, who has trained today. So he might actually be available, but they are still missing a lot of key players. But when you hear us talk there, Emily, does it feel like one where if we're positive and I don't mean go gung ho, but maybe hit them on the break and press at the right time, then we can get some joy against them, even if Brighton are a good side.

We should have nothing to fear against Brighton. We took on Villa, who are still a top five side, and beat them to nil very comfortably. Last season when we didn't have the personnel that we'll have on Saturday, we beat Brighton very comfortably at the city ground. I see no reason why we shouldn't be going for all three points. We talk about our injuries. They are missing serious key players. Evan Ferguson, who's been scoring their goals, got injured in the international break. Kerry Matona, we've mentioned. Yeah, he might be back in training, but I can't see him being back for full fitness for Saturday. Estupians out and CISO, they've got so many big names that aren't featuring. You mentioned they're full, Mikey. I checked they haven't won a Premier League game since September, and that was against Bournemouth at home. They haven't kept a clean sheet all season. Their defense is not the best, and you wouldn't think that of Brighton, would you? And I think you alluded to it, but I think their European tour that they're clearly enjoying and they're doing very well in Europe is really wreaking havoc on their Premier League form.

It's those Thursday nights I think are giving them a bit of a hangover for the weekend. So yes, we've had an international break that changes things slightly. But even though Ties out, we've heard about Marillo and Danilo who are injured as well, we've got so many backups that I just feel like why not? Yes, Ties gone and we've got to go maybe play slightly differently with Chris Wooden, but no, I think you could tell from the way that Az was talking that he's probably not looking forward to the trip. And he said it's a good time to play Brighton, but it's never a good time to come to the city ground.

No, we got on a good time last year and beat them, obviously. Let's continue the international things. There's so many people with us. Just mentioned them. Kay in Christchurch, Paul in Wellington, New Zealand, not Telford where I'm from. There are a couple of others. Lindsay Clark says, Mikey is too positive for my liking. He has to be cheerful sometimes, Lindsay. Mark, the Irish viewer and Miles from Sydney. That was the other one. Right. So seeking a Brighton's defense then the second and final clip from us, which is teed up nicely by Emily professional broadcaster, is on Brighton's defense and the big problems they have. So one minute, four seconds and then once again, see you on the other side.

We're a mess defensively at the moment. Even in goal, it's rotation between Steele and Wabraghan every week. I'm not convinced Steele is up to being in a top six-ish challenging side. I think he's done well for us. We've obviously tried to strengthen that with the Bruggen. He's a very young goalkeeper. I think he's number one for Holland now, so clearly massive potential, but hasn't looked amazing in every game I've seen. And then yeah, I just don't think James Milner should be starting for a Premier League side at the moment. I think Docu pretty much destroyed him when we played against him when we played Man City. And as I said, Groves has been playing there. Lampty's just not fit on the other side. Stupin and has gone. Then we bring March in and then he gets injured and then it's Iagur goes over. We got Dunk, Webster and Van Hek. And I think Van Hek is looking really good, getting better every time I'm seen in play. Webster, I've seen him play. Webster got my doubts about him. So defense is a bit of a shambles, I have to say.

One other thing I'll say that isn't in the clip was that they struggle against big strikers and powerful strikers. Obviously mentioned Harland, but he was worried about Ty away. So Wood fits that bracket still. I think the key man for me though, Mikey, is probably Antony or Langa if Milner plays right back or Pascal Groce, who's a bit out of position. They're not the quickest. That feels to me like an area where we can really get at them.

Yeah, I think so. I'm buzzing after hearing that. He sounds really scared, doesn't he? He's going to the city ground. Don't think he's looking forward to it then. But yeah, absolutely. I think Emily's point about them not keeping clean sheets and not winning games, it just emphasizes what we were saying earlier. Yeah, they can be got at. Did he say we'll score at least one or two? I did hear him say that, didn't he? He thinks.

They'll score and he thinks the question is how many will we score? Can we get two or three, basically, against their weak defense?

Interesting. I'm not sure they'll score. Okay, well, we'll see how it plays out. I think if we go one-nil up, I think they may struggle the way we'll camp in and hit them on the break. But I think going back to absolutely. He was talking about the fall back, falling over, and injury after injury. And Louis Dunkey is obviously a very good player, but they don't look as defensively solid as they were last season, that's for sure. So Elanger has arguably been our best player this season. Might agree, that might not. But I think he's certainly benefiting from a run of games in the first team. He was a little bit part of the start of the season. Certainly, at his time at Man United, he was in and out as well. But now he's getting a run in the side now and he's paying dividends. I think. His pace, so even on the transition, if you just get it down the sides to a langer, he's going to scare a lot of people. Is he quicker than Brennan Johnson? Probably. I mean, he looks it, doesn't he? He's absolutely terrifying, his pace. And now he's got a big target man in the middle with Chris Wood because he's just going to stick around that penalty box.

So our fanciest to score, our fanciest to win the game, I think will cause them a lot of problems. But for me, what's interesting is how it pans out tactically, because like I said at the start, I think if we had a fully fit squad with Callum playing and Tyway playing, I think we might have pressed them high up the pitch. Now you might see what happened last season as just sit back a little bit. And I'd just urge and encourage the crowd to just recognize that that's the case. And it works to treat against them because they do occasionally give the ball away. And we're very good. We've got space to attack. So I think it would be an intriguing tactical encounter. And I fancy goals. I really do. I think both teams will probably score. Actually, I've convinced myself I think both teams will probably score, but I fancy us to come out on top. I think we'll have enough over the 90 minutes. And like I said, their confidence might be a bit shot.

Yeah. I mean, I think both teams will score. Brighton have got Fatti, a Dingerra, Ferguson's probably fit. So yeah, they can hurt us. But I do think we can hurt them. I can see it being a good game for those who are going hopefully, and obviously hope we come out on top. Let's do, as we always do, our lineup for the game. They were slightly different to the injuries, but now I'll put them up and I'll talk around the names, Danilo and Marillo to mention obviously on the back of the press conference as well. But this is the line-up we've basically all gone for. I'll read out to people who are listening, not viewing. I have Lacotmos in goal, Eina, Bolly, Neokate, Tofalo as a back four. That's because Marillo is a big doubt. Kupating... I can't actually say he's out, but he all but said he's out after a hamstring injury against West Ham. Mangala, Sangaray, Domingez because Danilo hobbled off in that game, and he sounds like he's pretty much out as well. And then Gibbs, White, Elangur, and Wood in a front three that pretty much picks itself, I guess. Emily, do you like that team?

I know you... Actually, this was your team, wasn't it? Apart from the center half obviously being Marillo. So you like this team?

Yeah, and obviously, I had Taewo as the center forward as well. I mean, I toyed with bringing Danilo in, in place of Domingez, but I felt like he hadn't done enough wrong and I thought it would do more harm than good to drop him. So that midfield works really well for me. Actually, even with the Merilloow injury, that's a really solid back four. Bolly's been for me, one of our players of the season and was really unlucky to lose his place. It's only because Merilloow did so well and obviously, Neocortex has come back and shown his athleticism and his pace. We've got Hayna and Tofolo who can both cause problems, can't they? Moving forward and still solid defensively? Gibbs White hopefully will start to find some good form, and I think Allanga, as we've mentioned, could really punish Brighton who obviously we know they play that highline, and I think if we can take advantage of that, Elanger slash Tofolo playing into Chris Wood could be brilliant, actually, because we know that the show is about to finish.

Andrew slightly aggressively asks about Anthony Allanga. Why are these lot forgetting? Cooper said about Allanga, has he got a knock? Yeah, he missed international due to the knee problem, but he has trained this week, so I'm sure he'll play. I can't see why he wouldn't. I think I was one of those international break injuries where they do miss out. Montiel, someone asks about I think he's training as well, but it's just out the picture at the moment. Mikey, your original team actually did have Danilo ahead of Domingo's. Is that based on what he did last year? Were you, like Danilo's ability to break from deep?

Yeah, it was both. So I understand what I mean, say, dropping M ingaes, but just leaving him out for this game. I thought he was poor against West Ham, obviously. It's his mistake for that first goal. But again, I don't want to chastise or criticize, but I do think for me, it would have been a tactical decision more than to punish him or whatever you want to call it for his performance against West Ham where he was hooked at half time. It was more along the lines of what I saw last year and how effective Danilo was as soon as we won that ball back, he was the one that was darting forward all the time. A good opportunity to give him 55, 60 minutes if it tactically plays out the way I expect it to play out with then coming forward, losing the ball hopefully, and then himabsolutely, didn't let him through the line, breaking forward past, Cresswood or Tyawab, as it hopefully should have been, but isn't. But if he's not playing, that's fine, because Domingez has been fantastic this season. One bad half doesn't summarize his for his career so far. He's been really consistent.

And his ratting around to win the ball back, should I say? I think in my head, I was thinking, get him on for the last 30 minutes, hopefully when we're defending a lead, because he'd be really useful then. Him and probably Ryan. But it is what it is. There's somebody who wants there. So if they can't play, no problem. You just stick with those three in midfield that have been fantastic all throughout the season. So you've got Ryan to bring on if needs be. You can drop Gibbs White into the three if you want to bring Dibokarrig on if we're chasing the game or we're going for a winner. So again, we've got options, aren't we? And that team will look, even with the injuries that we have, it will still look strong on Saturday. So yeah, Danilo would have been my only change from Emily's team, but I understand the counterargument, but it does look like maybe Domingo's are playing, I'm fond of that.

Is there any argument, Emily? Someone mentioned this to me, I can't... What's that? Oh, it's Mark actually, around, Gibbs White as a false nine. This is more when Hudson and Doy comes back. But say Danilo is fit. Would you play, gives White as a false nine and not have wood?

I don't know if I'd feel very comfortable with that, although he doesn't seem very happy playing off the right at the moment, does he? I don't know, Michael, what do you think? I just don't think that would work for us, because then you lose that creativity, don't you? If he's... I don't know. No.

At home, no, I wouldn't, because I like Gibbs White on the half term when he's got options in front of him. But as a false nine, he's usually the main man forward and he turns and there's no one to pass it to. So I think at home with our squad being as strong as it is since that closing of the window, I don't think there's a strong enough argument not to play a strike in our because we got options around him. So if anything, I concur with you, Emily, if anything we get Gibbs White into the center with a striker in front of him. So however that looks, you've got to think on Saturday, Brighton are going to have a lot of the ball their centre-back step out. I'd like to see Gives White maybe come inside and make that box midfield and not let them get anywhere. So I think you might see a lot of that. But if he's upfront, he's going to be there anyway. He wins a ball back, he's got no one to pass to. So maybe against the top et cetera teams, I can understand it where we're going to get not much possession, not many chances.

But I think Brighton, they're decimated by injuries. This is a great opportunity for us to be on. So I wouldn't consider it not for this game.

As Peter says, do us a favor and hit the like button. It'd be very much appreciated to help us out. So picking up from what Mikey said there, I've done something slightly different and done a graphic of how I think we can get at Brighton. So I'll put it on the screen and it's got for people who are listening, basically playing as a right-winger, but he's not going to play as a right-winger. He's a right-back. But what Mikey was saying there is, I think get Gibbs White as close to Wood as you can to vacate some space for Aner and then push Toffalo and Elanga high up the pitch and just let Mangala and San Garay sit.

From.

What As was saying, Emily, their fullbacks, I mean, James, Milner and Eagle, who's a center back, is a weakness. Do you feel like to me it feels like we need to be brave and have a go at that?

Yeah, we do, actually, because he very politely said that they're not very fast, are they? Which makes me think they might be. We sometimes say players have a turning circle of a double-decker bus. Hopefully it will be that vibe and toffalo in a language will just destroy them, won't they? Because we know that toffalo and the Langa can both run with the ball. And yeah, you're right. Having Mangala and Sangaray who quite naturally like to sit back, don't they? Then it just gives us that freedom to move forward and then it can push Gibbs White into the middle where he feels more comfortable and then he can patrol the right wing. So yeah, I think that's great.

Yeah, I think that two center backs is so important these days. Obviously, Spurs are the masters of it, of Van der Ben and Romero running a show and being quick. There is a risk playing it with Bolly. And I'm not saying... Anna plays this high and Tofflow plays this high. I'm saying when we have the ball in advanced areas, let's be brave and let's get at them and let's trust Saint-Jare to be the player that we bought to fill those spaces and Mangala. Let's see a bit more from Domingus than West Ham, but we know how good he is. Any final thoughts on the game, Mikey, before we move on to the last 10 minutes?

I've got some thoughts on that team. That's like for people that play football manager, that's the formation you're at in the last minute when you're one-nil down and.

You've gone to.

2.4. Everybody forward. I concur. I think the best teams do that, don't they? We're one or two sitting and the fallbacks bomb forward and overload the wide areas. So Emily, if you're right, and they're not as quick as maybe some of the teams that we're going to see down there, there's a great opportunity to pen them in at times and get that overload and get crossers into Chris Wood. So it almost works out with him on the pitch. So yeah, I think they'll have worked on that. I think that's the way forward. You're not going to be so intricate, I think, against Brighton because they're very technically gifted. I think the way to beat them is down the sides with pace, a bit of box and I think will create chances. And as you mate says, as they're not the strongest defensively, but they can certainly pressure with Toffalo and Hayner overlapping. If you think of the recent goals that we had, the one at West Ham with Hayner down the right and also Toffalo down the left against, for the Pause at that for Hayner, that's the way to get it bright and I think get down the sides with the pace.

So yeah, I think it looked mad on paper when you looked at it, but I get the thought process behind it. I think that's probably a definite weakness for them. I think we can get at them definitely.

Last one on the game, Emily. Would you take a point still? Because, Brian, feel to me like one of those teams, if they turn up on the day and turn it on, they can score four goals against any one bar city basically, or Liverpool. They're not good, but they are weak at the moment and can be beaten. So would you take a point or are you only going for a win?

I'm clearly going for a win and they are there for the taking. There is no reason why we shouldn't win, but let's look at the context of the game. If we're 1-0 down till the 94th minute and then score a 94th minute equalize, that I'll clearly be happy. But I haven't mentioned this because we've talked about it quite a lot in previous podcasts, but we need to sort out our set piece defending. If we can sort out our set piece defending after that howler and against West Ham that I know upset Mikey deeply, then that should be one way to making sure that we can win because we can do it. We showed against Ashton-Villa that when they are regimented and they all stick to the plan and they've got 100 % concentration, we can beat the top teams. I don't care if Brighton are in the top half of the table. We should be beating Brighton at home.

Yeah, they're a good side, but they're not the team they.

Were last time. They are a good side. They absolutely are a good side, and I think Deserby is a fantastic manager and they've got great personnel, but they've currently got a decimated team. They can't find form, they can't win in the league. So we should not be satisfied with a point at home against Brighton. But I may have a differing opinion at five o'clock on Saturday.

Let's move away.

From the game for 10 minutes or so. One area we're going to talk about briefly, Mikey, was this vote among Premier League clubs to allow loans between clubs who are owned by the same person. So it was either 12, 8 or 13, 7 or something the vote the way it was reported differently. But Forest were one of the nays, obviously, because Evangelo Los Maranac is owned by Olympiacos and Forest and is soon to own Rio Aave in Portugal. And I think he would like to own Monza in Italy from Reading Reports there, what do you think about it in principle that clubs can loan between their family, basically?

Yeah, it's a very good question. I think if you look back historically, so say, Manchester City, can people remember when they loaned New York City? I think, because it was part of their family. So this has been going on a long time. This is nothing new. If you look at Ud, and Nazy, and Watford, I think, they share players like it's gone out of fashion. Obviously, Forest, when we're in the championship, used to send most of our best players to Olympiar cost. Now it's almost the other way around. So this isn't new, but I guess there is an uncomfortable nature that underpins it, isn't it? If it's possible for one person or a group of people to own a succession of throw and then swap players between them, it does make me feel a little bit uncomfortable. I think where I'm at, in my opinion of it, I don't think it should be outlawed because it's a free market. And to be honest, some people will sign for knowing that they will spend a year in Greece because they just will and vice versa. So I don't think it should be outlawed because you've got to give people the chance to experience different cultures and lots of stuff and swap players.

It should be fine. But I think it needs to be governed with a set of rules or a set of boundaries or red lines or whatever you want. I think there was one season where What for the News and Udinaize is what about 14 players or something, which is just a bit mad. So I don't know what the cutoff should be, whether it's financial or whether it's number of players, or whether it's a time limit cutoff or whether it's per window, but I think there should be something in there. I don't think the answer is to outright ban it at all, because like I said, I think it's freedom of movement. If somebody wants to invest their money in a football club in Greece and in Italy and in England, then they should be allowed to say, if one player says, Can I spend the last year of my my career in Greece? He says, Fine. Now, that should be allowed. I don't see anything wrong with that, but I do think it just needs to be governed. So like I said, don't just ban it, but just govern it with a clear set of rules so everybody understands that that's the framework that they're working in.

Now I was going to mention as well the the deduction of the points from Everton, which is obviously shot us up a place in the league as well. Again, I get it. I do feel slightly uncomfortable because it's almost like you've been caught stealing from a shop and you stole bag of crisps. When you know that 10 minutes ago, somebody stole like half a load of shopping and some beer and everything else, and and they've got away with it. It doesn't mean what you've done is right. It just means that other people perhaps are exploiting the rules and getting away with them for whatever reason more than you. I do feel like element of sympathy for Everton, but I think that will all come out in the wash, and I'm sure they'll go through each club and find them and point seduction or whatever. But somebody's got to be the first one on the block, and unfortunately, it's Everton. But going back to the change of players, just think it needs to be governed. Clear or no, if you break it, this is the punishment. Go ahead. Everybody clear. Everybody signs onto it. The answer is never really just to ban stuff, because people just navigate, find ways to navigate around it.

Just just put a framework in there where people can operate, because it's a free world, it's a free market. He wants to buy a club in Italy and give them players' lead in, unless it's fundamentally wrong, which I don't think it is. Do you agree with that, Matt? I think it just needs to be a bit more controlled and face into it needs to be visible for everybody to see so there's no ambiguity.

Yeah. And I'm sure Nancy would protest they haven't stolen 15 big screen TVs yet and Chelsea would say the same just for legal reasons there and that will come out in the wash. Yeah, I agree. I mean, the Forest Olympiakos thing I don't have a particular problem with because we haven't profited from it that much have we? Have we had really good players from there? My issue is more around Saudi Arabia and nation states owning Newcastle and basically they own the Saudi League, really, don't they? And if they can just pick the best players and send them to Newcastle, that is dodgy. And if they can buy a World Cup, that's dodgy. But that's a wider sporting question around sports, washing and the fact it probably works because they get so much inward investment they make their cashback. But in terms of what Forest do, I think it's all right. And other clubs that have an issue, Brighton can't loan between their Belgium club this year because they're both in Europe. So they probably need to be some sensible cutoffs. But we can't send 15 players to Olympiakos necessarily. But if we want to get Omar, Richard's a few games, then I don't have a problem with that.

So yeah, I think it's fine in principle. There's wider issues in the game that need addressing the more than Forest Loaning, Olympiakos a few fringe players certainly. Right. I think that brings 40 minutes. Any other business, Emily? Anything else you want to discuss before we depart?

No, I'm good. I'm very excited for the game on Saturday. I've mentioned my scar for a fall, I found my lucky scar, so all is good.

Good. Mikey, anything from you before we depart?

No, I don't think so. Same as Emily. Really looking forward to it. It was really bad news about Tyra today, but as we've hopefully tried to articulate, there is a lot to be positive about. I've got to say, the Atmoff at home was back to how it should be and how it is and what we're capable of. So if everybody brings that to the next two home games, there will be points, because that city ground crowd is worth a lot, believe me. You go to some away games, and you even watch it on telly, you can hear a pin drop, not our place. So teams don't like coming here. That's why we've only lost a couple of times in a year, because it's a bloody hard place to come. So all I would say is get behind the lads. As you know, what we'll do it. It should be tactically really interesting on in two months. I don't know what to expect, but I think it will be a little bit like last year's. But then I think Everton will be totally different. I think that will be a basketball game back and forth because they're really good away and we're really good at home.

But that's another one for another week. So there's a couple of good winnable home games and I think we've got Fulham as well away. So there's points there, everybody, like this point and that could really shoot us at the table to that safety mid-table bit that we're all craving for.

Yeah.

The Everton game worries me more than apart from Spurs and any game out of the next six games, I think the Everton one, they're actually quite a lot better than their League position would say, judging by the numbers. I think they're a team on the up despite being literally a team on the dangs, their points deduction. But if they react in a positive way to it, then I think someone said in the comments there's no better time to get a 10-point deduction than this season with the absolute low quality of the teams at the bottom of the League. So I think they'll be all right and they'll present us with a really tough game. The only thing for me was people will know Our Glorous Banners on Twitter. They're doing a really good auction for charity. Or, Simon Bristow is auctioning it off some sign. I think he has nine signed copies of his book by Steve Cooper. So check that out on Our Glorous Banners on Twitter. I think there's tickets available through the ForgeRock or the website. But Greg's on on Monday, so he might talk about that a bit more. In the meantime, thanks for everyone who has joined us at 10:00 to 9:00 on Thursday evening.

Good to have you all with us from all over the world. Lots of comments. Very much appreciated. Mikey, thank you very much.

Thank you, Andrew. I have not been on for a while because of work, but I'm rocking a Christmas jumper every day from now until I basically run out. So I don't know, middle of January. Who knows?

But the good thing is, Mikey's got more than one Christmas jumper if he's going to do that. He's got a whole collection, so that's good. Emily, thank you very much.

Thank you. It's been a pleasure.

It has. It has. Good to have one with us. We shall be back on Monday post-Brighton. Greg, Gary, and I think, Mikey, are doing it. So have a good few days, everyone. Enjoy the game, and we shall see you soon.