On this week's show, Stuart Rayner and Leon Wobschall join host Mark Singleton to assess the respective starts to the season for Sheffield United, Leeds United, Sheffield Wednesday, Huddersfield Town and Middlesbrough FC.
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00:00 [MUSIC]
00:10 Hello and welcome to the latest edition of Football Talk from the Yorkshire Post,
00:14 where we'll be discussing some of the latest talking points from the world of football
00:17 with members of our football writing team.
00:19 On this week's episode, we're joined by chief football writer for the Yorkshire Post,
00:22 Stuart Rayner, and football writer for the Yorkshire Post,
00:25 Bjorn Wopshall, to discuss all of the latest developments affecting our local clubs.
00:29 Don't forget you can keep up to date with all the football news across Yorkshire and beyond
00:32 by logging onto our website at yp.sport@nationalworld.com,
00:37 as well as checking out our various Twitter feeds, the main one being @ypsport.
00:42 If you search for Yorkshire Post Sport, Yorkshire Post Football, or even Sheffield Sport on Facebook,
00:46 you can find us there as well.
00:48 And if you have any questions for our writers, you can get in touch using those various Twitter or Facebook pages,
00:53 or email us directly with a subject matter at the Football Talk podcast at yp.sport@nationalworld.com.
00:59 YorkshirePost.co.uk
01:01 Right, so in this latest podcast, we're going to be looking on a week which saw Hull City claim
01:08 a late 2-1 victory over Blackburn Rovers.
01:10 Rotherham United fall to a 2-1 defeat when they paid a visit to the Stadium of Light.
01:16 In League One, Barnsley fell to a 3-1 defeat when they hosted Oxford United.
01:21 Harrogate Town, Bradford City and Doncaster Rovers all suffered defeats in League Two as well.
01:27 However, let's kick this off in the Premier League, where Sheffield United fell to a late 2-1 defeat
01:34 when they paid a visit to Nottingham Forest.
01:37 This means the Blades are still looking for their first point.
01:40 What did you make of their performance?
01:42 And knowing that their next fixture sees them hosting Manchester City,
01:46 how do you see Paul Heckingbottom setting the team up, Stuart?
01:50 Well, on the performance at Forest, for the first 20 minutes, maybe even longer,
01:57 it was a bit timid, it was a bit poor.
02:02 They stood off Forest too much and they just looked as though they were going to take a bit of a hiding.
02:09 But they got back into it with a brilliant goal by Gustavo Heymer on his debut
02:15 and that just seemed to fill them with confidence.
02:18 They played much better in the second half.
02:23 You'd still have to say that Forest were the better team and deserved to win,
02:28 but nevertheless, the Blades were still right in it until very late on.
02:35 You'd have to say what tipped the balance Forest's way is that when Forest needed to change their strikers,
02:43 they were able to bring on the pace of Anthony Alanga, who they'd just bought from Manchester United,
02:49 and a £15m striker in Chris Wood who came on and headed in the winner in the 89th minute,
02:56 whereas when Sheffield United needed to change things up front,
03:00 they had to replace their already quite inexperienced strikers with two 19-year-old lads
03:08 who hadn't got a league start between them, even out on loan.
03:11 So it really showed you the importance of that strength in depth that Sheffield United don't have.
03:18 Nowadays, when you've got five substitutes available to every manager,
03:24 you really need to have game-changers on the bench and you need cover for when you have injuries
03:29 like Sheffield United have at the moment with McBurnie, Brewster and Jefferson out.
03:34 It was another reminder, as if anyone really needed reminding, that they've got a lot of work to do
03:43 in the last few days of the transfer market to get that part of the squad particularly up to strength.
03:52 You're coming up against teams so often who've got that strength and that depth,
04:00 even some of the so-called lesser teams in the division,
04:04 they all have those players to call upon that strength and depth.
04:09 They invariably all have quality players in the first team as well.
04:14 At the moment, as things stand, Sheffield United just aren't in that league on paper.
04:21 It's something they've really got to address as best they can on a limited budget very quickly.
04:27 It's been the narrative of the summer, hasn't it, for Sheffield United?
04:32 The story of the year has been the on-off uncertainty about the takeover,
04:39 but specifically in terms of the here and now and what was dealing with.
04:44 Quite simply, he hasn't enough bodies, has he?
04:48 You look at the sides who got promoted with Sheffield United, even Luton and Burnley,
04:55 their signings count as inter-double figures.
04:59 They haven't lost any of the main players as well.
05:02 You've got to factor that in as well with Sheffield United.
05:05 They've obviously lost Madai and lost Berg as well.
05:09 Seriously, behind the eight ball, as Stuart said, they're having to blood young players,
05:14 some of whom aren't ready really.
05:18 They need some wool on the backs in Championship level, really,
05:22 but it's a case of needs most of the minute.
05:26 If Sheffield United are going to, I think it's probably fair to say, give themselves a fighting chance,
05:31 they really do need to have a good final week of the window.
05:35 They're pretty sure that three or four players, arguably, potentially even a couple more.
05:44 When times are difficult, the fixtures don't particularly help you, do they?
05:52 They've obviously got Man City coming up, I think they've got Spurs and Newcastle a bit further down the track.
05:59 If they don't get a win in the next four or five, then the narrative of the summer will turn into the narrative of the season.
06:08 I just hope, as far as Paul Hagebom's concerned, his manager, I don't think he's had particularly too much luck in his times at some of his previous clubs in Yorkshire,
06:16 at Leeds and Barnsley. He's desperate to make inroads and to give themselves some sort of chance.
06:26 I think that's the key, isn't it, Liam? Give themselves some sort of chance.
06:30 If ultimately they're not good enough and they get relegated, but they've given it their best shot,
06:37 well, that's one thing. We know the effort will be there.
06:43 There's been no complaints on that score in the last couple of games, but they just need that backing from the boardroom.
06:50 You reeled off some pretty daunting fixtures there, but to me, the one that really leaps out is Everton on September 2nd.
06:58 The deadline this year is on September 1st at 11 o'clock, but to me, the Blades should be looking at their deadline as noon,
07:11 so that they've got players available to play in that game against Everton.
07:15 Everton also look underprepared, but they're building from a much stronger position just for having all those consecutive years of Premier League football.
07:24 Sheffield United, with every game that they go into on demand, it's just a game written off.
07:31 Their target is probably to get 35, 36 points over the course of 38 games.
07:38 Well, if they don't do the majority of their business to the last couple of hours of the transfer window,
07:43 you've written off four of those games already. That's 12 points you effectively can't play for.
07:48 They need to go into that Everton game with a couple of signings on the pitch that just give some positivity to the Bramallane stands,
07:59 give some belief to the players, and strengthen that team and that bench. They really need to do it.
08:04 Right now, it just feels as though, although there isn't much money, what money there is hasn't been spent quickly enough.
08:13 It just feels as though the board are letting Paul Heckingbottom down at the moment.
08:18 I know it's difficult circumstances for them. Heckingbottom is very understanding of it,
08:24 but really they've not given themselves the best chance in these first couple of games of the season.
08:30 I don't think there's much they can realistically do between now and the Manchester City game, which is going to tip the balance.
08:36 Nevertheless, the sooner they can get people in the door, the sooner they can be bedded in for that Everton game,
08:41 and those other daunting games to come that Leon outlined.
08:45 It's just giving the cells some hope, really, isn't it?
08:48 It's their first chance to do it. This division, usually you get leagues within leagues,
08:54 and I think there will certainly be one there down at the bottom end.
08:59 Obviously, Jeffery United, Luton, Burnley, the others as well will be battling for their lives at every point.
09:06 It's a precious one. It's something that Paul Warren, in his time at Rotherham United,
09:11 similar circumstances, albeit in a division below when Rotherham were in the Championship, points are precious.
09:21 They obviously brought... I mean, Haim is a standout by his name.
09:27 I was surprised that one or two other teams in the lower half of the Premier League perhaps didn't have a dabble for him.
09:36 Fair play to Sheffield United for getting that over the line. I think that's a really good sign.
09:41 But you've got to back it up, haven't you? They've brought him in.
09:44 Now, that's not enough. They need a few more. It's a good start, but they're still painfully short.
09:55 The clock's ticking, and just for the sake of everybody concerned, and Stuart Wright mentioned the Sheffield United fans as well.
10:05 They just want a little bit of hope, don't they? If they get that, they will get behind them.
10:11 Bramall Lane is a terrific atmosphere. A lot of people speak about Sellhurst Park in that respect, a little bit old-school and parochial.
10:21 It's a cliché, it's about the 12-man, but Sheffield United will need that.
10:26 The fans just need a little bit of hope, something to buy into. They're not expecting miracles, but just to give themselves some sort of chance.
10:34 They'll provide the requisite support that they need, but they need to be infused.
10:41 It's only three years ago that they had that really demoralising season, where you knew long before Christmas they were going to go down.
10:51 I covered Sunderland many years ago when they had their 15-point season in the Premier League, and they're just so depressing.
10:58 They took the life out of the club, and they can have a knock-on effect the following season.
11:04 As Leon says, you've got to be realistic. They're going to be up against it this season, come what may.
11:10 Because this takeover hasn't happened, they've gone to a gunfight armed with a knife.
11:16 There's every chance they'll go down, but at least if they can fight their way through it and show some fight, that's what the fans need.
11:26 If they get that, they might be able to exceed expectations, as they've done in the past.
11:32 I'm certainly not writing anything off, but they've got to give themselves a chance as the starting point.
11:38 They've got to give the fans hope, because they complained quite rightly in that relegation season that the fans weren't able to play a part because they were locked out because of Covid.
11:51 This season, they are allowed in the ground. They've got to bring them into the equation by giving them something to cling to.
11:58 It's funny, no-one particularly looks at league tables at this time of year.
12:05 It can be a faulty look at the way it's going.
12:09 They're only one or two games in. Everton, Wolves, Burnley, Luton, Sheffield United, a couple of places higher up, Fulham.
12:17 They've obviously lost Mitrovic, that'll be a big loss for them.
12:21 One or two teams invariably drop into it, don't they, from the previous season? Could well be Fulham and Wolves.
12:28 You've got to look at it in that respect.
12:31 Sheffield United, I don't think they'll be too short of company.
12:35 I don't think it's going to be a straightforward season for four, five, possibly six sides.
12:42 I think it's got the makings of a mini-league and who perhaps has the best quota of wins, points.
12:48 In the games between them, it could potentially boil down to that.
12:53 Absolutely. That's why I flagged up that Everton game because they're in that mini-league with them, aren't they?
13:00 In a mess too. With the greatest of respect, you never budget for anything against Manchester City.
13:07 You asked Mark about how they'll set up in that game. Exactly. It's just a free-hit.
13:13 Sheffield United played Manchester City in the FA Cup last season, so we got a few ideas as to how they might set up.
13:22 They made a bit of a surprise that day, dropped Olly McBurnie and played Daniel Jefferson up front so that they had that pacey man up front.
13:31 Then early on, they knocked a couple of balls down the channel between the left-back and left-centre-back.
13:37 They had a bit of joy there for a few minutes.
13:40 They've got the pace now and Osula and Traore up front, that's not really an issue.
13:46 But they don't have that quality. You're going to get very few chances to score against Manchester City.
13:55 To be going into the game with a couple of strikers who haven't got a Premier League goal between them and not much from the midfield either is a big risk.
14:05 You've got to do everything you can to help yourself out.
14:10 But to me, it's more an exercise of getting people in the building so they've got that preparation time for the Everton game.
14:18 It's no use saying, "We'll sign someone at 11.30 on Friday, he's going to be available to face Everton on Saturday."
14:27 But obviously, if you can sign him a week earlier, he's got a week's worth of learning the tactics, getting to know his team.
14:33 That's really the emphasis that Sheffield United have to have at the moment. That's what the manager is pushing for.
14:40 But transfer windows can be so frustrating for fans of all clubs because you're constantly screaming at your team, "Why aren't you getting things done earlier?"
14:50 That's definitely the feeling at Bromelain right now.
14:53 Now we turn to the Championship and Leeds United, who had to settle for a point when Luke Elling helped secure a 1-1 draw against West Brom and Chalbian.
15:01 It's fair to say that the match saw West Brom take the lead in controversial style. However, Luke Elling was able to grab a 72nd-minute equaliser.
15:09 What did you make of the team's performance and what news do you have regarding the player situation at Ellenrode, Lyon?
15:16 I think in the circumstances, you can't flow in firing all cylinders version of Leeds at this early part of the season.
15:27 There's a lot of extenuating circumstances. We've got some players who obviously don't want to play and be there.
15:34 Obviously, there has been a development with Gonzo.
15:41 A lot of them have been reintegrated. That would be good to see.
15:47 I think actions speak louder than words in that regard.
15:52 There's a lot of players who were injured. They're obviously short in terms of numbers.
15:57 I think we've spoken about Sheffield United. I think the fans as well. I think they're quite realistic in early season.
16:05 It's difficult. It's just about showing some sort of esprit de corps, some sort of organisation, heart and spirit.
16:14 Obviously, it was demoralising at the end of last season.
16:18 I thought Leeds showed that against West Brom, to be fair. You can't expect too much of them.
16:25 They obviously went behind and were pretty unlucky in the respect that there's no VAR in the Championship.
16:33 They would have been short in the Premier League. It was a clear handball from Santi Thomas.
16:40 But Leeds didn't feel sorry for themselves. It's something that Daniel Farke has spoken about consistently.
16:47 They rolled up their sleeves and got a deserved equaliser.
16:51 I love the look of determination on Luke Aylin's face when he scored the goal.
16:57 Got the ball straight back up the other end of the pitch.
17:00 It was good to see. We finished it off nicely. If Prud to have scored that chance at the end.
17:09 I think there were heartening signs. It's been a bit of a perfect storm. Leeds are having to dig in.
17:14 I think with the Gonzo situation, you're going to have to wait and see.
17:21 There's obviously no glitches about him coming back into the fold.
17:26 Leeds have got a very difficult game against an impressive Ipswich side on Saturday.
17:32 Will he be on the bench and maybe have a cameo?
17:36 There's obviously the cup game in midweek against Salford. That might be an opportunity to look at him from the start.
17:44 But for me, actions are going to speak louder than words with that one.
17:48 I think on that, and because of that, we know Nanto hasn't really trained properly for a couple of weeks because of this saga about him trying to get away from the club.
18:00 But I think it's important he does get some significant minutes on the pitch in the next two away games.
18:07 As much as anything, just to see how the fans react to him.
18:10 Because I think that's going to be a big thing.
18:12 And as Leon says, actions speak louder than words to see if he actually is going to play with the commitment that his words haven't been showing for the last couple of weeks.
18:23 I do think they need to get him on the field to just suss him out a bit better.
18:28 But one big factor in Leeds is favour.
18:32 Obviously when they brought Daniel Farker in, we all said, "Oh, this is great. He's got this experience of winning the championship."
18:40 That's a real bonus for them. I don't think any of us really factored in, but it's been really important.
18:46 He's had experience of these Nanto-type situations as well, and he's frankly won them.
18:52 He had a situation at Norwich a couple of years ago where Cantwell and Buendia seemed to be of similar mindsets to Sinisterra and Nanto right now.
19:04 And he managed to keep both of them and get some really good performances out of them to win the league.
19:10 So I think that experience, unexpectedly, is going to be a real trump card for Leeds.
19:16 As I've said before, I think once things settle down, they'll be in a reasonably good position for the fact that Daniel Farker is in charge.
19:26 I've got a lot of confidence that he'll be able to make the most of what he's got.
19:31 The question is how long it takes to settle down, because it's not just a case of getting the squad in place.
19:37 You don't want to be playing in a situation at the first couple of games back at Ellen Road where you've got fans booing Nanto or Sinisterra if they're still there,
19:48 because of everything that's gone on. It's understandable, but you obviously don't want that atmosphere.
19:55 So it's just a question of how long things actually take to settle and how much ground is to be made up by that point.
20:03 I just don't think he's losing too much, Stuart, by staying until January.
20:08 Leeds can say, "Look, give it until January. We're going to get injured players, but I think there's still a fair chance Leeds have got a bit of money in now with Adams going to Bournemouth."
20:21 The noises and everything seems to suggest they're going to be quite busy at the end of the window.
20:26 Hopefully, get a few players who can make an impact at that level, get the injured players back, build the foundation and then hopefully grow into the season.
20:38 Hopefully, things will start to roll. It does look like one of those seasons where Leeds are going to do anything.
20:47 I think by common consent, even if Farke digs down without probably admitting it, it will be in the final third when you often get one or two teams in the Championship who can win.
21:02 It's like with a wet step. I think that's Leeds' best bet. Obviously, a lot will be down to do what business will do later in the window.
21:13 I think all is not lost. I think it has been a difficult start. It always was going to be.
21:18 If they can manage to chip away, if they can get a draw at Ipswich, that would be a really good result for me.
21:24 They've got Sheffield Wednesday who have been struggling. That's the final game before the first sign-off for the international window.
21:31 If they can just chip away, finish lower mid-table by the time the break begins for as far as their six, I think that's a fair achievement in the circumstances.
21:44 Hopefully, buoyed by some new arrivals, they've been linked to quite a few players.
21:50 I think that there is no guarantee that the District 5 and the Leeds can manage to pull that one off.
21:57 That's how I would say it. He's probably taken a little bit of a bruising by witnessing the fans singing against him on Friday night.
22:07 Justifiably so. You have to take that on the chin. The timing was lousy, wasn't it?
22:12 I'm not saying it was his doing or not, but he did stink on the eve of a big game. We'll have to see how the developments transpire in the April.
22:27 It's not a deception, he does get a few people to Ipswich.
22:31 We all know the excuse. We've heard it a thousand times. I need to get playing in the top division for the sake of my international career.
22:39 They've changed managers since. But nevertheless, Nantes have got in the Italy side on the back of playing in the Swiss league.
22:48 That's blown out of the water. If he goes to the Premier League, he only made 15 starts with Leeds last season.
22:56 It's going to be a similar scenario with whoever he goes to, I would think.
23:01 If he does go to Everton, who are the club who seem keenest on him, as we've already said, Everton are in a bit of a mess.
23:07 They're going to be fighting a relegation battle. He's not exactly going to be in a great situation.
23:12 Why not stay at Leeds, where he will play regularly if he gets his head right?
23:17 And then he should, with his ability, score a lot of goals. I think that will count for a lot with whoever the next Italy manager is.
23:25 As Leon says, it might get him a move in January, it might not, it might get him a promotion and back to the Premier League, who knows.
23:33 But at the moment, he's only done his reputation with the Leeds fans unnecessary damage.
23:41 I imagine he's been poorly advised. The events of Tuesday evening seem to suggest that somebody has spoken a bit of common sense into him.
23:53 We might be able to see a resolution. But this saga has yo-yoed quite a bit and there could yet be twists and turns.
24:05 But it's in everyone's interest. He signed a five-year contract. It's in everyone's interest that he just gets his head down and works hard for Leeds United.
24:15 And if he does that, in time, the rewards will come. It's as simple as that. You signed a contract. Fair enough.
24:23 If the club are willing to let you go, you can go. But if not, you have to honour it. That's the deal.
24:27 That's why they offer you all that money to stay for five years. Just be a grown-up and get on with it.
24:35 We've already seen the likes of Ampadu and Byron come in. Every time these names come up, it seems like it's a name where you think,
24:41 "Oh, that's a really sensible signing for the Championship." I've got a lot of faith now that Daniel Farke has finally got that money in for Tyler Adams,
24:49 that he'll not just be able to find good players, but realistic, sensible Championship signings with the sort of mindset that Leon's talking about to blend into that group.
25:01 I do feel that the Adams signing has come at just the right time in terms of probably just giving Farke enough time to identify and actually get those players.
25:10 Even Max Ahrendts, who by all accounts came very close to signing for Leeds, and then did a U-turn to go to Bournemouth.
25:17 You could have seen him as well, had he been of the right mindset to come. Being another one, you'd say, "Oh yeah, that's a really good Championship signing."
25:25 I do believe that Farke will be able to bring in the right type of players to get the sort of group he needs.
25:34 But he does need to evaluate where Nonto and Sinisterra's heads are, maybe a few others as well, because there's no point having talented players who are going to
25:45 point in that dressing room and say, "If Nonto's got his head right, brilliant, because the talent is certainly there." But they do need to make that evaluation quickly.
25:53 Next in the Championship is Sheffield Wednesday, who fell to a 1-0 defeat when they welcomed Preston North End.
25:58 Tisco and Munoz have yet to secure a point so far this season, and with the Owls having lost their first three league fixtures for the first time since 2007,
26:08 are Wednesday fans justified in starting to feel a little worried, Stuart?
26:13 Yes, they are. They've lost their first three games, but I think this is going to be a real test of patience for them.
26:20 Leon made a very valid point. Leon was at the Hull-Sheffield Wednesday game the previous week and said in his match report, "What is Sisco ball?"
26:31 We haven't really seen any signs of where this team is going yet. Well, in fairness to Wednesday, for about half an hour of that Preston game, between about the 15th minute and half-time,
26:41 we did actually see it. It was quite fluid, positive, passing football, Barry Bannon got involved in the game, Munoz Diaby had a great debut,
26:52 and it was a real worry that he went off with an injury that looks quite bad. But the issue for them on that Saturday was they conceded a sloppy set-piece goal in the 50th minute,
27:03 and it just seemed to burst the balloon. They never got that back. The reality is when you've got a new manager, with a new coaching staff, and 10 new players,
27:12 it is going to take time to gel. The problem is we all know what football is like. We went down this road with Huddersfield this time last season.
27:21 Is the manager going to get the time? Are the fans and the chairman and the journalists and everyone going to show the patience for this to come together?
27:33 Ultimately, is it going to happen? I saw enough on Saturday to make me think that there is the makings of something there.
27:41 I'd say Diaby, Momo Diaby's injury, would be a big blow because I think he was probably a big factor in taking them up a level.
27:51 So fingers crossed that it's not as bad as it looked, but there were signs there that things could come together for them.
27:59 Again, like their neighbours across the city, the worry is how much are you going to give the other teams a head start before you get your acting order?
28:07 But you could see them working towards something at least, which is not something that was evident all the previous week.
28:16 I think like a lot of managers, Munoz will be keen to get to the international break. He'll know what he's working with.
28:26 Hopefully he'll have a fair bit of time at the training ground at Middlewood to really bed in his principles and a route forward really.
28:39 Things are fluid for a lot of the championship clubs, I'm sure we'll go on to speak about a few more.
28:46 In terms of Rotterdam, in terms of knowing what you're actually dealing with and just about with Leeds.
28:56 Hopefully Wednesday will provide the cells with a little bit of hope going into when it really does begin if you like.
29:04 From the middle of September onwards, that's when you can really gauge and judge the teams in the championship.
29:11 Stuart rightly says as well, you need to provide the confidence by getting a win or two along the way or else things can take a real turn for the worst.
29:25 You look at Sheffield Wednesday, only a few weeks into the season, League One home form was the bedrock, wasn't it?
29:33 In terms of getting promotion last season and even in the season before, their form at Hillsborough just supported them.
29:47 It was such a constant, wasn't it? I think they only lost two or three games in two seasons in the league.
29:53 Now, two games into the championship season at home, they've lost both of them.
29:59 Obviously, that's food for thought and a bit of a confidence shaker.
30:06 I just sort of worry. I look at the recruitment with Wednesday and some of it just smacks a little bit of panic for me.
30:15 They've obviously signed some players who've been at big clubs on the continent.
30:19 I do hope it actually works for them and they can prove themselves to be championship players.
30:25 Some of them look a little bit of taking a punt on one or two of them.
30:30 It's not really that sort of championship bonafide experience.
30:35 I think it's asking a lot for them to sort of gel straight away and hopefully for Wednesday's sake and Nuno's,
30:43 they'll find the answers in the international break and then show some positivity, which we'll need to do when it starts again in mid-September.
30:53 I think fans are fairly understanding at the minute.
30:58 I think they realise it was a difficult summer. They ended the season late.
31:04 Obviously, getting through the playoffs, there was Darren Moore leaving the club and it was an uncertain time.
31:11 It was difficult for Munoz coming in in that regard.
31:15 There's a certain amount of patience, but it's certainly not going to be finite.
31:20 They'll need to see some progress once we get into the autumn.
31:26 If you take what I said earlier about Daniel Farker's transfer targets, it's almost the opposite with Sheffield Wednesday.
31:33 There's so many unknown quantities, aren't they? New to the league.
31:37 Some of the players he has got, Reece James, seems to be in the pipeline before he arrived.
31:44 It made sense, exactly. But neither James nor Marvin Johnson have been involved very much at all in the opening weeks of the season.
31:54 You just feel you maybe need more of a blend between those guys who understand the level and those guys who are learning it.
32:02 They might ultimately be very good at it, but right now, I'm still getting a feel for it.
32:07 Obviously, there are some in the team. Barry Bannon and George Byers made a big difference on Saturday.
32:16 Obviously, Bambo Diaby, Abina Preston and all this sort of thing.
32:20 They're not completely devoid of it, but you just wonder if they need to balance slightly more to prove players who understand English football.
32:30 Certainly in the early parts of the season, and maybe bring some more of these players who are still learning about it later on.
32:38 In terms of learning, you think of Viles, they've actually really struggled since the opening day.
32:45 They've had a big turnaround, they've had a new manager as well.
32:49 That opening day 7-0 win for them was just a bit of validation that this manager knows what he's doing, stick with it.
32:56 Muniz just needs that moment really.
33:00 He needs some credit in the bank, doesn't he?
33:01 Some credit in the bank, exactly.
33:02 When they came off at half-time at 0-0 against Preston, they were reported off because the fans felt like the win was coming and they were building towards it.
33:12 But the second half was so frustrating, they ended up getting booed off at the end of the second half.
33:17 Not quite as loudly, but booed off.
33:20 That good work has just been forgotten about. They just need something in that points column to say, "Yeah, there is something to build on."
33:29 We are up and running, and to convince the players as well.
33:32 Finally for this week, we turn to the clash between Middlesbrough and Huddersfield Town, which ended in a 1-1 draw at the Riverside.
33:40 This result leaves both sides in the relegation zone without a win.
33:46 I suppose things can only get better from here, Leon?
33:49 You would think that on some levels, Mark, but I actually had the misfortune to cover the game between the last season.
33:56 It was relatively early last season, the early sparrings of last season, albeit a little bit further on.
34:02 I think it was in October.
34:04 That was dreadful. Both sides were in the bottom three.
34:08 They played like two sides in the bottom three, frankly.
34:12 There was a lack of fluidity and conviction, confidence.
34:17 To be fair, obviously, both sides started again.
34:20 It was a bit daft in certain respects to look at the league table this early, but they were both in the relegation area.
34:31 It was a really entertaining game.
34:34 Middlesbrough College should have won it. They certainly had a great chance at the end.
34:38 Sam Silvera missed a big chance against Coventry in the previous game when the game was in the balance.
34:45 It was almost a carbon copy, really.
34:48 He guided when he should have shown a lot more calm.
34:53 He would have won the game for Borough.
34:56 I don't think Huddersfield could have grumbled too much, but having said that, there was quite a lot of positivity for town as well.
35:04 I thought beforehand they might come in with a bit of a defensive mindset and try to spoil things,
35:11 but they took the game to Middlesbrough in certain regards.
35:16 They were on top at the start of the second half.
35:18 They scored. It was slightly fortuitous to goal, but there was nothing lucky about it.
35:24 The fact that they started the second half really well and had their foot on the throat at Borough a little bit
35:30 and had the chance to take a stranglehold on the game.
35:34 Fair play to Middlesbrough. They got back and it was a very good equaliser from Haven Hackney.
35:40 There were good elements across the pitch.
35:45 Huddersfield had played well the previous week by other counts against Leicester.
35:51 They're going to be up there, although they are at the minute.
35:55 I think they'll certainly last the course. I think they've got too much quality.
35:59 Huddersfield were unlucky. It was an error from Lee Nicholls, but he bounced back as good players do.
36:05 He made three good saves on Saturday. Matty Pearson was excellent.
36:12 He got his blocks and his tackles in. Neil Warner could set him before.
36:15 He pitched in and pulled in and he followed that to the letter.
36:18 John Hogg was good. Jack Radone and Sobre Thomas as well.
36:23 His work rate was the big takeaway, I thought, from the game.
36:29 He obviously got a bit of a kudos for the goal that went in off Dale Fry.
36:33 He's tracking back. His eye, you could just see it.
36:40 Warnock's feint man management. He's obviously tapped the right buttons with Thomas.
36:45 Whether he's put his arm round him or had a few choice words in his ear, I don't know.
36:51 He did speak about Thomas recently and said he could start an argument in an empty room.
36:56 He said that in a nice way, that said.
37:00 Whatever way he's doing it, he's got a tune out of Thomas on Saturday.
37:08 I thought Town played reasonably well as an away side.
37:12 Middlesbrough, some good contributions.
37:16 The lad they've signed from Italy, Latte Laff, should have probably scored.
37:22 He was sort of away, clean through. He's touched that in down a little bit.
37:26 I thought he should have got his shots away a little bit earlier.
37:30 I thought his overall game was pretty good. He was very sharp.
37:34 He caused a lot of problems to Mikkel Hellick.
37:36 His movement was good and some of his link-up play was excellent.
37:43 He had a real desire to do well as well and his work rate was tremendous.
37:48 Hopefully Borough have got a little bit of something there.
37:52 I think they're a bit more as do Town in the transfer market.
37:56 I still think they're a little bit light up front.
37:59 Obviously they lost Ackbom and Archer.
38:03 I still think that if Johnny Howson gets an injury, they do lack that sort of midfield general.
38:12 From a Town perspective, it was good to have a look at the new lad as well.
38:18 He's a real big size and showed his pace and put himself about in his brief cameo.
38:24 He's got a booking as well.
38:26 They'll be hoping to do a couple of bits of business as well before the end.
38:30 Maybe a midfielder and perhaps another striker even.
38:35 It looks like Jordan Rhodes is destined for elsewhere at some point.
38:40 I think that for me is the big encouragement to hear, Leon,
38:44 talking about both the new forwards in that sense.
38:47 You felt and still feel with both of those sides that that's really what they need most of all.
38:53 That bit of cutting edge.
38:55 Obviously Silveira is in the same situation as Laff.
38:58 He's a striker, like we talked about with the Sheffield Wednesday players,
39:01 learning English football, learning senior football to a degree with Silveira.
39:07 He's not in the same category as, for example, Keenan Davis,
39:11 who's been strongly linked with Hult where you know what you're going to get with him as a championship striker.
39:16 These guys and Bergzog will both need a bit of time.
39:20 But Middlesbrough, you feel this transfer window is all about replacing all the goals that they lost at the end of last season.
39:30 And Huddersfield, as Leon said, they played well against Leicester.
39:34 But for large parts of the game, by all accounts, they played well against Plymouth.
39:39 But they've been let down by crucial errors at both ends of the field.
39:43 So if they can get that cutting edge, I believe they've got the players.
39:47 Leon mentioned Matty Pearson there.
39:50 That's the sort of player you want to be relying on at the championship level.
39:53 So's Lee Nicholls, so's Mikael Helic, who's had a couple of great and a couple of terrible moments
39:58 in the first couple of weeks of the season.
40:00 But you'd bank on him. You'd bank on Hogg and players like that.
40:07 Tom Lees has come back as well.
40:09 Tom Lees again falls into that category.
40:11 So if they can get Saul Batonis providing the supply that we all know he's capable of,
40:18 they just need somebody to finish it off.
40:21 It's such a shame. It's been a theme with every team we've talked about in this podcast.
40:25 Leon's alluded to it. The season doesn't really start until mid-September.
40:29 It's such a shame that there's so many points gone out of the way by the time the league actually takes shape.
40:39 So many of the Orchard teams, unfortunately, are going to be in the position where they're starting from a position of weakness.
40:49 But if both of these clubs can have a good last week of the window,
40:53 there's no reason why they can't kick on and not be stuck in relegation battles for the season.
41:01 Certainly Middlesbrough shouldn't be.
41:03 And St. Huddersfield, if they're just able to make a couple of shrewd signings, they should be better than that as well.
41:10 I'm not convinced they are right now, but I think they should be able to get to that point.
41:15 I think that's probably arguably more important than the last couple of games, really.
41:20 There's some key bits of business for quite a few sides.
41:25 There are other of them as well that look desperately like, don't they?
41:35 That's the big thing for me.
41:38 I'm not willing to think of many other ends to summer transfer windows that have probably been as important for quite a few of our clubs.
41:45 Obviously, Ketting's United a bit further up as well.
41:48 YorkshirePost.co.uk
41:51 YorkshirePost.co.uk
42:01 Many thanks to Stuart Rayner and Leon Wobbshaw who will doubtless join us again soon for more discussions on the Yorkshire football scene.
42:07 But don't forget you can keep up to date with all the football news across Yorkshire and beyond by logging on to our website at yp.sport@nationalworld.com.
42:15 If you search for Yorkshire Post Sport, Yorkshire Post Football or even Sheffield Sport on Facebook, you can find us there as well.
42:21 If you have any questions for our writers, you can get in touch using those various Twitter or Facebook pages,
42:26 or email us directly with a subject matter as Football Talk Podcast at yp.sport@nationalworld.com.
42:32 As ever, many thanks for listening, look after yourselves and bye for now.
42:36 [Music]