15 Oct 2024
On The Premier League
We’re seven games into the Premier League season, has anything stood out for you?
Some teams are probably underperforming what some were expecting or predicting. I don’t think it’s that much of a surprise to say that Manchester City and Arsenal are two teams that are standing out, and, obviously, it’s great to see Liverpool up there at the top of the league.
For me, I think the highlight has to be Chelsea. They're only four points off the top of the table. Obviously, the last couple of years haven’t been great and they should have been doing much better than they have done in that period, so it’s really pleasing to see them making progress and getting off to a good start under a new manager this season.
Can Chelsea put themselves in the title race this season?
I'd be surprised if Chelsea can keep the pace with Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal and go the distance for the entire season. I don’t think they’re ready to compete for the title yet, but the other three are and I suspect that those three teams will complete the top three this season.
Arsenal aren’t going anywhere, City are obviously going to be there, and if Liverpool can get a little bit of luck with injuries, they’re going to be there as well.
I do think those three are a bit further forward than anyone else. Chelsea would bite your arm off to be in the title conversation this season, but a title challenge is highly unlikely. I’m pleased to see the club has made a promising start. The challenge is sustaining and maintaining that form over the course of a season, which will be difficult with a squad full of young players.
Who do you think will be competing with Chelsea for a place in the top four?
Aston Villa have been great under Unai Emery. I think it would be extremely foolish to write them off.
Manchester United could do anything. They are just as likely to bounce back and start climbing the table as they are as likely to fall further down it. Newcastle United are also in with a shout if they can keep their most important players fit.
I'll put Chelsea at the top of that list that I just mentioned. There are questions about Chelsea’s consistency and ability to hold it together for the entire season. It’s a big opportunity for this young team to demonstrate that it’s ready to compete with the best teams in the Premier League this season.
Who would you consider to be the best signing of the transfer window?
Chelsea have signed a lot of players again. I think Joao Felix could be a great signing if he can stay fit and get his confidence back. I think he could be a brilliant player for Chelsea, but we will need more time to find out.
Who do you think is the most overrated player in the Premier League?
I don’t want to say that Bruno Fernandes is overrated because he’s a brilliant football player, but I think it’s fair to say that we should be expecting more from him in a Manchester United shirt.
We’ve seen his technical ability and his ability to score and create goals, but there’s a petulance to his game and there are antics to his game that can rub people up the wrong way.
I don’t think he’s shown his ability on a consistent basis enough for United so far this season. In the games where you need your experienced players to stand up and be counted, he hasn’t shown up.
When things go against him, I think he can let it get to his head. I don’t think he’s captain material to be honest. He’s certainly not demonstrated the behaviour a captain of Manchester United should in the last few games before the international break.
Who would you consider to be the three best defenders (in any position) in the Premier League?
I quite like Max Kilman. He's an outsider, but he will be getting a place in my list.
Obviously, Virgil van Dijk, I'd have him all day. Probably Marc Guehi. I think he's probably up there as well. There's a lot of people playing well.
Statistically, Arsenal had the best defence in the Premier League last season. Do you think Arsenal has the best defence this season?
From what we’ve seen of Arsenal so far, it looks like their defence will be as tight as it was last season. It’s certainly a defence that is good enough to put them in the conversation as potential Premier League champions this season.
With the top team, their best form of defence is possession of the football. If you've got the ball, you can't concede. Arsenal have a perfect correlation between the two.
Obviously, they've got top class defenders, but as I say, if you've got the ball 80% of the time or 70% of the time, then you will rarely concede to anyone. How well they can keep the ball, and play takes the pressure off the defenders.
On Liverpool
Arne Slot has overseen the best start that Liverpool have ever had to a Premier League season. Have you been surprised by how quickly he has adapted to life at Liverpool?
I have been surprised by how quickly Arne Slot has adapted to life at Liverpool. Obviously, he's inherited a fantastic squad, but a lot of managers can ruffle too many feathers too early on when they walk into a new club.
Slot has gradually made changes. I think his approach and tweaks to the team and its tactics have actually been very astute because he hasn’t ripped it up and started again. He’s overseen a really good start and has done a fantastic job.
It couldn’t have been easy following in the footsteps of a legend like Jurgen Klopp. I think a lot of managers would have tried to rip things up and start again in terms of putting their stamp on things, but Slot hasn’t really done that. How much credit does he deserve for that?
Managing Liverpool is a massive job. It’s a job where you could easily get overwhelmed and start to overthink things, but he seems to be a very calm man and very chilled. It's nice that he's not changed too much because there wasn't too much to change. He walked into a dressing room littered with world-class players. Most of the time when a new manager goes into a club, the club is in the doldrums, but Liverpool were flying. That’s obviously helped him, but he deserves credit too.
When you watch this Liverpool team, what are the main differences that you’ve seen in terms of playing style if you were to compare Klopp to Slot?
I don’t see too many differences between the two men to be honest. Both teams press in the same way with a trigger. Both teams are fast in transitions and like to exploit spaces on the break.
The one major difference is the use of Ryan Gravenberch. He’s been given a new role in Liverpool’s midfield under Slot and has been a revelation. It looks like he was born to play in the six role and Arne Slot’s arrival seems to be getting the best out of him as a player.
Some people have suggested that Liverpool haven’t really played anyone yet and their title mettle will be tested after the international break. Is that a fair statement? Do you think we will know more about Liverpool’s title credentials at the end of the month?
Liverpool have got Arsenal and Aston Villa in the next four Premier League games. Yes, they're going to be challenging, but those are the games you need to take points from if you want to win the Premier League.
Arsenal will be a huge test. Aston Villa won’t roll over. This month will provide a good indicator of where Liverpool are. In six weeks’ time, I don’t think there will be four points separating the top five.
On Liverpool Contracts
Has the form that both Virgil van Dijk and Mo Salah shown this season demanded they be given the terms they want?
We don't know the terms that Virgil van Dijk and Mo Salah are looking for. I think if its something sensible, within Liverpool’s budget, then the club will try its best to keep both players. It’s hard to say whether or not Liverpool should meet their demands because only they know what those demands are.
Talks are ongoing. I hope that they can sign new contracts. It would be very sensible business to keep both of them if the deals were right. They’ve both proven that they still have so much to offer Liverpool football club by their form this season.
Of course, there is a cloud over the futures of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk. If you had to prioritise one deal, who would it be and why?
If I had to pick a contract to renew as a priority in the cases of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk, then Trent is who I’d go for, mainly because of his age.
They're all world class players, but Trent is the younger man, and he could feasibly be playing in the Liverpool first team for another six, seven years. Mo and Virgil, as good as they are, aren’t going to be able to do that.
Of course, there are rumours about Real Madrid wanting to sign Trent and I don’t expect those to go away. Real Madrid are a big, iconic club. Most players might not say it, but nearly everyone wants to play for Real Madrid. If Madrid wanted him, I think it would be a deal that he couldn't turn down.
He’s been so successful at Liverpool and won every trophy that you would want to win as a player with his boyhood club. If he did decide to go, it’s not like he would be leaving on bad terms. I don’t think anyone would complain or begrudge him a move to Madrid because when Real Madrid come calling with a free transfer, it's hard for any player (to turn that down).
On Liverpool's Performances
Who has been the player that has really stood out for you in a Liverpool shirt this season and why?
Ryan Gravenberch has been the one player that I want to single-out for praise so far this season. He looks like he's grown into the Premier League. It's not easy for players from different leagues to come into the Premier League and perform the way they're used to. It does take some time to get used to the pace and the physicality of the league.
Gravenberch looks better equipped to succeed in the Premier League this season. He seems to really suit this new role in the Liverpool midfield, and I think he’s probably the stand out so far.
On Luis Diaz
Talk to me about Luis Diaz. He looks like a man in the form of his life at the moment.
Has Arne Slot’s playing style perhaps suited him a little more than Jurgen Klopp’s style at times, and if so, how?
Sometimes new managers can freshen up players and breathe new life into their careers at football clubs. We’ve seen that happen to players countless times before where, under a new manager, a player start to thrive and comes back to life.
I don’t think that Luis Diaz is benefiting from anything in particular that Arne Slot has done differently with him, I think he is a player that is being rewarded this season for all of the hard work that he is puting in.
Diaz has always worked hard, but perhaps there has been a little bit of extra motivation for him this season because he’s playing under a new manager.
He always works his socks off and he's obviously a fantastic player. I think we are seeing the best of him at the moment.
He had a long-term injury in his first full season at the club, was it natural that he’d need a while to come back from that and reach his best form again - particularly as then last season, he went through the personal turmoil of his parents being kidnapped in Colombia, which he seemed to deal with in a very dignified way?
He had a lot of stuff going on off pitch last season. Injuries are hard for anyone. No one wants to be injured, and it takes some time to get your confidence back after that, especially with his knee and stuff.
Hopefully he's strong as ever and will stay fit and crack on.
On Liverpool's Objectives
What’s the minimum objective for Liverpool this season?
They have to go toe-to-toe with City and Arsenal in the title race. If Liverpool were to stay in the race until the end of the season, that would be a fantastic achievement considering this is Arne Slot’s first season managing the club.
I don’t think that Liverpool have quite enough to match City all the way. I think if they can stay within touching distance of them with a very respectable points total, then that has to go down as a positive season even if they don’t win a trophy.
I don't think Liverpool will be good enough to win the Premier League. I'd like to see Arsenal really kick on and win it this season if it’s going to be out of reach for Liverpool or Chelsea.
On Chelsea
When you joined Chelsea, as the first signing of the Abramovich era, you were one of many new signings. How hard is it to find a blend, and how big a problem has that been for Chelsea bosses under this new regime?
When a club makes a lot of new signings, it can be difficult for players. It can be difficult for players because you can find yourself in an environment that has changed a lot with several of your teammates trying to adjust to those changes too. You’re all learning on the job in a way in terms of finding your feet in a new club.
As a player, you just have to do your job. There'll be some experienced people around that know the club better than you, so you try and learn as fast as you can, but it is definitely a problem when there's 15 players doing it at the same time.
How would you describe Enzo Maresca’s start to his Chelsea career?
I think Enzo Maresca has clearly got his way of thinking, and he's come out with some bold decisions.
When I’ve watched Chelsea this season, there have been moments where they have looked irresistible. I don’t think anyone can complain with how things are going after seven games so far because Chelsea are only four points off the top of the table.
After the last few seasons, Chelsea would be biting your arm off to be in this type of position. The challenge is sustaining it and remaining consistent.
The club has signed a lot of good players. They only need to add one or two more and they will have a proper squad that is capable of competing for the title.
What has impressed you about Enzo Maresca so far?
It's difficult to pinpoint one thing that has really impressed me about Enzo Maresca so far in terms of the performances because the games that Chelsea have won are the ones that you would expect them to win.
It’s hard to judge a manager after seven games. Maresca has earned a great amount of credit so far, but Chelsea haven’t delivered a scalp yet. They haven’t put it together against one of the best teams in the Premier League yet, and that is the challenge they will be facing this weekend.
The big tests are on the horizon for Chelsea over the next couple of months. We’ll certainly find out what this team is all about over the Christmas period when they’ve got back-to-back games. We’ll learn a lot more about Chelsea then.
A lot of people blasted the approach by Chelsea’s owners in terms of player recruitment. Long-term, do you think it is a strategy that will start paying dividends?
Obviously, Chelsea have signed a lot of young players. You would like to think they’ll go on to have good careers, and you only need a couple of them to start sprouting.
At the same time, Chelsea needs to compete now, so they haven't got three years to wait. The strategy is only going to be proven in time because most of the players they're buying are under 21, so you’re going to need some time to blossom.
How hard is it if you're a young player to find your feet in an environment like that? Which senior players helped you and are there enough of them now at Chelsea to do the same?
Frank Lampard helped me a lot when I joined the club. Desailly, all the older guys, they were great. They're the guys I was looking up to growing up, so I gave them respect from day one. Any advice you got off those sorts of guys, you obviously lap it up as a player.
Most of the players at Chelsea now are quite new, so I don’t know who can play that role and advise them. Maybe Reece James, somebody who knows the club inside out, can help the youngsters.
On the recruitment that Chelsea conducted this summer, who is the one player that you’re most excited by?
Joao Felix is the signing that Chelsea made that has excited me the most. He's obviously a standout technician, but I just hope he can do it all the time because that's the reason they signed him. He's capable of anything, but obviously we need to see it a little bit more often. I'd probably say he's the exciting one.
Enzo Maresca has said that he wants to add a bit more quality to his team in January. Where do you think Chelsea need to strengthen and is there one particular player you would love your old club to bring in?
I would love to see Chelsea make a move for Lautaro Matinez at Inter Milan. He’s a proper goal scorer.
I’m sure there are loads of clubs that would love to sign him, not just Chelsea. He’s one of those players who probably doesn’t get the respect that his talent deserves or doesn’t get a fuss made over his talent. I don’t understand why that is because he’s got everything that you would look for in a striker.
If I could pick anyone for Chelsea to sign, I’d pick him.
I think it would be fair to say that we haven’t seen the best of Enzo Fernandez in a Chelsea shirt. Do you expect him to come good this season?
Enzo Fernandez is showing hot flashes for Chelsea. I think he gets more criticism than he probably actually deserves because of the size of the transfer fee Chelsea paid to sign him from Benfica.
Big players that move for big money have to deal with a higher level of scrutiny. There’s no doubt that Fernandez has world-class ability, he just needs to demonstrate it more regularly.
Ditto Mikhailo Mudryk. Is he drinking in the last chance saloon this season in terms of his Chelsea career?
I do think that Mykhailo Mudryk probably is drinking in the last chance saloon in terms of his Chelsea career.
Again, in flashes he's looked unstoppable, but his performances have not been anywhere near consistent enough to play regularly for a club like Chelsea.
For the fee that Chelsea paid for him, I think he needs to bounce back this year or his Chelsea career could be over.
Apparently, club captain Reece James is edging back towards fitness. What kind of an impact do you think he will have on this Chelsea team, and would you be tempted to give him some action against Liverpool?
It's always good to see the big-name players come back into the fold. It gives everyone a little lift, but to come back into a Liverpool game, which is going to be a match played at a super high intensity, I wouldn't risk Reece James.
Given his history, I don’t think that Chelsea need to gamble with his fitness and put him in a position where he’s pushed too soon. Chelsea want him back and firing for the remainder of the season, so it would be a big risk to put him in.
Only Reece knows how good he feels and how long he thinks he's capable of playing. If he’s 100 percent fit, then obviously he plays, but I'd just be careful when people are coming back. I know it's a big fixture but sometimes you've got to play the long game.
In terms of an understudy, Malo Gusto is a pretty good one. How highly do you rate the French youngster?
It would be different to rush Reece James back if his replacement was having a bit of a nightmare, but Malo Gusto’s not. He's fine. He's more than capable of helping the team so that makes the decision to leave Reece out for this game much easier for Enzo Maresca.
What do you think is their minimum objective for Chelsea this season?
Chelsea are a club that are used to winning trophies. I know that they haven’t done that for the last couple of seasons, but that is where the club needs to get to and quickly. I think they should be aiming for silverware this season.
I don't think they're going to go on a title run, but if you offered Chelsea fourth place and Champions League football, they would absolutely bite your arm off.
If Chelsea were to come fifth, it's probably not the end of the world. If they were to come fifth with a trophy, it's probably good enough to be considered a successful season.
On Liverpool vs Chelsea
What sort of test will this game be for Chelsea?
It’s one of the most iconic fixtures in the season, so anything is possible. They both need to treat it as if it’s a cup final, but I think it provides a good chance for Chelsea to say that they are in the title race if they get a positive result.
For the first time in a while, I think that the result could go either way. Chelsea are going to be confident, Liverpool are going to be confident, but hopefully we'll get to see two big guns going at it, and it's not too reserved.
Liverpool are top of the league, but Arne Slot has admitted they haven't faced the toughest of opponents yet. Will Chelsea represent their hardest game so far?
Obviously, there's no easy game if you're not at it in the Premier League, but definitely, the big fixtures, they're much harder to win than your average game in the Premier League.
I think this is going to be the toughest one because Chelsea are in form. I think it'll be a real test, but its probably a bigger carrot for Chelsea than Liverpool.
Two former sides - who do you see coming out on top?
I think Liverpool will win 2-1.
What do you make of Cole Palmer's impact? Which players does he remind you of? Is it a case of stop Palmer, stop Chelsea?
Cole Palmer’s been amazing since he joined the club, no two ways about it. He surprised a lot of people in terms of how quickly he’s established himself as one of the best players in the Premier League in the space of 12 months.
If I had to pick a player that he reminds me off, it would be Jose Antonio Reyes who used to play for Arsenal and sadly he isn’t with us anymore. Jose was a player that was a lot quicker than he looked. Palmer doesn’t look like he can run, but when he gets off, he just glides past you.
He's very clever with where he positions the ball, because he's not the strongest, he's not the quickest, but he glides past people and that's kind of what Reyes did.
On Manchester United
Given what went on in the summer, are you surprised that Manchester United stuck with Erik ten Hag going into the new season?
Obviously, everyone is used to Manchester United competing for titles and being one of the big teams in the world, which they still are, but they just don't perform like it.
People can often be quick to press the button and fire the manager, but right now, I don't think there's many managers out there up to the job of taking Manchester United forward. I know it’s a big club, but they’re really struggling.
I think it’s in Manchester United’s interest to stick with Erik ten Hag, because if you dropped nine out of ten new managers into Old Trafford, they would struggle at the moment.
Manchester United have got good individual players, they’ve got to find a way to become a good team.
On Manchester City
If City are found guilty of cheating, it would be fair to say that Liverpool are the one team that have suffered the most having pushed them all the way over a four-year period. What kind of punishment do you think they should be handed, and would you like to see titles won chalked off?
It's tough to comment on Manchester City, really, because I don't know the details. I don't know if it's cheating or if it's bending the rules, but there's no doubt that it obviously benefits the team, which obviously benefits the performances and the league position.
Liverpool would be fuming, really, because they've been successful by playing by the rules. What the punishment should be if they are guilty, I don't know. Should they get their titles removed? I don't know how severe it really is.
I'm pretty sure they wouldn't just cheat. I'm pretty sure they've got some super high-end lawyer that's found a loophole. They’re not going to just deliberately cheat, I imagine.
If City were to be found guilty, Liverpool fans, Jurgen Klopp and the players would be fuming because the rule book is there for a reason. The game would be a lot easier if you could make up your own rules. The rule book is there to try and make it a fair playing field. So, if you lose to a team that might have cheated, then of course that would be very hard to swallow.
If Liverpool were given it now, it wouldn’t feel like they’d won the league. It would be pointless going through the rigamarole.
On Arsenal
Arsenal have been there and thereabouts over the last couple of seasons. They’re building something, but after the support that Mikel Arteta has been given and the money that’s been spent at the football club, do they need to win a trophy this season to put to bed any doubts about them as an elite team?
No, I don't think Arsenal need to win a trophy to be recognised as an elite team. Trophies are hard to come by.
I don't think they have to win a trophy to be considered a success, I just think they have to maintain what they've been doing, and if they get deep in a couple of competitions, I think that would be a respectable season.
They’re going for the big one in the Premier League. I think as long as they're competing, then they don't have to win a trophy.
Mikel Arteta is doing an amazing job. He's building something special there.
Going back to the Arsenal, there's been a lot of criticism that they haven't really got a number 9 who can score 20 goals a season. Do you think they have the firepower to win the title, or do you think they need to buy someone else?
If you can guarantee a new striker would come in and score 20 goals, then of course you do it. 20 goal strikers are hard to come by. I think Arsenal will need to spread the goals around the team. Last season, everyone chipped in.
If everyone contributes, then Arsenal have enough to win the title without having a prolific number nine. Not every team can have a player like Haaland in it.
Do you think that Kai Havertz might be the guy who can get 20?
I'm not sure if Kai Havertz is a player that can score 20 goals for Arsenal in a season. Obviously, he's got the ability, and he's got big, big important goals in his career.
I don't think he would get 20 because I think he gives up too many opportunities with his finishing. Can he still be an important player for Arsenal? Absolutely. Like I said, Arsenal will need all of their attacking players to chip in if they want to win the title.
On West Ham
West Ham’s start to the season has been sketchy to say the least. Are you surprised at the manager they brought in given a lot of fans were concerned about David Moyes’ brand of football?
In football, you've got to be careful what you wish for. I think they’re probably struggling with a lot of change, similar to Chelsea to be honest.
West Ham are suffering with so many new players and people. There have been a lot of changes at the club, and it takes time for everything to gel.
I think West Ham will find their feet under Julen Lopetegui. They’ve made some good signings who just need to find their feet.
I think West Ham will be absolutely fine and work out what they need to do. As soon as the players get to grips with it, they’ll start climbing the table.
I really like the signing of Max Kilman. He’s a dependable defender that keeps things simple at the back. He adds quality to a position in the team that needed to be strengthened. It might not be looking like it at the moment, but I think he’ll be a very important signing come the end of the season.
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