00:00On to Birmingham City, obviously suffering a loss to Charlton in their last League One
00:06game. I mean, it's just sort of exaggerated that League One isn't quite a walkover that
00:11it might look after their unbelievable start to the season. How are fans reacting after
00:16that? Obviously, you know, it's no time for panic stations, but it certainly is a little
00:20reminder that it can prove quite a tough division to escape. And if you get a bit complacent
00:27like the likes of Sunderland did in the past, you know, it can sort of get you.
00:31We've seen teams with a lead of 10, 12, 13, 14 points in League One, and that gets heavily
00:37reduced at the end of the season. We saw in the Championship last year of Leicester City,
00:41they started to get a bit complacent and then a bit squeaky bum time towards the end of
00:44the season. These teams, either they do act up and then they manage to see it on through
00:49and get promoted, or they can fall away and lose it completely. Obviously, so early doors
00:53for Birmingham to see if they're going to be falling away or not. But that Charlton
00:58game is a reminder. As Chris Davies, the manager, has been saying this whole time, you can't
01:03take any League One game for granted, any win for granted. Charlton, they're not exactly
01:07the best team in the world, and they lost their best player, Alfie May, to Birmingham
01:11in the summer. But Blues didn't even have a shot on target at the Valley. Charlton did
01:15set up quite defensively after they got their goal, as you would do against the best team
01:20in the league, and they worked hard to get that three points. I think the main reaction
01:24from the Blues fans is, oh, OK, right. Maybe Davies is right. This isn't going to be so
01:28easy. I think they're a little bit disappointed that unbeaten record is gone. But realistically,
01:33you're never going to get an unbeaten record in 46 matches. It would have to be one of
01:37the most perfect seasons we've ever seen.
01:39Obviously, we've mentioned the massive summer, the amount of signings. There's been some
01:45contract situations being updated. What quite appeals to me is the length of these contracts
01:51as well. There's 2028 and three or four years' time. What's the latest you can tell us on
01:57the contract situation and how pleased should Blues be to secure these names for a few more years?
02:04Yes, the main two recently have been Heik Seng Ho, the midfielder, and Ethan Laird,
02:10the right back. Both, I believe, until 2028, which is a long-term commitment for both players.
02:16Heik Seng Ho, in particular, is showing his quality. He's definitely a division above,
02:21if not higher. If they go up to the championship, they should be pretty comfortable starting those
02:25two players every single week. Ethan Laird maybe leaves a little bit to be desired defensively
02:30with his positioning and his tracking back. But going forward, he's got so much energy,
02:34so much charisma. His delivery may be a little bit inconsistent at times, but he's definitely
02:39got the potential to be a top-quality player for Blues. Obviously, formerly of Manchester United as
02:43well, he's had that good upbringing and training at Old Trafford. So, yes, to tie those two players
02:48down is very important. I think it assures Blues that they're not just spending money for the here
02:53and now. They're looking to several years ahead. These crazy sums that we're seeing,
02:57it is a long-term plan. It's not just for this season.
03:02So, Will, as Liverpool have entered this new era under Arnie Schlatt, obviously,
03:06he himself has admitted that they've not really faced a massive test so far. The fixtures now are
03:13coming in thick and fast. They've got Champions League to look at. Then they've got some really
03:17tough games in the league. They've passed their first test against Chelsea. But how excited are
03:24they for this real test? And they can really stamp their authority in the division if they
03:28do come out with some real positive results. Yes, I don't know if Liverpool fans are getting
03:34carried away yet. Because, A, they know it takes an awful lot to beat Manchester City to the title.
03:42And B, we've seen last season that Liverpool had a good start, but they ultimately tailed off at
03:45the end. But, you know, so far, so good under Arnie Schlatt, 10 wins from 11. And the Chelsea
03:54game was a little bit different because it was probably the first game where they didn't actually
03:57dominate possession. I think Chelsea had more of the ball. But Liverpool, for the most part,
04:03were resolute and they'd seen the game out fairly comfortably. You know, they showed their attack
04:09and prowess. They could have had a second penalty, potentially. They had other chances in the first
04:13half. And I can't really remember the Liverpool goalkeeper, Green Kelly, making a save throughout
04:19the game. He came off his line, maybe. But by Nicholas Jackson's goal, Liverpool were fairly
04:25comfortable in the end. And when you're able to quell a real potent attack and line-up with Chelsea,
04:31Cole Palmer was limited to a couple of blocked shots and, obviously, Jackson had his chance. But
04:37Matauehi was threatened at times, but he didn't really do anything of substantial note. And
04:46Jadon Sancho and Pedro Neto both struggled on the opposite flank. So, you have to take the
04:52positives from that. It wasn't a fantastic Liverpool performance, but I think they showed
04:57the different sides. And those qualities are what you need to win a title when you've got to dig in
05:03deep. And when you've got players like, you know, Arsenal said it after Mo Salah tracking back and
05:09putting in a shift and then going up the other end and trying to create chances, that's what you need
05:15from your talisman. You could almost give him a little bit of leeway and say, oh, he doesn't need
05:21to track back as much because of what he does in the final third. But when you've got players with
05:26that attitude, then it really all goes well. So, yeah, big win. But, you know, the Arsenal game is
05:32another real barometer. If Liverpool can go there and get a result and then they've got Aston Villa
05:38in the league as well before the next international break, if Liverpool pick up results against those,
05:43then you're looking at the table and think, well, where are they going to start dropping points?
05:47Because they're not dropping them against the lesser teams and they're picking up points against
05:51the teams that will be challenging at the top end of the table. So, why can't they go all the way?
05:57Will, obviously, the FA had a bit of controversy announcing the first ever German manager to take
06:07charge of the national team. I mean, third ever foreign manager. It looks like they've
06:12gone back down, obviously, the foreign route. It's possibly the best decision
06:18in terms of a tournament manager who's available on the market at this time.
06:23What's your thoughts on it? Because, you know, it is quite controversial, as I say.
06:27Well, yeah, as you say, you mentioned Eddie Howe and Eddie Howe has come out and said that he
06:33wasn't even one of the 10 that was approached by England. So, if anyone called on Eddie Howe,
06:41if England didn't think he could go, A, they didn't think he could get him or B,
06:46they didn't want to pay the compensation for him, you know, it's a report of £5 million.
06:51And they didn't want to pay that. So, who else are you going to get if you want an English
06:55manager? Are you going to get Graeme Potter or struggle to Chelsea, did well enough for Brighton,
07:01but, you know, has he had the coaching created to now manage England? And otherwise, who else
07:11are you going to get in terms of English managers? And we've heard a lot about the investment that
07:17got into, you know, like the EPPP, et cetera, and St George's, but are England producing enough
07:27coaches? Now, back to Thomas Tuchel, for me, I have to agree, if you look at the managers who,
07:34A, are out there and be able to want the job, because some might not want the job.
07:39He was probably the best of the bunch. Yeah, I can understand the divided opinion.
07:44Some people think that international football, you should stick to your own and have an English
07:50manager. So many other countries have done it. They've never appointed a foreign manager. But
07:54personally, England have got one of the greatest squads we've ever seen, arguably the greatest,
07:59and you've got to have a manager who's capable of winning tournaments. Thomas Tuchel is one of the
08:04very best in the business when it comes to knockout football. He's won the Champions League
08:08with a Chelsea team that was far from convincing in the years after he left, at the time after he
08:13left. And you've also got the midfield, I think, is so important to unlock with the likes of Jude
08:20Bellingham, Cole Palmer, Phil Foden. He's so good, Thomas Tuchel, at working with number 10s,
08:25and I think he's the perfect fit. So German, English, I don't care what his passport is.
08:29I don't think England have got enough talent in coaching at the moment, and Thomas Tuchel should
08:33be the man to take them forward. And in terms of Tuchel as a manager, I think he is a fantastic
08:37manager in terms of his CV speaks for itself. So top clubs, he's won the Champions League,
08:42managed in two Champions League finals. That would be the one thought with Tuchel,
08:46that just he's coming in, he's suddenly being parachuted in, expect to do a job straight away.
08:51Maybe certain aspects of the culture he perhaps is not totally up to speed with. But look,
08:55we'll see. And to reiterate, I think he is a top quality manager, Thomas Tuchel.
09:01So, well, Everton obviously coming on the back of another Premier League win. It's starting to look
09:06slightly better for them. It's an away win as well, which is, you know, you probably have to
09:10go quite far back to remember the last time they won away in the Premier League. How confident are
09:17Everton feeling that they are getting these wins over the line? And as you mentioned,
09:21their fixtures are still looking at quite a, you know, more winnable run coming up.
09:27Yeah, it does feel like a little bit of a corner has been turned. I think Sean Dyche has always
09:33felt the performance has been good, but individual mistakes have been the downfall. But you're
09:38starting to see those qualities of a Sean Dyche team, you know, aside that it's difficult to
09:43break down and one that does threaten, especially from set pieces. And that's where Michael Keane's
09:49goal come from at the weekend. And, you know, the Ipswich, they haven't had a bad start,
09:55obviously, since they come up and they make it difficult for teams. But Everton ultimately did
09:59a job on Ipswich, to be honest with you. You know, they got the two goals and a good finish,
10:06capitalised on the mistake, and then finished from Michael Keane in the second half.
10:12You know, it was Everton who probably had the better of a play for the most part. Ipswich
10:17ended the game on top, but you expect that and Jordan Pickford's maybe made one save from
10:23distance. I can't really remember him making another. It was Everton who were banged on the
10:29door. And, yeah, it's four games unbeaten now. And things are looking up for them, definitely.
10:37If Everton get nine points, they'll have to go up to 17 points, I think, something like that. And
10:43that's a good return for them, considering that they're open fixtures and what the aim is for
10:49this campaign. Yeah, obviously, star man Jared Brantway has only played one Premier League game
10:55this season. When he sort of does make his way back into the side, does Michael Keane keep his
11:00place? You know, he's starting to pick up a bit of form and, you know, it becomes difficult when
11:05you do start to chop and change, especially when the side's picking up some good results.
11:10Yeah, it's a nice dilemma, if you say, for Sean's eyes to have. Because Michael Keane, look,
11:19he has us detractors, he's coming for flat, but he remains a consummate professional and
11:26he's got us rewards in the past couple of games. He was excellent against Newcastle in the 0-0 draw
11:31and again against Ipswich. And he's probably one of the best finishers of the club for being a
11:37centre-half. What a finish it was at Portman Rolls. But you can keep a player like Jared Brantway
11:43off the team just because of how good he is. You know, this lad is going to go right to the very
11:48top. And yes, Everton have kept a clean sheet in the past two games and maybe they are getting a
11:55little bit of stability. But you want to play your best players at the end of the day.
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