August 11, 2025 • 36 mins
This Week's EFL Podcast is here!
Join Joe Townsend and James 'Jimmy the Punt' Cantrill for a full review of the opening weekend of the 2025/26 Sky Bet Championship season.
On the agenda:
Got a question or comment? Let us know below or email thisweeksacca@sportinglife.com.
Join Joe Townsend and James 'Jimmy the Punt' Cantrill for a full review of the opening weekend of the 2025/26 Sky Bet Championship season.
On the agenda:
- Birmingham's impressive display at former Premier League side Ipswich
- Wrexham good despite a defeat at classy Southampton
- Cause for concern at Sheffield United - The first winning accumulator of the 25/26 season
Got a question or comment? Let us know below or email thisweeksacca@sportinglife.com.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
Welcome to the latest episode of this week's EFL with Me,
Joe and Jimmy the Pump.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Hello.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
No betting really on this show, but if you ever
are going to place about remember please always gamble responsibility.
It's about eighteens and over. Most of the betting chat
that is on our Thursday show. This week's Akka which
started pretty well for US ten to.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
One winning treble at the weekend, so we were pretty pleased.
Most of the chat about that will come in an
other episode.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
We're actually splinning it up this week, aren't. So we're
going to focus on the championship in this episode. So
if you're listening, you might have already listened to the
League one League two one depends which order you've gone in,
but so much to get into on the opening weekend
of the championship that we're just focusing on the championship now,
So look in your feed for the League one League
two episode if that's what you're.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
More interested in. The championship. It did not point.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
It's been a long long wait the championship season. Before
the playoffs finished in April, it was interesting actually hearing
Kieran McKenna talk saying it was a very tight turnaround
for him versus how Lo on.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
Birmingham had to prep because the Premier League.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
Season went on for almost a month longer yeah than
the EFL. And it was a great first game that
Birmingham Ipswich game, really really fun to watch on Friday night.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Yeah, everything I up for much much more. It was
I know we're not talking about was but the price
in that game was peculiar, wasn't it. The team coming
down from the PREMI on was two to one against
the newly promoted side, and I thought the bookies had
got it wrong. But I was massively impressed by Birmingham,
massively impressed. I thought there were quality.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
Yeah, I totally agreed.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
There's a lot There's been a lot of chat between
I'm gonna say a lot of us, but mainly you
and me. Actually, yeah, this last two weeks about like
our Birmingham good?
Speaker 3 (01:58):
Are people getting over excited about them?
Speaker 1 (02:00):
And I think it was either Thursday or Friday morning,
wasn't it. And you're saying they're not that good? And
I was like, no, I actually do think they are.
I don't look at the team and they actually are
that good.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
Yet I don't know if they were comment on YouTube
saying about Northern bias, these lads that are clearly biased.
Something we said about Menu in the prem preview, which
is also our little club there. And of course we've
got biases. We're all fans, aren't we. And I don't
know if I've got something against and we're all Northern.
I don't know if I've got something against Birmingham because
I was I was really upset. There were five to
(02:31):
two favorites last season in League One. They absolutely want
the division and you have them top six. Duff Man
has the top six gab in his preview he did
with us, he has them topped and not in his
preview we did with us. Sorry, in another preview we did.
He has the top two. And I was looking at
the squad, looking at how they played last season, and
I was just so skeptical that there would be that
good top ten. Yeah, but comparing the squad to West
(02:53):
Brom teams like that, I didn't think they were that
much better, and especially alongside the big boys like Southampton Switch.
I'm not putting Chef United in that bracket, but like,
I just didn't think the squad was that level and
it was a pretty breathless start to the game, but
they really dominated for like an hour, didn't they? And
I think there was massively I don't want to talk
(03:14):
about referee decisions. I don't want to talk about officials
because they've been massively shafted by two very bad decisions.
I don't know why that first gol didn't count. He's
got away with one one and you said in the
interview after he said the striker was clever. I watched
it back yet I thought it was a file but
he said he said the striker with clever, which tells
(03:35):
me he knows he's got away with one. And then
the penalty really really harsh. But I thought Bingham were brilliant.
But I was speaking to DJ David John Ixwich fan
he said he thought it's Richard battering but he was
massively impressed. But he made the point to me this morning.
It was the first day back in the Championships, all
out crowd Friday night on Telly. I don't know if
(03:56):
you need to take it with a pinch of so,
but surely based on that performance, I thought they were
brilliant and I feel that I need to reevaluate the
chances this season.
Speaker 1 (04:02):
Yeah, I mean so Dave John one of that He's
used to work for The Sporting Life on All Sports
and now he's a horse racing journalist for Time fore
works on our floor.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
Big Ipswich fan and it's a great point.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
We'll probably mention this on a couple of other games
that you can't really you don't want to be overreacting
to the first weekend of the season because it is
a unique set of circumstances for.
Speaker 3 (04:26):
A lot of clubs.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
You mentioned that the ruled out opening goal for Birmingham
and one of the things I mentioned this on a
couple of the preview podcast that we did and the
clips on social media that the Birmingham signing Kyogo for
a Hashi he was everything that you would want him
to be. He's made for the Championship and I think
(04:49):
it was only two and a half three years ago,
maybe less actually when he was getting linked with potentially
going to Manchester City as being a like a cut
price signing to fill out their squad a little bit.
And I do think that sometimes when a player is
doing so well in Scotland that they just can go
(05:11):
under the radar for fans watching the EFL. He is
going to be unbelievable in the championship.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
You'd say that.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
They couldn't stop him. He just goes all day. He's
basically done barely any pre season. Chris Davis was saying
last week he doesn't know how they play. You got
no idea about the tactics, And he said to tell
him is that I'm just going to trust you to
go out there and play and just be yourself. So
him and Jay Stansfield as the front two, they probably
(05:40):
will sign somebody else. They still want to sign a
load of players, so him in particular, I think it's
going to be really exciting to see to see what
he does for the rest of the season.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
Ipswich they'll be fine.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
They've signed Tube, Rat Pumman and the Day last night
last night Sunday night, and they were lacking like.
Speaker 3 (06:01):
A bit of quality.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
They looked a little bit stodgy, but they got away
with a point, which is what they did two years ago. Yeah,
in a lot of the time late goals, and they
did look this stodge is a good way of putting it.
But you look at their.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
Promotion season and it was expected. This is how they
played away in the championship. Last time when they got promoted.
It's it is stodgy away and is point away free
at home and it was exactly what expected. But in
terms of the curtain raiser, I thought it was a
brilliant game. I was just looking then thirty eight fouls,
five yellow cards, scraps, a lot of boiling over. Even
(06:36):
when they called the late penalty, Chaplin booted it into
the crowd. So enough, like just a brilliant game to
kick us off, But they don't want to put too
much on it. But I think I need to reevaluate
Birmingham based on that one ninety minutes, which you shouldn't do,
but I have done. I think the defo topic and I.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
Don't know whether it's the it's the Birmingham and the
Wrexham effect, but that game, and then the Southampton Wrexham
game as well, they were both really aggy matches, the
clubs coming down from the Premier League playing the team
that have come up from League One. That brilliant scheduling,
by the way, could hardly have been better. They were
(07:16):
like very very on the edge of boiling over from
early on, and if anything, then Rexham were probably just
as impressive as Birmingham in terms of the squad that
they've got.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
I don't really.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
I don't subscribe to them being bitterly, bitterly unlucky to
lose because Southampton were really really good in the second half,
or probably from five to ten minutes before halftime, and
will still we'll be learning about the league on the job.
I mean, Ryan Manning on at halftime change the game,
(07:54):
brilliant free kick.
Speaker 3 (07:57):
If Rexham had taken their chances, probably would have won.
But they will be enormously.
Speaker 1 (08:02):
Encouraged that they can compete in this league. No, yeah,
it does have that asterix that it's the opening game
of the season. They're going and they're playing a team
that it's a huge stadium, big event for them, and
Southampton actually looked a bit green. It was their younger
players that struggled a bit against like the physicality of
(08:23):
keeper more and and.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
Things like that.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
So yeah, it was another game that was Those two
matches were brilliant to watch for the start of the
championship season.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
Yeah, they're brilliant game wrec and Chris Wilder called it
the perfect away performance at half time, didn't He was
a pundit on that game, And I feel like I've
got Wrex all wrong as well, because I feel like
it stems from jealousy. Like we're all we're all fans
of VFL clubs, and it's been a fan of a
(08:53):
team who your dad supports in the Football League, unless
unless he's from Manchester or whatever, you're not a glory
supporter EFL. Following an EFL club, it's what ninety shit
misery and you just got moments that you remember. Like
the majority of the time, it's just it's just crap
and you're cynical and you like expecting the worst all
(09:16):
the time. So I don't know if I'm jealous of
Wrecksham like back to back to back promotions, Hollywood investment,
just the way they go without business, just signing best
players each league. They don't really know how to move
them on. They just go for promotion every time. I
don't know if I've got this finger against them and
it just stems from jealousy. But watching that performance, I
think it's everything that we've been dreaming of. Me and
(09:37):
Duffman always talk about it, like they move away from
what football has become, like buzzwords, systems, trendy coaches will
still is one of them. Sellers is one of them,
so Ines is one of them. Play like managers. You
don't really know what they do, but they've got a system.
They say the right things and you're supposed to be
impressed by it. Parkinson's rocked up, old fashioned front two
big key for more wind asky like getting in pockets.
(09:58):
I just thought they were brilliant, conceded twenty seven shots
ten on target, just tried to dig their eels and
and just not shit out to win. But it was
something different and I really really enjoyed it. I really
enjoyed it. And if if that's how they're going to
play this season, I am all for it. I'm all
for it.
Speaker 3 (10:15):
Really. It's a good point on Will still.
Speaker 1 (10:17):
So he was, I know, it's really early days, and
everything else has been it's been so much hype about
what he's done abroad and his story being really interesting
and been thirty two years old and which is crazy,
(10:37):
and it's one match, but I just really really liked
the sound of what he was saying, like straight after,
do you know not? Because sometimes you can hear manager
say what you're thinking and that makes you like them.
But he said that this is the best wake up
call that we could have had for this is the
(10:58):
reality of the Championship. Just controlling the match and having
the ball all the time is not enough. And I
don't think that he's going to be one of those
managers that dies on a hill. His style of football,
and he actually worked it out at halftime.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
Yeah, and I know.
Speaker 1 (11:16):
They needed the goals late in the game, but I
think that he's going to learn on the job really
quickly and be more Kieran mckenne than he is a
Russell Martin. And he was like massive explosion of emotion
at full time that they won. And it takes a
lot of doing, you know, being thirty two and to
(11:36):
take on that size of football club, Southampton really historically
a top flight club, and I just liked everything everything
about him. Really they did get I know they weren't
booting it, but they were a lot more direct in
the second half, you know, moving the ball vertically. So
it was I thought it was very encouraging for Southampton
fans to to see what could happen with them, Like
(12:00):
Tyler Dimplin is going to be solved for fifty million
in this next couple of weeks, so they'll they'll have
a chance to reshape the squad as well. You mentioned
Chris Wilder there. Chris Wilder was grinning like a Cheshire
cat on it. Well, maybe he's not because he's a
Blades fan. But City Sheffield United lose four to one
in his opening game, that half five match. As a
(12:20):
as a Blades fan, what was your take on that game?
Speaker 3 (12:23):
Ruben Seller's first match in charge.
Speaker 2 (12:26):
Well, it's not a trumpet because it was just more
of an opinion piece. But I did an article last
week about how concerned I was and chef United. It
was off the back of the Premier Championship preview and
dof maun did because I had I had concern and
I didn't know if it was just typical fan pessimism.
Obviously losing a cult hero in Wilder, but then you
(12:47):
start to unpack what's gone off this summer and it's
a complete transition in terms of manager and recruitment strategy
and to plug the gaps left by wild and not
just in stature the affiliation he has with the fans
and the club, but his pull last season when we
came down eighteen players went and he had to completely
(13:09):
rebuild the side, and he leaned on the loan market
to bring in experience and quality. Accounted in that article,
eight players have gone and Elleen Susan been the main
two defensive store warts and we've just not replaced. And
there's a picture banded around social media of that horse
and it's a really detailed head and just as stick
of its hind quarters, and that depicts the squad. And
(13:32):
it's the shortcomings that we've got that's been exposed from
the changing recruitment policy. It's just left us massively out
of depth. Lots of attacking quality, but no depth defensively
and no depth in terms of the squad. You look
at the bench and I just don't think the options
were quite there. We've gone from Jack Rominson and el
(13:53):
At Mahodovich the suitor he got injured on loan. We
had oh what was that lad w used to play
for Arsenal Club rob Holding. We just had bags and
bags and bags and bags of options in defense and nasenalthing.
We've we've got very little. Tyler Bindon, highly regarded player
from Forrest, never played championship level, twenty years old ball
playing center back, and he looked.
Speaker 3 (14:13):
At Dinny Yes, Saturday.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
He looked like he never played champion, like it might
be brilliant in ten games time, but they exposed him.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
But having said all that, actually watching the game, ignoring
the score, it wasn't a full one, was it was it?
It wasn't a full one. It was a game. Bristol
City were very clinical. I mean McCrory strike one of
the cleanest actual connections with the ball I saw all weekend.
Twine free kick was an absolute joke. You said an interesting
start about Twine's out yes sols going record.
Speaker 1 (14:43):
Whereas it I knowed it down said, there's nowhere to
remember it. So it's now sixty five career goals for
scot Twined, twenty five of them outside of the box,
sixteen of them free kicks.
Speaker 3 (14:55):
And he is one of those players where you remember,
I'm sure he scores a lot of free kicks.
Speaker 1 (15:01):
Yeah, but you don't know whether you just remember his
free kicks because they're so unbelievable because he did it
a couple of times for Burnley. But yeah, absolutely sensational
and just like you've said of the game, I actually
don't think Sheffield United were that bad.
Speaker 3 (15:18):
It was four goals from six shots.
Speaker 1 (15:20):
On target for Burnley or was it five shots on
target five or six? But yeah, it was pretty much
this goal with almost all the shots on target. The
big concern that I would have for Sheffield United, they're
just a bit loose. And this is what we were
discussing Tom and I and the Championship preview podcast was
(15:40):
Ruben Sanders was really bullish about how he was going
to set the team up in terms of that the
wingers and inside forwards that he wanted, which made it
very very clear that he's going to play Hamer in
center midfield because there wasn't a player for him out there.
I don't think you can play Hamer, Hair and Cidy
(16:01):
Peck as you midfield three in the Championship, not against
another good team. You just I just don't think you
can unless you are absolutely dominating the game and controlling
the ball all match. The way you set that team up,
that just exposed them to the counter attack.
Speaker 3 (16:20):
Time and time again.
Speaker 1 (16:22):
You don't know whether when our Basta gets back fit
he comes in there's a bit more solidity there. But
that is it's fantasy football playing those three in center midfield. Yeah,
it's not realistic, because it really is so yeah, that
very very unrealistic. I think a bit of disrespect towards
(16:45):
Bristol City as well. They still finished sixth in the
league last year.
Speaker 3 (16:48):
And yeah, low no percentage possession, low shots on target.
Speaker 1 (16:52):
Yes, they took the chances, but it was set up
for them to be able to win the ball back
and break into those spaces. So it'd be interested to
see if he sticks with that next week.
Speaker 3 (17:02):
I think he will yep.
Speaker 2 (17:04):
But that was the thing with Sellers obviously, everyone said
he did a good job at reading because of the
of the field circumstances, not a club. I watched a
great deal of his time at reading and wholly kept
them up on goal difference. Again, real difficult circumstances with
the chairman at Hull is very fleeting in his decisions,
(17:24):
isn't he, And that's reflected in the squad. It's a
bit of a Hodgepod team. But looking at what whole
fans said on social media there was confused as to
what he was actually trying to do and coming in
off the back of Chris Wilder, two very polar opposites
in how they operate, like trying to sehorn what squad
and what plays he's got available to him, Like, I'd
(17:47):
be interested to know how many players he's sellers himself
brought in. Obviously he took Barrier to Hull, didn't actually
get to play with him, I think, and Binden maybe
during the time, but they did together. I don't know
if they.
Speaker 1 (18:01):
Were, but so yeah, because he was out reading, Yeah, definitely,
he definitely was with him at reading because he was
out reading. Then he got sold. Then he went back
on loan to reading after he was sold. So he's
definitely a title Bindon.
Speaker 2 (18:12):
I'd just be like it just it is really really
worrying for me because I don't know how many player
Sales has bought. He wasn't brought in to make decisions
on transfers, but suddenly he's got squad maybe not suited
to the way playing and I'm just looking. I think
I'm right in saying Cooper and Tyres Campbell were the
oldest two players on the pitch at twenty five. And
it goes back to your point on the lightweight midfield.
It rise Rise Norton Davis center back. He's a left back,
(18:36):
left wing back. He's brilliant. One of his extrems is
his quality in the final third from wide positions. I've
never really understood him as a center back. He's not
really tall, he's not an imposing figure. He's quite fast,
but he's so injury prone. He made an error I
think for the third goal. Yeah, concerns which United. But
on the flip side, a lot to be excited about
(18:57):
Bristol Strewber's coming made any immediate impact. Those looking to
gab in similar sort of question Mark's moving from Manning
is he's got squad suited. He's got athletic, enthusiastic forwards
in terms of work rate, and you'd like to think
they'd be able to adapt his style, which you know
more about it about it than me Struba. At Barnsley
(19:17):
it was pretty chaotic off the ball in terms of pressing,
weren't it gung ho? Not rigid in terms of out
the ball shape. But definitely I would be encouraged if
I was a Robins fan because they seemed to have
picked it up pretty quickly.
Speaker 1 (19:31):
Yeah, the the useless of the squad will definitely sue
him because it was similar at Barnsley that.
Speaker 3 (19:39):
You had a couple of.
Speaker 1 (19:40):
Players who were like late teens, early twenties that were
never anywhere near again are looking in the Adam straight.
Speaker 3 (19:45):
In just for their athleticism. So yeah, I mean it's
one game.
Speaker 2 (19:51):
Isn't it one game? Yeah? And I don't want to
like it's not these thoughts I've got about the game.
I had them before, so I don't feel like I'm
making a scenical snap judgment. But I'm just looking at
Chef you that's Pictures've got Burnham in the Cup, not
enough depth to compete with them. That could be a
real that could be a bit of a we could
get a bit of a spanking there. That's on Wednesday.
(20:12):
Then we got Swansea. They've got the caretaking managers took
full time that Alan Shin. Yeah, so in terms of contingency,
they'll be ahead of Chef United, like prepared for that
game that's on Saturday. Then we've got Millwell again, they
are ready for the season. They kicked off with a
win and suddenly, like two, three, four games into the season,
(20:33):
it's struggled to see unit picking up many points. And
he's coming to a circumstance situation at United where the
majority of the fan base didn't really want in there
or kicking off after that fall and result. It just
just a bit worrying for United at the minute.
Speaker 1 (20:46):
Wild are bat by November and yeah, the last, the
last TV game in the Championship, if you haven't guessed,
it would go to go on TV and game by
a TV game a minute. Then Lester narrowly eat Sheffield Wednesday,
and you've got to say credit to Wednesday given.
Speaker 3 (21:04):
What's gone on in that. I mean, can you say
credit to Wednesday?
Speaker 2 (21:07):
Yeah? Absolutely, I mean can you.
Speaker 3 (21:09):
Say it as a Blade fan? You feel all right
saying that?
Speaker 2 (21:12):
Yeah? Yeah I can. And I'm double annoyed at them
because Jake made the point on another show. You made
the point on Thursday. Weren't it that it had gone
again we're talking about prices, but it had gone two.
Speaker 1 (21:25):
Full Yeah, the book for the context, it's really interesting
that Leicester were twenty to one, sorry Sheffiel Wednday were
twenty to one to win that game, which you just
you don't see that in the Championship on Leicester as
a team that is well clear at the top, and
then even then it's eye opening price So it's completely
(21:47):
completely bizarre. This is a funny game, this one for
me because We've talked about the opening game of the
season being one that you don't want to read too
much into, but this is probably the the most unique
set of circumstances. A club that had a delayed start
pre season, no manager, they've barely got any players, siege mentality,
(22:09):
and then Leicester managing to exploit that mainly exploit set
pieces because Wednesday have had no chance to really defend
against them, and Leicester have managed to come out with
a win. Wednesday have come out with plenty of credit
because they took it close. Massive blow to them getting
banning said off because they basically you don't have any
bloody players, so doing without him next week is a nightmare. Yeah,
(22:34):
unless they we suspended for I lose track of what
the rules are now, whether.
Speaker 3 (22:39):
He's suspended midweek or next week.
Speaker 1 (22:42):
But I actually think I touched on this again on
the Championship season preview that you look at Leicester with
Mavedidi for Tewu and el canoose and they've actually got
the makings of a good Championship team. There's the points
of the douation that's there in background, but they really
have still got the basis of a good team. Oh yeah,
(23:04):
they lost a few players last week. But see when
this is a good manager.
Speaker 3 (23:09):
They've got the core of a solid eleven, and we
need to.
Speaker 1 (23:13):
Know what they're going to what they're going to lose
points deduction wide, But it isn't a strong league. I
still think that they're gonna I still think they're gonna
finish in the top six.
Speaker 2 (23:20):
Yeah, and you said they've got they've got a strong eleven.
But looking at the bench, Childry online at United last
season theyve got Begovich and net Lot Fairs who got
the winner? Belgian international Dakka he was he was when
they signed him. He was highly regarded.
Speaker 3 (23:33):
Weren't he.
Speaker 2 (23:35):
Makeetea Wings Tottenham? Did Wings have played for England? Yes? Yeah,
another international on the bench. Unbelievable squad. Again, as he said,
it also depends on what the point deduction is to
how they do this season. But you look at the
Gulf from the Parachute Payment boys the last two seasons.
If I think it was twelve points, was how far
(23:56):
Southampton finished ahead of the rest of the division. Chef
United got streets ahead of Sun's Land in the end,
I was more like was that well like fourteen fifteen
points off the top of my head. So even if
they do it slat with a nine to ten point deduction,
they could still.
Speaker 1 (24:10):
Be seven points. Got into the playoffs last year. I
do no think they're going to get seventy six points easy.
Speaker 2 (24:16):
Yeah, one hundred percent.
Speaker 3 (24:19):
Yeah, I'd be I'd be really surprised.
Speaker 2 (24:20):
Although Wednesday I thought I was in and out of
that game, but I was even watching it or listening
to it on BBC Radio Chef and might be slightly
biased on the radio, but I did agree from what
I saw in the first half, I thought Wednesday with
a bet side.
Speaker 1 (24:35):
Yeah maybe in the first s half, but I think
it could have been five or six one. They were absolute.
They were absolutely clinging on for dear life. The banning
getting sent off was not the you know, the turning point.
The amount of chances that set pieces getting stretched, and
Wednesday made a really good fist of it. And you've
got to think of the circumstances of going in Wednesday
(24:56):
get to absolutely go for it that first half, like
they've had that no pressure really but all the cards
stacked against them. But then, yeah, it's such a weird
set of circumstances, so it's hard to it's hard to
read too much into it. The rest of the games.
Then I'll run through just the little pointers that are
(25:19):
worth mentioning good starts for Rob Edwards and Rye Mason,
one of wins for Borough over Swansea West Brom. Sorry
for Borough and West Brom over Swansea and Blackburn. The
interesting thing this weekend it is eleven new managers and
only one of the eighteen teams who were in the
Championship twelve months ago the opening day had the same manager,
(25:42):
just Pompy, So there's going to be a loud si,
you know, teething issues with teams and.
Speaker 3 (25:47):
Working out where they are.
Speaker 1 (25:49):
Stoke getting off to a to a win against Derby
two goals in the last minute. A player that I
think is worth just keeping an eye on is giving Moobama.
Easy for me to say who Man City signed him
from west Ham a year ago for a few million
just compensation, getting an academy player and yeah, a lot
(26:10):
expected of him, so it'll be interesting to how he
gets on at Stoke.
Speaker 2 (26:13):
Yeah, and that were a great.
Speaker 1 (26:14):
Head of but wonderful ball in from secous and balancing
off the average age in the Stokes squad after they
signed Steven and Zonzie, who turns out is still footballer,
which is incredible. He's been absolutely everywhere for ten years
and a great up num for Portsmouth as well at Oxford.
So they're definitely a team to watch this season. Pomby
(26:35):
finished last season five matches unbeaten. We're banging the drum
for them last year because the opening ten games they
had such a horrendously difficult fixture list that they had
to fight their way back into the league and ended
up getting themselves into mid table. So they really could
be a team to watch this season.
Speaker 2 (26:57):
Yep, you love job, Yeah, absolutely lovely, don't. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (27:04):
I like gla good looking man, handsome boy.
Speaker 2 (27:08):
Yeah I was. I was drawn to the game at
carra Road. Two teams highly regarded by everyone in the office,
I think especially duff Man. Yeah, Norwige under manning. It
looks like for the time being there keeping Josh Sergeant
up front. He got a very fortunate goal, did you
see it? Ken and off his black side?
Speaker 1 (27:26):
But keeper taking too long on the ball. You don't
Millwall would be like that, you know, you don't, you don't.
But the thing that struck me again we was we
was both a game in the League one.
Speaker 2 (27:37):
It's hard. It's hard to give any like real insight
on games that you haven't seen. That's why we've talked
about Telly Gaze really. But one thing that I saw
about Millwall on the on the highlights and people saying
online and something I'm really excited to see again it's
it's a front two. They might be coming back in fashion.
But Coburn and Ivanovitch looks really interesting and it looks
(27:58):
like again based on like what a three minute highlight reel,
but it looks like englandce is on that that they
could develop a real strong partnership just working off each
other really well. It was Ivanovitch distracting center back to
Coba and getting pacing behind it a source of a
couple of chances and I'd be really interested to see
how that striped partnership developed throughout the season. And I
just love seeing strip partnerships going and.
Speaker 1 (28:20):
Back and on the on the Millwall striker this front,
this is just the little noteore down McAuley lang staff.
So he scored the late winner for Milwall. He only
scored once last season his first season at Millwall, so
that's brilliant for um because it could hopefully that'd be
the springboard for him to show that he can score
goals at championship level.
Speaker 3 (28:40):
It's more than one hundred.
Speaker 1 (28:41):
Goals he scored in those seasons with the game a
county across. I think that's was three and three and
a bit seasons. So he's a natural goal scorer. But
going to the championship changing manager law disruption, it is
a huge jump up in level, especially when you're twenty
twenty seven, twenty eight when he's made the move.
Speaker 2 (29:02):
Who was the manager because he signed for Millwell, mill
won the race to sign it. This is highly regarded
front man who's been bagging for funny non league and
the managers is I remember I can't remember who it was,
but he said I'm not interested. I don't want them.
Speaker 1 (29:15):
He's not like Harris, won't it. So Harris has been
the Yeah, Harris came in. It's hard to keep track
as Millwell changed them. Actually before Meal came in, Harris
came in last few games the season, kept him up
and then stay and then left after he called the
fans what did he pull him?
Speaker 2 (29:33):
Human beanie? So yeah, and the final thing on Liang
staff is I was just thinking then when you was
talking like keepers as a position do not work well.
They're a unit that they have one number one, don't
they and a supporting cast. It doesn't work when you've
got two number ones, as we saw at Arst. But
(29:53):
this competitive front line at Millwall, I think it could,
it could, It could work in the Longstoff's favors motivation.
Do you know it's coming off to bench, take chances,
try and try and get in ahead of Coburn or
or Ivanovitch. I think the options mill Will have got
in terms of debt foot front. It's quite exciting to
have three really good players for the level.
Speaker 1 (30:13):
Oh yeah, and then as predictable a championship results, you
can probably get child and being child and wonder wing
over what the virus set piece? One of each qpr
Preston perfect root, one goal boot from the goal, key
food or.
Speaker 2 (30:27):
Fullow aren't italizer for Preston And what I finish?
Speaker 3 (30:30):
Oh fantastic from ozmaih.
Speaker 1 (30:32):
So he's going to be crucial to Preston if they
can pull away from relegation trouble this season. And I
do feel like we need to mention Serge Yakirevich's first
game for Hull because we've all been down on huole
preseason saying that we think they're going to go down.
Hull fans a lot more bullish about the chances this
season to go to Coventry, get a nil nil, restrict
(30:53):
them to three shots on target. Lots to be optimistic
about for whole fans. So yeah, plenty of plenty of
positives for them. Anything else to add on the on
the championship. Off the back of that whole you look
at their team.
Speaker 2 (31:10):
They've got a gay at the back lunch from signed Crooks,
Reagan Slayer, obviously that mcbernie. They've got a nice bit
of experience, and you look at the performance. Obviously it
wasn't on Telly, so I can't give you any real insight,
but I saw mcbernie, Crooks and coventrys keeper Rush. We
have a bit of a ruckus and in the last minute.
(31:31):
And if if Hull are going to be like that,
nasty hard to beat, they've certainly got the personnel to
pull it off. They've got some real trees, big boys
in their angry team, So yeah, they might not be
as bad as we expected. Nathan Jones been Nathan Jones
in the The Winner at charl and have you seen
have you seen him celebrate with it?
Speaker 3 (31:51):
Of course? Do you like him?
Speaker 2 (31:53):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (31:54):
Do you know what I do the because you'll get
you get a lot of beige managers or just stand
there and do nothing, and.
Speaker 3 (32:03):
I know a lot of it. Does it does seem
like it's a bit It can be. It can be
a bit for effect with Nathan Jones, you much. He
thinks about it. But we're talking about it, are we.
Speaker 1 (32:17):
So it's there'll be some There'll be some managers who
you you can't even say anything about other than the
clubs that they've coached. So I'm more for there being
big characters in the e FL, even if they're like
mad as a snake like Jones is. So yeah, I'd
prefer him to. I mean, he's going to change, is he?
Speaker 2 (32:39):
No? It was the the thing where he kept looking
for the camera last season in the playoff semi finals.
Do you remember that? And then the celebration that I
just think it seems like a bit of a nobbit.
But you were a chart and fan, I've a I'd
love him as well. But yeah, I thought, really like
really exciting first weekend all that I keep talking about tellygames.
(33:01):
What all the telegames are thought? Really interesting, really good,
And I'm excited for next weekend. I'm just looking itch
which Southampton Sunday twelve o'clock massive game. I'm really excited
to see how that unfolds and how which we're home
last season average over three and off goals a game.
We'll still, as you say, still figuring it out. I
think that's going to be a humdinger. I'm just looking
(33:22):
what else there is. Wednesday host Stoke and there's been
a massive prices again but massive move. Stoke was eight
to five before Wednesday played Lester. Now their odds on
it's got to be because Bannon was center I expended.
So yeah, I'm excited for next weekend. I'm excited for
next weekend in the championship already.
Speaker 3 (33:40):
Can you tell he's excited. So that's it. Yeah, that's
the championship.
Speaker 1 (33:44):
So one little plug that I forgot to do at
the start of the show is we also have a
please do get in touch on our socials, so it's
Sporting Live FC on our social channels, this week's ACCA
on YouTube, and then our email addresses this week's ACCA
at sportinglife dot com. Send us your thoughts of the
teams you want us to talk about. Did you go
to a game and you added a particular view, di
(34:06):
you'd disagree with stuff that we're saying anything, Really, I
just want to get stuff off your chest that we
can read out. You've got any funny stories that we
can read out on the podcast, But that is it
for the Championship.
Speaker 3 (34:16):
So we'll be back this time.
Speaker 1 (34:18):
Next week to pick through the latest set of Championship results.
We're going to focus on episode two for this week's
EFL on League one and League twos.
Speaker 3 (34:27):
Look out for that your feeds.
Speaker 1 (34:28):
If you've listened to this after the League one on
League two episode, then was he on Thursday for this
week's ACA.
Speaker 2 (36:00):
Okay, m m m
Welcome to the latest episode of this week's EFL with Me,
Joe and Jimmy the Pump.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Hello.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
No betting really on this show, but if you ever
are going to place about remember please always gamble responsibility.
It's about eighteens and over. Most of the betting chat
that is on our Thursday show. This week's Akka which
started pretty well for US ten to.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
One winning treble at the weekend, so we were pretty pleased.
Most of the chat about that will come in an
other episode.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
We're actually splinning it up this week, aren't. So we're
going to focus on the championship in this episode. So
if you're listening, you might have already listened to the
League one League two one depends which order you've gone in,
but so much to get into on the opening weekend
of the championship that we're just focusing on the championship now,
So look in your feed for the League one League
two episode if that's what you're.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
More interested in. The championship. It did not point.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
It's been a long long wait the championship season. Before
the playoffs finished in April, it was interesting actually hearing
Kieran McKenna talk saying it was a very tight turnaround
for him versus how Lo on.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
Birmingham had to prep because the Premier League.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
Season went on for almost a month longer yeah than
the EFL. And it was a great first game that
Birmingham Ipswich game, really really fun to watch on Friday night.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Yeah, everything I up for much much more. It was
I know we're not talking about was but the price
in that game was peculiar, wasn't it. The team coming
down from the PREMI on was two to one against
the newly promoted side, and I thought the bookies had
got it wrong. But I was massively impressed by Birmingham,
massively impressed. I thought there were quality.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
Yeah, I totally agreed.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
There's a lot There's been a lot of chat between
I'm gonna say a lot of us, but mainly you
and me. Actually, yeah, this last two weeks about like
our Birmingham good?
Speaker 3 (01:58):
Are people getting over excited about them?
Speaker 1 (02:00):
And I think it was either Thursday or Friday morning,
wasn't it. And you're saying they're not that good? And
I was like, no, I actually do think they are.
I don't look at the team and they actually are
that good.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
Yet I don't know if they were comment on YouTube
saying about Northern bias, these lads that are clearly biased.
Something we said about Menu in the prem preview, which
is also our little club there. And of course we've
got biases. We're all fans, aren't we. And I don't
know if I've got something against and we're all Northern.
I don't know if I've got something against Birmingham because
I was I was really upset. There were five to
(02:31):
two favorites last season in League One. They absolutely want
the division and you have them top six. Duff Man
has the top six gab in his preview he did
with us, he has them topped and not in his
preview we did with us. Sorry, in another preview we did.
He has the top two. And I was looking at
the squad, looking at how they played last season, and
I was just so skeptical that there would be that
good top ten. Yeah, but comparing the squad to West
(02:53):
Brom teams like that, I didn't think they were that
much better, and especially alongside the big boys like Southampton Switch.
I'm not putting Chef United in that bracket, but like,
I just didn't think the squad was that level and
it was a pretty breathless start to the game, but
they really dominated for like an hour, didn't they? And
I think there was massively I don't want to talk
(03:14):
about referee decisions. I don't want to talk about officials
because they've been massively shafted by two very bad decisions.
I don't know why that first gol didn't count. He's
got away with one one and you said in the
interview after he said the striker was clever. I watched
it back yet I thought it was a file but
he said he said the striker with clever, which tells
(03:35):
me he knows he's got away with one. And then
the penalty really really harsh. But I thought Bingham were brilliant.
But I was speaking to DJ David John Ixwich fan
he said he thought it's Richard battering but he was
massively impressed. But he made the point to me this morning.
It was the first day back in the Championships, all
out crowd Friday night on Telly. I don't know if
(03:56):
you need to take it with a pinch of so,
but surely based on that performance, I thought they were
brilliant and I feel that I need to reevaluate the
chances this season.
Speaker 1 (04:02):
Yeah, I mean so Dave John one of that He's
used to work for The Sporting Life on All Sports
and now he's a horse racing journalist for Time fore
works on our floor.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
Big Ipswich fan and it's a great point.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
We'll probably mention this on a couple of other games
that you can't really you don't want to be overreacting
to the first weekend of the season because it is
a unique set of circumstances for.
Speaker 3 (04:26):
A lot of clubs.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
You mentioned that the ruled out opening goal for Birmingham
and one of the things I mentioned this on a
couple of the preview podcast that we did and the
clips on social media that the Birmingham signing Kyogo for
a Hashi he was everything that you would want him
to be. He's made for the Championship and I think
(04:49):
it was only two and a half three years ago,
maybe less actually when he was getting linked with potentially
going to Manchester City as being a like a cut
price signing to fill out their squad a little bit.
And I do think that sometimes when a player is
doing so well in Scotland that they just can go
(05:11):
under the radar for fans watching the EFL. He is
going to be unbelievable in the championship.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
You'd say that.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
They couldn't stop him. He just goes all day. He's
basically done barely any pre season. Chris Davis was saying
last week he doesn't know how they play. You got
no idea about the tactics, And he said to tell
him is that I'm just going to trust you to
go out there and play and just be yourself. So
him and Jay Stansfield as the front two, they probably
(05:40):
will sign somebody else. They still want to sign a
load of players, so him in particular, I think it's
going to be really exciting to see to see what
he does for the rest of the season.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
Ipswich they'll be fine.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
They've signed Tube, Rat Pumman and the Day last night
last night Sunday night, and they were lacking like.
Speaker 3 (06:01):
A bit of quality.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
They looked a little bit stodgy, but they got away
with a point, which is what they did two years ago. Yeah,
in a lot of the time late goals, and they
did look this stodge is a good way of putting it.
But you look at their.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
Promotion season and it was expected. This is how they
played away in the championship. Last time when they got promoted.
It's it is stodgy away and is point away free
at home and it was exactly what expected. But in
terms of the curtain raiser, I thought it was a
brilliant game. I was just looking then thirty eight fouls,
five yellow cards, scraps, a lot of boiling over. Even
(06:36):
when they called the late penalty, Chaplin booted it into
the crowd. So enough, like just a brilliant game to
kick us off, But they don't want to put too
much on it. But I think I need to reevaluate
Birmingham based on that one ninety minutes, which you shouldn't do,
but I have done. I think the defo topic and I.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
Don't know whether it's the it's the Birmingham and the
Wrexham effect, but that game, and then the Southampton Wrexham
game as well, they were both really aggy matches, the
clubs coming down from the Premier League playing the team
that have come up from League One. That brilliant scheduling,
by the way, could hardly have been better. They were
(07:16):
like very very on the edge of boiling over from
early on, and if anything, then Rexham were probably just
as impressive as Birmingham in terms of the squad that
they've got.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
I don't really.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
I don't subscribe to them being bitterly, bitterly unlucky to
lose because Southampton were really really good in the second half,
or probably from five to ten minutes before halftime, and
will still we'll be learning about the league on the job.
I mean, Ryan Manning on at halftime change the game,
(07:54):
brilliant free kick.
Speaker 3 (07:57):
If Rexham had taken their chances, probably would have won.
But they will be enormously.
Speaker 1 (08:02):
Encouraged that they can compete in this league. No, yeah,
it does have that asterix that it's the opening game
of the season. They're going and they're playing a team
that it's a huge stadium, big event for them, and
Southampton actually looked a bit green. It was their younger
players that struggled a bit against like the physicality of
(08:23):
keeper more and and.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
Things like that.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
So yeah, it was another game that was Those two
matches were brilliant to watch for the start of the
championship season.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
Yeah, they're brilliant game wrec and Chris Wilder called it
the perfect away performance at half time, didn't He was
a pundit on that game, And I feel like I've
got Wrex all wrong as well, because I feel like
it stems from jealousy. Like we're all we're all fans
of VFL clubs, and it's been a fan of a
(08:53):
team who your dad supports in the Football League, unless
unless he's from Manchester or whatever, you're not a glory
supporter EFL. Following an EFL club, it's what ninety shit
misery and you just got moments that you remember. Like
the majority of the time, it's just it's just crap
and you're cynical and you like expecting the worst all
(09:16):
the time. So I don't know if I'm jealous of
Wrecksham like back to back to back promotions, Hollywood investment,
just the way they go without business, just signing best
players each league. They don't really know how to move
them on. They just go for promotion every time. I
don't know if I've got this finger against them and
it just stems from jealousy. But watching that performance, I
think it's everything that we've been dreaming of. Me and
(09:37):
Duffman always talk about it, like they move away from
what football has become, like buzzwords, systems, trendy coaches will
still is one of them. Sellers is one of them,
so Ines is one of them. Play like managers. You
don't really know what they do, but they've got a system.
They say the right things and you're supposed to be
impressed by it. Parkinson's rocked up, old fashioned front two
big key for more wind asky like getting in pockets.
(09:58):
I just thought they were brilliant, conceded twenty seven shots
ten on target, just tried to dig their eels and
and just not shit out to win. But it was
something different and I really really enjoyed it. I really
enjoyed it. And if if that's how they're going to
play this season, I am all for it. I'm all
for it.
Speaker 3 (10:15):
Really. It's a good point on Will still.
Speaker 1 (10:17):
So he was, I know, it's really early days, and
everything else has been it's been so much hype about
what he's done abroad and his story being really interesting
and been thirty two years old and which is crazy,
(10:37):
and it's one match, but I just really really liked
the sound of what he was saying, like straight after,
do you know not? Because sometimes you can hear manager
say what you're thinking and that makes you like them.
But he said that this is the best wake up
call that we could have had for this is the
(10:58):
reality of the Championship. Just controlling the match and having
the ball all the time is not enough. And I
don't think that he's going to be one of those
managers that dies on a hill. His style of football,
and he actually worked it out at halftime.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
Yeah, and I know.
Speaker 1 (11:16):
They needed the goals late in the game, but I
think that he's going to learn on the job really
quickly and be more Kieran mckenne than he is a
Russell Martin. And he was like massive explosion of emotion
at full time that they won. And it takes a
lot of doing, you know, being thirty two and to
(11:36):
take on that size of football club, Southampton really historically
a top flight club, and I just liked everything everything
about him. Really they did get I know they weren't
booting it, but they were a lot more direct in
the second half, you know, moving the ball vertically. So
it was I thought it was very encouraging for Southampton
fans to to see what could happen with them, Like
(12:00):
Tyler Dimplin is going to be solved for fifty million
in this next couple of weeks, so they'll they'll have
a chance to reshape the squad as well. You mentioned
Chris Wilder there. Chris Wilder was grinning like a Cheshire
cat on it. Well, maybe he's not because he's a
Blades fan. But City Sheffield United lose four to one
in his opening game, that half five match. As a
(12:20):
as a Blades fan, what was your take on that game?
Speaker 3 (12:23):
Ruben Seller's first match in charge.
Speaker 2 (12:26):
Well, it's not a trumpet because it was just more
of an opinion piece. But I did an article last
week about how concerned I was and chef United. It
was off the back of the Premier Championship preview and
dof maun did because I had I had concern and
I didn't know if it was just typical fan pessimism.
Obviously losing a cult hero in Wilder, but then you
(12:47):
start to unpack what's gone off this summer and it's
a complete transition in terms of manager and recruitment strategy
and to plug the gaps left by wild and not
just in stature the affiliation he has with the fans
and the club, but his pull last season when we
came down eighteen players went and he had to completely
(13:09):
rebuild the side, and he leaned on the loan market
to bring in experience and quality. Accounted in that article,
eight players have gone and Elleen Susan been the main
two defensive store warts and we've just not replaced. And
there's a picture banded around social media of that horse
and it's a really detailed head and just as stick
of its hind quarters, and that depicts the squad. And
(13:32):
it's the shortcomings that we've got that's been exposed from
the changing recruitment policy. It's just left us massively out
of depth. Lots of attacking quality, but no depth defensively
and no depth in terms of the squad. You look
at the bench and I just don't think the options
were quite there. We've gone from Jack Rominson and el
(13:53):
At Mahodovich the suitor he got injured on loan. We
had oh what was that lad w used to play
for Arsenal Club rob Holding. We just had bags and
bags and bags and bags of options in defense and nasenalthing.
We've we've got very little. Tyler Bindon, highly regarded player
from Forrest, never played championship level, twenty years old ball
playing center back, and he looked.
Speaker 3 (14:13):
At Dinny Yes, Saturday.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
He looked like he never played champion, like it might
be brilliant in ten games time, but they exposed him.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
But having said all that, actually watching the game, ignoring
the score, it wasn't a full one, was it was it?
It wasn't a full one. It was a game. Bristol
City were very clinical. I mean McCrory strike one of
the cleanest actual connections with the ball I saw all weekend.
Twine free kick was an absolute joke. You said an interesting
start about Twine's out yes sols going record.
Speaker 1 (14:43):
Whereas it I knowed it down said, there's nowhere to
remember it. So it's now sixty five career goals for
scot Twined, twenty five of them outside of the box,
sixteen of them free kicks.
Speaker 3 (14:55):
And he is one of those players where you remember,
I'm sure he scores a lot of free kicks.
Speaker 1 (15:01):
Yeah, but you don't know whether you just remember his
free kicks because they're so unbelievable because he did it
a couple of times for Burnley. But yeah, absolutely sensational
and just like you've said of the game, I actually
don't think Sheffield United were that bad.
Speaker 3 (15:18):
It was four goals from six shots.
Speaker 1 (15:20):
On target for Burnley or was it five shots on
target five or six? But yeah, it was pretty much
this goal with almost all the shots on target. The
big concern that I would have for Sheffield United, they're
just a bit loose. And this is what we were
discussing Tom and I and the Championship preview podcast was
(15:40):
Ruben Sanders was really bullish about how he was going
to set the team up in terms of that the
wingers and inside forwards that he wanted, which made it
very very clear that he's going to play Hamer in
center midfield because there wasn't a player for him out there.
I don't think you can play Hamer, Hair and Cidy
(16:01):
Peck as you midfield three in the Championship, not against
another good team. You just I just don't think you
can unless you are absolutely dominating the game and controlling
the ball all match. The way you set that team up,
that just exposed them to the counter attack.
Speaker 3 (16:20):
Time and time again.
Speaker 1 (16:22):
You don't know whether when our Basta gets back fit
he comes in there's a bit more solidity there. But
that is it's fantasy football playing those three in center midfield. Yeah,
it's not realistic, because it really is so yeah, that
very very unrealistic. I think a bit of disrespect towards
(16:45):
Bristol City as well. They still finished sixth in the
league last year.
Speaker 3 (16:48):
And yeah, low no percentage possession, low shots on target.
Speaker 1 (16:52):
Yes, they took the chances, but it was set up
for them to be able to win the ball back
and break into those spaces. So it'd be interested to
see if he sticks with that next week.
Speaker 3 (17:02):
I think he will yep.
Speaker 2 (17:04):
But that was the thing with Sellers obviously, everyone said
he did a good job at reading because of the
of the field circumstances, not a club. I watched a
great deal of his time at reading and wholly kept
them up on goal difference. Again, real difficult circumstances with
the chairman at Hull is very fleeting in his decisions,
(17:24):
isn't he, And that's reflected in the squad. It's a
bit of a Hodgepod team. But looking at what whole
fans said on social media there was confused as to
what he was actually trying to do and coming in
off the back of Chris Wilder, two very polar opposites
in how they operate, like trying to sehorn what squad
and what plays he's got available to him, Like, I'd
(17:47):
be interested to know how many players he's sellers himself
brought in. Obviously he took Barrier to Hull, didn't actually
get to play with him, I think, and Binden maybe
during the time, but they did together. I don't know
if they.
Speaker 1 (18:01):
Were, but so yeah, because he was out reading, Yeah, definitely,
he definitely was with him at reading because he was
out reading. Then he got sold. Then he went back
on loan to reading after he was sold. So he's
definitely a title Bindon.
Speaker 2 (18:12):
I'd just be like it just it is really really
worrying for me because I don't know how many player
Sales has bought. He wasn't brought in to make decisions
on transfers, but suddenly he's got squad maybe not suited
to the way playing and I'm just looking. I think
I'm right in saying Cooper and Tyres Campbell were the
oldest two players on the pitch at twenty five. And
it goes back to your point on the lightweight midfield.
It rise Rise Norton Davis center back. He's a left back,
(18:36):
left wing back. He's brilliant. One of his extrems is
his quality in the final third from wide positions. I've
never really understood him as a center back. He's not
really tall, he's not an imposing figure. He's quite fast,
but he's so injury prone. He made an error I
think for the third goal. Yeah, concerns which United. But
on the flip side, a lot to be excited about
(18:57):
Bristol Strewber's coming made any immediate impact. Those looking to
gab in similar sort of question Mark's moving from Manning
is he's got squad suited. He's got athletic, enthusiastic forwards
in terms of work rate, and you'd like to think
they'd be able to adapt his style, which you know
more about it about it than me Struba. At Barnsley
(19:17):
it was pretty chaotic off the ball in terms of pressing,
weren't it gung ho? Not rigid in terms of out
the ball shape. But definitely I would be encouraged if
I was a Robins fan because they seemed to have
picked it up pretty quickly.
Speaker 1 (19:31):
Yeah, the the useless of the squad will definitely sue
him because it was similar at Barnsley that.
Speaker 3 (19:39):
You had a couple of.
Speaker 1 (19:40):
Players who were like late teens, early twenties that were
never anywhere near again are looking in the Adam straight.
Speaker 3 (19:45):
In just for their athleticism. So yeah, I mean it's
one game.
Speaker 2 (19:51):
Isn't it one game? Yeah? And I don't want to
like it's not these thoughts I've got about the game.
I had them before, so I don't feel like I'm
making a scenical snap judgment. But I'm just looking at
Chef you that's Pictures've got Burnham in the Cup, not
enough depth to compete with them. That could be a
real that could be a bit of a we could
get a bit of a spanking there. That's on Wednesday.
(20:12):
Then we got Swansea. They've got the caretaking managers took
full time that Alan Shin. Yeah, so in terms of contingency,
they'll be ahead of Chef United, like prepared for that
game that's on Saturday. Then we've got Millwell again, they
are ready for the season. They kicked off with a
win and suddenly, like two, three, four games into the season,
(20:33):
it's struggled to see unit picking up many points. And
he's coming to a circumstance situation at United where the
majority of the fan base didn't really want in there
or kicking off after that fall and result. It just
just a bit worrying for United at the minute.
Speaker 1 (20:46):
Wild are bat by November and yeah, the last, the
last TV game in the Championship, if you haven't guessed,
it would go to go on TV and game by
a TV game a minute. Then Lester narrowly eat Sheffield Wednesday,
and you've got to say credit to Wednesday given.
Speaker 3 (21:04):
What's gone on in that. I mean, can you say
credit to Wednesday?
Speaker 2 (21:07):
Yeah? Absolutely, I mean can you.
Speaker 3 (21:09):
Say it as a Blade fan? You feel all right
saying that?
Speaker 2 (21:12):
Yeah? Yeah I can. And I'm double annoyed at them
because Jake made the point on another show. You made
the point on Thursday. Weren't it that it had gone
again we're talking about prices, but it had gone two.
Speaker 1 (21:25):
Full Yeah, the book for the context, it's really interesting
that Leicester were twenty to one, sorry Sheffiel Wednday were
twenty to one to win that game, which you just
you don't see that in the Championship on Leicester as
a team that is well clear at the top, and
then even then it's eye opening price So it's completely
(21:47):
completely bizarre. This is a funny game, this one for
me because We've talked about the opening game of the
season being one that you don't want to read too
much into, but this is probably the the most unique
set of circumstances. A club that had a delayed start
pre season, no manager, they've barely got any players, siege mentality,
(22:09):
and then Leicester managing to exploit that mainly exploit set
pieces because Wednesday have had no chance to really defend
against them, and Leicester have managed to come out with
a win. Wednesday have come out with plenty of credit
because they took it close. Massive blow to them getting
banning said off because they basically you don't have any
bloody players, so doing without him next week is a nightmare. Yeah,
(22:34):
unless they we suspended for I lose track of what
the rules are now, whether.
Speaker 3 (22:39):
He's suspended midweek or next week.
Speaker 1 (22:42):
But I actually think I touched on this again on
the Championship season preview that you look at Leicester with
Mavedidi for Tewu and el canoose and they've actually got
the makings of a good Championship team. There's the points
of the douation that's there in background, but they really
have still got the basis of a good team. Oh yeah,
(23:04):
they lost a few players last week. But see when
this is a good manager.
Speaker 3 (23:09):
They've got the core of a solid eleven, and we
need to.
Speaker 1 (23:13):
Know what they're going to what they're going to lose
points deduction wide, But it isn't a strong league. I
still think that they're gonna I still think they're gonna
finish in the top six.
Speaker 2 (23:20):
Yeah, and you said they've got they've got a strong eleven.
But looking at the bench, Childry online at United last
season theyve got Begovich and net Lot Fairs who got
the winner? Belgian international Dakka he was he was when
they signed him. He was highly regarded.
Speaker 3 (23:33):
Weren't he.
Speaker 2 (23:35):
Makeetea Wings Tottenham? Did Wings have played for England? Yes? Yeah,
another international on the bench. Unbelievable squad. Again, as he said,
it also depends on what the point deduction is to
how they do this season. But you look at the
Gulf from the Parachute Payment boys the last two seasons.
If I think it was twelve points, was how far
(23:56):
Southampton finished ahead of the rest of the division. Chef
United got streets ahead of Sun's Land in the end,
I was more like was that well like fourteen fifteen
points off the top of my head. So even if
they do it slat with a nine to ten point deduction,
they could still.
Speaker 1 (24:10):
Be seven points. Got into the playoffs last year. I
do no think they're going to get seventy six points easy.
Speaker 2 (24:16):
Yeah, one hundred percent.
Speaker 3 (24:19):
Yeah, I'd be I'd be really surprised.
Speaker 2 (24:20):
Although Wednesday I thought I was in and out of
that game, but I was even watching it or listening
to it on BBC Radio Chef and might be slightly
biased on the radio, but I did agree from what
I saw in the first half, I thought Wednesday with
a bet side.
Speaker 1 (24:35):
Yeah maybe in the first s half, but I think
it could have been five or six one. They were absolute.
They were absolutely clinging on for dear life. The banning
getting sent off was not the you know, the turning point.
The amount of chances that set pieces getting stretched, and
Wednesday made a really good fist of it. And you've
got to think of the circumstances of going in Wednesday
(24:56):
get to absolutely go for it that first half, like
they've had that no pressure really but all the cards
stacked against them. But then, yeah, it's such a weird
set of circumstances, so it's hard to it's hard to
read too much into it. The rest of the games.
Then I'll run through just the little pointers that are
(25:19):
worth mentioning good starts for Rob Edwards and Rye Mason,
one of wins for Borough over Swansea West Brom. Sorry
for Borough and West Brom over Swansea and Blackburn. The
interesting thing this weekend it is eleven new managers and
only one of the eighteen teams who were in the
Championship twelve months ago the opening day had the same manager,
(25:42):
just Pompy, So there's going to be a loud si,
you know, teething issues with teams and.
Speaker 3 (25:47):
Working out where they are.
Speaker 1 (25:49):
Stoke getting off to a to a win against Derby
two goals in the last minute. A player that I
think is worth just keeping an eye on is giving Moobama.
Easy for me to say who Man City signed him
from west Ham a year ago for a few million
just compensation, getting an academy player and yeah, a lot
(26:10):
expected of him, so it'll be interesting to how he
gets on at Stoke.
Speaker 2 (26:13):
Yeah, and that were a great.
Speaker 1 (26:14):
Head of but wonderful ball in from secous and balancing
off the average age in the Stokes squad after they
signed Steven and Zonzie, who turns out is still footballer,
which is incredible. He's been absolutely everywhere for ten years
and a great up num for Portsmouth as well at Oxford.
So they're definitely a team to watch this season. Pomby
(26:35):
finished last season five matches unbeaten. We're banging the drum
for them last year because the opening ten games they
had such a horrendously difficult fixture list that they had
to fight their way back into the league and ended
up getting themselves into mid table. So they really could
be a team to watch this season.
Speaker 2 (26:57):
Yep, you love job, Yeah, absolutely lovely, don't. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (27:04):
I like gla good looking man, handsome boy.
Speaker 2 (27:08):
Yeah I was. I was drawn to the game at
carra Road. Two teams highly regarded by everyone in the office,
I think especially duff Man. Yeah, Norwige under manning. It
looks like for the time being there keeping Josh Sergeant
up front. He got a very fortunate goal, did you
see it? Ken and off his black side?
Speaker 1 (27:26):
But keeper taking too long on the ball. You don't
Millwall would be like that, you know, you don't, you don't.
But the thing that struck me again we was we
was both a game in the League one.
Speaker 2 (27:37):
It's hard. It's hard to give any like real insight
on games that you haven't seen. That's why we've talked
about Telly Gaze really. But one thing that I saw
about Millwall on the on the highlights and people saying
online and something I'm really excited to see again it's
it's a front two. They might be coming back in fashion.
But Coburn and Ivanovitch looks really interesting and it looks
(27:58):
like again based on like what a three minute highlight reel,
but it looks like englandce is on that that they
could develop a real strong partnership just working off each
other really well. It was Ivanovitch distracting center back to
Coba and getting pacing behind it a source of a
couple of chances and I'd be really interested to see
how that striped partnership developed throughout the season. And I
just love seeing strip partnerships going and.
Speaker 1 (28:20):
Back and on the on the Millwall striker this front,
this is just the little noteore down McAuley lang staff.
So he scored the late winner for Milwall. He only
scored once last season his first season at Millwall, so
that's brilliant for um because it could hopefully that'd be
the springboard for him to show that he can score
goals at championship level.
Speaker 3 (28:40):
It's more than one hundred.
Speaker 1 (28:41):
Goals he scored in those seasons with the game a
county across. I think that's was three and three and
a bit seasons. So he's a natural goal scorer. But
going to the championship changing manager law disruption, it is
a huge jump up in level, especially when you're twenty
twenty seven, twenty eight when he's made the move.
Speaker 2 (29:02):
Who was the manager because he signed for Millwell, mill
won the race to sign it. This is highly regarded
front man who's been bagging for funny non league and
the managers is I remember I can't remember who it was,
but he said I'm not interested. I don't want them.
Speaker 1 (29:15):
He's not like Harris, won't it. So Harris has been
the Yeah, Harris came in. It's hard to keep track
as Millwell changed them. Actually before Meal came in, Harris
came in last few games the season, kept him up
and then stay and then left after he called the
fans what did he pull him?
Speaker 2 (29:33):
Human beanie? So yeah, and the final thing on Liang
staff is I was just thinking then when you was
talking like keepers as a position do not work well.
They're a unit that they have one number one, don't
they and a supporting cast. It doesn't work when you've
got two number ones, as we saw at Arst. But
(29:53):
this competitive front line at Millwall, I think it could,
it could, It could work in the Longstoff's favors motivation.
Do you know it's coming off to bench, take chances,
try and try and get in ahead of Coburn or
or Ivanovitch. I think the options mill Will have got
in terms of debt foot front. It's quite exciting to
have three really good players for the level.
Speaker 1 (30:13):
Oh yeah, and then as predictable a championship results, you
can probably get child and being child and wonder wing
over what the virus set piece? One of each qpr
Preston perfect root, one goal boot from the goal, key
food or.
Speaker 2 (30:27):
Fullow aren't italizer for Preston And what I finish?
Speaker 3 (30:30):
Oh fantastic from ozmaih.
Speaker 1 (30:32):
So he's going to be crucial to Preston if they
can pull away from relegation trouble this season. And I
do feel like we need to mention Serge Yakirevich's first
game for Hull because we've all been down on huole
preseason saying that we think they're going to go down.
Hull fans a lot more bullish about the chances this
season to go to Coventry, get a nil nil, restrict
(30:53):
them to three shots on target. Lots to be optimistic
about for whole fans. So yeah, plenty of plenty of
positives for them. Anything else to add on the on
the championship. Off the back of that whole you look
at their team.
Speaker 2 (31:10):
They've got a gay at the back lunch from signed Crooks,
Reagan Slayer, obviously that mcbernie. They've got a nice bit
of experience, and you look at the performance. Obviously it
wasn't on Telly, so I can't give you any real insight,
but I saw mcbernie, Crooks and coventrys keeper Rush. We
have a bit of a ruckus and in the last minute.
(31:31):
And if if Hull are going to be like that,
nasty hard to beat, they've certainly got the personnel to
pull it off. They've got some real trees, big boys
in their angry team, So yeah, they might not be
as bad as we expected. Nathan Jones been Nathan Jones
in the The Winner at charl and have you seen
have you seen him celebrate with it?
Speaker 3 (31:51):
Of course? Do you like him?
Speaker 2 (31:53):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (31:54):
Do you know what I do the because you'll get
you get a lot of beige managers or just stand
there and do nothing, and.
Speaker 3 (32:03):
I know a lot of it. Does it does seem
like it's a bit It can be. It can be
a bit for effect with Nathan Jones, you much. He
thinks about it. But we're talking about it, are we.
Speaker 1 (32:17):
So it's there'll be some There'll be some managers who
you you can't even say anything about other than the
clubs that they've coached. So I'm more for there being
big characters in the e FL, even if they're like
mad as a snake like Jones is. So yeah, I'd
prefer him to. I mean, he's going to change, is he?
Speaker 2 (32:39):
No? It was the the thing where he kept looking
for the camera last season in the playoff semi finals.
Do you remember that? And then the celebration that I
just think it seems like a bit of a nobbit.
But you were a chart and fan, I've a I'd
love him as well. But yeah, I thought, really like
really exciting first weekend all that I keep talking about tellygames.
(33:01):
What all the telegames are thought? Really interesting, really good,
And I'm excited for next weekend. I'm just looking itch
which Southampton Sunday twelve o'clock massive game. I'm really excited
to see how that unfolds and how which we're home
last season average over three and off goals a game.
We'll still, as you say, still figuring it out. I
think that's going to be a humdinger. I'm just looking
(33:22):
what else there is. Wednesday host Stoke and there's been
a massive prices again but massive move. Stoke was eight
to five before Wednesday played Lester. Now their odds on
it's got to be because Bannon was center I expended.
So yeah, I'm excited for next weekend. I'm excited for
next weekend in the championship already.
Speaker 3 (33:40):
Can you tell he's excited. So that's it. Yeah, that's
the championship.
Speaker 1 (33:44):
So one little plug that I forgot to do at
the start of the show is we also have a
please do get in touch on our socials, so it's
Sporting Live FC on our social channels, this week's ACCA
on YouTube, and then our email addresses this week's ACCA
at sportinglife dot com. Send us your thoughts of the
teams you want us to talk about. Did you go
to a game and you added a particular view, di
(34:06):
you'd disagree with stuff that we're saying anything, Really, I
just want to get stuff off your chest that we
can read out. You've got any funny stories that we
can read out on the podcast, But that is it
for the Championship.
Speaker 3 (34:16):
So we'll be back this time.
Speaker 1 (34:18):
Next week to pick through the latest set of Championship results.
We're going to focus on episode two for this week's
EFL on League one and League twos.
Speaker 3 (34:27):
Look out for that your feeds.
Speaker 1 (34:28):
If you've listened to this after the League one on
League two episode, then was he on Thursday for this
week's ACA.
Speaker 2 (36:00):
Okay, m m m
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