Chelsea are in the title race, Arsenal love a corner, and Everton don't supply toilet roll
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Hello and welcome to your Thursday edition of It's All Kicking Off. Chris Sutton is here. He's in Aberdeen after seeing Celtic take a grip on the Scottish Premiership on Wednesday evening in Arctic conditions. No surprise there. I'm still in Liverpool after seeing Wolves fall apart at Everton. Gary O'Neill, your football is bleeped.

is what the Wolves fans were singing at their manager at Goodison Park. And we wonder how long O'Neill may have left. We'll get to that subject later in the podcast. First of all, though, Chris, here's a football stat that may or may not surprise you. Chelsea have lost only once in the Premier League since the opening day of the season. It probably does surprise me a little bit, obviously.

Obviously surprises you as well. So I suppose, you know, all the recent talk has been, are Chelsea in a title race? Are they capable of winning the Premier League? I think, why not? You know, you can have all these plans,

young team, young development team and plan to win it at a certain season. Jack Walker planned to win the Premier League at Blackburn the season after we actually won it. So I really don't think that Chelsea should be thinking further down the line. It's about grabbing the opportunity and

And they are absolutely flying at this moment in time. So I think they're in a title race. I don't know what you think. Enzo Maresco, their coach, says that they can't win the league this season, says that they're too young. That's nice and positive, isn't it? Yeah, he was referring to them as puppies earlier in the week. Yeah. Can't win anything with kids. Can't win anything with dogs. That was a reference to Jose Mourinho's description many years ago of his team being a little horse.

in the title race. Murescu described his as puppies. He did say that he thinks that Chelsea are young enough and deep enough in talent to dominate for the next 10 years. So one rather pragmatic comment and one rather wild one. I think the opposite might be true. I'm not sure we'll see anybody dominating this football in the way that maybe City have in the last 10,

five or six years it seems to be a more level playing field moving forward um in terms of this season it is interesting they haven't got the experience of having a go at it um

History tells us that that is useful. You know, Arsenal have had two goes at it, for example, in the last two years. And if it comes down to it this season, if they're in the race again, that experience will no doubt help them. You can't buy that. You've just got to go through it. What really interests me, Chris, I've touched on this before about Chelsea is their depth.

I was talking to Harry Winks at Leicester a couple of weeks ago, and he was talking to me about the December programme and the January programme, and how when the winter fixture schedule kicks off after the final international break, the players have to steel themselves for it. They know what's coming, the relentless nature of the football, and how different it is to other parts of England.

the season. With that in mind, this week of midweek fixtures felt like the first real heavy load carried by Premier League teams. What I'm getting at is that Chelsea made seven changes. That was how they approached their rotation. Maresca made seven changes for that 5-1 win at Southampton. They can do that. I'm not sure everybody else can.

I would argue that Liverpool have a slightly stronger squad. I'd agree with what you said about Chelsea to an extent, but should Southampton be the barometer of the changes? We know they do that in the Europa Conference League as well, but can we judge...

you know, based on walloping Southampton, who everybody does. It's a fair point. There was certainly plenty more Harry Caray football at St. Mary's last night from what I saw in the highlights. Dreadful night for their standing goalkeeper. Another bad night for their central defender, Jack Stephens, sent off a hair-pulling

which is a... Yeah, was it that bad? Do you think Cucurella made a bit of a meal of that? Well, Cucurella making a meal of something certainly words that often belong in the same sentence, but look, let's not get into the weeds. Is that a first? Is that a first, a red card for a hair pull? Is that...

I think no, but I can't give you the example of when it's happened before. If you remind me, we'll come back at it on Monday. I think no, I think no. Anyway, let's not get bogged down in that. I take your point about Southampton. They're getting increasingly ruined at the bottom, by the way. Nothing changes there. However, are you saying Liverpool have a great squad there? So Liverpool go to Newcastle where they drew 3-0, conceded a last-minute goal to Fabian Scheer. Good game that was. Classic Newcastle-Liverpool game.

I don't think Liverpool can make seven changes. Liverpool go there, they rest Alexander-Arnold and they play Kwanzaa and they rest Diaz, they played Darling Darwin, Nunes. I think that immediately weakens Liverpool. I think that weakens Liverpool in a way that when Chelsea rotate their players, it doesn't necessarily do. It's a theory, Chris, and whether it's worked or not will be borne out at

the Tottenham Stadium on Sunday when Chelsea play Spurs that was the scene of that remarkable game last season that you and I were both at when Ange Postacoglu's bucketing Tottenham hit the buffers had a man sent off and lost 4-1 at home oh what a watch so what bravery what stupidity um

We don't know what mood Tottenham are going to go into that game because as we record this podcast on a Thursday morning, they've not played yet. They're at Bournemouth on Thursday night. As we know with Tottenham, anything could happen. But it does feel like a game that these are the games if Chelsea are going to establish themselves as title contenders, they've got to win this game. I don't think they have to win it. I think they have established themselves as title contenders. Yeah.

And I do think over the years, probably miles out, I do think even from my time at Chelsea, I think Chelsea have always pretty much had a decent record against Tottenham in the Premier League era. And they're playing with a lot of confidence. I take your point that you make about the changes. The level of performance doesn't change much, albeit the personnel changes.

does do but I suppose it's a real acid test and if they go to Tottenham and beat Tottenham and beat them well then people will sit up and take notice of that but I mean I don't know what you think I think it's a three horse title race this season I think City are out of it I think it's Arsenal Chelsea

Liverpool. A three puppy title race. That's what we'll call it. I should have asked you, so I'm going to just hit the brakes for a second and rewind. The Jack Stevens hair pulling thing, you say it was soft. Let me flip it round. Right. If you're playing for a team at the bottom of the Premier League and

One of your players, someone who's been sent off already this season, by the way, I think against Manchester United, he's sent off for pulling an opponent's hair. You're not having a word with him.

the next morning. I mean, that's a bit of a... Talk about letting your team down. It was silly, but I mean, I know why you're backing Kuka Ray because you once had a ponytail and that's plain and simple. I mean, I just thought it was a bit of a tug, right? And it wasn't like he...

You'd know. Dear me. Yeah. But it wasn't one which, you know, Cougar had to throw himself to the ground like that. So, yeah, I mean, it was only a little tug. Oh, okay. So afterwards you'd have said... It was stupidity. But, I mean, come on. I mean...

Was it a red card? What you don't need when you're at the bottom of the table like Southampton are is to give referees opportunities to make those decisions. And if you can't... Fuck, I almost swore then. Apologies. If you can't... I'm getting wound up. It's because you mentioned my pronation earlier. You've got me riled. If you can't defend...

do your job without, without pulling your opponent's hair. Then I think you've got to ask yourself some questions. That's all I'm saying. Anyway, tugging. Yeah. Title race is interesting. Like you say, three horse race, three puppy race. I think, I think you're right. Arsenal hitting their straps again, beat Manchester United 2-0 at the Emirates on Wednesday night. Don't think anybody was surprised by,

by that two corner goals. 22 goals since the start of last season. Arsenal have scored from corners. That's seven more than anybody else. Dimitar Berbatov, the former Manchester United striker, has described Arsenal as the Stoke City of the current Premier League. I would imagine Tony Pulis will take that as a huge compliment.

not sure Mikel Arteta will give us stuff. Doesn't matter how you score, Chris, does it? No, the devil's in the detail, isn't it? And that's about finding a way and you've got to admire how good they are from set pieces and

I mean, it does make me laugh that the set-piece coaches across the country who take the credit for the goals. I mean, last night it was all about the delivery. So while the set-piece coach runs along the bench and high-fives everybody, it's about...

you know, Declan Rice really last night and, and, and the quality of the delivery. So the set piece coach. Well, come on. It's about taking the credit. You and I can be a bit grumpy old school about these things and I get it, but I'm tempted to kind of sit on your side of the fence on this one, but let's be, let's be fair on this.

Yes, the delivery is magnificent. Don't get me wrong. And the two, well, not just the two, there was more than two. I think Arsenal had about 13 corners during the game. Most of them were delivered pretty much perfectly. It is about the, I mean, somebody on our podcast

WhatsApp group this morning described it as like the arrival of a wave of stormtroopers as the Arsenal attacking players come kind of flooding in from rear post to front post. And that is all training ground work. That is all training ground work. It's all, you know,

the right delivery, the right people, the right moment. It's all about the delivery. It's not just about delivery because if the delivery is perfect and the person at the near post isn't doing his job, then it's, then the delivery goes to waste. Let me ask you a question. If you on the, if you on the opposition side,

obviously centre forward what are you 6'4 how tall are you 6'4 6'6 6'3 and a half big Chris 6'3 and a half so what would seriously what would your role have been in a defensive from a defensive point of view if you'd have been playing for Manchester United last night erm

If I'd have been playing for Manchester United, well, it could have happened years ago. Yes. I'd have been probably near post space, which is an important role. So that's, you know, that's, so I did pick up at times, but towards the end of my career,

I think Martin O'Neill didn't want to give me that responsibility of picking players up. So he put me in the near post space, which is an important role. Yeah. You know, anything, anything slightly short,

You know, you have to go and attack it. And, you know, the importance of that is not letting anybody get in front of you, one of the opposing players in front of you. So that was my role. But just on the, you know, on the delivery thing, it is, and I do understand what you're saying, timing of runs and all that, but...

you know, you take the delivery out and, you know, those goals don't happen. And Arsenal are extra special. Saka, his delivery to the far... I mean, often they've scored goals with him delivering the ball to the far post. I mean, he's absolutely on the money. And last night...

the speed which or the pace that Declan Rice gets on the ball I mean it is absolutely phenomenal and it makes it easy really for players to go and attack then Interesting to hear Declan Rice saying that because of the nature of the programme at the moment he doesn't really get that much time to practice and

which surprised me a little bit, but that's what he's saying. Doesn't look like he needs that much practice. So Arsenal roll on. They're at Fulham this weekend as they recover from that slightly iffy

spell they had around kind of late autumn. They put a few wins together. They did it without a couple of players last night as well. So Chris, go back to your point three horse title race. Probably right. Liverpool, obviously favourites. They're still seven points clear at the top of the Premier League after their draw at Newcastle. It is, does amuse me how people are talking about Liverpool dropping points in that game. I mean, when I was growing up,

watching football. If you won your home games and you drew, and this was under the old two points for a win system, not three. If you won your home games and you drew your away games, you won the league, didn't you? These days, because of the bar that has been set largely by Manchester City, there's this feeling that you've got to win every game, which is ridiculous. Liverpool have just beaten

Madrid at home in what was a super emotionally and adrenaline charged match. They then come off the back of that and beat Manchester City. Similarly, emotionally demanding. Then they got Newcastle, which nobody needs to talk about what it is or what it takes to go there and win. And then they've got a Merseyside derby on Saturday lunchtime. It's ridiculous to presume they're just going to win, win, win, just because Manchester City tend to do that.

Yeah, absolutely. And, you know, Newcastle beat Arsenal a few weeks ago, didn't they? And albeit they're one of those teams, I mean, there are lots of them in the Premier League who have had their inconsistencies this season. Newcastle, they, you know, especially at home, I mean, they are a bit of a head scratcher because they lost to West Ham of all teams not so long back.

home but you know they are very very capable they get the crowd behind them a handful so in the end Liverpool I suppose the players and the nature of the last goal Kelleher the greatest backup goalkeeper in the Premier League misjudging one in

in the way, I don't know what he was doing. Cause I, I watched that bank last night a couple of times and was thinking, I thought he could have caught it. I thought he certainly could have touched it and helped it. Let me tell you something. Let me tell you something. He did it. He did it. He did exactly that two weeks ago. I think it was the game against Villa when he made a couple of very good saves at the Anfield road end back to back. And then I think with a bit of adrenaline, he,

came for a very similar deep free kick and did exactly that. Came for it, changed his mind, went over his head. And on that occasion, the Villa player behind him couldn't turn it in. So maybe there's a bit of a chink in the armour of Callaghan, who admittedly, as you say, has done brilliantly standing in for Alison Becker. I interrupted you. Carry on with your flow.

Yeah, no, I've got to say the finish from Fabian Schar. Oh, I mean... Well, he might have just been trying to get it back. Well, I think we can suggest he meant it. The goalkeeper misses it and, you know, angle against him. You know, brilliant finish. But no, I think all things being equal, Liverpool will be feeling pretty happy with themselves. But that would have felt like...

points dropped last night because of Newcastle equalising late on.

Yeah, I'm just going to say that. I only saw the highlights on match today. Another decent night for Mo Salah. Don't need to get into it, but my God. I mean, the second goal he scored, what a team goal. The one he put against the far post was pretty special as well. Another incredible night for Mo. He said after the game, didn't he, that might be the last game he plays against Newcastle away. He said after the game, that might be the last time.

he hits the far post at the Leas' end at St. James' Park with a shot taken with the outside of his right foot. Yeah, he did say that, actually. Yeah, he absolutely did say that. Indeed, yeah. Ah!

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This Saturday will be the last Merseyside derby Everett State place at Goodison Park unless Everett and Liverpool get drawn together in the FA Cup. But yeah, the last Premier League derby

to take place at Goodison Park. Considered one of the oldest football stadiums in the country, of course, Everton are moving to Bramley Moor Dock at the end of this season. Now, a bit of a disclaimer. I went on the Everton Stadium tour this week because it's just ahead of something I'm writing for Mail. Did you pay for that? I actually did pay for that. £23 and worth every penny. It was absolutely terrific.

I really, really enjoyed it. It lasted about an hour. There were four Americans on it, including two American Southampton fans from Chicago. Two American Southampton fans. Desperate. And when I asked them why they were on the tour, they just said, well...

because we like football stadiums and this one's closing down soon. And two other Americans as well. That's a good answer. Satisfactory there, yeah. Anyway, fun fact that I got from the tour. Fun fact. Everton, do not supply opposition teams with toilet roll in the visiting dressing room. You've got to bring your own. That's ridiculous. You've got to bring your own. Apparently it's very common. Apparently it's very common. Apparently lots of clubs do. I think it's a hygiene. That is so... Yeah, you've got to bring your own bog roll.

They're so petty. That's not... That can't be true. No, it is true. It is true. I think it's actually a hygiene thing. But it is true. And...

I mean, those dressing rooms haven't changed. Those dressing rooms, certainly away dressing room hasn't changed since you were playing there from what I could tell. There's only six showers, for example. You've got a squad of like 20 players. There's only six showers. The guy on the tour joked that the TV... You just all take it and turn showering. It's not a big deal.

Well, I don't know, but I do kind of like that image of Mo Salah. Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold kind of queuing up for a shower with their towels right around their waist, kind of like you did when you were doing PE at school back in the day. I do kind of like that. I do kind of like that thought. Yeah, I like that. I like that.

I used to like, remember, well, our producer wouldn't remember this. He may be horrified by this, but I used to like the big baths when I first started playing. You'd all get in the big bath. Yeah, and the tour guide... Oh, absolutely brilliant. Yeah, the tour guide mentioned that and told us that the reason they don't have them anymore is, again, for hygienic reasons because of things like players getting in the bath with a cut and then infections and things like that. That's the reason they don't have them anymore. Yeah.

Yeah. Well, there we go. You know, you say about, about, about, yeah, yeah. I don't, I don't quite get, I think he's having you on. I don't think he was, mate. I don't think he was. But how is it hygienic not to have toilet roll? I wasn't. Yeah, but how, no, I'm just, I'm not, I wasn't making notes. That's what you said.

No, I'm just saying, surely that would have crossed your mind to challenge him. Well, how is it hygiene? What, we're going to use my hand? That can't be hygiene. I was on a tour, Chris. I was on a tour. Yeah, but you should have. What's the point going on a tour if you're not going to query things? I'm there to grill the bloke. It's just embarrassing. I bet after his high five, I bet he's high-fiving all his mates. Hey, I told that toilet gag again. They don't have toilet roll. We don't give them any course they do. What a load of rubbish. Yeah.

Hey, hey, sound like Dominic King. There we go. Fun fact. I mean, but it was, I mean, it used to be a thing. I don't know if it still is at the modern, at the modern stadiums. What, wiping your backside? No, it did used to be a thing, didn't it? To make the oppo dressing room as unpleasant as possible. Like John Beck did it famously at Cambridge for years, didn't he? Turning the central heating off in the winter and up in the summer, et cetera. Flat balls. Yeah.

John Beck also did. They grew the grass in the corners of the pitch, didn't they? Cold tea. When the ball boys used to throw the ball back to the oppo, used to be told to make sure there was a handful of gravel came with it as well. Don't know if it goes on these days, but I hope a little bit of it does anyway. Somebody tells me the opposition dressing rooms at Bramley Moor Dock, where Everton's new stadium is located.

Were we a little more salubrious in terms of the... Do you think they'll take that tradition on? Who knows? The toilet roll one. Again, should have asked him. Again, my failure. Failure as a journalist. I should have asked him. Anyway, in terms of football, I was at Goodison last night. Everton sticky patch came to an end. 4-0, they beat Wolves. Played very well. A bit of a mention for James Tarkovsky, however you want me to pronounce it.

I was critical of him as Everton lost 4-0 at Old Trafford at the weekend. He was magnificent against Wolves. What a performance that was. I do love it when you see a sportsman, sportswoman, an athlete come back from a difficult performance and produce one like that. It just points to the incredible mental strength that professional athletes do have. He was fantastic last night. Everton were very direct. I don't say that as a criticism. It's just a fact. They were very direct against Wolves,

That's how they got most of the, that's how they got their four goals, really. I don't know if they'll have that success against Liverpool, playing that way. I think that, that Sean Dyche will set his team up and play to the strength. So I think they, you know, they're not going to change the game plan. They also have Dwight McNeil, who's, you know, you talk about Declan Rice's delivery. He's got a wand of a left foot and he's going to be really important for Everton if they want to climb the table. But,

pleased for Sean Dyche because he takes a hell of a lot of stick and I mean that's sort of in many ways typical Everton isn't it they score four goals and two of them are own goals from Craig Dawson you wouldn't have wanted him in your fantasy team but they've got a hell of a run of games coming up haven't they Everton starting with starting with the Merseyside derby but

I think you tipped them for relegation, didn't you, this season? No, I didn't. Did you not? No, I tipped Forrest for relegation, which he's working out well for me. The sixth at the moment. But they... I think it's...

There's a large section of the Everton fans who now have lost patience with Sean Dyche, but always go back to what was the expectation at the start of the season for Everton. And I think he'll keep them in the Premier League and they'll go to Bramley Dock and then hope there is a change in fortune. But everything I'm hearing about Everton, and you'll be better versed

to probably give us a lowdown on this is that, is that because there is, because there is, there is no real decision makers at Everton. Am I right in saying this? That Sean Dyche, that's why. Well, there's a takeover in the offing. He's hanging on in there. Yeah, there's a takeover in the offing. So you can't, you can't, even if he wants to, you can't sack him, can't really sack a manager until that process is, uh,

It's completely interesting that Sean himself said he hasn't heard yet from the prospective new owners at Everton, which read into that what you will. Everton were certainly better last night with Dominic Calvert-Lewin back in the team. I know he's injury prone, short of goals, but he does give them a much better focus. He's running in behind last night, his hold-up play,

bothered the life out of Greg Dawson, which is why he's got to end up scoring two goals. They are so much better when he's in the team and I presume he will be. You say that, you say that though. You've got to say, he's a bit...

He needs a really strong season to get his career back on track. The last however many seasons, I think four seasons, 2021 was the last time I think he got into double figures as an Everton striker. And that's not enough. He's a striker who has promised so much, has all the attributes, hangs in the air, doesn't he, at times. Brilliant header of a ball. But an

I know he's had injury issues, but I think we say it all the time about Everton. Well, if Dominic Calvert-Lewin is firing, they'll be all right. So he needs to sort of really improve his consistency. Yeah, they're just lots of better. I take your absolutely valid points. He just looks, but they're lots of better all-round team with him in it. Last night, that's what I would say. Wolves were...

Really poor, really poor without the ball. I'll say that, make that distinction because actually they created some chances. They could have been a couple up by the time Everton scored but without the ball they're absolutely lamentable. They are at West Ham on Monday. It

It does feel a little bit that whoever loses that game, or if there is a losing that game, the manager might go Lopetegui under pressure at West Ham as well. I'll start with Wolves. I mean, Gary O'Neill has been lampooned by his own supporters at Goodison on Wednesday night. You're getting sacked in the morning. You don't know what you're doing.

Gary O'Neill, your football is bleep. In the second half when Wolves put seven or eight passes together, the away fans were giving it their lays. It looks as though the end of the road might be nigh for Gary. They've conceded 36 goals in the Premier League, which is six more than Southampton and includes a six, a five, two fours and a three. Not difficult to work out where the problems are.

Yeah, and do you know what? The game at the weekend against Bournemouth, they could have conceded eight. Right. They are so open. They are so kamikaze in many respects. They do have some quality players in forward areas. I think reading this morning that Kunya was in talks with another Premier League club. Maybe you've got an exclusive there. I don't know, Ian. Yes, I did. But...

Yeah, I think that it's not going to last long for Gary O'Neill.

You've made the point, you cannot be... You cannot concede two and a half goals a game and expect to stay in the Premier League. And the quality of players that Wolves have in the squad, they should be doing much, much better. And it was basics. It was basics against Everton. Defending corners, defending spaces. The goalkeeper didn't have a good night either. Well, he does when he concedes four. So yeah, writing feels a little bit like it might be on the wall for Gary, though, as we know...

One result can turn seasons. We know that. They'll be hopeful they might get it at West Ham, who were struggling also in a slightly different way. I watched their game against Leicester on the television on Monday night. They lost 3-1. They had 31 goal attempts, West Ham, 31 goal attempts, all the possession, all the territory, and lost the game. What interests me about West Ham and Lopetegui is whether

whether you really can sack a manager when he's basically been without his big summer signings

uh, all this big summer offensive signing all season. They, they, they paid Dortmund decent money for Nicholas Fulcrook, the German centre forward, Champions League final player last season. Um, that to me told me that they were going to play a slightly different way with a, with a traditional number nine through the middle rather than someone like, um,

or Jared Bowen. And he's not been in the team. He's played 74 minutes combined because of injury. He's just back. He scored a goal at Leicester, although it was a consolation goal. He then had another chance after that. Surely Lopetegui's got to be given an opportunity to see how the team play with Fulcrum in it.

Um, that's quite an interesting debate. I'm not so sure that all West Ham fans would, uh, would see it that way. And also Lopetegui wasn't, it wasn't the only signing. And I think that's a, that's a bigger issue that, uh, sorry, sorry. Yeah. They're Fulcrum. Um, you know, um, you know, and that, that's an issue. Yeah.

Yeah, I think they spent well over $100 million, $120 million, $140 million. And then you're expecting more of a return than they have had. I think what's interesting and the decision the owners will have, I think that we would probably both agree that West Ham –

have enough quality in their team to finish in the Premier League. It's whether the West Ham owners have this patience. The fans eventually seemed to sway the owners that David Moyes wasn't the right guy after great success. But I've said before on this podcast, they've replaced David Moyes

with a guy who's very similar in the way that he sets his teams up and he's a pragmatist. And, you know, I don't, West Ham wanted that change, that different style of football. And I'm not sure we've seen it. They are underperforming for the players that they have. Yeah. And if a team underperforms, it does come down to the manager. Absolutely. Big, big night then at the London Stadium on Monday for West Ham and England.

indeed, Wolves. Let us know what you think about that. Can Gary O'Neill really expect to hang on to his job with his team, giving a passable impression of a leaky sieve every Saturday afternoon? Has there been any notable change in the way that West Ham play? Arsenal's corners, sexy football. Do we care? Are they legal? Should we be giving props to Nicholas Yeo over the set piece coach?

Or is that just another modern football myth? And Chelsea, can they win the league? Do they have a greater squad death than other teams having made seven changes for their win at Southampton? Let us know what you think about all of that. You know what to find us on the socials. You can find us on X. I'm the one with the...

Silly name. Chris is the one with the famous name. We have an email address, which is iako.co.uk. Go to Malesport on TikTok and Instagram and X on Facebook.

Join the community there. You'll find excerpts from the show. And remember, most importantly of all, when the show is finished, whether you listen to it on Apple podcast or Spotify, go to the episode, scroll down, find the little section where you can leave a review, leave us a rating, probably five stars and hit that big fat follow button. Chris, thanks for being with me as always, mate.

get yourself out into the Aberdeen air put your duffel coat on get yourself a cup of tea I'm heading back to Manchester and we will see you on Monday for the next edition of It's All Kicking Off