Class From Cherki

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0:34Welcome in to today's edition of ESPN FC. I'm Dan Thomas, joined by Ali Moreno and Shagga. Hislop will kick things off in the Premier League. Friday night action at Selhurst Park. So Crystal Palace take on Manchester City. And boy, was this a much improved City performance compared to that with the Community Shield and the opener against Bournemouth. They dominated Palace as this game went on. It'd be Erling Haaland getting his first goal of the season early on in the game. But the second half was all about Ryan Shirky, who was given the start today after his impressive performance against the Cherries.

1:05Two quick goals, a lovely individual style and run to get Manchester City's second and then deflect his shot five minutes later to give them the advantage. Paris would get one, but in the end, Haaland got his second, Manchester City's fourth, to see them win. Two opening matches to put them as it stands, top of the table. For more on this, Frank Le Boeuf joins us. Frank, you said this was going to be a draw. How did you get it so wrong? Hmm. Ah, you know, surprises and predictions. We know football. If I knew all results would be a billionaire and so therefore I have to make some mistakes sometimes.

1:44But congratulations to Manchester City and to Ryan Scherke. I hope we're going to talk about the fact that he wasn't very happy after the first goal. A little bit, some look at the bench to Maresca. Say, you know what? Put me on the field because I can score those kind of goals. So, yeah, I don't know if the guys want to talk about that, but it says a lot about the pressure on Maresca. We can definitely talk about Ryan Cherky most definitely because he is the big talking point from this game. In a sense, came on, made an impact against Bournemouth, and then that first goal of his today was just exceptional.

2:18And it is what he's capable of doing. The upside of his game takes you to this place where he can do special things. It's just that we don't see the upside consistently enough for him to warrant to be a starter all the time. Now, the progression right now for Ryan Cherokee has been the ideal one. First game of the season, you start off on the bench. You're not happy about it. You're given an opportunity. You make a difference. And because you made a difference, you were a player that Manchester City needed to be on the field. Now you start the second match. And then you have this sort of performance, which then we would assume would mean that he's going to be a starter from here on out up until his performances drop.

2:59So, Ryan Cherokee is a tremendously talented player. There is no doubt about that, and I don't think any of us would doubt that. What we doubt is whether he can do this every single game or most games, which he hasn't proven capable of doing just yet. Here's an opportunity where I think he's going to get a long number of games in which he's going to start. He's going to have a chance to make a difference for this team, and he'll have every opportunity to stay on the field. Certainly, considering today's performance, he merits a long stretch in this team. Absolutely. And you need that kind of creativity on the par, at your disposal.

3:37And Cherky gives you that. If he gives you enough going the other way, we will have to see, especially once opponent becomes a whole lot tougher. I do not think Palace put up much of a fist at all. But he has a skill set that very few have. Certainly nobody else in the Manchester City dressing room does in terms of unlocking defenses with the ball at his feet. I think he will start for a long time. You can kind of build around that. Given some of the signings you've made this summer, defensive midfield, they spent an awful lot in retooling and making sure City are well covered in that department.

4:13And you allow Cherky to do as he does. And he was allowed to do that today. What's interesting, given his first season at City, and we saw, remember, the shirt swap and just some of the shenanigans from Ryan Cherky. I wrote to Nadam once he got his second. I said, can you tell me some stories about Shirky being an idiot? You know, just because I wanted to give some context. And he went, no, actually, it's the complete opposite for the Manchester City squad, saying he's great within the team. He stays late. He's early for training. The thing is, he'll just let you know if he's unhappy if he's not playing.

4:47So it's interesting, Frank, that you kind of maybe have this concept about him being a bit silly. I said, but that wasn't the word I used. but it seems like he's just a guy who wants to play football but as you say and as the boys say how much can you trust him to put in these performances week in week out so far as Ali has said and I agree with him it's hard to believe according to what we have seen last season that it can be consistent but he will learn and he will improve and I like the fact that he's upset and when he's upset he's performing very well and and I am with you he's 100 % he's 100 % believing that he can be the best player maybe in the world but he has to prove it to everybody he knows inside himself that he can be that kind of guy but he knows that he has to get perform he has to be performing every game that he played on.

5:46But I think he has the willingness of that. And we can see every time that he touches the ball, when he's in the last 30 yards, that the guy is a threat. So if he gets the confidence, if he gets the physical as well that he needs to perform that way, he's going to be unstoppable. But now, having said that, we have to talk also about Foden playing on the right side not being the number 10 like he was in the first game not being as performance as he is when he plays at number 10. So that's a real big problem for Maresca to play with the two players who are absolutely fantastic players can be an issue and he will have to make a choice.

6:28So maybe we'll have to talk to Shirky. I have to play sometime without you because I need to put Foden in his right position and you cannot play on the right side. So it's complicated but it is what it is when you up so many talents. Having said that though, in the subject of Phil Foden, even though he was playing on the right-hand side, there was enough rotation and enough fluidity that he was appearing in central positions. And even when he was coming from the right-hand side, which was a really good build of play in the first half, he ends up having a chance that he should have scored. And so as a player, right, let's say that you feel like you are out of position if you're Foden.

7:07But he had chances to score a couple of goals in that first half. He scores those couple of goals. He's not thinking, I'm out of position. I don't really like this. He's saying, hey, maybe there's a role here where both of us can be on the field together. And maybe if Ryan Cherokee is attracting attention, that means that I'm going to be left open. And if I'm going to be left open, then it's up to me to take advantage of the opportunities. He had a couple of clear chances in the first half that if he takes those, then we're having a perhaps a different conversation about field football and playing on the right-hand side.

7:37Today, it worked well for Manchester City. I don't know how it will in the future, because I think it's something that Shaka mentioned there. Crystal Palace, eh. Eh. They gave all sorts of time and space to Manchester City and allowed Manchester City to just look as good as they did, especially in the second half. But I think there is a scenario by which both of these players can be on the field and can be successful playing alongside each other, with each other, and for each other. Well, one of those chances was Cherky coming down on the right side side, on the right channel, clipping the ball back for Foden, and he should have scored a header from six or seven yards.

8:10So I don't see that as being an issue, Sally rightly says. I think the challenge comes with Foden, or even if Cherky goes on that right-hand side, they aren't out-and-out winger. So they aren't going to match the line and stretch a defense in that regard. But because two of them are able to interchange so fluidly, it gives defender and left back an issue. And you're not quite sure what to do or when to do it. And there were times that Crystal Palace were just so exposed on that left-hand side because of that, that this game really should have been done with a half hour on the clock. So what were you saying about City then, Frank?

8:48This is a really good performance from them. As you can criticise Crystal Palace. They've still got Buadi to come in. Enzo's going to come in as well, it looks like, from Chelsea. are we a little more positive about them than we have been certainly at the start of this season? Definitely. And I kind of changed my mind from yesterday when I was saying that I didn't feel them, you know, being, you know, maybe a contender or a team or the second team who can chase Arsenal. But having seen, you know, today them playing well against Cristobal, and that's maybe a different story against more defensive and more accurate team defensively.

9:31That would be a different scenario. But I have to be honest, what I saw today was a good composure from everybody. They were playing high on the field. They knew what they had to do. They knew exactly how to play. Haaland is like Samson, you know. Well, he's unlike Samson from the ancient testament. He lost his hair, but doesn't lose his power. And we can feel that everybody understands each other and want to work together. That's very interesting. And you can change personal. It works too. So I'm ready to change my mind. I still need like two other three games to see exactly what's going to happen to Manchester City.

10:14I still think that in the first half, if Crystal Palace had anything about them in the attacking third, there were opportunities and chances for them to fight, to find the right passes and the right final decision to really put Manchester City in trouble. In the first half, there were at least three or four sequences in which Crystal Palace very easily completed two or three passes out of pressure, and now they were going. The problem is that they have nothing going in the attack, and they couldn't expose the vulnerabilities and frailties of Manchester City. I believe Manchester City are still shorting numbers in the midfield.

10:50And because they're shorting numbers in the midfield, they feel like some of those, either the centre-backs or the outside-backs, they come and try to help. So just Buadi coming in and Enzo, that's numbers. That's big numbers. But, OK, but now let's do the math. What do we do with Ryan Cherky then? Well, he's playing.

11:08And Phil Foden is playing. Phil Foden can go away. All right. OK, well. Cherky's dead. But, Ali, I'm sorry. to jump on you, Ali, in the way that, yes, maybe Christopoulos had some chances in the first half, but if Foden could have converted his two chances, which was quite easy for a player like him, it would have been done. 3-0. Bye-bye. Bye-bye Christopoulos as well. I am convinced that Frank doesn't listen to me, or anybody for that matter. Was that? Yeah, exactly. The first thing I said about Phil Foden is that he had a couple of chances that he should have taken advantage of. My larger point is that if we're looking at Manchester City...

11:48So who finishes second? Well, Manchester City. Manchester City finished second. Yeah. But that was always your thought, no matter what happened today. Yes. Nothing that I saw today told me Manchester City are ready to challenge Arsenal. If that is the question. Because I think Arsenal are far and away the best team in this league. And so, Manchester City, I think they're still going to be exposed in transition on the outside areas. And once those outside areas are covered, they're going to be exposed in transition through the midfield. We saw that today at least three or four times in the first half by Christopher.

12:21We've seen you flip-flopping as to who is going to finish second, Shaq. I've got Liverpool. Final answer. What? Liverpool, final answer. I'm sorry, what? My God. Liverpool, final answer. What were you doing in England? Have you seen Liverpool? Final answer. Now, about City. He was at Newcastle. About City. What did he do? Did he visit the country? We'll deal with that some other time. We're not talking about that. We're not talking about that right now. Shaq is desperate to make a serious point. I'm desperate not to let it. No, we're not talking about Liverpool right now. So where are City finishing?

12:50Fourth. Blimey neck, Shaq. Yeah. So what, Chelsea third? Yeah. And I think, to build on what Ali was saying, there were times in this game, and again, I thought Crystal Palace were awful. I have serious concerns about them. But they kept making chances. And this is the concern we had about... Phil Foden almost took his chance. Right, but that has nothing to do... That has nothing to do with what happens up the other end. As good a back four as City... They won 4-1. Yes, but Crystal Palace, I repeat, are god-awful. But there are a lot of god-awful teams in this league. Quite possibly. Right, but we're what?

13:28Two games in. Liverpool so far. Yeah, right. I'm listening, Zach. I'm listening. A god-awful team is creating way too many chances up the other end. And I feel that may again prove to be statistically his heel. That defensively, they just can't seem to get it right. Maybe Enzo Camino and Boari can't play all of them. You can't play 13 men. And that's the challenge. Liverpool second. Liverpool second. Final answer. Some, of course, feel that maybe Chelsea could take the runners-up spot. They are through to the next round of the Carabao Cup, meanwhile, after that 2-0 victory against Luton. We discussed that yesterday.

14:05What we didn't discuss was Xavi Alonso's comments after the game about the future of Enzo. Here we go. We need the players that are in the best situation to play and we need to take everything in consideration. Players that are in good moments, players that are not feeling that energy to play. For me it's very important that they feel that this desire to play and to have good preparation. We talked and we decided that for tonight it was better to not to be part of the squad. Yeah, makes sense. Sonny Frank, we obviously think he's going to go to Manchester City. Xavi Alonso making a stance, an important stance.

14:52Yes, and he was right to not call Enzo Fernandes. If Enzo Fernandes is already gone in his mind. And what I don't like is that you need to translate or to analyze every sentence. instead of seeing the truth. He said, you know what? Enzo Fernandez is supposedly on his way to Manchester City. I cannot trust that he's fully committed for Chelsea football clubs or he's not playing. Everybody would have understood that and it would have been clear. I said, well, you know, I don't know. If the player is not ready 100%, I don't want him to play. that's the aces and it was only fair that Enzo Fernandez wasn't playing because his head is away or is already out.

15:39Let's talk about who's coming in. Jack, Emi Martinez on his way to Chelsea. Do you like this signing? Does he still have it? He's not the keeper that he was three or four years ago. I think that's pretty obvious but I think he's an incredible upgrade to Sanchez. You need somebody with a presence. And Emi Martinez, without question, has that. He's very good with the ball at his feet. I think he ticks a lot of boxes for Chelsea as they continue to upgrade in every single department. Then those numbers would suggest he's a downgrade, Sean. Emi Martinez is an upgrade on Sanchez. Those numbers are a way to kind of paint over the cracks or cover up the truth.

16:24Emi Martinez is a far better goal. Shaka, you worked at Nasser. You know numbers, don't I? Yes. You need numbers. Algorithm. Algorithm, Shaka. Yes. Okay, then. Listen, you have Emi Martinez, even now at this stage of his career, 10 times out of 10 over Sanchez. It's not even a discussion for me. A good signing for you, Ali? Absolutely. When you're analysing Chelsea and you're going line by line, the goalkeeping position ahead of this move of Emi Martinez going to Chelsea, the goalkeeping position was a weak point for Chelsea. Now it becomes a point of no discussion. Emi Martinez would be your number one.

17:06And if indeed he plays close to what he has been as a goalkeeper, then he's going to resolve a lot of issues for you. And more importantly, he is not going to make the sort of mistakes that Robert Sanchez makes. because I don't think he takes those sort of chances with the possession of the ball on his feet. He's going to make the big save, and just as important, he's not going to make the big, awful mistake in which you ask yourself the question, how in the world did that ball go in? How in the world did we get here? I think that's what Robert Sanchez did time and time again, one too many times, and now Emi Martinez is going to take over the possession.

17:42Frank? You have to add on the numbers that we saw. Those numbers mean nothing. You have to put the percentage of trust of centre-backs last season on Emiliano Martinez and the trust of centre-backs to Roberto Sanchez last season. That I will give you a right number. I'm pretty sure that Aston Villa was 100 % trust on Emiliano Martinez and I give you 10 % trust of any centre-backs playing for Chelsea. That's the right numbers. because you know, and I said that yesterday, that is crucial, and I'm sure Xhaka can witness that, that if you have a goalkeeper that you can trust behind you, you can give 100%.

18:26If you don't trust the goalkeeper, you're going to be alert on everything you make and you're going to hesitate on every decision you're going to make. That's the difference, and it's why Emilio Martinez is certainly a plus for Chelsea. Who are Chelsea playing this weekend, Frank?

18:47Oh, my God. Brighton. Oh, no. Mike told you. No, no, no. That was going to be a fun game. I swear to God. No, no. I saw it. I heard it. That's disappointing. No, no, no, no. You're so upset that you want to lie. Let's take a look at all the fixtures this weekend, including Chelsea against Brighton. Early on, it's Xhaka's pick to finish second in the league. Liverpool. Final answer. Tasting on Nottingham Forest. And a real showcase for the Premier League. Coventry against Hull. And the late game, Spurs against... How will Newcastle perform without Xhaka in the crowd? Undefeated with me in the cold, you know?

19:28To cheer them on. Sunday, he's got games. And then Monday, Aston Villa. Wait, wait, wait. There's some games on Sunday too, you know? Watch them if you want. Yeah. We will be back otherwise. ESPN is on the ESPN. Rich Eisen here with some advice. If high interest credit card debt is grinding you down, it might be time to call an audible with a SoFi personal loan. It consolidates your debt into one low monthly payment with no fees required. And with as soon as the same day funding, you can make the right play fast. Call an audible on your debt today at SoFi.com slash debt play. Loans originated by SoFi Bank N.A.

20:12Member FDIC. Terms and conditions apply. NMLS 696891. Fast funds terms apply at SoFi.com slash debt play. A new podcast series from ABC Audio in 2020 goes inside a case that has captivated the nation. To many people, Luigi Mangione is a modern day Robin Hood. People were cheering the demise of this person they'd never met who was a father of two and a husband and had a life and was just doing a job. From the manhunt ending in a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania, to what authorities are saying about a possible motive. I'm ABC News legal analyst Brian Buckmeyer. Listen to Burden of Proof, Luigi Mangione, wherever you get your podcasts.

21:01PSG are still in search of their first domestic win of the season. They were 2-0 down, by the way, against Lille going into the 90th. They've only got two late goals through Fertini and Marquinhos. Frank, it's a weird one, isn't it? Because you know they're going to win the league. But for the fans, do they care about these sort of matches where they're so lethargic for the majority of the game? It's like season. They're not ready yet. Some players are playing like Balerdi, playing in the middle of the park because Neves was ill, I think. Otherwise he wouldn't have played. Zeri Emery playing on the left side because Mendes was suspended.

21:45And some players like Hakimi, Paco, maybe even Vintinha first half, they weren't ready. Ferran Torres scored two goals the first day, but we can feel that he's not completely connected to the other. So they are learning. And like last season, they are starting slowly. But as you said, we all know that they draw today or they drew today because Lille played well, but Paris Saint-Germain didn't play well. They are maybe at 60 % of their possibilities. And when they're going to get upset and when they're going to get good, ready, they're going to smash everybody. then it would be October, November and everybody would say can they still win the Champions League and like I think last season they're going to show their strengths after New Year's Eve and be effective and perform there We were talking about PSG and Bayern before the game with our lovely producer and he was saying ask the boys what's it like not really having to worry about the games before the end of the season and really kind of focus on those last games because you're dominating everybody else and I'm thinking, but have you seen our panel?

22:53I was thinking the same thing. Under 14, maybe. We talked about it being a hindrance for maybe PSG in the past, but they've proved us wrong, haven't they, in what they've done in the Champions League the last couple of years. In two seasons back-to-back. They only come to life in the run-ins in the Champions League and they can coach for most otherwise. Last season, they were able to rest and rotate more than anybody else before. For so many years, and particularly around Bayern, the discussion was, well, because you're not pushing yourself those later games in the season, that counts against you in the Champions League, and PSG have proven different.

23:33Now, they've gone back-to-back, and I think many people at this point would think that they'd go three in a row. And right now, it's hard to argue against it because this has been the pattern for the last two seasons. And that's it. That's the key. If this were any other team, we'd be over here panicking. If it were Real Madrid that had started winless, or Barcelona started winless, Arsenal, we'd be like, oh my, the roof is caving in. Because PSG seems to do this continuously, historically, certainly over the last couple of seasons, and they've earned enough equity to where you kind of go, well, this is who they are.

24:12And you just accept it, and you trust, more importantly, You trust that Luis Enrique is going to get through to these players. And then eventually they're going to catch a certain level of rhythm, a certain level of play. And when they reach that level, what has been proven over the last couple of seasons is that not many teams can go and match them at that level. And that's why they run away with Ligue 1. And eventually they find themselves in a position where they're one of the favorites to win Champions League. Do you have the same trust for Bayern?

24:43Are you asking if Bayern were to lose a few games? No, I'm talking about the lack of competition that Bayern will face until it gets the proper stages of the Champions League. I do still have some trust on Bayern because I think there is a hunger to go and win Champions League. They've done everything there is to be done with Vincent Kompany and they have been building up to now to the point to where the only thing I believe in their mind that is worth talking about is Champions League. Now, they'll say all the right things and they'll talk about it. We'll take it one game at a time and we have to win our domestic league and we're going to compete in the Pokal and we're going to do all these things.

25:24But when it comes down to it, the trajectory of this team has been building up to one thing and one thing only, and that is winning Champions League. They seem to be taking those steps. And I do think because it is a priority, they're not going to allow themselves to be distracted by the lack of competition in Bundesliga and they'll be focused enough when it comes to Champions League to be there at the end. I certainly do have that trust in Bayern. And that is on the premise that a lot of the back end of last season's Champions League, the general feeling was the only team that can beat PSG is Bayern.