Morgan Rogers Was Right to Get Stuck Into Declan Rice, That Streak Is What Top Players Have

Speaking exclusively with BOYLE Sports , Borussia Dortmund and Celtic hero Paul Lambert has given his thoughts on the early weeks of the Premier League season.

The former Aston Villa , Wolves and Ipswich boss has praised Morgan Rogers ' fiery start at Chelsea , backed Ezri Konsa to make life difficult for William Saliba at Arsenal , and assessed the midfield balance at Manchester United .

Lambert has also given his verdict on Unai Emery 's Aston Villa , the goalkeepers Emi Martinez and Zion Suzuki , the Golden Boot race, and the survival prospects of Everton , Leeds , Ipswich and Frank Lampard 's Coventry City .

Manchester United's Midfield

Do Baleba and Tielemans Fix United's Midfield?

If you go back to my day, I played as a defensive midfielder, and my area was really the centre of the pitch in defensive zones. I think all top teams have that anchor. Whether Youri Tielemans or Carlos Baleba are similar in that regard, I don't know.

Whether one has got the discipline to sit, I'm not sure, because sometimes you get hit on the counter-attack and you need someone to track back. You need someone who can try to go full throttle to stop the game or just be there as a wall pass for everybody. So I think it remains to be seen whether that's the right balance.

But if it were me, I would like someone who sat a little bit more, cut out the danger, smelt the danger, and visualised it before it actually happened. I think that's crucial for them, so whether those two guys have that quality, I don't know.

Aston Villa

Could Emery Walk Away if Villa Struggle?

Unai Emery has done an incredible job over the few years he's been there. The football club needed new owners, and what they had when they first came in gave them that necessary push. Aston Villa is a great club that needed big players who could handle the atmosphere and expectations, and they had that over the last couple of years.

The Champions League will be great for them. They play my old club, Borussia Dortmund , which will be fantastic. They've got a tough group, but I think all the negativity will die down. Once the Champions League really starts, I think you'll still see that same excitement. It'll be great, even though they've lost some really good players.

That's what made everyone a little apprehensive, wondering how they'll replace those players and deal with the financial side of things. They have to be careful not to overspend. Losing their goalkeeper is a major blow for them as well. So whether they can kick on remains to be seen, but Emery is the key person here. He's turned the club on its head with what he's built. With players coming and going, it will be a test of time, but the manager has been central to all of Aston Villa 's success.

Chelsea and Arsenal

How Impressed Have You Been by Morgan Rogers at Chelsea?

What I liked about Morgan Rogers against Arsenal was his goal and that he had a bit of a go with Declan Rice as well. So he's got that streak in him, which all top players need. You need that fire; it's not just going to be all silky stuff, you've got to be able to mix it, and I think that's what all top players have. I think he started the season really, really well. It looks like he's going to be a regular starter, and that will enhance him as well.

I know Declan Rice clashed with him, but having two top talents with a bit of needle between them is important. That's starting to go out of the game, but even if it's your mate with the national team, you've still got to get stuck in, let it go, and then you meet up later, and everything is fine. I like having a little bit of nastiness between the two of them. Talent-wise, it's huge for him.

Can Ezri Konsa Keep William Saliba Out?

Will Ezri Konsa keep William Saliba out of the team? All you can do is win. When you win football matches, you make it difficult for the manager to leave you out, and that gives Mikel Arteta a decision to make. I think Konsa had a decent World Cup and a good season with Villa , and he's started his career with Arsenal really well too. But I'm pretty sure Saliba is going to be thinking, I'm not going to play second fiddle to you; if you want your place back, you need to fight for it. If Arsenal keep winning and the defence remains as strong as it is, it's a difficult decision for the manager to change things.

The Goalkeepers

Can Emi Martinez Take Chelsea to the Next Level?

Emi Martinez has got presence; he's got pedigree. I think that's important as well. I know he's made one or two mistakes, which can get highlighted as a goalkeeper more so than an outfield player because of the position he plays in. But I think him going into Chelsea reassures their defenders. He's played in big matches, so that's not going to faze him. I think he's a great signing for Chelsea .

How Impressed Have You Been With Zion Suzuki at Villa?

I think we need to give Zion Suzuki time. Being a goalkeeper and getting thrown in at the deep end is tough, because you're one mistake away from people having a go at you. They're big gloves to fill, definitely. But I think whoever went in there after Emi Martinez was always going to feel that. It's early days, so I think the judgment will come in the next six to twelve games; we'll see where he is then. It's definitely a big position to fill.

The Golden Boot

Who Can Beat Erling Haaland to the Golden Boot?

I saw Erling Haaland train up close when he was at Dortmund , and I saw him doing 1v1 finishing, and he never missed. When you look at him now, he's still the same. He's a big, powerful lad. Every time that ball comes into the box, you think it's going to be a goal, and you're actually surprised when he misses. That, to me, is key. As a goalscorer, he's a phenomenon. He has a big physical presence with it. People might criticise his lack of touches outside the box, but he does the damage where it really matters. If you've got a goalscorer like that on your team, you've always got a chance. He's definitely one of the best in Europe at the minute, that's for sure.

The Chasing Pack

Can Grealish and Maitland-Niles Bring Hope to Everton?

I think Jack has definitely lifted the support again. The fans were a little bit anxious about what was happening, but I think Jack coming in gives everyone a lift. If he can stay fit, they've got a real asset there. It was important for David , although I'm not sure if he got everyone he wanted; it looks like he didn't. But you can only play with the hands you're dealt. David got Jack , Tyrique George and Ainsley Maitland-Niles , who had the perfect start. But Jack is definitely the one who really excites people.

Do Leeds Have an Outside Chance of Europe?

Leeds United getting into Europe ? I think their home form is key. You've got to look at the Premier League at the minute; it's really early doors, and everybody's finding their feet. You'll probably get the top ones, who will obviously be up there again, those who fight mid-table, and then the ones fighting relegation.

It's really early, and I don't think the Premier League settles down until about 10 or 12 games in. Then people start to find their feet and figure out where they're going to compete. But home form is definitely key for clubs like Leeds .

Has Gary O'Neil Got What It Takes to Keep Ipswich Up?

It's all about home form for Ipswich ; that's key. Any points you pick up from the top six or seven are just a bonus. Your bread and butter is winning games against the teams around you, the sides you're directly competing with, and Ipswich will be focusing on that. Gary knows this league inside out and understands what he's up against.

I saw them play Man United and they performed really well. They were excellent. I know there was a bit of controversy surrounding Harry Maguire 's goal, but again, home form is massive. Anything you can get away from home or against the big six is a bonus; for everything else, you have to fight and scratch for every point.

Will Frank Lampard Be Worried After Three Opening Defeats?

If you look at the three games Coventry have played: Arsenal away, Hull at home, and City away. I think Frank would look at that and go, listen, anything we got from Arsenal or Man City was a bonus. You're better off playing them at the beginning rather than trying to save your skin at the end when you're in real trouble. You don't want to play the big teams at the end of the season when you're fighting relegation. So I think Frank will look at it that way. I think the biggest disappointment for him would be the Hull game.

The Arsenal game was the first game; Arsenal were Arsenal , and I think the players were a little bit apprehensive. But against City , I thought they did really well. They competed well and maybe should have scored a couple. So the only game Frank would really be disappointed with is Hull . In the other games, they've competed. Again, you won't judge Coventry 's season by playing Manchester City or Arsenal . So they're still more than capable of staying in the league.

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