Speaking exclusively with BOYLE Sports, former Premier League player Gordon Strachan has given his thoughts on all things Premier League including whether his former club Man Utd can challenge title favourites Arsenal and Man City.
Strachan gave his perspective on the relegation battle as well as whether former club Leeds United can stay up this season ahead of the likes of Burnley and Wolves.
Elsewhere, the Scotsman has a controversial take, questioning whether Rob Edwards should take the Wolves role, but says if he does it would be difficult for Michael Carrick to return to Middlesbrough.
The Title Race
Arsenal vs Man City
I'm a big golf fan. Twenty fifteen years ago, when golfers were at the top of their game, they'd be thinking: ‘Who is below me?’ Then suddenly, Tiger Woods' name would appear in third or fourth place. They'd think, ‘Oh no, this is different,’ and their swing would start to go; they'd mess it up, because Tiger Woods' name was on the board. So I think there's a kind of a Tiger Woods moment when you see Man City play the way they did yesterday. It's a Tiger Woods moment for Arsenal. I did say at the beginning of the season that I thought Arsenal would win the league, and I've still got to stick to that.
But I think it is a Tiger Woods moment when my team's still thinking: ‘Right, he's run his race.’ then: ‘Oh, here he comes again. You can put any other name underneath it, apart from Tiger Woods; I think it's the same now with Scottie Scheffler. When you see him coming, you think: ‘Oh no, I wish he wasn't here. That type of stuff. So I think it was a Tiger Woods moment yesterday for the whole of the football world, using the golfing analogy.
What's Key To Arsenal's Challenge?
Defensively, I think they've got a really good defensive set-up.
Man Utd Are Playing Like Man City! Title Chance?
That's what happens when you get a couple of results: you feel better about yourself. Life's good. I watched Manchester United live against Brighton last week. Manchester United had two top-class players in Bruno Fernandes and Bryan Mbeumo. I thought Brighton were the better team, even though they lost 4-2.
Fernandes and Mbeumo were brilliant. Brighton didn't have that kind of world-class player, but as a team, they were fantastic. Manchester United's system is a three-at-the-back formation. The funny thing about that system is when Manchester United are attacking comfortably and have time around the halfway line, it's literally the exact same system as Manchester City in their comfortable attacking mode. Manchester City do it differently, over the years, they've used wingers. Manchester United are now using wing-backs. Liverpool used to do the same thing with Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane playing as inside forwards, and Roberto Firmino as the striker, with width coming from the full-backs.
But when Manchester United are attacking, they are very similar to Manchester City. They keep the striker, Benjamin Sesko, high, with Cunha and Mbeumo behind him. They play from inside to outside, getting their width from the two wing-backs. So it's actually the same. Whenever he shouts about the system, attacking-wise, it doesn't make any difference. Defensively, when they're putting a full press on, they're a man short in that full press.
But attacking-wise, it's just the same. Some people think it's defensive, but once you get going, it's not. To be fair, with the two central midfield players, Fernandes and Casemiro, they've got an attacking mindset about them as well. So it's quite attacking if they get going.
Will Man Utd Get Top-Four?
“I think they can get into the Champions League, but they have to keep this form up.
Who Is Favourite For The Premier League?
Relegation Battle
Burnley And Leeds Are Doing "Okay"
Burnley and Leeds have done okay. My worry about them is the standard of play. They're trying their hardest, they're getting coached well with both coaches, but invariably, it'll come down to the standard of play; it'll keep you in the league. Because I think if you look at Burnley or Leeds, how many top clubs would be after their best players? It'd be very hard to pick out a few. I think they do all right at certain levels.
But then again, my argument's blown by Sunderland, that's why football's not an exact science. But if you're looking over the weekend, West Ham have had two results, but I still think it's going to be hard for them. It really has got to be hard for them. But I think if they can keep Lucas Paqueta fit, that'll be fine. If I worry if somebody like Paqueta or Jarrod Bowen get injured for West Ham, I think if those two were injured, I think West Ham would be one of the teams that get relegated. And that's how important players are, if you've not got this wonderful machine like Brighton or Brentford, it's individuals.
I think West Ham are an individual club at the moment. And that's the whole club. It's not just the manager. But Brighton and Brentford have the whole package when you see them. I was so impressed with Brighton the other week there. But they have the whole package. But if West Ham got one or two players injured, I would say the same with Leeds, if Joe Rodon got injured, you know, it might be a problem there as well.
Edwards To Wolves? No! Stay With Stable Borough
You're looking from the outside and thinking: ‘Well, Wolves have got two points.’ Middlesbrough are up and running. I don’t know the situation at Wolves with the current football leadership, but I know about Steve Gibson. Wonderful man. Gives you the best chance you can get. Whatever you want, he'll give you and buy you until there's a point where you say enough is enough. But then we don't know the personal side yet. Is he from that area? Is he familiar with it? Does he want to get back there? There's an outside influence in taking him back there. So we really don't know that. From my perspective, it looks like a strange one.
If it were my choice, I would stay at Middlesbrough because it's going to be hard to take a team. I don't think any team with two points after 10 games has ever stayed up. Does he think there's a better chance of getting back with Wolves, with the money they've invested?
But the problem is when you go to a club like Wolves and you invest that amount of money and you go down and you lose a lot of players, or the players want to leave, that can be a problem. I think Middlesbrough will always be more stable. I think in his head, they go down, and the Middlesbrough fans are like that. So they accept that, and the finances are geared towards a team that might go up and down the two leagues.
What Should Rob Edwards Do?
Michael Carrick
Carrick Return? It’s Very Hard To Go Back
It's very hard to go back. I think it's the same with Gary O'Neil. Do you really want to go back? Do you want to do something else in your life? I think Michael Carrick and Gary O'Neil have got loads to offer the game. Do you want to retrace your steps? Is it always as good fun as the first time you were there? I think it would be very hard.”
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