Zdeněk Zlámal: Brighton play the best football in the Premier League, David Moyes is one of the worst coaches

The new Premier League season is in full swing. Brighton are leading the way, with Everton on their tail. In an interview with Zdenek Zlámal, Canal+Sport expert, we talked about the title contenders, who will fight their way into the European Cup, as well as the Fantasy Premier League, which is growing in popularity every year.

You’ve been with Canal+Sport since the very beginning. Has the position lived up to the expectations you had before joining?

Yes, I’ve been here from the beginning and I really appreciate the opportunity. Before this, I didn’t have the opportunity to comment on what was happening on the pitch directly on TV and of course I didn’t have the experience of being an expert.

All my expectations have been fulfilled. I am surprised myself how much I enjoy it. The Premier League is the best league in the world. It’s a great job!

You’re known to like to have fun in the booth. I suppose you joke a lot in the newsroom.

It’s another reason why I like going there so much. Just as I liked to joke around and make fun of other people in the football booth, it’s the same in the newsroom.

I already know everyone there, so I know what I can get away with (laughs). We’ve got a great crew there and it kind of replaces the football booth for me.

The Premier League has had its opening round. What do you think of the new changes and the portion of set minutes?

I more or less agree with the changes. Especially with the referees punishing stalling and coaches for frequent comments on the referees’ statements.

It’s more complicated with more set minutes. I can empathize with the players, they already have a lot of those games in a season and now it will increase, so I disagree with this and will protect the interests of the players more than the spectators.

There will also be a new datazone for selected matches. Do you like this novelty and do you expect that viewers will use this possibility?

I like this innovation. I’ve come to like the data over the last while, I like to browse through it. It’s another service for the viewers, they will be a bit more knowledgeable again. When two people argue against each other, I say put the data on the table, it’s one of the ways to show who’s right. Plus, we can understand a little more about how the coaches think.

Chelsea managed to draw with Liverpool in the opening round, then lost to West Ham. Do you think coach Mauricio Pochettino is the right choice for the London side?

For Chelsea, he is the best coach they could have brought in. He’s progressive, he’s had some experience and he’s also got Premier League experience. He can work very well with young players and is very empathetic, so I think he will win over the cabin. I think he will be successful there.

With Liverpool, I miss a replacement for Fabinho at 6. If they can’t bring in a quality replacement, it will be very offensive on their part, but they will also concede a lot of goals.

Can Spurs fight for positions guaranteeing qualification for European cups without Harry Kane?

For me Harry Kane is the best striker of the moment and without him they will find it very difficult. However, they have a quality coach and even without him they can cope, Richarlison and other offensive players will move up again. But I definitely don’t see the Spurs in the top 4.

Manchester United managed to beat Wolves in the opening round even with a good amount of luck, then lost to Spurs. Where will the traditional side be after the 38th round?

Manchester United brought in great reinforcements. Only with Mason Mount, I don’t think there was any need to bring him in. For me they didn’t need to strengthen in that position, after all Eriksen is still a top player.

If I was sporting director I might have invested a bit more in a striker. Otherwise, Onana is a great goalkeeper and he will keep Manchester fighting for the top spot.

But I was unpleasantly surprised by the way he played. They won the first game with luck, in the game against Tottenham they lacked a bit of luck. But in that game they should have kicked a clear penalty, the shot went into the net and the Tottenham player used his hand to increase the volume of his body. And the referee didn’t even go and look at VAR, it was a big mistake.

After 20 years, Newcastle are back in the Champions League. TheMagpies are on the rise under coach Eddie Howe.

Newcastle’s big surprise last season, they played brilliantly. But now they’re going to have a much harder time with the Champions League coming up. It’s going to be awfully even this year, I don’t see the Magpies in the top 4 though.

Last season Arsenal lost the league title in the final eight league rounds. How do you rate their transfer window?

Arsenal were very predatory in the transfer market. It’s also because it’s very attractive again after last season and players want to go there again, they see the potential to win something. Timber is a great signing, technically very well equipped.

Declan Rice is an England international, a safe bet, and he will strengthen that midfield even more. But I’m not positive about the Kai Havertz purchase. Mikel Arteta brought him in to replace Granit Xhaka, but I don’t see him fitting that position. He’ll get more space when Jesus gets injured, but I don’t know where to go with him when the Brazilian international gets better.

The reigning champion has also strengthened the squad. Manchester City have brought in stopper Joshka Guardiola. Do you think the Citizens will be even stronger, is that even possible?

Every year I say they won’t get any stronger and in the end they always do because Pep Guardiola comes up with something nobody expects and after a few years a lot of coaches try to emulate him. But Guardiola is always two or three steps ahead. Once again, the Citizens will be a huge contender to win the league title.

Their squad is regularly rotated, which makes the team hungry for success. But they won’t win the treble again in the current season, twice in a row is literally impossible. Joško Gvardiol is a great player with future prospects, plus with his arrival Manchester will have more options to play with.

Arsenal managed to beat Manchester City in the Community Shield in a penalty shootout. How important is this win for the Gunners?

Mentally, it’s a huge boost for the Arsenal players. With this game they proved to themselves that they can compete with Manchester City and, more importantly, that they can beat them. Arsenal will once again play beautiful and handsome football, now they will be more experienced.

In case they lose the game against City, their confidence would obviously drop. In their minds they would have thought that Manchester were getting better, but that didn’t happen and it’s a big boost for them.

Brighton are also playing attractive football and have managed the opening two rounds with absolute ease.

Brighton, for example, already expected to lose Mac Allister six months ago and knew who they would replace him with. The management is looking very much to the future, which they confirmed last season, when they had to react to the departure of Cucurella to Chelsea or Bissouma to Tottenham.

It’s nice that new players don’t need to adapt, they just jump in and immediately put in great performances. I dare say they are often even better than the players they replaced.

However, they have an easier lot at the beginning of the season, after the fourth round we will see how their ambitions for European Cup qualification are. I expected them to win the opening two rounds. Once again they are playing great, direct football and for me the most attractive football in the Premier League.

West Ham saved last season by triumphing in the Conference League. Where do they stand after Declan Rice’s departure?

I support West Ham through Tomas Soucek and Vladimir Coufal. The biggest problem I see is coach David Moyes, for me he is one of the worst coaches in the Premier League and the Hammers will be playing somewhere in the bottom half of the table, Rice leaving is a big loss for them.

Who do you think is the best transfer of the summer?

The best transfer is the transfer of Declan Rice to Arsenal, then the arrival of James Maddison to Tottenham, who will be very productive and the transfer of Christopher Nkunku to Chelsea is also interesting.

Several players from the Premier League have headed to Saudi Arabia. Are you of the opinion that in a couple of years the league there can become one of the top competitions?

There is a new order and Saudi Arabia is changing its behaviour in the transfer market. I don’t think they can get among the top competitions, but you never know. I really don’t want them to get among the top leagues.

Once again, Canal+Sport fans will be able to play Fantasy PL. What should players think about when choosing their lineups?

I’m a big fan of Fantasy PL. I think the current Fantasy season will be very much about attacking players, so I would invest more money in attackers than defenders. There will be long setups and a lot of goals will be scored in setups. So focus all your energy on attacking players. (laughs)

After how many setbacks should players hit the lineup more significantly?

That’s the question, it’s a lot about emotion. I’ve had several times when a player was unsuccessful, I’ve replaced him and he scored a hat trick the next round. I certainly wouldn’t panic and rather focus on a long-term strategy.

We also have an official Canal+Sport league where we play for cool prizes. The winner gets Premier League tickets, so those prizes are very interesting.

Zdeněk Zlámal’s final tips:

PL winner – Arsenal
TOP 4 – Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool
Europa League + Conference League Qualifiers – Chelsea and Newcastle
Relegated teams – Luton, Sheffield United, Wolves
Top scorer – Erling Haaland
Golden Glove for most clean sheets – Onana
Surprise of the season (team) – Arsenal (by winning the title)
Will anyone win the treble? No

Source: Ruik