Which Premier League team has been the surprise of the season so far?

We thought it was a good chance that we're a month into the new season in the Premier League now and they've got a two-week break, of course, for the International, so a chance to take stock rather and discuss the first few games. A few questions for you. I'm going to go to the panel. I'm going to start with you, Darren. A month in, four games into the Premier League season, which team has surprised you so far? I mean, from my perspective, surprised would probably be Chelsea. I thought they'd be a lot better. They've shocked me how poor they've been. I thought when they brought in Pochettino, with the amount of players that they signed, I really expected them to be kind of pushing, not saying pushing Manchester City for the league, but certainly up there, competing for the top four. And the fact that they're so far off it and the performances they've put in, that's really surprised me, because I thought once they've got the manager in Pochettino who knows how to kind of build, work with new squads, the success he has at Spurs, I just thought he would be almost the final piece of the jigsaw to get them to where they wanted to get. But the fact that they've been so far off, it just tells me there's more problems at that football club than we first thought. So they'd probably surprised me the most in terms of, I thought they'd be better than they are. I mean, Lee, we wondered what Pochettino would do at Chelsea. Would he turn them back into a top four team overnight almost? Looking like that might be a bit of a stretch now. What would be a good season for Pochettino? Well, progression from last season. I think last season was woeful, wasn't it, from a Chelsea perspective, when you think that the amount of money that they spent, the players that they brought through the door, and they just couldn't hit it off. I feel that he's got to be given that time. Listen, there's a philosophy that they're going down, the route they're going down with a lot of young players that they've brought into the football club, put aside how much money they've spent, which stands out a million miles. But you do have to feel that eventually this will come together. I think this is a long-term plan for Chelsea. There's no doubt about that. Pochettino going in there, fantastic manager. He's got the background of where he's been and obviously knows the Premier League. It's just a matter of time, I feel. And I do feel that they will turn a corner this season. With Benny, I thought they would this season have a massive turnaround in comparison, but they haven't quite hit it off yet. And listen, the longer it goes on, the more pressure that comes at the football club, doesn't it? Listen, I think it's going to be a long-term plan for Pochettino, but I do feel that they will. And they are going in the right direction with the personnel that they've brought into the club. What about you, Jamie? Who's made a positive start? Who's surprised you with how well they've started? I think I look at West Ham, Jules. I think that earlier in the season, actually before the season started, I believe that David Moyes was a favourite in the dreaded sack race that managers don't like to see. And I think he's losing a character like Declan Rice. I think I've been in change rooms and a big character goes. I think it's very difficult to know how the rest of the squad is going to react. And I think that bringing Ward-Prowse in, he's played three games, he's got three assists, one goal already. And I think that he was a brilliant signing. And I think they've reacted so well. Bowen's been on fire to start the season and they've got 10 points after four games. I don't think many people perhaps would have thought that at the start of the season. So he's done a fantastic job, as he usually does, in my opinion, and deserves huge credit for the start. But he'll know now we want to build in it. And I think that midfield three, it's looking fantastic. Neil, I know you've been impressed with them as well and just how well they've adapted without that man, Declan Rice. What's the heartbeat of the team in so many ways? Steve's fantastic for West Ham, but you couldn't stop the progress for his own career. And they've got a really good fee for him and David's going to rebuild the team again. But there's two results that stand out for me. Beating Chelsea and then beating Brighton away was a fantastic result. Great counter-attack. I remember speaking to David a few months ago where they'd played Brighton last season and got beat four and he was talking about how well they played through the press. So obviously he's looked at that, he's taken off the press and counter-attacked and he's got the players to do that as well. But Bowen, for me, has been so consistent for him as well in terms of not only performances, Jules, but important goals that he brings to the team as well. I think Ward-Price, I think he's stiffened up the defence with a couple of centre-halves as well. They were my surprise package so far. I know it's only four games, but to be on ten points after the fixtures that they've had, speaks well for the future of the season for them. We caveat it all with it is only four games. What about you, Gary, who's caught your eye so far? Maybe he didn't expect to this early. Yes, in a similar way to West Ham in terms of losing a key player. I think Tottenham, for me, losing Harry Kane, a new manager coming in, in Posta Koglu. It felt like a transitional season for Tottenham. It felt as though maybe it was going to be interesting to see how they would cope with losing such a talisman, such a fantastic striker, that's not propped up that team for a while, but certainly kept the team in the race for a long time. But he's come in and he seems so comfortable in the Premier League, Posta Koglu, doesn't he? His style of play, of course, at Celtic was very, very fluid. I know it's a different challenge and a different type of division. However, they've settled down really, really well. They look like they can press a little bit more aggressively. They look a little bit more mobile and interchangeable in those top areas. We see the impact of Maddison. Maddison surprised me a little bit because I knew what a good player he was, but he looks like he's come alive and he really looks like he could... It's early, isn't it? But certainly Tottenham at the moment look like they could definitely challenge for those top four positions. They seem to me, Gary, that having the two managers previously who seemed really rigid in their shape, they've got attacking players who, for me, they look like they're enjoying their football. And I know it sounds stupid because it's your job and it's professional, but actually, you know as a player that when you're really enjoying your football and the style of football that he's asking to play, they have got really good players in attacking areas and they look like they're thriving under the demands that he's putting on them. Well, it was always that question, Mark, wasn't it? With the likes of Kane, Richarlison, Son, you know, some talented footballers. It was almost felt seeing them on the halfway line, seeing them having to wait for a counter-attack for so long. And I suppose now that question, again, like you say, it's early days, but it's being answered a little bit. Like you say, they look like they're enjoying it. They look like they're very well-structured. I do agree with you. And the challenge will be. I do agree with you, Gary. I think eventually they will feel the loss of Harry Kane somewhere down the season. He scored 30 Premier League goals last year, Jules. Where would they be without his contribution last year? And yes, they're getting goals from different parts of the team at the minute, but I just think when you lose a striker of that quality and that volume of goals, and you know what I'm talking about, Darren, it bites you eventually. I think they've played teams that they should beat, in my personal opinion. I know you're coming up against the Man United, but the Man United aren't the same. But you think of the first fixtures that they've had, and I think they're games that they should be winning. So I can't really go into Spurs and go, do you know what, they're going to be top four this season, because I think they're going to come to a stage where they've got some big games to really come to, and that's where I can kind of comparisise them with the top four, if you like. It's more, though, I think their change of style, though. Obviously, Harry Kane, in any side, you're going to miss him, and I agree, that will hurt any team. But I think what's been impressive is how quickly his change of style's coming in, and they've adapted to it in the four games. Do you notice, as well, there's no hiding place anymore for the other players, because Harry Kane would bail you out, wouldn't he? Get a goal, and then Son obviously had a poor season last season. Krzyzewski's got to get more goals. With Charleston, we're still waiting for him to get going. I think all of a sudden, you take that safety blanket away, and that's why you're seeing the likes of Son step up with Charleston, because now you haven't got that 30-goal striker. You're going to have to get goals from elsewhere. And to be fair, early part, a number of you, Lee, I think as well, they're beating teams they should beat, but the way that they're playing games and the way they're beating these teams has been really impressive. And you mentioned Madison there, all of you. Let's just dwell on him for a bit longer, because the number 10 shirt doesn't seem to be weighing too heavily on him, does it? £40 million he cost? I mean, we're talking about signings of the summer, Lee. You're nodding. Listen, Gary hit a really good point. I was a bit sceptical of Madison. I'm not going to lie. I think he's a fantastic talent. I really do. I think he's been stood still, maybe a little bit too comfortable at Leicester he got to. And I feel he had to make that move. But I think this season, he looks like he's got to that stage where I think the penny's dropped for him a little bit. He's looked at the likes of the Grealishes of the world, the Foden, the attacking flair in that England squad. And all of a sudden, he's back to light. I feel like he's enjoying his football. I think that's a good point that Jamie made. When you're enjoying your football, things like this come off, don't they? And it just seems to happen naturally. He looks fit. He looks sharp. But I want to see him coming up against the top calibre clubs where he can do and prove that against them. I think he should be doing that. I mean, look at the time and space he's getting. You're thinking, give that time and space to Maddison. He'll punish you. And these stats tell you everything about the start he's made in a Spurs shirt. Second for Tottenham in terms of goals scored. Most shots, most on target, joint most assists, most chances created. And he's won the most fouls as well. That is a singing endorsement of his first few games in a Spurs shirt. Just a final thought on Tottenham. Darren, and actually, it'll be interesting to see the reaction I get from the two managers in the room here. Are they also being aided by the fact that under Mourinho and under Conte, they were quite off on the story? But under Postacoglou, so far, that's not the case. Yeah, rightly so. Kind of, because you look at Mourinho and Conte and what they've done in the game. I think they command that respect. When you look at what they've won. Listen, it's been a while since Spurs. I think it's 2008 the last time Spurs won a trophy. When you look at what Conte and Mourinho have done, they walked into that dressing room and there was an expectation that they'll probably win something. Regardless how they win it, the football that they play, they've earned that right. It almost, again, looks like the players have gone to Ange, he's playing a free-flowing attacking football and the players are responding to that. So, whereas it's been an inferior of the managers before because of what they've done, it's almost like, OK, Ange there, it's something new, it's exciting, it's fresh, it feels like it's gone back to the Pochettino days. I think that's why players are starting to thrive. Tottenham looking good. Neil, for you, if we talk about who's not looking good, who's struggling early on? Well, there's obvious contenders, Luton, Sheffield United, even Burnley. The other three teams that were promoted for me, it's Everton again, Jules, and I don't like to... LAUGHTER When he listed the other three, I was like, oh, he's not mentioned it! I know you got a brilliant point there at Bramall Lane last week, but I just... I think they will be OK, but if you're talking about first-half struggles, I think Everton are going to struggle again. I mean, they've brought in Ashley Young and Beto, you know, they've lost to Wobbe. Calvert-Lewin is sort of probably going to get there eventually. They need him fit. But I just think they've made a poor start again to the season. I think they've got to get out of this malaise of being in and around it, and I don't think Sean's had the support that other managers have had, certainly in terms of wanting to bring the type of player that he wants in. I think that may be looked at again in January, but I think for the first half of the season, it's going to be hard work. OK, one point from four games. January might come too late, mightn't it, Jamie? It could do on the back of, like I said, other teams who we didn't expect to start well in that kind of group that you'd imagine that they'd be fighting against in the different stages of the Premier League have actually started quite well. I think that when we talk about the teams who are struggling, you mentioned the three that came up. The one I sort of look at, Jules, is Burnley a bit because I watched them so much last season. We did a lot of their games, didn't we, Hendo? They were being talked about as the best championship team that anyone had seen, you know, getting promoted. And I thought that their style of play, people seemed to think it would be easier for them to adapt than a Luton, a surprise package, getting promoted in the Sheffield United. However, I look at them and I go, for someone who, you know, we're talking the top of the top in terms of defenders in the manager Vincent company, I saw them playing. I was really worried for them after Tottenham. I think they were 1-0 up and I watched a clip of them and they were two for two at the back against... When they were winning the game, bear in mind, five, ten minutes after, where I always feel you're a little bit vulnerable after you've scored. And they were really aggressive on their starting positions and they just got absolutely torn apart against a team that, in the Premier League, the gap is huge in terms of that little bit of space. Hendo, they go and score goals. I did them against Villa, actually, and Villa were exactly the same. A real big score against them. I'm exactly the same. I think the comparison from Championship jumping to Premiership, this is why, straight away, the first three that come up, they're brandy to go back down. I think with Burnley, the way they did it and the goals they scored and they were dynamic, they changed the whole system from Sean. And it was brilliant what Vincent did. He surprised a lot of people. He brought a lot of young players in. They have got the youngest squad in the Premier League. I think it's 23 is the average age. All of a sudden, you're throwing a lot of young players coming up against some big players. We've seen Madison there. You can't give players of that quality time and space. I don't care where you are or what you're at. You can play as much football as you like. You're coming into the Premier League and that's where you have to have that bit more respect. This is where I think they'll struggle. I think they'll play nice football at times, but when you haven't got experienced heads around, we know ourselves, you can drag a few in and you can speak to people. But younger players, I think the longer this run goes on, I fear for them because younger players don't react as well as that. And that's where I fear. In fairness, though, the Luton game was obviously rearranged. So they've had three home games in a row. They've been against Manchester City, Aston Villa and Spurs. It's not been the easiest of starts. For example, they've got Forest next game after the break. They've got Luton coming up, Brentford as well. These are the games they'll be looking for. I feel playing against the higher calibre teams, if you like, I think that would have suited them. I thought that's where they might actually have a good comparison of passing the ball well. They're going to come up against the Forest, who are going to be hard to break down. They're going to pound counter-attacks. I think it's more the way they set up against those teams, Jules. On paper, you might not get any points in those games. But if you're going to approach any Premier League game in that manner, I think you're going to struggle because you've still got quality players in the teams you've mentioned. The longer they go on without getting results, every game becomes harder, doesn't it? All of a sudden, you looked at Luton and you probably went, we might be able to get something there. When you've lost the first three, then four, and you get to that Luton game, all of a sudden it's a must win. It becomes even harder. I think you're spot on, Benny. If you're not picking points up, if you don't get points early on to give you that confidence that you can get results in this division, the longer that goes, and then suddenly you see a month coming up where you might have Man City, Liverpool and Tottenham, let's say, and you're looking at it as a player thinking, where are we going to get a point from? I think it's about belief, isn't it? Belief starts... Obviously, we're talking very, very early in the season. When you look at Liker, Burnley and Luton, they both had very different but very definitive styles last season. I think both teams are... It's going to be a challenge because you want to be who you are, but they both probably are going to have to adjust a little bit as the Premier League goes on. I think we're going to have to adjust more than anybody else, Gary. Yeah. We're going to have to move on, Neil. A lot to get through before three o'clock, but just to point out, they go to Nottingham Forest after the international break, then they welcome Manchester United, then they go to St James' Park so that the big games keep coming, as they always do in the Premier League for Burnley.