West Ham woe and why Millwall are team to beat - McLean's EFL takeaways

What the report says

BBC Sport Football says pundit Aaron McLean used Saturday’s EFL fixtures to identify several early-season talking points across the Championship, League One and League Two. His main focus was West Ham’s difficult start after relegation from the Premier League, with the Hammers following an opening draw from a two-goal lead at Burnley by losing 2-1 at home to Charlton, including a missed late penalty. McLean argued that West Ham need major improvement in attitude and possibly personnel if they are to compete at the top of the second tier.

He also highlighted the strong starts made by Charlton and Millwall, the only Championship sides with two wins from two. McLean described Millwall as the team to beat at this stage, citing their balance of defensive strength, aggression and goal threat, while saying Charlton’s progress under Nathan Jones suggests they may be ready to push beyond mere survival and build on last season’s consolidation.

Elsewhere, McLean praised Wolves for ending a 489-day wait for an away league win with a 3-1 result at Preston, saying their recruitment and early performances suggest they could settle quickly in the promotion race. In League One, he called Leicester’s home defeat to Burton Albion a sobering setback and said manager Russell Martin will need to change the mood and mindset around the club. He also credited Steve Evans for transforming Bristol Rovers, who ended a poor run by scoring five in an eight-goal win over Newport County.