On this day: ANR on 4/3/2015
The EPL with 10 games to go/ Stale Wenger’s stayed far too long
There will be 10 matches left. The battle for the Top Four places, which has been more interesting than ever before in this Premier League campaign, now comes down to these 10 games.
After Wednesday night, there are only 10 games left. 30 points to play for? Who could grab even 22 points?
Who can win six and draw four?
Not Arsenal or Man City or Southampton or Spurs, I’d wager.
Southampton were impressively consistent but the goals dried up when striker Mane went to the African Cup of Nations. And they were unlucky to lose to Arsenal.
If Toby Alderweireld had been on the pitch, Southampton would not have lost. Alderweireld is an outstanding defender that Arsenal should have signed. Unfortunately, the club’s recruitment process is so incompetent that they missed him.
Tonight Mane got the late goal that beat Crystal Palace, who were as good at Southampton without creating a lot Clyne throw, Mane shook off Gayle, found sub Ward-Pryce, who zipped forward and hit a shot that keeper Speroni stopped with his legs.Mane, following up, scored a priceless goal in the 83rd minute.
Kane and Eriksen made Spurs exciting again .
But in Sunday’s capital One Cup Final, Chelsea showed them where they really are Chelsea will win the title, as I confidently predicted long ago. Pellegrini will be replaced this summer. Van Gaal will survive next season. But he’s made Manchester United dull and will be replaced in the summer of 2016.
Wenger’s gone on for too long. He knows it and we all know it.
He doesn’t have any chance of ever winning the Champions league. But he won’t step down to let somebody else make Arsenal what it should be now, given its massive resource base.
Wenger is way past his sell-by date. But no manager in history has demonstrated such strategic cunning. No manager in English football has ever been able to make himself unsackable.
While Brian Clough and Bill Shankly were the results business, Wenger is in the Wenger business, always visible, always quoted, a permanent presence in the 24/7 rolling media landscape.
Today, absurdly, he commented on the death of the great Dave Mackay. What an impertinence! He never saw Mackay play. Silence would have been more respectful and appropriate.
Arsene FC is an ongoing tragedy because he’s too selfish and greedy to step down.
He thinks he deserves to run Arsenal till he dies. That’s why he didn’t hire Pep Guardiola after the Catalan’s gap year .