Let’s be honest, if Arsenal had a striker like Alexander Isak, Mo Salah, Victor Osimhen or Viktor Gyokeres, they would possibly have won the Premier League title and be in the final of the Champions League. For some reason, they shot themselves in the foot by not working the transfer market to their advantage last summer or when they desperately needed a top quality striker in January. Five years without a trophy and eight semi-final legs in a row in which they have failed at the final hurdle.
This summer, the Arsenal board must buy a striker capable of giving them the extra ingredient to make them genuine title contenders next season. The supporters, the manager and the players all deserve it.
Is this why City and Arsenal did not win the league title?
Two managers are not happy with their teams, criticising negative comments made by players and explaining the disappointment of losing out to Liverpool in the title race.
Arne Slot has been as one with his team all season, but Pep Guardiola did not take kindly to Erling Haaland’s claims that Manchester City have lost their hunger. Haaland returned to City’s frontline last weekend but got little joy out of relegated Southampton. Haaland said, “We haven’t fully had the hunger inside us. In the end we have not been good enough.”
Guardiola was less than impressed and countered, “If it is the feeling from Erling, then the players should talk to each other and ask themselves why.”
Arsenal boss, Mikel Arteta took a more direct approach towards explaining why Arsenal had once again failed to secure the title. He claimed that the Gunners had gone “backwards” this season. His team has dropped points in 10 matches when they have been winning and have amazingly dropped points in 17 of their matches.
Why have Forest gone backwards lately?
Owners should never march onto the pitch to berate their frustrations on the coach after a result goes against them. Nottingham Forest owner, Evangelos Marinakis broke that rule when he angrily confronted Nottingham Forest’s Nuno Santo Espirito. There had been confusion, which annoyed the Greek owner, as to the extent of Taiwo Awoniyi’s injury after he collided with a goal post and spent the final 10 minutes badly limping but remaining on the field (Awonyi has since undergone surgery for an abdominal injury).
A clearly embarrassed Nuno explained his boss’s anger as “emotion” and said that football is a passion, and passion breeds delight and frustration. Forest have only two games left and qualification for the Champions League is now out of their hands, relying on other results. I thought Nuno’s stylish handling of a difficult situation was admirable.
Nuno was less able to explain Forest’s drop off in form. They were third in the table and 10 points clear of sixth place at the beginning of April. They are now a point off fifth place and have plummeted to seventh behind Chelsea, who they play on May 25. They are also behind Aston Villa and Newcastle, which is the result of losing six games out of seven.
Six clubs battle for top five place
Just two games to go, and still, the battle for a top-five place is both frantic and open.
Just six points separate second placed Arsenal and seventh placed Nottingham Forest. Champions League qualification means a minimum of £75million income; and coaches and players are under enormous pressure to perform. Five, not the usual four, will qualify for Champions League football, and either Manchester United or Tottenham will join them as they come face to face in the Europa League final. A win for Arsenal last weekend would have guaranteed them a place but they could only manage a draw and one point.
The Gunners meet Newcastle at home on Sunday, which will be a vital win for both clubs; and next week, Nottingham Forest play Chelsea, which again is a must win for both clubs in their final match of their season.
Who will leave…Amorim and Postecoglou?
I am told that Manchester United’s Ruben Amorim will be the club coach next season, whatever happens in the Europa League final. Owner Sir James Ratcliffe is planning a strategy meeting with his coach after the season ends and will discuss who can be bought to strengthen the team and who can leave.
Amorim built a dynasty at Sporting Lisbon and still trades on his success in Portugal, which is why Ratcliffe and the Glazer brothers continue to think he is the man to pull United round from their disastrous season.
Money will be made available, but Ratcliffe is no novice when it comes to spending money, and Amorim has three weeks to prepare his plan for next season and present it to the United hierarchy.
The situation with Postecoglou is not so clear cut. Whatever happens, his position will be reviewed at the end of the season, but if he loses the European final, it is almost certain he will leave. Rumours are that he will be sacked, whatever happens, but as yet, no decision has been made.
The final will be as much about the two coaches and their futures as it will be for the supporters, players and worldwide TV audience.
Mo is the golden player
Mo Salah has been voted the Football Writers Association of the Year by the biggest number of votes this century. He has now won the coveted award three times, which makes him equal with Thierry Henry. Mo received 90 per cent of the 960 votes. After another stunning season, he has scored 33 goals across all competitions, with 28 hitting the net in Premier League matches. Virgil van Dijk came second with Alexander Isak third, just ahead of Declan Rice.
I will let Mo have the last word, “The possibility that it might have been my last season at Liverpool perhaps gave me the desire to make the most of it and give everything I had to win the title I had promised. I am so pleased everything worked out and I have a new contract with the club I love.”
United and Spurs go for glory
Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur have both had shocking seasons this time around, and both coaches, Ruben Amorim and Ange Postecoglou, have been watching the world’s press nervously as their names are mentioned in the same breath as redundancy. Both these giant clubs should be challenging for the top four every season, but now, they have a chance to redeem some of their previous glories as they go head-to-head in the Europa League final. One of these two clubs will hold aloft a European trophy, which opens the door to riches next season. After being totally outclassed by many teams this year, one of these clubs will achieve what current top six clubs Arsenal and Aston Villa have not: silverware for the club’s boardroom and celebrations for their faithful supporters. (Daily trust)
