With Champions League into the quarter final stage, the arrival of April and the semi-finals of the FA Cup on our doorstep we can well and truly say that the business end of the season is upon us. This year however is slightly more dull and lifeless in terms of dramatic stories worthy of HBO, compared to the north-western fight for the title ending in Hollywood style.
Only two domestic narratives and one European one are gripping the footballing nation like George Osbourne grips the balls of the unemployed; the race to stay up, the Europa League and the race for the two Champions League spots. It is the latter I will focus on as the relegation fight revolves around whether Harry can keep QPR up – the answer is no by the way – and although I think an English team will reach the final of the Europa League I can’t see them winning.It’s a straight battle between the London clubs whose motives are all similar but the consequences of missing out clash more than the shopping lists of the cast of Made in Chelsea and the extras of Shameless.
The neutral’s favourite have been a joy to watch under the reborn AVB and Gareth Bale has yet again stolen the plaudits. He will no doubt win player of the year over RVP due to his dip in form and the fact Luis Suarez is Luis Suarez. Although qualifying for the Champions League would mean so much to Spurs it would be seen as overachieving if they did manage to qualify, especially if they finish third.
AVB stressed at the start of the year that it would take time for Tottenham to adapt and although new signings Dembele, Vertonghen and Lloris have flourished the over reliance on Bale for goals has covered the cracks of their less than shallow pool of talent up front.Defoe has been excellent in parts whilst Adebayor has managed to help Spurs collapse over the finish line after a gripping match at the San Siro and that’s it.
The only thing that comes close to an ultimatum in terms of qualifying for the Champions League is the Welsh wizard Gareth Bale staying at White Hart Lane. Zinedine Zidane has been fluttering his eyes in Bale’s direction on behalf of Real Madrid and called him “unique”, according to the Sun.
I think Spurs deserve to be in the Champions League next year and their brand of exciting and quick football would enhance it. With games at home to Everton, away at Chelsea and at home to Manchester City Spurs have the toughest run of fixtures out of the three contenders but if they come through it they will be ready for the Champions League next year.
It was a weekend of swings and roundabouts for Chelsea who deservedly beat Manchester United in the FA Cup but lost to Southampton in the league with a team that included Marko Marin, this seasons Ross Turnbull in terms of “Why did they sign him again?”
Rafa Benitez has stated that the fourth spot is a priority but based on the teams selected this weekend the priority is him winning some silverware and adding some well needed gloss to a CV still using the infamous Liverpool Champions League win as his main focal point.
Chelsea have the squad to qualify for next seasons Champions League and also have a game in hand over Spurs but even if they don’t it wouldn’t exactly be a tragedy. The manager isn’t one with a big fan club and will be gone soon, they have a chairman who is the rich kid at school who takes his ball home win his team isn’t winning because “it’s just not fair” and the fans have shown that they care more about giving Rafa a hard time that actually getting behind their team. Besides those protests have been more pointless than a winning answer on Alexander Armstrong’s quiz show.
Chelsea have an easy set of games in the league but with the distractions of domestic and European silverware it’s anyone guess if they do finish in the top four. The only good reason for them to qualify will be being able to watch Juan Mata against the best of the best of course you’d have to deal with watching John Obi Mikel too, swings and roundabouts.
A strange uncertainty has descended over the Emirates in 2013 and instead of the cloud of uncertainty hovering above the star striker/midfielder it is hovering over the head of Arsene Wenger. There have been many dark moments in the recent history of Arsenal football club and each time the mutterings have circulated that Wenger’s time is up.
Until now the loss of big names, the promise of a big transfer kitty and supporters faithful/ignorant love for the Frenchmen have plugged the holes in the sinking ship that is ‘Arsenal the Serious Contender’ but now Wenger is running out of places to hide.
A loss at home to Championship side Blackburn Rovers in the FA Cup, a limp exit from the Champions League from Bayern Munich as well as the beating received from League Two side Bradford City in the League Cup mean that this will be yet another year of no silverware and potentially no Champions League football.
Yet again a promise of £70 million to spend has been quoted and many an Arsenal fan has said that all they need is a holding midfielder and a defender but these are all things that get repeated more than Top Gear on Dave.If anything Arsenal are a prime example of Albert Einstein’s theory of insanity, they keep making the same mistakes and doing the same things to stop them from happening with no change in their situation except it gets gradually worse. I am a huge admirer of Arsene Wenger and the changes he has made to the Premiership but it’s time to move on. Wenger more than Arsenal will be hoping for Champions League qualification as without it he may also be without a job.
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