Paul Merson discusses why West Ham might regret parting ways with David Moyes, why Arsenal will fall short of winning the Premier League despite no evident mistakes, why it’s imperative for Chelsea to secure a Champions League spot next season, and why Ange Postecoglou needs to alter his approach at Tottenham.
Merse also delves into why West Ham might regret the departure of David Moyes, expresses concerns about Tottenham’s absence of an alternative strategy under Ange Postecoglou, and empathizes with Arsenal, foreseeing them missing out on the title race despite their faultless efforts.
Chelsea’s performance hasn’t been consistently strong. While they’ve excelled in cup competitions, this can be expected from a young team.
They’re currently performing admirably and are in contention for European qualification. In my opinion, it’s crucial for them to secure it. Despite reaching a final and a semi-final, they’ve faced unfortunate outcomes, yet it could still shape up to be a decent season.
However, they must invest in new players rather than assuming they’ve already mastered their squad. The reality is they’re far behind the standards set by Man City and Arsenal. It’s essential to consider the overall situation.
In the summer, they must prioritize bringing in seasoned players. With Thiago Silva likely departing, as he’s been their primary source of experience, they need to fill that void. It’s crucial to bolster the squad with experienced players to maintain consistency during challenging periods and provide composure. They likely require an experienced center-back to replace Silva and could benefit from acquiring another center-forward as well.
Surely, their aim is to secure a place in the Champions League next season. Thus, they must begin closing the distance between themselves and Arsenal and Man City.
This is Chelsea we’re talking about, not an average team. Chelsea has a tradition of winning trophies; they strive for success, not settling for a fourth-place finish like Tottenham celebrated.
I find it difficult to imagine Pochettino not leading the team next season, although nothing in football is entirely predictable. Personally, I’ve always believed they should retain him; he’s a skilled manager. Individual brilliance doesn’t secure victories; as long as they maintain their teamwork and continue to address their issues collectively, they’ll be fine.
West Ham should be cautious about their aspirations. Moyes has achieved considerable success there, including winning a European trophy. They’ve consistently performed well, finishing in the solid positions of seventh, eighth, ninth, or within the top half of the table.
While I’m not suggesting that a decline will occur suddenly, there’s a cautionary tale from Charlton’s history. I recall from my playing days that their fans were once eager to replace Alan Curbishley, despite consistent mid-table finishes, in hopes of progressing further.
They haven’t reached that level since then. This manager is truly exceptional. They even secured a European trophy! It’s utterly bewildering.
I wouldn’t have parted ways with him under any circumstances. West Ham supporters might argue endlessly, presenting various statistics, but the most significant statistic of all is this: He delivered a trophy for you.
I’m not concerned with entertaining football; our performance isn’t up to par considering the talent we have. Remember, they won a trophy! Just look at Arsenal; they’ve been impressive, yet they might finish empty-handed.
As I mentioned earlier, Fulham was the only team capable of posing a challenge to Man City. Look at the current situation; what are Tottenham’s chances? What about West Ham? This is the crucial match.
Last week, Fulham played against Brentford and ended in a goalless draw. However, once Man City scores, it’s hard to imagine Fulham scoring two or three goals. Hopefully, they’ll make it a tough match, but I’ve been saying for a while now, after Arsenal’s defeat to Aston Villa, I didn’t see them having a chance.
To be fair, they’ve performed admirably to remain in contention. Overall, they’ve been solid, except for one match against a formidable opponent—who incidentally struggles to secure wins lately! This illustrates why there’s such emphasis on playing for prestigious clubs; it makes a difference when everyone is motivated to defeat you.
Subsequently, Aston Villa managed to hold off Chelsea, suffered a defeat to Olympiakos, and then were overcome by Brighton.
Fulham represents the final opportunity. If they emerge victorious in that match, it’s all over.
As I’ve mentioned previously, Tottenham’s situation won’t remain unchanged next year. While this season may seem like a free pass in comparison to the previous one, where they struggled significantly, they can’t afford to repeat the same mistakes next season. It’s unacceptable to keep suffering heavy defeats and lacking alternative strategies.
The vulnerability to set-piece goals has become glaringly apparent, and it’s an issue that needs addressing urgently. Although the coach is undoubtedly skilled, each conceded goal from a set piece puts them in a precarious position.
He was universally adored; the press, fans—everyone—except for Arsenal supporters. But now, it seems like everyone is turning against him.
I do admire Ange, don’t get me wrong. From a neutral perspective, he’s fantastic. However, if you’re a fan, I’m not entirely convinced. It’s relatively straightforward to adopt that philosophy when you’re managing Celtic: We’re going to play attacking football.
You can’t adopt the same approach at Tottenham. No offense intended, but such tactics might work at Celtic. There, if you open up the game, both teams have a chance to win. However, it’s a different scenario at Spurs.
You have to be clever about it; that’s why Mourinho and Conte opted for their respective styles of play. They could have chosen to play differently, assessed the situation, and concluded that they’d win many matches. However, they understood that in crucial games, they would struggle.
He needs to make adjustments for next season. Tottenham supporters are becoming increasingly impatient; their season now revolves around preventing Arsenal from winning the league. Continuing like this isn’t sustainable, and the players need to step up too.
Even though Maddison has returned from injury, he hasn’t made an impact. While it’s true that injuries have hindered progress, it’s not viable to persist with the current approach. Personally, I admire him and appreciate their style of play, but it’s not satisfying for the fans.
