Good work Leeds and Burnley
Welcome back Leeds. And Burnley. Daniel Farke and Scott Parker have both done a terrific job at their respective clubs.
I have to confess I’m a little surprised Sheffield United didn’t make it automatically. They looked really strong for the majority of the season, but the wheels came off their campaign at the wrong time. Four defeats from their last five cost them and it could get worse yet.
You need to take form into the play-offs. The Blades are stuttering, but having said that, they should still make it. Of the teams they’re likely to come up against they’ve got the best squad. But don’t discount Bristol City. Their defeat at Luton was untimely - and a warning for Coventry, who go to Kenilworth Road next, but City are looking strong.
Should I mention it? I’m desperately trying not to. I’ve got to though - United are mathematically safe. What a relief for everybody at OT. Congratulations guys. 😂. I know I know. I’m sorry. I really am. It’s a cheap jibe.
Who would’ve thought United could fall so far? It’s sad really. And Spurs are no better. As I said last week - it’s over for Ange.
Because Spurs and United are both at the wrong end no-one is talking about West Ham - but they should be.
They look like finishing as the worst of the rest. What a waste of the work David Moyes did there. They’ll never compete for a CL place again. They certainly won’t ever a win Euro trophy again.
They’re 17th - despite a £135m spend last summer, which cost them £20m in agents fees. That figure puts them in the PL’s top 10 spenders on agents. Value for money Karen? I don’t think so. But at least there’s the consolidation of knowing they’re in a PL top 10. It’ll be a while before they finish that high again.
I can feel a CL problem coming on. I couldn’t ever back against an English team in Europe, but it’s Paris next for Arsenal - my bosses team. 😂.
The Gunners were fantastic v Real, in both games, and deserved their wins.
They’ll have to be better v Paris though. Since qualifying for the KO stage, they’ve been one of the stand-out teams in the competition. Them and Barcelona.
Both play a really exciting, fast football - getting the ball through the lines and from back to front quickly - like the Spanish national team. I’ll say it again - please god the tippy-tappy Guardiola era is over.
Arne Slot has been trying to convince us because Arsenal and Villa have done so well in the CL we’ve still got a strong PL. No we haven’t. It’s been a poor season domestically. The two things aren’t related.
And I’d say this to Slot - re-signing van Dijk and Salah is NOT like signing two new players. It’s the right thing to do, but if Liverpool are going to be competitive next season they’ll need proper new signings. Two certs are Isak and Kerkez, but that won’t be enough either.
Finally - Jamie Vardy has described Leicester’s season as a shit-show. In the article I read in The Mirror he blasted everybody. He’s got a point. What he didn’t do though was admit Leicester’s viperous dressing room might just have been wrong to turn on Steve Cooper.
Cooper was sacked after just five months in charge at Leicester. He left them in 16th - two points above the drop zone.
In his previous job, Cooper had performed miracles keeping Forest up in their first season back. He knew the course. He knew what was needed.
So why was he sacked so quickly at Leicester? For one thing - he wanted to move a few ageing players on. Players who had literally run their race in a Leicester jersey.
The more powerful elements in the Leicester dressing room were having none of that. So - once again - they flexed their muscles - called the owner - and let it be known ‘it’s us or him’.
As we now know - it was him. Bad call. It never got any better under Van Nistelrooy, but at least he kept playing Vardy. Having been in charge of the ‘shit-show’ Van Nistelrooy can’t survive. (Jon Rudkin should go as well).
The new manager would be wise to clear the dressing room out as fast as possible. And I think we all know who should be the first to go.