The London football rivalry has certainly heated up the past few seasons. Chelsea are easily the dominant side, and a lot has been said the last two seasons about Tottenham’s opportunity to overtake an Arsenal side well into transition. Finishing fifth to the Gunners fourth the past two seasons has given Spurs fans plenty of hope, as has the remarkable difference in transfers ins and outs. Martin Jol’s side have seen the arrival of numerous big money, now key, players whereas Arsene Wenger has watched the core of his Invincibles side replaced by youngsters still finding their feet in the Premiership.
One of the last key member of that great side, Freddie Ljunberg, has just buggered off to West Ham and seems to think that his new squad may be the safer bet to speed past Arsenal and start putting pressure on Chelsea at the top of the table,
Ljungberg told the Daily Express,
“The chairman here is willing to make this club very big, at the top of the table. Can West Ham overhaul Arsenal? Definitely.â€
We assume he didn’t mean next season, or probably even during the couple of years he will be at the club. The money is certainly there to make the Hammers into a top side, but doubts are already surrounding Alan Curbishley’s ability to use that money to attract and develop the right talent at Upton Park.
Our money is still on Spurs being Arsenal’s closest rivals for the next couple years. West Ham may have the cash to splash but as… well, they themselves have proven, there’s a lot more that goes into overhauling a club as well run as Arsenal and, finally for once, Spurs. West Ham are still struggling with random off-pitch troubles and Craig Bellamy, Freddie Ljungberg and injured Frenchman does not a champion make.
Yet…