In his exclusive column for CaughtOffside, former Liverpool attacker Stan Collymore discusses some of football’s biggest talking points, including Chelsea’s shocking form, Arsenal’s tough run-in, Alexis Mac Allister’s future and which Man United player could become one of the best in Europe, plus much more.
———————————————————————–
Todd Boehly has made his bed…
Firstly, this is what happens when an owner allows themselves to blink and be pushed into a corner. Todd Boehly is the main man, he is the one who finances the entire club so he should have stuck to his guns and kept Graham Potter in place at least until the end of the season.
I am sure that if Potter had stayed and seen out the rest of the campaign, Chelsea would be no worse off than what they are now that Frank Lampard has come in on a temporary basis. What Boehly should have done was stuck his fingers in his ears, had belief in his own project, drowned out the fans who were getting on Potter’s back, and allowed the manager to go into a pre-season with a squad that has been massively trimmed down. If the side started the next season in the same way, Boehly could have then pulled the trigger and looked to bring in a new manager, but now we’re seeing the effects of making these decisions mid-way through a season and with no plan in place.
With regards to Lampard, if Chelsea continue like this until the end of the season, this will be his first and only invitation to return to Stamford Bridge as interim manager. I also doubt very much he’d get another job in the Premier League because if you can’t go back to your club, where you are a legend, where everyone wants you to do well, and still not get a tune out of the players over three or four games, forget it.
By the time a third manager comes in next season, whoever it is will still need to trim the squad, they’ll still need to find their best starting 11 and Chelsea could still find themselves way off the pace in the race for the title and that’ll be on Boehly, so he’s made his decisions and whatever comes of them is what he’ll have to live with.
I do think any talk of Chelsea getting relegated is a little bit ambitious though. Yes, they still have four particularly tough games to play against both Manchester clubs, Newcastle and Arsenal, but the Blues, despite having an awful season themselves, will still have a say in who does what during the run-in.
The run-in is the hardest part of any season and Arsenal are now finding that out…
The patterns in the Premier League very rarely change which is why I have always maintained that Arsenal, up to this point, have rightfully been favourites for the title, but they have to get through the run-in and that is without a doubt the hardest part of any season. I don’t care what club you are, what players you have, who your manager is or how good of a position you’re in, to come through the league’s run-in unscathed is near impossible – it is just so mentally draining. It’s a real big challenge.
What the Arsenal squad are finding out now is that they’ve gone from playing their way and winning their games to ‘we HAVE to win this game!’ – When you add that level of pressure to players getting physically tired because the season is ending, the task is made even harder.
For a team gunning for that title to come up against a lower-placed team, especially during the run-in, doesn’t automatically guarantee three points. Almost every team is motivated to achieve their goals, whether that be to avoid relegation, qualify for Europe or record their best-ever finish – nearly every side Arsenal will come up against between now and the end of May will have their own reasons to put in a performance and the Gunners’ squad doesn’t have experience of managing those situations. Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko are title winners, but I would argue that neither were instrumental in Manchester City’s success – they were both bit-part squad players. The rest of Arsenal’s team is relatively inexperienced in what is required to get over the line and I think that’s why Manchester City will go on from here to lift the title.
Antony could become one of Europe’s best attackers…
I really like Antony. I have said it before, he could do with bulking up physically, which always helps in the Premier League, but he’s a really exciting young player.
The Brazillian had a great game against Nottingham Forest on Sunday, I thought his assist for Diogo Dalot’s goal showed glimpses of how creative he can be for Manchester United. He still needs to add consistency to his game, but I expect that to come with time.
Antony needs to focus more on beating his man and then playing the ball. The simple stuff is always the most effective and if he needs any pointers, then he doesn’t need to look any further than Jack Grealish at Manchester City. Grealish was, at times, guilty of overdoing it too, but Pep Guardiola has reminded him to do the simple stuff – pick the ball up, beat the first man and then either look for a pass, take a shot, or get a cross in. If Antony can apply the same basic stuff to his game then I expect him to go on to be one of the best attackers in Europe.
Anfield or Old Trafford for Brighton’s Alexis Mac Allister?
I have recently seen reports that both Liverpool and Manchester United are in the running for Brighton’s Alexis Mac Allister. This one is going to be interesting because it seems the player himself would like a deal completed quite quickly.
I expect a lot to depend on who Manchester United’s new owners are come the end of the season though. If the Glazers do sell up and the Qataris take over, then I would say Old Trafford is where Mac Allister will go – simply because the Red Devils will then be able to put together a new attractive package.
However, if that doesn’t happen then Liverpool will have a much better chance of signing the Argentine. He’s a very direct, very dynamic and very technical box-to-box midfielder, he is exactly what both clubs need but with Liverpool actively looking to rebuild their midfield, Mac Allister will know that he would play a majorly important role for Jurgen Klopp and that, to some players, is equally as important as money.