I think I want Spurs to finish fourth…
54 comments May 5th, 2010
Tonight Manchester City face Spurs in what is being called, somewhat cumbersomely, a £20m Champions League qualification play-off.
It’s not so much about the money for City. £20m is loose change to them. For them, it’s about credibility. Qualifying for Europe’s premier club competition would allow them access to a galaxy of stars that have so far been beyond their reach.
For Spurs, the financial boom would be significant. But more importantly, they’d be able to finally join their bitter rivals in the elite. For years they’ve had to endure watching us consistently reach the latter stages of the Champions League. This would be their chance to prove their mettle.
Choosing between them is difficult. Spurs success leaves a rare but unpleasant sensation in the mouth, whilst Manchester City’s gross profligacy would make them unappealing even before you consider personnel such as Tevez, Bellamy and Adebayor.
Today’s headline means you already know which way the pendulum is swinging for me. I see it like this: if City finish fourth, they’ll go on a spending spree which will make their previous forays in to the transfer market look like a trip to the pound shop. This will be Supermarket Sweep. In Harrods. I’d fully expect them to be title challengers next year, and put our current slot as part of a ‘top three’ under threat.
If, however, it is Tottenham who triumph, I don’t expect much to change. They will be looking over their shoulder rather than ahead, fending off renewed bids for fourth from City, Liverpool and Villa. And do you know what the clincher is? If Spurs do get fourth spot, they still have such an extraordinary capacity for implosion that it wouldn’t surprise me if they then failed to make it through the qualifying round.
All that said, when I settle down to watch the game tonight, I suspect instinct may take over and I’ll be cheering against the old enemy. There’s little place for rationality in these things.
In Arsenal news, The Times suggest that Sol Campbell will be handed a new deal, though there’s nothing to suggest there’s anything more than guesswork behind the story. There’s some talk of an England recall for him, but I think Sol’s time on the international stage has come and gone. Very happy to keep him at Arsenal though – in fact, he’s just been named our Player of the Month.
Will we keep Jack Wilshere in our clutches next term, or will Owen Coyle will granted his wish to keep him for another six months? I think it depends entirely on Arsene’s plans for the player. When he first went to Bolton he played in an unfamiliar left-wing role. In recent games he’s moved to central midfield, which is where he’s played at every age level, and impressed enormously. He didn’t make a single league start in the first half of the season here – if he’s going to be sat on the bench, he’s better off developing at Bolton. But I suspect he’d be ahead of the likes of Rosicky and Walcott in my pecking order next season.
Unsurprisingly given the form of Wookash Flappyhandski, we’ve been linked with a couple of keepers: Joe Hart and Gigi Buffon. The former is a fairly spurious Guardian piece which suggests City would be disinclined to sell anyway, whilst the latter contains a statement from Buffon saying his future may lie in England. Juventus have failed to qualify for the Champions League next season, and he may represent a saleable asset for them. At 32, he’d still be a fantastic signing for us.
Right, so that’s it. Eyes forward to tonight’s game. Come on you…
oh sod it. I hope it’s a draw.
