Camden Sports - You can’t really think of them as champions any more
The Crow
by RICHARD OSLEY
The OH no, not Chelsea.
Can’t we have a hung Premier League instead?
Neither Manchester United (seven defeats, beaten by Burnley) nor Chelsea (six defeats, beaten by Wigan) have really shown the true class to be called champions. Their awful loss records will make for hopelessly weak title-holders, so the decision on who should rule the division should switch to the next strongest team.
Arsenal could choose the most progressive team, forging some kind of anybody-but-Chelsea deal.
We might even let raving loonies down at Spurs have a seat at the top table. Silly talk but the truth is, like the men in suits wanting votes to be your next Prime Minister, it is hard to make a case for any of the frontrunners: Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal were all so unspectacularly inconsistent that they aren’t a patch on the great championship winning teams.
It is fascinating to see a race unfold where no team really shows the aptitude for coming first, but let’s not pretend that the one that eventually nudges ahead at the right time are really champions. The clue to all this is in the Champions League, a domain clubs from these shore recently dominated. The lack of English clubs in the final four shows our teams are better suited to the Europa League.
THE WROE
BY PIP WORE
THERE are two hours of my life that I want back.
Arsenal v Manchester City was perhaps the dullest viewing experience I’ve endured since I stumbled across a Scott Parker interview several years ago. Those poor Gooners who scream Abou Diaby’s name with frustration throughout every game are in for a nightmarish future when Cesc Fabregas finally departs. As the sun streamed outside and I sat inside watching 22 men defend fairly competently against nothing, I thanked my lucky stars I wasn’t an Arsenal fan. Having seen perhaps three shots during the initial 90 minutes (none from Manchester City reassuringly) you can imagine my elation when eight minutes of added time came up on the board, by my reckoning about time for two goal kicks and a throw in. On Saturday, the fans lost and fittingly, neither team won.
As Arsenal dawdle their way to the end of another disappointing season, Spurs face Bolton on Saturday, that fixture where every player puts their shinpads in their bag on Friday night just to be on the safe side.
So as we’re hurdling the famous Kevin Davies lunge and bagging goals with our usual panache, I’ll have my fingers crossed praying for a Manchester City v Aston Villa draw.