Alan Smith’s Premier League GW38 Predictions and Tips

How Big an Achievement is Arsenal’s Title Win

Arteta has done fantastically well. You have to take into account that he’s had a lot of money to spend, and he’s been able to build a really strong squad, which has helped them a lot along the way. So it’s not as if he’s done it on a very small budget, but there’s no doubting his coaching abilities. You speak to anybody who’s been in contact with him on the training ground, and they say what a talented coach.

So, to go head-to-head with Pep Guardiola, the master and the apprentice. Yeah, it’s a fantastic achievement. It really is. And now they’ve got that out of the way, I think they can go into the PSG game, freed up a little bit and give it a really good go. I won’t be at all surprised to see them beat the French champions. So yeah, brilliant end to the season for them.

Does Winning Put the Bottling Label to Bed

The old bottle term, it’s a harsh one. They just weren’t ready. They just weren’t good enough. I don’t know whether it’s a case of bottling, but I don’t think it is. Towards the end of the last two previous seasons, players came in, but they couldn’t do it. They ran out of steam. Maybe ran out of a bit of belief as well. But they certainly had it this time. So it does put that one to bed.

Arsenal Becoming the Dominant Force in England

There’s certainly an opportunity there for Arsenal now to be the team to beat, put it that way. It’s always dangerous to say that they’ll dominate. I remember when we won the league, it’s a while back now, but when we won the league in 91, we’d only lost one game and we were looking very strong. And the papers said “Arsenal set to dominate for 10 years”, and it didn’t turn out that way. They didn’t win the league again until 98.

But yeah, they’re in a very good position. The club should be able to spend this summer. And I think they probably do need to in the forward positions. But they’ve become the team to beat now. And as you said, with Pep stepping down, we don’t quite know how Man City are going to move forward. So that might be in Arsenal’s favour.

Havertz Challenge and Arsenal’s Luck with Decisions

I mean, I don’t know about the penalties so much. I can’t think of any that should have been. I mean, maybe there were. The Havertz one, yes, he was lucky. When I saw it first off, I didn’t think he was trying to do him, a very clumsy striker’s tackle, and then in slow motion, of course, it looks awful.

So VAR have surprised us a few times in recent weeks, and they surprised us again there. I thought for all the world that they would send him off; they would advise the ref to send him off. So yeah, he got away with one, Arsenal got away with one there.

Did Pep Leaving Rumours Disrupt City’s Season

I think if they announced it sooner, then everybody would know for sure that he’s going. We had that with Fergie, didn’t we? And it can be counterproductive. They desperately try to keep the lid on it. There are rumours, but if they’re not confirmed, the players have to assume he’s going to be there. So, yeah, I don’t think that would have affected them.

It’s a team in transition, obviously, and quite a few players coming in. So, that was probably the one thing that just reduced their ability to challenge, the fact that they’re trying to rebuild the defence, and yeah, I’m not sure it was the Pep factor.

Enzo Maresca as Pep’s Replacement

To step into Pep’s shoes, you’d normally expect a manager, an elite big-time manager who’s been at big clubs. Maresca, you do feel he’s fortunate to get that job. Obviously, Pep might have recommended him. A bit like how Fergie recommended David Moyes. The job he did at Chelsea won the Club World Cup. I think maybe one of the telling aspects of his reign was the fact that the players came out and said, ” We liked Maresca, we thought he was doing a good job”. I think he is a good coach. But yeah, he’ll know he’s fairly fortunate to get this job.

Carlos Baleba Price for Man United

I’d be interesting whether they pursue that again. He’s not become a bad player over the last few months, but they’re entitled to slash that price by some, over half, I would say. You’re maybe talking 40, 50 million, still a lot of money, but he’s a young lad who should improve. So we’ll be interested to see that one. Elliot Anderson’s been linked strongly as well, so they might bring a couple in; we’ll see.

Man United Title Contenders Next Season

I think it’s too soon. They are a good way short of Arsenal at the moment. And if City make a step forward, they’re still short there. Still, I have questions about the defence. Harry Maguire is not getting any younger. So, as good a job as he’s done, yeah, I think they need to add to it, but I don’t see them as title contenders.

Anthony Gordon Farewell

I think he looks for all the world like he’s going, doesn’t he? He was left on the bench, and Bayern Munich is strongly linked. So, yeah, he may be at the end of his time at Newcastle. He didn’t feel like he was part of it because he knew he was off. They knew he was off. They’ve got Harvey Barnes on that side, who’s capable. So, yeah, it probably was a goodbye at full time.

Xabi Alonso Confirmed as Chelsea Manager

Maybe they’ll be feeling they missed the boat because I think he is a manager who’s going to achieve more in the game, following his Leverkusen achievements, amazing. So, after that, they crumbled against Villa the other day, Liverpool. Mo Salah has come out and rocked the boat and left a hand grenade in there. So things aren’t good.

I think it’s difficult for Slot to stay, but I don’t know whether he will or not. But yeah, I think Liverpool fans will be gutted that they’ve missed out on Alonso now.

How Poor Have Burnley Been This Season

I don’t know if it’s under the radar. We knew Burnley were struggling, didn’t we? They never really looked capable of climbing away from it in the second half of the season. The signings that they made weren’t able to lift them up a couple of levels in the way that the Sunderland ones did.

So, yeah, between them, Wolves and Burnley, it seemed fairly clear early on that neither was going to be good enough. I know Wolves, yeah, they’ve had a new manager, they’ve got some results. But yeah, two teams that I think were always going to struggle this season.

Elliot Anderson to Man United

To me, he would fit in at United. He’s a classy player, very good on the ball. Somebody that you could see there. So again, whether Forest will let him go, we’ll see. I think there’s going to be so many comings and goings this summer with managers and players. But, I think he’ll be in England’s starting World Cup side as well. So if he has a good World Cup, that price might double. So United might have to pay out.

Andoni Iraola’s Next Club

I think we can rule out Palace. I mean, that wouldn’t be a step up at all, would it? With due respect. You’d imagine he’s been talking to people, and he deserves a big club, a very good club, just looking at that Bournemouth side last night and how he got them to perform. He’s such a talented coach, so yeah, I’d love to see him maybe turn up on Merseyside at Liverpool.

Wilfried Gnonto to the Bundesliga

I think a transfer makes sense. There are a few players there that probably they’ve got to get out the door and not rebuild, but bring in more quality. He’s not been able to nail down a regular place, has he? He’s been there a while now. I spoke about Joel Piroe as well, a couple of weeks back, these types of lads. I think they need to try and get some money for and get some different players in. But yeah, I think for Leeds, they’ve kept their heads above water. And now, for Daniel Farke and his team, it’s about improving the squad, making them a better team. And I think Gnonto’s leaving will probably be a part of that.