Music to our ears.

GEORGE GRAHAM: FORGET ABOUT ARSENAL. SPURS ARE REAL ENTERTAINERS













ABOVE: George Graham has put the boot into Arsenal










26th December 2010



By Harry Pratt















GEORGE GRAHAM has put the boot into Arsenal by
declaring that the Gunners’ bitter rivals Spurs are the top flight’s
best entertainers.





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In a damning verdict on Arsene Wenger’s men,
Graham believes they not only remain far too ­fragile at the back but
they also lack a ruthless, ­cutting edge up front.


And,
comparing the Gunners’ brand of attacking football with Tottenham’s
swashbuckling approach, the former manager of both clubs reckons Harry
Redknapp’s side are the true entertainers now.


Highbury legend Graham said: “We all go on about Arsenal, their possession and all that but Spurs are really exciting to watch.


“That’s because they have an end product to all that possession and beautiful play.


“They have shots on goal and they have wonderful ­crosses coming from both flanks.


“That’s makes them really exciting – and it’s something Arsenal still have to work on.


“They’ve got to have more end product to all that passing and possession.”


To
make matters even worse for the red half of north London, Graham
predicts that the Gunners will crash out of the Champions League
against Barcelona but that Spurs will progress in the last eight at the
expense of AC Milan.


Graham,
who bagged six trophies in nine years at the Arsenal helm, went on: “I
think Spurs will win against AC Milan, I really do. On their day, they
can beat anyone at home.


“Facing Barcelona is going to be really difficult for Arsenal because Arsene Wenger (below) will just go for it.


“There will be no tactics, there will be no Jose Mourinho there, keeping it tight and winning 1-0.


“Arsenal don’t have time to implement a defensive strategy before then.


“That doesn’t just happen overnight. It takes a whole season, if you work day in, day out on the training ground.


“Arsene only believes in going forward. But Barcelona are the best team in La Liga and the best in Europe.”


It
is Wenger’s refusal to address the way that his current crop are all
too easily bullied by the big guns which frustrates Graham the most.


The
Scot, 66, admitted: “I’d love to sit down with Arsene, one-on-one, and
ask him what he thinks of his great side that went the season
undefeated.


“You look at the difference in technique, physical power and mental power.


“They had a wonderful combination, which made them such a successful team.


“Arsene
had height in there, in Patrick Vieira, Emmanuel Petit, Tony Adams, Sol
Campbell and Steve Bould and there was power throughout the team.


“I cannot understand why he doesn’t try to replicate that now.


“It just seems they have gone overboard with technical players and have forgotten about the other side of the game.”