Speaking exclusively with Spin Genie, Premier League legend William Gallas has given Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal a 30% chance of winning the Champions League this season.
Gallas, who won two league titles with Chelsea, has also described Enzo Maresca’s tactics and given his thoughts on a potential third spell at the club for Frank Lampard as manager.
The former France international has also described Alexander Isak as the perfect striker for Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal and backed the club to be able to tempt him away from Newcastle.
Q: Were you disappointed with both Chelsea and Arsenal in the derby?
WG: “I was disappointed about both teams. With Arsenal I was disappointed because they were playing at home. The first 10-15 minutes they were pressing high and when you play at home that is normal.
“Slowly in the game, they started to drop and to let Chelsea have the possession. That I didn't understand. In the second half, they did the same thing for 45 minutes.
“There weren't any chances for Arsenal to score. With Chelsea I was disappointed because of how they were defending.
“It was man to man everywhere on the pitch, I was surprised that Reece James played as a midfielder and it was like being back in 1980.
“We are in 2025, how can you ask your players to do that? The defenders Benoit Badiashile and Levi Colwill looked scared on the ball and with more pressure from Arsenal they might’ve scored the second goal, the goal they did score was from a corner.
“For me it was boring, especially for a London derby. I played so many of those games and it was more intense. Fans want to see the players fighting, running, challenging, but nothing happened.
“Arsenal got the three points but it wasn’t the best game.”
Q: Is it too little too late for Arsenal?
WG: “The gap is too big. Liverpool lost in two competitions so now they are really focused on the Premier League.
“Unfortunately for Arsenal, they are too far away from Liverpool. Liverpool can make mistakes and draw or lose but Arsenal can’t catch them.
“That is why I’m so disappointed about Arsenal because I thought that this was the season to win the league, but they dropped so many points in December and January, during a period in which Liverpool dropped points and they had chances to get close.
“It didn’t happen, they drew against Everton and Fulham, they drew with Brighton and Aston Villa and lost to West Ham.
“When you want to win the Premier League from second you have to get so close to the team in front of you, if Arsenal did what they did last season you’d have expected them to be champions, but no.”
Q: Was this Arsenal’s best chance to win the title?
WG: "Every season is different. That's why people still have to hope that it's going to happen next season for Arsenal.
“But I think it was the best opportunity for Arsenal to win the league this year, especially after what they did in the last two seasons.
“Nobody expected Liverpool to be in that position because they had a new manager and normally with the new manager you need some time to see the best of the team. But no.
“Arne Slot, what he did with Liverpool is just incredible. After a few games they were already on top of the league. As weeks went by they showed that they would fight for the title even early on.
“Even at the beginning of the season, I still thought Arsenal would be very close and they would win the league. I think Mikel Arteta made a few mistakes during the season and it cost Arsenal the title.
“Even if they had injured players, we know that can happen, you have to have a strong squad and manage your team well, it’s about the rotation of players.”
Q: Is this Chelsea side regressing?
WG: “At the beginning of the season the target for Chelsea was to finish in the top four, even though the top five can qualify for the Champions League, so right now it looks like they are going to make it.
“They had a good run but slowly started to drop points and have bad performances, the question is why. Against Arsenal it was terrible, the starting XI surprised me, Reece James in midfield and Levi Colwill, playing in right centre back despite being left footed.
“It’s very difficult to understand what the manager tried to do. We always judge by the results and yesterday he didn't get any points - and he was lucky as well that Arsenal didn't really press as they should’ve pressed, that’s why they only conceded one goal.
“The manager tried to do new things and it didn’t work, the selection of the players out of positions and on the bench, I’m not sure why.
“But they are still focussed on the top four this season, for next season they won’t have any excuses, they have to challenge for the title.”
Q: Is Cole Palmer no longer happy at Chelsea?
WG: “I don’t know if Cole Palmer is unhappy, but he might be a little bit tired because he plays so many games. That’s why it’s important for the manager to rotate his players.
“That’s why you have a big squad at the big clubs, you have to spend money to buy good players that make a difference.
“Against Arsenal, Palmer didn’t play and it affected the style of Chelsea and how they performed.
“For me it is difficult to understand why a team depends on one player, it shouldn’t be like that. When your main player is out you still have to perform.
“Cole Palmer had a great season last season, however recently, not so much. With his quality, you expect a high level but for big players it doesn’t always happen, so it’s important to recover and have a good rest.
“You can’t use up all your energy, you need to stay focused and do the right things. He has to be conscious about that, otherwise in football things can change very quickly.
“But he has personality and is a talented player that is still young, his performances haven’t been the best for the last two months but he will be back.”
Q: What do you make of Chelsea’s decision to sign Geovany Quenda?
WG: “I still don't understand why Chelsea are signing only young players. It looks like it's an investment on the young players. They buy that young player for that price and then they sell him for more money.
“But at the moment, I don't know if Chelsea have the opportunity to do that. They have already bought some young players, but the young players they have bought, I don't think that their value has gone up.
“So it looks like they are making mistakes. Don't forget that this generation is completely different, when you put so much money into the young players it’s not the same as 20, 30 or 40 years ago.
“For young players, it’s very difficult for them to deal with all that pressure, celebrity things off the pitch and their performance on the pitch. Sometimes it's not the same.
“So if you want to invest you have to be sure, but nobody is sure right now.
“It’s 50-50. I don't know how many millions Chelsea have invested already. But I think they are losing more than they are gaining.”
Q: Should Chelsea consider selling Enzo Fernandez to Real Madrid?
WG: “Are Chelsea going to sell Enzo Fernandez for £120million? I’m not sure. If we speak about performances, I don’t think they can sell him for that price.
“But football isn’t just about performances. It’s about connections. It’s about owners, knowing the right people, that’s why sometimes you see players who don’t really have the quality signing for big clubs?
“Football has changed a lot and you don’t buy players just for performances, but for other things.”
Q: Should Chelsea beat Manchester United to the signing of Jean-Philippe Mateta?
WG: “We’re talking about Jean-Philippe Mateta, who is 27 and is playing for Crystal Palace with Manchester United and Chelsea linked to him.
“He is doing well with Crystal Palace, but is he the right player to invest money in for the future? I’m not so sure. I’m not saying that you need to buy really young players, but at 23 players can go to another step, they can reach another level of progress “If they invest that money, do they keep him for two or three years and sell him at 32? No.”
“If they invest that money, do they keep him for two or three years and sell him at 32? No.”
Q: Should Arsenal make Alexander Isak their main transfer target?
WG: “Look at his performances, where he is playing, he’s 25 years old, he is the perfect one. For him to go to another step, it’s about dealing with pressure.
“The pressure at Newcastle won’t be the same if he signs for Arsenal. But at his age it’s the perfect fit, he can stay for five years and progress, that’s why you need the right people when it comes to investing.
“Jean-Philippe Mateta at Crystal Palace is 27 and being linked to Manchester United, we don’t know how he can deal with pressure, that would be a big risk.”
Q: Is Enzo Maresca at risk of being sacked this summer?
WG: “There will be big pressure on Enzo Maresca’s shoulders if Chelsea don’t qualify for the Champions League or win the Conference League.
“There would be big pressure on him but to sack him? I’m not sure, even if those two things happen.
“I think that’s the case because you have to have a plan b. Sometimes when you are in a rush it’s not a good thing because you don’t have time to really think about the right manager you want to bring in.
“I can’t see it happening, but if he doesn’t qualify for the Champions League or win the Conference League, it would be a big failure for Chelsea and for Maresca.”
Q: Would Chelsea have been better off if they kept Mauricio Pochettino?
WG: “Looking at the performance against Arsenal, you’d say that Chelsea would be better off with Mauricio Pochettino.
“What I saw of Chelsea against Arsenal, the system and how they played, I was a little bit disappointed.
“But right now I think Enzo Maresca is on the right path, they are still on course to qualify for the top four. Sometimes owners at big clubs are not patient.
“The new owners have made a lot of decisions until now when they don’t see results, now it’s up to Maresca to show that he is the manager Chelsea were looking for.”
Q: Should Chelsea pay a fine to Manchester United rather than signing him on a permanent deal?
WG: “From what I’ve seen of Jadon Sancho, I'd pay the fee to send him back to Manchester United rather than signing him on a permanent deal.
“With players like him, who are so talented, I cannot understand why they cannot perform, why he cannot perform like he did at Borussia Dortmund.
“With Manchester United he had a problem with the manager Erik ten Hag, he joined Chelsea and we thought he could perform like he did with Dortmund as he did at the beginning, but you have to be consistent.
“For players now, it's difficult for them to be consistent for some reason. He has to be consistent with his quality, he has to do more, but he doesn't really do what we want from him.
“If he goes back to Manchester United, that means he failed. That means he can't go to that next level, maybe that means maybe the Premier League is too hard for him.
“In the Premier League, you have to be consistent. The Premier League is about intensity. It’s not easy to stay at that level every Saturday or Sunday and often twice a week.
“You have to be really strong and you have to recover, you have to relax and sleep when you can to be ready for the next game. Even if you had a good performance three days ago, you have to go again.
“Ligue 1, the Bundesliga, Serie A, they are different. They are not intense like the Premier League.”
Q: Could we see Jose Mourinho back in the Premier League?
WG: “Everyone would like to see Jose Mourinho back in the Premier League, but the question is where?
“The other question is if he can manage the new generation of players, if they can understand his message or deal with what he is going to ask of them.
“It’s not easy to deal with Mourinho, you have to be strong and be willing to sacrifice, to suffer, knowing that in the end you will have success.
“Talking about Mourinho makes me smile because he was my manager. I was ready to suffer during training and during games but he gave me the opportunity to lift trophies.”
Q: How would Jose Mourinho fare as Rangers manager?
WG: “If Jose Mourinho went to Rangers, he is going to have the fans behind him. They are so passionate, then it’s about the quality of the players.
“He used to manage big players, so it could be difficult for him to make them champions in the league then it’s about progress in the Champions League or Europa League which is a different story.
“To get Mourinho back somewhere, you need to ask a lot of questions about both parties, the club and the players, and to see if you can do something together.
“You need commitment from the club bringing him what he wants when he asks for players. It's always the same thing. You have to spend money.”
Q: What do you make of Frank Lampard’s success at Coventry City?
WG: “After what happened to Frank Lampard, we had to be patient. He is doing well right now with Coventry City, if he can give them the chance to get into the Premier League that would be the best thing for him.
“He knows the club, the players and the fans and everything is positive around him so that would be the best way back into the Premier League for him.
“That's why you have to be a little bit more patient and not straight away jump on a new opportunity.
“He could maybe sign for a club in the Premier League at the moment, because he's a good manager but he can still improve.
“Unfortunately for him, he didn't have success when he was in the Premier League as a manager. He has more positive moments in the Championship.
“That's why the best thing that can happen for him is Coventry City to go to the Premier League. That will be the best story for him.”
Q: Will Frank Lampard return to Chelsea one day as manager?
WG: “Frank Lampard had the chance to manage Chelsea twice, even if the second time was a bit different.
“But you never know, that’s why it’s good for him to improve and do something really good with another Premier League team in the future, maybe helping them into Europe in the Europa League or Champions League.
“That would give him more experience and then one day, we could see him at Chelsea again. But right now, I don’t know.”
Q: What percentage chance would you give Arsenal of winning the Champions League?
WG: “I’d give Arsenal a 30% chance of winning the Champions League.
“It’s going to be hard against Real Madrid, but in the Champions League you never know. Real Madrid were suffering against Atletico, but they are going to come up against a new style, an English style, even if the manager is Spanish.
“They like to have possession and play football, it’s an interesting game in which anything can happen, I think a 30% chance of winning the Champions League is fair for Arsenal.”
Q: If Arsenal beat Real Madrid do they become favourites for the Champions League?
WG: “I think it's a big test. It will be the big test against Real Madrid. Real Madrid have won the Champions League 15 times, they are number one, if you beat them it will give you a lot of confidence for the next game.
“It won't be easy because Madrid still want to win it. When you look at the players they have up front, it would be a good test for Arsenal as well.
“Gabriel and William Saliba would have a big test against Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo.”
Q: Which player has to step up against Real Madrid for Arsenal to win?
WG: “Normally it has to be Martin Odegaard. He is the Maestro of the team.
“Having said that, he hasn't given his best performances even though he has quality, against Chelsea he wowed the crowd with some magic.
“I think people still want to see him be on top from the first minute until the 90 minutes. If you have to compare him with players who played for Arsenal, we are talking about Dennis Bergkamp who had the strength to do it.
“In regards to the big games, most of the time we don’t see this. But normally it has to be him if the game is tight.
“I have always always said he has to beat a defender to score the winning goal, right now Arsenal don’t have all their players, Bukayo Saka is injured, they don’t really have a striker.
“He has to be the one because he has so much energy, he can get up and down. Maybe a young player will be the one to make a difference like Myles Lewis-Skelly.
“He can get up and down, he can score goals, he can defend, he has so much energy. Sometimes he just has to have that finishing touch.”
Q: Could you see Leroy Sane at Arsenal on a free transfer?
WG: “I cannot see Leroy Sane at Arsenal, I think he has a strong personality and I don’t think it would work with Mikel Arteta.”
Q: Is that why Mikel Arteta hasn’t signed a striker at Arsenal?
WG: “At the beginning I thought that Mikel Arteta hadn’t signed a striker because he hadn't found the right personality, but now I think that the club didn’t give him the opportunity.
“Maybe the club wasn’t ready to spend money on that striker, I do think it will happen for next season, they will have the opportunity to invest in one big striker.
“Now the question is which striker and if Arteta can deal with that striker.”
Q: Do Arsenal have the pulling power to convince Alexander Isak to leave Newcastle?
WG: “Looking at the history of the two clubs, Arsenal are bigger than Newcastle. It would be a good move for Alexander Isak, the right move. I think his personality would match up with Mikel Arteta, I think he would be the perfect striker.”
Q: Do Arsenal win the title if they sign Alexander Isak?
WG: “If Arsenal sign Alexander Isak they will have no excuses for not winning the Premier League, they could have no excuses.
“If they sign Isak and don’t win it, we will all know who has failed.”
Q: Is Mikel Arteta running out of energy at Arsenal?
WG: “Mikel Arteta is running out of energy, but that is normal. He brought Arsenal back into the top five and then managed to fight for a title, when you challenge for a title it takes up energy.
“Now after three years it’s normal to be really tired, it’s part of the job. But normally after three years of fighting for the title you would win one, but he’s going to have one more chance next season.
“I think the club will give him what he wants, then if he doesn’t win it that could be the end of his time at the club.”
Q: Will Kylian Mbappe retire as the best French player in history?
WG: “Everything is about statistics with some players and when you look at the French national team, he is not too far from the top and has beaten many legends.
“Kylian Mbappe has passed Zinedine Zidane, but is he a better player than Zinedine Zidane? A lot of people will say no.
“If he wins the Champions League twice, with a Golden Ball, then I think you can say he is better than Zidane.”
Q: Did Leny Yoro make the right decision in joining Manchester United?
WG: “Leny Yoro is a talented player and I think it was normal for him to take the next step to go to Manchester United, I think it was the right club but at the wrong time.
“United are struggling and for young players like him, it can be really difficult to improve when the pressure is so high. You need time. He reminds me of Raphael Varane when he went from Lens to Real Madrid, he took the step to go and be bigger and better.
“I hope Yoro will really have the opportunity to learn. If you take the example of Varane, he had the experience of Sergio Ramos to learn from. Who has Yoro got at Manchester United?”
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