Collymore’s column: Postecoglou should be sacked even if Tottenham win Europa League, Arsenal can overcome PSG, De Bruyne future, and more | OneFootball

In his exclusive column for CaughtOffside, former England striker Stan Collymore discusses some of football’s biggest talking points, including the possibility of a Man United-Tottenham final in the Europa League, Arsenal’s chances of reaching the Champions League final, Kevin De Bruyne’s future, and more.

Man United-Tottenham final would show UEFA ridiculousness

Bruno Fernandes celebrates scoring in Man United’s 3-0 victory over Athletic Club (Photo by AFP/Ander Gillenea)

The Premier League is the strongest league in the world, there is no doubt about that. And the fact that Man United and Tottenham are on course to reach the Europa League final should further legitimise how good Liverpool have been this season – and they are certainly not bad champions, as some have claimed.

It certainly shines a light on the Premier League that the teams in 14th and 16th can reach a European final. But it also highlights that UEFA is keen for big clubs from leagues like the Premier League to be in these competitions, even if it has to happen via the back door. It’s ridiculous that at one stage, there could have been 11 clubs qualify for European tournaments next season, and there could still be eight or nine now. That needs looking at.

For me, there is no way that a team that finishes 14th in any league should be playing in next season’s Champions League. But on the possible match-up of Man United and Tottenham in the final itself, anything can happen. Man United obviously have the European pedigree and tradition that they have shown in the past, but with these two teams, it could be the toss of a coin given that they have both been so distinctly average.

I respect Jamie Carragher’s opinion (that Tottenham would have “no chance” against Man United), but I think it’s wrong. Tottenham have won that match-up three times this season, so it cannot said that they would have no chance of winning that final if it came to fruition.

Postecoglou needs to go regardless of Europa League success

Angel Postecoglou and Ruben Amorim could face each other in the Europa League final (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Keeping on Tottenham, it would be the worst decision to keep Ange Postecoglou even if they win the Europa League – and if he does, I can see him not being sacked. If all of the players are behind him like James Maddison has said, that tells me that they really are “Spursy”, and that they are content with finishing in the lower half of the Premier League. They have a squad that should be in the top 5/6 of the league, so for me, the mentality of the players is woeful, and that there are massive holes in Ange’s tactical style.

It would be the worst message to send to the Tottenham fans if they keep Ange. There is not going to be a massive change next season if he stays – do the club really believe that they can keep the same manager and players but just magically leap up into the top four? To the supporters, Maddison’s comments should be a big wake-up call for the future.

Mikel Arteta needs to be questioned if Arsenal lose to PSG

Mikel Arteta shouts instructions during Arsenal vs Crystal Palace (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

In a one-off game, Arsenal have every chance of overturning the aggregate score against PSG, but it will very tough. The Parc des Princes is a tricky stadium to go to, and their fans will make it a tough atmosphere to play in. The important thing is that Mikel Arteta gets the gameplan right, and for me, they need to recover that early-season defensive nous combined with being able to hit on the counter-attack.

But I think if Arsenal were to be knocked out, questions needs to start being asked of Arteta. When does a manager that has won only one FA Cup in six years start to come under pressure for his inability to win competitions. He can get a pass if they were to reach the Champions League final and lose to Barcelona or Inter Milan as it shows progress, but if they were to lose to PSG, and especially in a meek fashion, then there should be scrutiny.

Transition period or not, one trophy in six years is simply not good enough for a club as ambitious as Arsenal.

Liverpool need to be smart in the transfer market

Liverpool manager Arne Slot (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

Liverpool are deserved Premier League champions, but they must now start to look forward. It was important for them to retain the services of Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah, as they are players that still have so much to offer. For me, the most important thing they can do in the transfer market starting from this summer is to identify players that will replace guys like van Dijk, Salah, Robertson and Alisson over the next 2-3 years, so that the transition period is easier to deal with when it comes.

If Liverpool get their recruitment right, it will be a case of bringing in only 2-3 players per summer transfer window for the next few years, rather than going out and buying 6-8 players at one time. This is enough to freshen up the dressing room. And you would expect that a striker will be one to arrive this summer as Darwin Nunez appears to be surplus to requirements.

The key for Liverpool will be to be smart in the market, as they cannot afford to keep up with the likes of Man City and Chelsea in terms of spending. They need to make sure that they are picking up signings that are rated 9/10 in order to keep their position at the top of the Premier League table. And I think they can do that with the currently sporting department setup that they have in place.

De Bruyne has earned the right to go to Saudi or the MLS

Kevin De Bruyne in action for Manchester City (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)

There are two mentalities that players can have: compete at the highest level for as long as possible, or be happy to cash in what they’ve done and look for a cushy move to end their career. And it will be interesting to see what Kevin De Bruyne decides this summer, but I think he is one of very few players that are at that age in the Premier League that deserve to take the second option.

He has been a wonderful servant for Man City, and he will deserve a statue. But when you compare him to guys like van Dijk and Salah, he does not appear to be able to keep up as well as they have done this season. De Bruyne’s body looks like it cannot keep up with his mind, and that has been shown with the injury problems that he has had.

It is flattering for Aston Villa to be linked to De Bruyne, and it is no surprise that Unai Emery likes him. I think any club in the top 10 of the Premier League would take him tomorrow if his wage demands were reasonable. But I think he will continue to regress over the next couple of years, so it would not be the best case of value for money. With guys like van Dijk and Salah, I can see them keeping their levels and continuing to produce 9/10 performances most weeks, but I don’t think the same can be said for De Bruyne.

Nottingham Forest struggles show the effects of the run-in

Nottingham Forest lost 2-0 at home to Brentford on Thursday (Photo by Getty Images)

I called it when I said that it would not be a walk in the park for Nottingham Forest to qualify for the Champions League this season despite a perceived “easier run of fixtures” compared to the likes of Chelsea and Aston Villa. Online users don’t understand it, but as someone that has played the game for 12-13 years and has watched thousands of matches in English football, I knew that I was always going to be right.

With 8-10 games to go, the physical and mental toll that the season takes does make a big impact. Forest were disappointing against Brentford last night, and it is not a massive surprise that they lost considering all of the circumstances. Playing against teams that are down the bottom of the league or have a snip of qualifying for Europe – as Brentford have – are equally as difficult to face as the teams up the top-end of the table. Ultimately, everyone has something to play for, even if it isn’t as apparent to some people.

You look at teams that Crystal Palace, whose players will be playing for a place in the FA Cup final starting line-up. And the same can be said for Man United and Tottenham players if those clubs were to reach the Europa League final. Guys like Liam Delap at Ipswich will be determined to continue performing so that he gives himself the best chance of making a top move this summer. And with Southampton and Leicester, there will be a case of their players wanting to restore pride and create some momentum going into next season.

It was a disappointing result for Forest, but European qualification is still in their hands. They need to quickly remember why they got to where they are now, and they are very capable of turning around their poor recent form to end the season on a high, which could be enough to finish inside the Champions League places.

Crystal Palace are cheating themselves if they don’t kick on

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner (Photo by Eddie Keogh/Getty Images)

It’s vital for Crystal Palace to kick on from next season, and maybe reaching the FA Cup final will good that. They have such an obviously-talented squad when you think about playing over one match, but the fact that they are 12th shows that there is something seriously wrong going on there. And I think it is a case of expectations not being high enough, as so many within the club seem to be happy finishing where they are every season.

Simply put, they are cheating themselves if they continue to underachieve as they have done despite having a very talented squad of players. They have a very good manager and an ambitious chairman, and with the off-field stuff, they have created a platform to take themselves to the next level.

The performance against Aston Villa last weekend shows that Crystal Palace can compete for Europe, but they need to be consistent over the course of a season rather than only turning up in certain matches. Maybe it will be Oliver Glasner that demands that they step up from next season, or it could be the chairman, but someone needs to do it.