Former Chelsea defender Wiliam Gallas is reminded of his playing days whenever he watches the Blues right now, all thanks to a special talent and a player to watch in football betting odds for years to come.
“I’m sure Mason Mount will be a top-class player. Every time I see him play he reminds me of when I was playing with Frank Lampard.
"He has the same personality – he wants to be the best on the pitch and wants to work really hard. He’s still young and can still improve but for me, he can become the new Frank. He has everything.”
The 22-year-old is presently preparing to light up Euro 2020 predictions with England and will surely be full of confidence after helping secure the Champions League under a coach in Thomas Tuchel who has transformed the club in recent months.
Gallas – who won two league titles at Stamford Bridge – believes it is the kind of success that can propel Chelsea to winning further trophies, just so long as they spend wisely this summer.
“After winning the Champions League I’m sure the Chelsea fans are excepting to win the Premier League next season, and they can do it, but I think they need a world-class striker.
"It can be Lukaku. It can be Harry Kane. It can be Lewandowski. The board has to make the right decision.”
If it is indeed Kane who makes a very contentious switch across the capital we can anticipate the move leaving a very sour taste in the mouths of Spurs fans. Perhaps even it will forever taint Kane’s legacy in North London.
Gallas however, insists sentiment must sometimes take a back seat to pragmatism and here he speaks from experience, being the only player to have ever played for the city’s biggest three clubs Chelsea, Arsenal, and Tottenham.
“It will hurt Tottenham fans to see Harry Kane go to Chelsea because we know the rivalry between them.
"But, at the same time, fans have to understand Harry has been there for a number of years and he did everything to win the Premier League and unfortunately, it didn’t happen.
"He gave everything for that club. He was the top scorer in the league many times. They have to understand the boy needs to win something. Sometimes you have to leave your club to do that.
"Maybe to City, United, even to Chelsea. He has to work out which club can best give him that opportunity for success. I hope the Tottenham fans can forgive him.”
With their totemic striker set to leave for mega-money and a new permanent manager still to be announced, a summer of meaningful change awaits Spurs and regarding the second appointment, Gallas admits to being bemused at the loudening talk of Mauricio Pochettino returning, just 18 months after being sacked.
“I am a little bit confused about this situation. We had a similar example with Zinedine Zidane returning to Real Madrid and it didn’t work.
"Maybe the same will happen with Pochettino and Tottenham because there will be even more pressure on him to get results.”
On Arsenal though, who Gallas joined in 2006, gaining the captain’s armband soon after, he is on more certain ground when it comes to sports betting on the Gunners.
By which we mean, the French star is certain that what he's witnessed at the Emirates this past year has simply not been good enough.
“Arsenal have to change a few things. First, they need to bring in a top defender. They also need more players with personality on the pitch because when I watch them play sometimes they don’t have anyone with character.
"They lack personality and no one shouts on the pitch, helping the team. Lifting the team.
"I will always remember when I played against Arsenal or watched them before I came to England, they had players like Keown and Adams; Vieira, even Bergkamp. It was different. These players were unbelievable and that’s why they had success.
"All the fans miss that period and I think now Arsenal has to bring back players who need to win, who fight on the pitch. Otherwise, they will have another season like this one. I am sure the fans are very sad because this season was not good for them.”
If the players must take a large share of the blame for a series of underwhelming performances in 2020/21 what about the novice gaffer on the touchline? Does Gallas believe Mikel Arteta has the makings of a successful football manager?
“If you asked me that a few months ago I would have said Mikel Arteta wasn’t ready yet to manage Arsenal. Before he didn’t have any experience to be the coach.
"He was just the assistant coach and that’s completely different to being a manager where you have to take strong decisions. So I think the board made a big mistake.
"Next season there will be even more pressure on him and within a few games the board will know whether to carry on with him and that is the problem with being a manager – you can be sacked very quickly. Just five or six games in, you can be sacked.”
Perhaps upheaval and meaningful change will not be reserved for only one half of North London in the months to come.
*Credit for the main photo belongs to Francois Mori / AP Photo*
FIRST PUBLISHED: 4th June 2021
