Liverpool legend Alan Hansen wants Arsenal and not his old club Liverpool to win the Premiership for the good of the game.
Hansen speaking to the Telegraph puts it down to Arsenals beautiful football and hardly mentions Liverpool.
“Since they lost at Manchester City in September, Arsenal have improved all of the areas that they needed to and they are beginning to give the big two something to think about.” Hansen said
“At the start of the season, I predicted a three-horse race between United, Chelsea and Liverpool, but the running order has changed because Arsenal are now the third team and you have to credit Wenger for ironing out their flaws.”
“Thomas Vermaelen has been a great buy. His defensive partnership with William Gallas looks really good and it is gathering momentum.”
“It can sometimes take months and years to forge a partnership at centre-half, but Vermaelen and Gallas seem to have hit it off in the space of ten games.”
“Centre-backs are the mainstay of any team because those guys and the goalkeeper can save you. Too often, Arsenal have been found wanting in the centre of defence, but the Vermaelen-Gallas partnership is really bearing fruit.”
“They have made Arsenal much more solid because they are not leaving gaps at the heart of the defence. And, crucially, Arsenal are no longer leaving themselves so exposed when they don’t have the ball because you will find that Abou Diaby or Alex Song are now putting themselves in a position to win it back for the team.”
“Wenger has not abandoned his principles, but he has at least recognised that the need to play football is not everything.”
“Playing football is nine-tenths of the law for Wenger. The final tenth is winning trophies and, although a betting man would still say the title is between United and Chelsea, there is no doubt that Arsenal now have a realistic chance this season.”
“Apart from their own improvements, Arsenal could benefit from United being weaker without Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tévez. Similarly, Chelsea will have to cope with the loss of key players to the African Cup of Nations in the new year.”
“Arsenal still have some tough work to do because they have difficult away trips to Anfield, Villa Park, White Hart Lane and Stamford Bridge in front of them, but they have put themselves in contention.”
“There is just the sense of a breakaway at the top of the table, but it’s much better to have three clubs breaking away than two and Arsenal are in there.”
“For all of my philosophy that winning is everything, you cannot deny that it would be good for the game if Arsenal were to win the title because they play brilliant football. They are now playing with some backbone, though.”
“What happens at Stamford Bridge between United and Chelsea will be interesting, however, because they remain the big two.”
“If Chelsea win, a five-point gap between them and United would not be insurmountable, but it would certainly be a statement of intent.”
“Chelsea have overcome their blip of losing successive away games at Wigan and Aston Villa, but United have been under pressure because of their problems at centre-back.”
“That’s why Sunday is such a big game, because it will have a big say in the confidence and belief of the two teams.”
“If United get turned over as they did at Liverpool, then they will be in trouble, but United tend not to lose so badly twice in two weeks.”
“It isn’t a two-horse race, though. Arsenal’s response since losing to City and United has shown they have the ability to bounce back and challenge.”
What has happened to Loyalty in football, it has come to something when a former legend thinks it is better for another team to win the title rather than the one he made his name at.
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Give the guy a break… He’s hated all things Arsenal for twenty years; ever since he was a yard short of Michael Thomas at Anfield one fateful night.
If he’s finally come to terms with it I say good for him. It just goes to show that every soul is savable; even Hansen’s
Hansen hasn’t said he’d rather have Arsenal win the title ….. he said it “would be good for the game” …. the meaning of those words are open for variable interpretations and opinions.
It could equally mean …. It would be good for Arsenal to win the league rather than it being a two horse race between Man Utd and Chelsea.
or it could mean ….. The league being a two horse race like the Scottish Premier League isn.t good for football. Arsenal are the only team I see who has a realistic chance of challenging for the title – and pressing Chelsea and United and winning the title would be good for football.
If Liverpool had a realistic chance then Hansen would have substituted the name Arsenal with Liverpool. If Man City or Tottenham had a realistic chance, he would be saying it would be good for football if they won the title instead of it being the usual two horse race.
It’s not Arsenal Love. It’s not criticism of Liverpool. It’s just an observation that it would be good for football if ANY team won the league instead of Man Utd or Chelsea.