Every week, Sportsnet.ca will chat with soccer commentator James Sharman about the big stories and issues surrounding the Premier League.
SN: Maurizio Sarri has come under fire in recent weeks following high-profile losses to Manchester City in the Premier League and Manchester United in the FA Cup. Do you think Chelsea will part ways with the Italian manager either before or at the end of the season?
SHARMAN: As much as I believe that you have to give a manager time, and at least three transfer windows to form a team the way he wants, it does seem that Sarri’s days are and should be numbered. Stubbornness is not a great trait in any profession, but especially in football management; a gaffer unwilling to adjust is asking for trouble.
There isn’t a more predictable team in the League than Chelsea. Every week it’s a 4-3-3, with essentially the same players in the same positions. Sarri just refuses to shift away from his “Sarri-ball” philosophy, and it is failing. Sadly, “Sarri-ball” at Chelsea looks nothing like “Sarri-ball” at Napoli, where his players were either just able to, or maybe just willing to play that way.
At Chelsea he isn’t even adjusting for a few minutes at the end of a match. It almost appears that he wants to get fired, and he will likely get his wish, maybe as early as Sunday if Manchester City hand out a thrashing in the Caribou Cup final.
If Sarri is relieved of his duties, then this group of players will have another quality manager as a notch on their bed post. Something remains rotten at Stamford Bridge, and it certainly is not just another manager who forgot how to manage. A potential two-window transfer ban only adds more panic into the hearts and minds of fans.
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Harry Kane is back early from an ankle injury and could see action this weekend versus Burnley. How big of a boost is this for Totteham?
The last League loss for Spurs came January 13 against Manchester United. That was also Spurs’ last Premier League match featuring Kane. Since the injury he suffered in that match his team has won four straight in the Premier League, crashed out of both Cups, and smashed Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of their Champions League series.
Overall, I’d say the team has done pretty well without its top man. Even Fernando Llorente has discovered some semblance of form of late. So, the return of England’s most consistent goal scorer comes at a very good time for a late season push.
Of course, Kane has a track record of taking his time to find his top form following injuries, but of course this is a massive bonus for the team. Spurs are just five points back of Manchester City and Liverpool, but have a game in hand on the champions, so there is still plenty of room for some magic. Kane’s return to health and form will be absolutely critical.
Chelsea and Manchester City clash in Sunday’s League Cup final at Wembley Stadium. Does the League Cup matter? Isn’t there too much football? Do we really need a second domestic cup competition?
A packed Wembley, and the fervent celebrations of the winning team will suggest that it does matter. Of course, any final does, and any big game at Wembley does, but that doesn’t mean the League Cup is necessary. Like many things in sports, the League Cup is tangled up in tradition, and there appears no appetite to de-tangle it.
I really don’t believe the League Cup is necessary any more. The fixture list is too congested, these athletes are playing too many matches, and there is absolutely no doubt the League Cup is considered the least important of any tournament in English football.
Arsenal hosts Southampton on Sunday. What’s you take on the job that Unai Emery has done this season with the Gunners?
The stats show that little meaningful progress has been made since Arsene Wenger left, but the reality is Unai Emery is doing a decent job. Arsenal have more of an identity now than in previous years, they do have a bit of bite that had been missing. But it is still a side with major flaws and a side that deserves a manager who is prepared to do things his way, and force change.
Emery appears to be that man, but he needs more than a couple of transfer windows to change the club’s fortunes. We have seen with Emery’s dealings with Mesut Ozil that he calls the shots, and a decent performance this week against a poor Bate side in the Europa League notwithstanding, it does appear that eventually the manager will force the German from the club.
Arsenal’s attacking players look solid, although there is a dire need for an injection of creativity. At the back, the holes are obvious, and assuming he is given the time, Emery will prioritize that this off-season. The question is, will ownership spend money to give him what he needs? Arsenal’s American owner has gained a reputation for being cheap, and it is in danger of crushing this club. So yes, I like Emery’s work, but he is certainly being shackled by Mr. Kroenke.
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