Speaking exclusively with Gambling Zone, Premier League icon William Gallas has admitted that he fears for Arsenal in the title race – saying they should’ve signed Joao Pedro from Brighton.
Former France international Gallas has also tipped Manchester United to sack Erik ten Hag while backing Thomas Tuchel as the potential solution to their domestic struggles.
Gallas has also said that Dominic Solanke has an impossible job at Tottenham and told Jamie Carragher that he is being too harsh on Casemiro – who might not like the Manchester weather.
The former central defender has also stated that neither Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi were his toughest opponent -- picking Ronaldo Nazario at the 2006 World Cup.
Q: Have you changed your prediction for the top four after three fixtures?
WG: “From what I’ve seen so far, I fear for Arsenal in the title race. I fear for Arsenal because even though they went down to 10-men against Brighton, you have to win those games and they couldn’t get over the line.
“Even when you have 10 men, if you want to win the Premier League you have to find a way to get three points.
“Then if we see how Liverpool played against Manchester United, they look so strong. Manchester City with Erling Haaland in top form too. It looks like it’s going to be very difficult for Arsenal.
“For me it comes back to not signing a striker, I do not understand why they didn’t.”
Q: Could Liverpool and Manchester City run away from Arsenal?
WG: “I’m concerned that Liverpool and Manchester City could run away with it. It’s so important to start the season with a winning run and look at the message Liverpool sent with a 3-0 win at Old Trafford.
“You need to have opponents scared before the game even starts and that is what Liverpool have done. It’s a strong message.
“Then if you look at Manchester City, the smaller teams really don’t want to play against them because you know what is going to happen. Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal are in the same bracket but I don’t think Arsenal have the strongest squad.”
Q: Can Arsenal get back on track after the international break?
WG: “Arsenal can still be the team to stop Manchester City, they just need to get back on track after the international break.
“A three-team title race will be good for football and good for the fans because we thought it might just be City and Arsenal again with Jurgen Klopp leaving Liverpool.
“Manchester City have already sent a strong message with Erling Haaland looking to beat his own record, he is scary and is on the way to being the best Premier League striker of all-time.”
Q: Were there some strikers on the market that could’ve fit in at Arsenal?
WG: “There were strikers on the market that would’ve fit in at Arsenal, I don’t understand why it wasn’t their priority.
“I know they tried to sign Nico Williams, but he isn’t a striker he’s a winger, it could cost them in the title race this season.
“When going up against Manchester City and Liverpool you cannot afford to wait until January. They had to do that business during the summer.”
Q: Who will finish fourth in the Premier League this season?
WG: “Tottenham have a good chance of finishing fourth this season, a much better chance than Manchester United.
“Spurs also have a good chance of winning the Europa League and it’s been such a long time since they won a trophy.
“I feel like the club will focus on the league because what is important for the Chairman is to be playing in the Champions League.”
Q: How will Arsenal get on in the Champions League this season?
WG: “Arsenal’s toughest test in the Champions League group stage might be PSG, but I don’t think PSG will go far in the tournament.
“They have a good squad for Ligue 1, but not a squad that can win the tournament.
“Arsenal could be contenders, but when you have teams as strong as Manchester City and Real Madrid, you have to consider where Arsenal will have their focus.
“I think they will favour the Premier League because it’s been so long since they last won it and they have come so close in the last two seasons.
“For that reason I can’t see Arsenal winning the Champions League this season.”
Q: Is it strange to see Chelsea in the third tier of European competition?
WG: “As a former player it’s weird to see Chelsea in the third tier of Europe, but maybe there is a positive in that they can be the first team to have won all three including the Champions League and Europa League.
“Chelsea have a great chance in the Conference League but I think their focus will be to qualify for the Champions League.
“I think they do have what it takes to finish fourth, but the second-half against Crystal Palace was a bit concerning. It’s not going to be easy but I think they will finish 5th.”
Q: Do you think Erik ten Hag has a future at Manchester United?
WG: “Manchester United, from what I’ve seen, have very little chance of finishing in the top four this season. In all honesty I don’t think it will be long before Erik ten Hag is sacked.
“How can they lose 3-0 at home to Liverpool? Their former players must be mad after what they saw during that game at Old Trafford. It’s simply not acceptable.
“If they lose to Southampton and he’s sacked, I won’t be surprised. They’ve made more new signings and now it’s his third season.
“Maybe Manchester United is too big a club for Erik ten Hag. The pressure is too much for him.”
Q: What have you made of Chelsea’s transfer window and how do you think they will fare this season?
WG: “I have no idea what sort of season Chelsea will have after the summer transfer window, they have so many wingers.
“It looked like they were going to easily beat Crystal Palace but then they conceded. Maybe the issues are at the back and not going forward.
“For me the problem is in midfield, they’ve got so many players and haven’t been able to find their best team.
“I’m not concerned about Chelsea going forward because they have Joao Felix, Pedro Neto and Nicolas Jackson has two goals and will probably score more times than he did last season. He will keep improving.
“If he can reach 20 goals, that would be a great step for him.”
Q: Can Jadon Sancho thrive at Chelsea on loan from Manchester United?
WG: “Sometimes footballers just need a new start, but I’d be concerned about Jadon Sancho given how he performed at Manchester United.
“He went back to Borussia Dortmund and did okay but not to the level he was at before. It’s very hard to predict if he can be a success at Chelsea.”
Q: What did you make of Raheem Sterling’s treatment at Chelsea?
WG: “Sometimes players need to blame themselves when things don’t work out at their club. Raheem Sterling was in the situation that he was at Chelsea because he didn’t perform for two years.
“He didn’t score or create enough goals and the new manager would’ve watched him and made the decision that he doesn’t want him in his squad, that’s not the manager’s fault.
“Now everybody is interested to see how he does at Arsenal and sometimes players need to feel the love of their manager to get the best out of them.
“For me personally, I didn’t need to feel that from a manager. Even if the manager didn’t like me I had to make sure I was playing well enough that he couldn’t afford to put me on the bench.”
Q: Will Chelsea have enough to finish inside the top four?
WG: “Before the game against Crystal Palace, I thought Chelsea had a good chance of finishing fourth, even after they had lost at Manchester City.
“But that draw against Palace was not a good look. The fact they couldn’t get over the line made me think that it will be too much for them to qualify for the Champions League.
“At the moment, I would predict that Chelsea will finish fifth.”
Q: What did you make of Nicolas Jackson signing a contract extension until 2033?
WG: “These huge contracts at Chelsea, that’s the American style - but I don’t think it’s a good thing for football.
“It will be hard if Nicolas Jackson for example ever wants to leave the club, because Chelsea can demand a huge fee, but it’s also bad for the motivation of the player.
“There is security there but there isn’t that motivation to go and earn a new contract, if you have a poor season you could just fall back on knowing you still have eight years on your deal. That could be a big problem.
“This tactic from the owner doesn’t help get the best out of the players.”
Q: Do you recognise the Chelsea you played for at the current club?
WG: “The Chelsea we used to know, this is a completely different club. I’m sure it’s difficult for the fans who still go to Stamford Bridge, but now they go to games and have no idea what they are going to see.”
Q: What did you think of Chelsea selling Conor Gallagher?
WG: “Selling Conor Gallagher was one of the biggest mistakes of the transfer window, I have no idea why the club decided to sell him.
“He had captained the club and it’s important to have English players, now they have maybe two in their starting XI with Reece James injured.
“To transfer one of your leaders to Atletico Madrid, it’s difficult to understand. He was so important to the group and he should’ve stayed.”
Q: Can Raheem Sterling thrive at Arsenal on loan from Chelsea?
WG: “I think Raheem Sterling is going to enjoy himself at Arsenal. He had a big smile on his face during the announcement and I think it’s his dream to play for the club.
“As a footballer, it’s very important to enjoy yourself on the pitch and to have that passion.
“His experience of working with Mikel Arteta at Manchester City could help him get back to his best, but we need to see how much he’s got left.”
Q: Could Arsenal be forced to sign a striker in January to stay in the title race?
WG: “Gabriel Jesus is injured, he had a good pre-season but now he’s injured again. He may have made the difference against Brighton but you just don’t know.
“Arsenal may be in the position of looking for a striker in January, but it might be too late.”
Q: Did Declan Rice deserve to be sent off against Brighton?
WG: “The red card for Declan Rice was a confusing one, he didn’t deserve the second yellow card and red card. I know they couldn’t use VAR, but maybe they should re-think the rules.
“I still think that after the red card, Arsenal should’ve had enough to win the game without him. Brighton are a good side but when you’re trying to win the title you have to beat them at home.
“Football is simple and if you want to reach the level of Manchester City, you have to win these games.”
Q: Could Joao Pedro thrive at Arsenal?
WG: “Joao Pedro could be the man to make a difference at Arsenal but it would be for next season, even in January it could be too late because Mikel Arteta needs the title this year.
“It would have to be a huge bid for Brighton to sell in January but they need a striker unless Gabriel Jesus can get fit and perform. It’s so difficult for strikers to come in and make an impact after joining in the winter.
“Arsenal need more goals and Joao Pedro has a big future at one of the biggest clubs in the Premier League, but he might join too late - they should’ve gone for him in the summer.”
Q: Can Dominic Solanke be the replacement for Harry Kane at Tottenham?
WG: “Dominic Solanke has been given an impossible job at Tottenham when it comes to following in the footsteps of Harry Kane, because no one can do that.
“Spurs went without buying a striker last season but Solanke will now be a help to Heung-Min Son who has a lot of pressure on his shoulders.
“He’ll have more space and he’ll be more dangerous when he’s playing alongside Solanke.
“The issue with Spurs and their high line is that other teams know what to expect and they like playing against them. Clubs have seen the solution when it comes to beating Tottenham. They can play the high line but they need to be careful.”
Q: Do you think Casemiro can turn his season around at Manchester United?
WG: “The big question over Casemiro is, is he happy in Manchester?
“In my opinion, his body language suggests that he isn’t happy living there. He is making so many more mistakes than when he was at Real Madrid, when he lived with a great lifestyle and sunshine.
“Now he is in Manchester and it’s cold and raining and it can be difficult for some players off the pitch. He’s from Brazil and then lived in Spain and it’s not like he just jumped across the border from France where the weather is similar. It’s not always easy.”
Q: Is Jamie Carragher being disrespectful to Casemiro?
WG: “Jamie Carragher is too harsh on Casemiro. Casemiro is in a bad moment and maybe he’ll end up leaving Manchester United, but he might enjoy his football again if he was to return to Spain for example.
“He’s only 32 so he’s nowhere near retirement, I think he’s got another five or six years before retirement.”
Q: Can Manuel Ugarte help turn Manchester United’s season around?
WG: “I can’t see why Manchester United have signed Manuel Ugarte, they needed a striker. That’s what they needed to help them climb up the table.”
Q: Is Erik ten Hag under more pressure than any Premier League manager?
WG: “Is Erik ten Hag the Premier League manager with the most pressure on his shoulders? 100 percent. There is way more pressure on him than anyone else.
“Losing two of their first three games and conceding three times at home to Liverpool, fans are not happy and I think they have turned on him.
“The next few games could be his last as their manager.”
Q: Would Zinedine Zidane be the perfect man to replace Erik ten Hag?
WG: “Manchester United fans should forget about Zinedine Zidane, he won’t take the job and the main reason is that he doesn’t speak English.
“He won’t want to put himself in that situation where he would need to learn the language and I think that’s fair. He needs the players to understand what he expects from them and to have that relationship where he can have fun and joke around. He won’t accept the job if an offer came in and I don’t think we will see him in the Premier League anytime soon.
“I think he is still waiting for the France national team job. He won everything there is to win with Real Madrid and he only has one job on his mind now.”
Q: Could Thomas Tuchel help turn things around at Manchester United?
WG: “Thomas Tuchel could be the solution to Manchester United’s problems.
“If he came into the club and was given time, given two years to create his team, the club would be in a completely different position to the one it is in now.
“At Chelsea Tuchel was very organised, the players respected him and he won the Champions League as well as a couple of other trophies, you can see why he was a success and maybe he wasn't given enough time to Chelsea to turn things around.”
Q: Should Chelsea try and bid for Mohamed Salah?
WG: “Chelsea shouldn’t go in for Mohamed Salah because I think he will leave Europe unless he stays at Liverpool. He’s 32 and he’s won everything here. I don’t think it would be the right move.”
Q: Will Kylian Mbappe feel relieved after scoring for Real Madrid in his third appearance?
WG: “Kylian Mbappe will be relieved after scoring his first goals for Real Madrid because there is so much pressure on his shoulders to perform there.
“Leaving PSG the way he did and getting the huge contract, he has no choice but to start quickly at Real Madrid and in the first two games you could see that pressure.
“Now he has scored he will feel free, that’s a great thing for him as a striker because he’s proven what he can do and now he needs to continue that.
“Everybody is expecting him to get to 20 goals quickly and he has made a good start. He won’t be given a season to adapt because of his name and the size of the club.”
Q: Who is currently the best striker on the planet? Kylian Mbappe or Ering Haaland?
WG: “Although Kylian Mbappe has started scoring for Real Madrid, Erling Haaland is the best striker in the world.
“If I think back to myself as a defender, I’m not such which, if any, would’ve given me problems when I was at my very best.”
Q: Which striker gave you the biggest challenge during your career?
WG: “I had so many tough opponents during my career including Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Thierry Henry and Didier Drogba but the biggest threat was Ronaldo 9.
“We played against Brazil in the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup and because some of our team had played against them before, we asked them what to expect.
“I spoke to Frank Leboeuf and Marcel Desailly about the 1998 World Cup and how to mark him, they both said that it doesn’t matter how you try and mark him, forget about it.
“He was so quick with his movement that if you get too close then he’ll make the ball disappear, so in my head I already knew what a challenge it would be.
“He is a legend of the game but we managed to win and keep a clean sheet, I was so focused before that game so I’d say playing against him was my biggest challenge.”
