Table-toppers Arsenal heaped the pressure on North London rivals
Tottenham and their manager Martin Jol yesterday with a 3-1 win at
White Hart Lane. And it is likely to get worse for Spurs fans and
their board this week when the Gunners also outstrip them off the
field.
Two goals by Emmanuel Adebayor, with a brilliant long-range shot by
Cesc Fabregas in between, gave Arsenal the three points after
Gareth Bale had put Spurs ahead. That made it 19 games over eight
years since Tottenham last won this derby in League or cup.
For the Gunners, it was an excellent start to a week that will see
them announce financial figures that place them above Manchester
United and Chelsea let alone Spurs and behind only Real Madrid
in the list of the world's richest clubs.
Arsenal's total turnover of all the business the club generate, it
will be revealed, has shot up to about £180m,about £22m behind Real
Madrid, while United's turnover stands at £167m. That is an
increase of almost 50 per cent in just one season, such has been
the effect of moving to the Emirates Stadium.
No wonder their currently buoyant board of directors, who believe
that they can even surpass Real financially next season, can rebuff
potential investors.
That will leave a sour taste in the mouth of Tottenham chairman
Daniel Levy and his own board,who aspire to the top four and
Champions League riches, and have charged Dutchman Jol with
delivering it this season.
The Spurs hierarchy are unlikely to react too hastily, however, as
their prime target, Sevilla coach Juande Ramos, is not yet
available. Indeed, he brings his side to the Emirates on Wednesday
when they face Arsenal in the Champions League.
"I can only believe what Daniel Levy is telling me," said Jol last
night. "We have to stay positive. You saw the players' commitment.
All we have to do is get results, which we did in the past. Last
year we had the same number of points at this stage and finished on
60."
But with Spurs languishing fourth from bottom after four defeats in
their six games, they cannot allow the situation to deteriorate
further.
It is known that Italy's World Cup-winning coach, Marcello Lippi,
would like to manage in the Premier League and the former Liverpool
boss Gerard Houllier would welcome a return, despite being close to
rejoining the French Federation as technical director.
There was sympathy for Jol from his Arsenal counterpart, Arsene
Wenger, who celebrated his new three-year contract with a fourth
consecutive win.
"I always have sympathy for a manager going through a bad spell,"
said Wenger. "It happens to everyone. It happened to me. He just
needs support."
Wenger certainly has it from his own board, who will continue with
their own strategy rather than contemplate selling up to foreign
investors.
