is paul merson talking tripe!!!

Paul Merson: Arsenal will prove difference in class against Celtic

Aug 15 2009 Anthony Haggerty
ARSENAL legend Paul Merson reckons his former club will prove there is a widening gulf in class as well as cash between the English Premiership and SPL.
Celtic take on the Gunners in the play-off round of the Champions League on Tuesday with a £10million jackpot at stake for the winners.
And Merson just can't see past his old side. While Scottish clubs have held their own in the recent Battles of Britain, Merson's brutally honest assessment is that none of Tony Mowbray's men would get a game for Arsenal.
He said: "I can't see past the Gunners over the two legs. The gulf in class between the personnel in both squads and an English Premiership team and an SPL side will be too much in the end and that is what Celtic are up against.
"Realistically, I don't think there is one player in their squad who would get a game for ArseneWenger's team."
Merson, capped 21 times for England and winner of two league titles, an FA cup, a League Cup and a European Cup-Winners Cup with Arsenal insists Celtic will have to play like Bolton if they are to progress.
However, he knows Mowbray won't be keen on playing a game that is alien to the club's very nature.
The ex-Arsenal, Middlesbrough, Aston Villa and Portsmouth midfielder said: "The only way Celtic will beat Arsenal is to play like Bolton and get the ball forward quickly from back to front and play a physical game.
"But I don't think they will do that because traditionally they are a football team and love to pass it around. And because of that they may play right into the Gunners' hands.
"They will want to play football and I believe Arsenal will have too much in their locker for them over the piece.
"This is the Champions League and the Gunners just simply cannot afford to lose this tie over the two legs. It would be a disaster for them not to make the group stage.
"I admire Tony Mowbray as a manager as he loves playing football and he will have Celtic playing in free-flowing and attractive way.
"He did it at West Brom and that is the only thing that worries me from an Arsenal perspective about this tie."
One man who Merson will be keeping a close eye on during the tie is Celtic new boy Danny Fox.
The 23-year-old was left on the scrapheap after being freed by Everton in 2005 after a loan spell at Stranraer.
Fox, though, was given a second chance by Walsall boss Merson at the time who took the youngster under his wing at the Banks' Stadium giving him his debut and making him captain.
Since that moment the defender has never looked back and is now on the verge of playing in Europe's premier club competition just four years after his Goodison heartache.
Fox revealed in Record Sport this week how Merson took the mickey out of him in training by constantly flicking the ball over his head and bamboozling the full-back with his silky skill. Merson still chuckles when he recalls how he was not only Fox's mentor, but tormentor at times.
And if the full back was left dazed and confused by his then manager's skills, the former Gunners ace insists he only has to wait until Tuesday to see Wenger's star-studded outfit showboating around him for real.
Merson said: "This is a massive step up in class for Danny to be playing against Arsenal.
"This is a player who has been used to playing in the Championship and League One at best now all of a sudden he has moved to a huge club like Celtic.
"It is a big step but one that Danny can handle. I tell you when I was teaching him and taking the mickey out of him at training at Walsall we had a laugh and a joke but you have to remember the level we were playing at.
Wait till Cesc Fabregas, Andrei Arshavin, Robin Van Persie and the likes of Theo Walcott, if he's fit, are trying to take him on for real - that's when he'll realise he has hit the big time. The talent Arsenal have in their ranks is truly frightening.
"Danny is a good player and I thought he would go on and have a good career but never did I think for a minute that he would end up at a club like Celtic.
"He is a good player and possesses a fantastic left foot which is as good as anybody's. He won't let anybody down and his distribution is second to none.
"He also has a great attitude and wants to learn and he will get better and prove to be a fantastic buy for Celtic.
"Parkhead will be packed out and Danny will never have experienced anything like it in his life. I'm thrilled he acknowledged in the Record that I gave him a step up in his career at Walsall. I gave him him debut and made him captain and it is nice for him to remember that and speak so highly of me."
One thing that Merson has not been able to manage yet is to get former Celtic and Arsenal idol Charlie Nicholas to put his money where his mouth is.
Merson, who is now a studio expert on Sky Sports' popular Gillette Soccer Saturday programme alongside Charlie, insists he can't get the Hoops man to take a bet, despite the offer of a two-goal start.
Merson said: "I don't think that even Charlie would risk taking a bet on this one.
"I know he loves Celtic so much and wants to see them get through this tie against Arsenal.
"I would even give him two goals of a start but I don't think even he is stupid enough to accept my bet."

Paul Merson: Arsenal will prove difference in class against Celtic - The Daily Record

what do you make of this? fair enough him thinking arsenal will be too strong? but we havent played them yet and we got this * when we played man u also! and the * he said that none of our players would get in the arsenal team? *

 

Just the usual * that get thrown at us ANYTIME we play an English club, you would think they would have learned they're lesson by now,
Remember the "boys against men" jibe before the Blackburn game, "Bhoys against boys" mair like, just let them eat they're humble pie if the results go our way, like the said Charlie Nicholas after Moscow.

 

who cares what a junkie jakey * thinks * him and the gunners. cmon the hoops

 

what a *,

Bring it on i say

 

Its only one mans opinion so I wouldn't get to worked up about it. He is an Arsenal man so hes not going to say Celtic are going to win. What Celtic players do ya reckon would get in the Arsenal team because if im honest he is probs right, not to many.

 

haha what a load of pish. The bit I hate is when hey says that no Celtic player would get into the Arsenal team. Always get this when we play an English club.

 

Time and time again the English underestimate us at their peril. I'm glad!

Next thing you know you get the likes of Gary Neville who's played at probably all the great stages in world football and yet he'll come out and say Parkhead has the very best atmosphere.

We might not beat them but we can guarantee putting up a good fight at CP..

 

Reading that i'm now sooooo looking forward to Tuesday. Its gonna be a big night for both clubs. And with any luck we can deliver another Premiership Scalp and send the gunners home thinking "* Happened There???". :icon_mrgreen:

 

Ah yes; that fountain of wisdom, the all-seeing, all-powerful Paul 'Confucious' Merson......

"The new manager has given us unbelivable belief."

"People just looked lost. Too many players looked like fish on trees. [on England losing to Croatia]"

"You usually like to play promoted sides around Christmas. They have got two lungs at the moment"

“Roque Santa Cruz rose like a fish to head that in."

"The big oxygen thing is out for Benni McCarthy ... he's got a lot of medical round him."

"Ronaldo did about nine legovers there."

 

That's quite well written for a smack head, wonder if his mum helped? It's true that there is a different in the level of football but that is down to money and nothing else. On paper Arsenil should comfortably win this match, i'll wipe my * on that paper though! This isn't about on paper or the gooners having lots of good individuals, they will be playing a TEAM full of pride and passion words not often used on the light weight show boating gooners. Lets take another scalp at paradise!

 

are you Ron Atkinson in disguise??

 

* merson what a * why is it down there they just cant admit its all the money thats taking them strides away from other league without it we would still be watchin milan,juve,munich ect in the later stages of champs league instead of the same * with 3 of them in the semi's. get to see what there all about against everton coz think our game against them will be more like a premier league game than a european game.

 

to be honest this is either gona be a close tie or we will get beat 3-0, although i had a dream last night that we won the first leg 3-0 heres hoping

 

* off you coulda been druggy *.

 

Arsenal legend merson tips arsenal gawd earth shattering news !!! Listen honestly arsenal are BIG favourites but we have shown before we can get results when they are least expected but lets not kid ourselves IF we get through it will be a tremendous result for the club

 

what i can say on this therad to merson who in the celtic team would want to play in arsenal team when they r pplaying in the best team in the world ..fuc them and the rest of the english teams ,,, mc gready just scored yehahahahahahhahah v aberdeen ,,,slan anios mo charras ..bring it on

 

Must be back on the sauce.... I'll take that bet for £500 you big nosed dopey *

 

its weird i dreamt we won 5-0, when i woke up i was disappointed as *

 

No Celtic player wouldn't or couldn't anyway. Besides aren't they too busy trying to buy the French national squad?

Boy are they totally * if that 6+5 rule ever gets the nod.