Arsenal defender Rob Holding has said his team doesn’t aspire to be like London rivals Chelsea, stating the gap between the clubs is not substantial.
The 25-year-old said that the Gunners should look at the European Champions as a “competitive rival” and nothing more.
Arsenal completed the double over the Blues last season, winning 3-1 at the Emirates in December and pulled off a hard-fought 1-0 victory at Stamford Bridge five months later.
However, while Chelsea ended the season in fourth place, securing a Champions League spot, Arsenal ended theirs in the eighth spot, failing to qualify for Europe for the first time in 25 years.
Chelsea endured a rather tumultuous start to the Premier League last season under former boss Frank Lampard. However, with the change in management, the Blues bounced back to finish their campaign as one of the top four and also won the Champions League.
Despite the difference in the league position between both clubs, Holding believes there is no substantial difference between the sides.
Interviewed ahead of the Gunners’ pre-season friendly match with the Blues on Sunday, the defender told The Guardian: ‘”I see Chelsea as a competitive rival for us.
“I don’t see them as a team we aspire to be like, and I don’t think they see us that way either. There’s a mutual respect between us and a recent history with FA Cup finals and playing each other in big games.
Also Read:
- Aubameyang To Carry Poor Form Into The New Season?
- Varane: An Excellent Signing Or A Potential Flop?
- Fernando Torres Returns To Atleti As Coach
- Thomas Tuchel Wins German Manager Of The Year Award
“I don’t think that, because they won the Champions League, we need to be more like Chelsea. Our results and league position need to improve, of course, but when we play each other it’s competitive.
“We’ve got to be aiming to get back in the Champions League. With no Europe this season we’ve got no distractions or fixture congestion and can really focus on our Premier League games.
“I think Liverpool did the same a few years ago, and Chelsea similarly when they won the league in Antonio Conte’s first year. So it can be a blessing in disguise in some aspects.
“We’ve just got to think of it that way and hit the ground running.”
Arsenal have played four matches in pre-season in preparation for the new season. They lost their first to Hibernian and drew 2-2 against Rangers.
However, the Gunners have bounced back with two 4-1 wins against Millwall and Watford in subsequent matches. It remains to be seen how they would fare against the Blues on Sunday.
Their London rivals drew 2-2 in their latest pre-season fixture against Bournemouth on Tuesday night. Regardless of the outcome of the “meaningless” tie, there would definitely be lessons to learn for both clubs.
Is Rob Holding right? Is there really not much difference between the sides? Let us know in the comments section.
Enjoyed the article? Share with others as well. Stay in the know, follow us on Twitter @punditgist.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.