“I’ve got more chance of winning it than them”- Paul Merson brutally savages Spurs trophy hopes after Ange Postecoglou vow
Arsenal legend Paul Merson has completely dismissed Tottenham Hotspur’s prospects of securing a trophy this season, humorously claiming that he has a better chance of winning the reality show Strictly Come Dancing than Spurs have of lifting silverware.
Tottenham’s frustrations deepened on Sunday after yet another north London derby defeat to their archrivals, Arsenal. The match was decided by a powerful second-half header from Gabriel, following a corner, which sealed a hard-fought contest in Tottenham’s home stadium. It was a particularly disheartening result for Spurs, especially since Arsenal were missing several key players, including their captain Martin Odegaard, midfielder Declan Rice, and new signings Mikel Merino and Riccardo Calafiori.
This defeat marked Tottenham’s third consecutive home league loss to the Gunners, a streak that hadn’t occurred since 1988. The game also shined a light on Tottenham’s persistent struggles with defending set-pieces, a problem that has plagued them under the management of Ange Postecoglou. Despite Postecoglou’s efforts, his team has only managed one win from their first four league matches this season. Alongside this latest defeat to Arsenal, Tottenham has also suffered a loss to Newcastle and drawn with newly promoted Leicester, with their only victory coming in a decisive win against a faltering Everton.
After the Arsenal loss, Postecoglou faced the media with a defiant tone. When asked about his earlier remarks suggesting he tends to win trophies in his second season at a club, the Australian coach corrected himself, saying, “I’ll correct myself – I don’t usually win things, I always win things in my second year. Nothing’s changed.” This bold statement adds extra pressure to Tottenham’s upcoming match, a Carabao Cup third-round fixture against Championship side Coventry. The match represents a potential opportunity for Spurs to make progress in a competition they haven’t won since 2008.
Tottenham’s trophy drought now stands at 16 years, dating back to the 2007/08 League Cup final, when Jonathan Woodgate’s extra-time goal secured a 2-1 victory over Chelsea under then-manager Juande Ramos. That League Cup triumph remains the club’s only major piece of silverware in the 21st century. Despite this dry spell, Postecoglou remains optimistic, insisting that he is capable of ending Tottenham’s long wait for a trophy.
However, Paul Merson, who has often been critical of Tottenham, does not share Postecoglou’s confidence. During an appearance on Sky Sports, Merson made light of Spurs’ chances, comparing them to his own odds of winning *Strictly Come Dancing. “I like Ange, but I’ve got more chance of winning Strictly,” Merson quipped, downplaying any hopes of Tottenham breaking their trophy drought.
Sky Sports host David Jones humorously responded, “I’ve seen some of your dance moves, that’s not great news for Spurs.” To which Merson replied, “Exactly. That’s what chance they’ve got,” emphasizing his belief that Tottenham’s chances of success this season are slim.
As Tottenham look ahead to the rest of the season, the pressure on Postecoglou to deliver results and silence the critics will only intensify. Fans will be hoping for a turnaround in fortunes, but for now, the club faces mounting skepticism from pundits like Merson who doubt their ability to secure silverware.