Joe Cole has told talkSPORT that he believes Arsenal could drop out of the Premier League’s top six in the 2019/20 campaign.
Cole, who joined Adrian Durham and Matt Holland in the studio on Tuesday afternoon, feels there is too much uncertainty around the Emirates at the moment for the club to kick on and progress.
“I can’t really see anyone breaking into it, but I could possibly see Arsenal falling out of it, because there doesn’t seem to be much harmony around the club,” he told Drive.
“At Manchester United he [Ole Gunnar Solskjaer] seems to be getting his act together a little bit. I like the signings they’ve made – they’ve been good additions.
“Arsenal possibly could, but it depends on the last few days of the window. I don’t understand why they aren’t in the running for someone like Lewis Dunk [Brighton defender].
“It’s been the same at Arsenal for the last 15 years in terms of getting the right personnel into the club. That’s why we’re here now still talking about the same issues!”
Meanwhile, Cole, who won three Premier League titles, two FA Cups, and one League Cup during a seven-year spell at Stamford Bridge, says Tottenham must win a trophy sooner rather than later to be classed a ‘proper team’.
Mauricio Pochettino’s men reached the Champions League final last season , as well as securing a top-four spot, however the search goes on for that elusive piece of silverware – that last of which came back in 2008 when they won the League Cup.
“I’m a romantic when it comes to that kind of thing. I think winning a trophy is the main thing,” he explained.
“I think of myself and the days we won things [at Chelsea]. I don’t think of the times where we got to the quarter-finals of a competition and we played well or we got to the last four.
“You remember the days, as a fan and as a player, when you go to Wembley and win things.”
He continued: “I think Spurs as a club have been ran fantastically well for the last 10 to 15 years.
“They’ve developed and come on a bundle, but I feel like if I’m working for Spurs now I’d be saying to those lads you’ve got that experience under your belt now, you’ve had this great run [to the Champions League final].
“You’re already getting older so now’s the time, if they’re going to be a proper team, to put some silverware on the table.”
Cole also praised new Chelsea boss Frank Lampard for ‘galvanising’ the west London side during his appearance on the show.
“He’s galvanised the club. No one would have asked for the club to be handed a transfer ban, but it’s allowed them to take a step back,” he said.
“Younger players in and around the building are looking in and seeing that they’re going to get an opportunity.
“Frank says he’s going to get players in and around the squad that are ready to play in the first team.”
