'Waiter, hand me a spoon - time to eat humble pie'
It felt somewhat bittersweet as the final whistle blew on Sunday, all but cementing Ipswich's relegation to the Championship, and further solidifying Arsenal's grip on second place. In a season plagued by injuries, this was the first time in months that Ben White, Bukayo Saka, and Martin Odegaard had all taken to the field together. The Gunners returned to their scintillating attacking form - a painful reminder of perhaps what could have been this season if key players had been able to stay fit.But there was another player at the heart of this attacking resurgence.A few weeks back, I wrote that Gabriel Martinelli had but a few weeks to prove his worth to Arsenal, lest he be sold in the summer. Waiter, hand me a spoon please, because it's time to eat some humble pie.It was Martinelli's brilliant breakaway goal on Wednesday against Real Madrid that sealed Arsenal's place in the Champions League semi-finals, and it was Martinelli on the end of a sumptuous Arsenal move to score the second against Ipswich.He has looked like a man on a mission these past few games, and it will be an increasingly difficult conversation in the summer as to whether Arsenal will still need an upgrade.Martinelli's resurgence is further proof of how unpredictable and inconsistent this season has been for Arsenal. Leandro Trossard's double at the weekend is also evidence that Mikel Arteta's side, even with their injuries, should have had enough to remain within touching distance of Liverpool.There are many moments supporters will look back on this season and ask 'what if'. But the post-mortem can wait. We have a semi-final to look forward to, and Martinelli is back to his very best.Find more from Laura Kirk-Francis at the Latte Firm podcast, external
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Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) TOTTENHAM are seeking a replacement for sacked boss Ange Postecoglou. Chairman Daniel Levy has axed Postecoglou despite the Aussie ending Spurs' 17-year trophy drought. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 9 Ange Postecoglou has been axed as Tottenham manager Credit: Alamy 9 Postecoglou, 59, lifted the Europa League trophy in Bilbao Credit: Getty The 59-year-old vowed that his work was not done after his side beat Manchester United to lift the Europa League in Bilbao last month. But following lengthy deliberations, Levy has still decided to get rid of Postecoglou. With Tottenham having finished 17th in the Premier League table, the Spurs supremo will be desperate for a boss that can lift his side back towards the top four. 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Ange Postecoglou drops huge hint over Tottenham future with incredible mic-drop moment at Europa League parade Frank can at times deploy quite direct football, a style that has not gone down particularly well under the likes of Nuno Espirito Santo and Jose Mourinho at Spurs in the past. MARCO SILVA Pros: The Portuguese gaffer has done a remarkable job at Fulham, guiding them from being a Championship yo-yo club to a stable mid-table Premier League side. That sort of stability could be an attractive proposition to the Spurs board, who have overseen a chaotic six years since Mauricio Pochettino was sacked. Fulham performed well in London derbies last season, beating Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and taking a point off Arsenal - something Spurs always struggled to do under Postecoglou. Cons: Silva's previous big move, from Watford to Everton, did not go well - with the 47-year-old being sacked barely a year-and-a-half into the job. He is not known to be particularly charismatic, which could lead him to struggle in getting Spurs fans onside early on. Silva also hasn't won any trophies since lifting the Greek title in 2016, while he has never finished higher than eighth in the Premier League. 9 Marco Silva has led Fulham to mid-table stability Credit: Shutterstock Editorial MICHAEL CARRICK Pros: Having played for Spurs between 2004 and 2006, Carrick possesses an understanding of how the club runs and what their supporters appreciate. Carrick, 43, has therefore also worked with Levy, which could help him when dealing with the Spurs chairman. Following several years at Manchester United, the former midfielder has an impressive contacts book within the game. Cons: Quite simply, Spurs fans will baulk at the idea of hiring a boss that has just been sacked by a Championship side. Carrick's first full-time gig as a manager has to be seen as a failure, having not been promoted with Middlesbrough in three attempts. All three of his seasons at Boro faltered in the run-in - something Spurs fans and board members cannot accept. 9 Michael Carrick was sacked by Middlesbrough after missing out on the play-offs Credit: PA OLIVER GLASNER Pros: Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner knows what it takes to win trophies. The Austrian, 50, lifted the Europa League with Eintracht Frankfurt in 2022, before going on to win Palace's first ever major silverware in the FA Cup last season. With the Eagles' participation in Europe next term shrouded in doubt, Spurs could pounce for their boss amid the uncertainty - perhaps alongside long-term targets Eberechi Eze and Marc Guehi too. Cons: Palace chairman Steve Parish will not let go of his manager without a fight - having scrapped to keep Glasner following Bayern Munich's advances 12 months ago. Tottenham have targeted Palace stars Eze and Guehi, but may be unlikely to get them immediately should the Eagles be stung from losing their manager to the North Londoners. It could force a waiting game for the England duo. Glasner's three-at-the-back formation is not too dissimilar to Antonio Conte's, which broke down following his first year at Tottenham - while key Spurs defenders Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven have both suffered repeatedly with injuries in the last two seasons. 9 Oliver Glasner won the FA Cup with Crystal Palace Credit: Getty XAVI Pros: Former Barcelona boss Xavi would add a bit of star-power to the White Hart Lane dugout. Spurs supporters have always appreciated a dash of flair, so having one of the world's greatest-ever midfielders as manager would likely appeal to many. Xavi, 45, showed that he can work under difficult circumstances by winning the LaLiga title in 2022-23, while he also demonstrated that he was versatile enough to deviate from Barca's traditional 4-3-3 system when required. Cons: Xavi has no experience of English football, having never played or managed in the Premier League. His job at Barca, while impressive, was not particularly similar to what the task would be at Spurs - more a of a rebuilding effort than title charge, at least initially. A disappointing run mid-way through the 2023-24 season saw Xavi dramatically claim that he would quit Barca at the end of the campaign - only for him to later perform a U-turn... before being sacked anyway. 9 Xavi coached Barcelona between 2021 and 2024 Credit: Reuters SCOTT PARKER Pros: Like Carrick, Parker has a deep understanding of Spurs having played for the club. The Burnley boss also began his coaching career at Tottenham, having managed their Under-18s during the 2017-18 season. Parker, 44, has previously been assisted by coach Matt Wells, who has spent the last two seasons on Postecoglou's coaching staff. Cons: Tottenham fans would be extremely underwhelmed by the appointment of Parker. The former midfielder has had previous cracks at the Premier League with Fulham and Bournemouth - being sacked by both clubs. Parker's football has been quite dour on the eye at times, something Spurs fans would struggle to accept unless results were extremely good. 9 Scott Parker guided Burnley to promotion last season Credit: PA ANDONI IRAOLA Pros: Iraola's high-octane pressing football could excite the Spurs faithful next season. The Spaniard's rise across stints in LaLiga and the South Coast is reminiscent of Mauricio Pochettino's career prior to joining Tottenham. Iraola has shown an ability to improve his players, with the likes of Dominic Solanke having levelled up under his tutelage. Cons: Iraola's football takes time to implement and patience may be in short supply following Postecoglou's dismissal. The Cherries did not win any of Iraola's first nine Premier League games in charge at the start of the 2023-24 campaign. Postecoglou was criticised for the amount of injuries suffered by his players, potentially down to his style of football - with similar accusations having been levelled at Iraola.
