Jol: Aston Villa Are Better Than Arsenal

The former Tottenham manager thinks that the Gunners are on the slide and Aston Villa is climbing.

Dec 16, 2008 1:34:29 PM

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Tottenham coach Martin Jol (PA)

Martin Jol reckons that Aston Villa will supersede Arsenal this year as one of the so-called 'Big Four' sides and will be playing Champions League football next season at the Gunners' expense.

The former Tottenham Hotspur manager, now coach at Hamburger SV in the Bundesliga, also praises Martin O'Neill, and compares Villa now to the Tottenham side he was constructing before his departure from White Hart Lane.

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"The first-team of Aston Villa are better than Arsenal and next season Villa will be playing in the Champions League," said Jol today.

"They have a very clever manager and Villa are perhaps one of the best teams in England.

"They have got the talent, as we had a couple of years ago at Spurs, and the future is for them." 

He is less than optimistic about Arsenal's prospects for success, and claims that the Gunners can no longer rely on qualifying for the Champions League every year.

"You need a bit of luck as well but Arsenal are not doing as well and Villa can get into that top four," the dutchman added.

"Arsenal are not so good now and are no longer automatically a top-four side."

Jol's Hamburg team currently sit in fourth place in the Bundesliga table, two points behind leaders Hoffenheim. They host O'Neill's Villa tomorrow night in a largely meaningless UEFA Cup tie, as both sides have already qualififed for the last-32 of the competition.

--Zack Wilson, Goal.com

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