Premier League The ‘blues’, in 2017, were the last to win the Premier
EFE
EFootball was ‘born’ in London. On October 26, 1863, at the Freemason’s Tavern in Covent Garden, the Football Association (FA) held its first meeting laying the foundations of the game as we know it today. Since then, 157 years have passed in which the power of ‘London’ in the world of the ball has been diminishing. Three teams (Arsenal (13 Leagues), Chelsea (six) and Tottenham (two) They have been champions since the first professional championship in 1888. The three, proud representatives of the British capital, have lived in the shadow of Liverpool (28 Leagues between Liverpool (19) and Everton (nine) and Manchester (26 between United (20) and City (six).
A trend that continues despite the fact that they are a majority in the Premier. Since its founding in 1992, nine (Tottenham, Arsenal, Chelsea, QPR, Charlton, Crystal Palace, West Ham, Fulham and Wimbledon) of the 49 teams that have competed in the English League have been from London. This course is six out of 20. Almost a third of all of them … although none are in a position to be crowned champion. The north and the industrial center have been ruling for 150 years. And is that in the 21st century, there have only been seven out of 20 London winners. Arsenal, with two winches (2001-02 and 2003-04) and Chelsea with five (2004-05, 2005-06, 2009-10, 2014-15 and 2016-17) have been the only ones to ‘win’. A major drought in the last decade (two in 10 … for now). Manchester City (four), United (two), Liverpool (one) and even Leicester (one) have ‘beaten’ them since 2010. Only the ‘blues’ have kept the type.
Frank Lampard’s departure from Chelsea was the trigger for the erratic march of the blues and the latest example of London’s decline. They are ninth, five points behind the European positions and 11 behind the leadership with one more game. All after investing 245 million euros this summer in Werner, Havertz, Ziyech … The higher spending on transfers in Europe has not served some ‘blues’ that are the last London team to win the Premier four seasons ago … and the only team in the British capital that has lifted the Champions League or the European Cup. It was in 2011-12 with Roberto Di Matteo on his bench and with Drogba, Terry, Mata, Torres … and Lampard himself on the grass in the final against Bayern. Penalties gave them glory at the Allianz.
Quite a feat for a Chelsea that managed to taste the ‘Orejona’ after running out of it in 2008 against United in Moscow. Tottenham in 2019 against Liverpool and Arsenal in 2006 against Barcelona lost the finals and are the other teams that touched the Champions League. A now distant world for some ‘gunners’ who have not won the Premier since 2004 and who have four seasons without playing the Champions League. This season, under the guidance of Mikel Arteta and with Aubemayang, Lacazette, Smith-Rowe, Saka … Arsenal aspires to turn the situation around. They are going back, but they are eleventh.
The opposite of a Tottenham that is at the top of the Premier. Jos Mourinho’s team is fifth and with Kane, Son, Ndombele … he is fully involved in the fight for the Champions … and perhaps the League. They are seven points behind the lead with one game less. An alien that has only sung twice in its history, the last one in 1961! They are fighting for the title (a dream) and fourth place (an obligation). But Manchester and Liverpool, as is tradition, will not make it easy for him. The Champions League anthem has been playing non-stop in London since 1997-98. That season, there were no London teams in the top continental competition (Manchester United and Newcastle played for England). The next campaign could be repeated.
– .
