Paul Merson has made some ridiculous comments since entering the media but his comments this week about Harry Redknapp and Arsene Wenger were up there with the biggest head-scratchers.
“People say he's a wheeler-dealer and it's so disrespectful," Merson said about Redknapp on A League Of Their Own.
"Tactically, he's one of the best I've worked with. If Arsene Wenger had Harry Redknapp's tactical nous, Arsenal would win the league."
This is the same Redknapp who was sacked by Birmingham City last month after starting the season with just two wins in 10 matches.
There’s absolutely no chance Arsenal would win the league if Redknapp managed the team.
Fan creates brilliant Twitter thread
Anyway, the hysteria surrounding Merson’s comments reached new levels when football fan Nic English, who works for Squawka, decided to imagine how Arsenal would fare with Redknapp in charge.
English created a Twitter thread detailing the Gunners’ season, starting off with a transfer window in which Niko Kranjcar, Glen Johnson, Emmanuel Adebayor and Christopher Samba all arrive at the Emirates, with Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil and Hector Bellerin among the players to exit.
What transpires is brilliant. Check out the thread below.
1. Redknapp's first presser
2. Summer signings
3. Starting XI for season opener
4. It went horribly
5. Changes to the side - or not
5. Arsenal lose to Liverpool - but Kranjcar scores
6. It all kicks off in training
7. Loic Remy is tipped to shine against Koln
8. Redknapp blames Wenger
9. Steve Bould gets sacked
10. ArsenalFanTV is in meltdown
11. January signings
12. Switch to 3-5-1-1
13. Arsenal batter Everton
14. Harry's excited for the North London Derby
15. Merse backs Redknapp
16. But it ends horribly
17. Kranjcar gets injured
18. Walcott gets hot
19. What's happened to Reus?
20. Final game of the season
21. Oh Dawson
22. At least Robbie is rich
23. And Moyes takes over
It's brilliant
There are so many good moments. Olivier Giroud somehow ending up in hospital after Adebayor two-foots Jack Wilshere in training; Marco Reus arriving in January because “the physio says he’s fine”, only to fracture both legs while trying his shoelaces.
English even includes the entirely unsurprising reaction from ArsenalFanTV.
After a 1-1 draw with Koln, “DT calls for patience during this ‘transition’ while Troopz continually dubs Arter an ‘Unlucky Charm bloodclart’.”
Then, after the Gunners miss out on the Europa League on the final day of the season, “ArsenalFanTV overtakes KSI in subscribers. Robbie earns £1m in a single day thanks to video titled: ‘DT: REDKNAPP IS GOING TO DIE TONIGHT’.”
English nailed it.
The #WengerOut supporters get their wish when the Frenchman departs at the end of the season but his replacement is David Moyes.
Just imagine the reaction if that really happens.