Premier League: Pundit predicts Chelsea will finish above Arsenal
Joe Cole cannot see either Arsenal or Tottenham finishing above Chelsea in the Premier League this season.
Arsenal are currently placed the highest out of the three sides in the league table.
The Gunners are fourth after seven matches, with north London rivals Tottenham sixth and Chelsea seventh.
But having watched the early weeks of the campaign, Cole is confident his former side can make the top four, even if reaching the top six would have been the aim at the beginning.
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I’m looking at it and thinking I can’t see Tottenham or Arsenal finishing above Chelsea
“After 10 games now I’m looking at it, top six is acceptable, but I’m looking at it and thinking I can’t see Tottenham or Arsenal finishing above Chelsea,” he said on BT Sport.
“I think maybe the top four is there.”
Former Chelsea midfielder and manager Glenn Hoddle reckons a top-six finish would be a satisfactory season for the Blues.
“Top six,” Hoddle said.
“With where they are as a team at the moment. More importantly it’s what [Roman] Abramovich wants.”
Frank Lampard’s former England and West Ham team-mate Rio Ferdinand reckons the Chelsea boss will be determined to make the top four, but says top six would be acceptable.
“Top six, I agree,” Ferdinand said.
“Frank will be going for top four, that’s the way he is.
“He’s a person who wants to win and achieve and overachieve.
“But top six I think would have been the remit at the start of the season.”
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Lampard has blooded plenty of youngsters already during his short tenure at Chelsea.
Cole says that would not have been his old team-mate’s plan but believes the younger players have forced their way into the side.
With Frank, I don’t think it was a conscience effort, ‘I’m going to come in and now I’m going to play these young players’,” Cole added.
“I think he’s had a lot of his squad and because of the transfer ban there was more and more of them training and he’s looking at it and thinking ‘well these guys are producing for me, they’re doing the business in pre-season’.
“I think it’s just happened that way organically.”