Speaking exclusively with BOYLE Sports, former Portugal star Pedro Mendes has shared his insights on the Premier League, Champions League, and European football.
The former midfielder, who played for Spurs, Portsmouth, and Rangers, has discussed Arsenal’s chances of making a real statement in Europe this season, the potential of Manchester United under Ruben Amorim, and how Spurs can strengthen key positions to compete at the highest level.
Mendes also offered his thoughts on Portuguese talents like Bruno Fernandes, Diogo Dalot, João Palhinha, and Antonio Silva and if any of them could be on the move when the January Transfer Window opens next month.
Arsenal
Could Arsenal Panic?
I think Arsenal have been getting closer for the past two or three seasons, almost, almost, but in that critical moment, they're failing.
When they need to win, they draw, or they lose. But it's a mentality that Mikel Arteta is building in the team. I think this year may be their year. They look strong, look sharp, they look confident, focused, a good team, overall, a very, very good team. I think this year may be Arsenal's year.
The Best Team In Europe
Are Arsenal the best team in Europe? I love PSG, the way they're playing. Even Barcelona, with their young players, was a joy to watch against Atletico.
But Arsenal, the way they beat Bayern Munich, the way they play, the way I think they are establishing themselves in Europe as well, I think they're making a statement for themselves.
However, English teams sometimes struggle away in Europe against big teams. So, I'm curious to see Arsenal playing away against one strong European team and to see how they perform.
In my personal opinion, I love PSG, the way they play and Barcelona with the young players. You have Real Madrid this year, struggling a little bit, Bayern, of course, and Arsenal. I think Arsenal are in the top four or five teams in Europe at the moment.
Champions League Contenders
The biggest threat to Arsenal in the Champions League? I just love the way PSG play. Bayern Munich and Barcelona, too. I saw Barcelona last night, the way they play, so high up the pitch, with all those young players playing with such joy.
I think Barcelona might have a word to say this year, to be fair. I think it will be between Arsenal, PSG, Bayern Munich, and Barcelona, one of those four.
Man United
Can Amorim’s System Click?
Ruben Amorim is a proud guy who will not change his system. I think that at Sporting, the team played well, but maybe some key players are missing for that system to really click at Man Utd.
Maybe some players had some difficulty interpreting and playing that system. But the truth is, the system really worked at Sporting. Sporting played amazingly in Portugal and in Europe.
United can do fantastic things and then just drop points with an under-par performance, and then they play really well again. I don't know, there's something missing, that 'click.
Just when you think three wins in a row means they've clicked, they lose again. I don't know if they will sign some players in January, but they will surely sign a couple.
Diogo Dalot
Diogo Dalot can play on the right wing, can play on the left wing, and because of that, he is a good asset. Most fans don't even notice him, but he's a really important player for Manchester United. He does his job, he doesn't overcommit, and he helps the team when he needs to.
Ruben Amorim trusts him, and he's a player who will always deliver; he's a very useful player for the team. He will also be playing for Portugal at the World Cup and will be a valuable member of the squad.
Playing Fernandes Deeper
When Ruben Amorim was at Sporting, with Morten Hjulmand or Manuel Ugarte before, and Pedro Goncalves was in the middle. So, someone holding and someone just to take the ball and make the team play.
I think at Man United, you have Casemiro, you have Ugarte, you need someone different, and Bruno can give that to the team. For sure, Bruno would love to play more upfront to score more goals, but then you have good players upfront.
You have Matheus Cunha, you have Benjamin Sesko, you have Joshua Zirkzee, you have good players upfront, so Bruno can have more presence and more importance in the team at this stage, playing that middle role.
Fernandes To Barcelona?
I don't know, it's up to him, but I think Bruno at the moment is the key figure for Manchester United, right? So what else can you want? As a player at a team like United, if you are the main guy, why would you change just for a new challenge or a new chapter in your career? Fair enough, that's understandable.
But, he won't have at Barcelona what he has at United at the moment. In Barcelona, he can be a top player, for sure, 100%. But in Barcelona, they have Pedri, they have players like Raphinha and Lamine Yamal.
Bruno won't be the top name at Barcelona. And at United, I think Bruno is that guy. He might be up for a new challenge, but what more can you ask for if you are the main guy at United?
Reaching Icon Status
Bruno Fernandes has been unbelievable for the past three or four seasons. But you just need the Premier League trophy, which will put him among the greatest ever in the league.
Has Bruno Fernandes Reached Icon Status?
Transfer Talk
Ruben Neves Premier League Return?
Ruben Neves was good when he was there; now he's in Saudi and I only see him with the Portuguese national team. He's playing well.
But again, from Saudi to the Premier League is a massive difference. The game is completely different. Can he be successful? He will need to adapt again because he'll come from a completely different championship.
Even if he knows the Premier League, he needs to adapt himself again.
Antonio Silva To Chelsea?
Antonio Silva had a good season last year, and there were reports he might leave Benfica. I'm not sure if Chelsea were mentioned at the time, but there were rumours.
This season, he's been struggling a bit with playing time. However, he's young, a Portuguese international, 22 years old, and Premier League clubs have a good track record when signing these young Portuguese players; they deliver, and it's good business.
So, why not? Of course, he needs to improve. He isn't aggressive enough yet to play in the Premier League. He needs to improve that, but he has the presence. He's young, so there's a lot of room for improvement. Yes, it could work.
Spurs For Semenyo?
For Spurs, I think they need a top striker and a top winger. That's where I would focus. The central defenders and midfielders are okay. They have Richarlison and Dominic Solanke, but I believe they need one top striker who can deliver 15-20 goals a season, and a winger who can really threaten defence.
If they have the budget, those two positions should be the priority, although they will be expensive.
Tottenham Talk
Unlocking Palhinha's Potential
Joao Palhinha is the typical Premier League number six, that defensive midfielder who just sweeps up everything in front of the defenders. If you have a team that has a lot of possession, he's a little bit out of his game, from my point of view.
The players around him will shine more than him because, as you said, he just wins the ball, passes it away, tackles the ball, and passes it. He's fantastic at doing that role. He was fantastic at Fulham.
In Bayern Munich, when you have 70% or 60% of ball possession most of the games, and you don't need to do that kind of job, because normally teams play counter-attack or don't have that type of possession against you, his strength is a little bit forgotten.
He has more of the ball, and he needs to be more involved in the game, and to be fair, it's not his main strength. So, probably that's why he struggled at Bayern and at Spurs at the moment. I like what I saw in some games this year from him, but it's different from Fulham.
Palhinha at Man Utd? Well, why not? But to be fair, I think Manuel Ugarte is more or less the same type of player as Palhinha.
Palhinha is an option if they want to replace him. But why not? We are not sure what is going to happen to Casemiro, so I think it could work.
Guglielmo Vicario
It's really unfair for a goalkeeper. You can have a fantastic game and then just slip up once, and all the effort means nothing. But Vicario has been a good goalkeeper for Spurs overall.
If I were on the Spurs board, it wouldn't be a position I would spend money on at the moment. I think they are okay with Vicario.
Okay, there's one mistake here, one mistake there, but I think there are other positions they need to strengthen first.
Managerial Pressure At Spurs
It has not been a good run for four or five games. Going to PSG and scoring three goals, although you concede five, scoring three against PSG is something you can take out of that game.
But consistency is always a problem, even with the new manager. The team started really well, but then suddenly they just kept dropping points, and the team started to perform poorly.
As a manager, he has a big task there. They have good players, but I think something is missing there. I think for Spurs, they need a winning mentality. Sometimes I think they lack that winning mentality, and I think that's something they need to build at the club.
Will Thomas Frank Last The Season With Tottenham?
Is Carrick Next In Line?
Michael Carrick did well at Middlesbrough, and he had a spell at Manchester United, where he also did well. He is an intelligent person; he's definitely been learning from other managers.
Here in Portugal, we see great managers who have previously spent time as an assistant, and he could do that. Vitor Pereira was an assistant of Andre Villas-Boas, for example.
So I think that sometimes they only need a chance to prove their value; to prove they can do the job, and they can have the job done. Carrick was an intelligent midfielder and a guy who liked the ball and a lot of possession. I think he is one to watch for Premier League clubs.
Prediction: Spurs vs Brentford
They have to win. 2-1 for Spurs. I think Pedro Porro will score a wonder goal from outside the box, with Richarlison also scoring.
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