As European competitions reach their final stretch, former England striker Clive Allen joined Paul Coyte in an exclusive video for GB News members, offering insights into Arsenal’s Champions League battle and the high-stakes Europa League ties involving Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United.Reflecting on the Champions League semi-final first legs, Allen praised the extraordinary standard of football on show, highlighting Barcelona’s thrilling contest with Inter Milan.“It could’ve ended up 10–3,” Allen said. “Really, really impressed with the way Barcelona played.”The conversation turned quickly to Arsenal, who lost to Paris Saint-Germain in their first leg. Coyte noted PSG’s early dominance and suggested the French side looked more united than in previous years. “They’re more of a team than they’ve ever been before,” Coyte said. “It used to be about getting Messi, Neymar... throwing money at it.”Allen agreed: “The philosophy has changed. They’ve moved the ball really well and losing the big names seems to have galvanised the group.”
00:00We've got Clive Allen with us. Clive, always good to see you.
00:04You know, it's a very exciting time in Europe.
00:07We speak to you before the Europa League semi-finals and just after the Champions League semi-final first leg.
00:14What have you made of it so far?
00:16I think you've seen football with the highest quality, the Champions League semi-finals, both games.
00:21Obviously, Arsenal, PSG. I thought PSG started really well, had a fantastic 20 minutes.
00:27Arsenal grew into the game, had chances. That, for me, is still in the balance.
00:33And what an incredible game. Barcelona, Inter, unbelievable game, which could have easily have ended up 10-3 the way Barcelona played.
00:42Really, really impressed with their performance.
00:45Quick, about Arsenal, though, it's not done and dusted yet, is it?
00:49I mean, I thought PSG were better and you see the way they play.
00:53See, they're more of a team than they've ever been before, aren't they?
00:56There were so many individuals when you had Messi and Neymar, etc.
01:01And Mbappe, of course.
01:03But it was just like, throw money at them, let's just get the best players.
01:06But it doesn't really necessarily work that well.
01:08Whereas now, it seems like they're a proper team and it looked like it, didn't it?
01:14Absolutely, Paul.
01:15I think philosophy's changed from, you know, the incredible talent that they had.
01:20Obviously, losing Mbappe, the last of those players to leave.
01:25I think it's galvanised the group.
01:28They're really impressive the way they moved the ball.
01:31I still think they're vulnerable defensively and that's where Arsenal have a...
01:36I think they still have a real chance of progressing to the final.
01:40Set pieces are going to be absolutely vital.
01:43But I can see Arsenal's physicality coming through as the second leg gets to the later stages.
01:50And I think if Arsenal are in it, I think they can win it.
01:54So what would you say then, if you're Mikel Arteta?
01:57And I know that's going to be a stress for you, Clive.
02:00But if you're Mikel Arteta...
02:02I was saying earlier this week, if I was an Arsenal fan, I thought, OK, I don't know if I can do that.
02:06But I'll give it a go.
02:07So would you say, you go out, I mean, it's the old cliches, first 10 minutes are very important.
02:12Or you just go for it straight away.
02:16How would you deal with PSG and the Parc de France?
02:20Firstly, Paul, I would have no idea what Mikel Arteta's thinking.
02:24But I think he'll be positive with the group.
02:29And certainly, as you say, I think they need to start well.
02:31But I just have that belief that the way that they play will, at the end of the second leg, come to fruition.
02:39And I think Arsenal have been there before.
02:42They've done it before.
02:44And there is a resilience within this Arsenal group.
02:47So although, you know, if they were going to Paris at 0-0, they've still got a score to win.
02:54And as it stands, they've still got a score to stay in the competition.
02:57So really, it's no different.
02:59They know they've got to get a goal.
03:00And I think they're capable of doing that.
03:03And when they do, as long as they don't concede, I think Arsenal are a team that can keep it very tight.
03:08And they'll have to do that against, as we said, a very, very good PSG side.
03:13But they keep it tight, Arsenal.
03:15I see them sneaking through.
03:18You know what?
03:18I'm with you.
03:19I've got a strange feeling about that.
03:21I mean, they've done it with Real Madrid easily.
03:23But, I mean, PSG, different proposition.
03:25But it's doable.
03:26Certainly doable.
03:27Now, tonight, I want to mention tonight, there's two huge games in the Europa League.
03:32One of them involving our lot, of course, the Tottenham Hotspur against Bodo Glimt.
03:37I've been through the whole morning going through everything about Bodo from learning that they hang cod.
03:42And it's inside the Arctic Circle.
03:46And it's probably further away from Oslo than Madrid is.
03:51There's all these different things.
03:53And also the fact that they're doing extremely well.
03:56And we had Eric Torsford say that they're a pretty rich club.
03:59But they are missing players, which is going to make a huge difference.
04:03And Spurs absolutely need to get a good lead before they go up there and play on a plastic pitch.
04:09Yeah, it's an absolutely fascinating tie.
04:12Obviously, I just think the position Spurs find themselves in at the moment.
04:16It's not only everything for this season, but it is for next season and going forward.
04:23You know, winning the Europa, Champions League qualification, the Finances, everything, everything changes within the club through the summer period if they win the Europa League and qualify for Champions.
04:36If they don't, I don't know what's going to happen with Spurs.
04:39I'm really a little fearful as to what the next stage would be.
04:44But it is an enormous game against opposition that are going to be very, very difficult.
04:51They're absolutely incredible at home, have had a few defeats away on the road in not only the Europa League, but we're actually in the qualifying stages of the Champions League at the beginning of the season.
05:04So, you know, it's a team that cannot be underestimated.
05:09Spurs need a victory, I think, just for confidence, morale going into that second leg.
05:15They need to take a victory into the Arctic Circle next week.
05:19There's obviously all the talk about Ange Pasterkoglu and if he stays, if he goes, and even if Spurs won the Europa League, that there's, you know, a lot of people are saying that probably he would still go.
05:33But I tell you what's interesting, Clive, and that is a couple of things.
05:36A lot of people have mentioned Keith Berkinshaw at the end of 84.
05:39It was his last game as Spurs manager when Spurs won the UEFA Cup.
05:43One that's not mentioned, and this is if we go back to 1974, also Bill Nicholson's last game was a UEFA Cup final as well.
05:52And Spurs lost that.
05:54So if there's any history repeating itself, I don't want Spurs to lose it or even get there.
05:58But it seems to be a very strange thing of Spurs managers leaving after UEFA Cup finals.
06:05Yeah, it's quite incredible and amazing how these sort of things really get.
06:12I'm testing quite or any of that.
06:13It's just a fact.
06:14We're not going to get anything else.
06:15Just a fact.
06:16And Paul, what we have, I think what we've got to focus on is the opportunity that we have tonight first and foremost.
06:23That has to be where the focus is, where Spurs attack the game.
06:28Listen, whatever's happened this season in domestic competitions, the crowd will be electric at the stadium tonight.
06:38They'll get behind the team.
06:40The team need to put in a performance.
06:42And if they do, I always say they put in a Frankfurt away performance and they will get a favourable result this evening.
06:50Let's hope so.
06:51Manchester United then are in Bilbao.
06:53It could be good practice for Manchester United.
06:55I think it's probably fair to say it's a tougher match, Bilbao, and also away.
07:01And that's where the final's going to be.
07:02So they're actually playing in the stadium where the final will be if Bilbao go through.
07:08I mean, talk about a great advantage to be able to play in your home stadium.
07:12But Manchester United against Lyon, which was incredible.
07:15But again, the similarities with Spurs have done okay in Europe.
07:18But when it comes to domestically, it's been pretty disastrous.
07:22What do you reckon tonight?
07:23It's going to be really tough.
07:24Well, Paul, it's a very similar scenario to Spurs in that Manchester United need to win the Europa League for Champions League qualification for finances.
07:34How is it going to unfold for Manchester United this summer?
07:38Will Ameren stay?
07:40Will he be given a licence if Manchester United are a Champions League side?
07:44Or, like Tottenham, would struggle, you know, having struggled in the league this season?
07:50So there's so many comparisons there.
07:53Of the two games, I would have to say Manchester United is the tougher.
07:57Manchester United actually beat Bode Glimm in the Europa League league phase earlier in this season.
08:03It was at United, but they did beat them 3-2.
08:06So I think, you know, you can look at levels as to where you're at and United having a poor season needed that result for their Europa League campaign.
08:16So it's really close to call.
08:19I just think with Manchester United's history, sometimes you can't rely on that pedigree, that they might just progress to the final.
08:29And I'm hoping that it's an all-English final.
08:32Can you imagine? Spurs, Manchester United in Bilbao.
08:35What a lovely trip that's going to be for everybody.
