Has Holtby put the kiss of death on Mainz?
Given that Lewis Holtby has an English father and is thought to be an Everton fan, you'd think he'd be aware of the dangers of prophesising an unbeaten season.
The 20-year-old Schalke winger, who has excelled for loan club Mainz in their 100 per cent Bundesliga start, has suggested that the unexpected title contenders could get through the whole campaign without suffering a single defeat.
The German Under-21 captain said: "If we are able to maintain our fitness and if we go on playing in an aggressive manner, then anything is possible. Maybe no team will beat us."
The bold statement echoed Arsene Wenger's September 21 2002 comments: "It will be difficult for us to go through the season unbeaten but we can do it. I just have great belief in this squad. Other teams think exactly the same but they don't say it because they're scared of looking ridiculous."
Less than a month after the Arsenal boss made the confident claim, his dream was destroyed by Holtby's boyhood team at Goodison Park, with a 16-year-old Wayne Rooney stylishly scoring his first ever Premier League goal to earn the Toffees three points.
The Gunners would go on to lose six matches that season, yet fulfilled Wenger's greatest ambition a year later, with the Frenchman on that occasion refusing to hype the possibility too early into the campaign.
Will Mainz complete one of the most stunning title wins in German history or will Holtby regret bringing up the U word with 27 games to go? They're [8.4] to finish first...
Published: 12 Oct 2010
Leave a comment