The Arsenal legend gave his opinion after Spurs made their Premier League bow back at N17.
After a number of delays and setbacks along the way, Tottenham Hotspur have finally moved into their brand new £1bn stadium and there is no denying it is a work of art.
However, former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson could not resist having a dig at Spurs, claiming the state-of-the-art new arena does not make them a “big team”.
The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium successfully hosted two test events – an Under-18s game and a Legends exhibition match – before the big occasion came on Wednesday.
Crystal Palace were Spurs’ first Premier League opponents back at N17 and everything could not have gone better for the Lilywhites, the opening ceremony going smoothly and the hosts winning the game.
As well as delivering during the big occasion, the Tottenham win put an end to a major downturn of form in the Premier League that had seen them lose four of their five games prior to the Eagles game.
With such a fantastic new stadium, the springboard is there for Spurs to kick on and elevate themselves to become one of the biggest clubs in the world, but ex-Gunner Merson made his feelings clear in terms of how things stand right now.
“Tottenham’s new stadium looks lovely, but does it make them a big team? No. Not even close,” Merson wrote in the Daily Star. “Spurs need to buy players this summer or they will finish where they do this year. That’s the problem for Mauricio Pochettino.”
Merson also said the change to the Tottenham players’ routine at this point of the season could also backfire, adding: “Footballers like routine. They are creatures of habit. They don’t like change.
“But suddenly everything has changed for Tottenham’s players. It’s all different. From the way they get to the game, to where they go in the ground, where their families sit, which facilities they use. I don’t think the new ground is an advantage for them at all. It’s going to take them a lot of getting used to.”
Spurs currently sit third in the table, having leapfrogged Arsenal in midweek.
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