[size=6]Wenger - I am not scared to spend money[/size]

By Richard Clarke

Arsène Wenger insists he is not scared to spend money in the transfer market.

On Friday morning, Arsenal posted buoyant financial figures. Both profit and turnover were at record levels. In addition the Club’s debt had been significantly reduced.

The manager has been criticised for not re-enforcing his squad with part of this money. However Wenger argues it is his responsibility to use his club’s funds as wisely as he can.

“I have the wrong reputation,” he said. “I’m not scared to spend money.

“But the job of a manager is not to spend as much money and to get someone like Marouane Chamakh for free. But instead of getting credit you get accused for getting him for free. [People say] ‘why did you not get spend £20 million for him?’

“If I’d bought him two years ago for £20 million it’s OK. But when you get him for free it’s ‘oh, he didn’t spend money again’."
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/wenger-i-am-not-scared-to-spend-money

[size=6]Jesus - Arshavin won us the Tottenham tie[/size]

While plaudits have rightly come the way of players such as Jack Wilshere, Henri Lansbury and Kieran Gibbs after Tuesday’s resounding win at White Hart Lane, Jesus believes the introduction of another star was a vital ingredient in our extra-time success.

“I think Andrey Arshavin made the big difference for us,” he says in his captain’s notes for tomorrow’s Matchday Programme.

“I believe he won us the game when he came on. He played the two passes that led to the two penalties in extra-time, then he scored the last goal himself. He can win a game.”

You can read far more from Jesus in tomorrow’s programme – as well as a raft of other exclusive interviews, features and news.

As well as Jesus, we’ve the exclusive words of Arsène Wenger, Samir Nasri. Johan Djourou and Nigel Winterburn, along with everything else you’d expect from our award-winning publication. There’s also the chance to win tomorrow’s match ball and have it signed, in person, by a player after the game!

It’s available for just £3 from programme sellers in and around Emirats Stadium, as well as official Club retail outlets.
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/fabregas-arshavin-won-us-the-tottenham-tie

Gooner will agree with me, essential listening for any Arsenal fan is the It's Up For Grabs Now podcast. Out every tuesday on iTunes. Absolutely hilarious:lol:
http://playbackmedia.co.uk/its-up-for-grabs-now/

My favourite big 4 side

[size=6]Arsène Wenger: 'Nobody matches me when it comes to developing players'[/size]

Arsène Wenger has claimed that no other manager or club in world football – including Manchester United's Sir Alex Ferguson – can match his record for giving players their break at the highest level.

The Arsenal manager said: "One day I'll give you the list of those at the top level who have made careers with me and you will see. You will be absolutely astonished. I don't make any list but when I meet someone and think: 'Oh, he started with me,' then you see.

"You need to be strong do this. If you reproach me for not buying players, well if I buy players, Jack Wilshere [who is 18] doesn't come out, so you cannot have everything. I'm long enough in the job to have a development policy to educate the players and the most difficult is to stand up for it and play them."

Asked if he believes his record is better than any other manager, Wenger said: "Of course. There is nobody else in the world. Take the list of the players who started here. Johan Djourou, where has he started? Here. [Philippe] Senderos, where has he started? [Gaël] Clichy, where has he started? [Kieran] Gibbs? Where has he started? [Cesc] Fábregas? Where has he started? [Alexandre] Song? Where has he started? [Abou] Diaby has basically never played before at the top level. Ashley Cole. If you go back, it is unbelievable the number of players who started at this club."

In the 1990s Sir Alex Ferguson developed a wave of homegrown players at Manchester United that included Ryan Giggs, David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and the Neville brothers. But Wenger dismissed the Scot's recent record. "When I arrived [as Arsenal manager in September 1996] nearly all their team had started [at United]. Not recently," he said.

What of Barcelona or Real Madrid? "Real Madrid? Zero. Barcelona has, but I speak about me," he said. "When I go back to Monaco [where he was manager between 1987-1994] the number of players that started with me, [for example] Emmanuel Petit and Lilian Thuram."

Wenger rejected criticism that he is reluctant to spend money on transfers. "Of course people say always to buy but you cannot make careers and lives of people and on top of that buy every time you have an injured player.

"You know I have the wrong reputation. I'm not scared to spend money. The job of a manager is not to spend as much money. To get [Marouane] Chamakh for free [this summer] – instead of getting credit, you get accused for getting him for free: 'Why did you not spend £20m for him?' If I buy him two years ago for £20m it's OK. But when you get him for free it's, 'Oh, he didn't spend money.'"
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/sep/24/arsene-wenger-developing-players

Well I guess it's not all bad this week. Chelsea lost which means we are still only 4 points behind them Sure I would have rathered going into next weeks game only 1pt down but oh well. Jesus is back next week so that's a massive massive plus and Vermaelen is back as well apparently.

The other good thing to come out of this weekend is Sp*rs losing 1-0 to West Ham:lol: :lol:

Now if Man Utd don't win tomorrow the weekend isn't all doom and gloom.

[size=6]Wenger: 'I didn't recognise my team today'[/size]

on a shock defeat...
We made it more difficult because we were not at our usual level. Not defensively, not offensively. Overall everything was difficult for us today - passing the ball, winning the ball back, winning the one against ones - and we got what we deserved which was zero points. We didn't deserve more. The positive is that we did fight until the last minute but it was just not good enough at that level to get three points.

on Manuel Almunia...
You can have question marks about many players today if you look at the performance, especially the defensive one. Many players made massive mistakes defensively.

on leaving Jack Wilshere on the bench...
He has played many games. I believe it was not down to one player in or out, it was down to a poor team performance.

on criticism of Almunia...
I do not want to come out on any individual performances because we were collectively poor. You could single out a few players who have made mistakes.

on a mystifying performance...
Overall it was a poor team performance and we have to analyse why and make sure we respond well because we have had good performances since the start of the season. It is the first real bad performance and it is unexplainable how bad the whole thing looked for the whole game.

on failing to close the gap on Chelsea...
It would have been even more disappointing if Chelsea had won. We don't have to look at the results of the other teams, we have to turn up with our own performance and we didn't do that. If we play like that we cannot look at performances of the other teams.

on next week's trip to Chelsea...
Of course it an important game when you play at Chelsea. I believe that today's game was an exception - until today we had very, very good games. I didn't recognise my team today and we have to sit down together to analyse what happened. Something is unexplanable in such a poor performance. It is always difficult to [sense it before the game] but something was not right and it is unusual to see a team as flat as we were today.
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/34706/wenger-reaction

Well that was fucked. Words can't describe how embarassed I am by that. Just fucking terrible. Everyone bar Nasri should hang their heads in shame.

Dont sell the Baggies short. They are a good team, and play some good football.

As for Szczesny, his recent comments in the media are out of line. I don't know where he's got this sense of enitlement from that he should be #1 right now.

seems every arsenal keeper has delusions that they should be number 1 right now...

...except manonne that is... ;) :-k

Not to mention the guy thinks he's the best keeper in the world. I just worry that he's one of these players that thinks they are better than they are and think they don't jave to wait to be given a chance.

It's really dissapointing seeing him act like a spoilt brat.