A story in the Daily Mirror today points out that Arsenal Manager Arsene Wenger has risked the anger of Arsenal fans by warning there will no big summer investment in the squad – and insisting the Gunners will survive if they finish behind Tottenham Hotspur.
Wenger rejects the idea of Arsenal spending more money to better the team this summer. He also rejects the idea that White Hart Lane have now surpassed them.
“First of all, we are not behind yet,” said Wenger, whose side host Crystal Palace on Sunday. “Tottenham has been 18 years behind us, they survived you know, so let’s be realistic.
“If (league leaders) Leicester win on Sunday, it doesn’t change the fact that we have absolutely to win our game. Let’s prepare for that, no matter what the result of Leicester is. Leicester can still drop points on Sunday (at home to West Ham).”
Arsenal, eliminated from Premier League title contention, are in third place, six points behind second place Spurs despite maintaining a game in hand. Tottenham will face Stoke City Monday night.
You can make a case for or against what Wenger is saying regarding whether or not Spurs have surpassed his club. When it comes to his transfer comments regarding the upcoming summer, well, these will go over like a led balloon.
Asked if he expected to make lot of changes in the summer, he said: “No. If you look at the top three teams, you will see they have not changed their team a lot.
“We have to strengthen our squad but it’s not obvious to find the players despite the money the English clubs will have. Of course we will work very hard to do that. We are already working. But we have to find the players and that is not easy.”
“The core is not good enough? That’s an outside point of view. We have again to analyze it in an objective way. And this team has won many games and the quality of many games was at top level.”
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes regularly to the Chicago Tribune’s RedEye publication and Bold Global.
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