Wenger says he did all he could to try to strengthen his Arsenal squad during the final hours of the transfer window - and maintained football must not be treated like a "supermarket" as cash continue to be ploughed into the game.
With City now backed by the seemingly bottomless pockets of the Abu Dhabi United Group, the powerbase of spending power in the Barclays Premier League has shifted once again as the deadline day swoop for Brazil international Robinho from Real Madrid proved.
Wenger struggled in his bid to attract new talent in the summer - Liverpool's Spain midfielder Xabi Alonso was one reported target - but the Arsenal manager firmly believes all clubs should work within their own "natural resources" rather than just rely on wealthy backers.
"If you push that too far, there are no rules any more," said Wenger.
"Once you get to the prices mentioned on the TV or in the newspapers, where is the logic? There is too much destabilisation.
"What is worrying for me is that a player signs somewhere and then the next day he does not even know where he has signed. You cannot say that is a good trend.
Wenger continued: "Football is not a supermarket, we have to all understand that.
"You cannot come out and say 'we pay £250,000-a-week to Ronaldo and £135million', when the player has a six-year contract with Manchester United. It is not possible or acceptable.
"There is money in the game, and I take it in a positive way - but the football bodies have to make sure that money is ruled properly and used well for the ethics of the game.
"I always did fight for my whole life for the players to make as much money as possible, but you also have to respect what football is.
"It came out from the roots of the country through local communities who identified themselves with their team, and we have to be careful not to destroy that."
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What does Wenger know about local roots at football teams? How many English players are in his squad? Hypocrite.
See you all tomorrow.
CTID.
I wonder if Monsieur Whinger would be so critical had the Arab's bought Arsenal ? It just smacks of jealousy and worry that they will lose their top 4 slot. I have to agree with his comments about "We par £135m for such a player" - this is far too brash and not the City way. I think the new owners have recognised this given reports in MEN this week. Let's keep it real and become the silent assassins. CTID
Sour Grapes.
Dare say he wouldn't mind the same influx of cash at the gooners.
OH HOW JEALOUS THE REST OF THE PREM ARE NOW
He no doubt has a point and I for one am glad that Al Fahim is not going to be in charge of spending after all. The conservative and respectful approach is the right way to go about it in football. The Cristiano Ronaldo story shows that you cannot just buy because you have the means to do it. It would be a transfer which would alienate fans. How many real City fans would really like to see him here? We have just brought back one of our all time best players, SWP, who loves the club but we would have to bench him if Ron came in on the right wing. Ronaldo is symbolic of United to us, he is their protegee not ours to nick for a billion pounds.
Wenger is just worried because he knows we now have the spending power to buy a midfield as good as the one he sold (and didn't replace)...chin up, maybe Arsenal will win the title again one day, it just might not be before the Blues do it...THE BLUE MOON IS RISING!!!
We are City, we are City, Super City, from Maine Road...
I guess we have to expect more of this from whinger, taggart et al. We're well and truly on their radar now and looks like we have them worried.
This is becoming quite tiresome.
Wenger makes some valid points, but were we say, Wigan Athletic or a club with absolutely no history at all, I could understand his argument.
However, City are one of English footballs oldest and proudest clubs, with a decent history and huge loyal fanbase.
The work the club has done in the community has won awards, and the number of players to come through our academy to then play in the Premier League and then on to international level is second-to-none....certainly something Arsenal fan's could only dream of. And for him to bang on about local community and all that, wasn't it Arsenal who played regularly with a first team of 11 foreigners?
I think the point is that for every single person who has come out in *outrage* at untold wealth City now have, they need to consider carefully 1). is our situation whiter than white and 2). would we moan if this happened to us?
Until then, they should keep very fookin quiet.
i have some sympathy with his comments but as the current big four continue to get champions league revenue to splash on players for the next season the gap is getting bigger between them and the rest. This means that the other teams have nothing (except occasionally a good cup run)to start the season for. This is also not good for football and Arsene is in the fortunate position that his team is already one of the 'big four'.
Whinger.....you didn't have an issue before, when Arsenal weren't a selling club! Now you are and City are right on your back, you are panicking and doing the typical defensive cying that you and Taggart are so famous for.
Just gald City are really starting to shake these clubs up.
Love it and we'll probably have Woolcott off you if he carries on performing like he does...obviously only for back up for SWP.
Cheers Whinger
CTID
Read these comments carefully. I don't have a problem with what he's saying because I don't think its an attack on Man City at all. He's only pointed out that just because you have enourmous amounts of money to splash around doesn't mean you can go around blabbing to the press that you're going to pry away the top players from every club. We don't like it when other clubs talk about someone like Micah Richards in that way and we certainly didn't like it when Chelsea did it with SWP a couple of years ago.
Our dear neighbours at the swamp have been running roughshod over the transfer rules for years and we've all thought it was a disgrace that they didn't get punished for it. Heck, when we scared the living daylights out of them with our bid for Berbatov last week Taggart himself sped off to nab him at the airport and take him for a medical before they'd even had a bid accepted. That's flagrant disregard for the rules and yet they are allowed to use there so called status to get away scot free. I don't want our club to turn into that, no matter how much fun it might seem to rub Chelsea and Utd's noses in it. Wenger is entitled to his opinion.
You're the best manager in the world in my opinion Wenger but why don't you focus on your failing squad than our business!
There is something to be said for Wenger`s comments, money in many ways has spoiled the true game.
However the reality of the game today is that the PL is in effect three seperate "mini" leagues with the top four in one, the next five or six in one and the rest in another.
All City are trying to do is to get promoted to the top mini league and that takes lots and lots of ..... money! CTID
Clubs should deal within their natural resources, according to Wnger. Than how can he explain there is hardly an English player in his starting line-up, or even in the youthteam. How can he explain why Arsenal are stealing very young players all over the world and than say what a good academy they have. He's comments are typical for football: hypocryt.
I'm in a way glad that Al-Fahim will not lead the club, and that the owner(s) are more for gradually building on the base that is already there. Back to Wnger, please try and find out what the real story is other than depend on what's written in the tabloids. His statement would have been so different to City-fans if he had complemented City for fielding so many British youth-talents from their own academy, and that he would hope (like we all do) that these talents are the backbone to the succes that may come our way as we now have sources that can keep the talented players at COMS and buy exceptional talented players as well.
What's the Arsenal stadium called? Oh yes - Emirates.
BluSte, you make a good point as well and Wenger doesn't have a leg to stand on when it comes to talking about football teams and local community. At the moment we do because of our brilliant academy and that is something I hope remains. I believe it will. Let's just stop this mouthing off about buying Fabregas, Torres and Pretty-boy-diver for a billion quid because it will only serve to turn our club into a hate figure in the way that Chelsea and Utd are. Besides that is not the best way to build a great team. Hughes knows that and I think our owners realise that too. We will be adding more world class players to our squad I'm sure but it must be done in the proper way and by following the rules.
BlueSte,
12/09/2008 at 09:40
you just saved me the time mate thanks
all these rags going round saying its bad for football. I think they need to sit in a corner for a second and just count up there spending for the last ten years in comparison to other teams. They can say well we only bought one player this summer but they all know that its only because there in major financial troubles similar to the one we almost ended up in with thaksin but the media are too far up a there back sides to publish anythin about it
rant over
Oh dear,the smell of the fear.I like Wenger,I like his style,I like the way his teams play.But these are the words of a frightened man.Arsenal haven't won anything for two seasons,to retain the players they have at present(remember quite a few tried to jump ship pre-season)the minimum requirement is fourth place.
Now there is a serious threat to that, and Wenger and Arsenal know exactly what could happen if they were to lose out.The last thing he needs is more competition for the top prizes.Whether it's us or someone else Mr.Wenger welcome to the future.
Like many football fans I admire the way Wenger's teams play and for me they have been the best footballing side in the prem in recent years - just a problem they can't 'win ugly' as they say these days, which has cost them silverware.
However, plaudits aside, Wenger is a complete hypocrite. He's spent big bucks (cleverly in some instances - Henry, poorly in others - Wiltord), flooded his academy with foreign talent and basically mugged Southampton for Walcott along the way.
Along with Benitez, Taggart and whoever is managing Cheslea this week, he's been happy to see the cash from the champs league help pay for a glass ceiling between these four clubs and the rest of the Premier League.
The fact that another team (and I'm delighted that it seems to be us) will have the resources to build a credible challenge to these four, not just head to head, but across the season is a good thing.
Wengers blinkered/selective vision strikes again...
Sad little man. Keep your comments to yourself Wenger. The man is the most jealous winging prat there has ever been in football. Step aside Arsenal your time is over.
Quite a few times heard speculation of Johnson being a target for arsenal. Off with you wenger, its our time to shine a little.
Phew! Lawro's got us down for a 2-1 defeat! Looks like we'll turn Chelsea over then, based upon his recent City predictions!!
By all accounts City's prospective new owners have already moved to avoid a repeat of the early rhetoric that came from Dr SAF so Wenger should keep up to speed. Also I'm sure he made admiring comments about SWP when he was a City player, or is my memory playing tricks?
Reading this you'd think that most of his team were born within earshot of the bow bells!!
The takeover is good for English football as it will make the league more competitive, for the simple reason that instead of having "big four" there will now be a big 5.
This guy earns millions a year for standing on a touchline and he's bleating about injustice!
HughesHeadScout
I know the myth is that the rags signed only one player (Berbatov) but they paid £20 m to buy up the contract of Neville's better looking mate Tevez. That still works out at £50m. A fair bit of dosh for a team apparently at the very top.
As for Wenger, great football playing team, terrible hyprocrite who only ever sees what suits him. Stop tapping up Johnson if you don't like to do your business through the press Wenger.