Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is not prepared to abandon his frugal transfer policy in order to chase the Premier League title because the finances are not available.
The Gunners have come under the spotlight in the past fortnight following comprehensive defeats to top-flight silverware rivals Manchester United and Chelsea.
With Arsenal now nine points adrift of leaders Chelsea, it has been suggested that Wenger's faith in young, promising talent has been found wanting when compared to the riches of their London rivals.
But the Frenchman insists that, in an era when very few, if any, Premier League clubs are running at a financial profit, he will not give up his responsibility to invest in the future.
He said in The Sun ahead of Wednesday's crucial home meeting with Liverpool: "We've gone for a policy and need to be strong, patient and sometimes get knock-backs but still persist because it's the only way this football club can be run.
"I know everybody else is impatient. My job is to be patient and to work and to let people think if I do the right things or the wrong things and that's it. It's part of my job to live with that."
Wenger is adamant that he will not gamble with Arsenal's long-term stability as he claims he has no choice, having a dig at the levels of debt built at Chelsea under Roman Abramovich in the process.
He added: "We cannot show them because they can lose £150million. We cannot live like that.
"I don't know in what kind of world you live? Football lives in an artificial world at the moment.
"You know what the situation is. We have to live in a realistic world at Arsenal and we are very proud of that.
"If you go on high transfers, you go on high wages. It is linked. We cannot afford that."
Wenger is expected to complete a deal for Bordeaux's Marouane Chamakh in the summer, after a long, cagey pursuit of the striker, but he has been criticised for not finalising the move in the recent transfer window.
However, the Gunners boss said: "Look at what happened in this transfer market. Give me one big move? Zero.
"People ask me 'Why do you not buy a great striker?' But tell me one who has moved from one club to another, not one."
Your Comments
rhino
"Wenger is a Legend!"
bradmaung06
"i'll tell you what mate.I've never argue with any other bloggers for the sake of prooving my idea was the only right one.We participate and contribute my ideas and share my point of views.If i critised the team i support and if i was wrong,i'm happy that i was wrong.it's all in the name of being a good supporter.I have to admit after seeing the way Arsenal play Pool today,i'd have been happy even if we lost.Got my point ???"
magri
"oh, right"
AFC_No1
"bradmaung06 & magri, lol how wrong can you to be, seen as Spuds just lot to Wolves we Beat Leverpool, Everton beat Chelsea, and Man U only drew with Villa ( same we did but then it was a major thing:P)
Arsenal are fine and still strong as long as we Finnish in top- 4 that will do me, tho I don't see us dropping from 3rd, but I do see man U and co still dropping points, I don't think we will drop anymore this season, hate making these type of predictions its so Dumb spuds and looserpool like but just go a feeling we will go on a run now, maybe not enough to win anything but enough to make ti a good season :) ..come on ya Wolves ....."
bradmaung06
"Hang On !!! i missed out to mention how flucidly Villa playing this season...more threat for top 4 place.."
bradmaung06
"It gives me great saddness ppl can't share my point.No wonder Arsene got his way all the time after all those poor results.There's a great danger Arsenal might finish out of top 4 as only 13 more games to go and rivals around Arsenal are showing signs in form or stronger than us.Liverpool is picking up again,Spur is in hot form,City is fighting with a believe.I'm not going to mention about ManU or Chelsea as we won't be able to touch them this season again.Anyway,who ever think Arsene doesn't need to rethink of his policy of finance is the top prioty than winning trophies or keep up with competitions and God help us when we finish out of big 4 this season and Champion League spot.C'mon no excuse will do finishing out of top 4."
gbizzle76
"I wish everyone moaning about trophies would just get off Wenger's back. Liverpool, take away their one meaningful trophy, albeit the Champions League, have not one the league in 20 years!!!! 20 years!!!
England and the world are fighting through the toughest recession since the great depression, Man U fans want to burn their owners at the stake because of poor finances... People, you cannot have it all!
Whether Arsenal win a trophy or not this year is irrelevant. The club will go on to win countless more trophies. More importantly, the Club will go on, which is not a certainty for quite a few other clubs..."
tdom
"magri - becuase Spurs have yet to play Man City and Man Utd away and Chelsea at home. In reverse fixtures they lost 2 of them, shipped 6 goals and also another 5 to Arsenal and Liverpool between them."
magri
"Football is about the here and now. At the end of the day only time will tell if Wenger is right. In reality Arsenal haven't slipped too much but if I was a fan shelling out 60 sov's to see that bunch of average fancy dans (who are as good as they are only because of Wenger) when only a few years ago I was watching the likes of Henry, Vieira, Bergkamp etc, I'd have the hump too. But even though Pompy look to be doomed I can't see anyone for closing on Man U (unfortunately) or Arsenal or even a club like Villa. The question you have to ask yourself gooners is why is it after 10 years of Champs league football and 3 years of 60,000 sell outs that Spurs are now right up your, well, arse and could even over take (don't laugh) you."
rexsedgister
"Right. Either Henry was a big name when he signed and Arsene's proved he can manage big names or he was a troubled, wayward youngster who nobody else wanted. Make you mind up. The story changes to back up whichever argument is currently being used to prop Arsene up.
As for blaming the board, they have frequently back his suggestions that there is money to spend. The frustration stems from a conflict of interests.
If anyone thinks that there isn't an element of personal glory hunting in Wengers way of doing things then they they haven't been watching the same team for the last few years."
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