Source: Daily_Mail
GARY LINEKER: Arsene Wenger can bury the myth that to be champions you have to spend millions
Football's financial crisis has been caused by chairmen, players andfans all believing there is only one way to achieve success: spend,spend, spend. [LNB]That attitude has caused untold chaos and misery from Portsmouth toNotts County, West Ham to Stockport, and all points in between. [LNB] Priceless: Cesc Fabregas (above) has been in outstanding form for Arsenal[LNB]Until it is curbed, the game is heading for the rocks. [LNB]There is one man, though, who has stood out from the excessivetransfer fees and the buy today, pay tomorrow culture that hastarnished the game.[LNB] Arsene Wenger remains living proof that old-fashioned principleslike developing young players and working on the training ground stillhave a place in the modern game. [LNB]Which is why, even as a former Tottenham player, I am joining everyfootball lover and neutral in the country and willing Arsenal to becomethe Premier League champions this year. [LNB]Football is always better for having a little romance in it.[LNB] So while you can admire Chelsea's strength and pragmatism, orManchester United's knowhow and experience, it is Arsenal capturing theimagination this season.[LNB] There are two good reasons to want Arsenal to win a trophy, preferably the title. [LNB] More from Gary Lineker... Gary Lineker: Something is rotten at Liverpool16/01/10 GARY LINEKER: Manchester United must be worried if City can afford to splash £10m on ageing Vieira09/01/10 GARY LINEKER: Why managers have to start caring about the FA Cup 02/01/10 GARY LINEKER: Even if City make it to fifth, will Mancini be there next season? Don't count on it26/12/09 Gary Lineker: Alberto Aquilani - possibly the worst £20m ever spent19/12/09 GARY LINEKER: One manager got me by the neck and threw me at the dressing room wall12/12/09 Gary Lineker: The best thing about the World Cup draw? Avoiding Spain05/12/09 GARY LINEKER: I'm proud to back our World Cup bid but I'm no Lord Coe28/11/09 VIEW FULL ARCHIVE First, they play football the way it should be played, withtechnique, passing, movement and exciting, attacking flair; ourBarcelona, if you like. [LNB]The second reason is the financial one; that Wenger can bury themyth that the only way to be champions is to have the biggest wallet. [LNB]He has produced a fantastic team without spending the tens ofmillions of pounds like his major rivals and that is testimony to histalent. [LNB]As long as Arsenal narrowly fail to win trophies - their last onewas 2005 - there will always be doubters. This could be the season tochange that, and I hope it is. [LNB]If you look at Wenger's spending record in detail, it makes his achievements all the more remarkable. [LNB]The most expensive player in his squad is Andrey Arshavin, who cost an estimated £15million, a pittance compared with what United and Chelsea have splashed out. [LNB]There are seven players who cost Sir Alex Ferguson more than Wenger paid for Arshavin: Dimitar Berbatov, Rio Ferdinand, Wayne Rooney, Michael Carrick, Antonio Valencia, Owen Hargreaves and Anderson. [LNB]Chelsea also have seven players in the £15m-plus price range: Didier Drogba, Michael Essien, Nicolas Anelka, Jose Bosingwa, Yuri Zhirkov, Ricardo Carvalho and John Obi Mikel. Wenger doesn't even spend as much as the teams below Arsenal. [LNB]Bargain: Andrei Arshavin is Arsenal's most expensive buy at £15million[LNB]Manchester City smashed Arsenal's transfer record three times last summer in signing Joleon Lescott, Carlos Tevez and Emmanuel Adebayor. [LNB]Spurs paid as much for David Bentley, Jermain Defoe and Luka Modric as Wenger did for Arshavin. [LNB]It shows what a footballing genius Wenger is and gives hope that great teams can be made, even in financially difficult times. [LNB]The Arsenal manager has come under huge pressure from fans to get the chequebook out and I am sure some of them wish he would splash out on a striker, with Robin van Persie currently out. But overall, you cannot grumble at Wenger's record. [LNB]Yes, he has not won a trophy recently but he has won two Doubles and reached two European finals while helping the club move to a new stadium. [LNB]His success rate in the transfer market, from his first signing Patrick Vieira to Thierry Henry and Van Persie, always represents value for money. [LNB]The work he has done with his young side might not have won him silverware in the past few years but the true rewards might be about to begin. [LNB]With United gripped by debt and Chelsea an ageing side, why shouldn't Arsenal be the team of the decade? [LNB]Not many would wince at that prospect, even if Manchester City try to buy their way to the top table. [LNB]I am not blind to Wenger's faults. He has taken too long to include British players in his teams, although we hope Theo Walcott, Aaron Ramsey and Kieran Gibbs will be valuable players over the next few years. [LNB]He is also prone to whining when things go against him - and I say that as someone who has met him and likes him very much when he's not complaining! [LNB]But Arsenal's plusses outweigh the negatives and if I personally fear they may lack the steel to beat Chelsea this season, there is no reason they can't win the FA Cup. [LNB]Certainly I expect them to get a result at Stoke today. A Wenger team is one that plays high up the pitch and tries to thread the ball through defences rather than lumping it forward at the first opportunity.[LNB] And this season they have found their leader in Cesc Fabregas, who, along with Rooney and Drogba, has been the outstanding player in the Premier League. [LNB]And if they don't quite become champions this season, it will not be too long coming. As Wenger broke with tradition by signing an older player, Sol Campbell, maybe he should also sign Ruud van Nistelrooy. [LNB]Even if the Dutchman plays just a few games, he could get the goals that make the difference between first and second. [LNB]Arsenal fans have a saying: 'Arsene knows'. A lot of people outside the Emirates hope the most exciting title race in years will end up with the trophy in his hands.[LNB] Deep trouble: City boss Roberto Mancini cannot afford to sit back at Old Trafford[LNB]Mancini let United off the hookThe Carling Cup gave us two pulsating ties last week but I do wonder whether Manchester City might not have missed a great opportunity. [LNB]City manager Roberto Mancini can say he got his tactics spot on in the semi-final, first leg at Eastlands by pointing to the 2-1 scoreline against United. [LNB]But I suspect if City play as deep again as they did on Tuesday night, United could overrun them with a strong start. [LNB]Certainly, with Old Trafford likely to be packed to the rafters and emotions running high, it would not be a surprise to see Sir Alex's team come out flying. [LNB]United fans are sure to give Carlos Tevez a hard time but they know if the Argentinian had stayed at Old Trafford, he would have walked into the current United side, with Dimitar Berbatov struggling this season. [LNB]Wayne Rooney and Tevez could have formed a good partnership but United's loss was City's gain.[LNB] I don't think Tevez will do anything to incite the occasion. I am sure he got it all out of his system with his two goals in the first leg. [LNB]But I wouldn't be surprised if he misses out at Wembley because I can't see United letting City off the hook again if they defend so deep.[LNB] Perfect pundit: Frank Lampard[LNB]Clever Frank made for TVI have no idea what Frank Lampard would like to do when he stops playing but if he doesn't fancy being a manager, he'd make an excellent TV pundit. [LNB]Frank was the guest of honour at the Football Writers' Association tribute night in London last Sunday and his speech was one of the best I've heard in a long time. [LNB]He spoke from the heart about how young players might benefit from going through the cleaning, sweeping and general dogsbody duties he did as an apprentice. [LNB]Frank loves the game and I imagine he might want to stay in it when he hangs up his boots. Let me suggest TV as an option. [LNB]I am sure it is more enjoyable than being a manager worrying about the sack after a bad result. [LNB] [LNB]
