Arsenal v Tottenham: Arsene Wenger insists Tottenham are playing catchup

30 October 2009 20:19
Arsenal are also facing a little local difficulty just now, but the response of Arsène Wenger, Ferguson's great rival, to the suggestion that Tottenham might eventually become the biggest club in north London was almost as emphatic. [LNB]"How do you measure the dimensions of a club?" said Wenger. [LNB] Related ArticlesArsenal v Tottenham: match previewRedknapp: Peter Crouch could be unstoppableJenas eyes England placeAlan Smith: Arsenal wary of Tottenham revivalArsène Wenger believes in Arsenal squadSport on television"Success? Exactly. So if you look at success historically they have a lot of work to do. We have been 12 consecutive years in the Champions League so once they have done that they can, of course, say they are similar. [LNB]"You can never say never. They have the potential, the supporters, they are a big club. But what comes next is the consistency of achievement. At the moment nobody would deny that Arsenal is in front of them we managed always to get in front of them." [LNB]The suggestion earlier this week from Robbie Keane that it is now Tottenham who have the superior strength in depth was also rather efficiently dismissed. [LNB]"I don't share that opinion at all but I do understand why he says that," said Wenger. "Why should he say, 'we are weaker'? Let people talk. [LNB]"What is important is how we play. In our job it is about performances not about opinions. I do not consider too much that we play Tottenham. What is more important is to win the game because we want to win the league." [LNB]Wenger's air of superiority is sure to irritate Spurs fans who, to borrow another line from Ferguson, have become increasingly "noisy neighbours" during a season in which they have rarely been out of the top four. [LNB]Arsenal, though, overtook Tottenham last Sunday and, when it comes to longer-term bragging rights, have had things almost exclusively their own way. [LNB]Indeed, during Wenger's entire 13 years in English football, Tottenham have had 10 different managers, recorded just one league win over Arsenal in 23 matches and never finished higher. [LNB]For all the statistics, Wenger rejects the tactless, if light-hearted, view from his chairman, Peter Hill-Wood, that Tottenham should not even be regarded as rivals. He is also generous when the subject turns to Redknapp. [LNB]"Of course they are rivals in the league," said Wenger. "They were already a threat. In 2006 they were close to getting to the Champions League. [LNB]"Tottenham invest massive money every year, why should they not be a threat? Harry Redknapp has done a good job because they were fighting not to go down. [LNB]"I think they have found the right man. He has shown through his experience and his intelligence he can do it." [LNB]Redknapp believes the entire top four are vulnerable and will certainly take heart from the corresponding fixture last year his second match as Tottenham manager when his team recovered from a 4-2 deficit after 89 minutes to draw 4-4. Wenger now acknowledges that his players took time to recover from such an astonishing setback. [LNB]It was also a match remembered for a terrific goal by David Bentley, who will start on Saturday following a period in the wilderness at White Hart Lane. [LNB]Bentley spent eight years at Arsenal from the age of 13 and Wenger expressed his surprise at the way he has slipped off the radar over the past 12 months. [LNB]"He was always a guy who had belief in his ability it was always one of his strengths," he said. [LNB]As for his own team, Wenger intends to use Samir Nasri as a substitute after the France international played only his first competitive match on Wednesday since breaking his leg during pre-season. There is also a tough choice to be made over the choice of goalkeeper. [LNB]Manuel Almunia is fully fit and Wenger is "tempted" to offer the Spaniard a recall, although Vito Mannone has been preferred over the past three Premier and Champions League games. [LNB]The injured Lukasz Fabianski provides further long-term competition. [LNB]With so much for Wenger to ponder, there was predictably short shrift for former striker Emmanuel Adebayor, who has claimed that Cesc Fàbregas would want to leave Arsenal if they fail to qualify for the Champions League. [LNB]"Frankly, I'm not really bothered about what he says," said Wenger. "You are only disappointed when you have expectation levels." [LNB]At Arsenal, the only expectation relates to yet another derby victory. [LNB]

Source: Telegraph