.Arsene Wenger is quick to interject. The question is about Arsenal’s increased spending power, having signed Mesut Ozil for £42million last season, Alexis Sanchez for £35m this summer, as well as Mathieu Debuchy, David Ospina and Calum Chambers.
‘Let’s not go overboard,’ said Wenger, interrupting. ‘We are more comfortable but we are not Manchester City.’
Sunday’s opponents in the Community Shield are the eternal reference point for the clubs who once ruled the Premier League before the era of Russian oligarchs and energy-rich states upset the established order.
It is City who are the Premier League champions and the new force in English football. They are also a constant irritant to Arsenal.
It is not just the procession of players who have gone there for better money and trophy-winning prospects: Samir Nasri, Gael Clichy, Kolo Toure, Emmanuel Adebayor (ingloriously) and now Bacary Sagna.
There is even an Arsenal influence over the management at City in Brian Marwood and Patrick Vieira. The old jibes about being a feeder club are still raw and relevant.
‘Well, Sagna just left for City, so you can’t say those days are over,’ says Kieran Gibbs when asked if the days of City dominating Arsenal might be past. ‘But you would think from the signings we have made…’
He doesn’t finish the answer but it is put to him that players should believe they can achieve their ambitions at Arsenal. ‘You would hope so,’ says Gibbs.
Stay tuned
‘Let’s not go overboard,’ said Wenger, interrupting. ‘We are more comfortable but we are not Manchester City.’
Sunday’s opponents in the Community Shield are the eternal reference point for the clubs who once ruled the Premier League before the era of Russian oligarchs and energy-rich states upset the established order.
It is City who are the Premier League champions and the new force in English football. They are also a constant irritant to Arsenal.
It is not just the procession of players who have gone there for better money and trophy-winning prospects: Samir Nasri, Gael Clichy, Kolo Toure, Emmanuel Adebayor (ingloriously) and now Bacary Sagna.
There is even an Arsenal influence over the management at City in Brian Marwood and Patrick Vieira. The old jibes about being a feeder club are still raw and relevant.
‘Well, Sagna just left for City, so you can’t say those days are over,’ says Kieran Gibbs when asked if the days of City dominating Arsenal might be past. ‘But you would think from the signings we have made…’
He doesn’t finish the answer but it is put to him that players should believe they can achieve their ambitions at Arsenal. ‘You would hope so,’ says Gibbs.
Stay tuned
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