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LoginArsenal's young talent is bought not brought up
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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger rejects Roy Keane's Premier League title criticism
After Sunderland manager Roy Keane expressed personal doubts over Arsenal's hopes of lifting the Premier League title this season, Arsene Wenger insists his "unlucky" side can be challengers come May.
Falling behind: Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes his side can challenge for honours following 1-1 draw at Sunderland.
A stoppage time Cesc Fabregas equaliser saved Arsenal from their second successive Premier League defeat in a below-par performance at the Stadium of Light on Saturday provoking Keane to question the north London club's lofty ambitious.
"They are a good team and can challenge. But will Arsenal finish first? I don't think so," said the former Manchester United midfielder, adding: "I think Chelsea and United are stronger."
The result left Arsenal four points behind the early leaders Chelsea and Liverpool and just two ahead of reigning champions Manchester United, who have a game in hand, going into the international break.
Rejecting Keane's prediction, Wenger said: "I still believe we have enough quality to win against the top teams."
The Frenchman conceded he was somewhat disappointed by the team's performance but argued they were having little luck.
Television replays showed Robin Van Perise was denied a legitimate second half goal by assistant referee Jake Collin, who adjudged Theo Walcott's cross to have gone out of play.
"There's nothing we can do about that," said Wenger. "We need to win every game but against Sunderland and Hull we have been unlucky - every shot on goal against us at the moment seems to go in.
"We wanted to be at the top in the early stages of the season but we are not."
With a small squad in comparison to the rest of the 'Big Four', Wenger admitted Arsenal's recent 4-0 victory over Porto in the Champions League had an adverse effect on his players.
He said: "We lacked that little bit of extra sharpness and that was maybe down to the fact that we had given a lot mentally on Tuesday night."
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Keano blasts Young Gunns
NOT KEANE ... Roy rapped Gunners antics
ROY KEANE reckons Arsenal do not deserve all the credit for their new crop of Young Gunns. Keano fears for kids trying to come through academy systems while big Premier League clubs lie in wait ready to poach the best ones.
The Sunderland gaffer said: “The word on the street is they have a group of kids coming through that will be absolutely outstanding. “But you go on about the kids coming through but a lot of them have been bought from other clubs, not through the academy at Arsenal. It’s the same with Chelsea.
“We have tough battles up here in terms of signing young players and are restricted in terms of our location. “You can only bring in kids from a certain radius and a lot of our radius is in the water. Any good fish out there?”
Meanwhile, Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is ready to raid his old club Monaco again for their top striker. French ace Frederic Nimani — 21 yesterday — said: “Arsenal and Real Madrid are discussing me and that tells me I’m progressing in the right way.”
Wenger lured Emmanuel Adebayor to London from Monaco in January 2006.
ARSENAL have failed in a bid to lure Millwall deputy executive chairman Heather Rabbatts to the Emirates. Rabbatts was offered the chief executive role. But she said: “Until I’ve done what I need to do at Millwall I am not looking to move.” The Gunners have also been snubbed by Peter Lawwell of Celtic.
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Arsenal's young talent is bought not brought up, says Sunderland's Roy Keane
The chorus of approval over Arsenal’s exciting group of young players is undeserved because they have been bought rather than nurtured.
Carlos Vela was signed by Arsenal from his native Mexico
That’s the view of Sunderland manager Roy Keane, who believes the large sums Arsenal spend on young players is too often overlooked. “You go on about the kids coming through, but a lot of them have been bought from other clubs,” said Keane.
“A lot of these kids haven’t come through the academy at Arsenal, they’ve been bought. “We have to watch who’s coming to watch our youth team because we’ve had people coming along who should not be there, scouts from other clubs.”
An Arsenal team with an average age of 19 defeated Sheffield United 6-0 in the Carling Cup last month. Mexican 18-year-old Carlos Vela scored four goals while Arsenal also included young players from Poland, Cameroon, Spain and Ivory Coast.
Aaron Ramsey, 17, was signed from Cardiff for £5 million, while London-born players like Jack Wilshere and Gavin Hoyte have come through the club’s youth system.
“That game made me very envious,” said Keane in the Express . “But we’ve got some decent kids here as well. “The word on the street is that Arsenal have a group of kids coming through that will be absolutely outstanding. Anyone who works in youth football will tell you that.
“They buy a lot of these young players, so as much as we praise them for bringing young kids through they’re buying them from other clubs. “It’s the same with Chelsea and one or two clubs like that. People would be reluctant to spend £3 million on an academy player, but that’s what Manchester United have done, that’s what Chelsea have done and Manchester City.
“Look at the teams in the FA Youth Cup final last year and not many came through the ranks. Even though they get a lot of credit for it, they’ve actually bought these players. “It’s not all bad stuff,” continued Keane. “If someone goes on to get in the first team who they bought from Millwall for £50,000, that money could keep a smaller club going.”
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