For all those Wenger whingers….

....who are constantly complaining about AW's reluctance to compete with the big spenders - mind you, it's not like we've been moaning about the club's failure to spunk up £50 million on a single out of form striker, but how about five bob for a thoroughly out of character agricultural "stureker"? The evidence of Chelsea's performance at the Cottage suggests that even in some parallel world, where the Arsenal suits had stumped up £75 million (the revenue from approx. 25 home games!), the gamble of breaking the Gunners piggy bank would've been no guarantee of buying the sort of hunger, drive and intensity of commitment necessary to produce genuine championship contenders.

Those goals that we savoured from the Gunners on Saturday were obvious evidence of the sort of intuitive relationship that develops between a bunch of players who've spent endless hours on the training pitch, understanding the movement of their colleagues without barely needing to take their eye off the ball.

By contrast, despite Chelsea's dominance against Fulham, their somewhat ponderous play and their failure to pick the runs of their £50 million investment for the hour that Torres was involved, this demonstrated the difference between developing a team over time and throwing together a bunch of egocentric individuals.

Sure enough David Luis undoubtedly appears talented enough to provide a comely return on Abramovich's investment some time soon and I certainly wouldn't have been too distraught to have found the shaggy haired Brazilian in the Arsenal's Xmas stocking. But while Chelsea were dropping two points, Ancelloti was still discovering where to make the best use of their brand new centre-back.

Moreover, in the middle of the park, the wiry looking Ramirez appears as if he's beginning to fulfill his energetic promise. But when you contrast the vivacity of the Gunners attacking efforts in recent weeks with the Blues pedestrian play, there's no question which of the two teams look more potent going forward, despite a depth of strikeforce talent that leaves the likes of a world class Dodier Drigba cooling his heels on the bench.

Perhaps we need bear this in mind in future, before having a pop at le Prof's recalcitrant tendencies when it comes to guarding the alleged gazillions in the club's coffers (as if it was his own hard-earned dosh)? In case we needed reminding, it can buy you diamond rings, but money can't buy you love.

Most amusing from my point of view was the thought of all my many Spurs mates roaring on the Cottagers this evening, to ensure that Chelsea didn't leapfrog the Lilywhites into that precious fourth place (for the moment!), when these past few seasons I've had to put up with our fickle North London neighbours singing the Blues praises, in the hope that the Kings Road mercenaries would keep the Arsenal under their wedged up thumb. Mercifully our two most abhorrent rivals have returned to being best of enemies, while with all veracity, we Gooners are restored to our rightful place, as the "one team in London" :-)

Come on you Reds
Big Love
Bernard