Mixed Messages... What is Wenger really thinking?

Arsenal's defeat to Chelsea in the Community Shield on Sunday may have been brushed aside like dirt under the carpet by a normally astute and well spoken Arsene Wenger, but the result will leave the Highbury faithful quaking in their boots with the new season on the brink for the Gunners. The sheer range and variety of Wenger's post match interviews were like that of what a little boy would expect from a mix and match bag of chocolates from the local sweet shop. That is, at least the way I felt after reading/hearing some of the Frenchman's "ambiguous" post match comments.

Wenger was quoted by the BBC before the game, as saying that he enjoyed the Community Shield because "It shows you have won a trophy". After the match, however, Wenger had a different message for reporters.

"We've won four Community Shields and nobody counted it as a trophy. For me this was a friendly.

Sour grapes? Maybe so, but the petulance of accusing Chelsea for time wasting in the same post match intervew might be an indication that defeat was hard to swallow for the man they call the professor in North London.

"I dont see the point in a charity game to do that. But they did it."

Maybe Chelsea thought it was important to secure the win to install confidence on the dawn of the new season season? Or maybe they just wanted to rub salt in the wounds of Mr. Wenger, who is still clearly bitter about the Ashley Cole tapping up saga.

"We can never forget what happened, but we can forgive if the attitude and behaviour changes."

Sour grapes again? Quite possibly. But maybe the most disconcering aspect for Arsenal fans is Wenger's rock solid stance on NOT signing another player. Ashley Cole himself urged the Gunners to sign new players this summer in an interveiw with the New Nation Weekly in April.

The 24-year-old told New Nation Weekly: "The club definitely needs to invest to avoid being left behind.

"It is quite hard when you see Chelsea, and even Manchester United, chucking their money around. You would love your club to be able to buy great players.

"We have a great young squad but in vital games we needed more experience."

Cole is not the only player in the Arsenal squad to have questioned Arsenal's reluctant stance in the transfer Market. Freddie Ljungberg, who recently penned a new deal at Highbury, also voiced his dissaporval and told the Daily Express in June he doesn't know how the club will win the Chamions League while relying on the youth set up at Highbury.

"I can't see how we can win the Champions League if we are relying on bringing in 18 and 19-year-olds", Ljungberg said.

Furthermore, whenever the Arsenal boss is asked if he is linked with any sort of player the Frenchman acts as if signing another player would be like shooting himself in the foot.

"What is important is to focus on the quality we have."

The Frenchman then chose to belitte Garth Crooks of the BBC when he suggested Arsenal needed Owen.

"That is why I am glad I make those decisions."

Now hold the phone, any person with an ieota of intelligence would surley predict that after loosing the likes of Keown, Van Bronckhorst, Wiltord, Jeffers, Kanu, Parlour, Edu, and Vieira the Gunners would need to seriously strengthen. In fact, I seem to remember a certain story by the BBC in which Keith Edleman, Arsenal's sporting Director was interviewed where he promised transfer funds for this summer would be made available.

"The money is there. Don't worry we've got it," Edelman told BBC Sport.

"Hopefully, we'll spend it this summer and in the coming years. Arsene attends all our board meetings and he knows our finances are very strong."

Now, not to panic, it could just be that Wenger does not want to spend the money because he fears people might brand him a "Chelsea wannabe", or he might just believe that in the hundreds of footballing leagues in the hundreds of footballing countries on this planet that only one player this summer would fit into the Arsenal team?

The phrase "Je ne sais quoi" is bearing a resemblence to this issue. If the funds were promised, and the need for new players is obviously there, then why has the money not been spent? That is a question that I cannot answer, but when players of Vieira's caliber are leaving because they question the club's intent and potential, surely it is viable for Arsenal to prove them (Players leaving the club) wrong by showing a whisker of ambition in the transfer market? I am not saying it is impossible to win trophies with young players but if you highlight the clubs who have had recent success in England, Chelsea and Liverpool picking up the Premiership and Champions League respectively, why are Arsenal not following the big spenders lead by burning some of the midnight oil that was promised before the transfer market opened?

One clear message to come out of Arsene this summer is that he believes in his team. That is always positive and I respect that. But when Arsenal capitulate to Chelsea as they so clearly did on Sunday, and lose their captain in the same summer, a fan like myself has a divine right to question (not criticize) the manager's bemusing comments which lead me to wonder if this season could have the bitter and sour taste of a glass of French wine with the parts of the cork still floating around in it.

Touché Monsieur Wenger!