Soccer News: Arsene Wenger indicated yesterday that he would not invest in the January transfer market, two weeks before the winter window opens, write Dominic Fifield, Daniel Taylor and Matt Scott
Wenger is preparing to keep faith in the youngsters who have taken his team to a League Cup semi-final and quarter-final in the past two seasons. But whether he can resist all activity must surely depend on the performance of a defence that he admits continues to leak goals at an alarming rate.
"We've scored 44 goals and conceded 22 - 11 on set-pieces," said Wenger. "It's too high, because 14 goals is the price you're prepared to pay when you score so many. We're eight goals above (that) number. It is a problem that we will address and correct very quickly. We're a little bit short and we're a little bit inexperienced. If you have a team of 30-year-old players that doesn't happen to you."
Wenger cited the defenders Philippe Senderos and Justin Hoyte and the midfielder Mathieu Flamini as being among those he will call on increasingly in the coming months. However, that list of relatively callow players will not help raise the level of experience in Wenger's team.
Tottenham's England defender Ledley King has been linked with a £20 million transfer across north London, although the chances of the move transpiring are slim.
"I rate him (King) highly and I think he's a great player but since the beginning of the season we've got players like (Cesc) Fabregas and (Robin) Van Persie, Senderos, Hoyte and Flamini. We do not need to buy because we have found four, five new players. At the moment I must tell you I am not likely to spend one penny."
Last season, the impetus of Jose Antonio Reyes's £10 million transfer from Seville helped to propel Arsenal to an historic unbeaten season.
However, if Wenger declines to enter the market, his greatest challenge will be to hold his squad together. Edu, Lauren and Jens Lehmann all have uncertain futures at Highbury, with the Brazilian Edu yesterday declaring his readiness to quit for Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United or Valencia.
Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein yesterday revealed his determination to hang on to Ashley Cole despite reported interest from Real.
Speculation yesterday suggested the England left-back was being targeted by the Spanish club who are ready to launch a a £14 million bid - worth £75,000 a week to the player - to lure the defender away from Highbury.
However, a defiant Dein insisted the defender was going nowhere. "Ashley Cole is under contract until 2007," he said. "He is our player and we intend to keep him our player. It must be feeding time for the agents."
Midfielder Freddie Ljungberg hopes to begin training next week after learning a brain scan to find the cause of his migraines showed nothing seriously wrong.
Meanwhile, Jose Mourinho has hit back at Gary Neville's suggestion that Chelsea could buckle under the pressure of leading the Premiership in the second half of the season.
The Manchester United defender had speculated that Chelsea's lack of experience in title races could result in them losing their nerve in the new year, a claim ridiculed by the Stamford Bridge manager.
"Pressure is to be nine points behind," he said. "I don't feel pressure when I am in front; the pressure comes when you need to get results and also wait for the teams ahead of you to lose. I prefer my position."
Chelsea lead second-placed Everton by four points before their home game with Norwich today and Mourinho believes his team should now be taken seriously as title contenders.
"Everyone knows that Chelsea can win the championship now," he said. "Three months ago people did not believe that. We are mentally strong and feel we can play against everybody."
Mourinho has also admitted that Chelsea's strength in depth could prove decisive as he prepares for a gruelling Christmas fixture schedule which includes 10 matches in five weeks.
"We have players for occasions at Chelsea and that gives me a solution to the problem of playing a lot of games," he added. "We are in a good condition."
United's hopes of catching Chelsea and Arsenal are in danger of being undermined by Van Nistelrooy's absence because of injury.
The Dutchman has been suffering with a recurrent calf problem for the past six weeks and has missed the last five matches, having been substituted for the previous three. He had a scan yesterday and will undergo further tests to determine the seriousness of the problem.
United's medical staff are fearful that if he aggravates the injury he could damage his Achilles tendon and Alex Ferguson may have no alternative but to omit his leading striker for the Christmas period and possibly longer.
Guardian Service
