It’s the easiest way to attack Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola and the most-tiring method to downplay his achievements.
Forget his revolutionary tactical innovations, the tired argument goes that the Catalan is nothing short of a chequebook manager whose achievements rely on him lavishing vast sums on recruiting and retaining the game’s grandest talents.
These tropes will come into fresh focus on Thursday when Arsenal and City renew hostilities in the Premier League, less than a week since the latter’s one-sided victory in the League Cup final.
It’s parsimonious Arsene Wenger versus spendthrift Guardiola. But do the characterisations stand up to scrutiny?
MAXIMISING RESOURCES
Make no mistake, Guardiola has been backed to the hilt since he switched to Etihad Stadium from Bayern Munich for 2016/17.
Abu Dhabi-backed City Football Group have sanctioned a £448 million (Dh2.3 billion) outlay, this lavish spend currently turbo-boosting their side into a 13-point advantage at the top – with a game in hand.
In contrast at Emirates Stadium, owner Stan Kroenke is infamous in American sport for owning franchises which stay in the black but never win trophies. But it is not like the sixth-placed Gunners are minnows.
The Soccerex Football Finance 100, which ranks the world’s top teams based on both their playing and fixed assets, money in the bank, owner potential investment and debt, this January put them behind only City in regards to financial power.
Has the infamous caution of Wenger, the holder of a masters degree in economics, meant not enough pressure has been applied? Was this season’s transfer profit of £7.6m (Dh38.5m) on a £106.7m (Dh540.4m) spend his decision, or the club’s?
The party line since repayments on the Emirates became less onerous in 2014 is that the purse strings are open. Why is there precious little to show for this?
6 - Most points won by managers in the Premier League since August 2016:
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 30, 2017
Antonio Conte: 138 (59 games)
Pep Guardiola: 136 (58 games)
Mauricio Pochettino: 123 (58 games)
Jürgen Klopp: 117 (59 games)
José Mourinho: 113 (59 games)
Arsène Wenger: 112 (58 games)
Special.
NO GAINS, BUT PAIN
Looking at pure transfer spend, Wenger has invested just north of £200m (Dh1bn) since Guardiola’s arrival at City.
The Spaniard has spent more than double this amount, but there can be few quibbles about what City have gained. This is certainly not the case in north London.
Previous club-record-buy Alexandre Lacazette £52.7m (Dh266.9m) has not started in the top flight since Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was bought on January 31 – little more than six months since his arrival.
Chronic absent-mindedness has been an aspect of Switzerland defensive midfielder Granit Xhaka’s displays since being bought from Borussia Monchengladbach for £35m (Dh177.3m). Spanish striker Lucas Perez is back on loan at Deportivo la Coruna a year since scoring once in 11 Premier League run-outs.
No wonder chief executive Ivan Gazidis has dramatically revamped the recruitment department.
Arsenal’s French striker Alexandre Lacazette has been restricted to bench in recent weeks.
TRAINING FOR THE BIG BUYS
Away from football’s piranha tank of the transfer market, the training pitch is where managers should find solace.
Even here, Wenger’s returns demand scrutiny. The lionised figure who transformed British football two decades before Guardiola and crafted the 2003/04 Invincibles is long gone.
Guardiola has spent big but invested much personally. England centre-back John Stones and Germany winger Leroy Sane are just two recruits who have progressed exponentially under his gaze.
For Wenger, France centre-back Laurent Koscielny is arguably the last non-academy recruit who has grown under him – and he was bought in July 2010.
Don’t be blinded by the big numbers. Guardiola’s bottom line beats Wenger every time.
