Some have been holding up Newcastle and Alan Pardew as examples of achieving better than Arsene Wenger in the transfer market. Particularly the French market when in fact Pardew has only signed 2 players from France as far as I can make out - Cabaye, who I agree was a good signing and actually thought sounded ideal for us when he signed and Marveaux, who's hardly set the PL alight. Ben Arfa was a Chris Hughton signing, no credit to Pardew there. Demba Ba has been a good signing, but was already displaying it in the PL and before that, Germany. If we had signed him I dare say there would have been at the least a degree of scepticism regarding his previous injury concerns. Papiss Cisse has proven a good signing, signed from Germany, but not for an insignificant fee of £10m. Pardew's other main signings, Santon and Obertan haven't overly impressed.

I don't want to detract from Newcastle, they've made good signings and had a good season, but using them as a transfer market lesson to Arsenal is excessive. Pardew's made 3 good signings, let's not go over the top. I know when arguing people tend to commit to simplistic arguments like Wenger is incompetent, but if you take a step back and look at things rationally things become less black and white.

As for FY stating Wenger's just lining his pockets - what a load of nonsense. If he was a Redknapp type character for whom a significant chunk of his earnings depended upon flogging players at a profit then maybe so, but Wenger's income would be enhanced by more success, as I'm sure he'd receive trophy bonuses and possibly an improved contract. Accusing him of lining his pockets is silly and insulting.