Why Spurs and Arsenal have provided an abject lesson in how NOT to use the transfer window

By Steve Stammers

Published 09:00 31/08/11

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Amid the smouldering remains of the Premier League hopes of Tottenham and Arsenal, a lesson has been learned in the boardrooms of White Hart Lane and The Emirates. That would be how  - and how not - to use the transfer window .

Anyone who thinks Manchester City's demolition of Tottenham and the carnage at Old Trafford when Manchester United hammered Arsenal 8-2 were mere freak results can think again. They were the fruits of a transfer strategy superbly executed by the respective hierarchies at City and United.

For City, Sergio Aguero and Gael Clichy clearly looked as though they had been part of the set-up for years. Samir Nasri has been a summer-long target for Roberto Mancini and he duly delivered.

For United, Phil Jones - who will win 100 caps for his country, no question - and Ashley Young played as though they were regulars at Old Trafford for years - the reward for the early summer swoops which also brought the improving goalkeeper David de Gea to the club. They are familiar with the new surroundings and their new teammates. As Teddy Sheringham observed - they know what being a United player is all about.

Contrast that to what has been happening - or not happening - in North London. Those who believe that Arsene Wenger is indecisive or has a phobia about signing Englaish players could not be more wrong. In the last 12 months he has gone in for Chris Smalling as well as for Jones and Young. He also wanted Phil Jagielka and may still get Gary Cahill. But where he can be questioned is by not acting sooner.

The world and his brother knew that Cesc Fabregas and Nasri would be leaving. Get them out early and move in positively for replacements. Some £55 million waiting to spend - potentially anyway - and yet no new arrivals of any substance. Certainly no central defender, certainly no central midfield player. The outcome? Something less than a Carling Cup team at Old Trafford on Sunday and the most predictable three points of the season. Just one consolation - in midweek they reached the Champions League quarter-final stage. Breathing space at least.

Over at Tottenham, the problems may well be deeper. Harry Redknapp has this "wheeler dealer" reputation that both haunts him and aggravates him in equal measure. What he loves is to be at the hub of matters - on the phone to X and then he calls Y to sell Z and brings in A,B and C.

Doesn't work that way at the Lane. Chairman Daniel Levy is one of the shrewdest of businessmen. He has the track record to prove it. Why only a few years ago he pledged that he would take not a penny less than £ 30 million from Manchester United for Dimitar Berbatov. He got it - for a player who cost just £12 million. Great business - except it came on the day the window closed and left Tottenham with a handsome bank balance but no class striker.

Luka Modric could be a Berbatov waiting to happen. Levy insists the Croatian is not for sale at any price to Chelsea. Let's see if a £40 million offer this evening changes his mind. Great business yet again - but Redknapp will be left with hours rather than weeks to re-invest. And even if Modric stays, Redknapp has a key player who asked to be left out just two hours before the City game. Some preparation, that.

So both results - if not the scorelines - were defeats waiting to happen. Maybe Wenger could have done with a "heads-up " that the club were going to sell Nasri and Fabregas. Redknapp could certainly have done without the key player in the heart of his midfield asking to be omitted two hours before such an exacting game.

Look at the start Liverpool have made - business done early, quickly and efficiently. No coincidence that those who acted positively in the summer are at the top of the fledgling league table. Those who did not are at the other end.

Just to think, Tottenham could lose 4-1 at Wolves and Arsenal 7-2 at home to Swansea in the next league games and they would still better their last results. Strange but true.

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