Wenger also out for Blatter’s blood

ARSENE WENGER has rejected suggestions from Sepp Blatter that West Brom would consider fielding a weakened team against Arsenal today.

The FIFA president claimed he had spoken to an official of the Midlands club, who told him the Baggies - and others in the English top flight - deliberately select under-strength sides against the Premiership’s stronger sides “because they know they will lose.”

Wenger believes suggestions Bryan Robson would adopt a similar policy at The Hawthorns tomorrow - where Arsenal will be depleted by injuries - are well wide of the mark.

“Can you really imagine West Brom, second from bottom, will play a weakened team because Arsenal turn up at home? Maybe they did it once and I’m not sure they will do it again.”

Blatter also wanted to take action to prevent the richest clubs becoming too dominant, vowing to stop “greed ruling the world of football“, as well as attacking “semi-educated, sometimes foul-mouthed, players demanding insane wages.”

Professional Football Association chief executive Gordon Taylor has already hit back at Blatter, whom he accused of being rude and offensive, and biting the hand which feeds him.

Wenger, meanwhile, firmly believes the amount of money in the game is not necessarily counterproductive, and it is rather the concept of players not producing the standards for which they are well rewarded to do so that should be of more concern.

“I feel the fact that the players make money is good. The problem is not that people make money, it’s when people don’t stand up for it and don’t perform for it. Maybe it happens individually, but overall I feel you get what you deserve in life. You have to accept it like that.”

He added: “If you were to pay the players half, then the poverty problem would not be solved.

“The club has to pay what it can afford. After that, the interest will only lower if there is less interest.

“As long as there is interest there for the club and for the game, then you have to pay. It is like every business.”

Wenger was already facing up to sending out a side missing Thierry Henry, still struggling to recover from a groin strain which has kept him out of action since early September.

The striker was joined by England defenders Ashley Cole and Sol Campbell over the international break - the former now set for up to eight weeks on the sidelines after needing surgery on a stress fracture in his foot.

Midfielder Alexander Hleb will be out for a similar spell after an operation on his knee, Robin van Persie has a thigh problem, and Brazilian Gilberto only arrived back from South America yesterday.

Campbell - who limped out of England’s win over Austria with a hamstring problem - could return for Tuesday’s Champions League clash in Prague.

With so many enforced changes, it looks highly likely - with Swiss centre-back Philippe Senderos and Frenchman Gael Clichy set to deputise in defence - Wenger will field a non-English XI against West Brom.

“Personally I feel I have a responsibility to the fans of Arsenal to play the best possible football and to play the game and win as many games as we can,” he said.

“If that can be achieved with players from the north of England, from the south of England, the north of Europe or the south of Europe, is for me less important.”