The Sun newspaper has today reported that Arsene Wenger believes Arsenal will be fine regardless of whether or not Ashley Cole stays or leaves. Wenger has stung Ashley Cole with an amazing double blast. The Arsenal boss says he will never let one player ruin the progress he has made at the club and that the Gunners will better off when he has left.

Wenger said: "I am in football for one reason, to play the football I love. To do that I need the players who can play the game I love.

"We have one advantage — we will never be a prisoner of names. Many people have predicted many times that Arsenal will collapse.

"But we always improve. I have players in my squad who are good enough for the job, no matter who leaves.

"I don’t know what will happen with Ashley Cole in the next few days. But for me certainly the deadline has come now to make a decision one way or the other.

"This week is the limit, I expect something to happen. It’s better because it gets the players settled again and their mind on the team. That’s what you want.

"When you’re a fan you want the players to be focused on the targets of the club and the team.

"On that side it’s good that it ends one day." (Sun Sport)

I think this clearly illustrates why Arsene Wenger is undoubtedly the greatest manager in English football over the last ten years. He has spent no where near as much as Liverpool, Manchester United or Chelsea. Yet time and again a new player comes through and his sides challenge for the major honours year in year out. He deserves respect for that, and the sooner he gets rid of that cocky little spice boy, Ashley Cole the better. He’s lost his way and has joined the Rio Ferdinand school of footballers. I imagine when he retires he plans to be a Hip-Hop mogul or something along those lines.