good article over on F365.com:
<a class="postlink" href="http://football365.com/story/0,17033,13320_5455804,00.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://football365.com/story/0,17033,13 ... 04,00.html</a>
"One of the more curious sights of last season was Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson wearing tuxedos, full of bonhomie and talking of mutual 'respect' at an LMA gala dinner. It was read by many as a very clear indication that one of modern football's more entertaining feuds was over - killed by Arsenal's lack of title threat.
Wenger had now joined Kevin Keegan on a pile of the vanquished and Sir Alex's comments last week - "I know that Arsene doesn't have any money" - can be read as further indication that he no longer sees the Gunners as rivals. It could also be read as a patronising pat on the head and is certainly a million miles away from the ill-disguised ill feeling previously directed towards the Frenchman
That ill feeling has undoubtedly been transferred to Rafa Benitez, with Fergie's ridiculous siding with Sam Allardyce over a supposed disrespectful gesture a very clear sign that the Spaniard had him rattled. That he has brought that up again this week is confusing in the extreme - surely he realised that he came out of that manufactured controversy much worse than his adversary? Obviously not.
Ferguson is an intelligent man who picks his fights - Keegan, Wenger, Jose Mourinho and now Benitez appear on his radar because they threaten Manchester United's charge towards trophies. Carlo Ancelotti will soon appear on that list if Ferguson believes that Chelsea's challenge will be greater this season (this time last summer they were rightly dismissed as an ageing side and Phil Scolari was never deemed worthy of a duel).
He is always unerringly respectful towards the likes of David Moyes, Sam Allardyce and Harry Redknapp because they are not seen as a substantial threat. He feels no need to badmouth Tottenham, Everton or Villa because they are not about to gatecrash his lavish party.
So why acknowledge Manchester City? Why call them a 'small club' (quite apart from the hypocrisy) and then treat them as anything but? Ferguson is not a man to start battles with 'small clubs'. This is the man who saves his ammunition for Real Madrid, Liverpool or Chelsea, who does not even waste missiles by firing them in the direction of fourth-placed Arsenal anymore.
City may have missed out on John Terry this week but they have made one move that should warm the cockles of all their fans - onto the radar of a man who doesn't bother picking fights with also-rans.
Congratulations City, you have arrived."
