Manchester City vs. Arsenal: Financial Gap on Vivid Display for Doomed Gunners

Due to economic constraints, the Gunners are turning into a farm system for Manchester City and other high-rolling teams.

That means on Sunday Arsenal is not only going to be facing the team they are chasing in the standings, but also the frustration of existence in the current football climate.

The Gunners will be taking on first-place Manchester City, and they will be seeing several familiar faces.

Gunners' Frustration

This past offseason the Gunners lost  midfielder Samir Nasri, 24, and full-back Gael Clichy, 26, to the Blues. They followed in the footsteps of the also recently departed Emmanuel Adebayor and centre-half Kolo Toure.

Among others, they also lost Cesc Fabregas to FC Barcelona.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger offered a glimpse into the frustration recently. Here is Wenger as quoted by the Associated Press:

"

At the end of the day when you sell a player, you cannot complain after because at some stage you say 'yes we let him go' and you have to do the right thing for the club, but it is always painful to lose players at 23 or 24 years old.

The financial difference between us and teams like Manchester City has become too big to hope to keep the players for eight, nine or 10 years.

"

Wenger doesn't come off as a manager trying to launch a pity party. He is simply stating the current climate of which he has been forced to try and succeed in.

Doomed Gunners

The Gunners have been fantastic lately. They now have a very real shot of finishing in the top four. However, given the pilfering of their top players, this is as good as it is going to get.

The Gunners will never be able to compete for a Premier League title when their best players are lost just as they are hitting their prime.

This leaves a revolving door of talented—but mistake prone—youngsters, and capable but not dominant veterans. And this is a hard to swallow but unavoidable reality.