London  - When Arsenal start the new season at Everton on Saturday, they will feel an added burden for, at least in Manuel Almunia is to be believed, they are playing for the future of a philosophy.

It is, their goalkeeper admits, a tough start. "Away from home is not good for us," Almunia told German Press Agency dpa.

"We would prefer to play at the Emirates. But we are mature enough to cope with difficult moments away and at home."

Arsenal have not won anything since the FA Cup in 2005, and Almunia admits that if they do not lift silverware this season, it will be very hard for manager Arsene Wenger to maintain his policy of concentrating on developing young talent, rather than buying in talent.

"I understand the fans being impatient, because Arsenal won a lot of trophies before," he said.

"I think that the boss, the way he is working, deserves some reward for giving a chance to lots of young players in a big club like this.

"In life, when you bet you have to put down money, sometimes you win sometimes you lose.

"If the boss sees that his gamble is wrong, he will change the policy. He will go to another way lie Chelsea or Real Madrid.

"Everybody has a policy and Arsenal's is to give an opportunity to young people."

The sales of Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Adebayor to Manchester City took Arsenal's net profit on transfers to 25 million pounds (35 million dollars) since 2004, when they last won the league title.

Given that in the same period Manchester United have a deficit of 64.5 million pounds, Liverpool of 83.8 million and Chelsea of 106 million, that is a staggering statistic.

Only one player has arrived this summer, the Belgian centre-back Thomas Vermaelen, signed from Ajax for 10 million pounds.

There has been talk for some time of Arsenal needing a commanding central defender, but at 1.82 metres he is not going to correct the lack of height from which Arsenal have seemed to struggle (per player, Arsenal are on average 8 centimetres shorter than in 2003- 04).

Almunia insisted that is not a concern. "Last season at the beginning we had tall people and we had the same problems," he said.

"It's a problem having tall people or not. It's a problem of attitude, how to be focused on the game every single moment. It's not about how tall the people are.

"Vermaelen is not a really tall player, but he's good a great jump and he's looked really good (in pre-season)."

This remains a young side with a squad that looks slender in certain areas - the back of midfield and the centre of defence especially - but Almunia remains confident, so long as they get off to a good start.

"We have the same expectations as normal," the 32 year old said.

"We're looking forward to the start of the season as every year, and let's see what it offers to us. We are stronger because people are older.

"You don't know what's going to happen. You don't know if you will get some injuries or some people aren't fit at all.

"Let's see how we start the season. Then we will believe." (dpa)