It was only going to be a matter of time before the snipers stepped forward and had a pop at Manchester City's lavish summer spending.After all, you can't spend £80m in a month-and-a-half and expect managers and players from rival clubs to stand by and say nothing.
But Everton's Leighton Baines was not just speaking as a neutral observer when he spoke about the enormous pressure City will be under this forthcoming season - hours after Emmanuel Adebayor became the latest high-profile arrival at Eastlands. The ink was still drying on the five-year contract of City's new £25m signing from Arsenal when Baines waxed lyrical about the one thing Everton have that money can't buy - team spirit.
"We're not worried about what is going on at City," said the Everton defender.
"It's actually quite interesting to see how they get on with it. With so many big-name players coming in, you have to think there is a lot of pressure on them to deliver this season. They haven't really got time."
"City are looking to speed the process up (of finishing in the top four), and best of luck to them."
Saving his best until last, Baines added: "We are a close-knit bunch and that sometimes can give you the extra percent to get nearer the top, as opposed to just bringing in big-money players."
Ouch.
Baines's remarks, following Everton's 4-1 friendly win at Rochdale, hardly registered on football's radar.
Despite being a solid and reliable performer for his club, Baines is not headline material. Had his words been uttered by a Premier League galatico like Steven Gerrard or Wayne Rooney then they would no doubt have been splashed all over the back pages of the newspapers.
But there is no doubt that his opinion is shared by the majority of his fellow professionals across the Premier League.
Yet was there a hidden agenda to Baines's outburst about City's spend, spend, spend policy? FanHouse thinks so.
For City are trying to dismantle Everton's impressive defence after including Baines's team-mate Joleon Lescott in their plans for Premier League domination.
Having had one £15m attempt to sign Lescott thrown out last week, City are preparing to up their offer and make another attempt to sign the England defender.
The impressive Lescott was a key figure as Everton reached the FA Cup final last season. He has also helped the Merseyside club secure two top five finishes in his three seasons at Goodison Park.
No wonder manager David Moyes wants to build a team around the 26-year-old - not let him go.
Lescott, a £5m signing from Wolverhampton Wanderers in June 2006, is unlikely to force the issue even though a high-profile move to City could help him secure a place on the plane to the World Cup next summer with England.
Back to Baines, who believes Lescott does not have to leave Everton to achieve his ambition of playing in the Champions League.
Indeed Baines is confident Everton will qualify for Europe's most prestigious knockout competition before City, despite the vast financial gulf between the two clubs.
"Joleon is one of the more important players in the side," added Baines.
"He is the kind of player you want to play with. We're not far from the top four now."
