Arsenal manager accuses Stoke of cowardice: Does he have a point or is this sour grapes?
by stresster on November 4th, 2008
| 371 words |
You might have thought that Arsene Wenger would be delighted after Aston Villa lost to Newcastle on Monday night. After all, it means that the Gunners remain in the top four and remain on course for a Champions League place next season. Nevertheless, the Frenchman has had some stinging words for their opponents last Saturday, is the pressure getting to him?
The Times reports that the Arsenal manager has reacted furiously to critics of his team, claiming that their bravery isn’t open to question and that it’s Stoke City who should be taking a long hard look in the mirror. Wenger had originally appeared gracious after his team were defeated at the Britannia Stadium, although it’s clear that the resentment building up has finally been released!
“I tell you they are brave,” Wenger said of his players. “For me, you need to have more courage to play football when you know someone’s tackling you from behind without any intention to play the ball, with only one intention to hurt you and I can show you some tackles where I can prove what I say.
“The one who is tackling is not the brave one, for me the brave one is the one trying to play football.
“It happened at the weekend. Do you really feel that Delap tried to play the ball when he tackled Walcott or that Shawcross tried to play the ball when he tackled Adebayor off the pitch? All the players have been injured deliberately.
“To say that Walcott is not brave and the brave one is the player who tackles Walcott from behind - it’s just not true. It is something that I want to establish. The brave one is not the one who tackles from behind the player who tries to play football. That’s the coward.”
There were not many Arsenal fans who accused Stoke of dirty play, instead choosing to point the finger at the lack of spirit within their own ranks. Does Wenger make a valid point that the team trying to play football were unfairly punished on Saturday, or is this just a sign that the manager is getting a bit tense after a poor couple of results.
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Tagged Under: arsenal fc, arsene wenger, Stoke City FC
potter - November 4th, 2008 at 8:14 pm
There were not many Arsenal fans who accused Stoke of dirty play, instead choosing to point the finger at the lack of spirit within their own ranks.
There were many that thought it and expressed it privately , however we all realise the futility of raising the subject in a media where we are labelled soft southern Jessies.
Bob_Bobson - November 4th, 2008 at 11:20 pm
agree with Potter, it’s obvious the Arsenal had a ‘mare but it’s equally obvious players aren’t getting protection from the refs/FA/etc
it’s no longer a case of “what happens when someone gets badly injured” rather “who’s next”?
be plucky, be courageous by all means, it’s still romantic for the small team to beat the big guys
but they shouldn’t be allowed to kick them off the park without consequences
Caoimhin De Barry - November 5th, 2008 at 6:15 am
Has Mr Whinger forgotten the amount of red cards his beloved Arsenal use to collect when Vierra and co were in town, he should take a good look at his own players over the last decade before he condems others about dangerous tackling.
John Mansoe - November 5th, 2008 at 8:18 am
HIS TALKING ABOUT BRAVE & COWARDLY PLAYERS LOOK AT YOUR BACK FOUR MR WHINGER THEY NEVER TRY TO CLEAR A HIGH BALL ARE THEY BRAVE OR COWARDLY?????????
T - November 5th, 2008 at 10:59 am
Shame Mr Wenger is upset that a team with a lot less money then them gave them a good go and beat them. Sour grapes is what it is. Arsenal are supposed to be part of the big four but cant take it when a team comes and plays a little more of a physical game and they get beat… boohoo. If they want to be reconised as a big team then they must not cry like little babies.
alan B'stard M P - November 5th, 2008 at 11:16 am
Wenger quote from BBC site
Boss Arsene Wenger said: “Once we qualify in the Champions League we can focus on the Premier League and have the chance to rest some players.
“It’s important we qualify as quickly as possible because we had two bad experiences recently.”
Hasn’t he got his competition priorities mixed up ?
alan B'stard M P - November 5th, 2008 at 11:21 am
A team with the name “Arsenal” should be giving it not taking it.
These continental players for Arsenal are young fairies, lightweights. More English players for Arsenal please
gunner - November 5th, 2008 at 12:53 pm
it is true teams target arsenal players because they know they dont like being physically challeneged in games, but thats football and u should have a team which can deal with that….arsenal need to either be more stronger in games or wenger needs to open his wallet finally n buy sum vieras, adams and keowns
we might get bullyed off the pitch at times but that shudnt have an effect on the teams performance.. its time 4 arsenal players to stop whining and go out n fight for the team
gunner - November 5th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
u cant deny that the tackles on adebayor and walcott wernt synical….. both were late and was never going to win the ball only take the player down. refs should pic up on teams consistently and delibrately fouling players which stop the run of football, the tackle on adebayor was so blatently obvious he wasnt even lookin for the ball, the ball was basically off the pitch wen he took ades ankles out
calvo - November 5th, 2008 at 1:23 pm
technically arsenal are on a different planet to most teams never mind teams that have just come up,so naturally you would expect them to be a bit more physical,and wenger should have known what was coming.and prepared his team accordingly, he would never have minded if he had the likes of keown,adams,bould,viera etc.why now.the fact that he didnt acknowledge spurs for the recent game and now this,his stubborness towards buying experience could ultimately lead to his and arsenals down-fall,and turn them into the new “west ham”(a feeder club).they will no doubt raise their game for utd this weekend but be sure that utd and many other teams are going to adopt the same approach as teams like hull,stoke until arsenal can stand up to it on a consistent basis.
arsenal4evr - November 5th, 2008 at 5:51 pm
well said calvo:
i totally agree with u…
Being an arsenal fan it really pains to look at arsenal’s state…
enuf of so called “MAKING PROFIT” Prof wenger…
we have seen enuf kids in the club… and now things have gotten past t point of saturation….
And we want to see wins and cups… and not miserable defeats to newly promoted or relegation threatened sides….
clearly Prof wenger loves almunia, gallas and eboue… inspite of t fact tat they r t worst players to have ever donned an arsenal jersey…
its time to get down to serious business… blaming the potters wudnt upturn t miserable result we managed last week…. agreed adebayor was injured but if t refs not noticed it then its t refs fault… it aint a justification to lose…
either teach our defenders how to defend or just dont use them watsoever… it wud be better playing 9 men (without CBs) and losing with pride than go down so clumsily with the pathetic excuse for CBs we have…
and till now it was set pieces tat was troublin us… now its throws… god knows wats next…
please teach our defenders how to clear the ball from t ‘D’… cos they apparently have forgotten the same…
and yeah… please tell our defenders tat their job is to defend and not go ahead hunting for goals leavin a hole behind in t process…
hope u do this.. or rather chose t simple option of buying good “EXPERIENCED” & most importantly “PROVEN” CBs to replace the existin 1s…
and also.. hope to see a draw against manu cos a win is next to impossible….