Wenger goes cuckoo......

[geezer]

I seem to remember his famous invincibles regularly breaking up opponents play during that season. Short memory as well as selective blindness then Arsene. You've gone 'cuckoo, cuckoo' Instead of castigating others why don't you do the homourable thing and lead by example by castigating your own players for diving starting with Eduardo and Eboue?

Arsene Wenger has accused Manchester United of using "anti-football" tactics during Arsenal's 2-1 defeat at Old Trafford on Saturday.

The Frenchman said deliberate fouling was more harmful to the game than the alleged dive by Arsenal striker Eduardo da Silva which is being investigated by UEFA.

"I have seen a player who plays on the pitch only to make fouls. For me, this is a point that is more urgent than diving,"

[Alan]

Arsenal usually implode mentally once every season, and Wenger seems to have done so already. The guy is deluded, and his team has a serious superiority complex. His comment that persistent fouling is worse than diving is a joke, and a shabby attempt at diverting attention away from the cheating of Eboue and Eduardo.

[Fido Dido]

He is starting to turn into a stubborn old nut now .

[TheWestwayWonder]

"I have seen a player who plays on the pitch only to make fouls. For me, this is a point that is more urgent than diving,"

that, in a single phrase, best sums up why his team havent won a trophy in five years. Id rather have a team of 11 Fletchers than a team of 11 mentally fragile, diving, technically gifted 18 year olds with "bags of potential"

I agree with Alan, he is just imploding early this season, and we all knew it would happen eventually. My only hope is all this ridiculous furor surrounding Eduardo, Eboue, etc etc is that Plantini follows through and we see a 5th and 6th official behind the endline, watching what goes on in the 18 yard box.

[dkw]

strange how after a week of his team being hammered for diving he decides fouling is worse for the game. from a manager who`s best team was built around 2 such midfield "destroyers" this is just ridiculous hypocrisy.

[Dorset]

Can anyone tell me where Arsene Wenger and Michel Platini are going with their respective views on the Eduardo incident? These Frenchman aren’t making much sense to me at all at the moment and, whilst the immediate outcome would appear to be a prospective two match ban for the player, the long term consequences seem destined to involve the constant review of refereeing decisions by Uefa, no doubt made by a chosen panel of at least five assorted referees, assistants and helpers recalled from experimentation matches purely for the purpose of avoiding the use of perfectly good firsthand video footage of incriminating incidents.

So, have I got all this about right, or will it prove to be a more complicated exercise? The mere fact that Wenger saw the incident in the first place, and has made such a fuss about it since, suggests that an important precedent is being set here, but has it become front page news due to it being an Arsenal player who cheated, or was it because, unbelievably, their manager actually saw the whole thing clearly? The answer is neither, apparently, because Wenger had to refer to video evidence first before seeing Eduardo ’touching’ the keeper, thereby providing irrefutable evidence in his eyes that he did not dive, cheat or do anything to warrant the witch hunt that followed. Then, to the manager’s great annoyance, Uefa used the same means [much maligned videotape] to find the player guilty of all those things ’touching’ seemingly exonerated him from in the first place.

Threatening to query every refereeing decision for evermore, Wenger subsequently breezes off in a huff not even challenged by one single Media man on his conviction that Eduardo was innocent of any deception whatsoever. It would appear that ’touching’ is everything in Wenger World and, although it may not be appropriate to delve further into the innocence issues this observation raises, it’s clear that Platini is not so easily fooled by minimal contact as his fellow countryman. However, where he and his organisation fall down is in their persistent rejection of video evidence being used for the most critical incidents in games under their jurisdiction, whereas in virtually every other major sport Hawkeye and its ilk have been brought in with seamless success.

Hence my light hearted reference to a review panel having to sit in judgement every time Wenger got on the phone to complain about a supposed dive in the box that didn’t fit either his criteria for falling over fairness or telltale touching. Just think of the contortions these stooges would have to go through should either Didier or Stevie G take a tumble at the Emirates in Champions League matches. Okay, it isn’t possible for all three English teams to meet in a group stage, but imagine for a moment…

1...barrelling through in typical fashion, Drogba gets upended - penalty given - goal. Fast forward to the post match antics and Arsene is on the blower like a shot to Platini only to receive confirmation that the officials have already reconvened with the decision on the night confirmed unanimously - well, apart from co-opted panel member Tom Henning Ovrebo who had been waving play on ever since [perhaps even slightly before] the incident took place and had now been straight-jacketed to avoid further embarrassment to all concerned. Arsene curses, vows to be quicker off the mark next time and only has a fortnight to wait before the Scousers turn up on his doorstep…

2...without an opposing player within touching distance (how blatant does it get?) Gerrard goes over - gets a chorus of abuse from the Emirates crowd and the shrill whistle of the referee who points to the spot -penalty - goal. An apoplectic Arsene can’t wait until after the game this time and rings Platini from the dugout. A placatory Plat gives instructions for the match officials to be contacted via their headsets and they are told to stop the game and convene, of course promising not to look at any video screen before huddling together. In normal circumstances, three grown men in authority failing to see Stevie G dive is nothing new (so the addition of a couple more is unlikely to make a difference), but, if you take the ’touching’ business to a logical conclusion and factor in the fall guy in question, Platini would be stupid not to have a Plan B ready and at the very least I’d expect to see a ceremonial walk to the centre circle by the referee followed by a formal announcement that the goal stood as a result of applying the new Uefa ‘Sniper In The Stand Ruling’ now applicable for all instances of Steven Gerrard penalty claims in Europe. At a stroke this would, naturally, bring Uefa into line with the unwritten rule currently applying for all Premier League fixtures, plus FA and Carling Cup matches.

Surreal and totally biased as these examples are there is a serious side to the musings as they highlight the incredulous state of affairs that already exists regarding high profile players. Didier is never given the benefit of the ‘touching’ or ‘contact’ argument because he is deemed too big to qualify and is, for want of a better word, foreign as well and they do so much more of this sort of thing, don’t they? Stevie, on the other hand, is the most touchy feel-ied player in the Premiership, sometimes it’s almost telepathic, but it’s there if you look hard enough, long enough and with desperate zeal of an Andy Gray. Add to this the immutable truth that Gerrard may be big, but he’s G-E-R-R-A-R-D and, for want of a better word, Liverpudlian -say no more - penalty!

By now you must be getting my confused drift, so help us out please, before it’s too late and I end up feeling sorry for that guy standing in front of a small section of the Old Trafford crowd looking totally lost. Did he ever find a seat?

[abramovich]

[Ruh Buh Juh]

He is starting to turn into a stubborn old nut now .

Starting to?!

[PloKoon13]

"I have seen a player who plays on the pitch only to make fouls. For me, this is a point that is more urgent than diving,"

I see Arsene has fond memories of Roy Keane...

[SydneyChelsea]

Dirty play is just the other side of the coin. Diving/simulation is a reaction to dirty play that went unpunished by referees.

Stamp out both if you want to improve the game. The only way to do that is to introduce video refereeing technology.

[bonetti]

Wenger is a total hypocrite - always has been

Talking about fouls being the issue is just his lame attempt to avert attention from his repeatedly diving players (Eboue on Saturday) and the way Arsenal use it as an integral part of their game.

Anyone remember Pires and his antics - not once did Wenger 'see' Pires repeated cheating, let alone openly speak out against it.

Seeing Wenger interviewed after his precious players have been beaten is always a treat

[Alan]

Eduardo banned for two games

Well done UEFA. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to sit down after uttering those words.

[bonetti]

Arsenal will appeal - whether it is upheld or not will make no difference, because once again they have been put in a group that gives them an automatic bye into the knock out stage.

Heres hoping they f**k it up

Edited September 1, 2009 by bonetti

[TheWestwayWonder]

Eduardo banned for two games

Well done UEFA. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to sit down after uttering those words.

I agree, those words leave a bitter taste in my mouth, too. But I hope this is just the start of it. If players realize there are consequences like missing another two matches, or getting sent off, they will stop in a hurry.

There needs to be a fundimental change in the way the game is officiated. Okay, so reviews of plays might not be feasable right now, but a fifth and sixth official could be put in place tomorrow with absolutely no effort. Goal line technology is obviously possible.

When UEFA offer up such large amounts of money for winning games and progressing rounds, I dont see how its fair to put the weight of huge, game changing decisions on the shoulders of the one official who is being slagged by the fans, berated by the players, and panned by the media. They have an ethical responsibility to get these things right.

Edited September 1, 2009 by TheWestwayWonder

[charierre]

There needs to be a fundimental change in the way the game is officiated. Okay, so reviews of plays might not be feasable right now, but a fifth and sixth official could be put in place tomorrow with absolutely no effort.

do you think that any extra officials stood right in front of the Stretford End or the Kop would honestly not be swayed by the crowd ?

Retrospective video technology is the only way to deal with the cheats , as long as its used 'fairly' across the board. Personally as well as banning the player I would also ban the manager for equal number of games.

[BLUENUT]

I agree, those words leave a bitter taste in my mouth, too. But I hope this is just the start of it. If players realize there are consequences like missing another two matches, or getting sent off, they will stop in a hurry.

There needs to be a fundimental change in the way the game is officiated. Okay, so reviews of plays might not be feasable right now, but a fifth and sixth official could be put in place tomorrow with absolutely no effort. Goal line technology is obviously possible.

When UEFA offer up such large amounts of money for winning games and progressing rounds, I dont see how its fair to put the weight of huge, game changing decisions on the shoulders of the one official who is being slagged by the fans, berated by the players, and panned by the media. They have an ethical responsibility to get these things right.

I don't think he did anything different to Rooney at the weekend. They were both looking for contact from the keeper, one got it and was awarded the penalty, the other one didn't and received a ban. I'm sure the last thing in either players mind was a possible ban, or booking, they were both looking for a penatly.

SKY playing it on a constant loop and intervention from the Scottish FA helped to get Eduardo banned, just like Essien's ban for a tackle on Alonso a few years ago.

I wonder what UEFA's panel made of the Barca ref last season!?!?! - They make it up as they go along!

Edited September 1, 2009 by BLUENUT

[Virosh]

The UEFA ban is a ridiculous decision. I am a huge proponent of eradicating simulation from the game, but in this particular instance, Eduardo is being made a scapegoat for something that occurs in every game, everywhere. Retrospective bans, if that's the way the want it to be, should then be applied to every player who is found out, not just a select few, whose case happened to rise to prominence.

UEFA are introducing another referee this year in Europa League matches that is supposed to reduce malpractice inside the penalty area. Well, what about the rest of the pitch, numb nuts ? And what about the cases when the refs can't see diving ?

FFS, why do they have to wiggle around the ultimate solution - technology - with such inane, illogical, rationalization arguments (like Platini's ridiculous "I want to keep the human aspect in the game" bollocks).

[dkw]

and just to prove how much of a hypocrite wenger is:-

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has called on referees to stamp out diving by suspending guilty players.

Chelsea's Shaun Wright-Phillips is the latest Premiership player to be accused of diving in order to get an opposition player sent off.

And Wenger said: "We have to fight it and there is only one way to punish people diving obviously: suspension.

"Once it is in the game it is difficult to get it out. Once a guy knows he might be punished he will not dive."

Wright-Phillips was accused of diving in Chelsea's 1-0 FA Cup quarter-final win on Wednesday and Newcastle defender Robbie Elliott was sent off.

"My view without going into any individual case is that we are all as managers to fight against it," Wenger said.

"Sometimes the players dive just because they pushed the ball too far and the only way to get something out of the situation is to dive.

"We are all managers who can never say that one of our players has not dived. Nobody can say that in our league.

"I can say that when my team are not involved I am 100% against it."

Arsenal were at the centre of a diving controversy two seasons ago when midfielder Robert Pires won a penalty against Portsmouth to seal a home draw.

so surely he should be really happy that UEFA have listened to him...

[geezer]

"I can say that when my team are not involved I am 100% against it."

Ac tually maybe he's not being a hypocrite. All he's saying is it's okay for his team to do it but not for anyone else.

[bonetti]

"I can say that when my team are not involved I am 100% against it."

Actually maybe he's not being a hypocrite.

No - hes just being a c**t - as usual