Wenger - Tackle an accident

Gunners boss says media created a furore over challenge

By James Riach   Last updated: 22nd January 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Wenger - Tackle an accident

Wenger: Hits out at reaction

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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has been surprised by the reaction following William Gallas' tackle on Mark Davies on Wednesday.

The Gunners came from two goals down to beat Bolton 4-2 at Emirates Stadium, going top of the Premier League in the process.

But the aftermath to the game has been dominated by talk of the tackle, which Trotters boss Owen Coyle described as 'akin to assault' soon after the final whistle.

Coyle has since admitted his comments were a 'bit strong', with Gallas not facing any retrospective disciplinary action because referee Alan Wiley deemed the incident a 50/50 challenge.

Wenger recognises there was an over-reaction to the tackle, and emphasised that there was no malice involved.

"There was a bit of an over-reaction with the way it was treated, yes," he said.

"If it is a bad, malicious tackle I can understand that it is shown every half an hour, but the way that happened, it can happen every game.

"I said after the game if Gallas has injured the player, we are sorry, we will have a look at the tackle and if it is malicious we will come out and make a statement.

"We looked at it carefully and we saw that it was just a mistimed tackle.

"That is why we didn't see why such a story could flare up and make a national story if the intention of the player was completely right.

Sensitive

"I cannot say that all the tackles that we have got in the last two games were completely accidental.

"The problem in England is that the sensitivity of one media dictates what the whole country has to think and I raise big question marks over the competence and the objectivity of the guys who make these kind of decisions."

The French tactician also hit out at how whenever his side are targeted by the opposition, there is no such furore.

"Some people say before the games, 'we know how to play Arsenal. We have to kick them' - and nobody in the whole country is absolutely upset by that," he added.

"I am always absolutely amazed that people get away with that.

"When we get kicked and lose the game, the question I get from the press is, 'oh, you did not fancy that.'

"Nobody is upset or shocked by it. They find when we are kicked, it is absolutely all right."

Comments (5)

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Scott Osmond (Chelsea fan) says...

So its an accident when an Arsenal player commits a bad foul, but when a foul is made on an Arsenal player its meant. Wenger is a hypocrite.

Posted 22:48 22nd January 2010

Christian Shodipe (Arsenal fan) says...

It's ridiculous the reactions to arsenal incidents, first of all the overreaction over Eduardo¿s dive in the champions league qualifier against Celtic, Thierry Henry's handball over reaction and now Gallas's mistimed tackle overreaction or maybe I¿m just paranoid.

Posted 22:27 22nd January 2010

Danny Mole (Manchester United fan) says...

thank you for proving your a hypocrit Wenger, what about your reaction to the Martin Taylor tackle? his response was "Martin Taylor should never play professional football again" it was a dreadful challenge and your pathetic for defending it

Posted 21:08 22nd January 2010

Matt Scott (Arsenal fan) says...

Wenger speaks common sense once again and he is spot on about the hypocrisy in the English media.

Posted 21:05 22nd January 2010

Ray Farlam (West Ham United fan) says...

Once again he's got the blinkers on, if it had been the other way round he'd have seen all of it

Posted 20:50 22nd January 2010
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