Shawcross defends duo

Stoke ace backs de Jong and Henry

Last updated: 7th October 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Shawcross defends duo

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Ryan Shawcross feels that the recent criticism of Karl Henry and Nigel de Jong is unfair.

Wolves captain Henry and Manchester City ace de Jong have been criticised for their style of play in recent weeks, after they each broke the leg of an opponent.

After de Jong's challenge on Newcastle's Hatem Ben Arfa last week, he was dropped from the Holland squad by coach Bert van Marwijk.

Henry, who broke Bobby Zamora's leg last month, was red-carded at the weekend for a wild challenge on Wigan's Jordi Gomez.

Shawcross, who himself received some major criticism for his challenge on Arsenal's Aaron Ramsey last season which saw his leg broken, insists that the current flak Henry and de Jong are receiving is over the top.

"As a player, the likes of Henry and De Jong I'm sure didn't go out to injure another player on purpose," he said.

"It's part and parcel of football - they are tough-tackling central midfielders whose games are based on making tackles, winning the ball and then giving it to the ball-players. Sometimes injuries are caused.

"You have just got to accept in these times, with the ball moving so fast and the player moving so fast, sometimes you are going to mis-time tackles and that is when injuries can happen."

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