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Wenger - Stamp out rugby
Arsenal boss wants firmer stance from referees
Last updated: 27th August 2010 
Wenger: Wants players protected
I saw some pictures last Sunday; you cannot say any more it is football, it is rugby on the goalkeepers [more] than football.
Arsene Wenger.
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Arsene Wenger believes referees have a responsibility to ensure that Premier League matches do not become 'rugby'.
The Arsenal manager takes his side to Blackburn on Saturday, live on Sky Sports HD2 and 2, fully expecting another physical encounter with Sam Allardyce's side.
The Gunners went down 2-1 at Ewood Park last season with Wenger irked by Rovers' tactics of putting goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski under pressure at every opportunity.
And the Frenchman felt that Stoke's approach in their recent defeat by Tottenham at the Britannia Stadium took the physical element to a new and unacceptable level.
Respect
"I believe everybody looks at his squad and tries to find a way where the game is most efficient and we developed one way. It is not the only way, I respect every other way as long as the referees get the rules respected," said Wenger.
"I saw some pictures last Sunday; you cannot say any more it is football, it is rugby on the goalkeepers [more] than football.
"The referees cannot go on and accept that.
"When you see how [Stoke defender Ryan] Shawcross kicked [Tottenham goalkeeper Heurelho] Gomes, how [Robert] Huth pushed Gomes in the goal, you cannot say that is football any more.
"If the referees allow that you cannot accept that because that has nothing to do with the game.
"Apart from that, when a team play long ball and head the ball and become physical I accept that completely and I respect that - but it has to be in respect of the rules, that is all."
Not protected
Chris Foy is set to take charge of the lunchtime encounter and Wenger maintains the referees must uphold their first duty, to ensure player safety.
"I believe that in some situations the goalkeepers are not protected," the Arsenal manager said.
"You cannot have players whose main role is to stop the goalkeepers from catching the ball and not even go for the ball."
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Comments (13)
Mark Ross (Manchester United fan) says...
I''m sorry, but football used to have a physical element to it, one that stressed strength as a quality to be used in the game, as well as speed, agility and skill. I do believe some challenges are way too rough, however I think goalkeepers these days in general get too much protection from the ref, and when goalkeepers are challenged in the slightest, they fall like a sack of potatoes!
Posted 12:19 27th August 2010
George Slippers (Nottingham Forest fan) says...
Mr Wenger seems to have forgotten how his goalkeeping gorilla Jens Lehman habitually tossed forwards aside whenever a dead-ball situation arose that threatened the Arsenal goal. I don''t recall him campaigning for more protection for forwards.
Posted 12:02 27th August 2010
Paul Higgins (Stoke City fan) says...
Arsene always comes out with a comment before a game against a more physical side than his so he can get a decision in the game, with the ref being Chris ''i didnt see it '' Foy. hes getting him on side.
Posted 11:54 27th August 2010
James Sutton (Arsenal fan) says...
Surprise surprise...... people are complaining about Wenger moaning and bringing up the rather single-minded and shallow "contact sport" argument. People using this argument have either never been blessed with any level of skill in a sport or they dont appreciate the way in which football should truly be played!!
Posted 11:52 27th August 2010
Dean Horan (Liverpool fan) says...
Football is a contact sport, however it''s idiots like Wenger and Fifa that are trying to make it as much limited contact as possible. Wenger is only furious at the way Blackburn play because they have exposed a weakness by putting pressure on the goal keeper. Which is nothing new for Arsenal as Lehman was the same he hated people standing in front of him cause it made him flap. I remember the good old days when forwards would clatter a goal keeper in the first few minutes to make them think twice about coming for any more crosses. This only makes a better game cause if they are brave enough to come for across again fine! If they don''t all the better more goals thats what everybody wants! Too many referee''s give freekicks for nothing on goal keepers! you only have to look at Liverpool''s first leg in the Europa League tie where Cristian Poulsen had a perfectly good goal dissallowed! Stop crying Wenger this is Football!
Posted 11:25 27th August 2010
Andrew Garrett (Stoke City fan) says...
Wenger has a short memory..... Vieira, Petit, Keown, Adams etc! When Arsenal won things they had a physical power house in the middle of the field every time! Now they have lightweight players, that are class but can''t break up play and are pushed off the ball too easierly! Arsenal use to get fine after fine for the about of bookings and sendings off they use to get. Its comments like Wengers that will take all contact out of the English game. I agree that there should be a certain level of protection, however its not necessary for Wenger to keep going on about it!! if anything it prompts teams to play a plysical game against Arsenal because they know they don''t like it! As for the Stoke v Tottenham game, you could see Gomes was trying to get free kicks on every corner, whether he was touched or not! Come on Wenger lets not ruin our game!
Posted 11:24 27th August 2010
Chris James (Everton fan) says...
Honestly, These Premier League " stars " need to get down to an Amateur Sunday League fixture and remember what the game is all about. Imagine if we started asking for a free kick everytime we got kicked down there. Yet there is never any fuss, dust yourself down and get on with it, and always a handshake at the end of the game. The influx of foreigners is kinda ruining this aspect of the game, Wenger is typical of this.
Posted 11:15 27th August 2010
Martin Carr (West Ham United fan) says...
@Matt Cooper - football is NOT a contact sport. Football is classed as a limited contact sport. For those unable to Google it: "Limited-contact sports are sports in which the rules are specifically designed to prevent contact between players either intentionally or unintentionally. Although contact can still happen, strong penalties are often used to disallow substantial contact between players. These penalties, including physically removing players from the field of play, mean that contact is moderate or rare" Maybe understanding the rules of the game would help you somewhat in understanding what Wenger''s saying!
Posted 08:45 27th August 2010
Simon X (Fulham fan) says...
Which is why a England team will never develop players with skill to challenge the best teams in the world. There is a clear distinction between "a contact sport" and cheating.
Posted 08:45 27th August 2010
Tim Mcdougall (Woking fan) says...
Soccer IS a fashion parade played by over-paid nancy boys who fall over at any given opportunity. Maybe it would be better if the PL turned into rugby!!
Posted 08:44 27th August 2010
Ram Kulur (Liverpool fan) says...
I agree with wenger..Refrees should take care of the Goalkeepers.Especially the corners..I feel they are being bullied in these situations.Arsenal will find it tough against Big sam`s side this weekend..
Posted 08:41 27th August 2010
Stranger Stranger (Liverpool fan) says...
Is it me or does Mr Wenger do nothing but complain at present?
Posted 08:40 27th August 2010
Matt Cooper (Blackburn Rovers fan) says...
Here we go again Wenger! Football is a contact sport, not a fashion show. The fact is, Arsenal do not have a strength dimension to their team, so when they play a team who is willing to get their shirts dirty, they panic and start calling it rugby!
Posted 08:26 27th August 2010