Arsène Wenger
Wenger - We have to end the Stoke saga
- Ozyakup - I decided to follow my heart
- Jenkinson - It feels fantastic to be back
- 'They showed they are good professionals'
- Ozyakup - I’m hungry for first-team football
- Man City, Wolves, Chelsea games rearranged
- Top 20 Most Liked
By Richard Clarke
Arsène Wenger wants to draw a line under the defeat at Stoke on Saturday but, at the same time, he remains defiant in his views about the tackling at the Britannia Stadium.
The Arsenal manager has courted controversy this week with his response to suggestions his side lacked courage at the weekend in the 2-1 defeat in the Potteries.
The issue enveloped the Champions League tie with Fenerbache on Wednesday. It hogged the headlines in the build-up and was also high on the agenda with journalists at the post-match press conference.
“We have to end that story,” commented the Frenchman after the 0-0 draw with the Turkish side. “But I maintain what I said.
“I know what I said and [my views] have not been transformed into bitterness after the defeat. It is an answer to a statement made by a player from Stoke about my players.
“I congratulated Stoke on their victory from after the game. But I was not happy with some tackles and I just wanted to say that you don’t need to be brave to tackle a guy from behind. The brave one is the guy who tries to play football. I maintain that strongly.
“Sometimes in England you can say ‘oh you didn’t fancy that’. Of course we don’t fancy that because that is not football.
“You can look at the Fair Play table, who is top? Arsenal Football Club. So first of all we have no lessons to learn from anybody on that front. Look at the team with the least fouls in the Premier League - it is Arsenal Football Club.
“I am responsible for the behaviour of my team and when you look at the Fair Play table, you see that Arsenal are top. And that [includes] the behaviour of the manager on the touchline and the players on the field. I do not make that table.
“Instead of having a go at us you should look somewhere else.”
[Thursday, November 06, 2008]
More Arsenal News
-
Wed, Feb 22, 2012
Jenkinson - It feels fantastic to be back -
Wed, Feb 22, 2012
Part closure on the Northern line on Sunday -
Wed, Feb 22, 2012
Win VIP tickets to Spurs game with Lucozade -
Wed, Feb 22, 2012
Man City, Wolves, Chelsea games rearranged -
Tue, Feb 21, 2012
Jenkinson set to return in Reserves game -
Tue, Feb 21, 2012
Eastmond loaned to Wycombe Wanderers -
Tue, Feb 21, 2012
Behind the Numbers: The colours of Arsenal -
Tue, Feb 21, 2012
International Watch: Two Gunners called up -
Mon, Feb 20, 2012
Player: Talking Tactics with Stewart Robson -
Mon, Feb 20, 2012
Premier League: Match v Everton postponed
