Well, the International break is over and so far it looks like Arsenal’s major components have escaped unscathed. Finger’s crossed on that, eh?
Cesc came off at half time in Spain’s 2-0 win over France with Spain in charge and no need to risk their starters further. Bendtner scored a nice little header against Austria and Vela scored a goal against New Zealand but that’s about as exciting as the weekend got for Arsenal’s boys, which is a good thing!
Anyway, check out Bendtner’s goal here:
And Vela, (warning, “goooooooooooooooooooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaooooooooooooooaaaaaoooooooool”)
Personally, I was eagerly awaiting the match report for the 0-0 draw between Hong Kong and Yemen. Goal.com has the post match interview with the Yemen manager but I’m still waiting for the match report. Who subbed in, who got called for a foul, who had a shot on goal? I need to know!
While we wait for that match report, there was one bit of controversy last night when Nigel de Jong broke Stuart Holden’s leg in what some are seeing as a similar tackle to Ryan Shawcross’ assault on Aaron Ramsey. There are interesting similarities between the two: de Jong comes in late, high, and hard and it’s one of those tackles where the defender is going in to win the ball but barring that is going to take out the man.
But notice that the ref doesn’t even give a yellow card (edit: he doesn’t seem to give a yellow but de Jong was in fact booked for the challenge and got a yellow) and that for me highlights some interesting problems with refereeing the world over. There seems to be this misconception that intent is the important deciding factor; if the referee was somehow magically able to get into de Jong’s mind and discern that the player intended to injure Holden, well, then everyone (officials and non-officials alike) seem to be of the mind that that’s the only time we need to be up in arms. The problem is that the rule-book doesn’t say anything about intent, it simply says “excessive force” and that excessive force is a red card. How much more force would someone like de Jong have to apply before it’s a red? Breaking Holden’s leg in two?
What’s your take?
I didn’t see the foul but given what transpired last w/e I am inclined that if there is a broken leg then there s/b a red card – unless it was CLEARLY a 50/50 chance and both players were going in hard. As you and only a handful of journalists have pointed out – intent is irrelevant.
I saw the Germany v Argentina game. I have to admit I will always have a soft spot for the Argies because I got turned into football by Diego at the age of 8 – feeling emotions that I never knew existed. Anyways, the reason why I mention the game is because they have a young keeper by the name of Sergio Romero who plays for AZ in teh Eredivisie. Wenger would be wise to keep an eye out for him.
I’m afraid it’s not as good as it seems. Apparently Vela’s got injured – http://bit.ly/9blT0c
I guess it’s impossible for us to go through the interlull unharmed.
BTW, have fun in England.
March 4th, 2010 at 7:20 am
@Miko_Gooner, Who does Vela play for?
March 4th, 2010 at 7:32 am
@Tim, I’m afraid I don’t quite get the question? You mean that he’s not the “major component”?
March 4th, 2010 at 8:26 am
@Miko_Gooner, I’m joking about how Arsene Wenger keeps “forgetting” about Vela.
Also, I don’t consider him a major component.
March 4th, 2010 at 8:47 am
@Tim, right, wasn’t bright enough, sorry
Nevertheless – that’s again one down after the international break.
To cover up my shame: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/8517806.stm – some French rugby bloke just got 70-weeks ban for eye-gouging (with apparently no injury effect). Will it make rugby any less physical? Will long ban make rugby any less “men’s game”? Nah, this is just simple anticipation and prevention, something the football authorities are apparently devoid of.
Even more ironic is that De Jong now even sounds English. Have a look for yourself. (It pops)..
HERE is the video of the “tackle”. He should have been sent packing and he knows it.
I just threw up a little bit. Look at this. Someone needs to give this idiot boy some of his own medicine. I think a year or two on the sidelines might do him a world of good. Hell – as long as I’m wishing, a lifetime on the sidelines would be appropriate.
March 4th, 2010 at 7:22 am
@Alex, I just read that. Ryan Shawcross is a cuntbucket and I hope someone just straight up does him and ends his career.
Well, plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose.
“Burnley ready to get physical to beat Arsenal”
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=750684&cc=5901
The lede:
“Burnley defender Leon Cort insists they will not be holding back on their tackles against Arsenal on Saturday.”
Sigh.
Talk about deaf ears:
Shawcross says he will not change….
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/mar/04/ryan-shawcross-aaron-ramsey-england-tackle
Burnley visiting Arsenal this weekend “are going to go there and still throw tackles in because it is a physical game and we are fighting for our lives” and “….there are going to be a lot of mis-timed tackles.”
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=750684&sec=england&cc=5901
March 4th, 2010 at 8:18 am
Oops, I see these have already been posted on.
March 4th, 2010 at 8:32 am
@Patrick, that second story is just beyond belief. That could be a four day diatribe, there’s just so much in it.
The most incredible thing is that he says that they are going to kick Arsenal, that they are going to mis-time tackles, and that they have no other way to play (presumably because no one on the team knows how to play football) and yet he finishes by saying it’s not intentional!
March 4th, 2010 at 8:47 am
Tim, you and I know it is intentional what they do to Arsenal. Hell, they even talk about it days before. If that doesn’t prove premeditation, what else does? They are all unskillful cunts, the lot of them. They should have playing Rugby. How they miss their call is a mystery.
In the de Jong link, I liked how they try to say it’s not just an English problem since he is Dutch, coneniently forgetting he plays in the English League.
Oh brother, here we go again. When will Platini learn that the only solution is to introduce video technology?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/europe/8548341.stm
Interesting that De Jong says “If the ball is between me and the opponent, you have to go in full. If you do not then the opponent takes you. And if you’re scared in a game you get injured yourself.”
You know what the most cowardly thing to do in a tackle is? It’s going in with the studs up. De Jong went in studs up on Holden and then called it bravery? Unbelievable.