Let’s make it tough but fair, insists Wenger
ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger maintains there is a place for tough tackling in English football – but is calling for dangerous challenges to be stamped out.
The Gunners make the trip to Holland for tonight’s Champions League clash with AZ Alkmaar without winger Theo Walcott, who suffered knee ligament damage following a hefty challenge from Birmingham’s Liam Ridgewell on Saturday.
Ridgewell went unpunished by referee Lee Probert for the tackle that is likely to keep Walcott out for “three to four weeks”.
Wenger has already publicly criticised Birmingham fans for chanting “there’s only one Martin Taylor” in reference to the tackle which broke Eduardo’s leg in a clash between the sides in February 2008.
But while accepting there was no malice on Ridgewell’s part, he feels a line needs to be drawn under what is construed as physical and fair play.
“It is difficult to see any bad intention there, but still he went well through,” he said. “I think in the Premier League, you let more go and it is important to let more go than anywhere else in Europe because it makes the games more attractive. But you need to keep it going so that everybody plays with the right intention and you do not feel that there is any malice there. To get a committed game everybody has to play fair.”
Tomas Rosicky also misses tonight’s clash with a knee injury, but Gael Clichy has shaken off an ankle problem.