Dan Smith, Martin Taylor, Ryan Shawcross. Who’s Next?
Feb 27th, 2010 by 'holic
Well, that is the first objective achieved. I managed a title that didn’t include the word SCUM, for that is what those three bone-shattering thugs are.
Sorry, correction coming in. They are all good honest English players who haven’t got a bad bone in their body. These soft foreigners don’t like it up ’em, do they? Ramsey’s what? Well, Welsh is foreign isn’t it?
It should have been a great day to be a Gooner, after the FA cuckholders (thanks again, Dara) suffered as Bridge came from behind against Terry, for a change. The three points for Arsenal at the Britannia means the Premiership title race is well and truly wide open again. So why do I feel sick to the stomach?
You don’t need a match report from me, do you? We all saw the rank bad defending that saw us surrender the early goal to an unmarked Pugh at the far post. Stoke deserved their lead early doors, but Arsenal showed some real character, first to get level with a magnificent Bendtner header, then to overcome the feelings of deja-vu after the grievous assault by Shawcross on Aaron midway through the second half.
Let’s put the punishment into perspective. Aaron’s season, at least, is over. The perpetrator of the challenge that put a nineteen year old out of the game will probably miss three games. That is one more than Alexandre Song will receive for a bit of six of one, half a dozen of the other, shoving that earned him a yellow card.
Obviously from that moment all of our thoughts were with Aaron, who had been outstanding as Arsenal fought to recover from a shaky start. The penalty that Ramsey himself should have had when upended by Faye in the box finally arrived when Pugh handled. The skipper planted it, an then put a third goal on a plate for Thomas Vermaelen.
Cesc and Arsene were, I thought, far more measured in their post match interviews than I could have been, but this is becoming such a regular occurrence now that they are becoming better prepared for dealing with the situation. Dan Smith did it to Abou Diaby, Martin Taylor did it to Eduardo, now Shawcross. Don’t tell me he left the pitch in tears. That is no comfort to his victim.
“There are things that are a little too much but three times in five years is a little bit too much“, said Cesc.
“I just believe in what I see and when you see a player getting injured like that it’s not acceptable. Commitment is right, but that is not right.” Arsene was clearly angered, but careful not to repeat his rant after the Eduardo incident at St Andrews had derailed our last title challenge two years ago.
I’m afraid I am not inclined to be as measured and reasonable. I am sick to the pit of my stomach tonight because a nineteen year old with a remarkable talent is lying in hospital wondering if he will ever play again. I’ll bet Ryan Shawcross won’t be in tears when he takes to the pitch again in four matches time, but then he is a good honest English defender, not a whingeing foreigner.
220 Responses to “Dan Smith, Martin Taylor, Ryan Shawcross. Who’s Next?”
Arsenal have to fight for the title now. Not to end the five year trophy drought. Not to silence the numbskulled pundits who bleat on about how weak and spineless we are. Not even for the fans. Fight for a nineteen year old boy with immense talent. Fight for a teenager who had his leg broken in half. Fight for Aaron Ramsey. Fight for him and win.
shawcross is crying…… he’s in the england squad…. hope terry s***** his misses
Spot On!!! Could you imagine if that was Wayne Rooney instead of Ramsey? Shawross would be lynched and hung from Tower Bridge! Disgusting!
I’m wandering what will be the reaction if some freak like Wayne Rooney is suffering similar broken leg. Somebody have to stop that.
Do you know what makes me even more sick?
1. The fuckwit has only just been selected for the Enlgand squad.. announced right after he smashed the best talent in Britain’s leg in.
Sick
2. The fuckwit has previous!!
He bust (of all people) Franny Jeffers ankle with a 2 footed lunge a while back.
I am sick… why? We just won the league with that comeback.. but i am sick.
And a couple of hours later that punk got called by Capello. Utter disgrace.
So many deja vus today, hopefully we can dedicate the title to Rambo as we did to Pires.
Shawcross rewarded by inclusion in England squad. He will join John Terry in the centre of defence at the world cup. Speaks a lot about the character of the England squad. @#$%
Young guns pass on the word we have to stop this now
Every gooner around England and abroad has to make the FA realize that enough is enough
Every gooner with a blog has to criticize the FA because its because of their rules that this has happended to us year after year
use this website to complain to the FA
http://www.thefa.com/TheFA/WhoWeAre/ContactUs.aspx
another one for the FA
http://www.thefa.com/feedback/
this is for the premier league
info@premierleague.com.
I know you must be thinking that we can do much but we have a chance to finally stop this there are around 50 million arsenal fans world wide and its only 1% of them do somthing about it then we can atleast make the FA sit up and think about it
this is kind of what I wrote to them
FA
I know we like to be know as the physical league but this is getting out of hand
What’s the point of playing this way if players don’t want to play the ball but the players ?
Everytime I speak with my friends about football who live in countries like Spain and France they say that only the 4-5 clubs in clubs in England know how to play football and its true, the teams who do want to play Football, pure football are muscled off the ball or are struck down
This can’t be the way forward, can it ?
Arsenal who play the best football in England have been struck by this kind of tackles three time in five years how can we allow this kind of thing to go on?
Forget about the club and think about the players what about them ? we currently suffer from the biggest injury list of all the leagues and most of them are caused by this kind of horrific tackle.
You have to stop this and implement laws to make these kind of tackles no existent otherwise sooner or later they will destroy a players career and is that ever justifiable ?
Please I wish you would do something about this, we have been called the non football league far too long lets make this country play better football than Brazil
Still gutted over Aaron. When I watched it on TV this morning (I’m in the States), it originally didn’t look more than a bad tackle. Then I saw Ramsey crumpled in a heap & try to lift his leg (as in the foto), and I damn near puked. Good Christ…when will this end? We get kicked and kicked and nothing happens til one of the lads comes up broken. I’m beyond angry.
And I don’t want to hear any more from Tony Pulis that Ryan Shawcross is “sorry” and upset. Or how good a boy he is and that his mum took him home straight from the stadium. I don’t care. Cesc is dead right…3 times in 5 years is NOT a coincidence!
Kudos to Cesc for bringing the lads to the center of the pitch at the end of the match for a team gathering. Just to be all together and united like that was amazing to see.
the bastard of the brittania has been rewarded for his disgusting tackle with a place in the england team. no suprise there as this is the same fa who only buckled and stripped terry of the armband after a sustained and viscious media campain. i think it is time for every thinking englishman to feel real shame at the cowardice shown by their fa and the blatent zenophobia of the english media.
i do not want to hear that cunt pukeface manager of stoke or whatever his name is defending shawcross and the disgusting skysports news reporter smirking as he informs us of the “breaking news” that ramsey has broken his leg and shawcross is in the england team.
SHAME
Well done. Job done. Think of next match boys. I didn’t see the replays but from the first sight of it looked that the foul was bad late late tackle but not intention to harm and wasn’t as bad as the one on Ed. Chelsea when they beat us wanted us to believe that they playing at a different level that us but now after they were beaten twice while in front on both occasions it is a reality check for them. With Drogba in form or injured they gonna struggle big time. And only one draw before their game with ManU and the panic and anxiety will set in. Teams are starting to play them exactly as they did against us; defend well and contract them, that was their weapon against us. It’s easy to play attacking teams like us especially when missing some quality players with disadvantage of being behind in points and chasing them, but is another different issue to play well and beat teams that defend and relax. Cmon ARses
Andrew,
At some point even the agenda ridden scum press will realise that the fact that England haven’t won or even got close to winning anything for more than forty years is closely correlated with the footballing culture of thuggery over skill. This is tolerated in England because of a martial culture which has won us wars. But sport is not war. The rest of the worl progresses tactically and technically what do the English produce? 6 ‘4″ freaks who can throw a ball seventy yards, head it 40 and have bone density developed to such an extent that it can serially shatter opponents legs. What a great legacy.
Let’s not wait for the Sky dominated media to expose the football emperors nakedness though. They have product to shift and a poorly educated supine mass of halfwits ready to swallow the Johnny Foreigner don’t like it up ’em line.
It makes me want to puke.
A bit of perspective, please.
I am Norwegian, and thus not inclined to defend British players.
But Shawcross was unlukky in the challenge, and should not be grouped with the likes of Taylor, and the idiot who broke Diaby’s leg.
It was a 50/50 tackle, in which Shawcross was marginally to late. Much like Gallas’ tackle vs. Bolton.
Rambo was unlucky, and it’s a shame that such a likable player gets injured.
Best wishes for the lad.
Evening holic’s
I’m not gonna post about that tackle, enough has been said, except that my prayers will be going out to young Aaron.
I would like to shower praise on our captain who although clearly shaken stood up and galvinised our team and lead them to victory.
This is what a real captain is and this was the spirit that AW is always talking about.
I’m proud of the lads!!
Well said ‘holic. The media outlets in this country are full of reactionary xenophobic scum.
I lay the blame for this at door of Allardyce, McLeish, Pulis all those shitty, shitty British managers who instruct their teams to go out on a football pitch and kick the other team.
I lay the blame for this at the door of the British media who condone the kicking approach.
I lay the blame for this at the door of English refs who let bad tackles go time and again. Why the fuck was the ref smiling and chatting with the Stoke players whilst Ramsey was being assessed?
I blame the FA/ the Premier League for having sold their souls to Sky.
Bastards the lot of them.
I am sick to my stomach at the injury to poor Aaron Ramsey.
…its Ramsey’s fault cos he tried to pull out
…Wenger should learn not to over react
…Shawcross is badly affected by this
…I’ve not heard anyone from Stoke say a bad word about him
our media is disgrace. I can’t think of any walk of life where the perpetrator gets so much understanding and the victims have to put up and shut up. I’m disgusted by our violent and bankrupt premiership.
unlucky? what game were you bloody watching?
This is not the first time we’ve had something like this happen to us against Stoke or the other tough, hardworking and brave “English” teams. This incident happened as a direct consequence of persistant fouling against us. In any given game, our players will get shoved, kicked, roughed up and nothing will be given in our favour. Song pushed Delap just a bit and that earns him a yellow? Yet Nicklas and Ramsey get shoved down in the penalty box and nothing?
Bolton aggressively tackle our players through 90 minutes and nothing’s given. Birmingham do the same and yet again, nothing’s given. We lost Eduardo two years ago and lost Walcott this season. Look back at least season when we played Stoke and tell me if we were “unlucky”. The number of long-term injuries we pick up is no coincidence. We try to play our game and get roughed up for that. Would you ever expect this to happen to Barcelona or Madrid? Of course not!
If this had happened to Rooney or Terry or whatever else, the press would’ve been crying their bloody eyes out. But when its Arsenal, obviously we were unlucky. Obviously Shawcross never meant it. Of course he never slid into that challenge with unnecessary force. Of course not. It’s Arsenal who play their football too fast, who don’t play physically, who are too small. Its all our fault. Its also our fault that the Premier Leagues appear half-bloody blind during our games.
All these pathetic excuses make me sick. We’ve lost a brilliant player today and its a direct consequence of the general mentality against Arsenal. The FA are idiots if they feel that people watch the league for the likes of Stoke and “English grit”.
They likely won’t take any action against this but I think that for however long Ramsey’s gone, the league’s poorer for it. He’s a brilliant kid and I hope he makes a quick, full and succesfull recovery.
The Smith-Diaby tackle was meant to wound, committed by a Barton wannabe. Taylor and Shawcross were – respectively – slow, reckless and shit, and slow, reckless and tired. Excusing them is like excusing the coppers who killed that bloke with the table-leg in his bag outside the pub – of course they didn’t mean it, but they didn’t care enough about the consequences of getting it wrong, and I’d say the same thing if (as we thought at the time) Gallas had broken the Bolton player’s leg.
I meant to say “premier league referees”…sorry
I dont know if anyone else noticed it, But Clichy’s reaction and attitude was very courageous. He’s the one who was lifting the guys up, specially Vermaelen who was completely stunned. He’s the one who went straigth to Cesc and asked him to gather the boys just after the final whistle. A leader.
I dont blame the Stoke stupid thug. He has no brain, he was just doing what he was told to do. Dont get me wrong, he was not told to go break legs, but he was told to be physical and put it crunching takles. That’s the result. I blame Pullis for not playing the game in the rigth spirit and I blame those stupid referees who seem to enjoy seeing Arsenal being unfairly kicked all over the pitch for 90 mins. Anything from an Arsenal player is automatically punished. Can someone tell me why Song was booked?
I am sick of these
it’s not about intention tackle or late tackle , it’s all about the managers for those teams like stoke , bolton , blackburn , and the rest of thems they ask thier players to play like the way ” How to Stop Arsenal ” is by playing too too physical and those managers knews the F.A will support them with this kind of plan cuz the refs are allowing the game even if it’s too too clear on the eye this is not a football .. !
one thing , whats the point to run like a bulls to broken the player legs ? in this run before it you have to react quickly is you gonna catch the ball or the leg of the other player , but we knew those players are just blind of they faces arsenal , they keep kicking & kicking .. even if the steel kept kicked it will broked than what you want ?
i dunno what to say , but i am in deep sad for the boy .. get well soon Aaron ..
and sorry for F.A
What is really saddening is to see the Arsenal’s colours again. It is the same story with you guys everytime something goes against you. However, when things are your fault, say a certain dive, a certain tackle, certain racist abuse, then suddenly it is ok?
Aaron Ramsey, a wonderful talent was the victim of an unfortunate tackle. The cameras caught it. I doubt you’ll see any close-up footage, as it was horrible enough already, but my first and only impression was that Shawcross was simply too late.
I guess you guys didn’t see the tears on his face, or that he walked over to him immediately to check up on him. Seriously, are you that blind and heartless to see the kid meant no harm? Stop pretending YOU are the victim, as you are not, Ramsey is and so is Shawcross. I am sure the kid feels terrible enough as it is, despite being called up to the England squad and I am sure that is the least of his concern now, as I am sure he’s somewhere else with his head right now, that is the tackle that could end the career of the young and talented Ramsey.
Instead of showing support to your team and Ramsey, you resort to name-calling, lynching and being a general thug. Is this the Arsenal way? Then again, seeing how you treated players in the past, this might be. I used to be a Gooner, but the way you treat players threw me off, as I do not want to be associated with a bunch of thugs that care more about themselves than the club.
Besides, do you really think Shawcross would be relishing his first match for England? I’d think he’d rather not play and I don’t think he’ll see this as a consolation. Besides, papers report that Capello had a talk with his staff before they decided to announce he’d come and only made the decision, based on his reaction after the tackle, a genuine distraught and horrified player that had no intention of hurting him. After all, he was never send off, thus had a clean slate, something you don’t see often from defenders.
Good luck to Shawcross and a speedy recovery to Aaron Ramsey, I hope he’ll come back stronger than ever and keep his prosper career going.
after reading all your remarks about shawcross and what a bad team stoke are, if you watch the replays you will see that shawcross did’nt go in two footed he was just a touch late and also it was stokes glenn whelan who rushed to ramseys aid while your great players rushed to the ref and demanded shawcross be sent off!!!
lets have a bit of perspective and stop leaving harsh comments
all the best to ramsey and a speedy recovery.
Could I get a double shot of your strongest, ‘Holic? Make that a triple? Maybe that will help calm me down.
Prayers to all the myriad Gods I believe in for Aaron’s recovery. He WILL play again; I am convinced of it. And he is going to come back, run rings around Shawcross, score five goals in one match and essentially destroy Stoke single-handedly.
I remember all the Brum cunts coming on here after ‘holic’s post after the Eduardo injury.
Are we expecting another influx of ignorant mongs?
Our player is the victim as is the football we play. This is the team we support and this is our blog. Get out of here.
It is imminent Jackster.
‘Holic,
I’m certainly no one to argue with you, but in my opinion you are writing from an emotion fueled perspective.
I don’t think we can vilify Shawcross. Sure, the tackle was not too clever. And I am upset by it. We all are. But I don’t believe there was any intention on his part to injure Ramsey.
That’s no consolation to Aaron. And get well soon, son. Our thoughts are with you.
What Shawcross did could have been anyone. He played it too far ahead and recklessly stretched for it. Unfortunately, so did Ramsey. Gallas did the same thing a few weeks ago, but the player whose leg he caught, fortunately did not get broken.
Anyroad, who am I to defend Shawcross? I just think he’s a decent defender and I don’t want to see Arsenal get labeled in a derisory manner for going OTT in our comments against him. We somehow were painted as the bad guys when we questioned the honesty of Taylor’s tackle on Eduardo. Let’s not instigate a witch hunt against Shawcross. Let’s use the situation to inspire us for the rest of the season.
I don’t comment often, but I read all of your blogs. So since I’m paying a visit, let me take this opportunity to tell you that I enjoy your site. And I appreciate the effort you put into writing for us. Thank you and keep up the good work!
Rhino
Oh God, here we go again. Days of bleating by ‘holier than thou’ gooners feeling they are the picked on ones, victimized by everyone, the targets of deliberate assaults etc etc..
For Christs sake, it was a strong challenge where no malice was intended. If you watch Shawcross week in week out you see him go in with ‘full bloodied’ tackles all the time. Unfortunately for him, Ramsey got there a split second earlier and the rest is history. As with Taylors challenge 2 years ago, it was an accident.
I would just like to mention though, that I have seen plenty of appalling challenges by Arsenal players over the years (although I’m sure none of you will have, just like your manager won’t have either) that have been lucky not to have ended up with the same result as both Shawcross and Taylors challenges.
If only Ramsey could get the penalty , I dont think this kind of horrific injury could happened . The ref pure biased , really just gotten stoke more excited and the license to do more , and then sent Ramsey in pain with follows no football for a year -’hey , the ref seems fine with our dirty tactics , let us continue this ‘
you cannot defend shawcross because its indefensible and it is not unlucky. I have played football against these types of player at a much lower level. but some players just play the game with a vicious attitude and really do not think about what a tackle might do to the other player. it is literally win at all costs. I have gone into tackles with fair players and in tackles with thugs, and I know the fear of seeing a thug getting a tackle wrong – I have been lucky but I have seen friends have their legs and ankles broken by players like Shawcross, Smith and Taylor. It most certainly IS the players fault – this is not some 50/50 bad luck.
I feel absolutely gutted for Ramsey, but I also feel so immensley proud of our players. We have real human beings who genuinely care for each other on our team. Seeing Tommy Vermaelen crouching down while crying made me love him even more. I somehow don’t think we’ll ever hear stories of him shagging a team-mates wife. Sometimes people say that we are too soft to ever win trophies but if having complete and utter fuckwits like Terry or Ronaldo on our team is a prerequisite for winning – well then you can shove your fucking trophies up your arse.
Cesc Fabregas has often been said to not be a true captain. Well, anyone who saw this game has to change their mind. We are into stoppage time, he has just seen his third team mate in four years suffer a broken leg (and remember, Cesc was standing close to all three situations as they occurred), he had already missed one penalty against the same keeper this season and I can guarantee that he really, really wanted to win it for Ramsey. And he walks up, no hesitation, and slots the ball home.
I have no time whatsoever for Ryan Shawcross (just another fucking clogger who has no place in football – how the fuck can Capello name him for England?), but at least he had the common decency to feel ashamed of what he did, in contrast to that fuckwit Martin Taylor who not only had the temerity to portray himself as the one to feel sorry for, he even lied about having apologised to Eduardo.
Stoke can take their illegal throw-ins (look at Delap’s feet, he never has both feet on the ground when he throws the ball, how no refs ever manage to spot this is beyond me), their smug bullshitting mug of a manager and their team of cloggers and just fuck the fuck off.
Ten games to go. Let’s win them all for Ramsey.
i think that it was an accident and that we cant put shawcross and people like roy keane who attack players on purpose.
get well soon rambo!!!!
Coplan, I agree completely. Clichy was a giant today. For the first 20 minutes, pretty much all we saw of Arsenal was Clichy tracking back, bombing forward, delivering passes, cleaning up. And the way he grabbed the ball back from the time-wasting Delap, showed an edge to our normally affable Clichy that I could get used to. There is a sense of purpose and urgency to him now that I have not seen in a while.
How fantastic was our captain Cesc? He is what legends are made of!
Shawcross is a disgrace. Rambo, get well soon. We shall miss your fire.
Piisuke, you said <>
If you change your mind about your team of choice because of the allegedly thuggish behavior of its fans, then your interest was only ever superficial. You were never a true supporter. To those of us who livebreathedie Arsenal, your ilk is no loss.
I reckon that the tackle was unfortunate and not malicious. Obviously, people are going to be quite emotional about it directly following the game. That being said, I do think that the FA need to get this crap out of the game. As one poster said, this sort of thing doesn’t happen in the other leagues and it shouldn’t happen here.
Walton had a shocking game. We had 2 nailed on penos and he awards the weakest one that looked ball to hand. Not only that, Song is booked for being held by Delap. Also, allowing for Delap to towel dry the ball for a throw should not be allowed. He should have gotten booked for it. Imagine if we started doing scuffing the ball with some sort of nail file or something to allow it to spin differently for a free kick. It is just blatant cheating and that has also got to go.
@Piisuke and @stoke fan
The problem is not whether Shawcross (or Taylor or Smith) went in with the aim of injuring Ramsey (which today I don’t think he did) but it is exactly as one commenter previously said:
“…they didn’t care enough about the consequences of getting it wrong…”
The blame for that lies squarely at the door of the manager who tells his team when playing Arsenal to “get amongst them”, “give them one early doors” & “they don’t like it up ’em” at the expense of actually bothering to pick any football tactics.
Of /course/ Shawcross was upset, because the man he looks up to, the man who picked him in the team, the man who gave him his agenda for the day – his manager – has essentially lied to him by not explaining fully the consequences of “getting it wrong”.
So what you are hearing from Arsenal fans, on here, on the other blogs, on the news websites and on Twitter is an outpouring of emotion following yet another example of a team who can’t live with Arsenal’s superior football skill being directly instructed to use unreasonable force to try and counter it. And that appalling injury is what happens. Coming on here asking people to calm down and have a bit of perspective is just a little bit late in the day, don’t you think?
Get well soon, Aaron.
Piisuke can go straight to hell, but I didn’t think the post from “stoke fan” was quite as bad. Valid point that Whelan was the most active player on the pitch as far as sicking with Aaron and making sure he was ok. That said I don’t blame our boys for being so distraught and angry.
I don’t know whether the tackle was intentional or not or any of the varying degrees in the middle. I can’t get into Shawcross’s head, none of us can, and in the end, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that a 19 year old, a huge part of the future of football for his club and country, is now lying in a hospital with his leg broken in half wondering if he’ll ever be the same again. As far as I’m concerned, that in and of itself is justification for a several game ban.
Maybe Shawcross is going to take the fall for something bigger than him, and in that sense, maybe I have some sympathy. I don’t think his remorse as he left the field was at all disingenuous. Even so, a message needs to be sent that this is not how football is played. Playing “hard” shouldn’t mean getting away with cheap shots just because your opponent happens to be Arsenal – or, for that matter, any other team that plays that style. If you want that, go play rugby or American football.
There’s a fine line between righteous anger and a witch hunt. As far as Shawcross individually is concerned, I do think we need to be careful not to cross that line, but still someone in the league office HAS to finally send the message that this is unacceptable.
When it comes down to it, I really do hope that Shawcross’s tears were real, because I’d prefer to believe he’s a good kid and not an ogre. Even more, I hope to God that Aaron recovers and returns the same or better, because he’s a hell of a lot of fun to watch.
Arsenal fans showing their true colours.. Sticking up for a kid with a broken leg, on an arsenal blog.. how dare they!
Just had to check to see if Ramsay has enough appearances to get a medal if we win the league – he does. As does RVP, but Gibbs is 6 short and Sol has work to do.
We are most definetly targets and I loved Fabregas shoush-ing Pullis. That kid is already an Arsenal legend. Managers tell theyre players to rough us up .. and I dont dought a minute that Shawcross is as tuggish as the the others. But after venting my anger on various forums.. i rewathed the incident about ten times and in this particular situation there was no malice. Shawcross is even the ball holder so its not the case of tiny taylor .. that tackle was very much delibarate. But what utter cunts the Stoke fans are .. as they were chanting “only one Ryan Shawcross” and ‘same ol Arsenal always cheating’ while Rasay was rolling around in pain. On another note how Hilarious is Hilario .. ?? Proves how important a class goaly is.
Ivan-
I do not care how the media would react if it was Rooney, that has nothing to do with the tackle itself. Neither has the fact that we have been affected by bad tackles in the past, nor the penalties that were not given.
Those are the faults of the ref.
Shawcross went for the ball, as did Aaron. Aaron got there first.
Eduardo’s leg break was not unlucky.
Diaby’s leg break was not unlucky.
That doesn’t mean this one wasn’t.
the full bloodied tackles are caused by a vicious attitude that is bred into the lives of many young english footballers and often encouraged and it especially comes out when they are playing Arsenal – with this stupid – arsenal dont like it up em thing that the media perpetuate.
I honestly dont know what can be done to get this out of our game. Its far too ingrained for it to disappear anytime soon. The referees really dont help. some bad dangerous tackles are going in and the refs do nothing time and again. I remember a two footed one on Sagna by Terry and everyone said what a great football moment it was. OK sagna won the ball – our players normally do, but he was lucky not to have his leg broken that day. The dangerous tackles are not rare, even if the broken legs thankfully are.
what can Arsenal do? we can only play a different style but clearly that cant happen under wenger. I dont want to see this ever again.
A bit of perspective, please..as has been said before. Awful injury to Ramsey and I wish him a speedy recovery. The game was a good one and set for an exciting finish until the incident involving Shawcross and Ramsey.
Stoke play the committed, physical game against all. Not just Arsenal. That’s why we get the billing of ‘a tough team to beat’. The tackle happened at such speed, with Shawcross’s foot being low that it was evident that there was no intent to injure.
It is obviously disappointing for Arsenal fans to lose the former Cardiff player, and I wish him the best in his recovery. However, the ball was a 50-50 with an unfortunate outcome.
I hope Arsenal win the PL in 2010 if I’m honest. Good luck in this battle. please don’t make knee jerk conclusions and make stupid generalisations against teams that try to physically compete against an opposition which is more technically gifted. We do this against every team and how many players have had their legs broken their legs against us in 5 years? I think you’ll find that Aaron is the only one.
A note about class.
Class is Arsenal recovering from this horrific deja vu experience to come back and win this time.
Class is Fabregas telling Pulis to “Shhhh…”
Class is Fabregas calling the team together for a huddle at full time.
Class is the angry but restrained comments made by Fabregas and Wenger to the Sky interviewer.
Class is recognising that, despite the intense emotions we are all feeling right now, the Shawcross tackle did not contain the deliberate intention to maim that was apparent in the Smith and Taylor tackles on Abou and Edu.
Class will be not booing Shawcross next time Stoke come to the Emirates.
Class will be Arsenal going on to win the Title.
he did not mean to smash his leg to pieces .mmmm ok.But he DID intend to hurt him.A bit like manslaughter rather than murder then?the sooner a European supper league the better so we can actually play football teams
what people have to realise is this isn’t about INTENT or MALICE! this is about RECKLESSNESS, there needs to be a protocol in place retrospective for recklessness, if i run somebody over with my car and kill them, weather i intended to kill/hurt him isn’t the point, i can still go to jail for recklessness, and what we’re talking about here is potentially ending another players career or certainly putting it on hold, there needs to be something in place, a 10-15 match ban retrospective according to the outcome WHICH WAS A BROKEN LEG FROM A SHIN HEIGHT TACLKE OF THE TIBULAR AND FIBULAR, PERIOD!….in belgium they gave wittsel of standard liege a 15game ban….WE NEED THAT AS A DETTERENT! the consensus in the premier league from most teams north of birmingham is that arsenal don’t like it up em….they don’t like the ruff stuff, but 3 of these in 5years is no coincidence, a british player, because of the way he raised as a footballer believes when you tell him to show commitment means to run longer and tackle harder when that isn’t the case, if the FA do not protect the premierships top players they’ll stop coming over to these shores….and all that will remain are the dan smiths, the taylors and the shawcross’s of this world, not malicious players but simple standard british players.
@23 Pisspuke
“I used to be a Gooner, but the way you treat players threw me off, as I do not want to be associated with a……”
This is a site for football fans, not plastics. How can you expect to be taken serious if you are a flip-flop.
Supporting a football team is not like being married, a football team you choose for LIFE, for better or worse etc.
A pint and a tequila shot please barman.
Cheers.
If an Arsenal player broken an England players leg, the reaction would be so so different. Rambo will get more sympathy than Eduardo did though because he is from the home nations.
I was as annoyed with the referee as anyone. He seemed to want to let every foul go, except the foul ON Song, for which Song was bizarrely booked.
Had Stoke’s early fouls been penalised, perhaps with a booking or two, maybe young Ramsey wouldn’t have been given an extra bend in his leg. The ref only showed the red card once he’d seen Ramsey’s leg too – he would probably have given a free kick to Stoke otherwise.
Pulis, Allardyce, Hughes, Smith (Alan & Dan) Taylor, Davies – whoever. You are all the same – fuck you all.
We are The Arsenal.
Shawcross – you may well have just won us the league.
t really is stupid to keep on saying “Arsenal complain”, “he didn’t mean to hurt him”, etc. The leg is broken and this is a frequent occurence FOR ARSENAL in a game where in Spain and even robust Italy you never hear of such horrors. What does this mean? Why only Arsenal and why only England? The answer is simple, managers tell their players to kick Arsenal players and be as “aggressive” as possible. Which other player in the EPL has had an opponent kneel on his neck and pull his hair but an Arsenal player? And by the way, not even a yellow card for what is clearly outlawed as violent conduct. It is sickening that there are so many apologists for behaviour that threatens footballers’ livelihood. This recklessness must be punished, otherwise Arsenal will lose more players this way. And soon, one of them will be maimed for life.
I’m not going to go overboard with this all i will do is use statistics that everyone knows.
Arsenal have lost three players in five years to horrendously late/bad tackles.
Arsenal will be booked for fouls easier than the teams playing against us, This was proved by Wenger some time ago when he used the FA’s own stats to show double the amount of fouls commited on Arsenal than by Arsenal led to bookings to Arsenal and opponents.
Now for some stats I’m not sure of, Has any one team other than Arsenal in the entire history of the PL lost three players to late/bad tackles?
I ask because I am really struggling to think of any off the top of my head.
So no, Arsenal fans are not getting over the top in their anger, but we are getting fed up with it, It used to be that we were physical with the likes of Vieira and Adams and Keown putting it about and we got booked for it, A LOT.
But in recent times we have played such a good game that bad tackles have all but disappeared as evidenced by our lowering of bookings season after season, and you want to know why we occasionally do make bad tackles, Because double get committed against us to no booking and it does get frustrating.
Referees seem to think this is still physical Arsenal and its ok to let our opponents rough us up.
Also did anybody else get sick of Andy Gray constantly say every team gets fouls and injuries not just Arsenal. prick!
We don’t like it up us? I wonder why.
Ironically I don’t even think the ref would have given us the pen if one of our players hadn’t been broken in two first.
Shawcross didn’t mean it, but Stoke play based on what the refs allow (plus what their manager tells them). If this is the best league in the world then I’m moving to Spain – with Cesc – anyone else get the tone of his post match interview? I think that’s him done now.
He has been fouled in rotation all season with no protection and I reckon he must think if he sticks around its only a matter of time before he’s lying there with his leg hanging off..
When Gallas tackled Bolton’s Mark Davies a few weeks back, it was shown again and again from every conceivable angle in the slowest motion imaginable; the tenet being that it was an intentional and malicious foul, which it simply wasn’t. Davies returned to action 10 days (2 games) later!!!! The Shawcross foul was not even repeated once on TV, giving very few people a chance to reflect on it with any clarity, but it stands to reason that any tackle causing such serious damage to a fellow young pro’s career must be considered with deep suspicion; the timing of Shawcross’ international call up is ill advised, to say the least. I can only hope and wish that Aaron Ramsey makes a full recovery in every way – we were really starting to see his capabilities and this happens.
It is cute that several could only comment on my last paragraph. As I said, you only care for yourselves, not for the club.
They also seemed to fail how they all got introduced to a club. I am pretty sure you, as a kid, got introduced to a club by a family member, or friend, or something. So, your decision to support a club is often based on someone else’s perception. Cry about how wrong I am, you know it is not. After that, you’re never a true fan either way, you grow to like a club, you learn to like a club, that time for me was cut short.
It happens, get over it. Doesn’t take away I can still comment and have a valid opinion, but even that some of you fail to understand.
I’d also like to point out that I do not support Stoke City, so do not see this as a way to defend “my” club. I am posting as a neutral that simply watched the game on Sky TV.
As for the fans that have ill wishes on Shawcross, please read:
http://goal.com/en/news/1717/editorial/2010/02/27/1810585/comment-ryan-shawcross-deserves-england-call-up-and-should
It should give you more insight on the accident. However, considering the posts here of some people, unlike on other blogs that I have read (there’s still hope for you!), I doubt any of you want to be pointed out wrong.
After all, a certain tackle, a certain dive and certain racial abuse coming from your corner is supposed to be “ok”, but as soon as it is you on the receiving end, the very foundations of life must be moved to protect you.
There are matches that are way more physical than today’s matches in leagues spread all over the world, think Celctic – Rangers, Barcelona – Real Madrid, Feyenoord – Ajax, yet you see no bone breaking. What does that tell? That your players are fragile? No! It tells you that accidents happen and that was the case with Ramsey and Shawcross, full stop.
@Ian/52: Oh please! Are you a Barca fan or what? Cesc repeats over and over that he loves the club and manager. Today he showed how great a captain he is. It’s just plain disrespectful to him to say that he will leave to Barca everytime there’s a hardship coming our way.
And yes Ramsey will get his champion’s medal as he rightly deserves.
I’d also like to say welcome back clichy
Tony Pulis was definitively classy in his interview it has to be said.
As for Shawcross he was devastated and his tackle was nothing like Taylor and especially Smith. Now if neither Smith nor Taylor got even a warning nothing’s going to happen to Shawcross.
FACT: No other PL team has had THREE players struck down with such horrific injuries in so short a time.
FACT: Referees routinely allow Arsenal to suffer constant rotational fouling that merit bookings (always in the first half) until around the 60th or 70th minute, at which point the ref takes out his yellow card against an Arsenal player’s first foul.
FACT: Arsenal are the most fouled against (fouls per booking) and we commit the fewest fouls (fouls per booking).
FACT: Intent is IRRELEVANT! The POINT is this inexcusable belief that totally uncontrolled, full-blooded tackles with NO regard for consequences is acceptable and (incredibly) something to be admired and praised.
FACT: In the last 3-5 seasons, Arsenal have been at the top of the fair play league.
QUESTION: Exactly how many times have Arsenal “thugs” injured opponents so badly that the TV cameras cannot show the injury so as to protect viewer sensibilities, and which have caused those opponents to miss out on months or YEARS from playing?
Finally, take note of what has happened to Diaby and Eduardo after their injuries. They have not been the same since.
We can now expect the same from one of the most promising British players we have ever seen.
It’s enuf to make you consider giving up entirely on this disgrace of a league that lauds reckless violence and ridicules craft, artistry and skill.
3 times in 5 years… up and at’em football my ass.. you f***in’ C***s
Pilsuke, you’re so f—–g ignorant.
The QUESTION is WHY so many of these “accidents” happen to Arsenal?
And I was at that City game where there was NO RACIAL ABUSE AGAINST Ade — in fact, the chant that had racial undertones was sung by CITY fans! The chants toward Ade had nothing to do with any racist insults, that entire story was total bollocks.
i agree with the comment above the ref wasnt going to give anything until he saw ramseys leg in 2, i have no doubt about that, watch the tv replays and watch the ref and you’ll see, i aint gona comment anymore as 7 hours down the line, im still sick to my stomach and shocked.
theres only 1 aaron ramsey
Alan Hanson on MOTD;
“I think I´m becoming an Arsenal fan”.
Strongest thing you’ve got please barman, I’m in a state of shock.
@58 Marcus
Thanks for backing up my post 🙂
Matt I wasn’t trying to be in any way disrepectful.
Cesc is fantastic for us and clearly loves the club. I was trying to make the point that if the refs don’t protect players like him, they’re off and fair enough. Its the third time the poor guy has been the closest player to a real sickener, and it showed in his interview.
I don’t want to watch a league of cloggers, and that’s what we’ll end up with unless managers stop sending their players out to kick the skillful players out of the game. I’d rather watch players like Cesc playing week in week out abroad than lying in a hospital bed.
Sorry it’s all been a bit of an emotional day! You’re right I shouldn’t read too much into 1 interview.
I hear the view that this challenge was not as bad as the other two. I understand the argument. It does not appear as premeditated. That does not excuse the swinging chop at shin height which brought about an inevitable consequence. Just because he was momentarily out of control, or just frustrated, does not excuse the thuggishness in any way. If you are challenging above the height of the ball then you are going ‘over the top’. That is not acceptable under any circumstance.
No worries mate, my wording was wrong as well. Worst day to be objective and cool-headed…
MOTD has tonight had the balls to replay the incident. It’s entirely fair to say that Shawcross’ foul on Ramsey is not in the same league as either Dan Smith’s or Martin Taylor’s assaults on Diaby and Eduardo respectively. It doesn’t make it right, but in this case you have to say that Shawcross was closer to the ball and Ramsey’s leg was fully stretched and at the worst possible angle. It was, in short, a freak accident. I say this as an Arsenal fan since 1975 and a season ticket holder. I’ve watched the incident on freeze frame and try as I might I cannot hate Shawcross for this incident. It is all about Ramsey’s recovery for next autumn and Arsenal galvanising towards the 2010 league title now.
Good post Ian
The worst refereeing decision I saw this season is the booking of song. It wasn’t even a foul it was two guys pushing each other. Unbelievable.
Thanks (as ever) to Arsenalist you can download the video of Aaron’s injury and watch it frame by frame for yourself.
There wasn’t even thuggishness for me, the big oaf genuinely thought he was kicking the ball when Aaron bursted like lightning and put his leg in front of the shoe. The big donkey was not challenging Ramsey, he was kicking the ball which Aaron kicked a tiny fraction of a second ahead despite starting much further away.
I agree that 3 times in 5 years is no coincidence etc. Pulis, the Fa, whoever condones the kick’em style has their share of responsability in this. But as much as the 2 others were intentional fouls, this one is not, not even reckless for me, simply bad luck.
thought our captain spoke very well after the game, pointing out that it was the 3rd time in 5yrs he had seen such a horrendous revolting tackle from a member of the opposition on an arsenal player, there is a line you don’t cross he stated
lets hope shawcross dose the decent thing and commits suicide and the other 2 tramps do likewise, football and indeed the world will be a better place without them
piisuke,how about you do us all a favour and fuck off,we’r not interested in a muppets view.im not going to get into a debate with you because i dont get into football debates with muppets and i can only assume your a muppet because you’ve already told us that you change teams willy nilly.as someone asked earlier,how can you expect to be taken seriously when you tell us football die hards somthing like that?should have known you were a muppet from your name.
You’re not wrong, Osi, but at least he is out now and not in two or three games time. He’ll get a decent rest for the run in too.
@70 Matt
But would such an unfortunate accident have happened if there had been action taken previously against such agressive tactics, because in that game were plenty of decisions we should have been given and were not.
Clearly referees are not doing their job anymore stopping players getting more reckless as the game goes on and encouraging worse behaviour simply by refusing to book players when they should, why is it different for Arsenal than any other club.
This is not angry rhetoric but genuine fact, We are the least offending team for fouls but one of the most fouled teams EVER.
We receive as many bookings as teams who commit double the amount of fouls on us, WHY?
Diaby, Edu, Ramsey, who’s next……got milk? Three, I think, makes a trend. Examine why this keeps happening! These types of tackles are not uncommon, but the resulting injuries for one club in this space of time must be an aberration.
The club needs to look into this, it seemed like a 50-50 challenge which happens all the time! Ramsey was three years younger and a few stones lighter, perhaps this is what they mean when people say we’ve been punching above our weight. I don’t have the answers but there are many questions to be looked at here, not just blaming the uninjured player.
@71 Tom
Unfair dude, I dislike what Shawcross did just as much as you, but it was thoughtless and moronic, not thuggish. Stupid not full of malice
I never wish death on anyone especially over a game of football.
Shawcross is a product of how the game changed thanks to Sam effing Allardyce, On the eve of the game against Bolton many years ago he did the interview saying teams never get decisions against Arsenal, and ever since then when his Bolton got away with kicking seven lumps of crap out of Arsenal it has become the norm and acceptable.
Holic, I agree with your overall opinion. The tackle may not have been the most malicious ever committed, the injury may have been as much bad timing and positioning as several have noted.
But the fact remains that the FA have not protected against bad tackles with stiff penalties, have rarely retroactively issued yellow or red cards, and have not fined players for the threats of kicking players in pre-match interviews. A culture exists where it is alright to kick players, to lunge in, to get stuck in in violation of the rules. In fact, these rule violations are praised by the media and marketed by the FA. The media, who I believe was really Arsene’s target today, feed it all. I am sick of it, and I am sick of our players getting kicked.
@24 Stoke Fan: I agree that Glenn Whelan deserves some praise for rushing to and staying with Ramsey. Given the grotesqueness of the injury, I am not sure I could have done that.
…There’s only one Aaron Ramsey!
Here’s hoping a makes a quick and full recovery. I look forward to the day that Arsene calls him “likeanewsigning”…
@drapedindarkness: you are totally right.
The ref was abysmal:
1) Didn’t give the Stoke donkeys the yellow cards they deserved.
2) Denied us an obvious pennalty twice.
3) Gave Song a yellow card for nothing.
The Bolton/Allardyce playing “style” has been refined, now donkeys rotate to fould the opposition so it’s harder for refs to finger a culprit. Not saying this to excuse this ref of course. As disgusting as it is, since nothing was done when Smith maimed Diaby, I’m sure nothing will change even if we are almost always on the receiving end of the antifootball brutality.
Well in ‘holic.
I feel sick, absolutely disgusted.
Once again I am seeing the stories in in the papers defending shawcross, talking about him being a nice lad etc..
Its the eduardo thing all over again. The media are ignoring the big issue,ignoring ramsey and instead focusing on the clumsey thug who caused the mess!
Each time the cunt who breaks our players leg is ENGLISH, I cant help but think how different the medias reaction would be if it was some big nigerian player who made a bad tackle.
To Piisuke, what #72 said.
I thought Sol was immense today, btw, and Bendtner really put in the graft. That size and height was the difference against this very physical side.
Sol did stop though when he could have headed the ball in/back across the face of goal, and I’m not sure why (this was from a free kick around 85 mins).
I thought Song also looked a bit tired, but Gael does seem to have got some of his mojo back
😉
Oh, and Nasri. ?
I think you all need a bit of perspective here. Shawcross’ tackle wasn’t that bad. He went in with one foot that was grounded. Ramsey had his studs caught in the turf before Shawcross even touched him. A really unfortunate incident. Yes it was a bad tackle, but if Ramsey hadn’t been injured and the referee had judged the tackle for what it was, it’s a yellow card at most.
Compare Shawcross’ tackle today with Gallas on Mark Davies last month. Gallas went in studs up over the top of the ball – a worse tackle. You can’t judge a tackle by its consequences. Sometimes horrible injuries result from fairly innocuous circumstances. At other times horrible tackles happen but the player is lucky to escape without serious injury.
I don’t understand people who watch video replays frame by frame and try to understand what is going through Shawcrosses head.
How can you know what is in his head by watching a video?
The only way you can know what is in his head is by playing football.
I’ve played park football for 20 years and honestly I can tell you that EVERY player knows when they are going into a challenge that could hurt an opponent. There is always that split second going in when you know this could hurt someone, and in that split second you know whether to pull out or not.
Against Arsenal these players don’t pull out, why? because they are told before hand to bully Arsenal, to get stuck in. It is even justified by the press by praising teams who bully Arsenal.
It is time the FA resigned enmass. It is their fault this has occured. They decide what referees do and how the laws are regulated. The FA have allowed Rooney to swear at referees and select an adulterer as the role model for our kids. It is at their door that all blame should lie.
They allow racist media to criticise our magnificent coach for being astute and ensuring our financial stability whilst coaching a team of ordinary genuine footballers into a team of world class quality. They allow his race to be brought in to arguement and conversation as they allow media to pick on the race of our team. Our team is Arsenal and we play the best football in the world according to the Laws of the Game – The beautiful game. We are coached by a magnificent economist and mentor that brings the best out of human beings and places them in a position for our kids to marvel at and learn from. He has controlled the expenditure and the quality by introducing a regime of diet and morality that is second to none.
The provocation of the media to get physical with our honest football is what encourages the moronic players to hurt rather than play. We have seen breaks and injuries that should only be seen in war. The treatment our players have been forced to suffer aided and abetted by referees that are biased to the point of criminality is totally unacceptable in a civilised society. A society that is getting filled with bastards as the norm as it loses all regard for the sacrement of matrimony and encourages adulterous behaviour.
Let’s get behind the team now for the rest of the season.
Forget about “Wenger out”, “Wenger must buy” blah blah blah.
We can’t help Ramsey recover quicker but we can be the 12th man to help win the lad his medal.
No more booing, no more leaving early. 10 more games to win the title.
I’m sick of the media and the biased refs promoting the “English way”. They love it when we lose to their mindless talentless thugs. let’s help stick one up ’em.
Matt P, don’t be a cunt all your life, take a day off son.
Davies was training the week after that game. Care to hazard a guess when Ramsey will even walk again, you dumb cunt?
Oh yeah – and they love it when one of our players dives. That’s obviously far worse than mashing someone’s leg to bits cos diving’s against the spirit of the game.
6 hours on and I’m still phucking steaming.
Hint for you ‘holics. Don’t quote post numbers because they will almost certainly change when I have to delete the muppets later on.
Cheers all.
From a drunk king
To whom It may interest,
To the queen Elizabeth II,
To the british government,
To the british people,
To the whole world
To ouserlves,
Succeess comes with responsability, and for the past two centuries the influence of british empire on the whole world cannot be denied.
Injustice brings frustration and violence.
Class and fairness used to be an aglon saxon thing, not anymore.
Not since every thing in England seems to favour Man IOU IOU and the dirty bastards northeners.
The british media and fans cannot see the damage the bad refereing is doing to our whole world, but God and I do.
Millions and millions and millions of people mostly childreen are shockingly watching every week english referees, players and medias cheat blatantly and freely without any sort of condemnation.
Ultmately the whole united kingdom will have to pay an heavy price for such insane behaviours.
WHat’s more disguting is the Public Relation boost the bad boys get once it become evident that their behaviour highlights the bad things going around.
If these guys (Taylor, showcross, etc…) are “nice people”, then I am frightened by the idea of what might be a bad english behaviour.
Whe’re shocked all around the world and the sadest thing of all is that what appened didn’t surprised anybody. We were waiting for this kind of horror.
More shocking, is the fact the medias will fight to defend and defend again these cowards while the victims are agonizing.
They won’t talk about his pain, but they will paint his agressor as a god.
Only mass corruption can make people so disgusting. It’s clear that english football is a very corrupted one. It’s indirect corruption like the “indrect rules” but it’s corruption.
The Fa, the referees and the mediass are well and truly corrupted.
We’re truly ad constantly deceived by english medias and officials. It must stop.
The Queen, the british government and EU must act as responsably as possible against such blatant cheatings tainted with a disgusting look of xenophobia.
I wish a very quick come back for our young little brother.
Need serioulsy a drink. Cannot enjoy the win.
Oh, and Matt P, indeed Shawcross did have one leg grounded. The other was at shin height. Care to guess which one did the damage, fuckwit?
to all you stoke fans and others of the “british idea of football”
its not that shawcross is a dirty player, i dont believe that, however its clear that the ethos of your team and like minded mangers in the mold of pulis is to kick any opposing player who has the ball, this is your ethos, your way of playing and quite frankley its disgusting, your disgusting, to come on an arsenal web page and try and defend your players as”not like that” is utter crap!
to let you all know the arsenal way is to play football not to kick the living shit of any opposing player!
i wonder if the shoe was on the other foot, you low lying scum bags,!!!!
its been a tatic employed by the yobs of english football (esp, against the arsenal) for many years now, and its got to stop!!
this shawcross, this bringer of light to the english game, this oh, he’s really a nice guy, should be baned for as long as young ramsey is out, which looks btw for about 1 year, your manager is a yellow bellied coward for his so called managerial tatic’s,
shame on you, shame on you all!
but dont worry you grubby little scum bags, you want last in this league, scum like you never do!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
I don’t think the tackle by Shawcross was malicious and made with the intention of breaking a leg. But it was deliberate and made with the intention of hurting (not breaking the leg of) the opposite player. The manager would’ve drilled down the message to the team the “get into the face” of the Arsenal players, cos “they don’t like it up ’em”. This of course would’ve been the result of the myth perpetrated by grey-haired media pundits; those superstars of the self-indulgent English league who only managed to be mediocre on the international stage. Ofcourse, the FA will not be taking any blame for this, neither would the referees, for failing to control a culture of “if you don’t get the ball, get the man!”. So an accident like this is waiting to happen in every game. No wonder the victim always happens to be from a team who likes to be true to game and play some football; while the perpatrators always happens to be an “honest”, “committed” English player who “doesn’t have a bad bone in him.”
@oldgooner
Did you read the point I made in my post? You can’t always judge the tackle based on the consequences. Just because Mark Davies escaped serious injury, it doesn’t mean Gallas’ tackle was not as bad as Shawcross’.
@Goonerholic
http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/sport/article742209.ece?slideshowPopup=true&articleId=742209&initialArticleId=742209
There’s a picture. Please tell me where Shawcross’ other foot is. Seems to me that it’s on the ground as well. I can understand you’re angry, but Shawcross is not some animal. This isn’t like Martin Taylor on Eduardo where the tackle was a shocker and was a broken leg waiting to happen.
Today was unfortunate. Not a horror tackle. Shawcross doesn’t deserve to be villified like this. You could see how distraught he was as soon as it happened. Look at it rationally. Feet on the ground, studs down, Ramsey’s ankle is already twisted because his studs get caught in the turf. Yes it’s a poor tackle by Shawcross – mistimed but no worse than that.
I dont fucking care if shawcross meant it or not.
Fact is managers send their teams out to get stuck in at us, this is a consequence of that attitude. The managers are to blame, and the media is for praising managers who do it.
These players are top professional players , they are not like our sunday league with such imprecise kicks .
They must be responsible of their act . FA must get tough .
My e-mail to Stoke:
‘Dear’ Stoke City Football Club,
I have yet to watch yesterday’s match between your ‘good’ selves and Arsenal, so I have not seen the latest destruction of one of our players.
If your team think it is ‘big’, ‘manly’, or whatever to break the legs of other players – possibly destroying their careers in the doing – then you really should reconsider your place in this sport. Yes, sport not battle.
How about your team, or the individual involved, being forced to pay the player’s wages and cost of treatment and rehabilitation as some sort of compensation for what happened?
I doubt there will even be an apology. There was none from Birmingham last time.
Please consider yourself relegated to the SCUM of the EPL. I hope you fester and die there.
Gunners for life.
Peter.
drapedindarkness @76
never mind what sam says to the media or his players, unless there is badness in a person to carry out thuggish acts it dose not matter what sam waffles on about, everybody knows right from wrong and as our captain stated, there is a line you don’t cross. when you cross the line you have already given your soul to Satan and and my personal opinion is fcuk off and join him. before you question my morals dude, think of what Aaron is going through, what his family are suffering, the pain and suffering we are all feeling tonight and if you still feel the game of football and the world as a whole needs them 3 thugs well let me state i have different views on being a decent humane being than you
This one goes to Arron Ramsey our thoughts are with you matey, here I raise the glass for YOUR SPEEDY RECOVERY ARRON!!!
You’re a great tallent and you should be particulary strong at this time, all the Goonerholics are with you at this tough time! Keep believing mate, we believe in you and we all want to see you play in red and white again!
I don’t care what Stoke fans say and how much Pulis will defend Showcross because of this that and the other, what utter bollocks!
Why did I get an impression that I watched a fucking tennis game on few occasions this late afternoon. Can someone from the FA can explain why was Delap taking 20-30 seconds to take a throw and what the fuck is all that towel shit about.
We should have stopped the game before our free kicks and call the Arsenal pitch care taker and patch that fucking awful piece of grass at Brittania, that pitch is a bloody insult for a premier league club!
I agree the Ref was too soft in this game tonight, if he would have shown couple of yellows he would got the game under control and it was a matter of time before something like this happened.
Shawcorss was late and high Arron’s boot stuck in that muddy pitch and crack his leg left shattered and his career put on a lengthy hold. I just hope the lad comes through, it looked bad perhaps not as bad as the previous two but this English die hard approach should be banned.
How did Stoke play football without Delaps throws? If people at Stoke come to watch the game to see Delap dry the ball with a fucking towel then throw it I have to say if you think this is football then you’re trully blind.
Finally I would like to add if the FA will not ban this sort of attitude then it will happen again and again and again, certain plyers in the UK are just not good enough and use the phisical and thuggish side of things and the end product was seen when Arrons leg was dangling in the air.
Once again I raise a glass to Arron Ramsey here is for your speedy recovery mate!
I’ll have two triple neat ice cold vodkas barman I still feel shaken.
Those calling for a bit of perspective -describing this tackle as an accident are well off the mark. The tackle was reckless and dangerous, over the ball; . It was not just a collision- Ramsey got to the ball first and Shawcross went through him after his touch took the ball away from him.
It was not similar to the Gallas/ Tayor tackle-which was more like a collision, but because excessive force was not involved legs were still in one piece. Yes you can be unlucky-but this is not bad luck any more than when Shawcross stamped on Adebayor and put him out of the game for 4 months last season.
Maybe some people in England have been conditioned to regard broken legs caused by defenders following through as unlucky- but I and the majority of the footballing world outside of England don’t.
Can i just say that of course there will be no apology for the unfortunate tackle on the poor Aaron Ramsey. There is no case to answer! I think all of football wish him a speedy recovery! i just found it interesting how tony pulis didn’t want to talk about stoke losing the game, or the harsh penalty award against pugh, but concentrated on sending condolences to ramsey and arsenal, but wenger says he’s 3 points behind chelsea now!!!!!! Thats why he can’t hold on to decent players, you know fabregas is gone in the summer!
Gooner B11 @46 is spot on. It is all about recklessness. It is the same principle as has stood the test of time in British law for many years. You do not necessarily need the guilty mind or the guilty intent. It is just the knowledge of the potential out come if it goes slightly wrong.
For years now we have all heard the don’t like it up em, don’t like it up North, not up for a fight bollocks. We win 6 game sup North on a shitty evening and no one bats an eyelid. We lose one and the same stories surface. I am all for a hard physical game. It is what we all been brought up on. But surely now, enough is enough?
I do not think that Shawcross for one second meant to injure Aaron. Not in the slightest. But he, along with so many others has been fed the lines about how we don’t like it up em etc etc, that the rest follows. Until we rid the game of this mentality then nothing will change. And for those of you think that dear little Ryan was just playing the game just think about this for a moment. When was the last time you saw a tackle that had such a devastating effect come from a top international defender??????? Exactly, nor me…..
Aaron, get well my old son.
To the rest of the boys? Massive bollocks. You all have massive bollocks. You must have to have come through that. I for one am very proud with the way we conducted ourselves today. Now is the time. Do you really want to be great? Do you really want to stick it right up em??? Then now is the time. There will be no better site in world football that seeing the Championship trophy being lifted at The Grove, whilst a young Welshman takes yet another look at his winners medal.
Keep the faith people. Keep it like it has never been kept before. Then bring on Burnley. May the Lord have mercy on their soul… This is Gooner time……..
Beer please. My usual gallon………………………
Tel @ 102
What are you on about mate?
sight even???
@Snail: Good points. It’s a good omen to see Bendtner score his second in 2 games with a perfectly placed header, it means he is progressing again, like RvP he needed a few games to adjust to the CF role but although he drifts a lot it seems he’s found his marks. Exactly what we need for the rest of the season.
I thought the entire team played really well against an in-your-face opposition, we were more coherent as a unit than in a while. It was a good team selection by Arsene and excellent substutions. Walcott is still not scoring but it’s clear that he worries defenders big time. And yes, Clichy is again proving that class is permanent!
10 games to go, 3 and 2 points behind the leaders who have to face each other and a somewhat easier run than both. I think what I liked the most about today is that in face of an horrible event we shook the Birmingham attitude and displayed a title-winning mentality.
Right on Steve T! I’ll share that gallon with you.
To Art, i am trying to explain to all the arsenal fans that the tackle was an unfortunate accident and that our football club cares more about your player being badly injured than wenger does! He cares that he is only 3 points behind Chelsea now!
Matt. First gallon done. More than happy to share the second one with you though….. Cheers.
I think you are wrong tel. I think Wenger cares deeply about the way one of his charges is subjected to another horrific injury, far more than any 3 points gained, we are all worried about Ramsey. I cannot sleep for thinking about it and I doubt Wenger will be able to either.
Speechless.. do not feeling like arguing about how or why this happened. Won’t change the events that happened… Strongest thing you’ve got ‘holic…
Tel. Not only are you wrong, but your comments are actually quiet offensive. Very offensive in fact.
Tel, you sir, are a fucking moron-twat. No, I take that back. To call you a moron is a most grievous insult to hard working moron-twats everywhere.
You are a fucking cretin, possessing a brain powered entirely by pond scum.
We don’t expect an apology, because we know we won’t get one. Idiot pundits are already lined up to defend Shawcross because he’s a good, honest, English lad, and it was just unfortunate that the softie from Wales couldn’t take the tackle like a man.
I’m sick of seeing these no-talent bums allowed to assault and maim our players and then hearing that we were “a little too fast” for them. What kind of fucking excuse is that? Isn’t the purpose of football to be a little faster, a little more skilled than the other guy?
The media have made it a fucking crime to be a better footballer.
Well i truly wish Aaron Ramsey all the best and hope that the gooners fans cans realise that there was no intent on Ryans part and that he too is a maturing, promising future international who needs some guidance through this ropey time!
where did tel come from? and can he go back there please?
crossed in post tel. why couldn’t you start like that?
except shawcross is a cunt
Good evening ‘holic.
I will confess I bear no evil malice against Shawcross. My personal view is his crime is no more than going in late and clumsily for a tackle….in which the opposition player has unfortunately paid a very very heavy price indeed.
Although……I am far more angry with those in charge of commenting on the game of football. Those proponents of the ‘Arsenal don’t like it up em’ school of retard football who, week after week on football shows up and down the land (epitomised by MoTD), would rather applaud the right of the opposition to kick us off the park, than objectively comment on their inability to play in the spirit of the game. The travesty is that it amounts to a long running media campaign waged singularly against Arsenal Football club. It is the kind of campaign that awards the advantage to the opposition manager in that it legitimises a professional footballer deliberately kicking another professional…..in the name of football.
It is disgusting!!
Hardly professional….hardly football!
This MUST be resisted.
Great result. I wish the talent that is Aaron Ramsey a very speedy and full recovery.
Keep on believing.
NB. In response to Rory Delap’s ball drying routine with a towel, should all teams respond by doing the same? I wonder how the FA would then respond!?
A ten year Macallan please barman….and whatever you’re having!
The Laws not happy then!!!!!! Maybe sir, those idiot pundits are a little bit cleverer than your good self!!!!!! Heaven forbid!!! I bet other Arsenal fans are hoping that you don’t write anymore pish!!!! Tad drunk are we or are you not allowed to drink?!!!
Arse why does my enter button stick on this damn computer. Too many beers I guess.
{clears throat and starts again}
kindly go away tel.
ian , your wish is granted! i am just an honest stoke fan with an honest opinion! Good luck to Aaron Ramsey on his long recovery
@The Law: We actualy got many apologies. If you remember the Taylor and Smith assaults, it was nothing like this one as they both totally shied from their responsability (as their managers), knowing well they were trying to hurt. This time it’s accidental and both player and manager are profusely apologizing. Even Shawcross attitude aftewards was nothing like the other 2 thugs.
From here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/feb/28/stoke-city-arsenal-ryan-shawcross-aaron-ramsey
The statement read: “There was absolutely no malice in the challenge. I would never, ever go out to hurt a fellow professional. I am deeply upset that Aaron has suffered such a bad injury and my thoughts are with him. I would like to send him my best wishes too for a speedy recovery.”
“The 22-year-old’s sentiments were echoed by his club, who added in the statement: “Stoke City would like to send their best wishes to Aaron Ramsey and Arsenal Football Club.”
They added: “The club do, however, wish to make it quite clear that there was absolutely no malice in the challenge from Ryan Shawcross which caused the injury.”
Tony Pulis said: “On behalf of everyone at Stoke City, we would like to express our deepest sympathy to Aaron and Arsenal at what has happened today.
“Our thoughts are with him and his family. We hope he makes a speedy recovery and everyonhere wishes to see him back on the football field as soon as possible.”
Poor Shawcross, he was crying. But was it for Ramsey? No! Because he just realised what a really stupid thing that he had done. No malice, I agree but really brainless act. Typical of the honest, hardworking English player so revered by press and English managers.
@ Matt, the apologies are a first then! However, I find it unacceptable that teams talk beforehand about how they know Arsenal don’t like a kick, then are allowed to go out on the pitch and kick Arsenal.
In the FA Cup game there, Stoke committed 20 fouls. 20 fouls, and got 0 cards. Today, they committed 14 fouls, that is apart from the two glaring penalties on Aaron and Nick which were not called, and the one where the player barged into Cesc in injury time after the ball had gone, also not called. In return for 14 fouls, Stoke got 1 red card for putting Aaron out of action for Lord knows how long. Arsenal committed 8 fouls and got 1 yellow card, for a non-foul, at that.
Clearly, therefore, while it takes a career-threatening tackle for an opposing player to see a card, all an Arsenal player needs to do is pull on his jersey.
NO MALICE !
Shawcross claims ”no malice” in tackle
Why do people always claim – No Malice –
when they break Arsenal’s players’ legs?
Can a drunk claims “No Malice” when he or she drive and breaks someone’s legs and then do not have to go to jail? Cry and show a little tear and that’s it.
They know what they are doing – going into challenges hard and reckless like that. They know all they get is mebbe 4 match ban…..
By the way – Can i break your leg, Mr. Shawcross and I promise I will do it without malice, please!
I feel sick. Pray and hope that Ramsey will get well soon.
@The Law. Agreed on all counts.
And then this ref was particularly poor (not the only one in the league, granted).
Looking at Diaby and Eddie this could set Aaron back 2 years which is totally infuriating considering how promising he is and how important he was becoming for us. I hope I’m wrong about the timing, in any case despite his age he showed how strong he is mentally and hopefully Diaby, Eddie, Djourou and RvP will be there to support him during the tough moments.
Thank you for the yellow cards and fouls details though. Now I see why Arsene and the physios could not find any cause for our greater rate of injuries than the other teams. It’s because the problem is not within the club but outside. I hope someone who has access to the data can prove it but if we’re indeed more fouled than other teams while fouling less and at the same time carded more often there’s the explanation we’re after.
Once Keane was allowed to break intentionally Haland’s leg, the tone was set. It is officially OK to try and hurt the opposition purposefully. Kunt got something like a 5-games ban only after admitting in writing that he wanted to maim the player in writing and despite the obviousness of the intent on the pitch.
We saw it with Smith. We saw it with Taylor.
So the probability of Shawcross getting some stick from the FA is exactly zero.Scratch that, he got a red card. That’s more than Smith or Taylor ever got if you can believe it.
Nothing we can do to change the condition of Ramsey’s leg other than have patience while it heals. It makes the injury even more poignant knowing that he was playing a great game against Stoke, and that he, Diaby and Song have been our most improved players this season. Let’s hope Diaby and others will return soon, and the pace of new injuries will abate. Today’s win however is an encouraging sign that the team is maturing, especially how we survived the onslaught of the first 15 minutes, and a few players deserve special mention: Campbell, Eboue, Clichy, Fabregas, Song, and Bendtner whose goal was outstanding and just what we needed. Almunia was hardly tested all day but he did an excellent job of distributing the ball. Consistency and focus and are the keys for the remainder of the season.
listen i’m just scared by the frequency this keeps happening, the fa have to do something before one of our players lose their leg completely……i also think if we win the title wenger has to change this team back to what it was when we were physical guys, i’d rather our players hit lancaster gate on a disciplinary charge and three match bans rather than a year plus out with two years reabilitation, the whole top of the fair play league isn’t winning us any friends or credit points with other teams, other managers or the fa, instead consensus is “arsenal don’t like it up em” so let them eat it! we weren’t going through this when we had a team of 6ft athletes who could fight bite and scratch back…..sometimes you fight fire with fire
watching the clip again and again on my tv it looks as if shawcross realizes the ball is gone and he actually violently swings his leg back and into ramsey with the intent to catch him. might have been a quick moment of frustration at the ball going past him or a moment of malice which he quickly realizes he went too far in, looks very intentional though. I had even given shawcross the benefit of the doubt before viewing it again and now I’m enraged at him.
Like all of you I’m absolutely gutted for Aaron – get well soon.
‘holic – you’re absolutely right about the height of the challenge. In a way we’re lucky this hasn’t happened more often. Cana on Eboue last weekend could easily have been just as bad…
An absolutely massive three points.
I’m tired on this no malice bullshit!!!! If these “hardworking” english players aren’t quick enuf on d field …. go play chess!!!! There’s no place in football for challenges like this. The attitude of kicking a technically gifted team off d field is going to ensure injuries like this continue. Taylor’s “accident” cost us the premieship, v lucky it wasn’t Cesc at the receiving end this time.
I agree dat u can’t match arsenal in terms of slick play and need to mix it up as a team. But this unnecessary getting “stuck in them” is not the solution & never will be.
First I want to say I love this blog and have followed it for a while. I’ve never felt the need to comment before…but it’s hard to stay quiet when something like this has happened. I felt so sick to my stomach when I saw what had happened to his leg. Hope for a full recovery for you Aaron!
Regarding the tackle, I definitely do not think there was any ill intentions on Shawcross’ part. However, as I’m trying my best not to be biased…I still feel the tackle was so reckless! Put it this way…can you imagine if Shawcross would make that same play if it were Rooney or Gerrard in Ramsey’s place. In my opinion certainly not! Please don’t get me wrong, I wish no ill-will on anybody. I just want to make the point that Arsenal are being single-handedly targeted because the media makes them out to be a ‘soft team’.
I was so full of emotion earlier and all I could think about is how I won’t be able to watch EPL games any more. Every time something like this happens, the EPL are losing quality players and fans. It’s disgusting. What technically gifted players would want to play in the EPL after seeing what happened to Diaby, Eduardo, and Ramsey. This is not confined to Gunners either. Look at the constant hacking of Ronaldo too.
Since when is glorifying these actions acceptable? What is the gain from this attitude? A player’s career is in jeopardy. Nevermind the fact that he was going to be a superstar, his right to make a livelihood has been taken away from him. His right to income was literally kicked away. Even when he comes back, his mental state will be shattered. It is ridiculous how much he stands to lose! And the worst part is that it’s none of the lad’s fault. As for Arsenal, they stand to lose so much as well. What stars would want to come to our team given the history of abuse that we are consistently put under? Do you think an Eden Hazard or Lassina Traore fancies having their dreams and right to livelihood shattered just to fulfill their dreams of donning an Arsenal jersey?
Until the FA changes its stance and really puts effort into protecting its star players, it will continue to lose quality players and fans. The referees must protect the players. Their actions must be held accountable as well. Regardless of widespread media bases around the world, these actions put people in perspective that football is just a sport. Enough is enough and these actions are not worthy of being called humane but rather thuggery.
My thoughts go out to Aaron Ramsey and the rest of the Gunners! I’m praying for all of you and a speedy recovery for Aaron!
I love my team, I’ll always live and die by them…go Gunners!
Too disgusted by it being our team and our players impacted yet again to say anything very useful.
Ramsey has the potential to be the future of our midfield, I hope that hasn’t changed in the last 24 hours. A full recovery to Aaron is all I can hope for. This season has been epic in the highs and lows. Come on you reds.
Shawcross …. who knows what he intended, the fact is refereeing needs to change to see this shit eliminated from the game in England.
Cesc took the next step to being a true captain today, immediately after the tackle I feared we would lose the plot. Clichy rallied the boys also.
Good luck Aaron, you are a great player son.
And of course it was so heartwarming to see the morons that pass as analysts on MOTD praising theway Arsenal stood up to Stoke. So essentially we have to be brought down to their level before we get praise. Yet when was the last time you heard these idiots praising a team for playing beautiful, floor level football? I’m afraid the media in general and MOTD and the Sky f*ckwits in particular are as much to blame for fuelling the aggression of inadequate players like Shawcross as are the talentless route one managers so often employed in our league. It really is sickening.
This is what you get when your assassain manager keeps telling your players to get it up em,we all know when it comes to fotball Stoke wouldnt stand a chance against Arsenal but in thuggery they will win hands down every time.
Really upset for Aaron and wish him a full and speedy recovery. I just wish I could share some of the hurt he must be feeling. The only way I can help is by continuing to support the club that plays the best football in England.
My thoughts on the, likely very light, punishment for Shawcross have already been covered very well here but there has to be a way for the FA to make the punishment fit both the crime and also a way to discourage managers and teams from adopting this ” I dont care how skillful they are we will kick the shit out of them” attitude. Tim you said it perfectly in 133 the refereeing has to improve both to protect players and to protect the beautiful game we all love.
It is no wonder our national team struggles at the higher level when talented, adventurous, skillful and imaginative players are just kicked out of the game and club managers promote an ethos of get stuck in.
Its up to the FA and the referees to:
Make the punishment fit the crime both on and off the pitch.
Give a safe, consistant environment where players can display their skills without being subjected to these cynical niggling fouls we all see so often.
Aaron, you would have been proud of the way your team mates responded after your injury, I really wish you well.
By the way am I alone in being stunned when managers are charged with bringing the game into disrepute for speaking their minds while the tactics employed by some clubs and the poor standards of refereeing cause far more harm to the game?
Matt
You can get the fouls per card from this Telegraph site
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/rankings/4949054/Premier-League-Statistics.html
We’re not actually as hard done by as we may think. BUT remember these are for fouls awarded and an awful lot seem to get by when we’re the innocent party.
Suppose it’s all our fault really. We pass the ball, not just more, but quicker and faster than anybody in the PL, so there’s bound to be Neanderthals who collect player after the ball has long gone. Their brains don’t work as fast.
As a Stoke fan then I think some of the comments on here a very harsh – describing the Shawcross tacke as ‘over the ball’ for example when it clearly was not. I wish Ramsey a speedy recovery but lets put this into context.
Bad injuries have always happened in football, I’m sure if I wanted to I could find an example of an Arsenal player breaking someones leg.
In my opinion it was a poorly timed tackle but i’m not even sure it was a red card.
Firstly, I think Shawcross is a decent player, and Pulis has done a great job to get Stoke to their current position. Did Shawcross set out to foul/injure Ramsey – probably only he really knows. OK – it may have been “an accident” – but as Arsene rightly points out, three of these in 5 years is more than coincidence. Add to that the numerous other injuries we have suffered as a result of the “they don’t like it up ’em” approach of many opponents, and you can understand the developing persecution complex. Our injury list is only possibly matched by Everton.
What is bang out of order is the way sections of the media, notably that complete knob Collymore, and (sadly) Alan Green would rather jump on Wenger’s back about his perceived “over-reaction”. His reaction was entirely understandable in the circumstances, and actually fairly restrained. One can only speculate about how Mr Pulis and the Stoke fans, or someone like Alex Ferguson would react if they were on the receiving end of such dire challenges with their players hospitalised for an extended period. Of course our players are not “whiter than white” and you can’t say they NEVER commit a bad foul – but as the first caller on Radio 5’s 606 pointed out ( to a dismissive reaction from Green) it is difficult to remember any recent Arsenal player inflicting this sort of GBH on any opposition player… Oh and on the amusing side, I’m sure that Fabianski could make himself feel better by watching a recording of Vince Hilarious’s performance for the chavs!
tel, I’m sorry I missed you. Seems you are one of the good people from Stoke, and there were a lot yesterday who realised the extent of what they had just seen and applauded Ramsey off.
Then there were the pond-life, with their oh-so-funny song about Aaron only having one leg. Sorry fella, but they negated everything good that was done by you (and Glenn Whelan). Pure cowardly scum, the lot of them.
Nigel – Perhapes the media (which is usually has a very southern bias) would talk less about Wenger’s over reaction if the didnt talk such nonsense following defeat.
Last year following Stoke’s 2-1 win he blamed Delap for the Walcott injury completely ignoring the fact that the only noteable intentional foul in the game was RVP inflicting GBH on Thomas Sorenson.
it was much more bad luck than malice in the tackle
it was nothing like as reckless as smith or taylor
he clattered him late, he wasn’t out of control, his studs weren’t up, that’s it
as Matt says above you cannot judge tackles based on the consequences
it was just very unlucky, if he’d hit Ramsey at any other angle he wouldn’t have broken his leg, it’s just a very unfortunate one
I am always quick to come down on shocking tackles, this was a bad mistimed tackle, it was not reckless though on the scale of taylor and smith
Wenger has form for talking crap at times – accepted – probably no more or less than some others. For example, his complaints about the ref in the Porto game (although there were errors made by the ref after the kick was awarded) seemed really a smokescreen for covering the appalling cock up by Fabianski et al. I repeat however that any manager in that circumstance (of a serious leg break to a player) is going to be very emotional and angry, and compared to how I would imagine some could react, his response was relatively measured. As for southern bias – Hansen, Shearer, Collymore, Green etc? although I can’t comment on newspaper journalists – probably all too busy drinking cocktails and snorting Bolivian marching powder in their Docklands flats to come up with any sensible comments!
Operator – Which emergency service would you like?
Caller – The men in the white costs
Operator – Oh?
Caller – Yes. There is a looney amongst us.
Operator – Sir, I don’t think we can say looney anymore.
Caller – Oh, ok a fucking mong.
Operator – Sir, I may have to cut you off if you persist in this.
Caller – Ok. I’m sorry. But we have someone who “used to be a Gooner”
Operator – What! …..where is this fucking mong?!
Caller – Well he was last seen @23 and 54.
@143Proudstokie
Rubbish! The late tackles by Delap and Shawcross, among others, in the game last year were intentional fouls.
I get the reason why teams want to kick Arsenal out of the game, but that doesn’t mean that the referees should condone that tactic.
Nigel, fair play in your comments.
I appreciate the emotion involved in both Fabregas and Wengers comments.
I would say I think Wenger talks more crap than anyone (not that I dispute his genius)
As a Stoke season ticket holder all I can say is I know that Shawcross is not that type of player, i think his reaction said it alll
Whoops! That should be “coats”
Message to Alan Shearer and all the other myopic cunts who say he isn’t that type of player and has no previous. Read this …
http://www.swfc.co.uk/page/Gaffers/0,,10304~1148029,00.html
re: gf60’s telegraph stats.
It’s not our fouls per card thats the issue – its the fact that teams get more fouls per card AGAINST ARSENAL.
We just need fair refereeing. They never let games get this out of hand against man u etc… The only other game I’ve seen this season where a ref has let teams get away with so many bad tackles was the merseyside derby which was a real horror show – and guess what? A player was put out for 6 months in that game.
Sooth – like Gallas vs. Bolton ?
Turn the record over fuckwit. Can you really not see the difference?
To say looking at that Telegraph article shows we are not as bad off as we think.
We are the 9th lowest for conceeding fouls, yet only Hull have been fouled more than Arsenal.
Yet we are 13th for yellow cards, out of proportion for fouls committed
And as we saw yesterday not every foul on an Arsenal player gets recorded in the official stats, so we are probably much higher on the fouls commited on us.
I’m sick of refereeing bias against us and the fact that Arsenal are fast is an acceptable excuse to injure our players, as others have pointed out, you will rarely see such awful tackles on Barcelona or Real Madrid
And thanks for the link confirming Shawcross did break another players leg, funny how none of the media today seem to be picking up on it, don’t you think?
@Proudstokie: LOL! Not that kind of player? What about two seasons ago when he broke Jeffer’s ankle with a two footed lunge?
OK, I have now downloaded and watched MOTD and there is no way anyone can defend the tackle in any way whatsoever. That is a straight red card regardless of the outcome, Shawcross shows no respect whatsoever for a fellow professional. And for those saying that it wasn’t two-footed, on the slowmo on MOTD you can clearly see that while he has one foot on the ground he is in no way standing on that foot, he is sliding along the ground and he takes a wild swing with his left foot. Was it meant to break Ramsey’s leg? Of course not. But it WAS ment to initimidate, to show “committment” and it was a horrible, horrible tackle. Trying to excuse Shawcross is no better than saying “but I didn’t mean to hit that kid with my car, I just wanted to get past the lights before they turned red but unfortunatley I was a bit late and they stepped out onto the street – and besides, I’m usually not that kind of driver”. Yeah well, alright then, off you go, let’s just forget this ever happened and the parents are just over-reacting anyway!
Shawcross can cry all he wants to, I don’t feel the slightest bit sorry for him.
Oh, and by the way – it’s not three broken legs in five years. It’s three broken legs in FOUR years.
Malice? Intent? NOT THE ISSUE. Try reckless endangerment. Shawcross’s action was the equivalent of a teenage joyider jumping a red-light at night. No malice, no intent to cause injury. Utterly reprehensible.
Lars, you summed it up well.
No one goes out to break peoples legs. However many of these players DO go out to get ‘stuck in’ after instructions from their managers.
Leaving a foot-in and letting opponents feel your follow through always comes with the risk of a major injury.
Like you said, if you drive recklessly chances are you might kill someone. Its time these aggressors took some responsibility for their actions.
Ryan ‘he’s not that sort of lad’ Shawcross has previous and plays in a side which are an abomination to football. This is hardly surprising when they are managed by a man with the mindset of a thug. The unspeakable Pulis has actually headbutted one of his own players (James Beattie) for God’s sake! Cesc and Arsene are right. Three appalling injuries in five years is more than just coincidence and yet again we’re left feeling angry, sickened and sad.
The difference this time is in the way the team responded. Clearly distraught at the time of the tackle, they pulled themselves together and won the match in a way that was truly impressive. If I’m honest I’ve never truly believed that we would win the Premiership this year, but after watching the way the side responded yesterday I think they’ll play their remaining matches with a very different spirit. What that brings us remains to be seen. My main hope is for news that Ramsey will play again and become the outstanding player we could all see he was bound to be.
Post Stoke ergo propter Stoke.
Shove it Shawcross!
You’re part of a team that’s sanctioned to physically intimidate an Arsenal deemed to be “fragile for a fight”.
Statistics from the past 5 years can form the basis of a court case against both Shawcross and Stoke.
We’ve now got to the point where we have to fight back … we can either break some legs of our own or use a different paradigm.
“Injure our players and you’ll be tied up in litigation.”
Let’s see the statistics after that!
The Sheffield Wednesday “Jeffers” URL link above is quite damning really. No one should be proud of being directly responsible for breaking two separate fellow pro’s legs in the space of two and a half years. This has raised the suspicion in my mind regarding the amount of reckless risk taking that Shawcross is prepared to take when he takes to the field of play. That his reward should be an England call up within an hour of last night’s game is the FA at its very worst; utter insensitivity combined with piss poor timing and PR cluelessness. Either that, or Shawcross already knew about his call up pre-match, meaning that his tears were for himself.
Lest we forget:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7710592.stm
http://www.swfc.co.uk/page/Gaffers/0,,10304~1148029,00.html
This is a better article from the league game last year:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1083214/Arsenal-striker-Adebayor-ruled-weeks-Stoke-clash.html
Holic I agree with every word ! Your point is correct !
Ramsey could be out for a year ! He was improving with every game and I have said before could be our Welsh Cesc. Pure talent and cut down by a prick who cries ! Fuck him ! Shawcross I hope you slept well. This could knock him back in his progression and that is unacceptable to a player who has the world at his feet.
On the game I don’t believe I have seen a worse 25 min of Arsenal football this season, we couldn’t get the ball down and play. After that there was only one team in it. fantastic header by Bendtner he should of had another penalty as well, clearly barged off the ball and the defender did not play the ball. Ramsey had a clear penalty refused as well.
Arsenal this was a huge turning point for us with what transpired in the game to come back as they did, well unbelievable take a standing ovation from us all. World Class !
Cesc at the end got his team mates together in a huddle for team morale. Well done captain.
We all wish Ramsey a very speedy recovery and hope to see him back in a Arsenal shirt as soon as possible.
blimey, ‘holic. I would order a drink but I doubt there’s anything left after this crowd of punters has been in
😉
@Snail: I had completely forgotten about that tackle on Adebayor, but that too was a nasty one. So this “honest” muppet who “is not that kind of player” now has two broken legs on his conscience and I’m sure that some digging around we would find more incidents like the one with Adebayor.
I suspect he’s been holding a Kir Royale back for you, KT. You know what he is like.
mmmmm. Kir Royale. mmmmm
I’m devastated for Aaron and its sickening for Arsenal.
It’s not right to call Shawcross scum though. It was a dangerous 50-50 and unfortunately has ended terribly. Normally these types of fouls are drawn from our quick intricate passing. Yesterday this was not the case.
On another note: It’s brilliant to have Sol back in the squad. Very stirring scenes yesterday throughout.
There is a short statement on .com now in case you haven’t seen it:
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/official-statement-aaron-ramsey-s-injury
No mention of ligament and/or muscles tears, I hope that means that there were none since that would greatly reduce his recovery time.
Get well soon, Aaron!
Read this and tell me you don’t feel destiny awaits us…
http://legendaire.wordpress.com/2010/02/28/20-minutes-that-will-change-history/
i am heavy on villa this afternoon aswell
utd without rooney are mid table quality.
the omens are good aswell… all this newton heath green and gold stuff from the fans…
well, the actual team wore a green and gold kit against villa, at wembley in the 94 final and lost.
3-1 villa again? 🙂
@Stringfellow: I find a bit funny how Martin O’Neill have been crowing an about how the Carling Cup is such a major trophy and that it is just sour grapes from Wenger and that everyone else takes the cup seriously – and then United leaves Rooney on the bench and puts Kuszczak in goal…
indeed lars.
evidence of previous from shawcross… scroll down the link
http://content.thisis.co.uk/sentinel07/homepage/ad_panel/sentinel_backpage.pdf
Mat, that pic you posted way back of how it looks like Shawcross’ leg is on the ground – it is there, but you have to realise that is after he has already made contact and smashed through Ramseys shit. Look at it again, the leg is broke and its Shawcross’ leg on the ground after recoiling from the contact. Watch the vid again and you will see Shawcross actually swing his leg to hoof the ball, Ramsey gets the first with the touch on the ball – there was no need for Shawcross to attempt the challenge in that manner – intent/malice is irrelevant – it was the disregard for any consequence to the opposing player if he got there late. Which is what happened – his swinger totally missed the ball and connected HALF WAY UP RAMSEYS SHIN
At first I was thinking there was no intent, but his history does get me thinking he is a dirty player and has no self control on himself when to slide tackle and when to tackle.
3 players for a player who is 22 years old is outrageous!
I’m really worried Aaron’s big potential will never be fulfilled “thanks” to that awful tackle.
I know for sure that Eduardo’s late miss would go in had he not been injured like that 2 years ago, I just hope it won’t be the same with Aaron.
If there was one tiny comfort in Cesc maybe leaving it was that Aaron would be his replacement, not so sure about that now 🙁
As for the results, I had the feeling that City would beat Chelsea and I posted it on Friday here, for the simple reason that Chelsea always has a tough time breaking up defenses on organised game and not counter attacks, and the goals they got from City were sort of “a taste of their own medicine”.
I really am certain the title is our’s since I really don’t rate Chelsea nor United as top teams at all and I rate us (as said earlier in the season) as the best team in the EPL that if it wasn’t for our injuries we’d be leading the table by a mile by now.
As opposed to other seasons, I really do believe we are far better than both and it’s just a pshyological barrier that we have that really makes it tough for us to beat them.
Stringellow: that’s almost comical. “There’s no way that was a malicious challenge, Ryan isn’t that sort of player” – almost exactly the same words that were used this time… once is nothing, twice is a habit. And as so many have pointed out, the intent isn’t really the issue. It’s the utter stupidity of the tackle and the complete disregard for a fellow professional that is the issue.
Remarkably there are ignorant Stoke supporters suggesting this photo offers evidence that Ramsey broke his leg prior to the impact.
http://i46.tinypic.com/fxfkf8.jpg
Conveniently ignoring the prior frame that shows Shawcross shattering his lower leg with the ball nearer to Ramsey.
I was feeling rational about this until seeing this chap’s track record…..it’s a farce now.
Oh – forward to 3:05 for previous evidence.
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1953650/stoke_city_v_arsenal/
I need to do something other than be pissed off about this eh?
The pathetic excuse that Ryan Shawcross is not that type of player is patently not true as he has already broken the leg of another player and tried on another Arsenal players before.
http://content.thisis.co.uk/sentinel07/homepage/ad_panel/sentinel_backpage.pdf
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1083214/Arsenal-striker-Adebayor-ruled-weeks-Stoke-clash.html
Stoke are team of thugs, wrestler and rugby players who foul their ways to victory and safety in the premiership.
It is the referee little Englander mentality that allows teams to kick and maim other with impunity. Saturday’s game was a case in point. Stoke got away literally with murder. The refere telling them that because of the injury he had to send him off. I am afraid that the intent and the commitment should be the reason of the sending off and not the injury. If Ramsey had jumped it was still a red card.
Because of Ramsey’s injury, nobody mentionned that we had two legitimate penalties appeal turn down (unless the rules have changed and shoving and kicking is now allowed against Arsenal).
Dany pugh committed the worst foul a two footed lunge at Eboue who saw it coming and got out of the way. If he had not moved away he would have had a broken leg like Rambo. Since the player got the ball the refere considered as an acceptable tackle. It was not it was RECKLESS and DANGEROUS. Fayet did the same to Gael.
Song was booked for winning cleanly the ball and will miss two games.
In the mean time a thug that has wrecked the career of at least two fellow professionals will be banned for three games and will represent his country against Egypt.
How do you reconcile that with fair and honest refereing?
The answer is for English referee to apply the rules and stop making excuses and leeway for lower team. They are REFEREE NOT EQUALIZER. Some simple rules that are NEVER followed by the England referee:
+ persistent fouling is a yellow card
+ overtly physical play is a reckless tackle and a reckless tackle is at minimum a yellow card.
+ deliberate professional foul is a yellow card.
+ dangerous play that put in danger the physical integrity of another player is a red card. Even if you do not make actual contact.
+ tackle from behind is at least a yellow card and if there is contact a red card.
How in Lucifer’s name do you know what the “intent” of a player was when he makes a tackle? The commentators and armchair experts who blather on about intent need their head checked. Unless they have access to high-quality brain scanning equipment that no one else has, nobody can know a player’s intent.
Accidents happen, people say. Yes, they do. Reckless play is the equivalent of drunk driving – you may not have all drunk drivers causing accidents but some of them will. It doesn’t make it okay that they didn’t have the intent to harm because their actions caused the harm, not their intent.
Also as someone wise once said, The road to hell is paved with good INTENTions.
Tim Merrick: come on, that video is obviously a fake. It must be, because I heard Tony Pulis, purveyor of unquestionable truths, say that Ryan Shawcross isn’t that kind of player. Pay heed to the gospel of Stoke City and damn those diving foreign cheats who intentionally breaks their own legs against opponents’ feet just to get them sent off!
To be serious, that tackle on Adebayor is almost as bad as the one yesterday. That could easily have been a broken foot as well, and to make it even worse it was OFF THE BLOODY PITCH!
Shawcross is a fucking disgrace. Cry your eyes out all you want but until you learn to tackle properly you are not welcome back on to a football pitch as far as I am concerned.
I agree with Valentin that it is the referees duty as well as ensuring the rules of the game are followed fairly and impartially, is to protect the wellbeing of the players on the pitch.
The idiots who are saying “playing rough” is an acceptable tactic are talking nonsense. Acceptable tactics are changing team and formation to counter an opposing side, changing the position of the back line to restrict opponents movement, tactical substitutions to deal with a threat etc etc. It does not include “roughing up” the other team as so sadly seems to happen so regularly. Are some managers so bankrupt of ideas, skill and talent that that is all they can resort to……Ye gods and these same managers whine on about not having an English national manager if this is all they have to offer to football then thank god they will never have the chance.
Lets have tactics and skill…..not thuggery. If lessons are not learnt then the tragedy of yesterday will sooner or later repeat itself and another young mans career put in jeapordy.
BGun, if you reread my post you will see that I said that referee have to judge on the intent and the commitment.
In Law people are judged for the intent and the consequence of their crime. Attempted murder is still a crime even if the intended victim avoid any injury.
In some football case, you can clealy judge that there is intent. If there is there is intent the referee has then to send the player off. Roy Keane was sent off for intent when he went stud showing to injure the manchester city scandinavian player whose name escape me. Years ago Lee Boywer was banned for six games in Europe for deliberately stamping on an opponent head. The stamp was deliberate and everybody interpreted as such.
Refere also have to judge on commitment because if the player are over committed then he is RECKLESS and DANGEROUS and that also call for a red card.
Ryan Shawcross was clearly reckless and dangerous and put an opponent physical integrity at risk. So dangerous that Aaron Ramsey’s season is over.
In Law the same principle applies. If you commit a crime and during the commission of that crime somebody dies you can be prosecuted for murder. Evn if you never had any intention to murder that person.
You can also be held responsible for that death if you have commissionned the original crime. Somebody who pay for a burglary may be convicted of murder if the burglers commit murder even if he was in Hawai or in Spain during the burglary.
Read Ricardo Fuller interview, clearly it states that Stoke went into the game with the clear intention to rough Arsenal up. That in itself should have brought a case of disrupting the game.
Tony Pulis and Stoke could be judge responsible for the action of Ryan Shawcross. The same way team are fined if their team accrues more than six yellows card in a single game.
So proud of the team and their response to the Anti Football that is Stoke City.
Proudstokie et al – why don’t you just fuck off back to your caves, you fucking reptiles?
As for Shawcross and Pulis – save your fucking crocodile tears.
Get well soon Aaron.
Looks like his injury is not as bad as feared initially. It’s a double fracture but no mention was made that joints were affected (no ankle fracture like Eddie, RvP or Diaby) so it’s what Nasri suffered from at the beginning of the season. It looks like Aaron could be back and available before next season starts.
Get well soon, we need you!
just for a little bit of perspective.. Eboue broke Terry´s leg last year and I don´t recall him being roasted by the media..
however I agree with most of what you´re saying, the refs don´t protect the players and these horrible anti-football managers send their teams out to play hard ball against Arsenal and negate Arsenal´s style as opposed to trying to play their own game.. the media has a pro Manchester/Liverpool bias so the coverage isn´t very sympathetic. Most of all I feel sorry for Ramsey though, the tackle by Shawcross wasn´t as bad as the other one´s being mentioned, think it was an accident but it seems like a lot of accidents happen around Shawcross….
Well said Goonerholic, and as Andrew in #8 suggested I’ve contacted both the FA and EPL with the following based loosely on Goonerholic and Arseblog’s excellent posts today:
It is unbelievable that Shawcross will get only a three match ban
for doing what he was undoubtedly told to do when he inflicted a
potentially career-ending injury to a 19-year-old.
It is sickening that the media constantly encourages teams to
attack Arsenal because “they don’t like it up ’em”. Well nobody
likes it up ’em. Arsenal play a fast attacking game and Wenger
chooses only pacey players. Most neutrals agree that this creates
beautiful exciting football. Teams who cannot match the pace and
skill are told their only alternative is to start kicking Arsenal’s
players. This style of play will inevitably lead to injuries and
for the third time in under four years an Arsenal player has been
left with a broken leg that will leave him unable to play for up to
a year.
Shawcross is described as upset by what he has done. But the
drunk driver who kills a pedestrian may be equally devastated, yet
this is irrelevant in the eyes of the law. Shawcross, like the
rest of the team, will have been encouraged to kick Arsenal
around the park, and must bear full responsibility, along with
his manager, for the consequences of this tactic.
It is time for action on this. Shawcross needs to be made an
example of. Questions must be asked of Pulis and if he did indeed
tell his team to kick Arsenal he must also be punished.
Finally it is time for protection. Referees must come down harder
on violent tackles BEFORE legs start being broken. That means
more yellow and red cards being shown.
Of course association football is not a non-contact sport, but
players must attempt to make fair challenges or pull out. If
they carry on regardless knowing the worst they face is a free
kick on the half-way line then injuries like those to Ramsey,
Eduardo and Diaby will happen again. Meanwhile the miserable
tactic of “they don’t like it up ’em” will turn the beautiful
game into a staccato series of stoppages and free kicks more
reminiscent of rugby or dare I say it American football.
Please take action now!
Nasri did not have a double fracture just a broken Fibula.
A broken fibula heals much more quickly than a double fracture.
Once the bones have healed, he will have to work on the muscle.
I very much doubt that he would be back before the end of season.
I would rather than he has a proper recovery and is ready for next season.
how the fuck is cesc not injurd? every team try to criple the young man and i dont blame him if he leaves this country just to save his own legs. good peace again holic
Halli: Terry was, iirc, out for three or four weeks. He did not break any legs, he had three small metatarsal fractures and Eboue was roasted quite a bit – even by a few Arsenal fans, as I remember it. And just for the record: it wasn’t last year, it was more than two years ago in our 1-0-win at the Emirates in November 2007.
Maybe Eboue broke Terry’s third leg?? No…that can’t be right either as it seems to be working just fine….
EPL?
Give me strength
This is as much the referee’s fault anyone else. He had the opportunity to clamp down on stoke early in the game but chose to allow them to play in their typical brutish manner. Ramsey and Cesc were clattered into many more occasions earlier. I sensed that Nasri or Cesc were about to get knocked out the match than poor Ramsey.
One thing is certain – you have a lethal weapon on the field that is out of control and Algeria, Ghana and the USA had better watch out.
Just last week Adebayor was sent off after raising his hand on the lethal weapon; probably pent up rage for the out of bounds tackle that went unpunished a few years back that left the bayor sidelined for several weeks.
Again, the lethal wanted to show capello that he was better than Ramsey who with Song and Cesc were running the show. Poor little lethal was showing his frustration at being showed up by this hugely talented and precious Welshman that the first instant he had he went in without a thought in his tiny little lethal brain of the outcome.
The term clumsy was used to describe this horrific act as well as “the recepient was too quick”. It’s interesting that rooney is described as quick, the quickest of them, but has never been a recepient of this type of horror.
Contrast this with Sol in his glorious career never caused such incidents.
Wenger was correct that it’s professional respect between players and the game that prevents such incidents from occurring.
Image Vieria and Keane week and week out…that’s a horrible thought, but then again both have talent. When you decide to seek revenge as Keane did these professionals can maim. Unfortunately lethal weapon is neither talented nor intelligent and that’s a horrible thought for the opposing player.
I hope Ramsey can recover because yesterday he showed how lucky we are to have this young man.
He brings a different dimension to our play and now we have lost this contribution until well into next season.
Wenger said that nothing can be done but I hope pressure to the FA can be applied from the highest levels.
It’s nearly twenty-four hours since I wrote that. I wondered long and hard about waiting until today, but decided I should get what I was feeling out there while it was burning me up.
Would I have written anything different today? Possibly. Particularly about the part that Glenn Whelan played. Particularly about the restraint shown by professionals who must have been close to losing it in the way you or I would have done in a pub match if a team mate had been maimed.
Do I regret a word of it? No, I don’t. Looking at Shawcross videos and reports of his previous it is clear that this was yet another ‘accident’ waiting to happen. I cannot believe that any pro would set out to break anothers bones, as he has done to Jeffers and now Ramsey, but he meant to get the man if the ball was gone and he achieved that aim.
It was unthinking, out of control, but that does not make it more forgiveable. The selection of the thug by England just hours later (his suspension won’t count for an international friendly) says more about the way the FA approach things than anything else. Now he is in World Cup contention you can be sure he will not face further action.
So we will just carry on until the next time a talented player gets assaulted and nothing happens again. Am I sorry I wrote that? No. Am I sorry I have had to, yet again. You bet.
I’ve read each and every post here, as I usually do, and even though emotions are running high, the quality is over all very high.
It makes me sad to see how we all seem to live in a bubble. Me included. I have yet to see an article outside the Arsenal blogosphere that deals with issues such as this happening to us three times in four years, or that Shawcross has broken two legs in three years, and biggest of all, how you can present evidence of intent in interviews in the nations biggest tabloids and still get away with assault (a crime even on a football pitch).
For me this is bigger than just this tackle on our player. Every tackle is an act of physical endangerment bordering on assault, even the good ones, and altough we all want football to remain a contact sport, that in itself is no reason for the governing body, the media and the fans not to debate how we can protect players and still maintain a competative sport. The day we cease to try to improve, whatever it might be needs improving, is a sad day indeed.
Yet I’m trying to see this without my Arsenal-googles and when I do I get sad. Noone except for us are touching on the difficult subjects. Nothing is written. Nothing is said.
The sad truth is that nothing will change. Now, it would be another thing entirely if Shawcross fucked Ramsey’s girlfriend. Then there would be headlines.
For those of you writing to clubs, the press, trying to raise the issue – I applaude you. I’ll summon the energy as well.
But mostly, for now, I’ll get even more in behind the team. Help them win this league of thugs. Because, and I find it very fitting to quote a Welshman here, as George Herbert said “Living well is the best revenge”.
Nice blog mate, cheers for that.
Many drinks, far too many.
So I’ll have a brandy please and will only read the blog after 😉
Asbach ok, Ollie? Cheers Esso.
And oh, I’ll have a Sidecar. Let Ollie have the quality brandy, since I’m having mine in a coctail, I’ll have any ol’ (or young for that matter) cognac.
No problem with anything you wrote btw Holic. As I said earlier – loads of quality despite the situation, and that goes for the original post as well
While I personally don`t think that Ryan Shawcross deliberately set out to hurt Aaron, the idea that `this is all part of football, learn to live with it Arsenal`is repellent. The problem is that too many people actually believe that Arsenal players `don`t like it oop `em` and this encourages managers to instruct their teams to go in hard when its Arsenal. It doesn`t happen to Chelski or the mancs. That said, it was a little disappointing to hear AW`s comments about it being an assault.
Forgot to congratulate the team on a committed performance, the best for a few weeks.
get well soon aaron i have supporting arsenal for over 38 years and am embaressed by the over the top reaction to shawcross’s tackle. get a grip fellow gooners this is a game of both skill and strength and all though tackle was clumsy it was never an intention to break a fellow players leg. over the years i have seen storey,williams,pv4 and even adams make identical tackles but that was ok then? and gallas against bolton was there any difference apart from davis didnt break his leg!!
we have now had 3 broken legs in 4 years which is over a period of probably 200 games approx, so hardly a regular event that wenger is making out.
this time we need to make this injury to ramsey raise the team to go on and win something this year, rather than 2 years ago when we seem to go to pieces after the eduardo injury.
fab & sol you were both brillant yesterday lets keep that spirit going now until end of season.
come on arsenal
@gary f: it’s easier the next day to be more objective when your emotions have cooled off a bit. But it’s true that in the chorus there are people who are all praises for Paddy’s rough approach to the game and who moan us being kids against men…
That is class 44RockyLives
Aaron will come back better than before, with all the best wishes from Gooners all around the works. Believe it!!
I can only pray for Aaron.
Holic’
Been a religious reader for quite some time now and i would like to take this opportunity to say good job on the blog posts and may it continue for a long time.
I think it is time for us arsenal fans to stand up and show support for our team. We need to show the players, staff, manager and everyone directly related to Arsenal that they are not alone.
It is up to us to create the awareness among the public that such tackles should not be allowed in football. We need to have a PR campaign to voice out our concern regarding this matter.
Here are the few suggestions that I can think of:
-A t shirt with catchy phrases that condemn the mentality most team have against Arsenal should be worn by Arsenal fans during games.
-Each of us should take the responsibility of contacting the English F.A. to voice out our anger regarding how teams are encouraged by the media to kick us around during matches. I have done so myself and I’m all the way from Malaysia xD.
We have been waiting for the English F.A. to take action for far too long. It’s time for us to take matters into our own hands. They need a wake up call before good players start leaving for other leagues where they don’t have to worry about such tackles.
Common’ guys lets get behind the team and show them our support, this is when they need us the most and we need to show them they are not alone in this battle!
Gunners for life!
@gary f #203, now u dont compare gallas tackle or intentions shawcross’..this f*ckwit has broken 2 legs in 3yrs?? which player in any game has ever broken other’s legs in a period of 3yrs and thats 2 players for that matter??? all gooners have a right to be angry at this fella who jst last yr subjected adebayor to a 3wk sidelines!!! bn looking at the photos and the videos and now i have each and every reason to believe that the tackle was malicious….
thank u all gunners for the togetherness we’ve shown during this experience…i now have reasons to believe that we’ll win the EPL this season and young Rambo has a medal for a fact!!
cheers all….
nice blog btw ‘holic..as always!
like steve says….keep faith gunners
I had the misfortune of listening to talksh**e this morning, and that big fat melon headed presenter and I quote when talking to Darren Lewis said “do you not think that Arsenal with all their pretty football bring this on themselves” at this point Darren Lewis went completely silent, this sort of comment is what is wrong with the english attitude to football, when you send a team out to try and physically impose, disrupt, call it whatever you want, that team has no margin for error.
I also listened to good ol Alan Shearer on Saturday night say that Rambo was ‘too quick’ for Shawcross. Since when has it been a crime to be to good or too quick.
I despair this morning I really do. Keep the faith Gooners!!
I am with holic & arseblog every gooner should turn off talkshit and don’t give them the ratings. For any further evidence of this read sloweys blog.
Bring this on ourselves you have got to be fucking joking.
The shawcross is a nice boy gang can also go fuck themselves.
Broke 2 legs in 3 years, what a nice young man.
Broke 2 legs and almost an another leg ( Ade ) in 3 years .
This guy must be facing law and justice . He shouldn’t be called for England , England deserves better than that
Really fecked off with the Media in this country, no paper mentions Sharcross previously breaking a leg or his bad foul on Adebayor.
All they mention is what a good guy he is, as he has never been sent off before.
There is also digs at Wenger for making his comments and how out of order he is, so there you have it, it is still sanctioned and approved by the media to kick lumps out of Arsenal as long as you do not get booked for it, and if you are unlucky enough to get sent off for breaking one of our players legs, its cool because it was our fault for being too fast and you will be the victim not the player you assaulted.
nobody should buy the SUN anymore, they have always been anti Arsenal, but this article today is just pathetic.
To ‘holic and all my fellow patrons, please excuse my intemperate language yesterday but I was still cheesed off.
I still am.
Get well soon Aaron.
No worries z,
I think a cursory glance will reveal many others sharing that particular boat. 😉
It’s probably too late in the day, and I’m still too furious to write anything coherent, but just to say your piece at 20.30 yesterday was possibly even better than your original report and says it all.
I haven’t read all of the overwhelming number of responses to this, so I may be repeating comments elsewhere, but can I just add that I really find it hard to believe that Dixon and Keown – 2 players for whom I have immense respect – are so desperate for work that they are willing to follow the BBC party line on this shit.
I cannot believe they would have subscribed to such views when they were at the club so why come out with this now? Shameful.
VitalArsenal has an excellent blog on the tackle, comparing Gallas’ tackle and Shawcross’, and going into the SALIENT point that the laws of the game CLEARLY prevent tackles that are made “in a manner considered to be careless, reckless or using excessive force” — something that Shawcross specializes in.
http://arsenal.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=517919
Intent is completely irrelevant.
The Good
Glenn Whelan for staying with Aaron and talking to him, holding him, assuring him. (some of our players should have been doing that.
The Bad
The media in general. Few journos stuck their necks out in support. Surprisingly Samuels from the Daily Mail and Lewis from the Mirror. Talkshite who really are an odious bunch of cunts say “it’s all part of the game”.
The Ugly
I don’t need to describe that. You all saw it.
have just been listening to BBC radio5 and they say Aaron suffered a broken leg………like he suffered a cold…….surely they should have said Aarons leg was broken by Shawcross. It seems as if to quote another blog ( love you Alan) that they have gone into Mugabe media lockdown as to what actually happened, how can we prevent it if the media is scared to say what actually happened.
‘Holic by the way love the blog and agree so much with the original statement…..seems we dont like it up us and when on occasions we play the others at their own game we are immediately branded cheats, dirty or petulant. I suppose it just goes with being a gooner and supporting the club whos values and style you love.
And how fucking annoying is the Stoke Chairman? A fantastic display of sanctimonious, patronising bullshit – an insult to anyone’s intelligence. Yes, I’m sure Ryan’s a lovely chap and spends his spare moments pressing flowers and helping old ladies across the road…