Wenger: Stamp out rugby

CliffyBiro

CliffyBiro

CliffyBiro

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Arsene Wenger believes referees have a responsibility to ensure that Premier League matches do not become 'rugby'.

The Arsenal manager takes his side to Blackburn on Saturday, live on Sky Sports HD2 and 2, fully expecting another physical encounter with Sam Allardyce's side.

The Gunners went down 2-1 at Ewood Park last season with Wenger irked by Rovers' tactics of putting goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski under pressure at every opportunity.

And the Frenchman felt that Stoke's approach in their recent defeat by Tottenham at the Britannia Stadium took the physical element to a new and unacceptable level.
Respect

"I believe everybody looks at his squad and tries to find a way where the game is most efficient and we developed one way. It is not the only way, I respect every other way as long as the referees get the rules respected," said Wenger.

"I saw some pictures last Sunday; you cannot say any more it is football, it is rugby on the goalkeepers [more] than football.

"The referees cannot go on and accept that.

"When you see how [Stoke defender Ryan] Shawcross kicked [Tottenham goalkeeper Heurelho] Gomes, how [Robert] Huth pushed Gomes in the goal, you cannot say that is football any more.

"If the referees allow that you cannot accept that because that has nothing to do with the game.

"Apart from that, when a team play long ball and head the ball and become physical I accept that completely and I respect that - but it has to be in respect of the rules, that is all."
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Would you agree that the likes of Stoke, Birmingham, Blackburn etc. are over-physical in their style of play? Some would say that it's impossible for smaller clubs to be sucessful without imploying such tactics.

I find myself agreeing with Wenger on this very rare occasion. Though I feel, as he does, that it is up to the referrees to stamp it out of the game rather than the Clubs. If they can get away with it, of course they'll do it. They'd be stupid not to.

Reading on through the article though, the reasons behind Wenger's epiphany shine through...

Not protected

Chris Foy is set to take charge of the lunchtime encounter and Wenger maintains the referees must uphold their first duty, to ensure player safety.

"I believe that in some situations the goalkeepers are not protected," the Arsenal manager said.

"You cannot have players whose main role is to stop the goalkeepers from catching the ball and not even go for the ball."
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http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_6340808,00.html
 
kiwi said:
Goalkeepers have enough protection. The amount of freekicks they get for running into a player and missing the catch is silly. The rules are fine: if a player is pushing or holding a keeper down, it's a foul, otherwise standing infront or jumping fairly, no foul.
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This is the thing though, they're not spotting when a Goalkeeper is legitimately being impeded. Surely that should be the number one thing they're looking for in the box from a free kick or corner?
 
Nickg said:
but skippi that practice is something else i completely disagree with.

in what sense is sheilding the ball attemtpig to play the ball?

if theyu were trying to play it, they would put their feet out and try to kick it... not shibby to each side frantically trying to block off the other player whilst the ball rolls off the pitch untouched by either play. it is very frustrating to watch. id give it as obstruction every time.
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There is shielding, and obstruction. The second the defender is the one forcing the attacker rather than the other way around, is when it becomes obstruction, for me.
 
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