Wenger angered by anti-Arsenal bias

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Date	Time	C	Opponent	F	A	R	S
20 Jan	7:45 PM	P	Bolton Wanderers (H)	4	2	Win

Arsène Wenger has criticised the media's over-reaction to William Gallas' foul in the Bolton game.

The French defender injured Bolton player Mark Davies in the build-up to Arsenal's second goal, but Wenger does not feel it was a malicious challenge.

Wenger said: "There was too much made about this incident. It was a mistimed challenge but without any intention to harm the player.

"We looked at it carefully and we saw that it was just a mistimed tackle. That is why we didn't see why such a story should flare up and make a national issue if the intention of the player was completely right."

The boss went on to comment on how ridiculous the reaction to this incident is, considering the widespread attitude that you have to 'rough Arsenal up' to beat them, a tactic used successfuly by Bolton under Sam Allardyce.

"What is more funny is that, when we get kicked, some people say before the game 'we know how to play Arsenal, we have to kick them' and nobody in the whole country is upset by that," he argued.

"I am always absolutely amazed that people get away with it. When we get kicked and lose the game, the question I get from the press is 'oh, you did not fancy that'. But nobody is upset or shocked by it. When we are kicked they find that it is absolutely all right."

Wenger is absolutely right to be angry. Managers have been given far too much credit down the years by journalists and pundits alike for going out to hurt Arsenal.

Sure, it's a physical game, but there's a limit. Thankfully in the last couple of seasons we've got better at dealing with it, but players going out against us with that kind of approach nearly cost Eduardo his career.

And yet we are slated for moaning about it, and not being up for the fight. Yet when we commit one nasty foul, it's everywhere! Just like when Eduardo dives, it's everywhere, but when Rooney and Gerrard do it, it's swept under the carpet.

There can be no denying that there is a deep-lying bias against us in the media on this particular matter, and certainly a favouritism for English players, which we don't have a lot of. It's a disgrace.

Wenger rightly concluded that we are, almost indisputably, a fair team.

He added: "If you ask anywhere in the world, do Arsenal play fair football? You will get the same answer in every single country. That is what we try to achieve.

"Look at the Fair Play League - Arsenal are top. That is the best answer you can give."

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