Bringing criminals to justice

Having seen Saturday's assault on Aaron Ramsey again, and by that I mean assault, not a "badly-timed tackle", not a "poor challenge", it just beggars belief that such offenders are allowed to carry on playing football and in the manner that their smug managers like to call "physical".

And then you get people asking well who exactly is to blame? And what can you do if it is a genuine attempt to win the ball gone horribly wrong? Genuine attempt? You're having a laugh aren't you?

Ryan Shawcross went in on poor Ramsey's leg with his whole body. Whole body! Right through him. Not two-footed, or what have you, the Stoke "footballer" simply just bulldozed all twelve stone of his body mass right onto Ramsey's planted leg.

And you tell me it was just a bad tackle.

Funny isn't it that bad tackles seem to befall Arsenal's players more than any other side in European football. I won't list the number of such horrors, as they have been on everyone's mind since Saturday evening.

They say Arsenal's players are airy-fairy. Can't deal with the physical battle, can't perform on a wet and windy evening up north. Well that's a load of rubbish, isn't it?

For dealing with the physical battle is one thing, and having to be subjected to, not only the potential threat, but the very real threat of having your legs practically sawed off on an all-too-frequent basis. And we have sadly become victims of such bollocks, spouted around the media to our supposedly meek approach, giving opposition managers and players the freedom to almost get away with such acts.

And the funny thing is, 99 times out of 100 we end up winning such contests, out-battling whichever thugs we're up against and quite handsomely too. And, save for the poor start at the Britannia on Saturday, the Stoke players will have known they were in for a real physical battle right from the off. Coupled to our players' vastly superior skill and frightening attacks at speed, this frustrated the home side, leading the likes of Whitehead, Whelan, Huth, and of course, Shawcross, the main villain of the piece to do what they do best in such situations- countering genius with a callous sadism.

I don't care if this wasn't deliberate. The fact of the matter is, Shawcross and co had been at it from the first whistle, and Ramsey was the unlucky one at the culmination of events (not to mention that we should have got at least three penalties for such play).

Deliberate or not, manslaughter is not deliberate, and yet it is justifiably punished. And here, we all know that a mere three-match ban awaits Shawcross following his red card.

That is not enough.

If the footballing authorities are perfectly honest in their ambition to impose fair play (which apparently they have been for years on end, without much success), much more of a stand is required if we are wipe this shambles from the game, particularly against skilled players who are left horribly unprotected. A longer, more hurting ban as is the case in Spain and Germany for such offences, as well as a significant fine for violent conduct, will be suitable deterrents, forcing these sorts of players and their coaches to think twice about how to approach their "game" against the likes of Arsenal.

This is the only way that will guarantee the Premier League's credibility in refusing to accept broadcasting such incidents live on television sets all over the world, if not, wipe it out from the game completely.

Going back to football momentarily, and as pointed out, there was no question about the fighting spirit and standing up to the challenge from start to finish. Or at least from the eighth minute onwards, following the concession of a goal to yet another Rory Delap throw.

The performance and grit was never in doubt, although victory was, right upto the 92nd minute. With the players visibly shaken, some traumatised, following Ramsey's injury, we were slow to recommence our display of keep-ball and crisp passing for minutes after. As Eduardo (ironically enough) missed that glorious opportunity from eight yards with the clock ticking ninety, flashbacks of Birmingham and bitter feelings of a chance gone following Chelsea's surprise humbling, will have crossed every Gooner's mind.

But not the players, who again regrouped, as if refusing to allow our season's challenge to fall apart, as it did so damagingly at St. Andrew's just over two years go. Cesc's injury-time penalty crept past Sorensen; arguably creeping us back into the title race.

We must remain reserved about our chances though, plugging away from game to game, and, sadly, expecting much of the same treatment handed out against Stoke at other northern grounds. With Saturday's match behind us, however, we must retain the belief that if we can do it against one of the worst in the business in terms of thuggish behaviour and reckless management, we can do it against pretty much anybody.

Let's do it for Aaron.

User Comments

User Comments

• Got something to say?
• Read comments

Vs chelsea