september 20th
10.31 – On September 16th I reacted to a typically anti-Arsenal piece by James Lawton in the Independent. I accused him of singling out Robert Pires for criticism when other players, and I mentioned Ruud van Nistelrooy, Michael Owen, Christiano Ronaldo and Kevin Phillips, were guilty of offences just as blatant, if not more so.
It was interesting to read this. Almost a rebuttal.
He says of van Nistelrooy “..in the two years of his emergence in the Premiership as a relentless and extremely physical goalscorer his offences have been relatively slight. Certainly no one could attach to him the kind of atrocity committed by Pires against Pompey”
Tell that to Ipswich fans who saw van Nistelrooy throw himself to the ground between two defenders to win a penalty which gave Man United all 3 points in a game which helped condemn Ipswich to relegation. Pires may have dived, but unlike United’s Dutch striker, he’s never involved himself in the cowardly stamping and over the top challenges, nor has he ever punched a fellow professional in full view of the TV cameras (an incident overlooked as Arsenal winning the title at Old Trafford was punishment enough for the PLC). As for the Pires incident being an ‘atrocity’, get a grip. Schumacher on Battiston was an atrocity. Keane on Haaland was an atrocity. This is an atrocity. What Pires did, dozens of professionals will do this weekend, in leagues all over Europe. Roberto Carlos did it midweek in the Champions League. It’s part of the game, not a nice part of the game, but part nonetheless.
He defends Michael Owen “Yes, a certain diving tendency has been noticed, but not of a blatant type.” Tell that to the Argentinians. Please Mr Lawton, I dare you to go into a room full of Argentinian football fans and try and convince them Owen isn’t a diver.
Kevin Phillips didn’t dive, according to a ‘professional view’. We’re never told what professional view this was. Probably Lawton’s proctologist. It was OK for Francis Lee to dive way-back-when because he made Maine Road ‘rock with laughter.’ Trying to tell us diving is a modern phenomenon, a plague carried by the French to the English league via Highbury is a nonsnse. It’s always gone on in the game, it’s only now when we have 20+ cameras at live games that we can see it from angles which might prove contact has been minimal, if there’s been any at all.
If you want to go tit-for-tat Mr Lawton, please feel free. You can try and pass off your blatant anti-Arsenal scribblings with what you might perceive is a certain standing and credibility, but you don’t fool us. Your agenda is transparent, biased and lacking in even the most basic journalistic integrity. You don’t like Arsenal Football Club, you don’t like Arsene Wenger, you don’t like our players. Simple as that. And there’s no harm in it. That’s your choice, but when you choose to make those feelings so public, so often, you have to expect some backlash.
I know Arsenal fans that have stopped reading your newspaper because they’re tired of the drivel you write. Your constant stream of scuttery shite is affecting your newspaper’s circulation in a negative manner. I hope your editor reads this and does something about it. There are 91 other teams in the league, try and write something about one of them for a change. They’re all guilty of something, and a man so bent on finding a negative story all the time should have a wealth of material there.
Just a reminder, if there’s a paper not to buy today, it’s the Independent. I look forward to his next article. I really, really do.
Article in the Daily Record – YOU’RE FRENCH IS LOUSY ARSENE. As lousy as your sub-editor’s English. Twats. Le Boss has called for ‘mental strength’ ahead of tomorrow’s game. I call for just 1 more goal than them. A really good interview with K-LO. You’ve got to love the guy “I want to show my best position and that is centre-half. Losing 3-0 did not help but I know if I keep going I will show people here that I am a defender. I have to work harder.”
Thierry Henry says Arsenal have the desire to get a result at Old Trafford tomorrow, and raises an eyebrow at how many penalties Mike Riley gave Man United last season. “I’m not complaining about United getting those penalties. But if it had happened at Highbury, it would have been highlighted.”
Ok, have a good Saturday. Till tomorrow.
