Thursday, March 28, 2024

Arseblog: Tuesday 16th September 2003

september 16th

738AM – “I did not dive and I am not a cheat. That is not the way I play.”Robert Pires on the storm that has accompanied the penalty he won on Saturday.

It’s been wonderful to see the English press display the xenophobia they’re famous for by highlighting the Pires incident over and over again, and pretty much ignoring Kevin Phillips’ dive to win Southampton a penalty. In an incredible pot calling the kettle black incident, Sir Alex Ferguson condemned the culture of diving now present in the Premiership. He says “I think when you bring some foreign players into the game they bring that side of things with them. We have seen evidence over the weekend that it is a problem.”

He’s having a laugh, right? Anyone who saw fake Ronaldo flinging himself to the ground under the slightest challenge can only laugh and point, and when they remember that Ruud van Nistelrooy – without question a great player but the biggest diver I’ve ever seen playing football – is a Man United player, they’ll be rolling on the ground clutching their aching sides.

Of course, it’s only when an Arsenal player dives that we hear about it all day long. Never one to shy away from the smallest opportunity to take a pop at both Arsene Wenger and Arsenal Football Club, James Lawton gets on his high horse (I hope it’s a sturdy beast to support the weight of both man and ego) and condemns Wenger for not criticising Pires. “What Wenger doesn’t seem to grasp is the impact a gesture of honesty would have on what has always been the biggest obstacle to an improvement in the performance of referees.”

Right, so the manager who offered to replay a game after a goal which was perfectly legitimate, breaking only a ‘moral’ law of the game needs a lesson about gestures of honesty? Why no mention of Sir Alex and Ruud and Ronaldo? In two successive World Cups Michael Owen has dived to win penalties for England against Argentina. He’s a hero.

Would there have been such a fuss if a Portsmouth player had taken a tumble to win a penalty and a point – even 3 points – for them? No chance. It was Arsenal, it was a French player, it’s ok for the press to be outraged. I’m all for making the game more honest, but it’s not just the responsibility of the club in N5 to make things better. Once again Lawton’s transparent anti-Arsenal agenda is a stain on the integrity of the newspaper that employs him.

Some Arsenal fans have expressed embarassment over Pires actions. Not me. Losing at home to Portsmouth and a Sheringham winner would have been more embarassing. Andy Gray reckons Pires was just doing a job for his team. I have to agree.

Another pot – kettle situation with our boggly eyed friend Gerard Houllier. I suppose it was a pretty bad challenge on Jamie Carragher which resulted in a broken leg for the coin chucking Scousenstein. Houllier was up in arms saying “I think Neill deserves more than three games for the way he behaved. To break a leg when a player is wearing shinpads takes something. To me, it was a coward’s challenge and the player’s reaction was appalling.”

Remember this, Gerard? That’s a coward’s challenge. Houllier’s reaction at the time “The linesman was only two yards away and didn’t see anything. I certainly did not see anything reprehensible.” What goes around comes around Gerry and the Pacemaker.

Good news everybody, Christian Vieri is out of Wednesday’s opening Champions League game. The big Italian fractured his hair playing for his country. Also out is goofy Recoba who after years of taunts decided to try and eat an apple through a tennis raquet and chipped a fang.

Chance would be a fine thing – a new column by Steve E.

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