ARSENAL MANAGER Arsene Wenger has defended the comments he made about Stoke City defender Ryan Shawcross whose tackle broke midfielder Aaron Ramseys leg in two places last Saturday.
He had called Shawcross’s challenge on the 19-year-old Wales international “horrendous and unacceptable” in the immediate aftermath of the Premier League match.
Asked about his reaction, a highly animated Wenger stood by his comments when he met reporters at a news briefing before the league game with Burnley on Saturday. “I stand by what I said 100 per cent,” Wenger said. “I knew exactly what would happen the whole week, that was quite easy to predict. I am sitting here now like I am in a tribunal. What do I have to defend? Is it a football game or something else?
“I can understand people want to be committed against us, and I have no problem with that.
“I love the commitment of the English game. I don’t want to change that and it makes the game even more attractive, but high commitment demands fair intention as well.”
Wenger said he did not want tackling removed from the game, explaining: “I admire a great technical tackle as much as a creative pass.
“A tackle is an art in itself – that means you always have your eye on the ball, never with a high foot, in your tackle you can already make a pass.
“To close your eyes and go in too physical, that does not mean it is intention, but there is danger. Tackling is an art you do not want to get out of the game. It is not Arsenal against the rest of the world. What I say here is valid for the Arsenal players as well.
“I want the Arsenal players to go into tackles like everybody else, to go into tackles and be committed. What I say is not just for Stoke or Arsenal players, it is for everybody. I defend football. It is not that we are apart from anybody else. We are the same.
I am continuing to defend the values that I believe are important for our club and football. That doesn’t mean we are angels and everyone else is the devil. It is for everybody.”
Shawcross (22) has since apologised to Ramsey for the challenge and asked to visit him.
He left the field in tears after being dismissed for the challenge in last week’s match, which Arsenal won 3-1 at the Britannia Stadium. Ramsey is not expected to play again for possibly nine months.
Ramsey has undergone surgery – performed by the same doctor who operated on Eduardo after the Arsenal forward’s similar injury two years ago – and Wenger hopes the youngster will eventually make a full recovery.
“The first signs are good,” said Wenger, “but of course, mentally, Aaron is very down.
“It is difficult to take, he was just coming into the team on a regular basis. We will give him all the support we can and gradually he should come back.”
