EPL ~ Wenger: Kop too scared to land the title
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ARSENE WENGER goes gunning for revenge against Liverpool on Sunday, after claiming the Reds wrecked Arsenal’s dreams last season when Ryan Babel took a dodgy dive.
For the first time since the Gunners were hoofed out in the quarter-finals of the Champions League during a reckless seven days, Wenger has sensationally accused Kop star Babel of cheating.
The Gunners take on Liverpool at the Emirates determined to close the gap at the top of the Premier League table. And Wenger’s accusations have lit the blue touchpaper under an already highly-charged clash.
Arsenal faced the Merseysiders three times in seven days last April, as the league and European campaigns reached boiling point. A 1-1 Euro draw at the Emirates was followed by the same outcome in a league clash in the capital.
But Arsenal suffered Champions League heartbreak when they were stuffed 4-2 in the second leg at Anfield. Emmanuel Adebayor’s 84th-minute strike briefly put the visitors through to the semis on away goals at 2-2, following a brilliant run by Theo Walcott. But two minutes later the Reds were given a spot-kick when Babel hit the deck following a flimsy challenge from Kolo Toure.
Steven Gerrard scored and a last-gasp Babel strike simply rubbed in the agony. Wenger said: “Perhaps our season died after we played Liverpool in those three games . . . . yes. “At home in the Champions League, we had a penalty that was not given. But at Anfield a penalty was given — and that was the result of a dive. I can say that because Kolo did not touch him. Overall, we had bad luck and then more bad luck. But it’s part of the quality of the team to deal with that situation and not to allow that to happen.”
Wenger reckons Arsenal are their own worst enemies, losing to teams who struggle while turning it on against the big boys. Liverpool are already a whopping eight points ahead of Arsenal, who have been written out of the title race this season for losing too many games.
Yet Wenger rapped: “Some people say it is a three-horse race but let them talk all they want. Let us show they are wrong. “Last weekend when we made the draw against Middlesbrough, it was disaster. But Chelsea drew later and so did Liverpool — and they were at home.
“Manchester United played a draw at Tottenham, so overall that is why our result is not as bad as you would expect it to be. “We were the first to play, and were away from home as well, and were maybe the ones who deserved more than any others to win their game.”
Arsenal have been beaten by Fulham, Hull and Stoke so far, though Wenger insists any problems have been put right. He declared: “I feel first of all losing like that must be down to concentration. Secondly it is the style of play with longer balls, more direct.
“At some stages of a game we were vulnerable. But we have rectified those things now and in the period coming up Arsenal have to show we can deal with all of that.” With the Premier League titans struggling to make a significant break at the top of the table, Wenger is convinced the title could be won with the lowest points total for six years.
Back in 2002-03, Manchester United finished in front with 83 points — five clear of Arsenal — and Wenger is predicting another low-scoring champion. He said: “I think the total that wins the title will be lower than in recent years, because the teams in front at the moment have all dropped points at home.
“I think the total for the winner will be between 78 and 85 points. “But for us, the first step is to get back into the race — and to get back into the race, which is still very tight, the important thing is for us to beat Liverpool.
“We are highly motivated to beat another of the so-called top four and I am convinced we have the quality to do it.”
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Benitez in hospital due to kidney stones... So left with Sammy Lee for this one...
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i just saw the starting line up by sammy lee..lets just hope keane can score this time rd.
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ADEBAYOR blasted Liverpool defender Arbeloa for falling as if he had “put a knife in him.”
EMMANUEL ADEBAYOR has blasted Liverpool defender Alvaro Arbeloa for falling as if he had “put a knife in him.”
Adebayor saw red for a second bookable offence when he raised his foot and elbow against Arbeloa. Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, who could lose crocked Cesc Fabregas for up to eight weeks, called ref Howard Webb’s decision ‘a joke’.
Adebayor said: “The defender threw himself on the floor as if I put a knife in him. I hope when the referee goes home and watches it on the TV, he will see it was a foul but I didn’t deserve a card.
“Of course I’m annoyed. I cannot say he cheated but what he did wasn’t fair play at all. “It was a mistake by the ref. He said it was for the leg but if I don’t put my body in there I would never score a goal in this league.”
Wenger was furious with Webb for both yellow cards he dished out to Adebayor as well as other decisions. The Gunners boss claimed the official cost his team victory following the striker’s second-half dismissal.
“Today we had the ‘Be a Gooner, Be a Giver’ charity appeal — you cannot say the referee was a Gooner today but he was a giver because he gave us yellow cards we did not deserve.
“Every week I sit in front of you when we play away from home and you say ‘People get in your faces and you cannot cope with it’. Have you seen anybody sent off?
“Do you want me to show you our players and the damage done to them after the game? It’s a joke.” Van Persie said: “At the start, we wanted a win but after the red card we are not that unhappy with a point. “One-one is not what we wanted but it’s not that bad considering what happened in the game. “I didn’t see the incident but Ade told me he never touched him so if you take that then you have to say it was harsh. “But we said we needed to keep going and we kept on fighting to the end.”
Arsenal are now sweating on the fitness of captain Fabregas who suffered medial knee ligament damage in a 50-50 tackle with Xabi Alonso. Liverpool lead the Premier League by two points but will be overtaken tonight if Chelsea win at Everton.
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Arsenal 1 Liverpool 1:
Kop too scared to land the title
Webb: Refereed Pool's matches against United, Chelsea and Arsenal.
ARSENE WENGER has accused Liverpool of being too scared to win the title. After seeing his side held to a 1-1 draw by the Premier League leaders, the Arsenal boss predicted the Reds will drop many more points.
The Anfield side failed to take advantage of Emmanuel Adebayor’s sending off in the 62nd minute. And the draw meant they only went two points clear of Chelsea, who are in action at Everton tonight.
Wenger was puzzled by Liverpool’s lack of ambition to take all three points at the Emirates. He said: “I am not sure why they did not try to win given we had 10 men. “Did they have no more resources or were they scared to lose on the break?
“I know one or two of their players had cramp — Agger was tired out there. “We had a few breaks when they could smell danger so, maybe, they decided to defend instead of attack and win the game.
“At the end of the day, they have to be more disappointed because they came up against 10 men and did not win.” Wenger repeated his belief his Gunners are not yet out of the championship race — despite being eight points off the pace in fifth.
In fact, the Frenchman was bullish about the manner in which Liverpool have conceded points this season and in his belief they will do so again.
He said: “Liverpool have dropped many points already this season and I think they will drop many more. They have had four draws at home and why not believe they could do that again? “That is why I think they will drop many more points in the second half of the season.”
The same could be said of Arsenal — who have lost five games already — but Wenger was heartened by the manner in which his side came back after Adebayor’s sending off.
Wenger praised his players’ spirit but admitted he was frustrated with the lack of concentration for the goal. He added: “I’m not happy with the defending because it’s the second time we’ve conceded a goal like that — we did the same against Villa — but, overall, we have improved the defending.
“We had a nervy start and were still warming up but in the second half we pushed on better and took control. “We had great spirit and commitment and we would have won if the referee had not made those decisions. We lost two points because of him.”
Liverpool’s stand-in boss Sammy Lee said: “There are all kinds of cliches about a game like that but you would have settled for the draw before the game. But the players are disappointed. To come to a place like Arsenal and draw is a good result.
“Being Liverpool we always go out to try and win the game and so we are disappointed — especially when against 10 men — but you have to give a load of credit to Arsenal.
“We felt it was a foul and will have to ask the referee about the decision.” Little Sam added: “I don’t think we have knocked Arsenal out of the title race. They have great quality throughout and would not want to say that. “I have too much respect for Arsenal and as a club to say that.”
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Hahaha.
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man utd for the title
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repeated
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I bet Man you wont win the epl. If Man you win, I dye my hair pink.
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after watching the game, I think the referee did a fairly good job. This Howard Webb.but given how he sent off Ronaldo, Vidic, and now ADEBAYOR, hmm, suspicious...
and now it seems some team has enrolled in acting classes, in the preseason and we can see the fruits now..
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Originally posted by kopiosatu:
man utd for the title
I think Chelsea has more chances than MU. MU will be tired after winning the World Club. And they have two games which needs to turn into wins. It is more Chelsea to lose it.. Pool for me, was so boring.. did they learn the lesson of wearing Grey??
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Originally posted by chrisbenoit:
I bet Man you wont win the epl. If Man you win, I dye my hair pink.
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i totally agrees with wenger.
we sucks.