Wenger defends right to demand players´ protection

Arsene Wenger insists he has every right to demand that Arsenal’s stars are given more protection as the Gunners boss continues to deal with the fall-out from Aaron Ramsey’s horrific injury.

Ramsey will be sidelined for the rest of the season after suffering fractures to the tibia and fibula in his right leg in a challenge with Stoke defender Ryan Shawcross during last Saturday’s match at the Britannia Stadium.

Immediately after his side’s 3-1 win, Wenger described Shawcross’s challenge, which was punished with a red card, as “horrendous and unacceptable”, yet the defender has received over 300 supportive emails from Arsenal fans and Stoke boss Tony Pulis and his players insist the tackle was not malicious.

However, for Wenger the Welsh teenager’s injury brought back painful memories of the broken leg Arsenal striker Eduardo sustained in a challenge with Birmingham’s Martin Taylor, as well as Sunderland defender Dan Smith’s horrendous foul on Abou Diaby which left the Gunners star out of action for months.

Wenger was in combative mood when questioned about his stance at his weekly press conference on Friday and insisted he was right to demand better protection for both his stars and every other player in the Premier League.

“I am sitting here like I am in a tribunal. What do I have to defend?” Wenger said. “You cannot say you have a boy of 19 who has a double broken leg like we did and that everything is all right. Do you accept that? I cannot.

“If it is an accident, it is an accident, but at least you can be down about it. You cannot say it is all right, we go home and nothing has happened.

“I stand by what I said 100 percent. I am not always 100 percent right but I am entitled to have my opinion no matter where I work.”

While Wenger has no intention of changing his belief that Arsenal are singled out for extra physical attention, he concedes the aggressive nature of English football adds to the spectacle of the Premier League.

He insists he just wants every team to be treated the same way by referees.

“I love the commitment of the English game. I don’t want to change that and it makes the game even more attractive. I am 100 percent behind the commitment. But high commitment demands fair intention as well,” he said.

“It is not Arsenal against the rest of the world. What I say here is valid for the Arsenal players as well, it is for everybody. I defend football.

“It is not we are apart from anybody else. 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.

“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 is intention, but there is danger. Tackling is an art you do not want to get out of the game.”

Meanwhile, Wenger hopes his side can keep their title challenge on course with a win over Burnley at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

The Gunners are three points off top spot but Wenger disagrees that they have the easiest run-in compared to rivals Chelsea and Manchester United.

Wenger said: “The experience we have from this year is that there are no easy games. What looks sometimes easy before the game becomes very difficult during the game.

“I believe the key to our success now is being capable of focusing during every single game and penetrate ourselves with the idea that this could be a very tricky game.

“We have a very good chance and we are in a good position with Man United and Chelsea and it is down to how consistent we can be.”