Old foes: Arsene Wenger and Sam Allardyce have had
their run-ins
Sam Allardyce reignited
his feud with Arsene Wenger yesterday, suggesting
the Arsenal manager once produced the dirtiest team
in Premier League history.
The Blackburn
manager has often riled the Frenchman
over the years due to his success against him with his teams'
forceful approach.
Allardyce has lost just
six times to Arsenal in 16 League meetings as manager of
Bolton, Newcastle
and Blackburn and, with Wenger once
again complaining about a lack of protection for goalkeepers ahead
of today's trip to Ewood Park, Big Sam was quick to remind him of
his own club's poor disciplinary record in their heyday.
Defending Stoke
manager Tony Pulis against Wenger's
accusations on Thursday that his side played 'rugby more than
football' during their defeat by Tottenham
last Saturday, Allardyce said: 'They
(Arsenal) had more sendings-off and bookings than anyone
else.
'Players like Vieira, Petit, Campbell and Keown would mix it
anyway you wanted to mix it. They would say, "C'mon, what kind of
game do you want to play?" and then completely dominate you.
'His (Wenger's) change of tactics from that day is quite
remarkable. He has a team bred on getting the ball down and passing
and moving, and we all agree it is the most pleasing football
anyone can watch. But they are still not as good as that team he
used to have.
'They used to cause everyone huge fear whenever you faced them
because you wondered how you could beat them. Now there is a
way.'
That 'way' involves exploiting Arsenal's weakness to long balls
and set-pieces.
Big worry: Ryan Nelsen is a dual threat
Wenger yesterday acknowledged that his team would have
to be ready for the bombardment from Paul Robinson's long goal
kicks.
A look at the physical specimens Allardyce has at his disposal
emphasises the struggle ahead: Christopher Samba is 6ft 4in, Nikola
Kalinic 6ft 3in, Steven Nzonzi 6ft 3in and Ryan Nelsen 6ft - all
threats in the air.
'You have to be physically much stronger than you did in the old
days,' adds Allardyce.
'You use those strengths and abilities to promote your skills as
a footballer. 'One of our areas of good ability is our aerial
presence. When we aerially bombard any team with our quality, skill
and ability, we cause them problems.
'On Saturday morning it will be a case of trying to expose
Arsenal's weaknesses if we can, and then we might be able to get
something out of the game. We have found a niche, an opportunity
and a way to beat Arsenal.
'Our technical and tactical ability on several occasions at
Bolton and here have been better than theirs and that is why we
won. It is nothing to do with bending or breaking the rules,
nothing to do with bullying. We've never got the credit we deserved
for our technical and tactical work, me as a coach and manager or
the players.
'We should never beat Arsenal but we do. It is not rugby tactics
because rugby tactics are illegal in football. Until the game
becomes a non-contact sport, the physical side of the game is very
important.'
Last season saw Blackburn win 2-1 at Ewood Park and Wenger once
again moaned about his goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski not being given
enough protection.
Tough guys: Allardyce says Emmanuel Petit (left) and
Patrick Vieira (centre) could mix it with the best
It was that which partly provoked his attack about teams
playing rugby instead of football, words Allardyce was delighted to
hear.
'If Arsene is saying something now it means he is worried before
we even start and that can only be positive from our point of view.
It means they are worried about what we are going to do and how we
are going to do it. Last season we managed to beat them within the
rules, contrary to what he says.
'I am a little bit surprised he bites so easily. It is not just
about this next game coming up, it's been over a period of years
with me.'
Wenger has bitten many times with many people and last week it
was Paul Scholes on the receiving end. The Frenchman accused the
Manchester United midfielder of having 'a dark side', provoking an
annoyed response from Sir Alex Ferguson yesterday.
'I don't know why he said that,' argued the United boss. 'Paul
is not the best tackler but he has not injured anyone in his time
here. He should focus on the strengths and abilities of someone and
the contribution he has made to English football over an 18-year
period. It is phenomenal.'
Ferguson then stirred things up further, suggesting the same
accusation could be levelled at one of Arsenal's stars, a comment
which might have Cesc Fabregas wondering after his various run-ins
with United.
'It is very easy to look into the dark side of any player. I
could say the same about one of the Arsenal players, in particular,
but I don't need to do that.'
Firm but fair: Martin Keown
Sam Allardyce's comment about the Arsenal team I played in is
disrespectful, provocative and unnecessary the day before a
match.
Yes, we could be physical but we could also play football. And
when we were physical it was mostly in response to the way teams
played against us.
We weren't a dirty bunch - we were hard but fair. There was a
time when we had so many red cards that I said to the manager we
might become the first team to win the title with only 10
players.
But there are no regrets. That team will not be remembered for
its dirtiness.
It will be remembered for its flair and flowing passing and I'm
proud to have played with some of the greatest players we will ever
see at Arsenal.