tribalfooball.com - March 04, 2007
Reading are convinced Arsene Wenger's rant against match officials
last week helped Arsenal in Saturday's win at Emirates
stadium.
Royals boss Steve Coppell said: "To be fair, it was a party
political broadcast. You're listening to Arsene and thinking:
'Yeah, he's right'. They do commit the least fouls and they are the
most fouled against.
"It's not a question of quantity, mind you, it's a question of the
quality of fouls. But it was one hell of a convincing
argument."
One first-half incident supported
Coppell's point perfectly.
Denilson went over the ball in midfield with the apparent intention
of stamping on Reading striker Dave Kitson but somehow the
19-year-old Arsenal midfielder hurt himself in the challenge and
was left writhing around on the ground.
Referee Chris Foy gave the free-kick to Arsenal and inexplicably
booked Kitson, who limped out of the stadium with one gash just
below his knee and another halfway down his shin.
Kitson said: "I've seen it again on the television and I won it
fair and square. But I didn't realise at the time that Denilson
jumped in on me with two feet. I've got the scar to prove it and if
my foot had been planted on the floor then it would have broken my
leg - and I've been booked for it!
"The only reason he gave a freekick was because we broke away and
it was painfully clear that any time we made a little bit of ground
the referee was going to pull it up and give a decision for
Arsenal."
Wenger spent all last week fuming about the suspension of three
players - Kolo Toure, Emmanuel Adebayor and Emmanuel Eboue - after
the stormy game against Chelsea. His comments may eventually result
in a touchline ban but Reading's players believe they had an impact
on Saturday's game.
Kitson said: "Arsene played a masterstroke in saying what he did
and we've had the repercussions of it today because the official
didn't give us a thing. What was said during the week had a direct
effect on this game.
"Arsenal are a fantastic team and they played so well. But if you
come here and the referee is not on your side then you have no
chance."
Asked if some managers tried to influence referees through the
media, Coppell gasped in mock surprise and said: "Heaven forbid.
There's so much politicking with the big teams. 'He said this' and
'Why doesn't he be quiet?' and 'We've done this'. It's all a bit
bemusing for us newcomers."
