Sat 22 Apr 06
The Nutty Highbury Professor
Arsene Wenger produced a prize example of Gallic demeanour in his attacks on Martin Jol after today’s North London derby, stomping into the tunnel at the close of play. All because two Arsenal players collided with each other as Spurs advanced to a goal:
Referee Steve Bennett said: “I assessed the situation and saw that no-one was endangered and there were no head injuries, and in that situation the game can carry on.”
As noted elsewhere in the Telegraph:
All that happened was that two Arsenal players, Gilberto Silva and Eboue, collided and fell. While referee Steve Bennett correctly checked they were not seriously injured - both were able to look up - Spurs continued to attack down the left and Edgar Davids tried a low cross. Though Arsenal were understandably thin at the back, the irony is that Kolo Toure got close enough to the ball to impart the subtle deflection that took it into the path of Keane, who sidefooted wide of Jens Lehmann.
Fittingly, Arsenal’s next face Spurs at a new venue sponsored by an airline, from whom the Gooners could draw a worthy lesson. The aviation world has found one way to help avoid collisions: use English as a common working language. So crack those ESL books, mes amis!
Ouch! Yeah, that was pretty funny. I thought, too, the incident was behind the play, the two Arsenal players collided and were left in the wake of the action - are we to expect players who are rushing toward goal to stop and hold the ball to make sure everyone else on the field are ok?
Henry’s goal was frakking magic.
Actually, just seeing the replay, Carrick did stop and take a look around. But the downed Gooners certainly seemed to be stirring, so onwards he went.