Arsene Wenger says he regrets his reaction when he was sent off by referee Jon Moss late in the 2-1 win over Burnley.
The Arsenal manager’s frustration was evident when the 10 men were trying to hang on and the visitors were awarded a penalty which brought them level.
He went off down the tunnel but not far enough for the officious Anthony Taylor who insisted he go further away from the action. Wenger appeared to push Taylor – showing great restraint as many of us would have probably done a Jamiroquai smashing headbutt on him – but afterwards was contrite.
“I regret everything,” he said. “I should have shut up and gone in and gone home. And I apologize for that.”
“It was nothing bad. I said something that you hear every day in football, but overall nine times out of 10, you’re not sent to the stands for that. But if I am, I am – and I should have shut up completely.
“I was quite calm the whole game, more than usual, but just not in the last two or three minutes!”
Still, it was very heat of the moment stuff, and moment was very very heated.
However, it remains to be seen how the FA will view the incident and what punishment they decide to hand out. The prospect of a touchline ban is obvious, and with big games coming up that could be a concern.
Should have clocked the cunt
Despite not agreeing with all his choices in the last few years, I love him for loving our club so much…
If he gets punished fine but I hope we’re spared the usual faux outrage, it was completely harmless.
PS I’m sure I’ll get the downvotes but I really hope someone gives Xhaka a bollocking. The refs have been pretty consistent with tackles with both feet off the ground, if i know that then he should. Had we dropped points my anger would have been directed squarely at him not the ref (whose most blatant error was the offside so I think we should chill out too).
Oh and the Mustafi pen of course
His taclke was a lunge that looked bad but it wasnt 2 footed. Otherwise I agree with you on everything here
You mean pretty consistent expect when dealing with Rojo (twice) Wanyama yesterday, Charlie Adams a few times, Shawcross a few games back, Ander Herrera every other game, etc ect. I dont mean to make excuses but referees seem to be punishing Xhaka on reputation rather than actual crime. His firsr red card was so harsh that so far I haven’t seen any other player sent off for a similar offense. Same as today, yes his tackle was what pundits call “Robust” but i do no think it merited a straight red, I saw plenty of those challenges in yesterday match… Read more »
Think we know more about Xhaka reputation as arsenal fans compared to the other players you mention than the referees – it was a stupid tackle and while not the worst , if they punish jamie vardy’ tackle then this was too. Just glad coq back from injury , tho he was dumb for penalty
Both tackles he has both feet off the ground and to me that is stupid given there has been specific direction on that this year and he’s already had one. We can’t control referees but we can in theory control our players so that’s where I think the focus should be rather than the perennial bleating about referees.
It’s been a while since I felt like the referee was against us. Cunt wasn’t even going to give us that penalty until his flag bearing mate piped up.
It had nothing to do with the ref, the red card was harsh but to the book, most wouldve given a yellow but a few wouldve given a red, you cant argue with that. It was self inflicted stupidity showing Xhakas poor touch. Burnleys penalty was a penalty and out penalty was a penalty, all decisions spot on.
He’s the same ref that gave Xhaka a red before, for the same tackle we’ve seen go unpunished at least once every weekend since then. He basically loves giving us red cards when mosr refs would give a yellow at worse.
Last time he got demoted to the championship for a game.
Will he get punished this time???
Actually let me correct my statement, our penalty was actually offside. We were very lucky.
If you saw the game you’d know we deserved a penalty earlier with a foul on Mustafi. That one thing the ref did not get right. Obviously he was pretty sad when Alexis scored
Well, offside shouldn’t be flagged until the player in question actually is involved, and any transgressions done before the offside is flagged still count as in play. I think the red card was a certaintanty (because you really can’t do that even if the ball wasn’t in play), but I think it should only be a penalty if the ball was in play. So, on one hand, Kocielny headed the ball before he was kicked in the head, so it could be argued the offside should be flagged first. However, on the other hand, the kick and thus the dangerous… Read more »
what about the pen on mustafi? it was 100% clear
Classic Wenger. Sure he’s going to apologize but some points need to be made. I’m not sure there’s a rule that says you must go into the changing room when you’re sent off. I’ve seen players who just enter the tunnel, and hang somewhere around there especially in the last minutes of the game, mainly because they are to anxious to know what will happen to their team. This is usually permitted. However, when Wenger was sent off, he entered the tunnel and stayed there. I still don’t understand why the assistant referee wanted him to enter the changing room.… Read more »
The only thing you could apologise for is not kicking the cunt in his tiny nutts.
Well said my friend, a karate kick!
Splitted on this one. Should’ve kept his mouth shut, but I still love to se when he gets angry and show passion!
Did Wenger even receive a warning before he got sent off? I’m guessing he must’ve done, but the cameras didn’t pick it up.
No, straight red like Xhaka.
NO warning or common sense from the Ref.
I don’t expect the review board will be any more gracious. They are a right bunch of vindictive twits.
Arsene was “offside” there!!!
Camera wasnt off that fat bastard patroller of a burnley manager the whole game who was mouyhing from start to finish and the first wenger camera shot he was sent off down the tunnel
Arsene Wengers magic
Sean Dyche is British. You have to let British managers swear, the same way you have to let British players pull people back as they shoot, or go into people two footed every day of the week ala Charlie Adam and always get away with it.
But Arsene’s been around long enough to know perfectly well how biased the referees are against foreign players and managers, so he really can’t be surprised when he gets sent off for stuff a ref wouldn’t even blink over it it had been a British manager doing it.
I will do 22hours of flight next week to watch my first ever PL game. And won’t see AW on the pitch. No kidding.
No apologies needed, these epl officials are so useless. Their ineptitude has been going for way too long. Officiating standards are so poor! FA reforms needed!!
Xhaka made the red happen. Stupid boy!
Ive said it before. Xhaka is a liability, he is a moron with the IQ of paint, he is not the solution at the back and should be sold in my opinion. We can never ever be calm with Xhaka in the side cause he is always a challenge away from a red card. Unfortunate considering his passing range is good but thats about it. Our CM who seems to always get alot of stick ,Ramsey, had a fantastic game today, he looks like he is getting into the form where he can start to put away goals. Lastly, I… Read more »
14 down votes but not a single comment why? which point do people disagree with and why? Not winging, just interested in peoples opinions.
haha nope, just 2 illiterate boneheads.
I think it’s because you’re suggesting tossing Xhaka aside so quickly. Yes, today’s tackle was reckless and stupid, but the other red card he received this season was a ridiculously bad decision (and the decision by the club not to appeal it is looking more stupid by the minute – he would’ve be available for the Chelsea game had the first red not have stood). I get what you’re saying though – there was one against Everton that had me wincing. There’s a good player there; he just needs to be a bit more careful with his tackling and not… Read more »
Thanks for your reply, I agree that I may be swift in my assumption that he be sold but its only because I think he will continue making these awful errors of judgement. Our spine needs to be solid and error free now, not potentially in the future, now! How many clean sheets have we had in the last 15 games with Xhaka in the side? Can you imagine when we are in a really high pressure game and he makes a silly error like that, maybe against Bayern Munich coming up? How many times in the Champions League have… Read more »
First off, I didn’t downvote but I can’t say that I agree with your assessment of Xhaka. Have we all forgotten about Patrick Vieira and the litany of red cards he accrued during his tenure. It goes hand in hand with the passion they show for the game and the team and much like Vieira I expect him to learn in time (it took Paddy something like 3 seasons to stop getting stupid red cards). As for having Iwobi replace Cazorla, I see where you’re coming from but funnily enough I have to echo your sentiment in-regards to Xhaka’s positional… Read more »
I thought about OX but his habit of disappearing after a few games has me against it and he looses possession alot, I hardly ever see Iwobi loose possession. I agree that his defense may be an issue but something I believe he could improve on,additionally his power and strength athletisicm would help in making up for his inexperience, also having Coq there to balance things out. I see too much Schezny in Xhaka,a mistake just waiting to happen, and just because he is getting lots of red cards does not mean he is going to be the next Viera.… Read more »
To be fair, the ref got the majority of big decisions right. I thought Mustafi should of had a pen but then again Kocielny was offside so swings and roundabouts… in regards to the red card, the tackle ended with 2 feet together. It’s really not difficult to not lunge, scissor or 2 foot tackle someone and GX needs to learn that. I don’t know what AW did to get a red but just complaining shouldn’t see him get sent to the stands. The pens were correctly given as they were fouls although technically should of been a freekick instead… Read more »
The ref didn’t make the Kozzer penalty decision, the linesman did.
In real time when Koscielny is moving back towards the 18 while the defenders are moving towards the goal it’s impossible for an AR to always get that decision right as it’s so split second. Of course when the frame is stopped at the point of contact on the ball it’s easy to see Kos was offside, but at live speed it’s so close hard to expect an AR to call that offside.
I’m not actually an assistant ref, but putting that aside for a moment and speaking as one anyway, this is correct. That is the sort of offside that is almost never going to get called.
It’s not really a big deal anyway, because it’s not the sort of offside that gives you any real advantage. Kos could have been onside there and the exact same thing would have happened. It wasn’t the sort of offside the rule is designed to prevent, where someone steals a step on the defender and then outruns them in a footrace because of it.
Arsene in the stands for a few games is not as damaging as Granits ban could be. Great 3pts all that matters really. Come on tigers grrrrr
Credit to him for apologising. Not many managers can admit their shortcomings
No apologies Le Prof…… FA is always a joke.
In unrelated news:;;;;;IF YOU THINK LIFE IS DIFFICULT
JUST LOOK AT HULL CITY FCs NEXT 5 GAMES
Jan 22: Chelsea vs HULL
Jan 26: HULL vs Man United
Feb 1: Man City vs HULL
Feb 4: HULL vs Liverpool
Feb 11: Arsenal vs HULL
If the FA no longer need Hull in the EPL they should say it loud and clear instead of treating them this way
Not quite right, you missed out Jan 29 Fulham vs. HULL. And the Man United match is EFL Cup, not league. But yeah, it’s still a difficult run – next four league matches are Chel$ki, Schitty, Liverpoo, and ARSENAL.
Might be a blessing in disguise if wenger sits in the stands for the next game, he gets to see the whole pitch and hopefully sort out that defence for the Chelsea game.
Also, gives bould a chance to speak out and organise the defence at Watford.