Daily News & Analysis of the English Premier League

← UEFA Cup Round of 32 Recap; Round of 16 Draw Satisfied With Kevin Keegan? →

Arsene Wenger Wants Lifetime Ban for Taylor

February 23rd, 2008 By Michael --> Comments

Wenger Arsene Wenger Wants Lifetime Ban for Taylor

In the words of José Mourinho’s puppet character on “I’m On Setanta Sports”, shut up, Wenger.

For those of you who haven’t seen the gruesome pictures or seen video, Arsenal front man Eduardo da Silva had his left leg nearly snapped at the ankle after a sliding challenge from Birmingham defender Martin Taylor. It took nearly ten minutes for trainers and medical staff to get da Silva off the field, and all reports indicate the Croatian has a badly broken leg. It didn’t exactly take a genius to come to that conclusion as anyone who has seen what happened could diagnose the injury instantly.

It would be irresponsible at this point to speculate as to how long da Silva will be out, but Arsene Wenger has said that “His injury is very, very bad. More than the season is over.”

The Frenchman also said “This guy (Taylor) should never play football again. What is he doing on the football pitch?”

“I’ve gone along with the idea for a long time that to stop Arsenal, you have to kick Arsenal. I knew that was coming for a long time now.”

Here’s where I have a problem with Wenger. There is simply no way Taylor is going to get a lifetime ban, no way. There was no malice whatsoever in the challenge, no intent to injure like we’ve seen in the past with some of Roy Keane’s attacks on opponents when he was still a player. On the match broadcast, play-by-play man Jon Champion even said he wasn’t sure if Taylor should’ve been sent off.

Personally, I thought it was a red card and the automatic three-match ban that comes with it is deserved. Anything more than that would really be harsh on Taylor because the reality is that this was just a freak incident. It was a mis-timed, late tackle. I’ve seen numerous tackles similar to this one in the past that haven’t even been red-carded. I think it’s wrong for Wenger to call for a lifetime ban for Taylor simply based on the extent of the injury to da Silva.

It’s not as if Taylor is a repeat offender and has a reputation for causing incidents like this. He showed remorse immediately after the challenge; as Birmingham boss Alex McLeish said, “Martin’s distraught about the lad’s injury. It’s certainly not in Martin Taylor’s make-up at all to commit a malicious tackle.”

In the NHL, a player can be given a two-minute penalty for high-sticking if he gets his stick in an opponent’s face and makes contact, but four minutes if that same incident draws blood. That’s just ridiculous; you can’t additionally penalize something because of a freak injury, or drawn blood in the case of hockey. It’s not fair to overreact to how badly someone is hurt because of a challenge, I believe you have to look at the challenge itself in a vacuum and go from there. With that said, make no mistake. I’m not condoning what Taylor did today by any stretch of the imagination, but I’m also not condemning him for it either.

If I was Arsene Wenger, who has a well-deserved reputation for being a sore loser and a whiner, I would worry about my own team instead of Martin Taylor. Wenger’s star young left back, Gaël Clichy, was directly at fault for giving up Birmingham’s late equalizer through his lack of focus and poor judgement and decision-making. These two points dropped could end up being what loses the title for Arsenal, yet after the game, Wenger is talking about the opposition and not saying anything about his own team.

Taylor’s fate isn’t in Wenger’s hands; he’s just wasting his time by chipping in his own two cents about the situation. I don’t want to hear this man in public anymore. He doesn’t say anything chastizing or harsh when his players, like Eboue and Flamini, go in recklessly on challenges like they’ve done in the past month or so, either nearly causing or actually causing serious injury, but when someone from another team does the same thing to a player on his team, he gets up in arms and has a fit. I’m sorry, I don’t have any time for that and it is embarrassing.

Shut up, Wenger!

Related Posts

Tags: Arsenal · Birmingham City

Viewing 89 Comments

    • ^
    • v
    You dont want to hear wenger in public again? WTF are you on u retard?
    • ^
    • v
    "There was no malice whatsoever in the challenge, no intent to injure"
    Did you see the tackle?
    http://arseblog.com/1pics/ed1.jpg
    How can you defend it?
    • ^
    • v
    Micael whatever you are, you really are sick! If you think that was no more than a mistimed tackle then as the rest of your blog suggests you are a dimwit. Taylor deserves far more than a 3 match ban for this. But hey, it's not your leg that was broken is it? It was only a game of football afterall, it's a man's game and all. You even post a link to the injury because you probably enjoy watching over and over you sick bastard! Wenger may whinge but I am with him 100% on this.
    • ^
    • v
    michael its a pity that the tackle wasnt done to a member of your own family and then hear ur comments u wanker
    • ^
    • v
    Oh I forgot to say, this is the downside of web 2.0., idiots like this guy Michael can set up blogs with no sanity checks before hand.
    • ^
    • v
    DB, I watched the game this morning.

    I'm not defending the tackle itself; I said it deserved a red card and have no problem with that.

    I do have a problem with Wenger coming out and calling for a lifetime ban for a player on another team when he has his own team to worry about. Wenger can be upset and I understand that, but he doesn't need to spout his mouth off.

    The tackle itself was bad but as I said, I've seen many of these in the past. Taylor showed remorse immediately after the incident and it isn't like Taylor is a repeat offender who has done this sort of thing before.
    • ^
    • v
    Shut The Fuck Up!

    Why are you talking about the NHL?
    It's a completely different sport, and you're an idiot for bringing it up, a sport which promotes violence and other one that doesn't.


    I agree that he won't get a lifetime ban because it's on an Arsenal player, and yes, I'm serious, that's the only reason why he won't be banned for that amount of time.

    If it were on Ronaldo or Rooney, the guy would be exiled from the UK, without question.

    Sure I'm an Arsenal fan, but I'm a fan of Football more than anything.

    So when I speak about this injury I'm trying to picture that it could of happened to anyone.

    And if you look at the pictures you see that he's nowhere NEAR the ball, studs up, straight for the leg. Maybe he didn't mean for it to break, but I'm willing to bet he went for an injury.

    If a player from my team like Eboue would of broken JT's leg and tackled on purpose, I would be ashamed to have him on my team.

    It's clear the writer of the article isn't an Arsenal fan, nor' an Arsene Wenger fan, but it's shit like this from people like you that brings up rivalry and hate twoards each other's teams.

    Makes me want to see Ronaldo from your precious Man Utd get fucked up.
    Just to see you whine.
    • ^
    • v
    Have u gone insane or what? Did u even watched the match? I wonder what the hell is wrong with all this English press, u've never spoken the truth for once, i know it will be a different ball game if Eboue or Sagna had broken Rooney or Gerrad's Leg.
    • ^
    • v
    Oh and it's OK for Fergie to call referees bad referees and get away with saying whatever he wants, BUT when Wenger does the same it's a national disaster and makes him a bad manager?

    C'mon man, be real.

    So if we don't set an example by banning this guy what makes you think that the next guy in a few weeks won't go after a big name such as Ronaldo?
    I mean if he only gets a 3 match ban and doesn't have to deal with defending Ronaldo again then shit it's worth it.
    • ^
    • v
    dragonki2012,

    I'm not sure how many times I've had to tell you that I'm not a Manchester United fan; they were my preseason picks to win title but I have no significant rooting interest in them.

    Fergie's touchline bans are well-deserved, and you won't get an argument there from me. He shouldn't be permitted to abuse officials and when he gets punished for doing so, that's his own fault. The difference is that he doesn't often make comments off the field about things like Wenger does. Ferguson is gracious in defeat and doesn't whine and complain that is team was hard-done if they lose; Wenger blames everyone but himself and his team when Arsenal doesn't get the job done.

    I've also said that Arsene Wenger is the best manager in the Premiership; go back to my Mid-season Awards and you'll see that I did just that. He gets the best out of his players and has a great eye for spotting young talent.

    Your comment about setting an example is what irks me. You can't make examples out of players to draw a line in the sand, you just can't do that. You can't single him out just so others can see that and modify their behavior. The difference between going after a player like Ronaldo or any other big-names and today's challenge on Eduardo is that Taylor wasn't "going after" the Croatian. He didn't pick him out and say "yes, that's who I want to injure today". If someone makes it obvious that they're trying to injure another player, especially a big name player, then he's going to get more than a three-match ban. Taylor didn't do that.
    • ^
    • v
    You have left me speechless.

    I wonder what your reaction would be if you were Eduardo. Taylors studs were up and straight into his angle and broke Eduardo's ankle you prat.

    Taylor needs to be banned from playing for Birmingham until Eduardo's return's if Eduardo never plays again then so should Taylor whether he has previous form or not.

    The best way to avoid this again is to make the sliding tackle an offence therefore if you cannot tackle standing up then tough sh..

    I am still gob smacked as to what you have said.

    wenger is right and he should be allowed to make a comment.

    Anyway Nob Jockey maybe you should be banned from writting such crap
    • ^
    • v
    I've never heard Fergie blame his team or himself for losing either.

    It was 2:30 into the game, if that tackle didn't break his leg, the one 10 minutes later might have.

    I'm sorry but I just don't see how you can show sympathy to someone who goes straight in, not for the ball either, with studs up towards another player.

    I'm an Arsenal fan so what I say may reflect a biased opinion. But a 3 match ban for breaking a mans leg? That's ridiculous.

    IMO, the video is more in favor of Taylor because the speed makes it look like nothing happened but looking at photos http://www.jutarnji.hr/galerija?galleryId=52htt...
    I get a different message.
    • ^
    • v
    Never going to happen Gooner.

    Sliding challenges will always be allowed at this level and suspensions don't work in the way you mentioned. Taylor can't be banned until Eduardo plays again, things just don't work like that.

    Wenger has every right to be upset, but it's wrong for him to call for a lifetime ban, just like many English fans believed it was wrong for Cristiano Ronaldo to plead with the referee to send Rooney off in the 2006 World Cup.
    • ^
    • v
    This is just terrible - I'm going to avoid the bad language but I know one thing that everyone's thoughts and prayers should be with Eduardo whose future looks desperately bleak. If this had happened to my son I would be having to be held back. I have sat through Arsenal games where Manu have targetted and rotated to tackle a player - one game where Viera was kicked remorsefly until eventually the referee decided he maybe give someone a yellow card. Arsene is spot on to say that there is an attitude towards Arsenal (probably jealousy). Taylor won't get a ban but he will have to live the rest of his life knowing what he did especially if Eduardo never plays again. A friend of my younger son had a similar injury and he had to give up Sprinting for sports. All Arsenals fans should unite even more to support them in any way possible. Let's bloody (sorry slipped up) win something this year to show them all. Remember Wenger is a human being who cares deeply about his players and their wellbeing - FA should cut him some slack rather than possibly pouring salt on the wound on a man of undoubted integrity. Gunners forever!!!
    • ^
    • v
    Michael, whoever you are and presumably a Birmingham City fan or Man Utd. regardless of your consideration on intent, the boy Taylor should be banned for at last as long as Eduardo is unable to play for. He may never play again, essentially the tackle was not good enough for the premiership. He should not be there.

    However, well done Mcleish for trying to defend the indefensible, there is no defense on the planet, he should simply concur with the rest of the universe. That said he can phone his chum Alex and report a job well done.
    • ^
    • v
    Oh so Taylor has no previous? You only kill one person one time, it's irrelevant that you have a previous. Well guess what, he now has a previous and I hope that the next leg he breaks is somehow linked to you.
    • ^
    • v
    You Sir are a typical brummie cunt!!!

    Why don't you look at the pictures of the challenge you biased blues wanker!!!
    • ^
    • v
    taylor showed remorse after the tackle?

    http://www.index.hr/images2/Taylorsenasmijesio.jpg

    it doesn't look that way.