Just finished watching the Man Utd - Arsenal game, and have a question regarding the aftermath of the Van Nistelrooy penalty miss and the end of the game.

Should Arsenal be punished for the treatment they gave Van Nistelrooy?

And if so what should it be?

Also should Wenger be punished for the clubs indiscipline (59 different players sent off during his tenure, Vieira sent of 8 times and Keown 6)?

Originally posted by jayjay03
Just finished watching the Man Utd - Arsenal game, and have a question regarding the aftermath of the Van Nistelrooy penalty miss and the end of the game.

Should Arsenal be punished for the treatment they gave Van Nistelrooy?

And if so what should it be?

Also should Wenger be punished for the clubs indiscipline (59 different players sent off during his tenure, Vieira sent of 8 times and Keown 6)?

I don't think it would be fair to punish Wenger and how would you go about punishing him anyway? The club does get punished, key players get suspended and miss games and also probably get fined by their club. I am not 100% sure but I thought the FA could enforce a fine also on clubs with terrible disciplinary records. Also, it might be worth considering that it's much easier to pick up cards and get sent off these days although these can be later reduced on appeal.

its arsenal you know they'll get away with it.

If it was Sheff Utd on the other hand they would throw the book at us.

I hope the players in question at Arsenal are fined and suspended. I still can't believe how they reacted at the end of the game. They are supposed to be professionals and some of them are experienced internationals. It made me feel sick. But then I'm probably biased cos I support United! However, I still think their behaviour cannot be defended.

They should be made to lose 6pts.

This is an harsh financial punishment too as shares will fall too.

It is the only way they will learn.

6 points IS harsh!!

Our lads only have 4 points, so they would be on minus 2 in similar circumstances.....

I remember, or think I do, the Boro being relegated once on the strength of a points fine

Wasnt it something to do with Bryan Robson letting the players all be off sick?

Hit them where it hurts. Not with a fine as these clubs have more money than sense and it wouldn't affect them or make them change their ways.

Suspend them from playing a few games or knock off a dozen points.

The FA doesn't have the guts to do anything though.

Originally posted by LouiseB
6 points IS harsh!!

Our lads only have 4 points, so they would be on minus 2 in similar circumstances.....

I remember, or think I do, the Boro being relegated once on the strength of a points fine

Wasnt it something to do with Bryan Robson letting the players all be off sick?

I think that particular case was Robson didn't turn up for a match. Something about not been able to field a team. Which of course was nonsense.

I'm not the most impartial person (as I wrote above) but they all cheered in Ruud's face and pushed him about at the end of the game to say "Ha, f**k you. You didn't beat us and you missed the penalty". I guess their reaction was because they thought Ruud had made a meal of the challenge between himself and Viera for which Viera got sent off. Ruud and Viera were both jumping for the ball and Ruud half landed on Viera. Viera (now on the floor) went to kick out at Ruud but missed. Ruud jumped back and looked over at the ref with a shocked look on his face. Viera got booked for the intent of kicking out. He had already been booked so of course he was off.
Then the penalty was awarded for Forlan against Keown. They were both diving for a cross and Keown perhaps impeded Forlan, but I think it was possibly a soft penalty award. Then Ruud missed it... (Somehow I knew he was going to).
The whistle goes and a few of the Arsenal players started cheering in Ruud's face and pushing him. Disgusting to watch...

What wonderful ambassadors of sport and role models.

that and keown's amazing jump in the air and smack ruud VN on the back of the head

Eight players have been charged with various things. Keown with one for violent behaviour and one for improper conduct, Lauren with 2 counts of violent behaviour and 2 counts of improper conduct, Parlour charged with the same as Keown, and five others on lesser, singular charges.

I honestly think that Keown, Lauren and Parlour could all get at least five game bans.

As someone said on Sky Sports News, it sets a great example for kids to follow doesn't it.

Wenger says sorry

Press Association
Thursday September 25, 2003

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger issued a qualified apology for his players' loss of self-control at Old Trafford but still insisted that the ensuing condemnation of them had been an "over-reaction".
The Football Association have charged Arsenal as a club for failing to control their players, while six members of the first-team squad are also individually charged with misconduct.

That theoretically means that Martin Keown, Lauren, Ray Parlour, Ashley Cole, Jens Lehmann and Patrick Vieira could face suspensions totalling up to 20 games.

Wenger, meanwhile, has been asked to explain his outspoken post-match criticism of Ruud van Nistelrooy, whose clash with Vieira sparked the angry scenes during last Sunday's goalless draw.

The Arsenal manager had defended his players immediately after the game at Old Trafford and had issued no other public comment until today.

He declared: "I thought we over-reacted after the game and we apologise for that. I think we have to keep control of our behaviour in every situation.

"On the other hand, I think you could say that the media response was an over-reaction as well. It was not in proportion to what happened at all. That is maybe not surprising but also not right.

"We have to be conscious that we didn't behave in a perfect way like we should have, but also not to be too much victimised by what people say.

"If one of my players had tackled someone round the throat or hit somebody in the face during the game, I would feel much more shocked than I am.

"I have been in English football for seven years now and I have witnessed situations that were 10 times worse that were not punished.

"That doesn't mean we were right but it does mean that some people get away here with some things they shouldn't get away with."

While two Manchester United players have also been charged, Wenger seemed aggrieved at the scale - and speed - of the FA response against his own club.

"The FA response was quite quick as they react to the media reaction, that's all," he insisted.

"If you could imagine that the game had happened somewhere without Sky TV being there, nothing would have happened.

"The FA would not even have known about it. I was at the game and I didn't even know about what had happened when I went to the dressing-room.

"We just have to acknowledge that we were not right but defend our players and get things into the right proportion.

"I have spoken to the players and they acknowledge that they have to keep control and behave in a different way.

"But between what we've seen on football pitches and in corridors and what happened there, I think the response we got was an over-reaction. The media could be charged with over-reaction as well."

Asked if he was ashamed of any of his players' reactions, Wenger, whose side face Newcastle at Highbury tomorrow night, said in a radio interview: "I was surprised at what happened.

"Of course, you try to understand why and how it all went, but none of my players killed anybody.

"It will be a problem if they all get suspended, of course, but we will face that if it happens.

"The players are hurt. There was a big shock for us after the game but we have shown our strength before and we want to win the game tomorrow."

Originally posted by LouiseB
Wenger says sorry



Unusual. Wengers normal response is "I didn't see it". :lol:

Originally posted by Lickszz
Unusual. Wengers normal response is "I didn't see it". :lol:

I was waiting for someone to say that :roll:

Truth is, Arsenal has been a bunch of undisciplined thugs for well over a decade. I blame George Graham myself.

Perhaps if Arsenal weren't so violent and cynical, the Owls would have won both cups in...(thinks for a minute) 93? We'd have won the title a year later, the European Chanmpions League the season after that, culminating in the World Club Cup. And no-one would deny that Sheffield Wednesday were the greatest football club ever.

But look where we are now :cry:

yeah, it's all arsenal's fault that wednesday are cack!