By Boris Mellor
March 2 2007

In the run up to tomorrow’s Reading game Wenger remains determined to pursues the FA over it’s lack of respect towards Arsenal. Wenger claims he has experts working on the video of the Fizzy Cup Final that can prove Adebayor is innocent.

Today’s Independent carries some remarkable coverage, not proving the case on Adebayor either way, but proving that Drogba struck Fabregas, and Essien struck Denilson. Yet neither were charged. So why has the FA not charged them?

According to Glen Moore it is because the FA want to back their officials, and do not want to upset Chelsea. So there we have it Chelsea are the new untouchables.

Meanwhile some of the press are dragging out Arsenal’s old disciplinary record to try and prove they are absolute ruffians that need controlling. Yet this is Arsenal’s first involvement in such a ruck in three years. For Chelsea it is the 4^th in a year. Guess who will get the biggest punishment?

But in not upsetting Chelsea they have upset Arsenal, and Wenger is not going to back down. He is sick and tired of Arsenal’s treatment this season, his team makes the least fouls and gets the most yellows. The foul on Eboue, by Pedersen, at Blackburn, was one of the nastiest you will ever see, but it went unpunished. This is called getting in Arsenal’s face, in fact it was the back of Eboue’s ankle, and led to him being unable to overlap, and eventually having to come off.

Some Arsenal sites have called on Wenger to drop it – perhaps they want to pander to the Wenger is a bad loser brigade – that it would be more statesman’s like. Well only an idiot would think that Wenger has made his stand because he doesn’t like losing. Sure he doesn’t like losing, but he doesn’t like his players being victimised either. Of course when Jewell and others attack referees they are heroes, but Arsene is called a whinger.

No Wenger has thought this through and he is going to sustain his attack, the FA can bleat on about him impugning their integrity, what integrity is that exactly? I hope he sticks to his guns. Meanwhile Arsenal fans should get behind Wenger.

Reading Preview

It’s unfortunate that this is the background to the match against Reading, a team that plays clean and exciting football. A team that has just played two very good games against Manchester United. That should be a warning not to take them likely, plus they are dangerous in the air.

Arsenal has a long list of absentees, Adebayor, Eboue, Toure are all suspended. Then there is the ever growing injury list: Henry (foot), Rosicky (groin), Hoyte (hamstring), Flamini (foot) and Van Persie (foot). Abou Diaby, Johan Djourou and Cesc Fabregas will come in to strengthen the squad beaten at Blackburn on Wednesday.

However picking eleven players shouldn’t be difficult as Wenger says he has only 14 first team squad members available on Saturday — that is includes youngster like Armand Traore and Denilson.

Not a crisis

Arsenal have now played 46 games, and are beginning to run out of players to rotate. Wenger has to also keep the midweek match against PSV in mind. The cups have been costly for Arsene he may well have to reconsider his policy next season, for its not fatigue that is undermining the team, but injuries and suspensions sustained in the cups.

But Wenger refuses to see this as a crisis, the team has not played badly, but it has lacked ruthlessness in front of goal. Wenger wants to maintain the performance, but improve the results. That will not be easy with Henry, Adebayor, RvP and Rosicky all out. But what ever happens in the next few weeks things will gradually return to normal, and the chance of third place is a real runner.

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