In 2006, I wrote about About Diaby breaking his leg in a horribly late challenge by Dan Smith of Sunderland. That was a shocking tackle which no-one in the media cared about. I was incensed by how everyone glossed over the whole incident and was in total disbelief that the challenge only resulted in a yellow card.
The first paragraph stated:
“I’ve had time to think about the tackle by Dan Smith on Abou Diaby, who we now know is out for at least 9 months – a devastating time out for a young, promising player who really looked to have got into his stride at Arsenal.”
Unfortunately, not unlike the situation Aaron Ramsey finds himself in.
Then in 2008, I wrote about the horrific ‘tackle’ on Eduardo.
I should really just repeat what I said in the article about Eduardo. To me, the whole situation is a complete disgrace.
Arsene Wenger is completely right. A challenge like that is completely unacceptable.
I am absolutely furious. I am so angry that this has happened again and I am sick and tired of all the bollocks that is spewed out in the aftermath.
As per, the opposing manager comes out with the whole bullshit about how a player isn’t dirty, and it isn’t in his nature. They have the fucking nerve to criticise Arsene Wenger and his comments, despite the fact one of his players has broken his leg! Then, for good measure, you have all these fucking retards who feel sorry for Shawcross, because he fucking cried after making the challenge!
Awww, poor Shawcross, did you hurt your leg breaking Ramsey’s? Don’t make me sick.
I thought Phil Brown was a cunt but Pulis is on another level.
What a fucking joke.
I’ll stand by what I said when Martin Taylor broke Eduardo’s leg.
Teams believe that because we play football a certain way they think they can bully us out of games. Another way to put it is to kick us off the park. The “experts” say it’s not being dirty, but it’s just out-muscling Arsenal.
The fact of the matter is, there’s making a legitimate challenge and then there’s being reckless. Yes, he may not have had the intent to break his leg but the challenge was completely unnecessary and to fly in at that pace (enough to smash someone’s leg) is always going to risk serious injury to the recipient.
I don’t buy this accident bollocks. We all watch football, we all play football and something like Shawcross’s challenge was ridiculous. It infuriates me even more than these football pundits who come out with the classic “he was done by a bit of pace” remark. As if it was comparable to something like leaving the hot water on.
Footballers know what they’re doing, and if they didn’t then surely we would have broken legs every week. Football is a physical game and you know when something is reckless and late, or mistimed. Shawcross swung his leg with so much force that he managed to break Ramsey’s leg, despite the fact he was wearing shin pads.
And the challenge was high.
Before Ramsey got the ball it was played to him on the ground so unless Shawcross’s co-ordination is so bad that he imagined the ball was bouncing in mid-air then it was at the very least reckless. He followed through about a foot off the ground. If he didn’t intend to injure Ramsey he was certainly trying to clatter Ramsey after “winning” the ball.
I guess I’m not making much sense, as I am still devastated about a promising young player who is facing a major setback in his career. If you want more sense, just read my Eduardo article, I had a few days to compose before I wrote that one.
And I’m sure I’ll get slaughtered for labelling Shawcross, Pulis and Stoke City for being a disgrace. But you know what, I couldn’t give a flying fuck.
Aaron Ramsey, I hope you make a speedy recovery and our best wishes go out to you.
I’ll write about Arsenal’s courageous performance and the weekend’s football tomorrow, once I have calmed down.