Wenger exasperated at Premiership divers

In the wake of his team's 4-1 home loss to Chelsea, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said that he is angered by Premiership players who simulate and win fake free-kicks.

كتب : Amro Hassan

الإثنين، 11 مايو 2009 - 13:38
In the wake of his team's 4-1 home loss to Chelsea, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said that he is angered by Premiership players who simulate and win fake free-kicks.

Chelsea scored their first on Sunday after Alex converted a dubious free-kick won by striker Didier Drogba, and Wenger is afraid that English referees are getting easily tricked.

"We live in a league now where the divers are rewarded. It is not right, but it is like that," the French coach said following the heavy defeat.

"I do not want to go into any individual assessments. It is down to the referee to do his job, but I don't think that Drogba free-kick should have been given."

The Chelsea defeat means that Arsenal conceded seven goals in less than a week, following the UEFA Champions League semi final second-leg 3-1 loss to Manchester United on Tuesday.

However, as cool as he has always been, Wenger said that such record won't force him to make wholesale changes within his team during the summer.

"You would not like to come out and say we will buy four defenders. It is more a question of balance in the team rather than individuals.

"I still don't know what funds will be available. I will be told by the club," the former Monaco coach concluded.

Arsenal are currently fourth in the Premiership table with 68 points, nine behind third-placed Chelsea.

Finishing fourth in the league would be the best Gunners fans can hope of this season, after the club crashed out of the Carling and FA Cup as well as the Champions League.