Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger called for Blues defender Martin Taylor to be banned for life after Eduardo da Silva suffered one of the worst broken legs ever seen at St Andrew’s today.
The injury was so horrific that it was not re-shown on TV - and the Express & Star editor withheld pictures because they were too graphic for publication.
After the match the Arsenal manager called for Taylor to be banned for life.
Eduardo was rushed to Selly Oak hospital following the sickening challenge just three minutes into the game, which finished 2-2.
Doctors are assessing the injury but there are fears the Croatian may never play again.
Wenger blasted:
“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.”
Wenger added: “His injury is very, very bad. More than the season is over.”
Blues defender Taylor was said to be “distraught” at the incident but his boss Alex McLeish insisted he had no intention of hurting his opponent.
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.”
McLeish applauded his players’ attitude after James McFadden’s last-gasp penalty salvaged a point.
The 10 man Blues led at half-time thanks to McFadden’s free-kick.
But Theo Walcott scored his first Premier League goals with a brace and the leaders looked like going eight points clear of Manchester United before Gael Clichy’s stoppage-time challenge on Stuart Parnaby - in which he appeared to get the ball - handed McFadden his second from the spot.
“The players’ commitment was fantastic,” McLeish said.
“Taking the lead was probably unexpected but what a great goal it was.
“We looked comfortable up to half-time.
“We probably got a wee bit casual. I thought it’s going to be a long second half.
“We were prepared to lose it by a heavier margin but boldness, I think, got us a point.”
8 Comments
“boldness…got us a point” - how disgusting is that statement. What about Arsenal’s palyers feeling too distressed to play their real game. The Arsenal players were the bold ones!!!
It’s time this behaviour was sorted out.
If you drive a car recklessly, and injure or kill someone, you go to jail, whether you intended to injure and kill anyone or not.
The FA, referees, and the media have been turning a blind eye to the moronic attitude that Arsenal “don’t like it up ‘em”.
In recent times we have now seen two Arsenal players suffer horrific injuries as a direct result of the FA and referees failing to curb this kind of behaviour.
Eboue got slated for being “reckless” when Terry followed through onto his foot, so where was the condemnation of dan smith for Diaby’s injury, and where is the condemnation for taylor on Eduardo?
Eboue’s was a genuine accident, and wasn’t even reckless, but I bet we’ll hear nothing from the idiots in the FA, the media or from the referees about this.
Wenger revealed the statistics showing the refereeing bias in the EPL last season.
The “authorities” apparently don’t want to hear, because, as we keep getting told, “there are no English players at Arsenal”.
Well, maybe it’s time some legal action is taken against the FA and referees.
Perhaps it’s now time they are MADE to listen?
ain’t it strange how wenger managed to see this injury?
the man hasn’t seen a thing for 10 years now, u’d think being arsenal manager they would give him a decent seat to sit in at all these grounds.
i guarantee if you ask him if he saw gallas kick the advertising board he wouldn’t have seen a thing even though gallas was 2 yards from him.
this man is the disgrace, grow up idiot
Wenger is right, Martin Taylor should not be allowed to play again. The lad’s leg is broken in three places and he’ll be lucky to walk properly again let alone play football.
The FA MUST treat this sort of thuggery very seriously. Anyone else at the game might have seen the “distraught” Taylor laughing, as I did.
I’m not proud of my team today.
Wenger has retracted his comment, Eduardo was just simply too skillful and evaded the tackle of the ball. Unfortunately the ankle and lower leg did not escape. Pure accident, no mallice intended
Good point for Blues tho
Rather poor reporting mentioning Wenger’s comments but not the fact that he also retracted that statement on Saturday evening. And Mr Brown talks about Wenger not seeing the whole picture…
What happened to Eduardo was a tragic accident and my heart goes out to him. My heart also goes out to Taylor who made a very clumsy tackle that lasted less than half a second from decision to execution. The fact that so many Arses are asking for Taylor to be bannd for life, initiating online polls to have him banned, posting awful picturef of the aftermath and even engaging in death threats to the player says more about these so called supporters than anything else.
the butcher should be made an example of….”players need to be responsible for their actions” and he took out da silva he should be taken out of the game till di silva comes back “fair is fair”
this is called the beautiful game….the game people come to the stands to watch the goals and action not to watch dismemberment and butchery……when will this end when someone ;oses a limb?