Gunners are no softies warns Mick
Wednesday 31st March 2010, 11:30AM BST.
Wolves boss Mick McCarthy today pointed to Arsenal’s twin challenge on Premier and Champions League fronts to blast the perception that the Gunners are “soft.”
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger takes his side into quarter final action against mighty Barcelona tonight insisting his side – who host Wolves on Saturday – have been “targeted” by so-called more physical opposition in the Premier League.
But McCarthy refused to join the propaganda war, believing Wenger’s stance is derived from a ‘siege mentality’ designed to further unify Arsenal, much the same as Sir Alex Ferguson does at Manchester United.
“They’re tough. They don’t get bullied,” insisted McCarthy.
“You can’t be vying for the Premier League title if you get bullied, not a chance.
“They use that. Managers and teams use that to let people think that way, I guess it almost gives them a slight ‘underdog’ bit.
“But I haven’t seen anybody yet who likes getting bombarded by crosses, corners, throw-ins and free-kicks – you have got to deal with it.
“What are they, a point or two off the top? They must have dealt with most things this season! So I’m not buying that.”
Wenger’s perceived whingeing – the St Andrew’s pitch was his latest target last Saturday – is increasingly isolating him among Premier League managers.
The Frenchman was angered by the tackle by Stoke’s Ryan Shawcross that left Aaron Ramsey with a broken leg while describing his defender William Gallas’s x-rated challenge on former Wolves midfielder Mark Davies “mis-timed”.
In 2008 he previously said Martin Taylor should have been banned from the game for life for breaking Eduardo’s leg.
More recently, Wenger also waded into the debate on McCarthy’s controversial 10 changes at Manchester United, saying his decision had made it a “37-game season”.
But McCarthy preferred to concentrate on matters on the pitch rather than get embroiled in a war of words before Wolves’ first trip to the Emirates.
Meanwhile, a host of Wolves first teamers pushed their claims for a recall in the reserves, who beat a young Stoke 3-1 last night.
Geoffrey Mujangi Bia caught the eye with an impressive performance and a goal, while Dave Edwards came through his third comeback game.
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This is certainly a tough fixture, and I for one am not expecting us to come away with any points. If we do, it will a welcome bonus.
Personally I would rest our three key players: Doyle, Jarvis and Jones and play Iwelumo, Keogh and Milijas.
However, I’ll be there supporing whatever the team.
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Here’s to Barcelona stuffing Arsenal and us stuffing them on Saturday, I wish.
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1 – Albrightondek: We’re not allowed to rest players any more, it’s up to the FA which side the wolves put out, but what’s the betting that Wenger rests a couple of key players for their second leg against Barca and gets away scot free? The hypocracy of the man is unbelievable
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I would give Bia a chance on the bench, as a possible replacement for foley, and if we look like were getting something from the game, then its all good, but if were losing then give him a chance to get some first team action. I feel if we could have an attacking winger on the right as well as left, we could really dominate teams, after all, attack is the best form of defence.
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id rather see us put out a full strenght team and try and attck them, they might be tired or might rest players as the game is inbetween the 2 barcelona games
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Albrightondek. Why change a settled team thats plying well as a unit. if its not broken dont fix it simples.
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Sensible comments from Mick – of course they’re not soft. Hope he also tackles the myth that they’re unplayable too.
1 – There is no reason to rest players at all and Mick won’t do it.
It’s entirely different to Man United which was a midweek game squeezed in between a massive win at Spurs and a massive game with Burnley.
The context of the Man United game (2nd of 3 games in 7 days) seems to have been overlooked entirely. There’s no need to rest players when there are 7 days between matches.
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I like Wolves. I think McCarthy has got you going places.
@wwfc. I would welcome you attacking us too. It would make for a really good match I think.
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Let’s be honest we are probably going to get nothing against Arsenal but after this look at our fixtures and what we should be capable of getting:-
Arsenal L
Stoke D
Fulham D
Blackburn W
Pompey W
Sunderland D
I think that I am being leniant here as we could beat Stoke and Sunderland but irrespective we would reach 40 points. This might not happen but I would say that Burnley and Pompey are down and then Hull or West Ham for the drop but Wigan and Bolton are in the thick of it!
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Arsenal are in my view, the best technical side in the Premiership and I love the way they play. They destroyed us at the Molineux and I expect a similar thing on Saturday, however the 4-5-1 may see a lower score line I hope.
I will be there cheering them on regardless and in football you never know. Fabregas may be out for the match so only 10 more to go lol
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It makes me laugh. On a number of websites they are talking about clubs after Doyle – Everton, Villa and even the mighty Newcastle – not!
If he was to go and that is a big if, how much do they think they would get him for…. £15 million bottoms IMO.
Anyway it is all paper talk and I am sure providing the club show the right ambition, he will be staying put!
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1) Totally agree with you, rest those three to ensure they are fresh as daisies for the more ‘winnable’ fixtures ahead.
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In terms of wheeling and dealing, Wenger’s done the best job of all Prem managers. Major Buckley did the same job for us back in the 1930′s. But in terms of his whingeing, I’m sick to death of it. He and Ferguson come across like a couple of old dinosaurs, petulant pensioners who make their sideways comments on the bus when they’ve been forced to move out of the buggy zone. They bring the game into disrepute just as much as the Ferdinands and Bellamys of this world.
No, we shouldn’t make wholesale changes. We’re on a roll – that was the mistake we made against United. Make changes when we’re clear of relegation or we pick up some injuries, but not before.
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We have as much chance of getting something at Arsenal as Wolverhampton winning most beautiful UK City 2010 !
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Wise Wolf (2) wants Barcelona to stuff Arsenal.
From Wolves point of view that’s not very wise. We want Arsenal on the edge, with their minds on the return in Catalonia next week. Ideally we want them to be holding a one goal advantage, THEN they are likely to rest key players and give us a helping hand …..and maybe a point.
Remember they are mostly foreign players and the European Championship will seem more important than the Premiership.
Now all you naughty Wolves fans who have been taking the mickey out of your Villa workmates this week, I want you to say sorry and wish Villa all the best on Saturday. Lets see them take that supercilious smile off Owen Coyle’s face. Dont forget he reckoned his Bolton side and their goalposts were the better side a month ago.
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10 Rich. In fairness I thought we at least matched them for 30 mins at home, and then they destroyed us. Like many of the top teams you seem to have a chance against them until they get a goal and you have to come out. That’s why the last thing we want to do is follow the friendly gooner’s (8) advice!
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I think the whingeing is gamesmanship to try and plant some bias in the back of the referees mind.
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Albrightondec,,iff you had been at Telford last night you would cut your tongue out before suggesting playing Keogh..Lets go to the Emirates and give them a game,Doyle is a handfull for anyone,we have the players to give them a fright espesially iff we take them on, and dont try and sit back and defend,six games to go we dont need to rest anyone.
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In the past Arsenal’s kids have beaten us five nil so lets not get too optimistic about them resting players but that said Hull showed the way.
The only way to play Arsenal is to get stuck into them, not right and not Wengers footballing vision but’s its our best chance.
Come on the Wolves.
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torquay man, your comments about wolverhampton the city and wwfc the club here and other pages, seem to suggest you prefer the dump by the sea rather than this great city of ours, oh well your loss. utw
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No way would I rest any of our first choice players, if their fit enough lets go for it. The difference between this and man utd match is that we are a different animal,we have a belief that we can compete in this league now and if we play as we have over the last couple of months we have every chance of coming away with something – but we must take our chances.
I totally agree with Eastwood about the foreign influx at Arsenal would definately prioritise Champions League over Premiership (I have heard that somewhere B4)so it is so important Arsenal are still in the tie going into the second leg.
Out of the Big Four teams I would love nothing more than to take something from Arsenal, just because of Wenger!!! He has such double standards.
So come on Wolves lets make sure that we do our bit in making sure the Premier League Title Race is down to two come 5 o’clock Saturday night!!!
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The way to play the Arse? Like Barca me thinks. Get into ‘em and be brilliant footballers. Easy does it. UTW
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Hardly anyone expects Wolves to get a result at Arsenal.The pressure is off them.Get stuck in see what happens.
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Having just seen on Sky that Arsenal will be without 3 major players (Fabregas, Arshavin & Gallas), I think that we should go for it – play the same side and come away with at least a point. Wolves have more confidence than ever before in the Premiership – so let’s see if we can compete with one of the current best!
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