You can go through your whole life not knowing that you have medial knee ligaments and then sudddenly one day you are out of action for four months because of them.Cesc Fabregas has a partial rupture of the medial knee ligaments courtesy a (fair) challenge from Xabi Alonso.
Wenger is putting on a brave front but its pretty obviously a blow below the water line.Whatever title hopes remained are already sunk or sinking fast.
In the meantime here’s an interesting war of of words between Wenger and Graham Poll….
The dispute was sparked by Poll’s comments on Setanta Sports on Monday night that referee Phil Dowd’s dismissal of Terry in Chelsea’s game against Everton would have greater repercussions because of Terry’s status as England captain. Wenger said: “It’s embarrassing when you listen to the comment of Graham Poll and he says you have to consider that you are sending off the captain of the England national team. What has that got to do with the rule book? When you listen to that, it’s frankly quite embarrassing for the referees. It is a big concern when the former No 1 national referee talks like that. I don’t think they are taking reputations into account, but when I hear statements like that you change your mind. I have no problems with Poll.”
Poll then said that Wenger knew exactly what he had meant when the former referee had discussed the “ramifications” of sending off high-profile players. He said: “He has taken my words out of context. If you send off John Terry or Cristiano Ronaldo or Arsenal, when they had big players, you are aware of the consequences. You know that it is a high-profile decision you are making.Wenger is aware of that, he knows that, he understands that. I’m not saying that you chicken out of the decision or that John Terry gets an extra chance because he is England captain, but you know that when you do send him off it is not a standard dismissal. For example, the last time he was sent off it was overturned. The last time I sent him off I was under investigation for two weeks. It is not a normal decision in that respect.”
More on that here…