Arsenal News 24/7Writer: Rocky7 
Date:Monday October 19 2009
Time: 9:18AM
UK time is: 09:08:35
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Wenger Blasts 'Atrocious' Brum Fans
Arsene Wenger has blasted the travelling Birmingham fans who visited The Grove on Saturday after they sung a pretty distasteful chant in the early stages of the game.
Brum's Liam Ridgewell steamed into a pretty hearty challenge on our own Theo Walcott that left the Englishman injured on the ground and recalling the horrific leg break Eduardo suffered at the hands (studs) of Martin Taylor, the Birmingham fans broke into a chorus of 'There's only one Martin Taylor'.
The Arsenal manager, who let's face it could have complained about many other chants in the past but chooses not to, has spoken out against the song labeling it 'atrocious'.
'I was disappointed with the chants, it was frankly atrocious, they will not be remembered for the quality of their taste with that kind of remark. I didn't say a word, I just thought 'That's low'. said Le Boss
'Eduardo was here. I don't know how he felt about the chants. I just put that in the ranks of stupidity - you want to forget it because there's not a lot to say.'
Arsene Wenger's outrage is understandable, but futile. Football fans everywhere will sing anything to get a reaction from opposing players, managers and fans, they'll sing it even if they don't agree with it or they themselves find it a bit distasteful, and that's always been the case.
There's no point in whinging about it, just remember it and extend them the common courtesy they deserve when the time comes.
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Your Comments
Quite true, nothing really to get riled about. Stands will always be a place for slightly distasteful chants the same way your inbox will be beset with jokes about dead celebrities before their bodies have turned cold. There is a line that can be crossed, but to be honest, I've heard a lot worse and so has Wenger.
Little Dutch
There are some fans who over step the mark sometimes and complaints should be lodged (Like the moron who got the number 96 and "Not enough" printed on the back of his Man United shirt) but this was a very minor incident.
Rocky7
I don't think chants over step the line, bar racist chanting. The sole purpose of chanting at the football is to fire up your players and demoralise the opposition, that's why songs like this are sung. You may remember the bushfires here in Victoria that killed about 200 this February, we had a bunch of Sydney fans sing to us 'You should of died in the fires' a week ago, barely raised an eyebrow from most.
Ozi Gooner
Well I thought it was a disgrace. Eduardo's foot was hanging off his leg, Taylor got an insulting, paltry 3 match ban and those gits sing that. Hope they go straight back down - scum.
julieloveshenry4ever
Is theo unlucky or just too light weight? It was a hard challenge, (perhaps harder than it needed to be to take the sting out of him) and he did not have time to ride the tackle, but is he just too fragile. Having the speed he has will likely see him crunched all the time in the premiership. Its frustrating the amount of the time he is sidelined with injury after injury. Means you can never really rely on him to be first choice.
paul_ownz
10 seperate injuries since novermber 2007. http://www.physioroom.com/news/english_premier_league/players/1502/theo_walcott_injury.html
paul_ownz
Not lightweight, targeted. He will be in this position probably always. He hasn't got the same impressive physical attributes of Henry so clattering him is more likely to cause injury I'd imagine.
Gunnerman
Why would you target Theo though? Knowing full well that Arshavin woudl be his replacement. Foolish to me.
Tom14
In my opinion the ref was at fault for the last challenge on Theo, he should have booked one of their players long before that, he offered our players no protection whatsoever!
The chant was distasteful, but as has been mentioned not as bad as some.
ukgooner
Because he's fast. Arshavin gets targetted too. All quick skilful players do, Arshavin is more robust though. You really do come out with some horsecrap.
Gunnerman
Arsenal fans still sing "he knocked John Terry out" about Abou Diaby. No set of fans in the world is without sin here. I agree that unless something is overtly racist, it's not worth getting sensitive about what supporters chant. Either ignore it as only words or, if you're a fan in the ground, sing something back!
Little Dutch
Arsene has certainly heard chants that are at least just as bad as that one, if not worse. However, I think it may be a measure of how Eduardo's leg break personally affected Arsene, emotionally. Remember he blasted Taylor to the press with an ill-thought personal attack after the game, his emotions were still not under control. Only after some time had passed did he publicly retract and apologize. I think we all underestimate the affect that leg break had on the players and Arsene--the sight of it must've been pretty shocking to them. As for Theo...will we ever see him play consistently for a season? The kid seems so fragile. As for the chant...yes, I've heard even worse (esp. in Brazil...there's one I'll never forget about gang rape and an opposition manager's teenage daughter who'd just been beaten, raped and was hospitalized in a coma). But I never seem able to get used to certain chants that, for me, just cross the line, and (like the one I just mentioned from Brazil) this one does.
jaelle
A legitimately evil chant, but one of my favorites, is 'always look out for turks carrying knives'. I know it's offensive, deeply insensitive and cutting, but hey, so is most good humour and quick wit.
Ozi Gooner
On another subject, Arsene got a great laugh at the post-Brum press conference. A reporter said something like "it was written in the stars" for RVP to score after having a baby and Arsene said "I hope he has a daughter every week."
jaelle
I'm with Jaelle on everything she said above (except I haven't been to Brazil or heard those chants personally). I also thought Arsene was a little emotional when it came to Eduardo's injury. Understandably so.
GoonerLou
Today's (or maybe yesterday's) English press are full of translated excerpts of Arsene's recent L'Equipe interview. (some of the translations look stilted and a bit of an amateur job, frankly -- always be careful when the UK media picks up foreign language interviews and quotes from them selectively, with often sloppy translations). Here's a selection from skysports: http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_5637764,00.html . Here's a bit about Chamakh: http://www.imscouting.com/global_news_item.aspx?id=3358 . This article in the Sun quotes Arsene re his his feelings the day Taylor broke Eduardo's leg: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/2686879/My-darkest-day.html?OTC-RSS&ATTR=Football .
jaelle
Everytime i get close to likng Wenger, he reminds us all again how much of a petulant schoolgirl he is. As shocking as the song was (sorry, did i miss something here? i bet he heard worse in Japan) whys he going public with yet another winge? Its like Eduardo is Wengers 14yrold neice whos feeling must surely of been hurt. And Arsene himself is a big boy, youd think hes far too mature and experienced to comment on this. This whole Eduardo thing has gone too far, it was a shocking injury, the lad did brilliant to recover and everyone in football is thankful - THE END.
HuddersfieldYiddo
You'd only have a point HY if Wenger volunteered an unsolicited statement. He was asked by a reporter at a press conference what he thought of the chant. He gave his opinion and a fairly innocuous one it was too.
Amos.
These chants are not acceptable to any degree. Eduardo, who was sitting in the stands, must have been incredulous and deeply upset to hear how some Englishmen applaud the fact that he was nearly crippled for life (by an Englishman). Jaelle’s account of that Brazilian chant makes me sick to the stomach, and the Wenger chant is simply vile. There cannot be justification for any of it and those responsible must have a perverted view of life if they feel they can express such hurtful views, whether part of a crowd or not.
Sir Henry
Total lack of class from the Birmingham fans WRT their chants about Eduardo. Wonder how they'd feel if it was one of their own players who'd suffered such an horrific injury? Oh well, as several posters have referenced, every club has it's moronic scum who will make reference to disaster (Munich, Heysel etc.) or whatever it takes to wind up their opponents. Just glad that people are showing a lot less tolerance to this crap nowadays.
fifthcolumnblue
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