Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger weighed into the debate about simulation in the Premier League by suggesting that English players may have become ‘the masters of diving’ ahead of the north London derby against Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley tomorrow.
Wenger was speaking as the fallout continued from last weekend’s 2-2 draw between Liverpool and Spurs when Tottenham’s Dele Alli was booked for diving and Harry Kane was accused of going down too easily to win a penalty under a challenge from home keeper Loris Karius. Earlier this week Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino defended his players by saying part of football is about ‘tricking the opponent’ and, while Wenger believes those comments have been blown out of proportion, he said simulation was an increasing problem.
“We have to get the diving out of the game,” the Frenchman told a news conference yesterday. “I remember there were tremendous cases here when foreign players did it but I must say the English players have learned very quickly and they might even be the masters now.”
Alli has been particularly criticised after receiving his third caution for simulation. Wenger did not name the England midfielder but said there is a fine line between what is legal and what is not. “I don’t encourage my players to dive. But sometimes you want your players to be intelligent, they have played a little bit with the rules, they make more of it on the penalty case,” Wenger said.
“Every striker will do that. They extend a little bit the rules. How far can you go? That is down to the referees and I think that sometimes, at normal speed, it is very difficult to determine.”
Wenger put North London rivalries aside as he accepted Kane is the most in-form striker in Europe. Kane, 24, became the second fastest player to ever reach 100 Premier League goals by netting his 31st of the season in just 32 games to salvage a point for Spurs from a thrilling 2-2 draw at Liverpool last weekend. “If you look at the numbers, no, because he has high numbers,” Wenger said when asked if there was a better striker in Europe at the moment than Kane. The England international spoke this week of how being released from Arsenal’s academy as an eight-year-old left him with a “chip on his shoulder”.
Kane has more than taken revenge with a fine record against Arsenal, scoring six goals in seven North London derbies. Wenger broke Arsenal’s transfer record last week to add more firepower to the Gunners quest to beat Tottenham to a top-four finish by splashing out £56mn ($78mn) on Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
And the Frenchman is hoping his new front line of Aubameyang, Mesut Ozil and Henrikh Mkhitaryan — who shone in a 5-1 thrashing of Everton in their fist outing together — can outgun Kane when the sides meet on Saturday. “I believe what you want in a game like that is to keep him quiet and for our strikers to express their talent.”
More than local bragging rights are on offer with Arsenal trailing fifth-placed Spurs by four points in the race for a return to the Champions League place with just 12 Premier League games of the season remaining. “It’s a big game because we are behind in the table and we have to catch up,” added Wenger. “It is more important for us to come back mathematically than it is emotionally-charged.”
Wenger will decide today whether to play Petr Cech or David Ospina in goal as the Czech continues to recover from a calf injury that led to his substitution in win over Everton. “Cech or Ospina, I will make that decision tomorrow,” said Wenger. “Petr Cech has not practised but I will not take any risk if he is not 100% fit.”
Wenger also hopes to have Nacho Monreal and Danny Welbeck available for the game. It is the first time Wenger has taken Arsenal to play Spurs at Wembley, a ground where the Gunners traditionally thrive, winning the FA Cup final in 2014, 2015 and 2017. “We feel we have a good level of performance at Wembley. It gives you a good pitch to allow you to play the way you want to,” said Wenger, who will face Spurs for the 52nd time in his 22 years as Arsenal manager. His side go into the game in sixth place, four points behind Spurs and five off a Champions League qualifying spot.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger. (AFP)
