Source: Team_Talk
No intent in Eboue challenge
Emmanuel Eboue has defended his scissor tackle on Liam Ridgewell by insisting that he did not "want to kill" the Birmingham player.[LNB] The Arsenal midfielder clattered into the back of Ridgewell with both feet in Saturday's 2-1 win, which also saw Jack Wilshere dismissed for a reckless tackle on Nikola Zigic.[LNB]Eboue received only a yellow card for the challenge on Ridgewell but the 27-year-old admitted that referee Martin Atkinson had taken him aside after the match to warn him the tackle was dangerous.[LNB]Eboue admits he may have to temper his fast-paced approach to the game as a result but maintains that there was no malice in the challenge.[LNB]"When I tackled him I didn't want to kill him," said Eboue.[LNB]"When I did that tackle I didn't go through the back. I just wanted to touch the ball.[LNB]"The referee spoke to me after the game and said, 'Emmanuel I know you touched the ball but the tackle was very dangerous'.[LNB]"I just said, 'Okay, no problem'. Next time I will be more careful."[LNB]Wilshere's dismissal, which was Arsenal's third of the season, means that the Gunners currently sit third from bottom of the Premier League disciplinary table.[LNB]Manager Arsene Wenger reiterated his desire to see more protection for his players in his programme notes before Saturday's game.[LNB]After the match, the Frenchman insisted his side are not a dirty side - a sentiment which Eboue shares.[LNB]"We are not a dirty team," the Ivory Coast man said.[LNB]"Everyone knows we like to play football and make everyone happy when we play and we like to score.[LNB]"What happened on Saturday is finished. Now when we play we just have to play football and be careful on the pitch."[LNB]A thigh injury to Bacary Sagna means Eboue is likely to start at right-back in tomorrow's Champions League Group H match against Shakhtar Donetsk.[LNB]The match will see Croatia striker Eduardo return to the club where he spent three years before leaving for the Ukraine in a £6million deal this summer.[LNB]The 27-year-old spent much of his stay in north London recovering from a horrific broken leg which he suffered against Birmingham in 2008.[LNB]Eboue will be happy to welcome back his former team-mate.[LNB]He said: "Eduardo is still our brother. We love him a lot because when he was here he was so great to everyone so everyone respects him a lot.[LNB]"We are so happy to have him back to play against us."[LNB]
