Arsenal Football Club News

• Nickname:Gunners
• Founded:1886
• Manager:Arsene Wenger

• Ground:Emirates
• Capacity:60,432

Wenger blasts FA action

01 Mar 2007 - 07:55:27

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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has slammed the FA's decision to charge Emmanuel Adebayor for his part in the mass brawl in the closing minutes of the Carling Cup final in Cardiff.

The 22-year-old Togo international was shown a straight red card by referee Howard Webb, while his charge relates to his angry protests after being sent off and his failure to leave the field of play promptly.

A furious Wenger said after the 1-0 FA Cup fifth round replay loss at Blackburn Rovers: "I feel Adebayor didn't punch anybody, so when the linesman says he punched somebody, he lies.

"When he says he punched (Frank) Lampard, I would like you to ask Lampard if he was punched by Adebayor and I want him to say the truth.

"If it is yes we will accept it, but we have watched it on microscope and if you see Adebayor punching Lampard, I would like you to show me that.

"However, if they acknowledge that he got a wrong red card they are in a bad position to punish him because he didn't leave the pitch - because they are saying to him he was right, he was wrongly dismissed."

Meanwhile, Wenger was upset at seeing his side knocked out of the FA Cup by a Rovers team who had been on the back foot for most of the two games.

He added: "I feel hard done by because if you look at what Blackburn created over the two games you feel punished.

"We didn't take our chances and Blackburn took the only chance they had in 180 minutes."