Times report today...which makes the same mistake as the rest of this morning's papers re the penalty. Sun: "Poll capped a dreadful performance by inexplicably awarding a penalty...after a superb tackle from Sol Campbell."

Not that it matters now, but have watched the replay in slow-mo a dozen times - Campbell tackles from behind and appears to get the man...a split second before he gets the ball. And don't even mention the Pires hand ball. What's far more important is the stance of the two managers. We are, indeed, blessed.

BY OLIVER HOLT, CHIEF SPORTS CORRESPONDENT THIERRY HENRY, the Arsenal striker, and his manager, Arsène Wenger, could face charges of misconduct from the FA after last night’s match against Newcastle United ended amid ugly and aggressive scenes of confrontation and with Bobby Robson, the Newcastle manager, admonishing Wenger and his team that they had to “learn how to lose”. The match turned on an appalling decision by Graham Poll, the referee, who reacted to a fine, clean, sliding tackle by Sol Campbell on Laurent Robert, the Newcastle substitute, by awarding a penalty five minutes from the end. Alan Shearer converted from the spot to put Newcastle 2-1 ahead and Robert added a third goal in injury time to rub salt into Arsenal’s wounds and take his side to the top of the FA Barclaycard Premiership.

It had already been a turbulent match. Poll had sent off Ray Parlour and Craig Bellamy when both might have stayed on the pitch and produced nine cards in total. Wenger had stayed on the touchline to try to speak to Poll — who also sent off three players in a match between Arsenal and Liverpool at Highbury last season — at half-time but was persuaded to retreat to the changing-rooms.

When the final whistle went, though, Henry went berserk. Martin Keown tried to restrain him as he attempted to confront the Hertfordshire official, but Henry shoved his team-mate away. When Gary Lewin, the Arsenal physiotherapist, tried to shepherd him away, too, Henry gave him the same treatment. Shearer also helped to restrain Henry.

Poll had to wait until two police officers came on to the pitch to afford him some protection and only then was Henry persuaded to return to the dressing-room. Asked if he felt threatened, Poll said: “No comment.” There were rumours that Henry was threatened with arrest in the tunnel if he did not calm down, but Wenger refused to confirm the reports.

“No criminal allegations have been made against Thierry Henry,” Chief Inspector Roger Evans said, “and he has not been arrested.” Wenger, though, indulged in his habitual abrogation of responsibility where the actions of his players are concerned. While claiming that he had not witnessed Henry’s reaction, he also said he would defend him against any charges levelled at him by the FA. He also cautioned the media not to turn Henry’s histrionics into a “trial”.

Wenger, who was himself involved in angry exchanges with the Newcastle bench during the match, does not seem to realise that football is under scrutiny as never before after the trial of Lee Bowyer and Jonathan Woodgate and Henry’s behaviour last night, however great the provocation, was even more unacceptable than it usually would be.

Wenger is an intelligent man, so his blanket refusal to enter into any kind of criticism of his players, however extreme their behaviour, is worthy of even greater sanction. Everyone understands that his abiding principle is loyalty to his team, but what kind of example was Henry setting last night? Is Wenger saying that it is acceptable to threaten a referee if you do not agree with his decisions, to the extent that the official has to be protected by the police? “I don’t want to talk about the referee tonight,” Wenger said. “I promised myself after the game that I wouldn’t, so I won’t. The players felt frustrated. They feel what happened was disrespectful. It is not my job to control my players. I’m not a policeman. Don’t make a fuss about what happened to Thierry Henry. Be honest about what happened on the pitch. Don’t try to find stories that did not happen.”

Parlour’s dismissal meant that 39 Arsenal players have been sent off since Wenger assumed control five years ago and his refusal to accept any responsibility for those actions is beginning to reek more and more of irresponsibility with every red card that is flourished. He owes it to the game to try to instil more discipline in his team.

“Championships are won and lost on situations like that,” Robson said. “There was a lot on that match. Football is a passionate game. They may have felt hard done-by because of the penalty, but we won 3-1, not 2-1. They have got to learn how to lose.”

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2001

Answers

A hoarse Bobby on Sky after the game:

"The way Arsenal played the first half hour, compared to how we played in the first half hour, I know they were at home - I would say that there was a slight gulf in class, all right? So I still don't think that we will win this Championship. I've said it, and I'll say it again, we will threaten it, we will challenge one or two people who think they can win it, and Arsenal is one of those clubs, and we proved that tonight.

"Now, there's a long way to go. I'm delighted, it's the best Christmas present, or early Christmas present, I've had for many, many years."

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2001

"It is not my job to control my players" Wenger

This astonishing quote appears in the same article which says that Wenger is an intelligent man! Shome mishtake surely?

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2001

Bobby is a class act, and today more than ever beofore he shines through. A true Knight.

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2001

Good line from Wenger in his Sky interview "I don't talk about referees ...(pause)...especially not THIS referee". But Bobby's interview had class written all over it. Listen to it if you can - while toys were being hoyed oot of prams all around him he still managed to give a sound analysis of what had gone on. The "Arsenal need to learn how to lose" quote at the end though was sheer heaven. Quite unlike him so possibly he'd been getting all manner of verbals on the way to the interview ???

Also both YBR & Big Al began by stating how difficult a ref's job is nowadays. What are they after then, a sympathetic hearing for Bellamy at the FA next week ? Very clever if so.

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2001

... sympathetic hearing for Bellamy ...

I should bliddy well think so and all.

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2001

i can't believe he got another yellow for dissent, the FA might just fine him...

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2001

If Wenger doesn't think it's his responsibility to control his players, exactly who does he think is responsible?! He's lost of alot of my respect with that statement.

Love Bobby's statement. Is it available online anywhere?

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2001