West Brom manager Roberto Di Matteo hit out at Arsenal teenager Jack Wilshere for his part in Jerome Thomas' sending-off as Arsene Wenger's young Gunners moved into the fourth round of the Carling Cup with a 2-0 win at the Emirates Stadium.
Following a positive start against an Arsenal team whose average age was just over 20, the Coca-Cola Championship leaders were up against it when former Gunner Thomas - who twice won the FA Youth Cup while at Arsenal - was sent off in the 37th minute. Thomas was ordered off for a needless slap on Wilshere, while he was on the ground, after the pair clashed in a tackle.
"Thomas went to shake hands with Wilshere, he refused and Thomas reacted, so it was a red card," said Di Matteo. "But there was an exchange of words and there was a reaction. I am disappointed Wilshere did not accept his hand, of a fellow colleague, but that is part of the game."
Sanchez Watt went on to net the opener just after the hour, before substitute Carlos Vela added a tap-in after Mark Randall's clever chip came back off the bar.
Di Matteo maintained that until Thomas' dismissal his side had been in control.
"That was the turning point," he said. "I felt before Thomas got sent off, we were starting to get on top of them. We were just getting control of the game, and I thought we had a good chance to win tonight. But well done to Arsenal. They are very talented and congratulations to them."
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger maintained he could not shed much light on the incident.
"My eyes are not great and my ears are even worse," quipped the Arsenal manager.
"Overall we played with patience, with cohesion and did not make big mistakes. In the end, the natural outcome was there."
Comment 1 - 14 of 14
E: So Wilshere was professional in his reaction? Living in your own little bubble you Gooners. I used to have a lot of respect for the way you play football, but the recent incidents have tarnished your reputation. Get stuck in and they curl over and moan. Its a mans game. Thomas was wrong to react like he did, but so was Wilshere.
Paul C: As we have found out only too often, one thing you do not get when playing the 'big' prem teams is consistency with refs. This is not a whine, just a fact.
The boy has got to learn that this is a mans game. I agree thomas should have been sent off but lets not forget that Ramsey dived after 2 mins but the ref bottled the booking, he was then booked for pulling back a player on 50 mins whilst the score was 0-0, he therefore should have walked. I'm sure all you Arsenal fans who praise the ref would agree that Ramsey deserved to go, wouldn't you?
All we are asking for is a little consistency.
Also how did thomas maliciously foul Wilshere? You might not know this but just because you played the kids doesn't give them a divine right to not be tackled, if it had been a foul the ref would have blown.
What basically happened is that Thomas and Wilshere tackle, Wilshere comes off worst, Thomas sportingly offers him a hand up, Wilshere declines and like a little spoilt brat uses foul language, Thomas over-reacts, Wilshere rolls around on the floor.
Lets face it, WBA were never gonna win this cup, So in a way i'm glad we've gone out early, the one thing it had done is to highlight the pathetic temperament and playacting of Jack Wilshere.
I wonder who the next opponents are going to target.......
I can imagine the teamtalk now......"Stick it up Wilshere, he's a little girl, nothing silly just kick him and he wont wanna know"
If it was not Arsenal they would not even comment all these second rate managers,they are trying to undermine the confidence of the young Guns but they have been tought by a master not a nearly man!
Can't slap a kid for having attitude. Be more professional.
Sportmanship does not mean an offender has a right to demand a handshake after maliciously fouling someone. Oftentimes the hand is simply extended in a hope that the referee would keep his cards in his pocket. Such fouls deserved to be punished without mitigation.
Ridajake: By the way its called sportsmanship to shake hands, something Arsenal know nothing about... See the recent 'diving' incidents!
All I will say is inconsistency. Adebayor stamps on Van Persies face, no action during the game. A minor slap, a red card. Which was worse? Yet they both have the same punishment at the end of the day. Each case should be dealt differently based on the severity of the incident (video evidence aids this). Instead Jerome Thomas serves a 3 match ban the same as Adebayor. How is this fair? Jerome did a stupid thing, worth a one match ban. Adebayor intentionally went hurt a fellow player, then a minimum 5 match ban. The time should relate to the crime.
I cannot understand what Roberto Di Matteo complaint is all about. Jack Wilshire refuses' to shake hands and some thing was said. There is no crime in that. Why should anyone accepts your apology simply because you are making it. Who is J. Thomas, what are his rights and for refusing to shake hands Jack Wilshire gets a slap. Why do people feel they can do wrong , apoligise and that makeseverything ok. Di Matteo should be punishing J thomas and stay the hell away from jack.
How about Gary Neville and the FA. Neville runs on the pitch, celeberated provokatively infront of Man City supporters and all he gets from the officials & the FA (4th official included ) is a wave of the hand. Yet these same officials in a display of hatred , laced with malicious intensions pursues Arsene Wenger for kicking a water bottle within the techanical area into the stands . Sport officials should pay a closer attention to it's stewardship, This blatant misuse of power cannot and should not be tolerated by all football supporters.
AW is an hypocrite. He never see anything negative with his player.If your eyes are not great you can see Rafa benitez to borrow you his spectacle.
Are we seriously talking about supporting players when you have "I didn't see it" Wenger as you bloody boss.
Pot, kettle and black jump to mind.
Di Matteo surprises me. I just watched the incident and Thomas rightly deserved the red card. First it was a deliberate elbow to the side of Wilshere's head, then they exchanged words very very briefly, then came the slap/shove to Wilshere's face! No handshake was offered!
Managers nowadays tend to support their players when vicious crimes are committed (ala Mark Hughes) but this particular one is glaring.
Shame on you Di Matteo!!!!!!!
Arse are on borrowed time, sooner they will unraffled, don't be fooled all the shine aint gold
Interesting. Fairly close until the sending off. At the end of the day, both teams used their "B" squad.
I used to enjoy this competition and saw WBA play in the 1970 final. Has this competition got a future in 2009 ?
Maybe not, if the teams will not play their first eleven.
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