Will Alex Song ever recover

[Mexxx]

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=790 align=center border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width=430><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=hp_topnews_title>'Fans' Drag Arsenal Into Gutter</TD></TR><TR><TD class=rule></TD></TR><TR><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD class=pollpane><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=hp_topnews nd="1">Those of you who expect/ require a full report, my sincere apologies. Because that is not what I am going to provide. There are incidents inside football grounds at times which force you to reconsider your perspective. For example, I rarely come away from White Hart Lane from North London derbies feeling anything other than despair at the lamentable scenes outside the turnstiles. Last night is one such occasion when I am entirely impervious to the result. The abject performance, the reptitive mistakes, the shoddy team selection and the manager's lame excuses are not the reason for my dejected demeanour.

Arsenal began the game in an appalling fashion, how a side who has lost their last two away matches can be so complacent is beyond me. The travelling support began in great voice, a 5,000 strong contingent yelling with gusto, a remarkable atmosphere. But then something occurred that could colour my opinion of my fellow supporters forever more. With ALL eleven players manifesting an air of utter apathy, young Alex Song committed a desperate foul on the edge of the area. What followed is quite sickening. A large section of the travelling 'support' (I use that term with a very liberal abandon) began heckling and booing Alex Song. #We want Cesc Fabregas# came the furious cry. Minutes later, Song carried the ball through midfield and tried to release Henry, a slide rule pass that narrowly missed the target. A large section of those in the Putney End (I will spare them the dignity of calling them Arsenal fans) had identified their target. An even louder booing campaign began and he was jeered loudly and lucidly thereafter.

Lehmann, Hoyte, Toure, Senderos, Flamini, Hleb, Gilberto, Rosicky, van Persie and Henry were all in dire form. Yet these so-called 'supporters' used a 19 year old boy playing his third ever league game and appointed him scapegoat in chief. Following the quite brilliant consolation from RVP, Henry pulled Song aside and had a word in his ear. Arsene Wenger deserves complete castigation for buckling and pulling him off at half time, a career probably lies in tatters as his coach crumbled under the populist vote and 'gave the people what they wanted.' On came Cesc Fabregas to the appeased cries of #We've got Cesc Fabregas.# Brilliant. What inspired us to bother to create a song for Cesc? His masterful show in the Bernebeu? No. His dismantlement of Patrick Vieira? No. A show of cruel one upmanship against our youngest player? You bet. Needless to say the meat does not taste quite as sweet when you see how it's been made.

The second half passed before my eyes like a melodramatic soap opera. I felt no connection with it. When Henry's goal was disallowed I did not see the flag, yet I did

[Mexxx]

RE: Will Alex Song ever recover

<H3 class=HL>Wenger - Song received 'too harsh' criticism</H3><DIV class=matchLinks id=noBorder><DIV class=imgHolder><DIV class=a></DIV><DIV class=b></DIV><DIV class=c></DIV></DIV><H4>ArsenalvTottenham Hotspur</H4><H5>Barclays Premiership</H5><H5>Emirates Stadium</H5><H5>Sat, Dec 2, 2006, 12.45pm</H5><H5><BR clear=left></H5><DIV class=footer></DIV></DIV>

By Richard Clarke

Arsène Wenger believes the criticism of Alex Song this week has been too harsh.

The 19-year-old was drafted into central midfield for the game at Fulham in midweek. It was a tall order. He was caught out by Luis Boa Morte for the West London side’s second goal and was substituted at half time as Arsenal tried in vain to chase the game. Song’s performance drew criticism from many quarters but his manager is sympathetic.

“I think you are being too harsh on him,” said Wenger at his pre-match press conference on Friday. “When he played at Everton recently he was the man of the match and suddenly you’d think he 'can't pass the ball' when you listen to some opinions.

“I think first of all you have to be measured in what you say. Maybe not with me because my skin is thick enough to take it but when you are talking about a 19-year-old.

“He is a talented player. We see him every day in training and if you did you will change your mind about him.”