Andre Villas-Boas refuses to blame Adebayor for sending-off

 

Tottenham's manager, Andre Villas-Boas, caused eyebrows to be raised after yesterday's game by refusing to blame Emmanuel Adebayor for his sending-off, and claiming that Spurs were in control throughout the game.

His opposite number, Arsène Wenger, responded with a victor's smile: "If our opponents are in control from the first minute to the last and we win 5-2, I don't mind."

Villas-Boas said of the red card: "The ref had a tough decision to make. Ade went into the challenge not to harm Cazorla. Cazorla is quick, he took the ball away before Ade's feet met his foot and the ref has to make a decision and he decided for the red." Villas-Boas did not accept that Adebayor, who received a yellow card against another former club, Manchester City, last week, had lost control of his emotions. "We understand that it could've been any other player on any other day. I think Ade was in full control of his emotions and in a north London derby, you want players to challenge for balls, you want them to win second balls, you want them to be strong, to be brave. That's exactly what they did from the first minute to the last."

The Spurs manager did not accept that the dismissal changed the game, although Wenger was in the majority in feeling the opposite. "It changed certainly the game because Adebayor had a good start and was lively," he said. "What did I make of it? It's not rose, it's not yellow, it's red. Tottenham had a good start and we were a bit nervous. It looked like a repeat of last year."

Then, Arsenal went 2-0 down and won 5-2. Wenger is now justified in believing the win will do wonders for his team: "You could see the confidence was not completely still there. I hope this result will help us make a step up on that level. I felt with the two results we had against Schalke and Manchester United, our confidence level dropped, and because we are a team that likes to go forward, when your confidence drops, your game suffers straightaway. So it was important to get back to positive results. This team is something special."

Derby days

Unsurprisingly, the north London derby is now the highest-scoring fixture in Premier League history:

121: goals Arsenal/Tottenham

119: Everton/Manchester United

116: Liverpool/ Newcastle United

Independent Comment
blog comments powered by Disqus
Caption competition
Caption competition
News in pictures
World news in pictures
Sport blogs

iBet: A tight game between Northampton and Bradford

A tight game could be in prospect here. Northampton have been keeping things very tight of late and ...

by Gareth Purnell

On The Road at the Giro d’Italia: Feeling ill and racing in the rain must be pretty grim

I can’t ever watch games of football or rugby without wistfully wondering what it must be like to be...

by Martin Ayres

PSG and the French league must be more proactive in dealing with hooliganism

Since PSG’s exit to Barcelona in the Uefa Champions League quarter-final in April, PSG have been sur...

by Matthew Riding

       

Day In a Page

The price of pacifism: Refusing to go to war is finally being recognised as a brave act

The price of pacifism

From the Second World War refusenik to the 19-year-old Israeli, Holly Williams talks to five people who risked shame and suffering to take a stand as conscientious objector.
'It was mass hysteria': Jason Isaacs on groupies, theatre bores and snogging James Bond

Jason Isaacs: Groupies, theatre bores and James Bond

To millions, Jason Isaacs is one of Harry Potter's arch enemies – but his wife prefers him as a Scottish TV detective.
Notes from a small island: Is Sealand an independent 'micronation' or an illegal fortress?

Sealand: 'Micronation' or illegal fortress?

Thomas Hodgkinson spent a week at the tiny platform off the Suffolk coast to find out.
Not a bad bone: Mark Hix cooks with cutlets and ribs

Mark Hix cooks with cutlets and ribs

If you ignore cutlets and ribs, you'll risk missing out on some delicious and easy meals, says our chef.
Sir James Dyson’s latest project: Cleaning up hospitals

Sir James Dyson’s latest project: Cleaning up hospitals

Doctors are hailing the revamp of a Bath neonatal unit, where babies sleep more and feed better, as the model for patient care
One man returns to Argentina's town that drowned

One man returns to Argentina's town that drowned

Epecuen was submerged under 10 metres of water in 1985. Now the floods have gone – and 83-year-old Pablo Novak has moved back in
The real thing? Historian publishes Coca Cola's 'secret formula'

The real thing?

Historian publishes Coca Cola's 'secret formula'
Gordon Ramsey's worst nightmare: A restaurant he cannot save

Gordon Ramsay's worst nightmare: A restaurant he cannot save

The pugnacious chef finally met a shambolic restaurant he couldn't save. John Walsh on when TV makover refuseniks fight back
Join Ryanair! See the world! But we're only paying you for nine months a year

Join Ryanair! See the world! But we're only paying you for nine months a year

Glamorous myth of the flight attendant lifestyle undermined by angry employee's claims of 'exploitation'
Braising saddles: Did the recent furore scupper sales of horse meat? Neigh, far from it!

Braising saddles: How to cook horse meat

Did the recent furore scupper sales of horse meat? Neigh, far from it! Will Coldwell hoofs it to the kitchen.
Why bitters are back on the bar: A few little drops pack a big punch in cocktails

Why bitters are back on the bar

A few little drops pack a big punch in cocktails. No wonder we're learning to love them again...
The 10 Best barbecues

The 10 Best barbecues

Whether you're cooking on gas or are a convert to charcoal we've got the perfect way to cook when the sun is out.
Style icon David Beckham calls time on his long retirement

Style icon calls time on his long retirement

David Beckham never disgraced himself but former England captain ceased to be a major player years ago. Remember him at his United peak
Steve Harper: My darkest times

Steve Harper: My darkest times

As the popular Newcastle goalkeeper bows out after 20 years at the club, he tells Martin Hardy about the private battle with depression that threatened his career
Sir Torquil Norman has designed a flat-pack OX truck for the developing world

The flat-pack truck with big ambitions

After making a fortune from Polly Pocket and a doll's house shaped like a teapot, the entrepreneur has turned his creativity to a transporter truck for the developing world. Simon Usborne meets him.