Wenger - Punish those who target Walcott

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Theo Walcott... Manager calls for increased protection for teenager

Arsène Wenger has called on referees to punish any defender targeting Theo Walcott with over-zealous tackling.

TheArsenal winger already had a growing reputation as a dangerman but thathas developed exponentially since his hat-trick for England in Croatia.On Wednesday night, Wenger complained that his Kyiv marker “could havebeen sent off three times” for fouls on the 19-year-old. Ahead of thetrip to Bolton, the Frenchman was not arguing for special treatment,just fair treatment.

“Unfortunately, it is always the way of aplayer who gets a reputation for being dangerous,” he said. “The firstanswer he gets is harsh treatment. We do not expect any presents fromanybody but we want the right protection from the referees.

“It is all in the rulebook [and] if you allow the first bad tackle then the second one becomes difficult for the referee.

“AsI say we do not want any special protection but I thought Wednesdaynight, for example, the target was not the ball. If a guy plays hard itis down to Theo to deal with it. But if the guy targets Theo as anindividual, he has to be punished.”

Last season, Wenger had similar concerns over Alex Hleb and described his legs as “black and blue” after certain games.

“Hlebgot harsh treatment,” said the manager. “But he had a game that is veryprovocative. He invited the opponent and then escaped - like a matador.

“Sometimesthe tackles are mistimed but Hleb had a game which would provoke thatkind of reaction. In training, without even wanting to hurt him, thathappened to him.”

If Hleb was Arsenal’s matador then Walcott is their gazelle. And, as we know, the latter is an increasingly rare creature.

That is why it has been deemed a protected species.