FA charges 8 players

[Aussie_Knight]

"FA charge six Gunners, two Reds players

Arsenal and six of their players, as well as two Manchester United players, were today charged by the Football Association following the ill-tempered goalless draw at Old Trafford.

Arsenal are accused of failing to control their players, while Patrick Vieira, Martin Keown, Ashley Cole, Lauren, Ray Parlour and Jens Lehmann all face individual charges that could lead to suspensions.

Ryan Giggs and Cristiano Ronaldo have also been charged by the FA, who reviewed video evidence of last Sunday's game following the ugly scenes which followed both Vieira's red card and Ruud van Nistelrooy's penalty miss.

Phil Neville has also been warned over his future conduct after a confrontation with Lauren, but his brother Gary and Manchester United as a club are not being charged by the FA.

Arsenal, however, could now face a suspension crisis, with Lauren facing four separate counts, including two of violent behaviour, the same serious charge which is faced by Keown and Parlour.

The FA's website, www.theFA.com, revealed that the full charge sheet is:

Arsenal - charged with 'failing to ensure the proper behaviour of their players'.

Lauren - two counts of improper conduct for 'confronting Ruud van Nistelrooy after Patrick Vieira's sending-off, and for confronting Ryan Giggs after the final whistle' and two counts of violent behaviour for 'kicking out at Quinton Fortune following the penalty award and for forcibly pushing van Nistelrooy in the back following the final whistle'.

Keown - one charge of improper conduct for 'confronting van Nistelrooy following the penalty miss' and one charge of violent behaviour 'for striking van Nistelrooy on the back of the head following the final whistle'.

Parlour - one charge of improper conduct for 'confronting van Nistelrooy after the final whistle' and a further charge of violent behaviour for 'grabbing at Gary Neville from behind shortly afterwards'.

Cole - one charge of improper conduct for 'his involvement in a confrontation with Cristiano Ronaldo after the final whistle'.

Lehmann - one charge of improper conduct for 'confronting referee Steve Bennett after Patrick Vieira's second yellow card and for then persistently seeking to confront van Nistelrooy'.

Vieira - one charge of improper conduct for 'failing to leave the field of play following his sending-off, and for instead seeking to confront van Nistelrooy and engaging in a verbal exchange with fourth official Neale Barry'.

Giggs - one charge of improper conduct for 'his involvement in a confrontation with Lauren after the match had ended'.

Ronaldo - one charge of improper conduct for 'confronting Martin Keown at the conclusion of the match." - from soccernet

 

[Mad Dogg]

Sounds about right. I would be surprised to see Lauren back anytime soon, he certainly seemed to be the most violent of the lot of them. Keown will probably also miss a fair bit. Otherwise, the others will get fairly small punishments.

 

[chileman]

 

[Nuffs]

hahaha!

i also read that the Arse could face losing points. this should not happen at all. just give them some fines and suspensions and let it all go

 

[Tigerpete]

Yeah, point shouldnt be deducted for this, thats a little too harsh! However it will make my day seeing Lauren and Keown Suspended and fined for their actions. The other 6 shouls be reprimanded or at the very worst, fined.

My only regret?.......Pires wasnt involved......Dammit!!!

 

[Dean Moriarty]

Points were deducted about ten years ago when there was a brawl on the pitch between about 20 players from United and Arsenal. Admittedly, it was a worse incident.

 

[team eidorb]

please tell me that martin keown will not play any time soon, hes nearly cost us two games already this season

 

[half]

please tell me that martin keown will not play any time soon, hes nearly cost us two games already this season

we were sad at the inter forums when we found out he wouldn't be lining up against inter

 

[Willow_2003]

I was pretty surprised at the way Lauren behaved, he has always seemed like one of those guys who always appears to be half asleep and really nonchalant, it was weird seeing him get fired up.

 

[nibbs]

This whole fracas could have been avoided. Vieira should never have never raised his foot to Van Nistlerooy. Had he not of done that Ruud would have been booked, and he would have been able to keep playing not booked (ie not sent off. A second yellow would have meant a red card). Instead he raised his boot.

The thing I don't understand is how Ruud could have made such a meal of it. From what I saw he jumped out the way, looking quite surprised. Vieira seems obsessed with the fact that he didn't touch Ruud, but that fact was the intent was there, and he should've never even thought of doing what he did. Stupid dick...

 

[Mad Dogg]

I don't think Ruud should even have got a yellow for that challenge. It was clumsy, but nothing worse than you see plenty of times every week, and most of the time they aren't punished.

And surely Vieira should have got a straight red card for kicking? Sure, he didn't connect but the intent was there.

 

[team eidorb]

i would have liked to see jens lehmann have a go at nistlerooy he looked like he wantd to kill him.

vieira lashed out because ruud jumped on his back and knocked him down.

but i dont know why people are saying that since wenger is manager arsenal have conceded a large number of red cards...but that just proves that the players play hard

 

[Mad Dogg]

No, it proves they commit a large number of dangerous fouls.

Like manager, like team, like fans. :roll:

"I didn't zee it"

 

[team eidorb]

No, it proves they commit a large number of dangerous fouls.

Like manager, like team, like fans. :roll:

"I didn't zee it"

but.....our manager does not kick shoes at his star players

 

[Mad Dogg]

Well maybe he should after what we saw last weekend. Instead, he tried to blame van Nistelrooy and basically said that his team did nothing wrong. Is it any wonder that Arsenal seem to be on a ever descending path of violence and arrogance when their manager blindly condones everything they do.

 

[team eidorb]

Well maybe he should after what we saw last weekend. Instead, he tried to blame van Nistelrooy and basically said that his team did nothing wrong. Is it any wonder that Arsenal seem to be on a ever descending path of violence and arrogance when their manager blindly condones everything they do.

what violence... vieira didn't even touch ruud with his foot, no wonder the arsenal players went off, and celebrated how they did in the end and dont forget that some man utd players are being charged too

 

[aqua_duck]

Well maybe he should after what we saw last weekend. Instead, he tried to blame van Nistelrooy and basically said that his team did nothing wrong. Is it any wonder that Arsenal seem to be on a ever descending path of violence and arrogance when their manager blindly condones everything they do.

what violence... vieira didn't even touch ruud with his foot, no wonder the arsenal players went off, and celebrated how they did in the end and dont forget that some man utd players are being charged too

With rhetoric like that you should be the Arsenal assistant. To basically say Vieira done nothing wrong is bullocks, sure he didn't connect but the intent was there, what happens if he does connect and injures Van Nistelrooy, and with a kick at the knee from a side on position, thats a possible torn ACL. In society if you shoot a gun a someone, even if you don't hit them, you'll still be charged and punished, why should that be any different on the sporting field? As for trying to justify the Arsenal players 'celebrating', well thats like me trying to justify Roy Keane going out to intentionally injure Alf Inge Haaland. What did Van Nistelrooy do that was so deserving of the abuse he copped, he made a clumsy challenge on Vieira, fair enough but its something you'll see every game, he jumped back when Vieira tried to kick him, and looked at the referee, its like dodging a bullet and going to the police, what is so provocative about that? As for the United players getting charged, well do you expect them to stand there and do nothing well one of their team mates is getting physcially attacked by a bunch of cowards?

 

[Craig]

Perosnally if I were RVD, and had Koewn did what he did to him, I would of turned around and nailed him. I am fairly short tempered when prevoked.

 

[nibbs]

The thing that gets me with this whole mess is that Arsenal, or at least Patrick Vieira, are blaming Ruud Van Nistlerooy for the entire incident. The fact is the whole thing could have been avoided had Vieria not stuck his boot out. The intent to strike, although he didn't, was there. Vieira deserved all he got...

 

[Matt23]

...Wenger's attempt at an apology, was to blame the media for overacting...hmmm , who was overeacting the Arsenal players or the media? how come nobody got charged with bringing the game into disrepute?