Ex-Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger asked for long-throws to be BANNED in bid to stop losing to Stoke, claims old enemy Pulis
TONY PULIS says his Stoke side rattled Arsene Wenger so much the Arsenal boss demanded the FA ban his Potters’ long throws. The former City chief claims Wenger became completely obsessed with his side, particularly their long-throw expert Rory Delap. Wenger also asked for the FA to investigate the grass at Stoke’s ground – which […]
TONY PULIS says his Stoke side rattled Arsene Wenger so much the Arsenal boss demanded the FA ban his Potters’ long throws.
The former City chief claims Wenger became completely obsessed with his side, particularly their long-throw expert Rory Delap.
Wenger also asked for the FA to investigate the grass at Stoke’s ground – which he claimed was too deliberately grown too long to stop the Gunners‘ fancy football, says Pulis.
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The then Arsenal chief also dubbed Stoke a rugby team during their various sparring matches between 2008 and 2013.
Pulis says Wenger wanted to BAN throw-ins and replace them with kick-ins.
Arsenal defenders used to dread dealing with Delap’s long throws — but Pulis revealed he only discovered the midfielder’s special talent by accident.
Ex-Stoke chief Pulis told the BBC’s That Peter Crouch Podcast: “I did a coaching session and Patrick Vieira and Jens Lehmann were there and Vieira told me, ‘You were the only club Wenger talked about and tried to work on things but we just couldn’t beat you!
“He said, ‘We turned up for a cup game and we’d worked for two days on defending the long throw — and then Rory Delap was sub!’”
Pulis added: “We only found out Rory Delap could throw the ball like that when the lads had a competition. He picked it up and hurled it to the back post.
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“I remember the first time Wenger called us a rugby team. It was the third time on the bounce we had beaten them at home.
“Wenger came one year and complained about the grass being too long.
“He wrote a letter to the FA. The referees and the linesmen had to come and measure the grass!”