The decision not to charge Samir Nasri with violent conduct after his stamping attack on Richard Garcia smacks of another spot of pandering to the big clubs by the FA.
It also doesn't reflect well on Steve Bennett, the referee for the game at the Emirates who didn't see the incident at the time but has still been consulted by the authorities upon their re-examination of Nasri's horrid act. He claimed he would not have punished Nasri for the stamp had he seen it, and so the Arsenal player got off scot free.
City have, however, been charged with failing to control their players, essentially because Nick Barmby and Stephen Hunt, backed by others, went completely potty with Nasri. How on earth were they meant to react? It was off the ball, the game was inactive as Arsenal were preparing to take a free kick - it was as wanton, cynical and unnecessary a moment of thuggery as any you can recall and naturally it is going to anger the victim's pals.
Some claimed Garcia made a meal of it, and it's fairly clear that he may have done, though I challenge anyone not to feel some pain when stamped upon by the studs of a footballer on a cold night in December. But that simply isn't a part of the argument anyway. Garcia could have been unhurt and skipped gaily round the border of the Emirates and through the exit to Finsbury Park tube station for all that it mattered. Nasri's act is not exacerbated nor mitigated by the reaction or injury suffered as a consequence by his target.
Arsenal have also been charged with a collective lack of control of their players as a free-for-all ensued. Hunt and Barmby were booked and the latter was withdrawn at half time, officially with calf trouble but probably also as much because he was seething and his mental state was in doubt. Hunt spent the second half being booed by the Arsenal crowd.
City say they will challenge the charge but as we've seen so many times, any club or player with the temerity to question the FA's disciplinary proceedings often end up with a greater punishment than that they would have received if they'd just bowed, scraped and sat on the naughty step at Soho Square. It will end up as a futile attempt, again, to get a spot of justice. And yet again Arsenal are involved.
.jpg)
