From Arsene Wenger's programme notes for the Braga game:
"I have since seen the challenge on Abou Diaby again, and it should have been a straight red card. My regret is that video evidence cannot be used in such cases afterwards. I can understand that the ref didn't see it, because he was a bad position, but frankly the Premier League should be in a position where they can suspend players who do this kind of thing. Diaby is now out for a few weeks, but could have been a lot worse, as he couldn't walk afterwards."

What Wenger was referring to was the deliberate knee high, studs up challenge by the Bolton thug Paul Robinson aimed nowhere other than Abou's leg. Those of you at the game will recall that there was no card and no free kick. Those of you watching the BBC's highlights programme will not even have seen it, far less seen their inept pundits discuss such brutality. Gooners attending the match may recall that the cowardly thug Robinson feigned injury to his foot which inferred a 50/50 challenge. Quite how he could have been injured I fail to understand given that it was a studs in first act of extreme brutality.

The way I'd translate AW's comments above is to suggest that he thought, quite rightly, that referee Stuart Atwell was totally inept but cannot or will not say so. Atwell could of course have reviewed the incident himself, but which refs ever admit to failing to see a major incident? That said you can bet your arse he taped his own performance which included ignoring his assistant's clear signal for a very obvious penalty (on Eboue) despite looking straight at the flag placed across said lino's chest.

Diaby was previously out for months following a leg break from an equally vile tackle during a nothing end of season game up at Sunderland some while back. So it was no surprise to see that when he did eventually get up following treatment he wanted to kill the perpetrator of the assault. Team-mates however restrained him. Had Robinson succeeded in his quest to break Diaby's leg then no doubt we would have heard testimony that it was an accident, he's a lovely lad and wouldn't hurt a fly. Bollocks, he's a thug, he plays for Bolton and is a run of the mill English non-entity who kicks people for a living.

Mr Wenger, as so often is the case, is 100% spot on but unless media attention from the likes of Sky and the BBC forces those in control of the Premier League to actually act then more innocent players will have their legs broken. The Premier League however clearly has no intention of stamping out thuggery, perhaps because it would detract from the perceived spectacle.