It is sad to see Mr. Cascarino letting his allegiances to his beloved Chelsea reducing his column into a rant against players he feels has let his club down. This is where you usually praise players for their strong and wholehearted commitment to their team..

Yes, Tony. I am sure it was a bitter pill to swallow seeing a defender of such genuine quality deserting your club..

Andy, Cheltenham,

It would have been better if Gallas had behaved differently. However, he has been good for Arsenal this season. Even if the manager wanted to it would be impractical to change things now and would destabilise everything.
But again I also agree that you ex footballers are all the same - because it was tough in your day that is OK for today. The world has changed. We dont beat our kids today like our forbears beacuse we have moved on. Equally a tackle like Taylors should be outlawed by imposing a much tougher deterrent such as 12 match ban plus determined by a panel
after a red card. Gallas and Arsenal will now funnel their anger into a cold focus and execute well over the next few weeks. If we win the title it will be a phenomenal achievement - and one that you did not expect or support.

Ray, Twickenham,

I had my initial misgivings over Wenger's appointment of Gallas as captain of the side. I was wrong - if there is any player onthis squad who can provide the on-the-field leadership and who can instill passion into the very young minds and bodies that surround him, it is Gallas. He has been an outstanding leader and an inspiration to the back line that he lead into battle throughout the season.

Cascarino's comments fall under the same "pile on while they're down" mentality that too many pundits subscribe to - it is as if they can not tolerate the success of the highly overachieving team that they predicted would not even finish in the top four.

Let's not pretend that any of us can understand the depth and magnitude of the emotional rollercoaster that William Gallas and his squad have experienced on Saturday. We have no right to do so.

Iulian Bulucea, Cleveland Heights, US

Gallas;s medals
2 Premierships
1 League Cup
1 Runners Up at the world cup

Tony Cascarino's medals
0 Premierships
only watched the world cup final on tv

enough said

Jason, London, England

Jack in London-
You are clearly not an Arsenal fan. Otherwise you would know that we have been at the top of the fair play or thereabouts for the past three years.
When was the last time you saw and Arsenal player go out to INJURE someone? The kick on Nani were petulant and stupid not injurious. Additionally, I don't think you'll find one Arsenal fan that doesn't complain week in week out about
Eboue's behaviour. Idiot though he is, hardman he is not.

False equivalency.

Questions that need to be asked of Taylor. Why does someone go flying in on a tackle like that in the opening moments of a game? Where does that aggression come from after only three minutes? The only plausible explanation is that he wanted to make a "statement". Show him that "he was there".
This David v Goliath, win at all costs approach to games v arsenal has been glamourized by the media. This horror and Diaby's (made in injuy time by S'land w. the game long over)are the net effects of this mentaliy

DeVon, NYC, USA

Maybe Gallas was upset because he wanted to win the game for Eduardo. No player cries in the center circle after an ordinary game following a bad decision under ordinary circumstances. So best give him the benefit of the doubt don't you think?

This is a non-issue compared to what happened to Eduardo. Media pundits should be examining that tackle, not talking meaningless guff about Gallas - did he break someone's leg?? No. Your priorities are all wrong and you should be ashamed of yourself.

James, London,

Tony Adams was a great captain - he was also an achoholic
Roy Keane was a great Captain - intentially ended Inge Haaland's career.
John Terry's a great captain - court appearances + two footed tackles (conveniently ignored by the press).

Cazza was a good leader on the pitch, but wasn't always best behaved.

So gallas kicked an advertising hoarding and let his emotions get to him - has anyone stopped to think that it may have been related to the incident with Eduardo? The desire to judge presumably is to avoid talking about the implications of the injury to eduardo on the perception of english football, or heaven forbid talk about walcott's goals.

Matthew Wade, London,

If Taylor had done that to someone in the street he would have been facing a jail term. Instead of everyone concentrating on the horrific tackle because he is a "nice bloke" everyone is concentrating on Gallas and his behaviour after the match. I'm starting to think this anti Arsenal bias in the media story might actually have a grain of truth to it. If it had been Rooney or an english player the press would have been going crazy.

Lisa , stevenage, united kingdom

Are you people BLIND?? Adebayor vs Bendtner, then we have the horrendous way we behaved at Old Trafford? Flamini on Nani then gallas KICKING Nani! Eboue's tackle... ??

Im Arsenal through and through and SICK and TIRED of fans who really want to defend there team at all costs! We should have won that game hands down the way Gallas reacted on the pitch was DISGRACEFUL! It showed the whole world watching what a BABY he is, i mean sitting in the centre circle after the game and not comforting your team in the dressing room after what was an emotional day is ludicrous!

People that have defended Gallas dont know what a true Captain is! Imagine Gerrard, Puyol, Raul, Terry, Barry, Lampard behaving like that! I feel mostly for Eduardo first then Clichy! Imagine what hes going through right now! The Worst thing is if Gallas makes a mistake who will berate him?

Be emotional yea sure but dont be STUPID! Kicking an ad board? Come on what is this? The school playground!

Jack, Highbury, London, England

I COMPLETELY disagree with this convenient line of calling Gallas irresponsible. He is definitely a winner and couldn't definitely take conceding a late minute goal especially as a lot of KEY decisions had gone against his team. This, coupled with the afternoon horror butchering of Eduardo compounded the situation. Any winner, and I am not talking of English players, who are used to losing, would have reacted in similar fashion. Gallas is a senior member of the French team who are World Cup and European Cup winners. He was displaying a winning mentality!

Gilbert Phiri, Swindon, UK

Definitely sir, you missed the point! A shattered leg after only three minutes, a dodgy call leading to Birmingham's first goal, a debatable penalty decision leading to the equaliser in the dying moments of the game - I don't think his salary should have had any bearing on his reaction. You may also wish to remember that great captains like Patrick Vieira, Roy Keane, John Terry, Tony Adams, Alan Shearer, Brian Robson, Graeme Souness (I could go on...) all wore/wear their hearts on their sleeves!!!!

Timi, London, UK

You're unjustifiably harsh on Gallas. His teammate and friend just got his legs shattered into pieces, under 40000 pairs of watchful eyes in the stadium, and millions more worldwide. If your cousin were shot in the chest and in IC, do you think you can cool down and function immediately after hearing about the event?

Alright, they're professional players, and they make millions, but they're human after all.

And you spent most of your ink towards Gallas instead of Taylor? Your priority is questionable.

George, Denver, CO, USA

Tony, you are (excuse my french) chatting absolute codfish!

I'd have somebody reacting like Gallas did any day over a totally passive captain. I essentially believe in self-control, but when I saw the Arsenal skipper sat next to the tunnel I didn't see a "3 year old" but a person craving success more than anything else.

I'd rather have somebody showing how much he cares about winning by crying than breaking somebody else's leg. I don't know about you? Or maybe you would've agreed with me if it was Rooney (a good old blameless British product) instead of Gallas?

Stephen Korytko, London, UK

Kicking a signboard following a loss that shouldn't have happened or flying in late with studs up and straight leg through the shin of a more skilled player to take him out of the game? You have COMPLETELY missed where the discussion of sportsmanship arising out of this match should be directed.

And after getting the starting point so wrong your arguments are at odds with the facts. "Encourage and improve", "squeeze more out of the team" - Looked at the table lately?

Gallas' captaincy is a major reason for Arsenal's improvement. Contrary to your assessment, Arsenal are a far more together team now than under Henry. Gallas lifts his team. He hates losing and his attitude is moulding his young team mates into winners. They are tougher, both in the contest for the ball & in the fight for a result. And as for his own game, he has has a great season not only in defence. he scored the BIG goals in the potentially season-defining BIG games against Chelsea and Manchester United.

Adam, Sydney, Australia

Yes, the decision to hand Gallas the captaincy has backfired spectacularly.

We had expected to be 23 points ahead at this stage of the season.

Instead, we are just three ahead.

John Halls, London, UK

Mr Cascarino. I can't agree at all.

If you talk about examples, you should talk about the horrific tackle made by Taylor. He did not want to injure Eduardo, but he is fully aware of what he is doing. Is a tackle like that a good example?

No, it is not. It is a tackle made of a medicore player in the premiership that is not fast enough. And he knows what he is doing, because he would like to make a statement towards Arsenal and Eduardo by clashing into him. The way the less technical teams in England do. Do you see that i Spain or Italy? No, the teams are more technical and tactical gifted.

And more or less all mediachannels in England offers support for Taylor! Why? If he accidentally injured someone in a traffic accident he would face punishment. Not because he did it on purpose, but because you have to face punishment for your acts. Same as the tackle against Diaby at Sunderland a couple of years ago. Everyone supported the lad that made a careerthreatening tackle.

Regards

André, Bergen, Norway

A bit more.

Steve Bruce came out defending a player again. A few years ago Mr Bruce and Birmingham visited my local town, Bergen in Norway. The played a preseason game against our team, Brann.

Brann had a trialist playing that game and he got tackeled by a Birminghamplayer. The outcome was like Eduardos. That bloke could never play football agian.

Mr Bruce came out from the dressingroom and defended his player. Telling how sorry he was and stuff like that. It does not help at all!

Those kind of tackles needs huge finings and lengthy bans. No lifetimeban, but 12 games might be a proper punishment. And forced to watch slowmotion replays of what they have done.

Regards

André, Bergen, Norway

Tony Cascarino telling Arsene Wenger how to do his job? My thanks for the light comic relief.

Gallas didn't divert attention from Eduardo with his behaviour, the British media did by deciding to pay far too much attention to Gallas' behaviour and away from the injury while simultaneously trying to dismiss it as 'unfortunate'. The fact that you would choose to write a column about Gallas rather than Eduardo and the injury probably reflects this, because what Gallas did, in the grand scheme of things, is likely to prove irrelevant and insignificant.

Angus, Adelaide, Australia

What a load of crap, Gallas has been absolutely outstanding this season, though how predictable that a Chelsea old boy (and one of these pathetic pundits who said the Premier League's top scorers were predictable going forward and wouldn't finish in the top four this season is straight on his back at the first opportunity). What I see from Gallas every week is out and out passion, somebody who knows that he has limited time at the top level and is completely determined to push this team over the line to a major trophy this season. Without Gallas or Flamini (just so fantastically consistent every week) we would be struggling to be top four. Captaincy isn't just about high fiving and consoling your colleagues when they make a mistake, sometimes you have to remind them of their responsibilities as professional footballers. Clichy at that moment just wasn't focussed and deserved a dressing down.

John Brown, London, UK

As an Arsenal fan, I want Gallas to stay captain. Granted he acted emotionally. But he is the one who has been captain and taken us 3 points clear...he should be the one who ultimately lifts the title, if we win it. The guy has passion... maybe too much of it, but I would take that any day of the week over the common mentality of professional footballers who don't seem to care. I have a hunch you will need to write an article at the end of the season about what a great captain Gallas has been in the following games...

Ethan Hurlington, London, United Kingdom