Barton Hits Back At Arsenal ... And Shearer!

Last updated : 14 August 2011 By Footy Mad - Editor

JB

Following the sending-off of Gervinho, many pundits accused Barton of making a meal of the incident.

Barton claimed a punch - Steven Taylor suggested an elbow - but it was a slap.

"I went down easy, no doubt. Still, you can't raise your hands... What do I have to gain by standing and trading with him? NOWT," tweeted Barton.

"Standing and defending myself has only got me in trouble before. What do you want me to do, hit him back? Or hope the ref keeps him on [the pitch]?

"If he doesn't dive then the incident doesn't happen. Maybe I shouldn't have gotten involved, but diving and trying to win a penalty is s***. Needs stamping out. I train all summer to have him cheat us out of a hard-earned point? It's not on. Diving should be a three-game ban. Respect the game.

"If there's contact, go down - but don't blatantly try to con the ref. Refs have it hard enough."

Then Jack Wilshere got involved. "I think @joey7barton was in the wrong today. He should not have got involved and assaulted Gervinho like that.

"Maybe Gervinho should not have reacted like he did as two wrongs don't make a right but Barton was unprofessional."

Barton then responded: "@JackWilshere Nah, what about Song? Did you miss that?"

Wilshere in turn said: "@joey7barton that is a form of assault my friend it should not happen on a football pitch!"

"@JackWilshere hardly assault??," concluded Barton before he then headed to watch BBC's Match of the Day. "Right off now to watch MOTD, it's what Saturday nights are all about. Peace out people, life's too short to get angry at football," though this was followed by another blast, this time at former boss Alan Shearer for his view of the Gervinho clash.

"Bad shirt, shoes and views from Shearer again. Sort it out slaphead..."