Mourinho bites tongue over free-kick controversy

Graham Poll, who was criticised by Jose Mourinho for allowing Thierry Henry’s audacious free-kick at Highbury, was today revealed as the official who gave Chelsea pre-season refereeing advice.

Mourinho was frustrated at the way that the Arsenal striker caught out Petr Cech with a quickly-taken free-kick that curled inside the far post while the keeper was still organising his wall.

However, Poll defended his decision in the face of Mourinho’s criticisms following the 2-2 draw between the title rivals at Highbury.

The Chelsea boss did not detail the reasons for his concerns, although it is said that he did know the referee did not have to whistle for the free-kick to be taken.

But Mourinho, who claimed going into details could end in a misconduct charge, insisted his belief in the “unfairness” of the result was so strong because of a pre-season run-down of the rules.

And ironically enough, Poll, who was in charge of yesterday’s game at Highbury, was the official who paid that summer visit to Chelsea’s Harlington training ground.

Mourinho declared: “In pre-season, we had a top referee at our training ground, who showed us all the rules of football.

“So I have no doubts about it. One of the things he explained to us was walls, distance, whistle – everything was clear.

“I have a lot of respect for Mr Poll, he is a top referee. But the rules of the game are the same all over the world – in China, Japan, Mexico or England, in the top league or at under-15 level.”

In reality, Henry was exploiting exactly the same rules that allowed him to score against Aston Villa last season, while Arsenal have previously fallen victim to Ian Harte and Peter Beagrie.

Indeed, as Poll himself pointed out, he had allowed a goal by Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink to stand in an FA Cup tie between Chelsea and West Ham two years ago.

However, Mourinho added: “If you can forget the way that Arsenal scored their second goal – if you can call it a goal – the result was correct.

“But it’s difficult for me to forget Arsenal’s second goal, so I don’t think the result was fair.

“If I speak about it, maybe I’d have to go to the Football Association and be sent to the stands for a few weeks or pay a large fine – and I should like to keep my money for Christmas presents.

“I am more than unhappy but unhappy is a nice word. I cannot say the words in my heart and soul. I just cannot do it.”

Poll nevertheless pointed out that he had been following the rules of the game exactly by allowing Henry the opportunity to take the free-kick quickly to put Arsenal 2-1 ahead.

“The whistle does not need to be blown. I asked Thierry Henry ’do you want a wall’. He said ’can I take it please?’ He was very polite. I said ’yes’,” he revealed.

“I deal with the laws of the game, I deal with fact. I gave the signal for him to take it and that’s what he did.

“The same thing happened when I refereed Chelsea against West Ham in an FA Cup replay two years ago, when Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink scored, and I don’t remember them complaining about that.”

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger accepted that he did not agree with the rule itself, but praised Henry’s quick thinking.

“I feel that it was an intelligent exploitation of the rules. I don’t know why, if you are a keeper, you stand by the post to line up a wall if you know the rule is like that,” he concluded.