Arsenal haunted by indiscipline

Among the Christmas cards that drop onto the Football Association's stripped pine floor this morning will be an envelope with a Tring postmark. It contains a letter which could affect the destination of the Premiership title.

Few would dispute Glenn Roeder's assertion, in these pages last week, that "Arsenal are the best attacking team in the Premiership". However, that attack is overly dependent on Thierry Henry and, after his confrontation with Poll at the conclusion to Tuesday night's defeat to Newcastle, the Premiership's top scorer could be facing a significant ban. Arsenal, for all the other talents at their disposal, could struggle without him. From the three Premiership and European matches he has missed to date they have taken two points.

Henry's fury at Poll's performance, the referee had sent off Ray Parlour and awarded Newcastle a late penalty as contentious as it was decisive, required the intervention of two team-mates, the club physio and police to contain. For several minutes after the final whistle he raged at Poll who stood, almost teasingly, stock still on the pitch.

In the current climate, with footballer's morals being discussed ad infinitum, the FA will have to act if, as seems certain, Poll reports Henry for what the official has described as "a very unseemly incident". If they do Arsenal will only have themselves to blame. It is not the first time Henry has exploded. He did the same in Athens after defeat to Panathinaikos this year but escaped punishment from Uefa, the sport's European governing body, when the referee decided not to make an issue of it. Arsenal also took no action. Arsène Wenger's view was summarised on Tuesday when he said: "It's not my job to control my players. I am not a policeman." It seems an odd approach from a man who has taken great pains to influence his players' lifestyle off the pitch but it is in keeping with his management of their behaviour on it. Or rather, lack of management. Parlour was the 39th player to be dismissed during Wenger's five-year command and, as he was the seventh of the season, their record is clearly not improving.

The frustrating aspect for Arsenal fans is that this is not a dirty team. While quite happy to mix it when the opposition wants to, Arsenal are not intrinsically physical in the way Leeds, for example, are. Many of their dismissals stem from isolated moments of recklessness, or poor self-control. Such incidents could surely be reduced if Wenger took it upon himself to do so.

It is not as if he lacks incentive. On Sunday Arsenal play Liverpool without Patrick Vieira. He is suspended having recently collected his sixth yellow card of the League season (he received another on Tuesday). Suspensions are a way of life at Highbury and Lauren and Parlour have bans pending. This is the inevitable result of the worst disciplinary record in the Premiership. In 17 League games the club have incurred 41 yellow cards and four red this season; Manchester United are 26-1.

Vieira yesterday defended Henry when he said: "Thierry is an emotional and passionate person – the kind of guy who does not like injustice. He felt the referee robbed us of the chance to go top. We were all angry about the performance of the referee." Their ire was understandable but Henry's reaction unforgivable. Footballers, like it or not, are role models. I do not, for one moment, believe Henry would have struck Poll were he not protected by police and stewards but any parks referee faced with the same response would have justifiably feared for his safety.

But if Henry is to be punished pour encourager les autres, so should Poll. It was not so much his decision-making, though it was unusually poor for him, but his apparent determination to be the centre of attention which left a bad taste. It was suggested that the recent unexpected death of Gerald Ashby, a refereeing mentor, may have affected his judgement. That belief was given weight when he said: "I am disappointed because I was here after the very sad death of Gerald Ashby wearing a black armband and I don't think he would have been pleased to see some of the conduct. I don't think that is a fitting tribute to him." Those feelings may have influenced Poll's view, not shared by most observers, that there was "a very hot atmosphere, it was a very, very difficult game to referee".

While Poll's punishment would be exile to the lower divisions for a week or two, Henry could be banished to the stands for longer. That such a wonderful player is likely to be left kicking his heels appears an unavoidable pity. As Newcastle's Kieron Dyer said: "Arsenal are just awesome and Henry is exceptional. He was upset but it just shows how much he cares. People say foreigners are mercenaries but he is passionate for Arsenal." Bravo Henry, but there is still no excuse. The referee is always right, even when he is wrong. Otherwise you have anarchy. As Bobby Robson said: "There are people around here who have to learn to lose."