Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger maintains there must always be a place for strong tackles, but only if executed within the spirit of the game. The Gunners have travelled to Holland for tonight's Champions League Group H clash against AZ Alkmaar without England forward Theo Walcott, who could be missing for up to a month after suffering knee ligament damage following a hefty challenge by Birmingham's Liam Ridgewell during Saturday's Premier League win.

The Gunners boss has reviewed the tackle again, which at the time was not penalised by referee Lee Probert, and accepts it is difficult to gauge true intent.

"It is difficult to see any bad intention there, but still he went well through," said the Arsenal manager.

"I think in the Premier League, you let more go and it is important to let more go than anywhere else in Europe because it makes the games more attractive.

"But you need to keep it going so that everybody plays with the right intention and you do not feel that there is any malice there.

"To get a committed game everybody has to play fair."