Wonderful Match – Awful Penalty Decision – Again
Jan 3rd, 2018 by 'holic
Arsene Wenger went for youth rather than experience and put Rob Holding into the gap vacated by the injured Laurent Koscielny. Ainsley Maitland Niles got the nod to start as left wing-back, and Mesut Ozil was passed fit to play.
After a cautious start the Gunners came close to seizing the initiative in the seventh minute when Alexandre Lacazette was upended just outside the box by Kante. Alexis Sanchez saw his effort deflected just wide of the post. Three minutes later the Chilean tried to pick out Ozil’s excellent run but just overhit the cross. As the Arsenal attempted to turn the screw Maitland-Niles sent in a low cross too close to Courtois.
A mistake at the other end by Chambers let Morata clear through on goal but Petr Cech distracted him and the Chelsea striker knocked his effort well wide. Cech denied the same player at his near post as Chelsea hinted at more to come. Next however was the turn of Courtois to pull off a sensational save to deny Alexis with the help of both goalposts.
Midway through the half Lacazette spun round and got a shot away that once again Courtois was equal to. The game was really entertaining at this point. Back came Chelsea again and Bakayoko drew a save out of Cech with Chelsea’s first effort on target. From the resulting corner Morata headed over from close range.
On the half hour mark Jack Wilshere went into Anthony Taylor’s book for a lunge at Fabregas. That challenge had probably been brewing for a few years. It was destined to provoke a response.
When Granit Xhaka conceded a free-kick on the edge of the box Alonso thankfully lofted the ball over the bar. To the other end we went and Ozil curled one inches wide of the far post. Fabregas then followed Jack into the book when he extracted retribution for the earlier challenge. Teed up by Hazard, Fabregas curled his shot over the top. Quite how this half ended goal-less was a mystery.
It was Chelsea who threatened first after the break. Hazard was denied by Cech’s outstretched right boot, then the goalkeeper recovered quickly to save Alonso’s follow-up. Maitland-Niles, enjoying a good evening on the left flank, crossed an inch or two too high for Alexis to get a header in at the far post. Lacazette’s attempted blast was blocked by the exceptionally positioned Courtois.
Rob Holding was the next to see yellow for clattering into Fabregas after the ball had gone. Ten minutes into the half came the first substitution. Conte sent on Zappacosta for Moses who had to be retrieved from Maitland-Niles’ pocket. Ozil glided through the Chelsea defence exchanging passes with Bellerin but a deflection for a corner was the end result. Ozil had the ball in the net but Mustafi was pinged for a foul on Alonso. An hour in, still goal-less.
Ozil, in mesmeric form, played a one-two with Lacazette but his attempted cut-back was scrambled to safety. The reprieve was brief. Ozil found Rob Holding and his through ball was deflected by Morata to Wilshire who drilled the ball high into the net at the near post. It was no more than the Arsenal deserved.
The Arsenal 1-0 Chelsea
One could have become two as Alexis and Lacazette combined to open up the Chelsea defence again only for the latter to shoot just wide. Incredibly the Arsenal were robbed by yet another appalling penalty award when Hazard threw himself to the ground clutching a non-existent shin injury without any touch from Bellerin. Surprise, surprise. Anthony Taylor couldn’t wait to point to the spot. Another game-changing decision by an incompetent official? Hazard converted the spot-kick. Ozil was punished with a yellow card for complaining to the perpetrator of the crime, Taylor.
The Arsenal 1-1 Chelsea
Morata outpaced Mustafi but shot over as Chelsea sought to take maximum advantage of their good fortune. So contentious was the penalty that a strange hush descended on the stadium. Stunned by their poor fortune for a second consecutive match the Arsenal stopped doing the things they had done well all match and faced up to a period of concerted Chelsea pressure. Cech had to get down quickly to stop Morata’s cross-come-shot from reaching Hazard.
Mystifyingly Wenger chose to take Lacazette off early again to make way for Welbeck in a situation where we really needed every goalscorer we could muster on the pitch. Chelsea, with Drinkwater on for Fabregas, were more than happy to sit back and soak up the pressure. Hazard was withdrawn and replaced by Willian. The Arsenal crowd let him know what they thought of him. Such a shame that an excellent game was ending with some rancour.
The seventh defeat of our Premier League was made possible when Zappacosta turned Maitland-Niles for the first time in the match and crossed to the near post where Alonso darted in front of the static Mustafi to sweep the ball in.
The Arsenal 1-2 Chelsea
Welbeck got clear down the right flank but was unable to pick out Alexis or Ozil in the box. Cue Theo Walcott coming on for another former Saint, Chambers. Mustafi attempted to make amends but saw his ferocious volley blocked by the arm of Cahill. Not a penalty, clearly, unless it had been at the other end one cannot help but think.
Bellerin’s cross was over his team-mates heads but when a cross came back in Alonso teed up his fellow Spanish full-back for a glorious half-volley that was no more than the Gunners certainly deserved.
The Arsenal 2-2 Chelsea
There was time left for Zappacosta to slam a drive against the crossbar. A wonderful match had the ending it deserved, and both coaches embraced in a show of respect.
Now for Arsene’s presser. A second charge in a week to come?
125 Responses to “Wonderful Match – Awful Penalty Decision – Again”
I would have used a stronger word than awful!
Terrible penalty decision but Hector was silly. It’s a shame that such a good performance could be undone by two shoddy bits of defending and another refereeing howler (can we have a ref with hair some day please? I’m sure it’s all down to baldy inadequacy and compensating for it by exerting the power you do have. “Oh, I’ve got no control over me follicles but I can fuck everybody’s weekend up so…” 😉 )
On the plus side, Ozil was good for about an hour or so and the goals were beautiful.
I just wish Wenger would lose the hard on he’s got for Welbeck, because relying on him to score you goals is like …. well … giving Anthony Taylor a comb for a Christmas present.
“Conte sent on Zappacosta for Moses who had to be retrieved from Maitland-Niles’ pocket.” ….classic Holic and made me laugh. AMN played well tonight and I look forward to seeing him replace Xhaka in midfield soon. Chambers, Mustafi and Holding isn’t a CB trio that will win anything unfortunately. Pace and/or instincts let all three down.
With the benefit of hindsight you’re right BtM.
Re the Headline, obviously!
Boy can Hazard act… Rolling around on the slightest of perceived infraction.
Maitland Niles… extend his contract!!!!
Just get Jack’s contract signed for f**ks sake…
And it is absolutely unbelievable that they were discussing a possible second yellow for Jack falling down after clear contact on his trailing leg from Christenson during live commentary and in the post match show. Fair play to Frank Lampard for speaking in favor of Jack in the post match show…
BTM @3, this is the first time those three have played together and I think they should not be judged on that performance alone.
Arsene may be charged again if they are out to get him…. “Farcical” will surely be quoted.
Hazard made such a meal of that touch on his boot!! If anything the contact from Bellerin would have lifted his foot and not made him go down as if he was hit on his standing leg. But if only Anthony Taylor had that much knowledge of elementary physics…
And Alan Shearer can fuck off with his Jack Wilshere dived theory…
Four matches in the holiday season – in all of them holding a lead in the second half, but eventually six points dropped. This penalty call less egregious, but still a soft one. Hazard can set himself up as a penalty kick salesman when he retires.
Super Qucik Holic has done it again!
Bellerin kicked his foot, you could see it from another angle. Yes Hazard made a meal out of it and this makes him a diving twat, but this is what you need to do in a box when someone touches you. This is exactly what the FA and their deluded referees are promoting and players still get away with murder. This new diving panel they have introduced has not done jack this season. What is the point?
We were definitely on top of them and should have been away at half time, Laca is no better than Wellbeck and perhaps is time to give Danny the nod up front and why not if Laca ain’t working at this moment in time.
We started the second half slower than the first and we could have gone down but we regained our passing and he tons of opportunities. We scored and then we freeze and panic and this is when mistakes start to green in it’s not the first time after all.
Great game to watch but those points are hard to come by lately and we really need to dig deep. I say play the kids in the cups and concentrate on the league now. This should be our number one priority.
green = creep lol will proof read them next time ?
Personally I think it was a penalty. Hector swung his leg and got Hazard’s foot and none of the ball. If it’s outside the box it’s a free kick. Give it a rest guys.
That doesn’t excuse Hazard’s theatrics but it is what it is.
ATG, that was a 50-50 challenge for that ball and Hazard touches the ball fraction of a second before Hector. If any touch on a players boot in the penalty box starts getting given as a penalty then defenders might as well go home instead of trying to win the ball back in the box. The referees are routinely falling for the kind of thing Hazard did and it won’t be the last time Hazard does that either. Whilst it was not as bad as the Mike Dean one – it was terribly soft. And the softest one do seem to be given against us.
This game sets up the two legged Carabao Cup tie nicely against the Chavs…
Just on the train on the way home now. Six points dropped from winning positions over the Christmas period is not great form. However, I thought the performance tonight was a lot more encouraging than others of recent weeks.
The penalty was at the other end to me so am going to have to claim a Wenger and wait until I get home to see it. The fact that it has already divided opinion tells me that a lot of the blame should go to the cheat.
Lots of positives and negatives from tonight. The crowd were up for it and I heard no negativity at all. Again I thought Jack was superb. His quality on the balk was superb. What might not come across on the TV is the way he directed and tried to organise others. He deserved his goal and took it very well. AMN I also thought had a top game, especially for a young lad very much learning his craft.
Defensively we looked dodgy all night. Cech had a great game, as did his opposite number in fairness. Cech needed to be on top form due to The sloppiness unfolding in front of him.
Dead Shot Danny and his Royal Rustyness did not have enough time me to make an impact, positive or negative.
In the end a draw was probably a fair reflection of the game although I do feel we have dropped far too many points recently.
Great write up H. I’m answer to your last question, no, I’m not at Palace. With any luck I met get to the Everton game. I can then officially welcome the 4/5 world class signings that we no doubt have planned????
One final point. At the end of the game both Sanchez and Özil handed their shirts to those in the crowd before heading off down the tunnel. A touching my gesture or a final goodbye???? Now there’s one for the headline writers.
Great report from a game that I thought was exceptional. Wending my way home.Loved Jack and AM-N . Ozil great till he tired. Xhaka awful and a huge liability in big games as he turns the ball over. ANN should take his role. He moved like a Rolls Royce cruising through the gears tonight .
Penalty looked soft from where I was but I’ve never felt Arsenal deserve to concede a pen! Chelsea are just like us- Good in parts.
Have to agree with Barack O’B #13, it looked a clear foul to me. With the benefit of TV 😀 I have watched every angle repeatedly and frame by frame, and Hector never touched the ball but did kick either Hazard’s shin or ankle bone or across both.
A shame that another pen had to have such an effect on what was for me the game of the season so far.
I just have to ask how so many of those who played so poorly against the bottom club three days ago could play so well against a quality side today? Time to sort out the motivation, AW, as I may have suggested previously.
Hard to pic a motm but Cech performed brilliantly to keep us in the game, as Courtois did to keep us out of it, but I get more impressed with AMN the more I see of him. Apart from a couple of defensive moments he looked calm and in control in midfield and attack. I think he may become quite a player.
But for the love of Dennis, AW, BRING YOUR SUBS ON IN TIME TO DO SOMETHING ffs.
Jack may have been lucky not to get a second yellow for diving, and so not have scored the opening goal. Dragging your foot in the hope of making contact with a defender is one of those tricks that really pisses me off, and that was very clearly what he was doing while already falling after losing his balance. Taylor was generous to him, imo.
I’ve got in and seen the penalty incident for the first time, all GN with the goals again.
First the penalty. It’s a penalty. Hazard sticks out a foot and Bellerin kicks him. End of. Hazard then throws himself to the floor and almost breaks his knee cap with the force he chooses to use. Does Hazard make a meal of it? Massively. Is it over theatrical at best? Massively. Does he deserve to deserve to be banned for the over reaction? Absolutely. But none of that detracts from the fact that Hector kicks him and it’s sadly, a pen. I hope that Hector leaves the game a tad wiser.
LJW tells Sky there have been no progress with his contract talks. I would suggest that this is a situation that is rectified first thing in the morning.
it was NOT a penalty
SSY.
Explain? Why is it not a pen?
Agree with Steve T. and ATG. It was not a penalty.
Excuse me. I meant to say it was a penalty. Bellerin kicks him in the foot, full force.
i’ve seen it fifty times…sixty now
hector barely touched pacino
rip off
I’ve seen the pen and I can see why it was given but I also think that Hazard has made an arsehole of himself writhing around . Ozil and Wilshere were much better than him tonight and had Chelsea got a decent striker and not the hapless Morata we might have really suffered because we can’t defend. Young Chambers stuck at it but was very nervous. Holding was more assured and it was nice to see him play better after a rocky period. Chambers has so little pace I don’t know where you play him. If he raced Giroud over 100 yards they could time it with a calendar not a stopwatch !
I thought this game encapsulated everything good and bad about Wenger’s teams. Beautiful movement and passing and great spirit. Absolutely no defensive structure or defensive midfield. We can’t resist breakaways. I love watching the quality of attacking football we have played this season but I hate teams that don’t do basics right and we show no sign of learning how to stop teams from taking us apart going forward. We must find a way to stop teams coming on to us. Watching Kante tonight we haven’t got anyone with his intelligence or discipline.
Xhaka is a waste of space.
But to finish positively I think we have seen the emergence of an Arsenal star in AM-N who had a wonderful game. The second goal was partly down to him but he was unlucky . Maybe he is the sort of proper midfielder we need not someone like Xhaka who plays the team into trouble. We need the Tank’s power in this side and at least one more quality centre back . Maybe Bielik is a possibility?
Great to support a team that can play football like that though
Exciting game for the neutral between two sides that are fighting for CL football next term. ?
Top atmosphere in the Grove tonight and a draw was a fair result. ?
Hazard’s pen was a pen – Hector tapped him. So you’re wrong Arsene, it wasn’t “farcical”. ??⚖️
Unlike at the Baggies, with Ozil and Jack on the same park, this team is potent going forward. Without Ozil, not a top 4 contender in a month of Sunday’s with that defensive modus operandi made-up at London Colney by Wenger! ?
Jack is a Gooner and wants to stay at the Club, so re-sign him.
If Ozil is waiting for something before re-signing, ask him what it is that he wants then give it to him. You won’t get a better play maker anywhere in the world for less money than what he’ll be asking for now! Perhaps it’s not at all about money but he wants to know “who’s coming next” before he commits. Is he waiting for Luis Enrique or A-Nother to be confirmed?! ?
Sanchez is replaceable with both or either Mahrez and/or Zaha. A massive loss but sell him this January for £30+ Million and get either or both in for the home stretch to May.
I see that we’re almost over the line with our first winter transfer – a 20 year old Greek kid! Mislintat already identifying diamonds in the rough? ? https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/football/2018/jan/03/arsenal-to-sign-defender-konstantinos-mavropanos
I repeat again Steve T, this squad (when all fit) IS good enough to challenge given the right Head-Coach & Man-Manager/Motivater overseeing them. ?
UTAAD&AN!
AFCOF!
Everyone else has already said everything else, so I will add only this –
Ainsley Maitland-Niles is a top-top player in waiting.
Eden Hazard is a cocky, cheating scumbag.
Anthony Taylor is *biased / *incompetent / *short sighted / *a cheat and looks like one of those weird little things that lives underground in
H G Wells’ Time Machine.
* delete as appropriate / desired
Thanks for your interest.
Goodnight.
i guess all we need is zaha to complete the picture
motion picture
A M-N needs releasing in midfield.
I forgot that bit.
Yes, Dan, Ozil played well for two-thirds of the game before tiring in the last third, but he wasn’t the difference compared to the WBA game. Most of those who played so averagely three days ago found some decent form today. I’d like to know why?
Managers complain about the difficulty in retaining form with the number of games to be played at this time of the year, but today’s performance made a mockery of that.
Morlocks, Trev.
Chris,
Without the Fish-God that we now have in the flesh, there is no creative cohesion going forward. This team is now built going forward in an attacking sense, around Ozil’s genius and his speed of body and thought. It compliments Sanchez’s and Lacazette’s inter-change play beautifully. QED. ?? Santi Cazorla (and Ramsey to a much lesser extent) used to provide what Ozil now does when they are available.
Regarding Jack, we mustn’t forget that he hasn’t played much football over the past 3+ years – and especially at the very top level and intensity. So doing what Ozil can do, will take time and work. Cazorla, on the other-hand, could do that in his sleep because he is just as technically immaculate as Ozil!
Regarding Xhaka the still round peg in a square hole on a match day, he was meant to bring what Santi brings to the party, but unfortunately for him, he’s way too slow in body and mind (and he’s not built like a brick ?house either) to play proper keep-ball and distribution in the EPL right now! With the right guidance, he’s quality. He’s better than Sergio Busquets! ?
If you think that was a penalty, whether you’re a bloke in the pub or Arsenal’s top scorer of all time, I think you are potty because you are advocating ANY touch being enough to be a foul and dozens of penalties per match. You may as well keep all defenders outside the penalty area.
If a player is brushed on the sole of his foot, which is in the air, it is not a foul. Hazard’s standing leg crumbles for no reason, the foot that gets the crushing blow from Hector doesn’t move. It’s not like he has kicked through him and if that would be enough for you to give a penalty, I suggest y’all take up knitting.
Although knitting is probably a bit hardcore…
Bellerin kicked him and Hazard took the option to go down. If the shoe was on the other foot, I’m sure we’d all have taken it. Or wouldn’t we? ?
Have you ever been kicked on the ankle bone, Cynic? Cos I’m pretty sure it was involved. Whatever, you can’t expect to kick at the ball, miss it, but make contact with an opponent’s foot anywhere on the pitch and not get penalised.
Dan, Ozil is as good as you say but hasn’t proved it often enough during his gunners’ career. Doesn’t it piss you off that he’s only been showing his skills consistently now he’s in the shop window at the end of it?
Cynic. Where have you been for the last God knows how many years? The game is populated by soft lads who will go to ground at any available opportunity. The slightest of contact and it’s as if the sniper from row 10 has got them again. Don’t tell me you think we don’t do it either? Look at Jack only minutes earlier? As alluded to above, if the ref sees that differently then he may well have got his second yellow.
As I’ve said many times now. Football is full of cheats. In this case there was clear contact and as soft as it is, it’s a penalty.
Dan. I still love your optimism but having seen the way we defend then this team will struggle to challenge for a top 4 spot, let alone the league.
Watched last night’s game in a local sports club bar as my regular sky owning mate mate was at the game. Ended up standing next to the obilgatory gobby 0loud and obnoxious chavs fan. Being a quiet chap I didn’t rise to his goading – But ashamed to report that I went the “full Keegan” on him when Hector equalized….
He was nowhere near his ankle, he kicked him very very gently on the sole of the boot. He didn’t stop him from playing the ball.
It doesn’t matter if the game is played by softies who will dive, we have to educate referees (and fans) that contact doesn’t equal foul.
That was never a foul.
I also think Wilshere dived by the way.
Cynic. He kicked him. Both went for the same ball and Hector kicked Hazard and missed the ball.
If he kicked “very very gently” then it’s even more pathetic. He’s hardly going to clear the ball if he does make contact.
Every Contact does not equal a foul. You are quite right. However, that argument falls down when someone kicks out and makes Contact.
Another wonderful night on the North Bank. The crowd were very loud, we had thrills and spills galore, we had some great banter with the Chavs fans and we saw two wonderful goals including one from the man who is becoming the heartbeat of the club, little Jack Wilshere. Can’t comment on the pen as it happened 100 yards away from me.
That’s four great games in the last few weeks. Spurs (won), United (lost), Liverpool and Chelsea (drawn). Games that have shown the team give it everything, playing attacking football of huge verve and flair whilst showing the defensive flaws that mean we are not real title contenders. Whilst of course caring if we win or not, it’s the performances in those games that keeps dragging me out on cold January evenings.
My question is simple. Why can we turn in that sort of attacking performance against the top teams, whilst being limp, predictable, slow and yes, downright boring against teams in the bottom half?
I can forgive Arsenal almost everything except being boring. It’s why I get so cross when keyboard warriors blame the crowd for being quiet in some games. The atmosphere was fantastic in the games I reference above, couldn’t be bettered. Even the away fans are feeling it from what I hear and the spirit at games against Southampton and WH was rebellious.
Ah well. Off to Nottingham on Sunday. Looking forward to doing my first away report since a miserable wet day in Stoke in August.
Chris, Morlocks are big hairy things, aren’t they ?
I thought there were little, pinky-white, almost semi-transparent things in the Time Machine too, which would be much more like Anthony Taylor.
I’ve probably got my books mixed up again …
I think, in the cold light of the following morning, confused best describes me over last night’s penalty.
As with Dean at West Brom, I wonder what Taylor saw in order to give a spot kick.
Was he sharp eyed enough to spot the minimal amount of contact revealed by super-slomo cameras ?
If he was, did he see Bellerin whack Hazard half way up his shin, as that is what the latter grabbed as he hurled himself to the floor ?
Obviously he didn’t because that didn’t happen. He therefore judged that slightest brush on Hazard’s heel to be worthy of a penalty award.
Should we then assume that the law has changed, and that ALL contact is now automatically a penalty ?
If Taylor really did spot the actual contact that took place, did he not consider Hazard’s collapse to the ground to be highly exaggerated and, therefore, simulation ?
Maybe that law has changed too ?
So many questions.
The other one is – are we ever going to do sonething about our shocking defending and tactical naivety that allows two opposition forwards gilt edged chances to score from the kick off, when we have just equalised right at the end of a vital game ?
That has cost us as many victories, draws and Champions League games over the last ten years as the dodgy referees have.
Martin Keown still sounds pretty sharp to me – and he’s still a scary bastard too. Go and explain to him why you didn’t bother to protect a lead or vital point.
He was denied a proper job at the Arsenal after coaching Eboue, Toure, Senderos and Flamini to a Champions League defensive record in 2006.
Maybe while we’re hiring all these new backroom staff …………
Countryman – lovely stuff, as usual.
Cynic, Steve T – i can see both sides.
i’m right though – ask Chris ! ?
Steve T @38,
Whilst still under Wenger, I agree. Not even a chance of top 4! ?
But under someone else – other possibilities do present themselves! ?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-42557684
AFCOF!
NAWF!
Let’s put it this way. If we’d got a penalty for that I would be embarrassed, and I would hope whoever it was on our side who dived from a faint little flick of the foot like that would be too.
And preferably banned under the video regs to deter him from collapsing under such a butterfly touch ever again
We’re a fair cross section of opinion in here – from the super optimists to the doom mongers, who have all watched football for decades.
We can’t agree on the penalty after watching it live, on replay, in super slow motion and listening to television pundits.
When Video Replays are introduced in games, what possible chance is there on getting any more decisive a verdict, and how long will it take ?
Cynic is spot on in my book. There is a reason that we have no PGMOL officials going to the World Cup in the summer and the last week has summed up why. The standard of English referees is at an all time low.
Like Niasse before him Hazard’s reaction last night bore no relation to the ‘challenge’ that triggered it. If contact equalled foul there would be a penalty awarded at every corner.
It’s the 21st century outside the protected world of Premier League refereeing. The way to raise standards is to make them accountable to the people who pay their wages. Yes, that’s you and me. The continuing acceptance of mediocrity by some is holding us back.
Still seething, as you may have guessed!
An American’s view of a night out at Millwall.
Got to say I quite enjoyed it.
http://englishsoccerguide.com/seeing-a-game-at-millwall-fc/
Re the Greek lad, I think we have to give Mislintat his head and see what he produces. Another Tavlaridis or another Kolo Toure – we shall see.
I’m with Holic on the pen. My objection re Hazard is holding his shin when his shin was never implicated in the challenge. He’s a cheat.
Video replays in football are even more pointless than in cricket. The VAR is advisory so a referee can take time out of the game, trot across the pitch, look at the video and still say he was right.
DRS has ruined cricket, VAR will ruin football. And I reckon after a couple of years of total chaos, they will take it out into the woods, tie it to a tree and drive off again.
Hopefully.
Perhaps they should have the replays like they have on Rugby…!
In fact I would say that constant churning over of “fouls” by tv pundits has produced the very mindset that ‘contact is a foul’.
It has become the fashion, in the last few years, for pundits to cry about there being contact, to justify some of the diving that goes on and the free kicks/penalties that get awarded. Referees have become pundits themselves and use “there’s contact” to absolve their former colleagues of blame when they give the softest of the soft.
The belief that ANY touch is enough to justify falling over, and the resulting triggering of the ref’s whistle because of that thinking, is the product of such analysis of “fouls” IMO.
‘holic I loved your “in the pocket” description of AMN’s performance against Victor Moses. In the same vein there is this from the player ratings section of thechelseachronicle website:
“Victor Moses – 5 (substituted after 56 minutes)
Not the best performance from Moses, who struggled against the impressive Ainsley Maitland-Niles.”
Who was the bigger cheat on the night? Hazard or LJW?
Allowing players “the opportunity to go down” is what has legitimised the cheating.
Might as well scrap the “all contact” aporoach and leave it entirely to referees’ discretion – it is anyway, and you just might get a half sensible decision occasionally.
Give the English referees a break ffs! They’re only human you know, and that’s why VAR is now essential for the mad and helter-smelter, up-and-at-em English game, so as to help their little plump bodies out.
Those “golden boy” refs from the other leagues seem better than the EPL ones because the football they ref thats played “over there”, is pedestrian in pace and intensity, and soft by comparison. It’s played by long-haired pansies too! That’s probably quite a good practical reason why those refs in the other leagues, look alot better than those we have over here. Let those golden-boy foreign refs come over here for a bit, and ref a match every 3-4 days over the winter period in the middle of Baltic conditions, and inside hostile stadium environment up-North, then we’ll see just how those good those “Johnny Foreigners” are shall we! ?
With all of that said, Mike Dean is still a big bald Cunt!
UTAAD&AN!
AFCOF!
Oh, and let them come over and experience a whole season without a winter break too! ?
Just testing a new toy (iPad)
Cheating has been going on for years and years. There is now an acceptable level within the game. “ There was Contact, he’s entitled to go down.” For a player that stayed on his feet, “he’s too honest, he should have gone down.” “Of course I’ve gone down when there has been contact and I could have stayed on my feet.”
There isn’t one player in the country that isn’t prepared to cheat and I hate it. I hate it with an absolute passion. There is virtually zero honesty and integrity left in the game.
By the letter of the law, it’s a penalty. That of course does not detract from the cheating and out of control theatrics from Hazard. Is he the first? Of course not. Will he be the last? Same answer.
Before we slaughter Hazard and any official take a look I’m at Jack. Was what he did any better? What happens if he gets the free kick and we score? I can’t imag many of us moaning then. No doubt we will be “due a bit of luck” or “makes up for West Brom.” … and so on.
If anyone thinks that what Hazard did is either new or uncommon then you are both niaive and sadly mistaken. He made the absolute most of minimal contact. Despite what we may all say, we would expect every Arsenal player to do the same if the same situation arose. If we didn’t get the decision then we would want the ref shot at dawn.
Who was the bigger cheat on the night? Hazard or LJW?
An easy question to answer.
Hazard dived to win a penalty, Wilshere dived to win a free kick. Hazard is the bigger cheat by a long way, as the punishment for the opposition was worse. Hazard also added a scream and holding the leg, when it wasn’t touched, to add to the con.
He should get banned.
Every contact is NOT A FOUL but every foul should be a penalty.
The End.
Every foul in the box that is 🙂
Instinctively i said penalty in real time and knowing it is Hazard who for all his brilliance has his theatrics, it was bound to be given. Our obvious frailties of conceding within 5-10 minutes of we scoring continues and it was an easy script to follow.
Chambers is a lost cause, like the boy but he is not cut for the high pressure of the league and more so playing for us and it is found out in most games he has featured. We have stood by him hoping for a betterment but cant see any unless he develops great positional acumen for his speed is long gone. Mustafi is a disaster waiting to happen and Cech has lost his reflexes although not his fighting spirit.
We are struggling without a DM and Xhaka is just not that. We will continue to struggle the second half of the season and unless spurs/pool or hopefully united crumble, i cannot see how we will finish top 4.
Teary eyed seeing jack score, get the boy a contract extension will you Arsene, atleast he deserves that.
Have to say I am surprised at your view Steve, given your fondness for rugby which for me is a great example of a sport that has moved into the 21st century. I have learned more about rugby from being able to eavesdrop on the officials reviewing events than I did in five years of playing the game.
I have to disagree with Cynic re DRS in cricket too. There is something very satisfying to see bad decisions overturned and good ones upheld.
The help is available to improve the lot of our referees, and maybe a video official will also prove some of these contentious decisions to be correct. I do fear that what will be introduced will be a closed process but that should not stop the governing bodies from trialling different systems until they crack it as other major sports have.
Re: Dapper Dan (“Mike Dean is still a big bald Cunt.”)
He looks like a little bald cunt to me. 😉
What are you surprised at H? Unless I haven’t put my point across very well? The simple fact is that I hate cheats. I hate cheats with an absolute passion. I think it’s a poison that the game could do without.
Rugby is an interesting example. I have long thought that football can learn a great deal from Rugby. But there are massive differences in attitudes of players, supporters and officials. For the main, officials are not abused. They are treated with respect regardless of whether a decision is right or wrong. Only the captain approaches the ref to ask questions. The vast majority of questions end with the word , Sir.
I also think like you, that reviews in cricket have massively improved the game. They have in Rugby. But in Rugby the important component in any referral is the question that accompanies it. “Is there any reason why I can’t award the try,” for example. For a review system to work in football there would have to be a similar system. Last night for example the question would have to have been “is there any reason why I shouldn’t award the penalty?” The difference of opinion in the media and on here alone tell you that it’s not an exact science. Whatever the final decision, you then have to just accept it. I would suggest that the barrage of abuse and expletives used by players makes the use of radio mics virtually impossible.
As I’ve said several times now, I hate the cheating and abuse of officials. ( Mike Dean being the exception). I find it embarrassing. I hate the fact that cheating is now an acceptable part of the game. I also hate the hypocrisy that surrounds it all. That’s from players, managers and supporters.
I love LJW to bits. Nothing would give be greater pleasure to see him develop into the player we all know he can be. Assuming he signs a new contract I would not be surprised to see him given the armband. But what he did last night saddens me. I actually think that what he did was worse than Hazard. Why? Because he made a contact followed by a dive. There was never any element of a foul. Hazard’s theatrics are not far behind.
All of this is one of the many reasons that I started to fall out of love with the game.
You are right about the standard of officials. It has got worse. But until we eradicate cheating then my sympathy somewhat wains. Who on earth would want to be a referee in today’s game?
Football is somewhat the master of its own destiny. Until there is a return of a certain degree of honesty, incidents that were witnessed last night will be regular features of every game.
http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/42561476
Rubbing salt on wounds and insult to injury and all that….
A long ban is probably on their agenda.
Bring on technology.
Who wouldn’t cheat?!
Theo Walcott probably wouldn’t.. seem to recall him apologizing profusely for a dive.
(http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11670/6646841/walcott-says-sorry-for-dive)
But there’s precious few in this winner takes all environment.
TV shows oceans of empty seats at Tottenham “home game” while their players look fairly somnolent.
phuq moi!
GOOOOAAALLL!!!
SSY i hope you are saying phuq moi encore at full time. 🙂
I have to disagree with Cynic re DRS in cricket too. There is something very satisfying to see bad decisions overturned and good ones upheld.
The problem with DRS is it makes umpires lazy. They can guess or ignore their responsibilities and rely on the captain on the field to do their job for them, or the umpire in the booth to do it.
The worst thing is the farce over LBW. The same delivery can be in or out, depending on what the umpire on the field says. So why bother with the technology?
If it is clipping the stump and he gives it out, it’s good enough to be out.
If it is clipping the stump and he gives it not out, it’s NOT good enough to give the player out.
DRS is a joke.
It weren’t a pen: Hazard fires in a cross, it rebounds orf an Arse defender and breaks loose.
Therefore Hazard doesn’t have the ball under his control; therefore it’s just 2 players involved in a contact sport scrapping for a loose ball, coming together in the mildest, most timid and inconsequential of so-what stylees.
Therefore … book and shoot the Chelski dwarf for diving & bleating like a gym-pumped toddler, and arrest and try and hang Abramovich for organized crime, murder & money laundering etc. (some of that stuff may be outta the ref’s/FA’s remit, but someone’s gotta give it a go, at some point)
(Blimee, i fink i may’ve more or less agreed wiv Cynic – therefore i may require a jolly good talking to, yes, you – me … Aiiiiiiiiiiiinsley Maitland(e)-Niles (a.k.a. AM(e)N)) … (Enuff brackets (alreadeeeeee)). G’nite.
https://youtu.be/9UOweeSdI2k
I remember that Theo incident, BB #69. There was also an occasion he was fouled in the area but immediately jumped up, still with the ball, and thumped it in the net to complete a hat trick if I remember correctly. Then there was the time he told the truth about Palace ‘wanting it more than us’, after which he’s barely kicked a ball in the Prem.
Nice lad, I hope he finds a club where honesty is appreciated.
Morlocks would be closest to your description, Trev, in The Time Machine anyway. There may be other fictional creatures of course, but none come to mind.
I’m just glad you didn’t think I was swearing at you. 😉
Steve, was there any between Moses and AMN?
Reverend AL.
Most convincing arguments I’ve heard yet. 🙂
This evening’s headline: “Trump’s lawyer tries to block publication of book about president’s chaotic first year”
Which reminds me, there is another word for this tactic:
C
E
N
S
O
R
S
H
I
P
I don’t think it is a pen at all. There is contact. There is no foul.
I totally agree that all those who have bought this ludicrous idea that any contact deserves a penalty are responsible for the shift in attitudes both on the pitch and in the stands.
The game I watch is nothing like the game I played.
I do have an issue with the quality of the referees- which stands across the league at all times, not just when it affects us.
I do not like the narrative that the media spins around Arsene’s complaints. It is perfectly possible for both him and his team to need big improvements AND for us to be getting consistently shitty ref’s decisions (read that how you want).
I’m totally bored by poor refs and poor media. Unfortunately our lot aren’t doing enough to provide the thrill these days.
Mike Dean is such a Mike Dean I want to Mike Dean him right in his Mike Dean. Let’s see how the Mike Dean Mike Deans that.
And if Arsene says the same thing to the National media then he has my backing on that one any day of the week.
@80
Cracking post GSD and I agree
with all of it.
Although, sadly, the game I watch
was never like the game I
played 🙁
Swansea’s new Portuguese manager reveals his January transfer strategy:
“I will look to the lobsters and sea bass, but if not we must buy sardines.”
It all sounds similar to Tabs’ description of AW’s transfer strategy a few years ago. Something about ? and other small critters as I recall.
Kicking someone in the leg to prevent him kicking the ball isn’t a foul, GSD? Really??
We play the game under today’s less liberal rule interpretations, and there’s no point at all in arguing we should still allow Neanderthals free rein.
I quite agree with you re DRS, Cynic, either go with the technology or don’t use it at all, imo.
LBWs in particular have too many qualifications. The rule should be something like … “If a ball which would otherwise have hit the wicket is prevented from doing so by any part of the batsman or his equipment other than the bat, then the batsman shall be given out“. None of this ‘you can’t be out if it pitches ouside leg or hits the batsman ouside the line etc etc’. We might as well go back to Bradman’s day when batsmen could simply kick away balls pitched outside the stumps (off side as well as leg side) and not be given out lbw, even when no shot was played.
Just one of the advantages Bradman had which helped him look so much better than anyone since. Advantages like only ever playing test cricket in England and Australia (never on the sub-continent, graveyard of many a test average for example); or most of his tests being timeless, so no plenty of time to build an innings; or Aussie pitches being shirt-fronts tailor-made for him.
Not to mention fast bowlers were never the quality they are today. Spinners were considered more of a threat prior to the 1950s, which is why toss-winning captains always chose to bat first. In fact, not once between 1909 and 1951 (including the whole of Bradman’s career) did any test captain of any country ask the opposition to bat first after winning the toss.
But I digress…..
I can’t wait for next weeks instalment entitled, ‘It wasn’t offside because it was only a little bit.’
?
They’ve been trialling DRS in Australia’s top league this season and pretty much everyone has seen it as a disaster.
The game is interrupted, the decisions take an age looking at all sorts of angles, there is no explanation given and one person’s view is never the same as another’s.
The managers, players and fans have all expressed dissatisfaction leaving only the referees in favour and even they are not united. The governing body has said it needs to “tweak” the system but not until the trial ends.
It probably works ok for cricket and even rugby because there are so many natural breaks in those games anyway – between deliveries and the interminable re-setting of scrums etc. etc. – but I believe it’s disastrous in a game like football.
There are now god-knows how many balls being used in a game to help speed things up – why find new ways like DRS to slow it down again?
UTA.
Football is too big and has too much money involved for us not to us3 technology if it’s available. It won’t stop the debate Re penalties . Interestingly would a DRS have overturned the Dean decision? It would not I think overturn the Hazard decision although I tend toward Cynic’s view that it was contact but not contact sufficient to severely impede an opponent. Hazard cheated ( but so did Jack)
I would allow one review of contentious decisions per half by the captain of the team affected by the decision. If it’s successful you retain the review, if not you lose it . That should prevent spurious appeals. Additionally the ref can seek clarification when he wishes from the video ref whose decision is final. Football isn’t able to swim against tge tide and with detailed video analysis available to TV it makes sense to use it in the actual game .
The goal line technology has completely eliminated disputes re whether tge ball crossed the line or not. It will become part of the game quickly if used.
Good debate on the Tech issue…
I would agree that Cricket and Tennis are able to use Video technology ok because they are slower games with more natural breaks in them anyway ; I watch both and do not find it interrupts the natural flow of either.
So…can any rugby fans on here (sorry – cannot stand it myself ) comment on how the Video technology has affected that sport in recent years – as a fast moving team game it must have allot more in common with football ?
The goal line technology works because it is immediate and, more importantly, because it is a matter of fact, not opinion.
The DRS whether applied by the referee or a third official is still a matter of opinion. What if a third official disagrees with a referee – whose opinion is more valid? If a referee changes his mind on reviews two or three times then who will take his subsequent decisions on the park seriously anyway? Will this have an impact on how he chooses to review incidents in following games?
I believe that these types of DRS review will impact negatively and will also slow down and ruin the spectacle for people at the game, as already proven in Oz.
As a former referee I accept that not every decision I made was right. Mistakes are part of the game, from managers, players and officials. Decisions are based on opinions – The fact that there is no consensus here about whether or not Hazard’s was even a penalty illustrates this.
Similarly, if Mustafi’s offside goal against the Spuds had been disallowed on review, would we still have gone on to win the game? Who knows? It’s all part of the game.
UTA.
I hunted high and low but found
no one proposing free range
neanderthals, just some sound
appeals to common sense.
Offside is not a contact decision.
Next week’s installment could be
“I decided off the top of my head
in a split second”…..
A long running farce that isn’t
funny.
Chris – The only thing DRS should be used for with LBW is to check for nicks. Ball tracking is not an exact science, which is why they have that “half the ball” nonsense to overturn.
Incidentally, on the Arsenal… For those still convinced it was a penalty, I would bet you any money that if Bellerin had gone down howling, he would have got the free kick. We see it in other areas of the pitch all the time.
It is sad, but football has been turned into a game of the first one to scream wins.
Even for a purist like me, technology has made the fast and physical games like Rugby Union and Rugby League, all the better for it.
You don’t get the petulant and immature footballers bull? in Rugby because if you try it there, you get immediately sent-off and/or banned forever if you’re a cheating and vile Cunt! Feck the fines!
There you go Arsene, your next job – overseeing Wenger-ball throughout a whole Country from the very top to the very grassroots’ of bottoms! ??
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/42577625
What a wet-dream! ?
There seems to have been a huge amount of comment and condemnation across the media on Jack’s dive.
Funny that I can’t recall any media fuss over the constant rotational fouling that he has been subjected to throughout his senior career – even though he’s one of England’s own.
Should the press not be putting a protective arm around him like they do whenever Kane and Alli are committing their indiscretions – both diving and fouling.
Whatever could the difference be ?
Wenger decides not to fight his charge on Dean and gets a three match touchline ban, with the Chelsea matter still to be judged.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has been given a three-match touchline ban and fined £40,000 for his behaviour in the referee’s changing room after Sunday’s game against West Brom.
————
Adding insult to injury…!
Agree entirely with Noosa @90,
Which says pretty much exactly what I said a way back – no idea what number.
Most of the video referrals i’ve seen in Rugby relate to whether or not a valid try was scored – the equivalent of goal lone technology in football – or some act of violence was perpetrated. There’s very little room for opinion, from my very limited knowledge, and lots of natural breaks in Rugby.
Almost every referral in football will come down to someone’s opinion, whether you have one, two, three or thirty three people sitting in judgement.
We shall await the other “farcical” charge.
@95, and what sanction will be taken against Dean for his decision which, whether through bias, incompetence , Jasper Carrott impersonatoryness or whatever, was match changing and blatantly wrong ?
A salutary piece from Alex Hleb one of a number of players whose careers plummeted after moving from Arsenal to Barca
http://news.arseblog.com/2018/01/hleb-wenger-text-had-me-crying-while-fishing/?utm_source=feedburner.com%2Farseblognews&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+arseblognews+%28Arseblog+News+-+the+Arsenal+news+site%29
Methinks of Overmars, Petit, Fabregas, Song,Silvinho , Vermaelen and even Henry who won the CL but was on a downward form spiral when he moved.
Only GVB really benefited. Don’t we sell them a lot of players!?
Open goal….thanks for the assist Trev?
I suggest suitable punishment for Dean is to be locked in a room with
cba – it will either be kill or cure ?.
#93 / #97
Thanks – really interesting for a Rugby refusenik like myself.
Maybe we could throw the use of Ice Hockey style “sin bins” into the debate – would gladly stick Mike Dean in one for starters 🙂
Sorry Uply I’m a goal hanger! ?
Whoops……afraid it’s a Danny Welbeck impression (miss) – well in TTG for the ton.
There’s a few more of the current mob who I would be happy to pass on to our Catalan friends at very special mates rates ?
Mike Dean heard “rotational fouling” and thought he would do it to Arsenal and so he does. Sometimes he fouls us in the first half and sometimes in the second. Sometimes he fouls us at home and sometimes away. Sometimes he sticks us in the front and sometimes in the back. You get the idea.
“You don’t get the petulant and immature footballers bull? in Rugby because if you try it there, you get immediately sent-off and/or banned forever if you’re a cheating and vile Cunt!“
There lies the massive difference between the two and the reason why ?ing officials wouild not happen.
Trev. The TMO in Rugby is used for a variety of incidents. It includes try’s as well as foul play, a forward pass or anything the ref wants a second look at.
Video technology in football divides opinion. I personally think the whole situation is bizarre. You have a fast moving game, littered with cheats. An incident happens and officials have one chance to get it right. Within seconds of the incident TV has shown the same incident in slow motion and from hundreds of different camera angles. Pundits then debate it. Retired officials give their opinion, but the people that really matter get once chance. We don’t afford them the opportunity to look at an incident again and correct any error. Then they get slaughtered for getting it wrong.
For me the solution is simple. Let them have use of the technology. If you still deny them the opportunity then you are agreeing to them making the best of what they can. I think it’s the most ridiculous thing in the game the deny officials a second look and then have a right old go when they get it wrong.
Put up or shut up time.
Great ‘dive’ by LallaMa
next on the agenda – Jonathan Moss
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eGEZmOj7CY
? to all that Steve T said @106, and more! ??
What we need is more retrospective action on rotational fouling, diving, ref’s errors, cheating of all types etc etc. I wouldn’t advocate anything as drastic as changing the result of games or replaying them, but fining clubs or players and banning them for appropriate periods would be in order. Yes, the FA has such powers now, but rarely cracks the whip as hard as it could and should.
You leave Jonathan Moss alone, SSY, he may have the observational powers of Mr Magoo but his record reffing us is impeccable.
Better Moss reffing us than a rolling stone. But I must say, Moss does move faster than a stationery stone.
OK, i’ll leave him alone
you’re right
We think Moss is doing a sterling
job?
He’s as bad as Taylor and Dean
really, quite the buffoon and they
should all have been fired long
since.
Barkley at 15m seems a
reasonable punt these days.
£15 Million Transfer Fee +
£XX Million Signing-On Fee +
£XX Million Annual Salary (after tax) +
£XX Million Incentive Bonuses (potentially)
= ? ? ?
?? all the way to the bank!
And ?? on the way back out again!
This table sadly ( and I mean that ) suggests that the more you spend the higher you finish. It’s an exact correlation in the top 6 . It seems to me to go to the heart of the challenge facing Arsenal
http://dailycannon.com/2018/01/arsenal-spending/
Sadly ( and I mean this too) we are shooting towards the top of the currently injured first- team league. Everyone in the Premier League has played the same number of games . For those in Europe our group have played less games than the other top six players.
Taken together it might explain why we are off the pace in terms of a top four finish.
We’ve won 15 of the 18 games of ours Moss has reffed but he has never taken charge of a game involving one of the top clubs. He has given us three penalties in those 18 games (and one against), all three of which were in games we won by the odd goal.
SteveT@106: Well said.
Coutinho for £145 Million squids, and bought for £8.5 Million! Nice bit of business that! Thank you very much! ?
How much would Alexis Sanchez (or Mesut Ozil) have now been going for, if not been so monumentally fecked up? ?
Nice bit of business but they spent more than half of that money on a centre half, which is LOLsome.
Perhaps Cynic, but at least they haven’t flush it down the toilet?! ??
Incidentally, how much was that new stadium debt that we penny-pinched over for over a decade? Was it not something like £400+ Million squids? How many Alexis Sanchez’s is that? ?
Arsene Wenger famously has an economics degree. ??
Jonny Evans did not play for West Brom in the Cup today. Make of that what you will but there is much speculation that he is moving to us. Can’t get really excited about this but it is interesting to see Arsene buy two centre backs !
25 million for the idiot?
why not? roll and rock
gabriel, anyone?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>