Before I start I should point out that I realise that this article will be met with derision by a whole host of supporters. Top class numptys will bang on about ‘you win some, you lose some’ and ‘you make your own luck’ and other such banal comments. Well, if you disagree with me that’s fine, but you’re a shmuck if you do. When faced with the injustices that we Gooners have been of late, any supporter would be livid.
Arsenal are not in crisis. To suggest otherwise is plain stupid. So we’ve started slowly. Big deal. Liverpool and Tottenham have both done the same in recent seasons and finished comfortably in the top half of the league. We will do the same, maybe even finishing in the top six. It’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon.
The Gunners have 7 points from a possible 21 – a stark contrast to the hauls of both Manchester clubs, with both of them sitting pretty on 19. This is not the Arsenal that we are all used to seeing. They seem to be lacking some essential ingredient. I would suggest that this missing element is ‘belief’.
But this isn’t the reason for their lowly league standing. For that you need look no further than the refs that are ruining the modern game.
Newcastle – Joey Barton commits a foul inside the penalty box by hauling Gervinho up by his collar. No penalty given.
Liverpool – 2 offside goals given.
Blackburn – An offside goal given to Blackburn and Arsenal are denied a stone-wall penalty at the death.
Tottenham – A handball from Van Der Vaart. Then, whilst on a yellow, he runs into the crowd to celebrate. Whilst I don’t agree that this is a card worthy offence, that’s the rules and they weren’t enforced – he should have been sent off.
If the correct decisions were made in those matches, then several results change. We should’ve had three points against Newcastle, one against Liverpool, three against Blackburn and a draw at Spurs. That is three losses and a draw in what should have been two wins and two draws.
“That is three losses and a draw in what should have been two wins and two draws” – and more importantly, the atmosphere at the club would be totally different, and we wouldn’t be fearing the next game, as some of the players probably are now.
Mike Holmes you are right and i don’t get why teams are allowed to get away with fouls etc just because its Arsenal. You know as well as i do that if RVP scored the way van dumb fart did then the ref disallow the goal!
I’m not worried, by February we will be up there and all will ask how we got away. Typical PL. Even last season ‘experts’ had predicted we won’t finish above 6th and we almost finished 2nd. Wait and see.
Of course let’s ignore such aspects as Song stamping on Barton. Also, in the Gervinho incident play had stopped and can’t then be a penalty!
And that if the decisions are changed the whole match would play out differently, so how can we possibly know the outcome? Suggesting you know what it would be is just dumb.
Arsenal have problems and they aren’t down to referees. All teams suffer bad decisions! Some just ignore it, play on and win.
Sorry Bob, but you’re wrong. If these things happened once or twice I could live it with but it’s nearly every game now. It’s getting beyond ridiculous.
As for your examples. Song got a red after the fact and was suspended. In the Gervinho incident the play had not stopped when the foul took place, it should have been a penalty (watch youtube if you don’t believe me).
And whilst I’m not saying I’m psychic and can predict results, all I can do is analyse whats put in front of me. Also, suggesting I’m ‘dumb’ for exploring the consequences of serious mistakes made against us seems a little counterproductive. Of course I can’t see what would happen in a parallel universe, but the fact remains that here, in our realm of existence, referees have cost us up to seven points this season.
I’m not for one minute suggesting that Arsenal don’t have problems of their own making, but just saying ‘ignore it, play on and win’ is the kind of attitude that encourages this kind of thing to continue unchallenged. Why is it not alright to demand fair results?
Well if song had been sent off then you would be down to ten men and I doubt you would have got the three points you claim but then who knows. I have rewatched on youtube and agree my memory failed me on that.
I agree entirely that referring is poor entirely because they are human and can’t be everywhere. And I also agree a solution is needed. But to think Arsenal are being victimised by it seems a little extreme. Most teams can point to examples of bad decisions this season, why not write a general article about some of the awful decisions and the solution.
You say you can’t see what would happen in a parallel universe but then claim you know exactly how many points Arsenal should have, no mention of “up to” in the article.
Though I do concede the blackburn penalty decision was ridiculous and probably would have been a draw assuming the penalty was converted – which isn’t a guarantee.
I put the ‘up to’ in the reply in an effort to acknowledge that, although I disagree, you do make some valid points. Had those decisions been correct, we still may have gone on to lose all of those games and I concede that.
Also, I don’t think there is some anti-Arsenal conspiracy where we get targeted by refs. Some teams are lucky, some aren’t – Arsenal are amongst the most unlucky. What I want is a level playing field where luck is removed from the equation (as much as is humanly possible).
I also agree with you: Arsenal has had bad luck! Think of it this way fergie comes 2 the emirates without his key players (rooney, nani, vidic, young et al) to face Arsenal’s full squad of TV5, VP10, Sagna, Song, Arteta… That obviously must b given a method beating. I am surprised 2 read several articles depicting yesterday’s spurs game as a ‘horrible’ show frm Arsenal: hold on a bit, Coquelin kept modric silent, Song played in defence and looked better than kaboul & we now hav a better LB in Gibbs than the error prone clichy.
agreed
The reason Arsenal is been treated the way we have been treated is simply bc we have less English players, play almost Spanish style of football (Baca) & not English style (Stoke City) plus a foreigner(French) manager(Arsene) which the English FA can’t torlorate. eg Platini, you guys understand?
good article and well analyzed, ive always said before that most refs dont like us, people say you make your own luck but how can a team like arsenal do that when refs/officials control the outcome of the game, last season against tottenham we were winning 4-0 and the ref sent off our player and decided our fate, maybe thats not a good example because diaby raised his hand and had to go BUT look at alot of our games and you realise that something is not right.
last season in the CL second leg VS barcelona the ref sent off RVP for kicking the ball into the net….. what kind of joke was that…..we were hanging on and were still with a chance in that game BUT the ref sent off RVP for a nothing act and crippled us of any chance to get something from that tie, it is a disgrace and an enquery or something needs to be done……..refs have not become so bad all of a sudden because this farce has been going on for many seasons.
ok i understand that luck has a big part to play in success aswell BUT how can we rely on that when the refs rob us of any chance, it really is a DISGRACE.
It’s still early days. Wenger will turn it around. This is what he’s good at – over achieving with bare-bones. Without the squad to compete, we’ve competed on 4 fronts consistently. This season it will be 3 fronts and a top 4 finish. I am not at the point where I’m panicking.
Not with Vermaelen almost back which will enable Koscielny to cover for Sagna. We still have Miyaichi and Park to join the fold. We’ve already seen Chamberlain stake his claim.
Signings might take place in January too. We also play our rivals which are opportunities to make up ground if we beat them.
Disaster will be early exit from Champions League, more injuries, no January signings of note and 5 more losses this season.
You forgot also 3 suspensions for Gervinho, Song and Frimpong while Braton got only a yellow card pfff…