Referee Review 2012/13: Everton. A slight bias in favour… but only in the middle.

By Walter Broeckx This article is part of the series of the Referee Review 2013. You can find links to earlier articles on the bottom of this article. ———————————————- In this part of the series we have a look at each team and see how the bias panned out for each team. This is based …

Arsenal v Tottenham. The Untold match preview

Dominic Sanchez Cabello I apologise in advance, as writing anything balanced about Spurs is tricky for me. Regardless, I’ll try not to be overcome with scorn and offer you a fair assessment. Can’t promise anything though… Naturally, they’ll finish above us – you know what ol’ ‘arry Redknapp says: “6th times a charm.” It is …

Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur – The officials (and a few concerns)

By Andrew Crawshaw Referee – Michael Oliver  First season 2010/11 Born 1985, elevated to the FIFA list in 2012.  Was the youngest referee in Premier League history when he took charge of the Birmingham v Blackburn game in August 2010. Assistants – S Long & J Collin 4th Official – J Moss Past performance – …

Referee Review 2012/13: Fulham. It all evens out in the end.

By Walter Broeckx This article is part of the series of the Referee Review 2013. You can find links to earlier articles on the bottom of this article. ———————————————- n this part of the series we have a look at each team and see how the bias panned out for each team. This is based …

The fans who attend the games are always at the bottom of the list.

If you are still on that ten year waiting list for a season ticket at the Ems here’s a thought.  The stadium just got smaller. Not much smaller compared with the number of AAA fans who have (at least according to their own propaganda) thrown their season tickets in the bin or failed to renew. …

Oh look brather Mathieu is back: the fighter against ridiculous transfer fees

By Walter Broeckx Let me start with saying that I know there is an error against English grammar in the title. Even though I’m not a native English speaker I still do know that ‘brather’ is not a real English word. But I will come back to that at the end of the article. So …

Ref Review 2012/13: Liverpool – you should blame the refs!

By Walter Broeckx This article is part of the series of the Referee Review 2013. You can find links to earlier articles on the bottom of this article. ———————————————- In this part of the series we have a look at each team and see how the bias panned out for each team. This is based …

Champions League – I’m Having A Laugh!

Champions League – I’m Having A Laugh! By Ian Jenkinson I was delighted to see Arsenal qualify for the Champions League for the 16th consecutive season on Tuesday. It really is a fantastic record, only equalled or bettered by Man Utd and Real Madrid. And with the draw coming up it reminded me of this …

The Champions League: who could we meet and my favourite draw

By Walter Broeckx So today will be the draw of the Group stages of the Champions league. Much to the annoyance of the English media and the Wenger haters, Arsenal will be in pot 1. Together with Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Chelsea, Real Madrid, Manchester United, Porto and Benfica.  Manchester City of course are not there, …

Referee Review 2012/13: Manchester City. Unlike their neighbours, a very small bias.

By Walter Broeckx This article is part of the series of the Referee Review 2013. You can find links to earlier articles on the bottom of this article. ———————————————- In this part of the series we have a look at each team and see how the bias panned out for each team. This is based …

Were you in row 15 last night? Worry not! Your desperate negativity can be cured

By Dr Billy “The Dog” McGraw Senior Psychologist, Hospital of the North Circular Road, Enfield. So, my friends, were you sitting in row 15 last night in the lower tier of the north bank?  Just behind the goal. Did you spend the whole evening saying, in a monotone, “Spend some fucking money”?    In between saying …

Sorry AAA, but we can say “Bring on the draw for the CL”

By Walter Broeckx So Arsenal have done the job in a very professional way. Winning both legs and keeping the qualifying record at 100% wins. That alone is a rather impressive fact I would say. As a result Uefa will be a bit relieved that they don’t have to put everything upside down if the …

Fenerbahçe at the Emirates: a unique Untold vision

Dominic Sanchez-Cabello This game really doesn’t matter anymore. We’re 3-0 up, they don’t seem to care and if the worst happens there is a hearing anyway. Bearing that in mind, I was half tempted to write you a match preview for St Stephen’s Borough against the Old Enemy Plymstock A.F.C instead. I had it planned: …

Ref Review 2012/13: Manchester Utd gain highest positive bias in the League

By Walter Broeckx This article is part of the series of the Referee Review 2013. You can find links to earlier articles on the bottom of this article. ———————————————- In this part of the series we have a look at each team and see how the bias panned out for each team. This is based …

What influence results more: spending the money early or refereeing?

By Walter Broeckx After almost two complete match days in the PL (one game missing and that is Manchester United – Chelsea) and with the last week of the transfer market finally upon us I want to make a quick update on the state of affairs in the PL. Let us start with Arsenal of …

Untold Non-league: Green Lions hammer out a point against the Anvils

What it’s all about (an explanation by Tony) Drew and I are season ticket holders at the Ems and travel together to home games from Northants.  During our many hours of discussion and debate we’ve often talked about the other teams we’ve watched during times of our lives when we were unable to make it …

Referee Review 2012/13: Newcastle Utd. 11 wrong decisions per game.

By Walter Broeckx This article is part of the series of the Referee Review 2013. You can find links to earlier articles on the bottom of this article. ———————————————- In this part of the series we have a look at each team and see how the bias panned out for each team. This is based …

A new way to explore, publicise and ultimately resolve the refereeing crisis is needed now

How to deal with the refs Each day the Arsenal History Society site puts up an article about an Arsenal player or Arsenal event that has an anniversary on the day in question.  Today was the turn of Jérémie Aliadière to come under the microscope, and in preparing the piece I was reminded of the …

Fulham 1 – Arsenal 3: no midweek hangover

By Walter Broeckx On a very very busy day for me between our annual course as a ref and a training session added to it, then rushing home to see the Arsenal game at Fulham before having just one hour before I go to my match… And it is a rather special match.  For the …

BT Sprot desperate for Arsenal not to score a fourth

By Tony Attwood They came to the Ems for the Ems Cup, and made it utterly clear that the notion of how to cope with “one point for a goal” was completely beyond them.  Three was it – the maximum.  Beyond that their maths could not cope as the entire commentary team degenerated into giggles …

A trip down the River, a game at the Cottage, a pm in the pub

Dominic Sanchez-Cabello So, we looked good in Istanbul, Chelsea were lucky at The Bridge and some bloke called Gareth is to be sold for 90 million. The man is called Gareth for heaven’s sake! Onwards to Fulham: Craven Cottage is one of the trickier places to go and in recent times has been the setting …

There is a very strong chance that Spain’s financial crash will seriously injure football

Why are agents still pushing their players into Spain?  Why are British clubs still selling players to Spain when they must know (even if it is via prickles in the back of the neck) that there is every chance of several Spanish clubs going into administration or liquidation this year.  And that as a result …

So, how would YOU handle Arsenal’s transfers, Chamakh and Flamini?

By Tony Attwood Right.  You are Arsenal manager or CEO or whatever.  You are in charge of transfers.  What do you do? Tell everyone who you are signing or stay quiet?   The former has a problem because if the deal doesn’t go through because the selling club won’t sell, it makes you look silly.  So …

A fine display of team work and work ethics, more of this please

By Walter Broeckx   After the first match review  that was more based on the in my opinion fairly unbiased performance of the ref I will now give my thoughts on the game and the players.   If some fans were visibly struck by our defeat last Saturday the team surely didn’t look affected that …