by Andrew Crawshaw
Before I start thinking about our match on Saturday a quick update on the PGMO world in general.
- Since my last update the PGMO have introduced an additional referee to the PL this year. Following an unsuccessful single game a couple of seasons ago Simon Hooper was given another trial in the Newcastle v Burnley game in Matchweek 25 (it ended in a 1 – 1 draw), this time there weren’t howls of derision from the referee watchers in the twittersphere so I guess he might be seen again.
- Manchester United have still seen the fewest different referees with 11, Liverpool have had 12, Watford and Palace have had 13, most clubs have had 14 or 15, Southampton 16 and Stoke and Brighton 17.
- No team has yet to see a referee for a fifth time.
- Arsenal, Huddersfield, Leicester, Man City, Southampton, Swansea, Watford and West Brom haven’t yet had a fourth visit from any referee.
- United (not surprisingly given the few referees they have seen) have the most referees doing four matches (Pawson, Moss and Marriner), they also have triple visits from Taylor and Atkinson.
On to Saturday and most of you will probably be aware that our officials are :-
- Referee – Anthony Taylor Age 39 From Cheshire and FIFA accredited
- Assistant Referee 1 – Gary Beswick from Durham and FIFA accredited
- Assistant Referee 2 – Adam Nunn from Wiltshire and FIFA accredited
- Fourth Official – Bobby Madley Age 32 from West Yorkshire and FIFA accredited
So a fully FIFA accredited compliment of match officials which should give us all a sense that the game will be in competent hands – am I the only one who is sceptical at this time?
This will be the third time this year that we have had Mr Taylor in charge of one of our games.
Arsenal v Bournemouth (3 – 0) 9 September with both Gary Beswick and Adam Nunn as Assistants. There were two controversial incidents; King should have had two yellow cards when he first elbowed Kos then trod on him a foul was given but nothing else; the second incident was when Smith blocked a Kolasinac shot in the penalty area with his arm away from his body, this should have been a penalty. See clip 10 on Usama’s thread
Arsenal v Chelsea (2 – 2) 3 January with Adam Nunn and Lee Betts as assistants. Here again there were two controversial incidents. Hazard grossly exaggerated any contact from Bellerin to win an undeserved penalty ; Wilshere should have had a second yellow card for a dive (clip 35). The Chelsea penalty cost us two points.
Here is my Summary from that report :-
- Mr Taylor is definitely not a referee to be trusted despite us winning more games than we lose when he is in charge.
- His bias figures against us are biblical
- If we can establish a three goal lead then he tends to change and become an ‘honest broker’
- Only the most blatant of penalties will be given in our favour
- Virtually every match an opposition player is given a ‘licence to kill’ and is then allowed unlimited fouls against our players without fear of being given one let alone two yellow cards.
- Arsenal players are never ever allowed any freedom at all and will always be sanctioned to the maximum allowed in the rulebook.
- Make no mistake our task to beat Tottenham will be made much harder by Mr Taylor and his team of FIFA accredited match officials.
I saw few signs in the Chelsea game of him changing his spots and becoming more trustworthy, although he could have dismissed Wilshere with a second yellow card for a dive (our ref reviewers would have done so).
Summary
- With Serial divers Alli and Kane on the pitch and a manager who seems to actively encourage such cheating there is an extremely high probability that Spurs will be gifted at least one penalty
- It will take a first half performance like we produced last week to take the outcome of the game out of Mr Taylor’s largesse.
COYG
- Tottenham H v Arsenal. Tottenham have looked stronger, but is there an edge for Arsenal?
- Six Arsenal departures this summer, 19 arrivals plus a new manager spotted.
- Why Auba is the new Robert Pires
This article has just wasted 5 minutes of my life. The summary summarised nothing other than speculative opinion. Please do the same analysis on every team and every game he’s refereed and create an index comparison that actually proves the outlandish assumptions made above.. You could take figures from any referee against and team and come up with the same conclusions if you choose to focus on the controversies in games. Poor, poor journalism.
not sure why no one mentions Lamela alongside Alli and Kane
still remember his theatrics a few years ago when he should have received second yellow for diving and Dier should have had a second yellow for professional foul (and Coq received two yellows)
his actions at Anfield were very suspect too
When Dean awarded WBA a “penalty” that cost us two points, he was roundly ridiculed.
He then admitted he made a mistake.
His punishment?
Awarded a game in the next round of premier league games.
Expect the same versus Spuds with this referee, the only glimmer of hope we is this match is so high profile, it might just be refereed properly.
He will be scrutinized this game for sure, and he knows that. Mind you that has not stopped him before.
Arsenal know what is needed, and a great performance and concentration to the last minute is needed, i’m sure they all know this is the FA cup final, or at least this is what they should be thinking.
So, Arsenal, make sure you get a good night’s sleep, about now you should be all winding down in preparation for the game, and no sleepy eyes and slow starts for this game please.
And you wives and GFs, do not make them work too hard tonight and make sure they do not release, in fact go visit your sister/parents or what ever. 🙂
Wengers comments mean all eyes will be on this ref and Spurs cheating. However refs will also be aware how much the media love the Spuds and will crucify anyone who does harm against them.
yes, expect them to get a pen or two, our players run the risk of red as well.
but if we turn up , as we often do at wembley, we can negate any ref antics
People should be worried if dembellend starts tomorrow he is the dirtiest player in the league with out question. He’s a strong boy but smashes people constantly (should of hate 6 yellows vs liverfools)and can also dive as proven last season strong as ox runs through our team then goes down like he’d been shot the second he gets in our box… add dele kane and him to mix with Taylor in charge definitely gonna be a penalty tomorrow
Leeroy, there will certainly be a penalty if arsenal are ahead by a narrow margin in the closing stages of the game
OT: Tottenspud vs The Arsenal News
FourFourTwo thinks Piers Mrgan is a Gooner.
Five Things the Gunners Must Do to Beat the Tottenspud
_1. Score more goals
_2. Score more goals
_3. Score more goals
_4. Score more goals
_5. Score more goals (didn’t I just write this story?)
How to Watch the Game
_1. Buy a ticket or
_2. Turn on TV or
_3. Find an Internet stream somewhere
Paul Merson’s pick for … is
_1. Stupid
_2. Idiotic
_3. Dumb
Alternate Reality: What if Arsenal Had of Replaced Wenger With:
_1. Pee Wee Herman
_2. Angela Merkel
_3. Hulk Hogan
_4. Colonel Robert E. Hogan
_5. George W.W.W. Bush
_6. Mr. Ed
There is sure to be a lot of diving going on . Hope out fans bring along their judges score cards by the thousands to rate the quality of their dives.
You know , just to make a point-they would need only two cards – a ZERO and a ONE !
While a minus score sounds mighty attractive to me,its just not mathematically logical! But my friend, Gord , may prove me wrong !
Our fans of course cannot rate our own team , as that would be too overtly biased !
https://thumb7.shutterstock.com/display_pic_with_logo/1167899/475320865/stock-vector-group-of-judges-showing-score-cards-475320865.jpg
For me , no penalties against us and that none of our players being sent off will sound very promising ! 2-0 to the Arsenal !
Up the Gunners !
And now the BBC seems to be supporting ManCity’s contention that they are being given special, robust treatment by other teams. Funnily enough they have never supported Arsenal whenever that was mentioned by Mr. Wenger. I am curious to see how the league responds to Manchester City’s request for a meeting and its fall out.
http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/43010230
On judging –
https://02varvara.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/00-asshole-01-020715.jpg?w=1600&h=860
We shouldn’t forget that our defence has been shaky even when playing against teams with weak attacking force. Mustafi makes many blind passes and he easily blunders when under slight pressure from opposition players.
I hope arsenal wins this match to close the gap.
The spuds in general have a diving tactic. They always seem to dive towards the end of the season.
Taylor is a master cheat with no social conscience. It will be an interesting game considering we will be playing in our home ground, while spuds will be playing in a paid for, rented, ground that they think is home.
There will be some serial fouling on key players, specially Ozil, as the game progresses. I just hope our supporters know to chant ‘cheating lying bastard’ or ‘Rileys pimps are wearing black’ to Taylor rather than ‘you don’t know what you’re doing’.
Oh Goonz, how I loved your comment. The examination you crave is on the site. You only had to look for it. Oh for eyes to see. It is called 160 games analysed. You’ll find it if you look.
Ref Bias and PGMOL has been well documented here on Untold over the years…no one who follows the writings here (both by authors and commentators alike) can dispute this!!
I see an interesting article on BBC with headline: “Manchester City: Premier League leaders want PGMOL refereeing meeting”
Obviously City feel hard done by with injuries this year and have turned their attention to “no protection” by refs!!
We too, here on Untold have said the same thing over and over again…I have three questions:
1/Will City get a hearing?
2/Will they be told by PGMOL that a/It all evens out in the end, b/Ref decisions are 99.99% correct?
3/Did AFC (with all the broken legs and ruined careers/close to ruined careers of their players ever ask for a similar meeting and did we ever get a hearing…?
apoarmani
1) if they do – we won’t know
2) the meeting will be strictly business, no fairy tales
3) if they dud – we won’t know
@OlegYсh
10/02/2018 at 9:17 am
I dont recall any such headline for AFC…we here screamed for AFC to take it up with PGMOL…we even sent emails to the club without response!
Anthony Taylor is a biased and incompetent referee. He is almost certainly a fan of a Merseyside or Manchester team, as he costs Arsenal points through his dual skills of bias and incompetence. I remember the season opener at the Emirates 3-4 years ago when he allowed Agbon-la-Whore to run into Koscielny, then fall over to get a penalty. Delle Alle will know that and try it today, along with running into the box and stopping as soon as he sees a tracking defender behind him, then falling over as if he was fouled.
I am sceptical of le boss’s defendsuve setup these days, but we are a better side than the Totts and we need to beat them and AT today, to get what we deserve.
Apprentice Taylor.
I don’t what one has to do to reach the Elite pgMOB secret roster of “big games”, but I think I’m starting to understand why Hackett and others are so pissed off 😉
Atkinson, Marriner, Dean, Taylor, Oliver. I would have one won some good Wonga with an even spread down at Stokebet365 on one of the Usual Supects turning up. What are the odds! 🙂
We know the Game Managment prism will be different then in an FA cup final? Will the pgMOB be interested in attempting to salvage their lost credibility or do they see all football fans as the plebs riding the donkey carts of their gravy train?