by Nekuhan
Tony, and other authors on Untold, will you please stop calling the PGMOb ‘incompetent’, ‘biased’, ‘partisan’, ‘partial’, etc., because they are most certainly NOT!
They are only a corrupt, criminal organisation, with no limit nor control, as Tony you yourself, and others, and other commentators have pointed out numerous times and indeed over so many years.
What is a corrupt, criminal organisation? Normally it is an organisation that is highly secretive in all that it does, whose actions could be seen (by some at least) as crooked, felonious, appalling and otherwise unacceptable.
Now of course these are the elements usually and normally associated more with the Mafia, Camorra, ‘Ndrangheta, Cartel, Yakuza or Triad. Now of course PGMOL is not the Mafia etcetera, but it does share some of its characteristics, such as keeping a very low profile and seemingly being answerable to no one other than itself. It is an organisation that has gained a monopoly for refereeing games in English professional football … (‘The best football league in the universe’!) and which excludes others from entering its territory.
And like the Mafia it is utterly secret. Now we can understand why the Mafia keeps itself secret, but why does PGMOL? Why not have a website? Why not, as in Germany, allow referees to discuss the match with the media shortly after the game? Why has it run out of cash? These are questions that are not asked, and thus not answered, just as the Mafia don’t answer such questions.
It is also, on its own territory, above and beyond the law (in PGMOL’s case the laws of football, if not the laws of the United Kingdom.
And of course there is a downside to this which is that although we can argue against the PGMOL we have no real means to fight them. They are as absolute as they are silent, which in turn means we can have very little hope for seeing any improvement in the way the limited company runs refereeing.
On the match vs MCity115, for example, it was not mentioned in the media nor on Untold Arsenal, that the two major incidents, (a ludicrous red card for Leandro Trossard and MCity115’s second goal to achieve the 2-2 draw, had happened AFTER the regular time + added time (decided by the PGMO referee!) had elapsed.
Now at this point we might note one or two things have been said on Reddit of late, such as “Michael Oliver, who refused to send Mateo Kovacic off for what was an obvious instance of two yellows recently travelled to the UAE to referee a game and was paid by the same people who own Manchester City.”
But Oliver kept the game going and going until MCity115, their owners) got what they all have wanted, holding Arsenal to a draw.
And thus Arsenal lost what could well be an important two points – because in the last two seasons Arsenal have lost the Premier League twice by only 2 points. This season, it can well be argued that in five matches, AFC have already been robbed of 4 (four) points by PGMOb!
The Club should make the formal complaints to multiple relevant bodies. Indeed I wonder how the UK’s new Prime Minister, an AFC season ticket holder, views such a treatment by PGMOb.
Maybe Untold Arsenal could install a virtual LIVE meter on its home page showing
a) How many points Arsenal have been robbed by (as Untold has pointed out, the bankrupt) PGMOb
b) The present Premier League table and
c) A virtual virtual table as should be in another world, without PGMOb’s ‘mistakes’.
Proud of the AFC team, the manager and his team. COYG (:-) !!
Best regards to all of you.
I’m seeng mention of Haaland’s behaviour after the goal and his throwing the ball into the back of the head of Gabriel.
So, now, I see comments it does not crosses the threshold for violent conduct, so it is normal he was not punished….
ok, so, Trossard gets a yellow for kicikng the ball into no one, Haaland can make what I call a violent act – true it is a ball, etc etc, but seriously how do you explain that to a 10 year old kid, justify it is ok ?!?! How would anyone of you react if your kid would throw his shoe at you when being upset fro chrisssake ?!?!?!
The level of hypocrisy of most is just mind-boggling. And I don’t believe for a second that the PL will enact any kind of sanction. But, imagine Haaland or White doing it….
As for the comments of City players Arsenal have not won anything… wheras Liverpool have… that level of total ignorance of the PL and the teams they are facing is utterly bonkers.
“The Club should make the formal complaints to multiple relevant bodies.”
What multiple relevent bodies? If there are any, who are they?
@nekuhan.
my problem with your position is that none of us have any proof of any corruption going on.
In Switzerland, you can run a billion dollar business into the ground and ruin thousands of shareholders and yet, as a CEO not face any legal consequences. Do you know why ? Incompetence is not a crime. A proof : Swissair and Credit Suisse for example.
So, yep, many people may think someone is ‘buying’ someone else. But the reality is none of us saw the money change hands.
And yes, I understand the opinion you state. Absolutely.
However, if we talk about corruption, it is then a consequence of someone – or someones being smart enough to set it up, build it up. make it up and hide it from all and sundry including the financial parts.
And this, in my opinion. is making the PGMOL way smarter then they are and will ever be. It is a compliment to them
Anyway, I maintain my opinion that the PGMOL employees active on Pl games and accross europe like in the Euros, are incompetent. Not because of some lack of character or intelligence. But just because the organisation they work for – PGMOL – is run by incompetent people, not able to train their personnel correctly and not able to balance the load of games, unable to recruit, to even keep their finances in order. it is a perfect example of an Old Boys’ Network, where actual competence is not required, but where you come from and who you know.
Nekuhan
I have sympathy with what you are saying but I cant agree with everything you say.
For example, I also maintain that the referees and or VAR are not ‘corrupt’ as such. Not in the sense they take bribes, backhanders, brown envelopes and the like.
NOTE 1: But as a rider to that I would say taking money for services outside the PL from organisations that own teams in the PL is as close to ‘legal bribery/corruption as you are ever likely to see. Talk about a conflict of interests. But that’s another story.
That aside, no I don’t think they take ‘bribes’.
My position is, and I have written in depth on this so many times I shall not do so here, but in brief, what I believe is that the referees do what they believe our mainstream media want them to do. In a nutshell be lenient with teams currently in Vogue, tough on those that are not Unforetuneately for Arsenal, they are never in Vogue.
Plus you have to be careful when you make accusations, because if you are wrong you just undermine your entire argument, and alas two points you make have fatal flaws, namely the two incidents in added time at the end of the already indicated time to be added.
NOTE 2: Before I start I haven’t checked if the added 6 minutes in the first half, and the added 7 minutes in the second half are correct, but given the lengthy injury to Rodri in the first half (he was down for over 5minutes), and our cramping issues (Including Rayas) in the second half, both seemed reasonable.
TROSSARDS BOOKING
Gabriel scored on 45 Mins and 5 seconds, just as the 6 minutes went up.
Arsenal celebrations plus a VAR check (so no timewasting) delayed start by 1 min 47 seconds. With 30 seconds officially allowed for a goal celebration before adding time means Oliver was within his rights to add another 1 min 17 seconds to the already allotted 6.
That means the half time whistle to be blown on 52 Minutes a 17 seconds.
Trossard was yellow carded on 52 Mins and 7 seconds.
MAN CITY’S EQUALIZER.
Just as the 90 minutes arrived on the clock Timber went down with cramp. He couldn’t continue and was substituted, so again no time wasting. It was genuine. The game restarted after 1 minute and 40 seconds meaning 8 minutes and 40 seconds should be added.
That means the final whistle should be blown at 98 Minutes and 40 Seconds.
Man City scored on 97 Minutes and 18 seconds.
As much as I disagree with lots of what Oliver did, his added time was correct
Neither Oliver nor VAR review saw anything wrong with Haaland throwing and hitting Gabriel in the head with a ball? Would they see nothing if Gabriel had thrown the ball at Haaland’s head?
goonersince72
Don’t know if you saw but this is what I put up the other day:
From The Laws Of The Game
FOULS AND MISCONDUCT Part 3
Offences where an object (or the ball) is thrown
If while the ball is in play, a player, substitute or substituted player throws an
object (including the ball) at an opponent or any other person the referee must
stop play and if the offence was:
• reckless – caution the offender for unsporting behaviour
• using excessive force – send off the offender for violent conduct.
Excessive force is a red card.
Under what interpretation was that ball not thrown with excessive force?
——–
Everybody, including VAR, Webb, and the FA know that excessive force was used and it should of been a red card. For any of them to say otherwise displays either:
a) Total ignorance of their own Laws of The game.
b) A complete inability to interpret their own LOTG.
c) An obvious agenda against Arsenal.
I know which one I think it is.
It’s not impossible for a ref to be both incompetent and corrupt. Let’s make sure we are clear on that. Michael Oliver has sent off 7 Arsenal players it is alleged and can be easily proven or disproven. So now we are approaching duck territory. If it walks like a duck and quacks, isn’t it likely to be a duck?
What I don’t get is why the Premier League allows their brand to be besmirched by a mere referee organization. What’s in it for the directors of the Prem and the club owners themselves. Surely they must know that the public will eventually lose interest in a foregone conclusion and there will go their revenue? Which leads me to conclude that the directors of the Premier League are not bent, they are dumb. How do i know this? They quack.
Also, whilst I did some timings earlier I’ve seen another incident that was a joke
In the 95 minute Jesus had the ball facing the by-line by the corner flag. Two City players attempted to steal the ball from him. In doing so they clearly pushed Jesus over ensuring he knocked the ball out for a corner kick. Not only that one of them stood on his heel which meant his boot came off as he feel.
He fell and lay strewn on the ground without one boot and his feet by the corner circle. Oliver did not allow him to stand up let alone put his boot back on, but instead Yellow carded Jesus for waving a foot in front of the ball to give himself time to get up and put his boot back on.
Even if he wasn’t fouled, which he clearly was, common decency would of meant Oliver allowing him to at least put his boot on, even if he didn’t let him get back in position.
I’ve been looking high and low for a law that specifically covers a defender losing a boot and I cannot find a clear instruction. The best I could find were some answers in another referees chat room, the most in depth of which suggested that because the player was now not wearing the correct equipment, the next time the ball was out of play, (in Jesus’s case it was immediately as it was a corner kick) he should hold play and ask the player to leave the field of play to put his boot back on.
But Oliver being Oliver he just ignored the foul on Jesus. Ignored the fact he had lost a boot. Ignored the fact he was laying on the floor, and booked him for his troubles.
Nitram,
Thanks!
I’m still shaking my head. Lost respect for Haaland.
Arsenal cant win at all. It used to be Arsenal are soft and dont like it up at them. Now we are into the dark arts after the reporter put words into Stones’ mouth
https://www.skysports.com/football/news/12709/13220972/premier-league-clubs-send-concerns-to-pgmol-over-arsenals-use-of-the-dark-arts-paper-talk
“What I don’t get is why the Premier League allows their brand to be besmirched by a mere referee organization”.
It’s because the media want a pliable organization that does their bidding. They don’t care about reputation.
It is the media, led by SKY, who have been the judges of Oliver’s performance, and they have made it perfectly clear that neither he nor VAR did anything wrong. They have made it clear, if anyone was guilty of wrong doing it was Arsenal and their Dark Arts.
They do not want them officiating to the Laws of The game. That wouldn’t do at all. They want them officiating to the laws of Gary Neville, Roy Keane and Co.
“Surely they must know that the public will eventually lose interest in a foregone conclusion and there will go their revenue”
Possibly, but I don’t think so, and I don’t think they do either.
Take a look at the Bundesliga. Bayern have won 12 of the last 13 titles and those dozen years haven’t been affected at all. In fact the average attendance per season is up with the best it has ever been.
Despite being dominated by 2 clubs La Liga has been seeing average attendances increase year on year for at least 10 years.
Despite Man City winning 6 of the last 7 titles , the last 7 seasons have seen the highest average attendances in Premier League history
(All figures ignore the COVID affected seasons)
We are addicted my friend. I hate ‘football’ per se. This season has been driving me nuts with how we are treated. But so do most seasons. I dislike all the media. Almost all pundits. Most other managers. A great many opposing players. We are being screwed. But here I am. Tapping away. Unable to disengage.
I love Arsenal.
I love my Wife.
But there was a ‘before my wife’. Not wives, but other loves long gone. But ‘others’.
There has only ever been one Arsenal. I have never been unfaithful or even looked over the fence at the neighbours, no matter what they look like, or how successful they are. The bond is unbreakable.
It seems having a monopoly or even duopoly is just not a deterrent, and sadly they know it.
And what makes it worse is that when that monopoly is a goose constantly laying Golden Eggs, they are hardly likely to eat it for Christmas are they!!
I have been so p!$$£d today with all that’s going on, but I found this and it cheered me up no end. Some wonderful comments, especially the really long one.
I think, and hope it’s a rather more reflective view of Sundays events than that of the Arsenal hating mainstream media and especially SKY, who I very sadly pay a fortune to on an annual basis.
Anyway have a read. https://www.football365.com/news/mailbox-arsenal-manchester-city-fear-liverpool-respect-arteta-hypocritical
If it were incompetence, it would even out in the end.
Re: Jesus’ boot
I posted this yesterday:-
That article states that Gabriel Jesus was booked for stopping 115City from taking a corner. He was booked after trying to put his boot back on.
Law 4 states:-
“A player whose footwear or shinguard is lost accidentally must replace it as soon as possible and no later than when the ball next goes out of play; if before doing so the player plays the ball and/or scores a goal, the goal is awarded.”
The ball was out of play so Oliver had no business giving Jesus a yellow card. In fact, he was not exercising his duty of care for the player’s safety.
seismic
My point is they referee to an agenda. Set by the media and or vested interests.
It is bias. Conscious or unconscious. I believe often conscious, which has another name and that is cheating. They are also very poor at their job. That is Incompetence.
But I do not think they are corrupt in the sense that they take bribes, or the like, although I understand why people may think they do/are.
In a nutshell, the media hate Arsenal (as the last 3 days have proved beyond doubt) and want them to win nothing. The referees know this and realise giving us a hard time will always get them applauded no matter what, as will giving our opponent all the latitude in the World.
It was a SKY reporter who first mentioned ‘Dark Arts’ and that one phrase has been on repeat ever since to the point other club chairmen are complaining to the PL about our use of it over the last few seasons. All this despite these figures pointed out in an excellent post on football365 that clearly show how poorly we are treated (link above):
If refs are simply incompetent then you’d expect some real shockers to go Arsenal’s way, the kind of game deciding red cards for opponents, where you have to admit ‘we got given one there’, or ‘you rarely see those given’.
Arsenal haven’t had a single opponent sent off for violent conduct since the introduction of VAR 5 seasons ago, not even one harsh one that was fiercely debated or later overturned. In that same time frame Arsenal have had 18 red cards and our opponents only 9 – those 9 opponent red cards have all been given when Arsenal were already winning the game – so changed little, compared to 14 of Arsenal’s red cards being handed out when we were winning or drawing the game – quite an impact.
For the other big 6 teams they have all had their opponents given more reds than themselves in the same 5 year period.
Under Arteta Arsenal average a red card every 11 games in the league, but in Europe that’s every 35 games.
Since 2019 Arsenal have received red cards at double the rate per foul than all but 3 prem teams and are a huge statistical outlier of all prem teams. Red card every 65 fouls for Arsenal, next worst is every 100 fouls, most teams are at at least 120 fouls per red.
Arsenal tend not to get straight red cards, only 1 of the last 8, so why are Arsenal picking up second yellow cards at a rate miles out of kilter with the rest of the league over such a long time period. Technical infringements, are we all to really believe that Arsenal are making these technical infringements on the law at a rate that is double anyone else in the league? Or are Arsenal being singled out for greater punishment?
Let’s remember when Arteta had his FA hearing after the Newcastle ‘disgrace-gate’ the FA’s case against Arteta argued he was more deserving of harsher punishment than other managers because of his higher profile.
Courtesy football365 poster.
And we are the ones getting abuse.
Even if the guys stats are a bit out, those numbers are shocking.
Does anyone here remember the days when Tony Fernandes’ Tune Group and Air Asia used to sponsor PGMOL?
Nothing to see here…..
As for Manchester City players- the arch apostles of aggressive pressing and possession football whining about Dark Arts- is simply a distraction. They are currently facing 115 charges of financial irregularity- blatant cheating- no finer example of cheating than lying about what you are spending your money on. Guardiolas’s comments in the media last week were designed specifically to influence the referee in this game. Why was he not sanctioned by the PGMOL- were they not bright enough to realise who his rather bizarre comments were directed to??
A referee in Michael Oliver who has never sent a Manchester City player off, who has awarded them fewer yellow cards than any of the top 8 sides in the EPL and accepted a trip to the Middle East funded by Manchester City’s owners. Oliver failed to tsanction City players in relation to Doku kicking the ball away and Haaland’s aggressive blatantly unsporting behaviour yet he applied the rules to the letter for their opponents. Not just for Trossard but also for the Arsenal substitute for a gesture made to the goalkeeper. and booking Jesus for a minor footwear infringement.
There are many potential reasons for Olivers differential application of the rules- but given that Trossard was the 7th Arsenal player Oliver has sent off – i.e more than any other EPL Team his negative predisposition towards Arsenal is very likely to be a factor in his differential response .Yes Trossard could be sent off. for what he did . Oliver applied the rules differentially its the letter of the law for Arsenal- but discretion for Manchester City.
Referees are deciding games- sending a player off for a minor infringement effectively hands the game to the opponent. Kicking the ball away 2 yards or 10/20 yards is a minor infringement. Far more minor than throwing a ball hard at an opponents head after your team has just scored a last minute winner.
The PGMOL have created a situation where they have effectively gagged every footballer and managers so theat have absolutely no redress to biased and unfair decision making. by referees Referees in England behave like dictators in an authoritarian state. They can do what they like and deny any wrong doing because they are only accountable to them selves. In a deocracy, this is unacceptable and their a legal challenge is only a matter of time.
It is not only on the field of play where the PGMOL presides over unfairness-It concerns me that while comments about referees are sacrosanct- provocative unevidenced comments about opponents made by players using terms like dark arts are not. The biased North West media are only too willing to seize on anything they can to discredit opponents from other areas of the country.
Guys,
visibly the so-called UK press is not reporting on it, but are you aware about what UEFA just published ?
Euro 2024, Germany-Spain, Cururella stops a shot on goal with his outstretched arm. We are in overtime. Penalty refused by the ref and the VAR.
And in the end Spain score the winner just before the 120th minute and go on to win the tournament.
Now the referee review made it public that is was a blatant refereeing error by both the referee and the VAR
So ?
Well… both are stars of our own PGMOL : Taylor as referee and Attwell as VAR
Their INCOMPETENCE put on full display in UEFA’s biggest tournament.
Ain’t seen nothing yet on the Guardian….
I am of the opinion that The PIGMOB are just plain crooked . No evidence of incompetence ever creeps up . Just cheating right front and center . And no need to
answer to anybody . Just go on their merry way making things up , with attending morons clapping from their special and reserved stands .
No body is going to ask them anything , rather shift the blame on those who were wronged . AI will whitewash all these deeds , and they will come looking cleaner than before.
But we have been watching this shit storm for a long time . Somewhere some one is going to get this blown in their faces .
Am looking forward to that day !
Brickfields Gunners
“But we have been watching this shit storm for a long time . Somewhere some one is going to get this blown in their faces “.
I only wish I I could believe that. Who will blow it in their faces?
The media?
It was a reporter that effectively started all this by putting the phrase ‘Dark Arts’ in Stones mouth, and the rest of the media just lapped it up, and expanding on it it ever since.. Apparently we’ve been engaging in the Dark Arts for years.
After all the diabolical time wasting we have had to face over the years and SKY do analysis on OUR time wasting, something they have never done for anyone else ever, as far as I know. We played a magnificent backs to wall 2nd half. We had no choice. History has shown teams that play Man City a man down get stuffed. As far as I could tell most, if not all our injuries were genuine and in any case time was duly added, in all over both halves almost 20 minutes in fact.
And even if there was some ‘gamesmanship’ involved, it is no more or less than anybody else would of done against the best team in the Country. Stones actually accused us of slowing the game down, and called it “DIRTY’ or whatever you want to call it”. How is slowing the game down ‘dirty’.
My point being the media are never going to blow this in the referees/PGMOL faces. They are in full support of them ESPECIALY when they are screwing Arsenal.
The players:
Stones
“They’ve done it for a few years and we know to expect that,” he said. “You can call it clever or dirty but they break up the game and it upsets the rhythm for everyone.”
Silva
“His teammate, Bernardo Silva went further, accusing Arsenal of spoiling the game, time-wasting and deliberately injuring City midfielder Rodri, who suffered a serious knee injury in an off the ball incident.”
That is libel. How can he get away with saying that. He did it to himself.
The other Clubs:
“A growing number of Premier League clubs are reportedly expressing concerns over Arsenal’s perceived use of “dark arts” tactics during matches.
The complaints, reportedly lodged with the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), highlight Arsenal’s defensive style of play and alleged time-wasting tactics.”
Managers:
It’s arguable Pep started all this with hi pre match comments:
Pep Guardiola has warned his Manchester City players not to get dragged into the dark arts of their rivals after Arsenal tried to get under their skin in their latest meeting.
Ex players:
After what I though was an astonishing performance ex players, Keane and Owen, to name but 2 had noting but criticism. A bit rich that given Owen dived around like a performing Swan, and Keane was one of the dirtiest players I have ever seen.
The fans:
Just read the mail and you’ll know.
WTF.
Honestly, it has been bad before but this is just getting ridiculous. But what can you do?
And it is all driven by the vile media who hate us.
They wind the players up, the fans up.
The clubs see this as an opportunity to put us under the microscope.
Referees know that screwing us is not only allowed, but positively encouraged.
So, if it isn’t going to be the fans, the players, ex players, the managers, the chairmen, the media (heaven forbid) I don’t see who’s left.
Every man and his dog have jumped on this band wagon.
We are screwed.
The allegation of Arsenal being singled out for Dark Arts is an outrageous media and opposition player created lexaggerated myth which is gathering momentum. Slowing the game down is a tactical game management response to the blatant and openly adopted physical intimidation which firstly Manchester United and then nearly all other Northern sides adopted to neutralise Arsenal’s passing game developed under Arsene Wenger. They also used real Dark Arts- repetitious tactical fouling of key skilful players- physical aggression where captive weak referees are a key part of the formula so they do not accumulate too many bookings-and it’s still going on every week. Referees are allowing Saka to be kicked out of virtually every game he plays in. The Northern media are trying to restore the advantage which they have enjoyed for years in Manchester and Liverpool.
This campaign not only reflects the blatant self interests of North Western English clubs and their supporters it also reflects their values-people like Keane and Carragher who extol not the beautiful game but admire ruthless aggression and a win at any costs approach to football .
Keane is more than a dirty player he is a man who ended the career of Erling Haalands’ father with one of the most ruthless , vindictive acts of deliberate violence seen in top level football . The fact is instead of being banned for life which his actions deserved – he is looked up to in the media as an expert in how to play the game. The PGMOL are being encouraged by the media, pundits – ex players who are supporters of the North Western clubs they used to play for-.mainly Manchester clubs and Liverpool to not only legitimise physical intimidation of skilful players but also to officiate unfairly against Southern Teams. and make sure they dont lose their advantage.
An Athletic “journalist” accused Partey of deliberately injuring Rodri on Twitter. He seems to have deleted his tweet after his footage clearly showed that it was not the case.
seismic
It wasn’t just The Athletic. I wrote a piece yesterday in the Arsenal v Bolton pre match article in which I suggested Arsenal Football Club have to start acting against these lies. My contention is, and I am no legal expect so I’m probably wrong, that some of this stuff has to be slanderous, libellous or defamatory? I mean we have to be careful what we say on here, especially Tony, so surely they do? Anyway, Silva also accused party of deliberately injuring Rodri and that will be out there still. If the athletic have took it down suggests they could be in trouble. Arsenal should challenge Silva and ask for an apology at the very least. This is just a bit of what I posted yesterday:
Suing Silva for slander/deformation of character, after accusing Partey of deliberately injuring Rodri would be a start.
He said: ““His teammate, Bernardo Silva went further, accusing Arsenal of spoiling the game, time-wasting and deliberately injuring City midfielder Rodri, who suffered a serious knee injury in an off the ball incident.”
That is a disgrace and he just shouldn’t be able to get away with it.
I think there is a Premier League rule that clubs can’t sue each other, hence Manchester City are taking action against the League as a whole not an individual club. So if a player of club A ends the career of a player from club B through a bad challenge the offended club can’t sue the one whose player made the challenge.
Tony
Maybe there is, and if so it’s just another example of the power and control these people excerpt in their monopoly.
Okay, so what about Party doing something as an individual.?
Under British Law the least Partey could do is sue Silva for defamation of character.:
‘When someone makes comments or publishes content about someone else that is unfair, untrue and harmful to their reputation, they could be held liable for defamation’.
Silva made a verbal statement AS FACT, (and it is in print) that Partey DELIBERATELY injured Rodri.
If that doesn’t meet the threshold for ‘defamation of character’, I don’t know what does.
It is an outrage that Man City, and it appears their players as well, have got to the stage where they think they can do and say anything they like, without any ramifications what so ever.
I know he would be going out on a limb but surely someone, somewhere, has got to stand up to these bullies.
Who the f*** do they think they are?
@Nitram
I just checked again. It wasn’t a Tweet, it was a screenshot of his article in the Athletic. An article which seems to contain other inacuracies. I don’t subscribe to the Athletic, but wouldn’t mind betting that the “journalist” didn’t watch the game.