By Tony Attwood
Hermansen made 13 saves in the game against Leicester, – the most in a Premier League game since David de Gea for Manchester United against Arsenal in 2017.
But at least the referee gave Arsenal the chance to capitalise on the fact that eventually he had to get a bit tired of his defence letting Arsenal through. Of course, the media will make much of the fact that the third Arsenal goal took a deflection, but then all clubs get goals from deflections. Aiming the ball at the defender’s mid drift if there is no other option is part of the game.
Still, the officials could get their own back to some extent by recording it as an own goal. But then again it was Arsenal’s first own goal of the season in their favour, and there has been one own goal by Arsenal, so it is all balanced out..
The fact that this was an own goal is due to the narrative-hating dubious goals committee which ruled that the ball came off Ndidi. But even so, Kai Havertz got the fourth, didn’t celebrate much, and everyone sang “60 million down the drain” once more.
And meanwhile, Ethan Nwaneri is not just living up to his reputation, but if possible exceeding it.
So overall Arsenal had 74% of the game, which shows quite a turn around from some earlier matches, and had 20 attempts on goal. But what is also interesting is that Arsenal are now running at 14.2 shots a game and sit third in the league. But West Ham are recorded as having 14.5 shots a game, while sitting in 14th position. So maybe shooting on sight isn’t really that important.
So Arsenal are now the third-best scorers three behind Chelsa, have the second-best defence with five conceded (although equal with several other clubs). and fourth-best goal difference, three behind the leaders. And these things are worth noting since all through the summer people were demanding that Arsenal should buy a striker. Our top scorer, so fondly denounced when he was signed, is of course Havertz. leaving him behind Haaland, Palrmer Diaz and Brentford’s Mbeuno.
As for how this season compares with past seasons…. it is pretty much in line with the last two years and way ahead of 2021. So all is looking fairly solid to me.
| P | Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Arsenal 2024 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 5 | 7 | 14 |
| 5 | Arsenal 2023 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 14 |
| 1 | Arsenal 2022 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 15 |
| 10 | Arsenal 2021 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 10 | -5 | 9 |
So overall I’d say things are jogging along rather nicely. Although we must not forget the mighty Tottenham Hots who have a game in hand, being played today. If they win that they could rise to eighth, which will almost certainly excite the media.
At the bottom, three of the five teams at the foot of the table are teams that rose from the Championship last year, which shows even at this early stage that a repeat of all three that come up, then go down. Which says a lot about the gap between the top league and the Championship.
And given that Aston Villa are away to Ipswich today that could mean that Arsenal might slip down a place as a Villa win would mean they rise up to second in the league, equal on points with Liverpool.
But there is one other factor that ought to be borne in mind, and that is the injuries. The Premier League Injuries table today shows seven players out: Odegaard, Zinchenko, Tomiyasu, Trossard, Merino, White and Tierney.
Tottenham we might note, have no such excuse for any failing on their part as they only have three players out, while Mancheter City have four. But the worrying factor remains the cards – one of the weapons that can be used against Arsenal by referees during the game and journalists in their commentaries.
Arsenal have now had 17 yellow cards and two red cards. (Not the highest, that of course is Chelsea with 21 yellow but no red. Manchester City have 15 yellows, but Liverpool and Villa only 12 each. If things go on this way Arsenal will end up with 108 cards during the season, which will inevitably mean a whole host of suspensions. True Chelsea will end up with 133, but the number of suspensions will be enormous. And if those suspensions come at the same time as injuries we could be fielding the youngsters a lot more than expected.
But most worrying is the fact that Arsenal have already had eight yellow cards for the ill-defined “other” classification of cards – which means something other than a foul, unprofessional conduct or a dive. No other club is near that – and of course, this being so ill-defined a category it gives referees an enormous opportunity to do what they like.
At the very least PGMO should come clean and tell us what “other” means in the classification of yellow cards.
Their manager says that Arsenal were lucky, is he blind.
Arsenal could have won by 16 goals. Unbelievable landslide
I’m not sure how people can say that Arsenal threw away a two goal lead. The first was a crazy deflection. This happens. And, the second was a wonder strike. Hats off to James Justin. Could have closed down the cross better, but really? Threw away? It is important to respect the other team. Every player in Premier League is a world class athlete – in the 99percentile of people on this planet in terms of fitness, strength etc…
The team never gave up and we were rewarded with two late goals! EOM
Tony,
Surely handing Arsenal yellows for “other” reasons is the latest Stasi, I mean PGMOL, tactic to punish Arsenal when nothing else will do. As I mentioned in an earlier thread, I feel like we’ve lost 4 points to the real “Dark Arts” already this season. It cost the title last season. If anyone thinks the 2 point margin was not aided by dodgy calls look at the matches again. Obvious handballs not called, ball out of bounds not called,
etc. Is it possible to overcome this and win the title? It won’t be easy, especially with the complicity of the officials.
What makes me laugh is the pundits and so called “football journalists” who think they know football.
I seem to remember Gary Neville’s foray into management at Valencia – I wonder how that went. I remember that it didn’t last long.
And as for their analysis of referees – please don’t make me laugh. The pundits don’t know most of the rules of the game.
If I watch games on TV I have the sound down. I cannot stand listening to dishonest drivel.
From what I have seen, as a neutral, I would say Arsenal are not any different to any other team around. They are not exponents of the “dark arts”. In fact the “dark arts” are what the officials are doing because applying the rules “fairly” is way beyond them. The “other” classification for yellow cards is surely an example of this! and if teams have to practice “dark arts” then surely we should be pointing our fingers at officials for letting it go on. If it is prevalent they (football governing bodies) should do something about it. The “pundits” after all keep telling us how good a job the PIGMOB are doing.
As I have said before I am getting to the point of not watching football because it seems that there is very little honesty – be it the treatment of young players, financial shenanigans, time wasting, simulation, and most of all inconsistent officiating. I actually think that CITY 115 are among the worst offenders, but hey what do I know
What I do know is that most of leagues and games I watch are so badly officiated that the “winners” always appear to be the teams that have been favoured by the officials. In the last few years there have been many such instances.
I must once again give great thanks to this site as it is one site that is brave enough to ask questions that a lot of fans are asking. Strangely I know a local referee who says he hates watching the EPL as he cant abide the number of errors made by officials.
I think the irony of City 115 playing the “victim” card is unbelievable.
I can’t understand how the Premier League teams can’t insist, as a body, that changes are made to the way matches are officiated. The clubs can decide when to end the transfer window, what the profitability rules are and other such matters of importance. How is it they can’t insist that changes are made to the match mafia?
I don’t understand it. Is this rocket science?
Les,
Thank you for your name of the refs (PIGMOB) as I feel the same. I see them using “dark arts” by applying the “laws of the game” in ways that suits their & the media’s narrative so they cannot be held accountable as the media does not question plus PIGMOB do not explain or apologize. I see the FA have made a statement supporting Kavanagh in his red card for ManUre which makes me say they are too quick with their endorsement. Funny that it would seem that they want Ten Hag to be fired as the silly cards they are picking up makes me wonder what changed? Do they perhaps now dislike ManUre so much that they want a British coach for them? Besides how many years is it since Fergie left and they seem to be not settled yet??
Kai Havertz is class, but worth mentioning how he turned his back/face like a wee schoolgirl for their first goal. Hopefully the others are berating him in a group text so he doesnt do that again.
@Dawie
I have just seen the Bruno Fernandes “red card”. As i said before the standard of officiating is at all time low. Once again this should have been looked at by VAR. Maybe as the German fans say it was “Kaffeezeit” (coffee time) in the VAR room.
I see more and more reasons to not watch football every week.