RefWatch Arsenal Vs Manchester City (08/04/2012 – 16:00)

Posted on by DogFace



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By DogFace

  • Referee: Martin Atkinson
  • Assistant 1: Peter Kirkup
  • Assistant 2: Darren Cann
  • 4th Official: Andre Marriner

Good morning stat-fans and welcome to RefWatch… not a big one today as I’m staying with family and the missus is glowering at me.

Asian Handicap (betting line) market:

Home Handicap Away
2.125 0 – 1/4 1.775

The Under/Over market:

Over Handicap Under
2.000 2 3/4 1.900

Let’s have a look at the Referee:

  • Full name: Martin Atkinson
  • Date of birth: 31-Mar-1971 (Age 41)
  • Place of birth: Bradford
  • Resides: West Yorkshire
  • EPL/ECH Referee Since: 2003/2004
  • EPL/ECH Games to date: 223

Martin Atkinson
Martin Atkinson – “No… I said Novus ordo seclorum guv!”

It’s Martin Atkinson again… you remember him from the excellent and ground-breaking referee reviews:

Season Score Match
2011/2012 82.140% Arsenal 0 – 2 Liverpool
2011/2012 70.000% Manchester City 3 – 0 Wigan Athletic
2011/2012 69.770% Everton 0 – 2 Liverpool
2011/2012 67.390% Queens Park Rangers 2 – 3 Manchester City
2011/2012 84.620% Wigan Athletic 1 – 1 Chelsea
2011/2012 67.240% Arsenal 1 – 0 Queens Park Rangers
2011/2012 87.930% Wigan Athletic 0 – 1 Manchester City
2011/2012 81.580% Tottenham Hotspur 1 – 3 Manchester United
Average Score: 76.334%

Let’s check out his stats!

FPB = Fouls Per Booking (vertical axis) BPM = Bookings Per Match(line width) AHS = Asian Handicap Swing i.e. the deviation from the expected result(vertical axis) PPG = Points Per Game(line width) Therefore a high thin line for FPB/BPM would indicate a lot of fouls and very little bookings – and a low thin line for AHS/PPG would indicate an underperformance against the betting line and very few points taken.

Martin Atkinson has had 17 games for Arsenal consisting of 9 wins, 5 draws and 3 losses.

Arsenal are currently in 5th in Martin Atkinson’s personal Points Per Game League (for teams with a minimum of 5 matches played), for matches in the EPL/ECH, with an average of 1.88 PPG.

In Martin Atkinson’s personal Handicap Swing League (for teams with a minimum of 5 matches played), for matches in the EPL/ECH, Arsenal come 7th with an average positive swing of 0.20.

Arsenal are currently in 19th in Martin Atkinson’s personal Booking’s Per Match League (for teams with a minimum of 5 matches played), for matches in the EPL/ECH, with an overall average of 1.88 BPM.

In Martin Atkinson’s personal Fouls Per Booking League (for teams with a minimum of 5 matches played), for matches in the EPL/ECH, Arsenal come 24th with an overall average of 5.69 FPB.

The first thing I notice from the above graph is the gradual downward trend of underperformance in Arsenal’s figures under Atkinson. The second thing that strikes me is the FPB/BPM lines in which for, the last two seasons, Arsenal has received, on average, a disproportional amount of bookings per foul than our opposition.

The colour of the line represents the player type. The position of the line against the vertical axis will indicate the average time of the booking and the thickness of the line indicates the average number of bookings of players in that position. Therefore a high fat orange line would indicate that the referee often books the specified teams defence out of the challenge early, a low thin line or no line would indicate the opposite. The number of minutes bottoms out at 100 to indicate no bookings.

Above is a seasonal breakdown on how, when and where Arsenal took all their bookings under Martin Atkinson.

The booking breakdown for Arsenal under Atkinson is, at a glance, fairly random – there is a slight trend towards bookings coming earlier in the game for our defence and midfield combined with some fairly meaningless substitute bookings very late in the game.

The colour of the line represents the player type. The position of the line against the vertical axis will indicate the average time of the booking and the thickness of the line indicates the average number of bookings of players in that position. Therefore a high fat orange line would indicate that the referee often books the specified teams defence out of the challenge early, a low thin line or no line would indicate the opposite. The number of minutes bottoms out at 100 to indicate no bookings.

Above is a seasonal breakdown on how, when and where Arsenal’s opposition took all their bookings under Martin Atkinson.

Again we can see a trend to earlier bookings, although there is less off them. Arsenal’s opposition bookings concentrate in the midfield with less than I would expect in the defence.

Let’s move on now and see how Manchester City fare under the all seeing eye of Martin Atkinson:

FPB = Fouls Per Booking (vertical axis) BPM = Bookings Per Match(line width) AHS = Asian Handicap Swing i.e. the deviation from the expected result(vertical axis) PPG = Points Per Game(line width) Therefore a high thin line for FPB/BPM would indicate a lot of fouls and very little bookings – and a low thin line for AHS/PPG would indicate an underperformance against the betting line and very few points taken.

Martin Atkinson has had 18 games for Manchester City consisting of 10 wins, 3 draws and 5 losses.

Manchester City are currently in 6th in Martin Atkinson’s personal Points Per Game League (for teams with a minimum of 5 matches played), for matches in the EPL/ECH, with an average of 1.83 PPG.

In Martin Atkinson’s personal Handicap Swing League (for teams with a minimum of 5 matches played), for matches in the EPL/ECH, Manchester City come 13th with an average positive swing of 0.05.

Manchester City are currently in 16th in Martin Atkinson’s personal Booking’s Per Match League (for teams with a minimum of 5 matches played), for matches in the EPL/ECH, with an overall average of 1.83 BPM.

In Martin Atkinson’s personal Fouls Per Booking League (for teams with a minimum of 5 matches played), for matches in the EPL/ECH, Manchester City come 21st with an overall average of 6.15 FPB.

We can see from the graph above that Manchester City have had their ups and downs under Martin Atkinson but right now they are definitely in an ‘up’. Their low points were the 2006/2007 season and the 2008/2009 season – but since sometime in the 2009/2010 season it’s all been good form with a strong over performance and very good return of points.

The colour of the line represents the player type. The position of the line against the vertical axis will indicate the average time of the booking and the thickness of the line indicates the average number of bookings of players in that position. Therefore a high fat orange line would indicate that the referee often books the specified teams defence out of the challenge early, a low thin line or no line would indicate the opposite. The number of minutes bottoms out at 100 to indicate no bookings.

Above is a seasonal breakdown on how, when and where Manchester City took all their bookings under Martin Atkinson.

There are no real trends in the booking figures that I can see other than an unusual number of substitute bookings and a fairly low level of bookings to the midfield.

The colour of the line represents the player type. The position of the line against the vertical axis will indicate the average time of the booking and the thickness of the line indicates the average number of bookings of players in that position. Therefore a high fat orange line would indicate that the referee often books the specified teams defence out of the challenge early, a low thin line or no line would indicate the opposite. The number of minutes bottoms out at 100 to indicate no bookings.

Above is a seasonal breakdown on how, when and where Manchester City’s opposition took all their bookings under Martin Atkinson.

Let’s move on now to check out how Martin Atkinson performs against selected teams in the EPL:

The ine thickness represents the average Points Per Game and the position of the line against the vertical axis represents the average swing againd the handicap.

Despite SAF’s complaints about Atkinson – they do ok under him with regards to the return of points – although he does have a point in that, until this season, they [Manchester United] do show an overall underperformance. Chelsea show a huge over performance under Atkinson which is down to some very favourable decisions going their way over the seasons (including the Chelsea mugging of Manchester United which sparked the SAF hissy fit) although their results this season have been hit and miss. Arsenal were showing a good performance under Atkinson until recently – since the 2009/2010 season it’s been all downhill – Manchester City on the other hand have risen from a disastrous return of points in 2008/2009 to the strongest performers on the graph.

I’m not massively confident about this game – given Atkinson’s past Chelsea and now Citeh leanings – but there is hope. This is a home game and, as we have seen from the shenanigans of Dean, it’s getting harder to mug Arsenal on their own turf. The Emirates now is starting to develop a character of support and respond through the complex network of individual voices to create one voice… and if we make that voice heard and demand our rights as fans to watch proper football rather than a pantomime we can intimidate and we can support and we can give our team the level playing field they deserve.

Be noisy people, anger is an energy – victoria concordia crescit.

The Predictortron gives Arsenal a 0.865887 of a goal advantage…

…support this site and place bets here.


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143 Replies to “RefWatch Arsenal Vs Manchester City (08/04/2012 – 16:00)”

  2. Well DogFace thanks for that piece. I think Antikson may love to be in the European Cup and his qualification may be this match give Man-city all bullocks and you are in Europe.Otherwise if it was the other way round we might have had Dowd,Dean or Web zzzzzz oh no i was dreaming.
    Let’s go gunners

  3. He seems to like an away win this fella… Not a good sign but I reckon we can nick it today, 2-1 to the mighty Arsenal and Na$ri to get subbed at half time after having a shocker 🙂

  5. @ Tasos, yep – I wonder if United will be getting an extra box of medals to distribute to those who helped make it possible….

  6. @Tasos

    From the BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17650260
    > 1343: RED CARD Shaun Derry – QPR
    > 1343: PENALTY Manchester United – Ashley Young collects the ball in the box from Wayne Rooney and is felled by Shaun Derry. The referee points to the spot but there are two clear flaws with that: firstly Young was offside and secondly, the contact was very minimal.

    I wonder if that report will be edited before the end of the game?

  7. Probably the most corrupt League in world football.

    Don’t worry people, it all evens its self out in the end.

  8. Tasos,

    after you remark I started the program on my hard disk and it showed me a blatant offside position from the MU player, then the MU player went down from just a simple hand in his side and the assistant ignored the offside, the ref gave a ridiculous penalty and a totally wrong red card.

    Hallo Mike Riley… 99% you said? 93% you said?

  9. I’m going to watch cycling till the Arsenal game starts. It’s Paris-Roubaix. I probably will fall asleep while watching as it is boring but it is better than watching fixed football.

    By the way our match reporter confirmed both the wrong calls a dozen times by now.

  10. Well in a way it serves Mark Hughes right. He has benefited from those things in his career so not bad to be on the other side of such things.

  11. the referee are doing all in their power to hand united their XX..seriously this league is full of shit

  12. @Gord

    Correct.

    The BBC have withdrawn earlier comments from their live text.

    Now reads;

    14:39 Assist on the goal came from Ashley Young.

    14:39 Goal scored – Wayne Rooney – Man Utd 1 – 0 QPR
    Placed penalty scored by Wayne Rooney. Man Utd 1-0 QPR.

    13:34 Dismissal The referee shows Shaun Derry a red card.

    13:15 Shaun Derry gives away a Penalty for an unfair challenge on Ashley Young.

  13. I think the PGMOL may be looking for a new official sponsor….talk about biting the hand that feeds you. At least they can always fall back on their unofficial sponsors…..

  14. Mahdain,
    It is good to see you correctly use the proper imperial numerals XX (instead of merely the everyday 20). This will become the logo for Sir Don Fergus when, as predicted from the pre-season by several of us, he finally ascends to the throne to receive the trophy that will catapult him into the House of Lords as Lord Football. Micky R will sit at his right foot. The Webbmaster will sit at is right foot. And Wayne Rooney will dive on to the other.

  15. @Tasos

    Yhe BBC unfortunately has bought into the immediate rewriting of history – to cover up for the Riley assist to Don Fergus XX.

    The contact on Young was not much more than finger tip. But what a beautiful dive by Young – will we see anything better at the Olympics?

  16. p.s. sorry, pardon the intrusion, but I got me choreography all bollocksed up. The Webbmaster is to sit at his left foot on Coronation Day.

  17. bjtgooner,
    Yes! Young dives and Rooney thrives. Perhaps Young will become The XX’s new favorite, the next face of The Franchise? (Full disclosure: I am simply breathless with anticipation.)

  18. @Tasos

    Odd, I am still seeing the old text. Maybe because I am in Canada? I just saved a copy of the file locally, and looked inside it. Are you looking at 17576394 http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17576394 (the play by play just for the ManU-QPR match) or 17650260 (Sunday Football)? My quote is from the Sunday Football page.

  19. Still watching Paris – Roubaix. Tom Boonen 1 mind ahead. some 25 km to go. Komooooaaaaan Tommeke… 😉

    I refuse to see a fixed football match. (Only will do it for the ref reviews to expose them)

  20. Gord, Tasos (note Walter, Tony, UM, UA, All!)
    THAT is a SMOKING GUN! Brilliant catch Gord. Brilliant follow-up Tasos. And I do mean brilliant. Catching the Lens Crafters airbrushing the historical record, right before your/our very eyes. This is Exhibit A for those who say there’s no media bias toward ManUre’s. I call it Perfuming ManUre. Let this go well publicized (viral as the kids say). Tell a friend. Let it be taught on day one in every classroom in the Shire! Let it arrive on banner after banner to reign over The XX Parade. Oh happy day!

  21. Bbc has 2 texts running. One that is commentary, and the second that is simply factual. The commentary one islacedwith opinions and the resounding opinion on both the BBC and the Telly is that it was a hat trick of simply wrong decisions. Give the ref the match ball!

  22. Gord, Tasos,
    Either way there is a discrepancy right? A gap in the record, no? Please do clarify – it’s a potentially big deal once it’s sorted out…

  24. Events of this type have boosted my confidence about our game against Man C. Even if we aren’t winning it the refs will make sure that we do. Just like the guy at Footballisfixed said City have really got Ferguson worried.
    Still I don’t know how people can believe the shit that it all evens out. I had a discussion with a barca fan that barca get favorable decisions from the refs and his only argument, the same old shit we are the best team. What seemed to me is that fans of barca and Man U do know that they get help but it’s their egos that don’t allow them to admit it.

  25. Toby,
    Cheers, mate. But it’s interesting what we’ve learned to call “factual” Can’t “fixed” also be “factual” 🙂

  28. @ Gord, great catch mate. It’s different for the two different pages: live commentary and Sunday football. Interesting comments from the QPR chief on Twitter.

  29. Has anyone else noticed the relative lack of tackling by QPR – a bit different to last week! Damn – Scholes has just scored no2 – sky commentator has just had an orgasm!

  30. Arun,
    Their fans are habituated to accepting privileges (that is privileged treatment) as if they are birth rights (that is championship trophies). As for ManUre: In my experience: Ever since they participated on their rear haunches in that mendacious exercise of applauding their stolen victory – thanks to Micky R – at Old Toilet in 2004, they are habituated to see theft as merit. This is a pathology that is deemed normal. To admit that they “get help” is to admit that they are actually sick and have been living the lie that they are legitimately and inevitably “the best team.”

  31. Arun,
    What does the QPR chief say on Twitter? (for those of us who are Tweet-less?

  32. @bjtgooner

    QPR dont tackle like they did to us last week because they know they can’t do that at Old Toilet, unless they want cards/penalty right from the holy man in black.

    the game truly is disgusting. can’t wait to watch a proper football match #ARSENAL

  33. I think this is the twit from twitter (it’s on the BBC page as well, I don’t twit).

    QPR chief executive Philip Beard on Twitter: “Difficult to take after watching numerous replays but Ashley Young could partner Tom Daley at the Olympics.”

  34. QPR chief executive Philip Beard on Twitter: “Difficult to take after watching numerous replays but Ashley Young could partner Tom Daley at the Olympics.”

  35. Meanwhile Tom Boonen is still ahead in Paris-Roubaix. I see real sports for the moment. Not the fixed version of the EPL.

  36. @Tasos @Walter
    Lee Mason also didn’t book Rooney for a scything tackle from behind which was an obvious hard yellow card offense. That happened before that bogus penalty and incorrect sending off.

    Also, Sparky Hughes decided not to play Barton in this game because he didn’t want to risk him getting a yellow card and a suspension.

  37. To the best of my knowledge, in WSL Arsenal 2 – Everton 1. That game started the same time as ManU-QPR.

    And for the cycling fans: Sir Chris Hoy wins his fourth world keirin title, and 11th in all, pipping German Maximilian Levy on the line.

  39. Sure, BBC updates score just after I send in that. It’s now 3-2 to the Arsenal in the WSL.

  40. For moral support, this from today’s kindred Another Arsenal blog:
    “It is yet another example of the pathetic joke that the world’s richest sport has become. It is worth repeating that the richest sport in the world is practically the last to introduce video technology in order to help minimise error in the decision making of officials. It goes to prove that football has one of the most corrupt and stinking hierarchies of power of any sport. FIFA are beyond a joke, as are the useless UEFA, the latter’s limp measure of introducing extra officials near the penalty boxes has been nothing but a gross failure, we need video technology, things have gone far enough.” Bloggers of the world unite. We have nothing to lose but their stains.

  41. By the way is this the same Mason that didn’t give a penalty for Arsenal at Everton for a clear trip?

    I think they will try to keep City to a close distant as possible and then want Utd to win the title at their ground. To erase the humiliating from earlier this season. So I think they will try to get us a draw today. Wouldn’t be surprised with a 98 minute penalty or so when there is only one goal in it…

  43. Redknapp junior (Redknapp the Mouth) on sky & discussing ref errors has just stated “they” are making too many. Over to you Riley.

  44. Having watched the appalling mistakes of the ref and his assistant in the Chelsea /Wigan match, I now see Lee Mason and his chum donate an Easter gift to Man Utd by way of a penalty AND a sending off, when an offside was clearly the correct
    offense. What is going on with these people?
    The need to put things right gathers pace, minute by minute.
    Something must be done.

  45. Another blurb from the BBC
    > Opta Sports on Twitter: “7 – Since the start of 2010-11, Ashley Young has won more PL penalties than any other player (Luis Suárez is second with 5). Involved.”

    Both of them are divers. I suppose Bale is 3rd?

  46. I think from next season we must give them special diving award:

    – the best dive of the month
    – the best dive of the season

  47. And award for ref wrong call too, so soon peoples will know there is something wrong.

  48. The trouble is nowadays you don’t think first of the players and their ability but you first start to think: will we have a fair ref or a biased one? Will M.R. have instructed him or not?

    Sad really

  49. Wow a yellow for Citeh already. Maybe Atkinson is going to impose himself on this game, something Dean refused to do in the match against QPR last week, letting them foul at will.

  50. It could be the Don Fergus influence but it looks so far that Atkinson might actually give us a fair match today.

  51. Some hard feelings and bad play in the WSL
    > 1614: WOMEN’S SUPER LEAGUE LATEST – Late drama of the worst kind at Liverpool, whose Katie Brissell is stretched off with her neck in a brace after what appeared to be a stamping offence by Grace McCatty. The Bristol Academy player is sent off and a mass confrontation breaks out, Bristol captain Corinne Yorston also seeing red before play is resumed.

    Arsenal did win 3-2 over Everton.

  52. so thats blatant penalty and red card not .given..nothing changes for us and not even when we play united challengers…Atkinson tilting the pitch already

  53. Balotelli could have had 3 cards by now, chronically six studs up.
    He’s a wrecking ball and gets away with it via Atkinson.

  55. Balotelli should have been sent off THREE times but somehow Atkinson has left him on the pitch

  56. @bob

    I agree, Balotelli could have had 3 yellows or 1 red and 2 yellows – and that is not counting the foul on the upright!

  57. Balotelli is a c*nt and so is Atkinson. Arsenal is handling it well, though. Still right there in it. Come on Gunners!

  58. @DogFace:

    “Be noisy people, anger is an energy – victoria concordia crescit.”

    Seconded 100 times over.

  59. This game clearly highlights the gulf in class between Arsenal and Man U. Man U would be a penalty and a man to the good, Arsenal simple don’t have the same calibre of players 😉

  60. William you do you mean refs giving penalties for all ManU’s divers but not for Arsenal players who have been fouled in penalty area?

    I’m really looking forward ref reviews of today’s matches…

  61. Koscielny has now earned himself a suspension. Or rather, since he has obtained another yellow in some way, he will be suspended. I have no idea if he earned it or not.

  63. bearing in mind of ramsey’s two starts in the last two games and now his sub appearance today (OMG,u shud have scored that ramsey), does wenger trust ramsey over the ox and gervinho?

  64. What a great win!!!! Will try to put my thoughts on paper and publish it but now first I got to jump up and down for at least half an hour or so… 🙂

  66. Brilliant result!!!! With apologies to non drinkers, I am having a single malt after that wonderful performance!

  70. Arteta brokes Mancini’s and Arry’s heart!
    Superb strike, he takes the ball himself and shoot it.

    We deserved this win, we control the game and easily scores 2 or 3.

  71. I’m shocked today, not because of our result, but because of Fox Sports here in the USA! They’re actually speaking out against United’s ref help today (was offside and didn’t deserve a penalty) on their “Goals on Sunday” show after our game and even showed the highlight of Balotelli kicking early in the game and said it was a red card, yellow at the minimum.

    In SAF’s defense, he did say he “thought it was offside but ref had no choice since it was the last defender”

  73. Walter, please jump for me too… I’m celebrating by rewatching 2nd halftime.

  74. In the interviews, Arsene’ seems to think Balotelli’s card is a straight red.

  75. Yaay!! Arteta!!!! Just when I was beginning to think we won’t be able to find a goal..

    Oh and can Arsenal PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE now fire Stewart Robson? Talking about how Arsenal players try to get people booked when Balotelli is kicking lumps out of them is just the limit.

  76. Some afterthoughts:
    + Petro Football lacks combustion
    + Poor $AMI NA$RI a true lamer
    + Piss-poor from the Manchester Guardian’s lens-fogger Jacob Steinberg who shows his True Colors via this unguarded sponatneous disgrace of a comment upon our match winning moment:
    “GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 Manchester City (Arteta, 86 min): Congratulations to Manchester United, Premier League champions! This is a brilliant goal. Gareth Barry was caught dawdling on the ball inside his own half, and Arteta picked his pocket before striding forward and absolutely hammering a swerving drive into the bottom-right corner.” Not his last thought, the XX, but his first thought! Sports Writer of the Year – the FIRST to congratulate Lord Football. A Manchester Guardian.

  78. talk about master plan. i was convinced god was against us, but he was simply rewarding a great performance with a goal to match. cant wait for the blog response tomorrow, so much to talk about.

    thanks once again lads, outstanding on cloud 10.

  80. @Puppy chops (aka Dogface). Novus ordo seclorum. Surprised none of our American cousins have picked up on that. As for the “All seeing eye” of Atkinson, irony I assume.
    Annuit cœptis

  81. oh yes shard i was fuming hearing that twat make out we were cheating by trying to get em booked. what made it more ridiculous is that he chose sagna, prolly our most honest player to make that point over and over. didnt cross his mind for a second that he and song was a handful all game and city had to resort to a lesser mans tactics to compete.

  82. ak47

    He wasn’t even talking about just about Sagna.. He hinted that about Santos as well right at the end (when Ramsey missed the chance), and he was basically saying that Arsenal do it all the time. He started when Yaya Toure rightly got booked for tugging at Rosicky’s arm. “One thing you notice about Arsenal is that they complain a lot and try to get people booked” (or almost similar words)

  84. The BBC wrap-up thinks Balotelli was booked twice, not a straight red.

    @Shard

    I know you mean a different definition, but my thought was you want us to start throwing ice balls at SAF/ManU.

  85. @Shard he was really spewing too much shit that i wanted to mute the TV..what an utter twat he is..why do we still pay his monthly wages? sack him please if he want to badmouth us then let the sun pay him and not Arsenal..cant stand the prick one bit

  86. @Gord

    Haha..That would work just fine 🙂

    Oh but Balotelli was sent off for 2 yellow cards, not a straight red.

  87. Ong Bing
    I think that a yellow for kos is going to be good for us as our next 2 games are against wigan and wolves (the last 2 teams in the league) and a yellow in any of these next 2 would have meant that he will miss chelsea which he isn’t going to do now and we definitely need him against chelsea.

  88. Agree about Robson-the true meaning of Anti Arsenal Arsenal-thought I was listening to Tony Gale -never gave us the credit we deserved throughout this game-maybe he is trying for a job with Man U TV.

  89. @Arun

    Apparently Koscielny just had to get through this game. After today the second ‘amnesty’ period starts. So a yellow in those matches wouldnt have resulted in a ban.

  92. When their best players allegedly are their defenders, it says a lot about how we played! As for Mr. Robson, I cannot believe he is ex-Arsenal! Did something happen while he was playing for us? His commentary really was one sided – all Arsenal players were diving, cheating and trying to get everyone booked; all City players were immense, brave and skilled!! What game was he watching? (He even asked why Song was not booked when he came together with Yaya, and Yaya had to be taken off?!) Arsenal should give him the boot, if not tomorrow, at least by the end of season. If he wants to spew his Anti-Arsenal rant, the least Arsenal can do is to not help by being a source of income!

  93. @ Shard
    Thanks. I forgot that it was the second Sunday of April. But he will be back for Chelsea and that’s important. Thanks again.

  94. @Arun, you are right, we need Kos in Chelski game, more than in Wolv and Wigan game.

    @Shard, I don’t understand, is it a period for the 5 yellow and 10 yellow cards?

  95. Mancini think to sell Balotelli in the summer.
    Arsene signs him!

    Maybe he is antics, but he is very talented, the player that can changed the game.
    Arsene has reputation to handle “dificult” player (one of them is RVP, that why we buy him cheap).

    But the problem is Balotelli wages in City is very high.

  96. A little thought can you imagine the MEDIA if Arsenal had received the help PGMOL have given MU

  97. @ Steve Vallins

    If Arsenal had received the help from PGMOL, you can guarantee the media would have been for Arsenal as well. Their only job is to cover up the corruption (or even propensity for corruption) within their ‘product’. that’s all it is to them. A product that they sell us.

  98. Ong Bing

    Yes, it is when the ban for 5 yellow cards, and 10 yellow cards is not applicable anymore. I think the first period starts after the 1st of January, while the second period starts from the second Sunday of April. I think those are the correct dates.

  99. I think i am losing the will to follow football altogether. It’s all clear that referee was against arsenal from the start. It’s a great testament to arsenal that they came through that. But that affirms the speculation : football indeed is fixed. It can be largely influenced by referees. Lack of transparency makes it even worse. What’s the point in following something which you have sub consciously accepted to be rigged.

    I just summed up walters concern i guess.

  101. Shard,
    I’m dressing up in full regalia. It’s Fergie Time – that to Reign on that Parade, mate!

  102. oh and nuff respek to the fans. you were magnificent. extra points for the piss take celebration. 🙂

  103. I am not a supporter of Arsenal but I am disgusted with the the PGMOL ruining the game I love.

    The premier league has become a disgrace – Why is it that after 3 or 4 minutes of the game you know what is going to happen. – Oh the ref is for instance a man called Foy – lets see at least 70% of his decisions are suspect.

    As for Kipper Riley saying 92% of decisions are correct – I would like to know where he got those statistics from.

    I would be disgusted if my side had to have as much help as SAF has in winning a title. Sorry but that is not worth it.

    I watched the game this afternoon Arsenal – Man City what planet were the commentators on on Sky. Like most games they seem to be watching a different game to me or am I supposed to believe their twaddle?

    I never could understand how Arsenal got (and continue to get) players sent off for offenses thugs like Stoke players get away with

    Thanks for a breath of fresh air

    For this non supporter of English teams – I lived in Germany for 6 years and love Dortmund –

    The bundesliga is not perfect but the refereeing seems a lot less fixed than the premier league.

    the media are no help, according to them whenever any coach / manager questions the referee – They are losing it. What a pathetic bunch of brain dead idiots they are

    Anyway thanks for letting me know I am not alone

    keep up the good work

  104. critic,
    It’s all a social conditioning plot: to have people smell x (manure) and (eventually learn by habit) to call it not-x (perfume). It started at Old Toilet in 2004 when the multitudes applauded their victory when it was a clear theft by Micky R for his Don. Having realized what they could do in broad daylight, PGMOL/FA/EPL extended and fine-tuned their discovery into Fergie Time, free-passes for the unholy trinity of the DiveMaster (rooney) and the two Hard Man (Vidic and Ferdinand), the elevation of Micky R to Ref-Shite King, the privileging of Pa Walton, The Dean and The Webbmaster as leading men in the melodrama, and have reached the threshold of the climactic moment: the Coronation of Don Fergus as Lord Football. Welcome to the Rednose XX, and (don’t be naughty) do be sure to continue to watch your medicine. There will be re-runs.

  105. ak47

    What was that celebration about? The commentator was saying something about it being a ManCity celebration. I saw Stoke city fans do that same celebration when Crouch scored his ‘wonder goal’. I don’t get it.

  106. I am an ex-referee who currently assess on the conference and the leagues just below. I was appalled at Atkinson’s performance today. Early in the game, Balotelli delibeartely blasted the ball into the crowd having been penalised for offside. A mandatory caution, but Atkinson did nothing. Later in the first half both Balotelli and Zabaleta in separtae incidents delibeartely handled the ball in attacking positions. Both were cautionable offences. Atkinson penalised the fouls but did nothing else. Both were caitionable offences. We then had Balotelli’s terrible tackle on Song. Atkinson and assistant Kirkup both managed to miss it. I saw it even though I was some 60 yeards away in the crowd. Balotelli should have been dismissed in the first half. Zabaleta, who was cautioned late in the game, should have been sent off if Atkinson had refereered properly from the outset. I don’t go to games wanting to see people sent off. I do, however, pay a very high price to watch. I expect to see players play prperly, honestly and with endeavour. I also expect match officials to officiate properly and honestly and in accordance with the Laws of the Game and all relevant directives. Atkinson fell well short of this standard today. he is supposed to be one of the top officials and a FIFA man to boot. His performance makes a mockery of the game.

  108. Shard its a piss take of the Ponzan fans celebration.
    City fans started copying it after a champs league game Now other fans do the same when they score against city.
    Mainly stoke started it recently.

  111. from football is fixed:-

    Most entertainment industries, and football is no longer a competitive sport but rather a corrupted spectacle, select their best actors for the major theatrical extravaganzas.

    Ah! But the Premier League is different.

    On a day with huge global television coverage due to both the holidays and the absence of many other leagues, the EPL gave us Lee Mason to ruin one game (Mason lives just fifteen minutes from Old Trafford and is yet to referee a Man Utd defeat) and PC Martin Atkinson who, in his old day job, could have arrested Mario Balotelli three times in the first half for actual bodily harm but chose instead to try to keep his beloved Chelsea’s 4th place hopes alive instead of applying the rules of the game.

    Once the match was a done deal, it was time to return to form.

    For in the last three seasons, out of the last 26 sendings off in the EPL perpetrated by PC Atkinson, only 5 have been white English players.
    11 of the victims have been Black.

    Institutional racism in the British police force overflows into the English game.

    What a weird fluke!

  113. @none:

    I thought I was quite polite, actually… What would you call someone who tried to break your leg? 🙂

  114. soz shard, thanx redg. i vaguely remember the com saying it was man c celebration.

  116. @Anne the conspiracy theorists use it to mean “new world order”. However I believe your forefathers had a different description in mind More along the lines of “A new order of the ages” Moving away from the imperialist oppression that our British hierarchy visited on you folk. I believe that “puppy chops” meant that Walton dances for his corrupt puppet master.

  119. Wow 117 comments – will take me a while to get through them but I will read every one – thanks for the feedback!

    Brilliant game to go to and watch – the atmosphere was massive and the team responded!

    oh… and ALL HAIL THE PREDICTORTRON!!!

    😀

  120. @ Anne,
    Shocked by your use of the word C*nt for Balotelli from someone who normally writes so regally.
    Me personally I think he is a magna deformis inutilis cunnus.
    To the extreme.
    Great win today. I think we showed lots of guts and determination.
    Gooner for life!

  121. How on earth can that BBC reporter calling that a penalty for Utd???? He is utter rubbish in his job.

  123. Maybe Mason was trying to set a record for number of wrong decisions in one go, and that’s why when he saw the opportunity, he took it. Offside, no penalty, no yellow for dive, incorrect red card.

  124. MoTD highlights…

    Interesting to hear Robbie Savage call A Young a cheat, perhaps the MoTD2 producers havent got the same script as the rest of the media?

    Balotelli on Song, in the first half “how has the ref missed that”, “the ref could have sent him off”. So we have the ref ignoring the tackle. Im pressuming the FA will as well.

    And Anne, I was just surprised to see you use it 😉

  125. MOTD doing their best to make it look like city dominated while in reality they had ZERO shots on target..why am i not suprised?

  126. Even Manchini agreed that Balotelli should have been off in the first half. So Martin Aktinson you fuckwitted moron, what have you got to say for yourself?

  128. @Anne

    A long time ago (late 1980’s) I was at a game as an athletic first aid person (highest level amateur in Canada). It was a good team. We once played an exhibition match against a RAF-Germany team (I think the score was 1-1 or a 1 goal loss). In any event, the referee had lost complete control of the game. One of my players came very close to getting compartment syndrome in his lower leg from one of the tackles, and that was the only time I ever had concerns for that problem at a game. After the game, I told the referee that I wished that he would catch AIDS from his children.

    Balotelli deserves everything he is being called. He isn’t worth the oxygen he uses.

  129. and we got just under a minute analysis about Arsenal…it was as if city were the only ones playing..biased pricks

  130. From watching MOTD2, I would feel embarrassed if I were a United fan after that atrocity!

  131. Redjessie,
    if you would want to spend some of your precious time you can always join our ref reviewers team. I think if you come over the next days you will find how what you have seen will be confirmed by our ref reviewers.

    So if you want to join our team please send us a note or send me a mail so we can talk about this in private.

  132. After todays result you can bet your money on another game of Mike Dean for Arsenal this season….

  134. A while ago, I tried to pick up the good news from around the world after a game. Often, it just took too long to find.

    Someone at UntoldArsenal pointed me at SBS (Australia). Well, they have a couple of well written articles about today’s (today for me, yesterday for you) football.

    A quote from each:
    ManU http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/english-premier-league/news/1100823/Man-United-sees-off-QPR
    > Indeed, after this weekend’s events, some bosses would argue what should be a thrilling fight to avoid relegation is in danger of being decided by who ends up with the most incompetent officials. That so much in prestige and finance is being risked seems frankly wrong.

    Arsenal http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/match/report/189819/Arsenal-vs-Manchester-City
    > Balotelli then caught Song with a studs-up challenge just below the knee. Neither Atkinson nor his assistant on the touchline saw the poor tackle which, if they had, would have surely resulted in a red card for the controversial Italian striker. Fortunately, Cameroon international Song was able to recover and continue.

  135. It’s nice to know that the engine behind UA does indeed find time for sleep. (My previous news comment is awaiting moderation. As I used to work nuclear in the past, moderation has another meaning for me as well.)

    Tony wrote an article not too long ago, about some Bleacher Report article he had run across. I had seen Bleacher Report articles before that, a few were good, many were average, and too many were just crap. I had quit visiting Bleacher Report several months before Tony’s article.

    In looking at news tonight (I’m in western Canada), the game is still fresh in my mind and most of you have gone to sleep, so I am looking at news. Bleacher Report had a title which caught me eye, and so I decided to read it. One of the better reports for me.

    The article is about Song, the backdrop was today’s game against Man City. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1137310-arsenal-fc-alex-song-the-unsung-hero-of-the-gunners-season
    The first paragraph is:
    > After leading the domination of the midfield against Manchester City on Sunday afternoon, Alex Song has been repaying the faith Arsene Wenger showed in the Cameroonian, when he was signed seven years ago.

    (I’m not a big fan of paragraphs being composed of a single sentence. This article uses this too many times.)

  137. After watching the stream on fox soccer (usa) sports, there was a massive skew to praising city and being negitve about arsenal- I can count at least 6 occasions when the comentator gave unwarranted bile about arsenal

  138. Jacobite Gunner,
    Just wondering if you knew that Fox Soccer, The Sun, ex-NOTW, Sky-TV are all Murdoch holdings?

  141. @Adam:

    “However I believe your forefathers had a different description in mind More along the lines of ‘A new order of the ages’ Moving away from the imperialist oppression that our British hierarchy visited on you folk.”

    Our takes on American history quite clearly differ 🙂

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