By Walter Broeckx
Lack of time and other obligations prevented me to write an article before this game and it also even prevented me to see the game completely.
I had planned to write an article predicting how things could turn with Dean in this game. Even some betting predictions in it. I would have suggested you put some money on:
1. a penalty against Arsenal
2. a sending off from an Arsenal player
3. a yellow card against Vermaelen
Maybe I should have written it and forwarded it to Arsenal before the game to warn them. And I should have written it (sorry really had not time) and it could have won you some money. (sorry again)
I have seen the Koscielny sending off and by the letter of the law Dean can do this. As we all know with Dean the letter of the law is most of the time used to hit Arsenal with. He has proven that on many occasions (at MU at least 2 times, at Birmingham, against Tottenham, against ….well pretty much each team he has done the last 6-7 years). Penalties are only given against Arsenal and never in their favour. Not that I know we should have had one in this game but even if so you could bet some money on not getting it anyway.
I think Arsenal should not only prepare for the games on the tactical front of things but they should start getting a ref analyser to prepare the players.
What Koscielny did was a foul. But I can tell you a few refs who would not give it at all. Foy, Halsey, just to name two. They wouldn’t give it. And this is where it gets wrong. I think Arsenal should warn their players for this. They should talk this through before the game and say to the defenders to be extra careful because they (well I) know that Dean will be waiting for the first chance he gets to give a penalty against Arsenal. And if he can send an Arsenal player off in the same incident he will be very happy to do this.
Koscielny made life a bit easy for Dean to award a penalty and a red card. And most of it was down to one arm. His right arm. The thing is that Koscielny should have left his right arm low. But he hooked it around Dzeko and so he was clearly holding him. And Dean could point to the penalty spot. He should have been smarter. If he had left his right arm low he could have still blocked Dzeko with his left arm and then it would have been invisible to see for Dean. Because of the position Dean was standing he could not see the left arm of Koscielny.
If Koscielny only would have used his left arm to block Dzeko then it would look as two players embracing each other because the left arm of Dzeko was also wrapped around the shoulder of Koscielny. In a way they both committed the same foul but by then wrapping his right arm around Dzeko there was one clear foul Dean could see from his position. And my oh my he enjoyed it.
So Arsenal should work on this and warn their players more. Be smart when you try to block a player. And don’t ever give Dean the chance to do what he could do yesterday.
I always think it is better to concede a goal and stay with 11 men on the pitch than give Dean the chance to give a penalty and a red card. And even then it wouldn’t have been certain that Dzeko would have got to the ball.
But well in the heat of the game those things happen but maybe when you warn your players before the game it can prevent such a thing and can prevent you having to play for 80 minutes with 10 men on the pitch.
Let me move on to the Kompany sending off. Kompany threw himself forward with his feet off the ground and studs showing. For once I think a slip of an Arsenal player has been favourable. Because Wilshere slipped just before he would end up in the collision. And I think that saved his legs. If he would have been on the ground the impact could have caused an Eduardo-Ramsey injury. A two footed frontal tackle is always dangerous and I have said it time and time before: the risk of an injury is always there.
I still have my doubt about why exactly he gave the red card. For the dangerous nature of the tackle and remembering the Eduardo injury which he has seen from very close range or the “why don’t I handicap City in the title race by sending their best defender off?”
I have said before that Dean is a very smart person. Knowing what to do best for his career. Hurting Arsenal is obviously a smart career move for Dean. As his record shows and his record of bad decisions against Arsenal. His not reporting the Manchester United manager a few weeks ago is part of the same smartness.
So with 70 minutes gone and with the game won by City he thought it would be a nice thing to help out the most important manager in the PL (and his career).
Later on we will be examining the rest of the game for our review of course but I didn’t want to let this opportunity go by to highlight again the exploits of Dean in an Arsenal game. It never is a good sign when a ref is the most highlighted figure in a game. I think Dean was the most spoken about person after the game.
So my suggestion for Arsenal is to start with referee monitoring and prepare the players for each ref and in each game. Tell the players what they can do with each ref. Tell the players what they cannot do with some refs.
Don’t give refs like Dean the chance to award penalties and red cards against Arsenal. Give the players not just tactical instructions on how to play, don’t just give the players instructions about their opponents. But start giving the players tips to avoid the things that happened yesterday by starting to give tactical advice on how to act with the different refs in the PL.
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The books…
- Woolwich Arsenal: The club that changed football – Arsenal’s early years
- Making the Arsenal – how the modern Arsenal was born in 1910
- The Crowd at Woolwich Arsenal FC: crowd behaviour at the early matches
The sites…
- Referee Decisions – just what are the refs up to this season?
- Parent News – what is going on in schools these days?
- The weight loss programme: The only guaranteed way to stay fit
- The Arsenal History Blog from the AISA Arsenal History Society
Do you think Wenger will tell the players what the refs will bbe looking for?he is only interested in his own pass and pass and pass game.He doesn’t bother about the defence. That is why there is no drill.It’s already mid Jan and yet our manager is still dithering .
I am afraid this will be the season when the gunners will finally be sent to the europa league or mid table.And don’t think getting the cl spot ill be easy,let alone challenge for the epl crown.
It would also be good advice to tell Wenger to tell his players not to rugby tackle the opposition in the penalty area.
Rupert,
it can be done but only with the right ref.
I think what Koscielny did is something that you see in each game do some 3 or 4 times. But when Dean is around and Arsenal is on the same pitch, you cannot do such a thing.
The probability of it being punished is something of 3% in all games. But with Dean and Arsenal and the foul made by an Arsenal player the chance of it being given will go up to +50 %.
Those are details but can be crucial in a game. And I think most games in the PL are won or lost on details.
Quote: “So my suggestion for Arsenal is to start with referee monitoring and prepare the players for each ref and in each game. Tell the players what they can do with each ref. Tell the players what they cannot do with some refs.”
Oh come on. AW does not even prepare the team concerning the opponents, and we expect him to prepare them concerning the ref? Not a chance.
AW has never had, will never have any tactical ability, his preferred method is to throw the players in and shout “swim or drown”, that is his preparation.
@Walter, yes you see it in most games but mainly at corners. Kos made a really daft decision which ensured we were out of the game after 10 minutes. I don’t see how any ref would have made a different decision.
@rupert watched WestHam Vs Manure! Evans last man wrestles down Carlton Cole .Martin Atkinson grins not even a yellow card! :Arsenal we are used
Para,
“AW has never had, will never have any tactical ability”
So how has he fooled all us of all that time I wonder…
Rupert are you in drugs? This is vidic’s speciality he gets no cards for this as for Ferdinand well he gets away with boots to the chest. I really cannot watch football any longer so corrupt…
Excellent points, I have always found Mike Dean to always have a bias against Arsenal. For clarification purposes I read on another Blog that in the last 17 Arsenal matches, Mike Dean has refereed, Arsenal have only won One game! Is it possible to verify this statement?
Rupert,
I could give you a few examples of such things against Arsenal player that never were given a penalty and also not a red card of course.
Shawcross and Huth do it almost each time in every game, Garragher from Liverpool is also an unpunished specialist.
Note that I say that the decision was correct. But is it too much asked that if an Arsenal player is fouled we get the same decisions?
Walter, you are skirting the issues that the Arsenal team have themselves to blame, Koshelney’s ridiculous tackle deserved all it got, playing the man, and never attempting to get the ball was as clear cut as it could be, no matter how you try and describe it it was a rugby tackle and Koshelney should know better. It has to be said that Arsenal are not a good side we have gone backwards in as far as not replacing skilled players with like for like and that is the reason for our demise. Wenger and the board seem quite happy not to spend, while supporters have relised for quite a few years that we are on a downward spiral. We do not need ways to cheat to win games, if you make tackles like Koshelney’s they deserve to be punnished whoever the referee is. I was like you seeing Arsenal through rose tinted glasses, but i had to admit to myself that Arsenal are not the top club they used to be. High ticket prices are extortinate for what we watch, second class performances from secnd class players managed by a second class strategist. When money in the bank is more important than the quality on the field, shows the supporters that they are only cash cows. We got what we deserved we are not in their class and while we continue this policy we never will be.
Jordan Gooner,
read this comment from yesterday with thanks to Tasos
After Mike Dean was caught doing his jig of delight when Spurs scored their opening goal against us last season and now his assistant showing his dissent for the club, both caught on camera, its clear that an unhealthy bias exists.
With Mike Dean officiating Arsenal Premier league games in recent seasons the stats are poor. In fact relegation becomes a real prospect when Mike Dean takes control.
Last Four seasons;
Played 18, Won 3, Drawn 6, Lost 9
2008/09
Blackburn Away WON 4-0
Chelsea Away WON 2-1
Spurs Away DRAW 0-0
Man Utd Away DRAW 0-0
2009/10
Man City Away LOST 1-2
Chelsea Away LOST 0-2
Man City Home DRAW 0-0
2010/11
Chelsea Away LOST 0-2
Newcastle Home LOST 0-1
2011/12
Spurs Away LOST 0-2
Fulham Home DRAW 1-1
Man Utd Home LOST 1-2
Spurs Home WON 5-2
QPR Away LOST 1-2
Chelsea Home DRAW 0-0
2012/13
Man City Away DRAW 1-1
Man Utd Away LOST 1-2
Man City Home LOST 0-2
Untold = Living in a different Era
Rupert Cook,
Then again, Walter is right, discuss with players the kind of ref you’re facing on a particular day and know what to expect. Besides, if a foul is made during a corner, is it any different from one in open play? Its not. Walter didn’t say it wasn’t a foul, yes Kolchelny was naive a bit, but where does common sense come in to realise that if you’ve given a penalty, against a foul which isn’t really that grave, and for a first offence, that may be you would caution or give a yellow card, the game remains 11 a side so that we can have a real contest? May be Walter will tell us, when does the phrase ‘spirit of the game’apply.
I will agree ‘Manchester’ Mike Dean is a bloody disgrace. Another pompous ‘look at me’ official.
But, it was a rugby tackle.
I don’t understand how writers on this site always manage to defend wengers ineptness with tactics,squad selection and sheer arrogance..arsenal might as well have the 4th place ‘trophy’ that will bring champions league cash (which wont be reploughed with qualitative signings and instead be someones bonuses)but am sure even these writers at times question themselves with a ‘what if’ arsenal just spent cash on 1 or 2 big signings…
I predict that wengers depurture will be the beginning of our rise back to dominance..
I don’t understand how people who write a comment on this site cannot stick to the subject of the article.
I didn’t know Wenger was the ref.
As far as I have seen Mike Dean was the ref.
This is an article about refs and what I think a team should do.
This isn’t about players, transfers, ticket prices or good or bad players.
And if you want to link all those things: This week I have seen people considering to go to the game or not despite having tickets; when it was confirmed that Mike Dean would be the ref.
The price of a ticket will not win or lose you a game. A ref can.
Penalty- i can expect due to foolishness of Koscielny. Yellow card- i had to swallow my frustration since Dean is the referee but RED CARD- ridiculous!!! You can’t just use the letter of the law to officiate game. Think as well the SPIRIT of the law & the game. Well, to everyone your own opinion BUT when biasness gets unpunished for so long..either fans of Arsenal are very civilised people or are very afraid to let Dean knows how we feel. Just incase he unfortunately gets both legs broken due to some mishaps, i won’t feel sorry for him.
Dancing around the referee did us in claim is just clutching on straws..Refs. will have a good or very bad day but the underlying matter is our sqaud is not good enough bar a few players
@doublegooner yes it was a tackle but we have seen them overlooked(Give a penalty and a yellow card and let the game move on) but with De$n he will be rewarded because Mike Riley loves it that way. On top of that i would love to thank the fans excluding the fanatics for letting dean know that what he was doing was on mars. Keep it up guys.
Ok, I think just about most Gunners fan’s understand how easy it is currently to take a pop at Arsenal …and not without justification either ( even harder for the Arsenal faithful to swallow ! ).
However, there is some validity in the concerns most Arsenal fans have about Mike Dean as a referee, and not just looking at it from a biased perspective either ! When you closely examen Dean’s consistency, it becomes quite clear that he fails to give red cards, penalties or even fouls for very similar offences by other teams in the EPL when he sees them ? He has the worst record of any referee currently when it comes to dishing out discipline to Man Utd players – there is ample footage readily available to illustrate the guy’s rather suspicious inconsistency ?? I guess the logical question becomnes ‘why’ ? This is something that the club should be picking up with the referee’s association asap and answers given. Becuase it is Wenger, he’ll no doubt be castigated in th press for picking on porr little old unwell Dean, but do you thinkk Ferguson would stand for Dean’s awful refereeing if many of his buggered up and rather dubivious decisions were against his teams ? No chance, and you all know that to be the case … and so does Dean, which is why he bottles some 99.9% of decisions he should make when refing a Man U game !! I hope Arsenal finally really take this pillock to task and right quick !
As for the decision to send off K, then by the letter of the law it could be done. However, when looking at Dean’s most recent judjments for almost identical offences, he not didn’t award a penalty and send the players off, but didn’t even grant a foul in the very first place ?!! He ruined what would have been a good game … why he did it only he can answer for ?
Oh, and any Gunner that doesn’t believe that we need at least 3/4 signings in what remains of this tranfer window is as delusional as the current Arsenal board is …. One thing is for sure, the fans are gonna start voting with their cash and refuse to fill the sub-standard Arsenal coffers – then we’ll see just how quickly that cretin Gazadis and ( hate to say this ) Wenger last ?
@Walter tell them, we have a lots of Magwampa’s who have the hate for Arsenal and anything with it.
Walter, i apologise for not keeping to your format, I have to say that although you have a point about the referee, i felt he managed the game fairly. But i suppose you dont want to hear that, O by the way we lost.
It was not just at you Steve Palmer.
Our reviewers will have a look at the whole game later this week (I hope) and then we will have the complete picture.
Walter,isn’t It funny how all of a sudden you have time, not only to write the article but also to comment? Or is it the old untold strategy of keeping quiet, letting things pan out, then coming out to say “we always knew”. I thought that strategy was reserved for justifying “the lord wengers” decisions if they eventually work?
@John W. sure it was sad to see the contest wrecked by that red card but Kos shouldn’t have rugby tackled the guy. If I’d have been ref I’d have given a yellow because I agree the spirit of the game was lost but I can’t really defend what Kos did. Damn stupid.
Dean may well be biased but the team has problems that are nothing to do with refs.
All of you going on about this happening with Vidic and Shawcross and they’re getting away with it, I’m sure you’re right but seeing as I don’t watch these teams I can’t really argue the point.
@walter
I also happen to hav watched most of the matches u listed dean to hav reffed and honestly we got what we deserved. We beat spurs wen we deserved to, they spanked us wen we were shite.
@john W,
Yes its usually differnt when its a corner. That’s because, before a corner is played, d ball is no team’s, it could be the attacking team’s or the defending team’s, so can’t be classed as obstructing a goal scoring chance.
How sad it is really to read an article like this and find that it makes complete sense!!!
PS. It is clear that a lot of arsenal fans don’t like AW but how can you really read this article and “discuss” AW is beyond me.
Mike Dean has previous with Arsenal and plenty of it.
However his decision to award a penalty for Koscielny’s foul was correct, his decision to send the player off was harsh.
How did Koscielny deny Man City a goal scoring opportunity when Tevez headed the ball goal-wards a split second later? And isn’t the awarding of a penalty kick a goal scoring opportunity anyway?
And then Mike Deans awarding of the free-kick which led to the opening goal. Very harsh on Arsenal again as Javi Garcia, who was initially fouled, continued to play-on only to then give possession away with a sloppy pass, after which Dean decided there was no advantage but Garcia had given possession away on his own accord after the initial foul.
Finally, Man City were the better team and deserved the victory but Mike Deans performance bears close scrutiny yet again.
@tasos
Was it a goal scoring oppo denied? Foul!
Was it in d box? Penalty!
Was he d last man? Redcard!
uk
The last man has nothing to with the rules of the game.
“The terminology “last man” is no longer included in the Laws of the Game as there are now situations which are sanctioned as red card offences despite there being more than one man between the player and the goal”.
@Walterbocx
Correct me please if i am wrong but i am pretty sure we are in 2013 and Dean is not un unknown animal to Arsenal.
It seems kind of advice to the club or players your article.
Had you ever thought that there is a manager and others paid to asses each and every game ?
By this time someone not a blogger like you but Dean action merit an official complaints and explanation to us.
Had this kind occured at manchester Fergie will openly rant at the official and may or may not be punished.
Who suppose to say it in our club or note all the advice that you in your little own understand it ?
I am not a deluded fan as it is easy to understand such things and Wenger knows better than every one but his motive to shut his mouse is simply regarded as pointless.
He knows ultimately that this team will not win anything.Therefore what is the point exept to be penalised by FA.
He had a go at refs long time ago but nowadays simpling is not happening.
I aggree with your thoughts entirely infact i made similar comment to yours early and i labelled Kos as inexperienced for the time he stayed with us he should have known better.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151249659833003&set=a.213677483002.132485.104388128002&type=1&theater
Anyone from Untold know her ? !!
@Walter
I completely agree players need to be coached to approach each game differently depending on who the referee is. Clearly a game that is being reffed by the likes of Foy or Halsey cannot be treated the same as one being reffed by dean, probert or dowd. By the same token, I’m sure other teams’ managers also take note who the ref is and tell their players what they can get away with or what they cant. So we could & should use the same concept for damage limitation when confronted with a hostile official. What I’m not sure about is what psychological impact, if any, this might have in a player who might then pull out of a tackle he would have won, hesitate here or there, and end up costing us dearly. And then we will be on the players’ backs for playing like nancies. Mind you most of these decisions by players are instinctive; the minute you take even half a second to digest a situation might be too long in the fast paced game today. Perhaps there is a list of things players can be told to avoid like giving Dean any backchat(unless you’re the captain; although with Dean I admit that doesnt guarantee not being punished, seeing what happened to TV), not confront any opposition player, generally be on their best behaviour, etc?
Some refs are just out to screw us, no matter what. dean is the epitome of this. I dont think its coincidence that one of his assistant refs ‘sympathised’ with City fans for forking out a whopping £62.
@Rupert
The fact you dont watch any other games apart from Arsenal’s doesn’t qualify you to criticize the club as much as you do. What do you have to compare our inept performances against?? It does seem you will always take a pop at Wenger and the board, no matter what the discussion subject is, be it the Fifa World cup draw or something that may have very little to do with football. Please dont view this as a personal attack, but I find your negativity about everything Arsenal a little concerning.
I have thought that Koscielny usually he plays the refs quite well. A disguised pull here, a push or a grapple there. Koscielny should know better with Dean by now.
This season he seems to have been too rash at times. The sending off for France against Italy was very funny. He needs to go watch some Baresi videos.
I still maintain the red card for Kos was harsh & dean was waiting for any little mistake to punish us. There are factors to consider, was Dzeko in complete control of the ball? No. Was he going to get to the ball first before anyone else? No, Tevez got there firs and headed the ball. Was Kos the last man? I dont think so too, TV was level, even though he was getting up from the ground. This penalty is a lot similar to the one Rosicky conceded on that forgetable day in Newcastle, where he was adjudged to have fould a player who would not have got the ball as it was too high and ended out of play. Diabolical refereeing in both cases.
I’m sure before the game dean was in a dilema as to how he could screw us(and indavertently help united’s rivals in the process), so not surprising he ended up sending off players from both teams.
I see from the various blogs that many Gooners are having a dip at our most beloved ref who further decreased his percentage of Arsenal wins. But his worst decision yesterday was to send off Kompany. Maybe the “play advantage.no advantage.therefore free kick” was a bit naughty but ffs did you see three out of five defenders not even looking at the ball and 5/5 not standing over the ball to prevent a quick free kick?
I for one have no criticism of his red card/penalty for Kos’s idiocy but with all the experience we should have gained over the years at playing with 10 men, when the penalty was missed we were still in with a chance. But even that experience seems to have disappeared. Fair enough, we did well to up our performance in the second half but the number of times that Hart was seriously worried, can be counted on three fingers.
@Al, I’m not offended by your comments. I don’t watch 90 minutes of Stoke ( who would, except Stoke fans?) or Manu. I sometimes watch MOTD but not as religiously as I did a couple of years ago.
I think it’s rather desperate to blame refs for the obvious shortcomings of our squad. I mean are you really impressed with this team? Do you think we’ll win the CL? After all isn’t that what Wenger wants most? And if it isn’t what the hell does Wenger want? I have to admit I’m in the dark regarding our ambitions these days. After all Wenger admitted a few days ago that he knew selling RVP to Manu would ensure that Manu had a huge advantage over us. Doesn’t sound like a man with any ambition to win the league as even when we had RVP we finished many points behind Manu.
I’m really mystified by Wenger. I have no idea what his motivation is anymore other than to pick up a hefty pay packet. I can’t believe that’s so but I don’t see where the club is actually going other than attempting to finish fourth every year.
re performance,I don’t need to compare inept performances against other teams, an inept performance is an inept performance. You can tell when a player is playing poorly, you don’t need to compare him to someone else.
The only live games I go to these days are at Oxford, the wife’s team, because I can actually afford it. It’s a great atmosphere and you can actually see the players for the humble price of £19. It’s less stressful too because I’m not as emotionally attached to Oxford as I am to Arsenal.
‘Bruised bones’, perpendicular flying kicks to an opponents outstretched leg that are not called as fouls.
Kung-Fu kicks to the chest in front of an official that are not called as fouls.
It all evens out in the end.
Seven fouls called against Jack out of those committed, and that was for this game only. How long before he picks a ‘bruised bone’ in a foul that isn’t called?
A|,
Well said. May as well name them red cards for who they the serve: the Reds’ cards. The Demonic Dean’s sendings off these two players surely helps Don Fergus anointment quest; just as DD’s NOT reporting his Don for that display of fire and brimstone show proper obeisance. Indeed, that sulfurous display would have had AW shit-canned for 3 matches. As for those hereabouts who bleat arrggghhh, the trouble is with the team, not the refs! Well, excuse me, but can two thoughts not be true at the same time? Apparently not in all minds. In fact, holding the two thoughts together will help us all progress a fuller analysis of what ails us and, just perhaps, how to fix it (as the clock ticks down with 17 days left).
Rupert Cook,
This is boring and we are in the dark, but none of us (except FunGunner) really can blame everything on AW, as you just have literally done above in spades. I am not charitable towards AFC’s mysterious (in my view asset-stripping) modus vivendi. But I look at the stress in AW’s face at, for but one example, yesterday’s post-match press conference, and intuitively do not believe your laser-like conviction that this man is absolute ruler of the once and future kingdom. No one has all the authority that you polemically bestow (force?) upon him, not even AW. But in the absence of any other actual information from the inner sanctum (except for FunGunner’s family pal, the agent-in-the-know, we’re told), it is easy (perhaps too easy) to find all that ails this club to be the doing of one man. I think you’ve shown nuanced enough thinking hereabouts to perhaps retreat from your personally accusing him of having no motivation beyond a hefty pay packet. Imo, if that were true (and I reject it), then I would have to say that he may have been driven to that point. Do you literally mean he has chosen – for personal gain – to have sold off all the best jewels in his crown? If you do, and I don’t mean to reduce your positions to this (and wonder if you have actually meant that in your nasty posting just above), then we have to consider what it is you’re doing here (much of which I’ve felt has been constructive criticism).
@Bob, I’m not suggesting Wenger is on a one man crusade to pocket vast wealth at the expense of Arsenal but I do wonder what he is trying to achieve. He seriously can’t believe that this squad is good enough to win the CL. Now Arteta is out for three weeks and he reckons there’s no one of equal calibre to replace him and yet according to Gazidis we have 35 million to spend. I mean is Arteta really that good?
There is obvious need for squad strengthening but one minute Wenger claims we’re looking for players, the next he says the squad is strong enough.
And why did he admit selling RVP to Manu would virtually assure them of finishing above us? Not a very sensible thing to do was it then?
If Wenger is being forced to sell his best players against his will at the behest of Gazidis or Kronke then he should damn well say so. I don’t see why he should be loyal to those two. It might cost him his job but then why would you want to work as basically a buffer for all the vitriol disgruntled fans are aiming at you because of so-called asset stripping by Kronke and co?
The Dark Prince rises again?
http://metro.co.uk/2013/01/14/top-10-players-arsenal-could-realistically-sign-this-january-transfer-window-2013-3351197/?
Wenger reckons there’s no players good enough for Arsenal. Well what do you think about this lot? Some of them seem good enough.
@Rupert i have been was asking myself many times what where your intentions in criticizing everything Arsenal and Arsene does but now i get it.
1- You want cheap things and on top of that you want the team to buy while contributing nothing.
2-You are afraid of being an Arsenal fan though your heart tells you that you are one.
3- Arsenal is in the top 10 teams in the world but because you are in a cave(dark you said) you don’t see it going anywhere.
4- Im afraid you will-lack behind because with you or without you Arsenal will survive
5-Better look for another team as Arsenal will never be cheap again.
6- Keep on Dreaming as you will stay in dreamland forever and ever Amen.
Rupert Cook,
Yes, indeed, there are mysteries and enraging ones at that. Nor did I say one man crusade, in criticizing you for saying that money is his only motivation nowadays. That said, I agree, and if you read anything I’ve posted in the last two days, you will have noticed me (not just you) duly maddened by the admissions about the RVP sale being, essentially, conceding the title to the Sulfurous Sauron of Old Trafford. Perhaps that is what AW told his “betters” (if you can conceive of that hierarchy) before the sale. And perhaps not. And perhaps this is AW’s last season because, for all his loyalty, efforts, perhaps rearguard defense of the possible, he cannot stem the asset-stripping tide. I don’t know, and we don’t know. And perhaps he will tell us all, as he promised Amy Lawrence, about what really went on in the horrifying RVP deal. Those memoirs, if they tell all, will be amazing. And they would tell the Untold Story that no one, as yet, can rightly claim to actually. I love a good mystery. But, like you, find this one enraging. But, unlike you, I do not have the heart nor the bile to lay it all at this man’s feet. Beyond that, I cannot pierce the mystery. And, in this moment, my passion for the club is fixated on whether or not it musters the nous and strategic wherewithal to rescue its own sinking ship (with assists by Demonic Dean and Fergie and the Orks at PGMOL) before the last planks of wood are stripped from the hull.
Most clubs will point to one , two or maybe three refs and say they dont give us that or they always favor them but as I said yesterday I really dont think Dean got a lot wrong.
First things first the majority of the shirt pulling that goes un punished tends to be before the ball is in play , is 6 of one half a dozen or is away from the ball and therefore probably not immediatley in the refs line of sight.
Yesterday the Arsenal player had both arms wrapped around the Man City player it was where the ball was and the shirt pulling was all one way.It was an easy one for Dean to make and 100% correct.
I see someone said that it was harsh because Dzeko didnt have complete control of the ball well, that would not be relevant, next Dezeko wouldnt have got to the ball first that is relevant but impossible to say he wouldnt and just because Tevez got their first only goes to prove the keeper wouldnt have so it was reasonable to assume that Dezeko could have got there before any Arsenal player.
For me Wengers comments, or lack of condemnation of the sending off suggests that he himself feels it was correct
Moving on to the point of the article well I cant believe that Wenger along with all managers dont know what an individual ref does or doesnt focus on and knowing the preperation that goes in I would be staggered if attention isnt paid to the match officals to some degree or another and whilst I would doubt to any where near the depth paid to the opposition I know when I played football (at a reasonable non league level) our manager more often than not had a word or two about the ref before the game but in truth we as players, once we had seen a ref once or twice we knew what the score was.
Don’t know why you lot are discussing the red card. f**k it was! u cannot rugby tackle an opponent in your 6 yrd box. LK was caught on the wrong side. end off!!!
my main concern is the 1st goal, we all had our backs to the ball, no organization for the free kick, not attention / concentration, all bloody dreaming. someone needs to give a kick up these players arses, these are professionals? absolute garbage? how many times have we made stupid defence errors to allow the other team to win. can someone work it out?
@Kampala, where do you live? In Africa? So I hope you board a plane and come to every home game. Then you can pay the effin vast sums to watch a bunch of average players. If you do pay to see Arsenal then you can criticize all you like otherwise I suggest you keep your lunatic thoughts to yourself.
I apologize if you do go to the Emirates every week but if you don’t don’t criticize others who can’t afford it.
@Rupert who is having lunatic thoughts! Its you im talking about not others, fight for yourself in fact i have given you facts but it looks like they are a bitter pill for you.
@Bob, none of us have a clue what goes on at Arsenal and it is possible, just a tiny little bit possible, that the club is at the whim of an egomaniac called Wenger. I don’t think it is necessarily true and I suspect there are myriad reasons for our lack of direction, many of them may stem from the diabolic duo, Gazidis and Kronke. Or maybe they’re both angels. Who the hell knows?
I’d love it if we won the CL and then my doubts and the doubts of numerous other supporters would be shown up to be ludicrous and Wenger would claw back most of the respect he’s lost.
@Bob, none of us have a clue what goes on at Arsenal and it is possible, just a tiny little bit possible, that the club is at the whim of an egomaniac called Wenger. I don’t think it is necessarily true and I suspect there are myriad reasons for our lack of direction, many of them may stem from the diabolic duo, Gazidis and Kronke. Or maybe they’re both angels. Who the hell knows?
I’d love it if we won the CL and then my doubts and the doubts of numerous other supporters would be shown up to be ludicrous and Wenger would claw back most of the respect he’s lost.
@Kampala, you’re a lunatic and you haven’t got a clue about me or my life so stop making stupid judgments.
Gouresh,
Wasn’t that the point of Steve Bould? What has happened, then?
I think Man City deserved to win the game althought it was spoiled by the ref having two standards required to get a booking.
Standard 1 was where Arsenal players got booked according to the letter of the law whilst standard 2 was where players like Dzeko commited about 6 or 7 clear yellow card offences without even a verbal warning.
This game proved that Mike Dean knows the rule book inside and out (as you’d expect, but it also proved that he has some form of hatred for anything Arsenal.
Tony / Walter
Yet more unintelligible bile from Kampala. How long can he be allowed to abuse people who are capable of rational debate? I believed this site was about having rational debate not debasing arguments with bizarre assertions about other posters.
Rational debate that slurs others as ‘Egomaniacs’.
How clever these moderate and reasonable critics are.
@Finsbury, where’s that then?
So Arsenal have a bunch of average players managed by an egotistical dictator who has long since lost the plot.
Makes you wonder how on earth Arsenal managed to finish THIRD last season. I can only surmise that those people portraying this belief must also think that the clubs who continually finish below this shabbily run outfit to be a shower of shite then?
Finsbury,
Glad you appreciated it, though i’m not sure where you got “egomaniac” from.
Uk, that is how live goes you know.
Sometimes you are short in time and sometimes you have half a day free as happened today.
And besites I have written about Dean on numerous occasions and predicted what he would do. I thought for the regular readers it would get kind of boring to do it again.
But if you use the word Dean in the “search here” you will find a few articles about him where we predicted (Dogface and me) what and how he would do it.
I’m not really understanding the outrage at Dean to be honest. Because most while upset, admit that he got the big decisions pretty spot on (well by letter of the law at least). Most of the outrage stems from people thinking that while the decisions were “correct” that 1) Dean always hurts AFC and 2) the laws are not uniformly applied across the league and from ref to ref (admittedly true). However, none of that really excuses that Kos’ red was his fault and he should take responsibility.
If anything City should feel more upset about Kompany’s red as there was a lot more interpretation in that one. For one, Wilshere overplays the ball with a heavy touch and thus is no longer in clear possession and the play becomes a 50/50 (to me Wilshere’s initial reaction looked like he was worried that the foul and subsequent 2nd yellow could be called on him), Kompany gets the ball (all of it) with one foot on the ground at the time (or maybe an inch off of it) before any contact is made with Wilshere, and the other foot tucked away under his body so it wasn’t a two-footer. That play could have arguably been called in 4-5 different ways 1) nothing, just a 50/50 with no foul 2) Wilshere committing a foul (unlikely) 3) Kompany committing a foul with no card/yellow, 4) Kompany committing a foul and getting the red. While Kos’ call was only one of two possible outcomes, either he gets a yellow or a red.
So instead of blaming Dean, realize that Kos needs to take responsibility for his proneness to mistakes, this is not the first, second or third time he’s cost us with silly mistakes (including reds and own goals).
Moving on to the complaints about Wilshere being persistently fouled. Yes he was, though none were particularly individually nasty (Barry’s swipe iirc being the most hard), and there wasn’t one particular repeat offender on him specifically. Nevertheless, in the second half (which was when we were actually testing them) City got 4 yellows and a red (that’s 5 cards!) for fouls, the majority of which iirc, were on Wilshere. Dean called them, and didn’t hold back with the cards, so not sure what the complaints are about that either.
Not trying to defend Dean overall here (and he’s made some calls in our favour this season like the Adebayor red etc.), nor saying he hasn’t incorrectly cost us before, but he’s not to blame for us losing THIS GAME yesterday, certainly not to blame for Kos’ ineptitude, and if anything City can feel just as upset if not more upset by his performance than us.
It’s easy to point the finger at Dean here, but honestly I don’t really see how he was the main problem. We shot ourselves in the foot (again) and then didn’t have enough quality to get back into the game. Simple.
A. Stewart,
Not trying to defend Dean 😉
By the way you are completely wrong about Adebayor and Dean. Because it was Webb who did the Arsenal – Tottenham game.
But don’t worry they will send Dean for the match at their home.
My predictions for that game: a penalty for the spuds, a red card against an Arsenal defender and a yellow card for Vermaelen.
The problem is mainly that Dean has cost Arsenal so many points (and one PL title – 2007/2008) that even when he makes a correct decision he will never get it sold to the Arsenal supporters.
He has cost us so many points in his career that even if he now would start making up for it he could never achieve it any more.
So if you have been screwed over and over by him, for the average fan it doesn’t matter any more if a decision was correct. For me as a reviewer I can step over that hurdle. But for most fans it is too much.
How many times will a man forgive his wife for sleeping with another man when he comes home after work (or the other way round for the ladies)? At one point in time you will kick her/him out.
A Stewart
You are defending Mike Dean?
Get your facts correct first.
Mike Dean didn’t send-off Adebayor in this seasons NLD. That accolade goes to Howard Webb.
Am just wondering if two different emails given mean two different avatar pictures.
So am gonna make two different posts and check out now.
Here goes my second post.
Now my comment is awaiting moderation. Well I think I find a similarity or coincidence in some comments here. They all seem to emanate from a single or couple of persons but from different directions may be.
Yup completely wrong about the Adebayor red, I accept that, I thought it was Dean but I guess it was the next most commonly complained about anti-AFC ref.
Stand by everything else though, Dean didn’t cost us this game, and was correct in the Kos red (regardless of if he or another ref would have given it in another game). City had a claim to feel harder done by with Kompany, and Dean did card for persistent fouling on Wilshere.
I think Wenger’s comments on both reds say a lot.
From dot com…:
on Koscielny’s red card…
“What I make of the decision is not really important. We have to live with the decision. I was surprised. Honestly. I refuse to watch it again because what does it help now? We have to live with the decision and make the maximum of it. I will watch it again. I’ve heard it was a penalty. Was it a red card? I don’t know.”
on Kompany’s red card…
“I haven’t seen it again. It looked like both went for the ball.”
Doesn’t appear that he is blaming Dean for his decisions, and was surprisingly very neutral on the Kompany red. And regarding that, other than it not being two footed, and Kompany getting the ball, that was my thought too, it was a 50/50 ball because of Wilshere’s heavy touch (thus no longer in possession) and Kompany AND Wilshere then both went for it (hence Wilshere looking a bit worried at first). Had Wenger thought Wilshere was in possession, I can’t see how he would have said he went for the ball, because if he was in possession he wouldn’t have had to. Never a red card in my view, not even sure it was a foul.
I didn’t think anyone here was solely blaming Mike Dean for the defeat.
My initial take on the Kompany red card was that Mike Dean had shown it to Wilshere. I also believe Wilshere thought the same, judging by his reaction.
I think I was actually blaming Koscielny for making a stupid intervention.
He should have been smarter.
Mike Dean was far from the cause of it,he certainly was an issue. As has been mentioned, he certainly has form with us. But I find it staggering that Jack was being deliberatly kicked around the park yesterday, Dean did nothing about it until late in the game. Jack took all this punishment, but got booked for the first foul he committed, this to me says it all about Dean, you sense he is just waiting for an excuse to do us….and yes, Kos gave him the perfect excuse. I really hope part of the teams prep involves taking into account the ref. But I have to say, I am starting to worry about the teams prep in general. The game is now filled with bright managers who meticulously prepare for each opponent, using as much data as is possible. There are many famous quotes about where a lack of preparation will get you. I really..really hope this team are being prepared properly for each game, but there are times when I do wonder. Wenger says at the moment, the team lack the ability to play in a serene manner. But to play like that…and Wengers teams have in the past, you need great players, confidence, experience, balance, things going your way, an aura to scare opponents. We have some extremely good players, but despite clearly trying, they are not in this serene zone..or at least not yet. And it is costing us. I just wonder if Wenger would be better to concentrate on the basics a bit more until we reach the heights he wants the team to reach. Wenger is not a tactically flexible manager in the strictest sense,some of the top teams have several ways of playing to suit different situations, opponents, player availability. It could be argued we have been undone by managers who are more flexible. These players clearly need a bit of help, they have even asked for extra training according to MA. Maybe Wenger has to take a step back with them, they seem lost when things do not go their way. This is partly a gel issue, we also now clearly need strengthening, but if there is an issue with coaching/tactics, I really hope Wenger recognises this and acts accordingly, at least until greater consistancy is attained. Not all teams are like the Invincibles, and not all players like God, Cesc, Henry, Paddy, Bobby and RVP. And even those boys needed time and patience. Are this team being rushed to a level and style of play they are not completely ready for or comfortable with? It sure looks that way to me at times. The way we play is not easy to master, it takes special talents, maybe one reason Wenger is so cautious over buying
I would really like someone on this site to tell us what they think is wrong at Arsenal and what can be done to address those flaws.
Surely constructive criticism of the club, the players or the manager does not equate to belonging to AAA …. or does it?
A1 don’t be ridiculous. The only way dean could have helped man utd in this match was by screwing city and aiding us. I can’t understand how someone can say dean intended to help man utd and in the same sentence say dean aided man city in this match
Uk
Simple; let City win this match but weaken them by getting their best player suspended for the next 3 matches. There, two goals achieved, Arsenal lost and City will be without one of their most influential player for next 3 games. Is it really difficult to see that? I can add two more things; Kompany’s sending off was celebrated in the other half of Manchester(and not for Arsenal’s cause at the time it happened), and I believe city are wasting their time in appealing the red card, even though it appears a winnable appeal on paper.
UK,
to understand this you must understand Dean.
He hates us. That can almost be presented as a fact.
So first sending a player off from Arsenal will bring his most important goal: Arsenal losing.
Then with 20 minutes to go he can start thinking about extra bonus points. He knows SAF will not blame him for City winning and the sending off as he had the laws of the game at his disposal.
So sending off the best defender City has is one hell of a great trick. Just as Koscielny was foolish to commit himself, so was Kompany foolish to give Dean the perfect excuse to send him off.
At that moment in the game the game looked to have been won by City.
Never underestimate Dean. I think Arsenal and lots of supporters do this. Dean is very smart and can think quickly and he knows to keep important persons as a friend.
Know your opponents and a ref like Dean is always an opponent for Arsenal.
To support this theory Dean left it late to send a city player off when he knew the damage had been done. Might also be why he didnt send Dzeko off even though he was fouling more than any other city player; the impact would hardly have been felt as Dzeko only started this game as city were missing some of their regular frontmen through injury or suspension, so he could easily be replaced. Do you think city will find it easy to replace Kompany? Dont think so
@bob: exactly my point, why should we be discussing a blatant penalty when our problem lies somewhere else. the team just does not play together. its shambolic.
@walter,
1. I understand life can be that way, it just seems to be the untold way nowadays, wait for an event to pan out, then interpret with benefit of hindsight in the most akb-ish way. I remember one commenter several weeks ago, asking u guys to take a stance on the walcott issue as early as then, so as not to be-labor us with the most wenger favorable interpretation of events afterwards.
2. I see u and a lot of commenters admitting the kos. Decision was the right one, it begs the question, what was the point of the post?
a. To show dean wouldn’t do us a favor and call wrongly in our favor?
b. To inform AFC that dean is unlikely to bend the laws in our favor and as such we should play fair and square?
3. You’ve made your predictions for the tottenham game(fine, please repeat those views when we approach that match).. Now, in light of yesterday’s events and your prediction of a penalty for tottenham, are you insinuating an arsenal player is going to be foolish enough to do something like kos did, and concede a “fair” penalty? Because that would be more an indictment on our team’s discipline and intelligence
@walter +A1
But helpin man city win the game is screwing man utd in the first place. Surely man utd can’t be hurt by arsenal gettin 3pts in anyway.
So from ur view we can say dean thought, screw utd, I’m gonna hurt arsenal wether it hurts them or not! Sending kompany off, only came in after he’d accomplished that. No?
@Al, do you really think Dean was trying to aid Manu by sending off Kompany? Losing one player is hardly going to weaken City that much, they’re not a one man team. If Dean wants Manu to succeed he’d surely make certain City got no more than a point. All these conspiracy theories are ingenious but hardly explain why we played below par, with or without the full compliment of players.
Disagree Disagree Disagree and not accepting this,even you Walter…
For the Red Card to be given by Kosienly:
1- shall be the last defender
2- facing the goal
3- controlling the ball
well number 3 is not there the ball wasn`t controlled by Dzeko thus it should have been a yellow and Penalty.
Second of all, What killed us during the game is what killed us in almost every match, when Arsenal go from defense to attack is the most dangerous moment the Arsenal can kill with any other team.
What other team do is a tactical foul every moment this happen the other team regroup and organise their defenses which is the hardest thing for Arsenal to break.
If the Referees including Dean and others,… Do the Rules and give a yellow card for the defender or the defending mid, he wouldn`t dare to do it again, thus keeping our game flow, but doing it in the last minutes that is disgusting….
Only teams that doesn`t do it is bossed by Arsenal,ex Reading, NewCastle(cause those players were out),Liverpool (how we killed them in that game with the fast counter attack, to goals were that way).
Walter I need a response regarding the refereeing points please, if I am right or not….
@UK + Rupert
Sure dean didn’t think ‘screw utd, I’m gonna hurt Arsenal whether it hurts them or not’, he had a plan, and that was that he would ensure an Arsenal loss and a sending off for City, so its a kind of win-win for ferguson and dean himself, if you like. I am convinced he would even have denied us a blatant penalty, had the opportunity arisen, as his aim was that we lose. So his only option to score some points on the ‘please-fergie’ board would have been to send off a key player for city, thereby weakening them. City are missing Toure who is at the African Nations Cup, and ensuring Kompany doesn’t feature in their next three games should not be taken lightly. If Dean wanted to hurt city by sending a player off he would have done it in defence, where they are a bit light at the moment. Upfront and Balotelli, Aguerro, Nasri or somebody else steps up. This was not a game between manu and some other team he was involved in directly, but if dean can aid manu by robbing their rivals of points or sending off their key players every now and again, don’t think that this would go unnoticed by Don Fergus. He has his own agenda yes, but at the back of that he also has to keep his paymasters & certain managers he has allegiances to happy.
UK
I dont think any player is going to be foolish enough to do something like Kos did, no, they’ll get penalised for a silly thing we see happening in the box countless times and getting dismissed as a non-event. Its practically possible for every team to concede a penalty each game(I’ve seen fouling warranting penalties almost every time a corner is taken), and getting a player or two sent off per game(almost every game has a nasty tackle or two, but not every game has a red card). However, we don’t see this happening most times as;
1) a lot of the times ‘common sense’ is applied by the ref;
2) sometimes the offence is interpreted another way(eg, handball in the penalty box can be viewed as a ball to hand incident);
3) the ref shows his ‘experience’ (as heard from certain sky pundits) by giving a player a talking to instead of brandishing a card(eg, shrek letting rip at an assistant referee for a perceived injustice)
4) Two players going head-tohead, literally, after a bad tackle(I know Sagna & Diaby have been sent off against Zabaletta & Barton respectively for this kind of thing, while certain players only get a warning and/or a yellow from the ref)
So as we can see, any of the above, by the letter of the law, are sending off or penalty offences, but the refs dont usually apply the law as they can also use their common sense. This is what happens the majority of the times. However, if say an Arsenal player were to commit one of the offences above, and gets carded, the ref will not be viewed as having done anything wrong, cause the law says… do you see what I’m getting at. So, as Walter predicted, its not impossible for dean to award spuds a penalty(despite the offence being something we see every day), send off one of our players for a tackle we see every day too or give TV a card(as he will almost certainly speak with dean as the captain). On that day, dean will just choose to apply the letter of the law where Arsenal are concerned, while in the same match applying different rules for the other team….So, as you can see, we could concede another penalty,red card or such without necessarily committing a cardinal sin.
I may be wrong but thats how i see things, and sorry for a long post, but trying to present different angles to these arguments which cant be done in a line or two..
@A1
Don’t be surprised about our players doing stupid things to concede cards and penalties. I remember fabregas(one of our all yime most intelligent players) raising (I think it was chamakh’s hand) in the box to concede a penalty againt spurs @the emirates, for us to lose after being ahead by two. If fab can do that, I don’t see why diaby,gibbs,ramsey,giroud, etc can’t do worse.
And u seem to know dean so well(in hindsight and especially after a defeat), do you by chance live in his brain? If you do, might you be kind as to do arsenal a favor?
@Rupert(still depressive)
It is a bit much for you to tell Kampala he must visit home games before expressing his opinion – when you not so long ago went to the cinema and still felt you could criticise the team’s performance even when you didn’t see the game! You are also close to exhibiting your latent xenophobic character – again!
Regrettably, you are still the nasty sarcastic backstabbing twit you were when you were named “rupert”. Like many others, I can’t understand what motivates you to post on this site.
@UK
Didn’t want to respond, but then again I don’t want you to misinterpret my lack of a response for anything its not. I thought we were having a mature, intelligent debate, but I think I’ll stop here.
Uk,
I think in the last 3 seasons I have reviewed Dean around 30-35 times. As a ref I know him maybe better than he knows himself.
He knows the rules damned well. But he has at times problems with how the interpretation of the rules.
I have written at length about his flaws.
I have written at length about strange decisions he has taken (or not taken)
At times I know how he will react before he knows it himself and this depends on which team he is doing.
And to give you an example. Sorry to bring it up: the lost Carling cup final against Birmingham.
In all those 35 (or something like that) games I have seen Dean blow the end of the game. I have seen him do this in other cup finals also.
And when he blew the end of the game against Birmingham he jumped up when he blew the whistle with his fist in the air.
Yes in a celebration gesture.
In all the other games he never does anything but blow to end the game. He doesn’t raise even a hand. But on that day he jumped in the air with his arm above his head.
As a ref I know that each ref has his own way to signal the end of the game and you do this always in the same way. Except that one time when Arsenal lost the final.
Oh, yes I think I can look inside his head. Reading the body language of a ref. Yes, I can.
@Walter
Well said.
A.Stewart,
I get what you are saying about the Kompany Red however the misconception that you (and many others have mentioned) is that having two feet off the floor doesn’t count if one of them is only 1 inch off the floor. The fact is, the player is not in control and is just a dead weight flying through the air however many inches or feet they are from the floor.
We do seem to get dean rather a lot in key games. And against spurs. Coincidence? Think TV at least is well aware of dean, by the way he had a word with him. I thought his lack of protection of jack reminded me of Riley when we were kicked off Old Trafford a few years back, when Reyes and others were targeted.
Walter , as a matter of interest from your Referee analysis could you say how many Stoke City games Dean has refereed? did he spot holding , shirt pulling and did he send off any player for the act or award a penalty? I am not picking on Stoke , its just that they have previous in this area , and you would have thought that had Dean wanted to make a stand he could have started with them. I too had similar forebodings prior to kick off as soon as I spotted Dean refereeing . It seems that Webb is exclusively Man U’s joker as much as Dean is ours , for completely different reasons . By the way I felt it was a penalty , but my issue is why this incident and not many others that happen week after week.
I would like to know what some of the writers think of this:
http://www.101greatgoals.com/blog/ridiculous-linesman-john-brooks-pulled-from-west-brom-qpr-after-lescott-comments/
@JRR,
This article on this site IS a perfect example of constructive criticism.
It identifies a problem with the team and advises a simple achievable method of how it can be improved upon.
If you have any constructive criticisms (following the article’s example of actual achievable constructive criticism) then please share with us all and no you won’t be considered part of the ‘AAA’ (as long as your examples are more intelligent than the usual ‘sack wenger’, ‘buy messi’ kind of idiocy that most ‘AAA’ comments involve).
I remember school’s football coach telling the school squad how to make a fool out of weaker refrees. he instructed that you are innocent untill seen by the refree. he then would tell the players to pull the opponent’s shorts down. if the refree sees it, he will take action otherwise you’re free. he would also instruct the players to always raise their hands for appeal even though the fault is their own doing. he always would tell the players to exploit the ref’s incompetence. I presume that’s what pulis & SAF tell their players albeit in different formats. I am guessing those two PL managers have sensed no matter what they do, most decisions go their way. hence the tactical refree analysis.
I told my kids before the game that if ManUre lose their game, we would probably not drop points , but if they win ,then it’s ‘up in the air’ as the 7 point lead would remain intact.
I’m in no way defending our play as we were woeful and naive in the first half but really fought hard in the second half.
It was a penalty but not deserving of a red card .
How Dzeko was not carded is beyond me .Kompany ‘s sending off was a gift to SAF ,as well as to appear fair .
@ Ben L- I think that he was deluded in thinking that he was doing the right thing by asking multimillionaire Lescott to thank those poor Shitty fans who were fleeced by the big, bad Arsenal .
Anyone remember AW really shooting his mouth off about refs not giving us a fair crack of the whip? close season 2009 from memory.
Dean’s record with us 2005-2009:
P 11 W 4 D6 L 1
compared with:
2009-2013
P18 W3????
Methinks AW pissed him off in a big way.
RE: A.Stewart @ 4.22pm
I like the quotes, sounds to me like Wenger is saying to us he would love to tell us but he is not allowed.
regarding the ref’s pleasing SAF, curruption here’s a old incident: Back in the 90’s in India, we had issues with the cricket team. they lost silly games, run outs, no performace [they were paid handsomely min you]. now i had stopped watching cricket in my collage days and did not give a damm, but saw 1 game and there were 3 run outs and they were absolutely crazy. i pointed to my friend that come things not right, surely they are doing this on purpose, are they bribed? my friend said that since i don’t follow cricket i am paranoid [mind you, i played cricket at a decent level so i knew what i was talking]. the cricketers are gods. anyway, they used to have 5 one day intls where 99.9% of the time 2 matches would be won by one team and the other 2 by the other, so the game was like a final. so people would go because it would be a crunch game. i clearly remember south africa being the best team with hansie cronje the capt but they would loose every single final. they are considered as the most unlucky team. i clearly knew that the Indian players were brought out by the betting mafia. this went on for a few years and one day accidently the delhi police had bugged the telephone of a dubai based smuggler and in that conversation was a discussion of the betting for a match between india & south africa and hansie cronje’s name was mentioned. the delhi police arrested hansie cronje and the whole betting scandal was exposed. hansie cronje accidently died in a plane crash so the investigations were closed, and in india the board made a srapegoat of 2 players. THATS ALL. 2 players, who were closed to the end of they playing time anyway, rest all were free. the point is, it will take an accidential phone tapping or a insider to come out to expose the curruption that we know is there but just cannot prove. we have all the stats, but no proof. till then all we can do is keep producing these reports until some insider with a bit of guilt comes out. hope that day is soon.
Walter…. isn’t appropriate for a referee to encourage players to learn how to cheat and not get caught. I do like your suggestions that AW prepare his players for each official’s style.
Domhuail,
I was just trying to help Koscielny to not make fouls like he did 😉 A few things I still remember from my own playing days….
If he would have held only his left arm in front of Dzeko it would have been impossible for Dean to do what he did. Because it then would look that both players had an arm wrapped around each other. In fact Dzeko also had his left arm wrapped around the shoulder and back of Koscielny so in fact they both committed the same foul: holding each other.
In such a case (and in open play) a ref should let it just go because both players making the same foul at the same time with no real dangerous foul play.
It was only when Koscielny decided to use his right arm also that he made a more clearer foul.
@btj thanks for telling rupert the truth and he hates that.The truth is always sour to twats like rupert.But either way we will fight tooth and nail to make such deluded people know what the truth is. He mentions Africa’whats wrong with Africa!So is this site not welcoming Africans? No’ its for all of us and we are free to express our opinions. Big up Walter,Tony,Tasos and all you guys who are always with us in any situations good or bad.
Mike Dean has send 3 players off this season in the PL:
2 Arsenal players and one from Man City.
Mike Dean has send off Koscielny twice since he plays for Arsenal. Once against Newcastle and against city
I’m glad the FA has rescinded the kompany redcard, it was an atrocious decision from dean.
@walter, sorry but I don’t know how koscielny can possibly wrap just an arm around dzeko, don’t you mean to say obstruct dzeko by blocking with an arm? Truth is kos wresled dzeko off the ball, to do that he needed both arms. It just sounds like we’re trying to downplay kos’ error, so we can award it a yellow
No I was just trying to help defenders on how not to go for the foul in the way he did
@kampala
No problem. What I like about the Arsenal fan base is that fans from all round the world do their best to support the club. When the team is under pressure we really need this universal encouragement. Twits like Rupert are divisive, probably deliberately, and we can do without that.
Keep up the support!