Arsenal v Hull – 4 December 2013 – The Match Officials

Arsenal v Hull – 04 December 2013 – The Match Officials

By Andrew Crawshaw

• Referee – Andre Marriner
• Assistants – G Beswick & M Scholes
• Fourth Official – L Probert

Mr Marriner is 42 years old, has been a Premier referee since 2005 when he officiated the Charlton v Norwich game.  He has been FIFA accredited since 2009.

So far our record with him is P17, W10, D3, L4 (including two cup games W1, L1).  In Walter’s summary table for last year he is is in the top half with a rating of -24 so not the best or worse but lower than Mike Dean to give a picture.

We haven’t had him since last April so first time this season.  Looking back to last year there were two games, our home game v West Ham and away to Fulham.  Looking at these games in more detail

Match Review: Andre Marriner – Arsenal Vs West Ham United (5 – 1) [23/01/2013]

Overall weighted score 67%, bias against 69/31 and one wrong key decision (second yellow, red card, penalty and goals).  Main incidents were:-

• Minute 5 – Collison plants his studs on the foot of Wilshere, should be a yellow card but not even given as foul
• Minute 17 – Collison scores a goal (0-1)
• Minute 18 – phantom foul given against Sagna
• Minute 21 – Podolski scores (1-1)
• Minute 24 – With the ball out of play Vaz Te kicks Mertesacker on the Achilles, no free kick with the ball already out of play but should have been a yellow card
• Minute 31 – Phantom foul given against Podolski
• Minute 38 – Arsenal player pushes W Ham player, no foul given
• Minute 41 – Vaz Te wrongly given offside, he argues so strongly that he gets a yellow card but as he should have had one in Minute 24 should have been sent off.
• Minute 46 – Giroud scores (2-1)
• Minute 52 – Cazorla scores (3-1)
• Minute 53 – Theo scores (4-1)
• Minute 56 – Giroud scores (5-1)
• Minute 67 – Giroud gets the ball from W Ham player, Ref standing with his back to it gives a foul (was no foul)
• Minute 71 – Collision during an aerial duel between Potts and Sagna, Potts badly hurt and there is a long delay whilst he receives treatment and is carried off (resulted in 11 minutes being added).  Players (and crowd) not really interested after that
• Minute 89 – Diame plants his studs on Mertesacker’s leg, immediately acknowledges his mistake but still should have been booked.
• Minute 98 – Arsenal player pushes a West Ham player but not penalised.

The wrong Key Decision didn’t really affect the outcome of the game as Arsenal scored four second half goals, but the referee couldn’t have known that at the time as the score was 1-1.

Match Review: Andre Marriner – Fulham Vs Arsenal (0 – 1) [20/04/2013] Overall rating 75%, bias against 15/85 but no wrong key decisions.  Main incidents were :-

• Minute 11 – Sidwell rightly sent off for reckless challenge – it was high and he was out of control (even my best pal who has had a Fulham season ticket since he was knee high to a grasshopper agreed with the decision).
• Minute 18 – Giroud shot hits Hangerland on arm, penalty claim rightly turned down
• Minute 42 – Mertesacker scores goal (0-1)
• Minute 51 – Emanuelson dives to win a free kick and Arteta is booked for challenge.  should have been Emanuelson who is booked.
• Minute 61 – Rosicky fouls Fulham player, not given
• Minute 68 – Ramsey fouled, not given
• Minute 75 – Ramsey correctly given yellow card
• Minute 77 – Mertesacker called for foul but Fulham player lost his balance, no foul
• Minute 89 – Giroud sent off, he slipped but the card was correct.

A great first half from the referee 97%, but poor in the second half at 58% with a total of 13 wrong decisions (11 against Arsenal).  None of the incorrect decisions affected the outcome of the game.

In 2010/11 Marriner was also fairly solidly anti-Arsenal (seventh from the right) between Dean and Dowd.

Turning now to Hull’s experiences with Mr Marriner – The Hull record is P11, W2, D2, L7 (including 2 cup games D1, L1).  He has given 4 red cards and two penalties. There is one historic Arsenal game EPL Match day 30 from 2009/10 where Arsenal were 2-1 winners in Hull.  Here is Walter’s summary of the referee and other matters from that game.

Hull v Arsenal from the ref’s perspective  In brief:-

Boateng pinched Bendtner’s nose and was only shown a yellow instead of a red, Bendtner also got a yellow for pushing Boateng’s hand away.  Later on Boateng got a second yellow instead of a second straight red for trying to break Sagna’s leg.  Hull got a penalty after a player received the ball in an offside position so Mr Marriner didn’t cover himself in glory that day.

One game this season – Hull v Sunderland 02/11/2013 (1-0) 2 yellow and 2 red cards.  I have no detailed review but the main incidents were:-

• Minute 25 – Own goal by Cuellar (1-0)
• Minute 47 – Cattermole (Sunderland) sent off
• Minute 50 – Dossena (Sunderland) sent off
• Minute 88 – Brady (Hull) gets yellow card
• Minute 90 – Figueroa (Hull) gets yellow card

From recollection (MOTD) the sendings off were OK.

So things to look out for on Wednesday night

Phantom fouls being called on Arsenal players to allow Hull to get back in shape,

Hull players being allowed more freedom in the degree of force they can use in the challenges.

He will issue red cards for bad fouls, but if this gives advantage to Arsenal he will look for an opportunity to send off an Arsenal player to ‘even things up’.

With MOTD pundits still harping on about how we will cope in the event of an injury to Giroud, I am fearful of this becoming a self fulfilling prophesy and him receiving a leg breaking challenge – I hope this doesn’t come to pass so come on Mr Marriner, stop fouling early in the game before it can escalate out of hand.

Given out current form, we should have another three points, although it might not be a multi goal romp.  Hull will be fired up after their win over Liverpool and we can’t afford to take them lightly.

COYG

The books…