By Walter Broeckx
The whole world and the media have found a fresh bone to chew on since yesterday. And by the look of it, it seems that they never had the chance to chew on such a delicate bone ever before.
But by doing it the way they do it…they just are undermining their own position and they also show that what we have started on this site and continued on the referee review site last season was spot on. Let us start with the ref.
We had no ref preview this week but this is what we have gathered on information about Webb in the past years and that we have mentioned in our referee previews over the last years:
Usually a good first half (sometimes even great) followed by a drop in the second half. Bad in handing out yellow and red cards. And making big mistakes on important decisions. And usually a home referee.
And when you look back at this…this was spot on. His first half was still decent even though he already messed up with the yellow cards. First letting Steven G. off the hook when he made a nasty stamp on the knee of Podolski without a yellow card. As a result Podolski went in with a rash challenge seconds later and also should have been booked but wasn’t.
But in general his foul calling for foot fouls was decent although the way he allowed Skrtel and Agger to man handle Sanogo was strange to see. As a result Sanogo went also in harder and harder and that was just a result of Webb letting too many fouls on Sanogo go. You could see Sanogo think at some moment in the game: ok, they can go in like that, so will I. As a result there were far too many arms flying around.
The cards department was as we expected it to be. The fact that Sterling was allowed to push the ref without even a yellow card is beyond me. If a player touches me like that he walks. There is no other option. A red card. YOU DON’T TOUCH THE REF! NEVER! This was a clearly an angry push. Now if refs want respect from the players they also have to make sure that players will respect them.
That it was not pushing him over isn’t important. At no point ever should a referee allow physical contact from a player and certainly not a push. Because what next? Spitting towards the ref? After all, you don’t get killed from being spat on you know. A line has been crossed there and Webb has let a thousand referees down who maybe will get pushed over next weekend when they do their game. After all a young professional player can push the ref so why don’t we take on that idiot that is doing our match.
And then maybe it doesn’t end with a push. Maybe it will end with fists being punched in the face. Why don’t the media talk about that and express the disgust of letting Sterling off the hook like he did. Maybe because it doesn’t fit their agenda?
Also the fact that Gerrard didn’t get a second yellow card is something that the media have brushed under the carpet. His tackle on Oxlade-Chamberlain in the second half was a yellow card tackle. And after the ref let Gerrard off the hook as said above he had to card him when he was stopping a promising attack from Oxlade-Chamberlain a bit later in the first half. Gerrard should have been booked 3 times but Webb only gave one. Again the media didn’t find it worth mentioning. Agenda you said?
Let us move on to the important penalty decisions. Let me tell you I don’t really have a problem with the first decision. I only wonder why in all those years I really cannot remember us getting such a decision. And that is the point that most Arsenal fans will feel hard done by. We know that when it is the other way round we get nowt. We have seen it over and over again in the last years. So once again it seems that there are two sets of rules. Based on who commits the foul and who is being fouled. And that is where Arsenal fans are angry about.
And I think even Webb knew it when he gave it. It was embarrassing to see him running around in doubt not knowing what to give. Should I, shouldn’t I, oh fuck Arsenal lead 2-0 I can give it. I think this will have all been passing his braincells just before giving the penalty.
Next penalty decision was the foul from Oxlade-Chamberlain on Suarez. Once again. Yes it was a foul and should have been a penalty. And since that moment the media hasn’t stopped talking about that decision. As if that was the only mistake he made in that game. In this article I have shown another 2 mistakes already. Two mistakes in favour of Liverpool. But still the media goes on and on about the one big mistake against Liverpool. Did anyone mention agenda already?
Later on in the match we had two penalty decisions in the Liverpool penalty area. One was where Agger blocked the run from Özil to take on a return ball. For those in the media saying as there was contact from Podolski that brought Suarez down…then where is the cry for a penalty for Arsenal? For those in the media saying that Oxlade-Chamberlain clearly blocked the run of Suarez then where is the cry for a penalty for Arsenal? The silence from the media is deafening on this. Should I mention the word agenda again?
And then we also had the foul from Skrtel on Cazorla. Skrtel didn’t touch the ball, he hit Cazorla with his studs on his ankle. The foot from Skrtel was almost at shoulder height with Cazorla. This was a foul, a dangerous foul. This was a clear penalty (ticking the same boxes they tick for the Liverpool penalty calls) and again nothing given. And again the media silence on this incident is astonishing. Well not fur us over here of course. Because we know their agenda.
If the media would have been fair and free from their anti-Arsenal bias and free from their flavour of the month bias they would have told it how it is.
They would have said that 2 Liverpool players should have been sent off: Sterling + Gerrard.
They would have said that Webb made 3 wrong penalty decisions: Liverpool should have had 1 more penalty, Arsenal should have had 2 penalties.
But as the media chose not to show the Arsenal penalty decisions, the media has once again painted just one half of the picture.
Agenda I said? And what about the fact that Untold has predicted the Webb misery some 3 or 4 times in the past?
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Agree 100%.
I cannot believe Sterling was not sent off. Isn’t it in the PL referee rulebook what action to take.
We never get penalty decisions, except when down 0-5 to the Mugsmashers. Your post is spot on.
Well written review. The media have every interest in belittling Arsenal as they always do. The refereeing was shocking yesterday for both teams. But, the most important is not the not given penalty it is not ‘sending Gerard’ because Gerard could have seen red in the first well before that penalty shout. Also, the ref. in the second half refused to notice all those fouls on Sanogo especially that they were in the Liverpool half and the repeated fouls of Skrtel should have deserved a yellow card.
I am not a refree and obviously you’re one but I thought the first penalty as a result of clip was really a nothing issue.
Would that be foul if it was in anywhere else in the pitch?
Skrtel foul on Santi was no different than Adebayor one for which he(correctly)got red card also on Santi, when we played Spuds.
Commentator on TV where I watched game said for Ox start on Suarez “This was closer to penalty than one Liverpool already got”, and I agree with that.
Spot on Walter. For my sins I listen occasionally to Talksport and last night and this morning the not given penalty decision is all they have spoken about, they are incandescent with indignation at the injustice meted out to Liverpool. Their sympathy for the poor scousers is there for all to hear. Virtually no mention of any other possible bad calls from Webb. They have even managed to give airtime to a couple of AAA type Gunners fans claiming that Webb has saved Wengers skin. The one Arsenal fan last night who did try to fight his corner was ridiculed and shouted down. No mention of ‘it all evens out over the course of the season’ where Liverpool are concerned unlike us in similar circumstances. No ‘whinger’ accusations made to Rogers as would have been made to Wenger. Halsey has been on as well but no mention from him of the Sterling incident, or the Skrtel and Gerrard incidents. The media stand accused of bias and the evidence against them is overwhelming.
Good points Walter, I for one picked up on our penalty calls and a blind man could see that Gerrard could have been booked at lease three times. Sadly he gets away with it as he is of course the ‘England ‘ captain.
In the UK this game was on BT Sport (I couldn’t go to the game unfortunately) and the pro-Liverpool agenda by the commentary team was obvious for all to see. Andy Gray of all people was back and he is often the most anti-Arsenal of media personalities. No coverage at all of our penalty calls, only Liverpool’s and glossing over Gerrard’s second/third yellow incident. It is an all too familiar pattern.
Still we march on and I hope that we can get a result on Wednesday; ideally a clean sheet too!
Armin, you’re right about Skrtel foul on Cazorla; that was a straight red card and a penalty as well.
I don’t understand media instant love with Liverpool; is it because they have so many so-called experts and pundits in the media, especially tv?
Surely all those liverpool guys influenced the general perception on liverpool team in the media.
Why the media hadn’t noticed how refs. ruined our 2008 season and cost us the title. I remember, we droped 2 points vs bermingham, Aston Villa and another match after that. We had experienced the worst refereeing decisions in a year that season, and the media well blamed us the victimes and told us that we were making excuses.
So why they’re making excuses for Liverpool misses now?
they should answer that question.
Unless we have a system of appeals as we have in other sports, I cannot see we will ever have integrity in football. Mistakes and outright favouritism will continue unabated. Something must be done.
As Arsenal fans we pretty much know what to expect from the media and they didn’t disappoint us once again.
After the game Arsene Wenger spoke to BBC radio;
“When you see that the critics come very quick, you know, because we lost only one game for a long long time and straight away you’re questioned by absolutely everybody, that DICTATORSHIP of one way thinking every time is not easy to deal with for the team. But you can only answer one way by the quality of the performance on the pitch”
Agree with you on all points. Some on here have cited the media agenda leading to the behaviour of refs. After yesterday, any ref who dares give a decision in the favour of Arsenal FC knows what he is going to get, seems the refs have known this for a long time. I dread to think what we will get when up against the media darlings#2 at the Lane. The howls of derision at the injustice meted out to Liverpool…including from some of our own self harming fans, compare and contrast the media reaction to what Utd have got away with over the years, or even the raft of dodgy pens the spuds got earlier in the season. Suarez has gone from sinner to martyr.
We are now confronted with what we on here knew all along, there is a clear media agenda against us. But does this agenda stop at the media? In the last thread, Marcus suggests the media are doing someone elses bidding. FIF asserts that corrupt agents have considerable influence in most, if not all media outlets.
Think the power corruption and lies chain looks something like this
Corrupt bookies/organised crime > Footballing authorities > Corrupt agents > media > some refs, managers and players
Many sceptics on here ask why are Arsenal being picked on – wish I knew but have a feeling a refusal to have anything to do with this unpleasant status quo may well have something to do with it. We should be proud of this club
But Howard Webb is the Ref going to Brazil 2014, chosen over Clattenberg. Surely this is on merit. He must be doing something right. Since we were not playing Man Utd I had no worries about Webb. I was only concerned about our players getting a long time injury. I don’t want another Eduardo.
Other notable fouls were sterling’s shirt pulling on gibbs during a counterattack and merterserker’s shirt grabbing on srktel during a set piece. Super lot fouling cup game. The honest craze to win a cup tie.. Impressed with workrate of sanogo and ozil though. Did a lot of running and pressing for so-called lazy players. Another merseyside now.
Spot on Walter. But,I won’t let my self fall to be moaners. What agenda this is all about? Why they hate us so much? It seemed that they expect us to be fallen apart always and forever. I’m curios that these media has sponsored by ultra rich mtf Spuds hidden fans, because nobody have so much hate on us bigger than them. I suggest don’t bite it too much Walter, remember your old spare parts dude. Let’s the agenda tell the story itself.
Anyway, I don’t care for it too much, as long as it wasn’t change the results on the pitch. We’ve beaten the 5-1 over hype opponent with our second string numbers. And that’s what I called : A sweet revenge. Further more, this was a great mentality boost to face Bayern Muenchen in our next fixture.
Great article and comments – well done.
My only (small) point to add is to ask the following: would the referree and both linesman have tolerated on Gerrard the multiplicity of fouls perpetrated on Sanogo?
Hardly.
Spuds certainly have an influence in the southern based media, and the BBC, Arsenal hating uber spud mehir bose was until fairly recently head of BBC Sport.
Also, a lot of Liverpool supporters in the UK media, a few Arsenal as well, but they seem to tow the line of the agenda, in print and on the record at least.
But I think this goes bigger that media supporters of certain clubs, as ever,if you want the truth, follow the moey
follow the money^
We must be careful not to become too obsessed with the media attitude towards our Club. Otherwise we will spend far too much time in pointless complaint.
Life is too short to concern ourselves with minor matters we cannot change.
All we can do is support our players on the pitch for the full 90 minutes, whoever they are, call the referees and linesmen for their bias whenever they are less than honest (kudos to the supporters calling out “you’re not fit to referee” following the Gerrard ‘tackle’ on the Ox and the Skirtle assault on Santi). In turn the players will then lift their game and hopefully overcome both sets of opponents and win each and every game.
Sorry for not doing a Ref Preview for the game, (building works at home having priority), will have one for the League game at the weekend.
About the not giving red card for Sterling.
This is how it should be done http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOmOhCKuzao&feature=player_embedded
Thiago Silva tries to stop the ref in his run and gets a red card because he touched him. Wasn’t even a push more trying to grab him a bit.
Not a mention in the media. Please media explain this…
Its obvious why this is happening and it is because arsenal are not doing things the way everyone expects is to. We are jot inflating the market with outrageous bids we still develop young players and we remain competitive.
Agents dont get their massive pay outs and unscrupulous owners don’t get the money laundering kickbacks.
The biggest impact arsenal has had on the league is that other teams newer/smaller teams are following our lead, this will ultimately win over the money men and it has them scared, hence the media bias and the refs decisions which are all about trying to undermine football.
No problem Andrew, time was short on my side also.
Good summary Walter. I don’t expect much better from the media etc or indeed the refs – we should be able to expect balanced reporting from the former and unbiased competent decisions from the latter; both have shown they are have their own agenda.
However, lets enjoy the moment, a fine performance and a good win over the divers and their classless manager.
The problem with the media fixation on the Ox/Suarez incident is that the next ref for our game is already under pressure to punish us. This is why I have always maintained that the media is the problem. I think Howard Webb was poor for both sides, which ultimately means he was fair to both sides, if you can allow me to use that word to describe him. In the end, the better team won. We defended well and took our chances, they didn’t.
If you only watch the highlights on ITV, you get a totally different perspective with their diabolical editing and Gordon Strachan giving intellectually dishonest rationale for the ref’s decisions in favour of Liverpool and Steven Gerrard in particular. Please remember that that is what most neutrals saw, so you know that unlike us here, they are in agreement that Liverpool were robbed.
The media plays a bigger role in ruining the game than they get credit for. It is always the media. ALWAYS!
Absolutely Bootoomee, if Webb finds himself vilified for not giving a penalty for what looked like a dive anyway what chance is there he would want a repeat next time he does an Arsenal game. Any ref that makes a ‘mistake’ that’s deemed to favour Arsenal knows they’ll be in for a hard time with the media.
Andy Gray, despite his obvious anti-Arsenal bias, said gerard was a lucky boy to escape a second yellow. He also pointed out Webb initially looked like he wanted to card suarez for a dive on the first penalty, but gave himself plenty of time to think about it by walking across before pointing to the spot. These two decisions above were incorrect, but you’ll only hear the media go on about the non penalty for suarez.
Fabianski did not make contact with Agger’s head when he went to punch the ball. Only suarez appealed, and that tells you all you need to know really.
Funny how Rupert and co are always bemoaning the lack of clinical finishing from our opponents; we heard it midweek(if only rvp had not been wasteful) and again last night(if only sturridge had been more clinical). This is supposed to be coming from an Arsenal fan’s mouth?????
The editing of highlights programmes and match reports to avoid any mention whatsoever of such calls for one team, whilst focusing on those of the opponent, have been seen before. In Italy. etc.
Perhaps the most interesting position of all on the Webb errors issue will be that of the FA/PL. Nobody will be expecting a balanced review of the all the separate matters raised in Walters excellent analysis but I don’t see how they can ignore the Sterling push on Webb himself. It is so fundamental that hands must never be laid on a referee that they should be taking direct action and sadly for the impetuous young man there should be a ban, arguably of more than three matches simply to establish that this is an offence which cannot and will not be tolerated.
However given media silence and the general agenda (has anybody mentioned agenda before?) I shan’t be holding my breath.
Great article Walter.
Arsenal V Man utd.
Giroud gets shoved to the ground from behind in the box.
Owen
“Yes there was contact but not enough for me” No penalty then.
Arsenal v Liverpool.
Gray
on watching the first replay
“……Pedolski was HACKING away at the back of Suarez….”
As the slow motion moved on and we saw he was doing nothing of the sort, changed to:
“……A little nibble…..”
Which morphed into
“……It (whatever ‘it’ is) doesn’t say there has to be a lot of contact, all it says is there has to be contact…..”
2 points.
1)So it seems the amount of contact required to warrant a penalty being given is dependent on who’s on the end of the contact.
2)I find the “all ‘it’ says is there has to be contact” statement baffling. Is gray inferring by this that ANY contact in the penalty area is a foul because ‘it’ says so?
Or is he saying ‘it’ says ‘Any contact in the penalty area BY AN ARSENAL PLAYER is a penalty’
@nicky
You say “We must be careful not to become too obsessed with the media attitude towards our club”
It’s not being ‘obsessed’ nicky. It’s pointing out a very real and dangerous bias against our club that can, and often is, very costly for us. Why? I quote from a very good regular.
@Mandy Dodd 9.53am
“…….any Ref who dares give a decision in the favour of Arsenal FC knows what he is going to get, seems the Refs have known this for a long time……”
And that nicky is exactly what this is all about. The media, with there constant snipping at Arsenal set an atmosphere where by making incorrect calls against us will NEVER put them under the spotlight, yet dare you make a poor call in our favour and you are in for days, if not weeks, of media ridicule.
Myself, Bootoomee and others have been banging this drum relentlessly for months.
It is, without any shadow of a doubt, the MEDIA that govern as to how different teams are Refereed and they are determined to make sure we get as little as humanly possible.
They are a disgrace.
Am |I the only one to have noticed the friendly chat Ref Dowd was having with Steve G before the start of the second half?
Finsbury,
as I have written in my articles about it a few months ago.
But then I was ordered to put on my tin foil hat… 🙂
It could never happen here. Albion is not like Italy.
🙂
Scotland. That’s another matter!
COYG! That eases the wrongs from
You know what fellas, I did a little personal test and have largely stayed away from blogs etc. it felt good I have to say, to be away from all the bullshit.
I also had another baby this time a boy, so in time we will be watching the Arsenal play and will be grand! Even better if daughter gets in on act.
Anyway him coming along and us putting in a really great season thus far and I am happy man. What ever happens from here on out is in our boys hands so can’t ask for much…
COYG one and all…
Blackburn Rovers, DJ Campbell? Never heard of them.
Why the English Cricket Board educate, with the aid of security consultants, all domestic players in the game on how to look out for fixers and groomers (for match fixing syndicates) I have no idea. It’s a mystery to me.
I’ll give you a little insight as to how the media propaganda/agenda against us infiltrates even the psyche of the general, non footballing public.
My wife works in an office full of mainly Women with absolutely no interest in football, but they do know of my Wifes love of Arsenal.
Following a week of Jose spouting his usual shit and Wenger doing his best to be as vague and un involved as possible what was the first thing my wife got thrown at her when she walked in the office the other day.
“I see your managers been whingeing again”
This Lady doesn’t know one end of a pitch to the other but this is the mind set that pervades the populous.
Wenger/Arsenal are a bunch of whinging cheats that get all the decisions.
This is exactly how the Media want Arsenal to be seen.
To be honest I get this from the guys at work. We get all the decisions. Wenger never sees anything. Never stops whingeing. We dive as much as anyone else.
I point out every club has divers, most are much worse than us. All managers whinge. All managers have selective eyesight. We DO NOT get ALL the decisions.
I ask for proof. All I get is ” Oh come on everyone knows it”
It is all just accepted as fact because the media reinforce the perception every day of every week.
It is pure disappointment reaction from media, they were all ready to see us again fail, they prepared new rants, they were ready to once more sack Wenger. Same count for Liverpool, they already booked their place in next stage of Cup.
That is reason for all this hysteria.
COYG! That eases the wrongs from
You know what fellas, I did a little personal test and have largely stayed away from blogs etc. it felt good I have to say, to be away from all the bullshit. Regardless of how good untold is, it’s an open door.
I also had another baby this time a boy, so in time we will be watching the Arsenal play and will be grand! Even better if daughter gets in on act.
Anyway him coming along and us putting in a really great season thus far and I am happy man. What ever happens from here on out is in our boys hands so can’t ask for much…
COYG one and all…
Armin
You are right but it doesn’t change the fact that this kind of hysteria is very dangerous for us.
The shameful thing about it is, is that it is a fully orchestrated and co ordinated tirade, aimed specifically at setting the agenda as to how Arsenal should be Refereed over the coming games.
As if it hasn’t already been tough enough for us to get a penalty, from know on it will be just about impossible.
As for Penalties given against us?
Honestly, God help us !!!
Back in the office today.
First thing said was about non penalty decision.
Showed the gif of the assault on Cazorla in the 80th minute , funnily enough noone had seen that incident.
That just about sums up media in this country.
Unfortunately I am unable to speak to talk shite today as will be at work, but if you ever hear Dan from Chingford on that is me and I am not your usual rent an Arsenal fan they usually put on. Last time around 2 weeks ago had a proper row with Durham and they cut me off. Only caller that show not to get a thank you for my call
elkieno,
Congrats my man! Please, please, please ensure that you make a Gooner out of him 🙂
CONGRATULATIONS ELKIENO!!!!!
Best wishes to you and your wife and the little ones!
If he doesn’t turn up to be a Gooner: ask a DNA test 😉 (My kids passed the test 🙂 🙂 )
highamsparkgunner,
you probably will never get in again… how dare you to disturb their incest party…
highamsparkgunner,
I raised that issue on the last thread about those ‘nonexistent’ AAA type who only ever watch highlights of matches and then base their judgement on them. The foot-breaker was not deemed worthy of being included in the highlights by ITV and it was the clearest non awarded penalty incident of the game. Says it all really.
Congrats, one voice more 🙂
Walter
There are two reasons Sterling got away with putting his hands on Webb .
One , he’s British and that always helps and two, PL officials promote this kind of misguided in my opinion close interaction between referees and players / managers , where it’s not inappropriate to initiate physical contact .
Mark Clattenberg is known for putting his hand on players’ shoulder while explaining infractions. Other referees do it too maybe to a lesser extent as if players didn’t know the rules and needed them explained during a match.
Managers have been known to take advantage of this fact as well ,in the past ( Ferguson) and present (Mourinho) getting too chummy with fourth officials on the touch line .
I’m old fashioned when it comes to referee/ player interaction and a hand shake should be the preferable and only proper form of contact on the pitch.
Was the last stinker Webb had the WC final? I was embarressed watching that game. I haven’t seen every game of his since, and i haven’t checked the Untold archive on Webb for last season but i think that he was decent in Arsenal games last season. Some really difficult calls I remember that he got right.
I think for the studs up foul and penalty on Carzola that Webb’s view was impaired. We can understand that. Perhaps the linesmen had the better view? The linesmen, their offside errors, that is a concern. I thought they were meant to get 99% of all calls correct 😉
Suarez’s ill judged triple pike somersaulting homage to Michael Thomas’ winning celebration in ’89 left Webb with little choice. How is that difficult to understand?
I did see the touch to the chest and thought? Really? WTF? No card? But then so many wrong calls I think Howard thought lets get them breaking each other’s legs?
Tom.
I’ve also always been sceptical about this ‘touchy feely’ relationship between Referees and Players/Managers.
Also I’ve never been comfortable with this idea that Referees should go around grounds to get ‘to know’ players.
What for? what good can it do?
Is the inference that if you for example the Ref gets to know what a lovely chap Rooney is, or isn’t, on a Monday Morning that will somehow influence how he is handled on a Saturday Afternoon?
Surely whether you know or don’t know any particular Player, Manager, or indeed Team, is utterly superfluous as to how they will be Refereed.
What a load of crap.
I’m with you, the minimal of interaction between referees and players is all that should be required or indeed allowed.
The less interaction between Referees and the Players, the Managers, and the Media, the better.
All Referees are there to do is apply the rules of the game without fear or favour, and the more interaction there is between Refs and 3rd parties the less likely that is to happen.
I’ve voiced my solution to this issue on here a few times. Foreign officials flown in either the day before or in the Morning, whatever is more feasible, and flown home, without interview immediately afterwards.
Also to add to the impartiality there performance should be assessed by an impartial, independent European body. Not by the media puppets in the PGMOL (or whatever it is.
Never going to happen as the Media run our Referees.
Off topic –
I think Mourhino calling Wenger a “specialist in failure” might be the last straw from him. I have never seen fans of all other teams (except Chelsea) and the media this sympathetic to Arsene and unhappy with Jose EVER!
Mourhino is now getting slammed for his idiotic comments rather than hailed as a great “mind game” player as it used to be. Long may it continue.
Overall Webb had a poor game, making bad calls both ways. But I think we can all agree that, as usual, it’s the Medias Anti Arsenal, agenda driven way of dealing with it, that really irks.
The Arsnal PR team have a not so secret weapon that they occasionally roll out of the armoury.
The 6 footer otherwise known as Bob Wilson. One five minute interview on a Sunday morning with the great man can obliterate reams of gibberish. He’s dangerous!
Graham Poll has waded in. According to him, Webb only made a single mistake in the game against Liverpool, not giving the second penalty.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2560867/GRAHAM-POLL-Liverpool-FA-Cup-weak-Webb-refused-award-clear-penalty.html
Everything else was perfect. Muppet.
Blech!
Thanks Walter.
I’ve watched the full match twice, both times with BT commentary (more fool me). There’s so much to dislike.
Your summary is something I’ll send to my Liverpool acquaintance, who’d sent a text saying “boom”, when his team were 4-0 up last week. I’ll only send him this article if he makes contact. He’d previously made no contact for a couple of months. I hadn’t sent him anything despite Arsenal winning this match. He’s a sniper, I’m a supporter.
How about the yellow for Flamini? Scousy fouled him affecting his balance. That was the infringement that caused the subsequent “foul”. There was loads of that going on which isn’t surprising as they done so much of that at Klanfield.
Well done Arsenal. The whole thing remains set up for you to fail but you’re doing magnificently. I so admire…
Sanogo v scousescum:
http://youtu.be/TR2ehrrXIvk
I ask again, to what ‘it’ is Gray Referring to when he says:
“…….IT doesn’t say there has to be a lot contact, IT just says there has to be contact…..”
By IT is he just referring so some mythological rule book he’s made up in his head to justify the awarding of a ‘soft’ penalty, or is there in fact a rule I don’t know about that says ‘not a lot of contact’ is all that is required to award a penalty.
When someone finds the ‘not a lot of contact’ rule maybe we could apply said rule to the Corzola incident. Or maybe the ‘not a lot of contact’ rule only applies to one team.
I give up cause I’m losing count of the times we can be pushed, Bear hugged, pulled to the ground and get told, ‘not enough for me’ !!!
@rantetta
Nice link. The whole team played really well despite being fouled on a regular basis. But, I have not seen Sanogo play since last summer & he has not had much football in between. He seems to have improved a lot despite little playing time & now looks like a very fine prospect.
It is not the media pundits that have an agenda, they are just puppets who will lose their job if they use their own opinions, much like the media in other areas.
Someone wants Arsenal to fail, because Arsenal are doing things their own way. It is never going to go well when one goes against the program.
As long as Arsenal keep fighting and doing things their own way, we are going to have these attacks coming from all quarters.
But this is what makes Arsenal Arsenal, and we love them because of it.
I have read the comments of Bootoomee, Jambug, and others about the media bias in England. They hit the nail right on the head. Here in the States it is the same Fucking bullshit. I watched ESPN F.C. for the highlights of the match, Those morons babbled on about Webb’s non-penalty call. Nary a single word about the other controversial decisions. If you didn’t see the match one would think that non-call cost Liverpool the game. That is called selective editing. During W.W.II word slowly filtered out about the horrors of the German Concentration Camps. To counter this, Those slick Nazis Bastards built a Model Camp named Theresienstadt on the outskirts of Prague. When Red Cross inspectors were shown the camp, they saw Jewish families living in relative comfort. The only drawback was it was behind barbed wire. The Red Cross never were shown the real camps. That is the work of a propaganda machine. Sort of like the media today. I fucking hate when MOTHERFUCKERS try to piss down my back and tell me don’t worry it is only the rain. By the way, The British invented the Concentration Camp during the Boer War.
@Jambug,
Your 11.54 misses my point. I warned against becoming TOO obsessed with the media attitude towards our Club.
Over obsession soon turns to paranoia.
BILL FROM MANHATTEN
To be honest I personally would avoid drawing any parallels with the Nazis as it will only invite ridicule and that will distract from your basic point, which is that what the Media are doing is carrying out an ‘Agenda’ through ‘propaganda’ to try and ensure the failure of Arsenal by fair means or foul.
Other than that reference I agree with your sentiments entirely.
@para
Agreed.
nicky.
You say.
“I warned about becoming TOO obsessed with the media attitude towards our Club. Over obsession turns to paranoia”
I haven’t missed your point at all because you’ve just re iterated it and I still don’t agree.
Paranoia: Abnormal tendency to mistrust others (OED)
Well I don’t think there is anything at all ‘abnormal’ about to mistrusting the media.
In fact I would consider you to be extremely ‘abnormal’ if you DID trust the media !!!
It is not paranoia to point out the reality of how the media deals with Arsenal FC.
Is it ‘fact’ or ‘Paranoia’ that our biggest sports radio station, has, and has had for years, a DAILY, that’s right a DAILY spot, entirely dedicated to criticising ONE football Club. Arsenal FC.?
Jambug, you clearly haven’t read sub-clause 8b of every rule in football. You know the one in invisible ink. It says “Unless an Arsenal player is involved”
Jambug,
I too would like to read the new laws of the game. Silly me thinking it is the same law book written by Fifa that we have to follow 😉
Jambug
Agree . What that does in fact , it creates openings for referees to become influenced by players , referees had become friendly and on first name basis with. Same goes for managers. Mourinho putting his arms around the fourth official may look harmless enough for that particular moment but that official will referee the next game and some others down the road and might find it difficult to be unbiased against Chelsea.
Ferguson getting overly friendly with fourth officials in the past was looked at by media in context what a great and friendly guy Ferguson was, which makes perfect sense because when I think SAF or Mourinho , the first think that comes to mind is friendliness and fairness 🙂
And then we find out Ferguson had telephoned an active PL referee to ask a favor , which is really not all that unusual between friends 🙂
I don’t know if the following link will work but it is another example of Webb’s blind spot when it comes to high dangerous boots flying around, another one being the famous Da Jong one in the W C Final, again not dealt with properly by Webb. If I remember right this assault by Ferdinand wasn’t even called a foul by Webb.
http://www.7amkickoff.com/2010/howard-webb-bad-referee-or-worst-referee-ever/
@Walter,
I can remember the tackle on theo in our last game against spuds in the cup being worse than what poldi did to suarez. Yet Walcott today has a ligament tear and poldi has a yellow. Thank you refs. thanks a lot.
I also find it utterly amazing that the media has totally overlooked the behaviour of the Liverpool fans at that game. First of all they sang throughout the one minutes silence for Tom Finney. Some defend this stating that Liverpool fans were actually singing his name, it doesn’t matter. A minutes silence is exactly that, an opportunity to pay respects and to reflect on someones contribution to the game. Imagine if Arsenal fans sang through one of those endless tributes to the Hillsborough disaster that LFC seem to have every other week.
The after moaning publicly about their reduced ticket allocation which was based upon sound policy between the club (Arsenal) and the police and an recognition that it would not be safe to have LFC fans above Arsenal fans. LFC Fans demonstrated just how right that decision was by setting off 2 flares / smoke bombs during the game. Imagine if they had been seated above Arsenal fans and able to throw or drop those flares in the Arsenal stands? This is a club that has the Hillsborough Tragedy and Hysel Stadium in its history and they think fucking about with flares and smoke-bombs is acceptable do they?
Read this short excerpt about Hysel and then tell me that they had not even the smallest involvement in what occurred at Hillsborough?
“Approximately one hour before the Juventus-Liverpool final was due to kick off, a large group of Liverpool fans breached a fence separating them from a “neutral area” which contained Juventus fans. The Juventus fans ran back on the terraces and away from the threat into a concrete retaining wall. Fans already seated near the wall were crushed; eventually the wall collapsed. Many people climbed over to safety, but many others died or were badly injured.”
I used to attend games at clubs like Barnsley and Leeds United when I was a teenager (having moved up North with my family and just wanting to watch any game at the weekend) and I remember Liverpool Fans scaling the walls at Oakwell on a Tuesday night and ram raiding the turnstiles as well in the early and mid 80’s during what was then a couple of Milk Cup games.
That club needs to take a long hard look at itself and stop blaming everyone else for their short-comings.
Penalty? What penalty? It all evens out in the end.
Sharpehunter.
I think United have a song about that !!
How dare you besmirch the good name of the utterly blameless, never guilty of any wrong doing ever, Liverpool FC.
Now go and wash your mouth out with soap and water.
@Sharpehunter,
I read through your comment twice to see if I could fault a single word. I couldn’t.
Since everyone has said almost all of what I ‘d wanted to say ,allow me to congratulate elkieno and missus on their new arrival .Have fun , or at least have a wry smile with these..
Q. Should women have children after 35?
A. No, 35 children are more than enough.
Anyone who says it’s as easy as taking candy from a baby has never tried it.
A man was about to become a father for the first time, with the baby due to arrive at some point during the World Cup.
His friend said: “What will you do if your wife is having the baby on the same day that your team plays?”
“Don’t worry, I just bought a VCR. I can watch the birth after the game.”
Parents Dictionary from……
http://jokes.ochristian.com/Baby/Parents_Dictionary.shtml
AMNESIA: Condition that enables a woman who has given birth to have sex again.
BOTTLE FEEDING: An opportunity for Dad to get up at 2 a.m. too.
CARPET: Expensive floor covering used to catch spills and clean mud off shoes.
DATE: Infrequent outings with Dad where Mum can enjoy worrying about the kids in a different setting.
DRINKING GLASS: Any carton or bottle left open in the fridge.
EAR: A place where kids store dirt.
EAT: What kids do between meals, but not at them.
FAMILY PLANNING: the art of spacing your children the proper distance apart to stop you falling into financial disaster.
FEEDBACK: The inevitable result when a baby doesn’t appreciate strained carrots.
GRANDPARENTS: People who think your children are wonderful even though they’re sure you’re not raising them right.
HEARSAY: What toddlers do when anyone mutters a rude word.
IMPREGNABLE: A woman whose memory of labour is still vivid.
INDEPENDENT: How we want our children to be as long as they do everything we say.
PRENATAL: When your life was still somewhat your own.
PREPARED CHILDBIRTH: A contradiction in terms.
PUDDLE: A small boy of water that draws other small bodies wearing dry shoes.
SHOW OFF: A child who is more talented than yours.
STERILISE: What you do to your first baby’s dummy by boiling it and to your last baby’s dummy by blowing on it.
TEMPER TANTRUMS: What you should keep to a minimum so as not to upset the children.
THUNDERSTORM: A chance to see how many family members can fit into one bed.
TWO-MINUTE WARNING: When a baby’s face turns red and he or she begins to make those familiar grunting noises.
WEAKER SEX: The kind you have after the kids have exhausted you.
WHOOPS: Get a sponge!
@finsbury
Quite right about the editing: just compare the media time spent on yesterday’s Chamberlain/Suarez vs Skrtel/Cazorla incident and then think back to, for just two, Willian/Walcott and Vidic/Giroud, which by their conclusions must have cost us four points. But does the world know?
@colario
Yes, that chat with Gerard at the start of the second half had me scratching my head, especially with what followed, Amazingly, Clattenburg allowed similar for about an hour or so on Wednesday, with Rooney having a private dialogue on every decision.
Typical hypocritical British Media.
Just watching the build up to the up coming CL games on SKY.
I know it’s nothing much but I found it quite telling how, when talking about PSG, they was tagged as “Moneybags PSG”
Funny how they never tag City or Chelsea with “moneybags” whenever they talk about them !!
Of course I suppose it has nothing to do with the fact PSG are French has it?
God, what an embarrassing bunch of hypocritical xenophobic dullards are media are !!!
I watched Dowd refereeing the other day, and I thought he was, as Walter once said, a very good referee . …….. when he wants to be.
Webb has always been mediocre at best.
Great analysis BTW Walter, shame some high profile Twitter accounts don’t feed it…
Seems like even when AFC have a high profile fan, he is an arse, if not a stooge. (I am referring to no ratings Morgan btw)
@Sharpehunter
Re. your first para: I have to say I, at the match, did not detect any disrespect in the scousers’ response – quite the opposite in fact. The minute silence has quite commonly, now, evolved into a progressive round of polite handclapping. I think it must be a south European tradition. I first noticed it, I think it was, when our young Italian, Niccolo Galli, was tragically killed in a road accident and we paid our respects in the following game, which must have been a European tie, and this response came from the away fans. It was very moving. Yesterday the clapping was followed by a genuine ‘one Tom Finney’ that I felt was totally genuine and well meant.
Its okay for Gerald to tackle like that in England, and it okay for Sterling to push the ref like that, t i just want them to keep it up and do exactly the same in Brazil.The English media is ruining the England team by pampering them they should let them know what to do and what not to do never say that i never told them in Brazil they will kick their ass hard.2 straight red cards England vs Paraguay or is it uruguay and they will be fu….
And the british will hate Suarez for real after puttin 7 past them and he will never return to England.
@Walter
Why not challenge Poll on Twitter Walter? @MAIL_GPoll
Arsenal fan on Maureenthehos wengers a failure very funny!
http://www.footballfancast.com/premiership/arsenal/get-your-facts-right-arsenal-fan-owns-mourinho
Someone get him on untold lol
I thought Webb didn’t have particularly bad game in his standards. He was just usual ‘no blood no foul’ self. The only strange decision was penalty call on Podolski. Webb really let himself down on that one. As for LFC fans complaining about critical decision that cost them the game I will tell them the same thing I usually tell fellow Gunners who get too carried away blaming others for their miscues. Focus on what you can control focus on your own shortcomings that you can fix. Liverpool didn’t lose the game because of Suarez penalty no call. Sturridge not finishing his chances cost them dearly. Had he finished his chances we would have been talking about completely different outcome.
Thanks Walter.
Agree with most of it except on AoC / Suarez incident.
To my eye Suarez leaned into AoC rather than going for the ball and AoC (to his credit) merely stood his ground.
@Va Cong:
Thanks for that link!
Va Cong
Thanks for the link! He really mopped the floor with the odd one.
Va Cong,
Thanks for linking to that video.
Wow, what a fan! That was pissed off and rightly so.
“Jose Mourhino, champion of stupidity” – perfect!
@JAMBUG.
Think about it.
There is a clear difference between “obsessed” and “too obsessed”.
You simply must read the comments carefully before
replying to them.
@Va Cong…love the link
nicky
Yep I get it, and I’m not obsessed or even ‘too’ obsessed.
You simply must learn to comprehend what someone is telling you.
Media Chelsea draw away to West Brom 1 more point towards the EPL championship Arsenal draw with Man Utd after a 5-1 beating by Liverpool its 2 points lost as Walter says the agenda
@Jambug,
Glad to receive your claim not to be obsessed or too obsessed.
Now look up “paranoia” in the dictionary.
nicky.
As the difference between being ‘obsessed’ and being ‘Too obsessed’ is so “clear” could you explain exactly what that difference is?
You know, just to help me from getting paranoid.
nicky.
If you’d read my earlier post you would of seen I posted a direct explanation of the word Paranoia from the OED
You must read more closely.
If Walter will permit me ( and please correct me if I am wrong Walter, I’ll make a few clarifications about whether officials should permit physical contact or initiate it, based on my professional experience and what FIFA says.
1)FIFA and its parent associations ACTIVELY discourage any physical contact from either party before,during or after a match. This is to avoid the development of an unwelcome ¨familiarity¨ between officials and players and to keep the distance between said parties sufficiently respectful. FIFA and other Football organizations define contact in four ways, accidental and intentional and aggressive or non-aggressive. What Sterling did would be normally interpreted by a traditional official as intentional and aggressive contact. THAT IS AN AUTOMATIC RED CARD, regardless of the reasons, degree of aggression or point in time before,during or after the game! Webb obviously didn’t want to react and by doing nothing, exacerbated the situation for officials everywhere else. Had Webb done what Sterling did, he would most certainly be suspended!
2)The decision to award or not award a penalty is always one of judgement, not opinion. What I mean by that is officials are told to award a foul (and if merited a card), regardless of where it occurs in the field of play, if in the official’s clear view the foul was preventing a player from playing his or her game, regardless of the perceived intent of the instigator or the location of the foul except if it was outside the field of play, IE: the sidelines, behind the goal lines(including in the goal itself) and in the stadium buildings but the referee can still award a card.
3)Webb clearly hesitated on the first penalty decision and whatever conclusion he came to led him to award the penalty after some serious thought. The second non-award was equally mysterious, as there was after-the-ball contact but Suarez, being the actor he is, added too much twisting and rolling for Webb’s liking and got no decision he wanted….strange but true.
4)Walter’s predictions that Webb would behave as above proves that, through careful and repeated observation, we can successfully predict their behaviour about75-80% of the time within a very narrow margin of error. That in itself is a scary thought!
Overall I was impressed with Liverpool’s attacking prowess but less so with their defending. I really liked what I saw from Sterling and also Sanogo and if he keeps developing, he could become a Henryesque-like player for us…there will always only be one Henry, but this kid has what it takes to be a hero, as usual Arsene knows best!
OMGArsenal
Your point one is very telling for a couple of reasons.
1) It is clear from what you say that there is absolutely no room for manoeuvre on Webbs part in this instance. It is, unequivocally a straight Red card.
2) Assuming the media and there lap dog POLL know this law inside out begs the question, how the hell did they come to the conclusion Webb made the right call.
I’d hate to mention the word ‘Agenda’ or I’ll be accused of being paranoid.
Quick question about the second Liverpool penalty shout (the one with Ox). Didn’t this action came from a free kick given to Liverpool just outside the box, when Flanagan actually ran into Arteta?
Jambug you are paranoid like the rest of us on here? Talking logic making sense of situations not barking when discussing. Being civilised. You ungrateful sexy paranoid bastard!
So basically a second yellow for Gerrard. (A third actually but hey who’s counting?)
A definite red for Sterling.
NOT A DICKY BIRD IN THE MEDIA.
If I didn’t know better I’d start to believe there was some kind of ‘Agenda’ going on here.
Oh shit, there I go again.
I’m getting Paranoid now that I’m getting Paranoid !! NURSE !!!!!!!!!
Va Cong at 5:32 pm
So you think Moh should come on Untold?
I don’t think the love in would last long!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAC1D4tCISs&feature=youtu.be&a
Because Webb did nothing when Sterling pushed him, I think that also ties the hands of the FA in terms of post game disciplinary action. Webb obviously seen the infraction, and chose to ignore it.
Gord
In which case he must be done for a failure to apply the rules of the game, because if OMG is right, he flagrantly ignored a black and white rule.
There is no latitude for interpretation. “laying your hands on a referee in an aggressive manner” is a Red Card.
Still, as much as I think Webb had a poor game it is todays media frenzy over the penalty, whilst ignoring everything else, that is the worrying aspect of all this.
Sets things up nicely for a Month or so of Arsenal bashing !
Coming late to the discussion …
Did not see the game, only the highlights, which included without comment Sterling putting his hand on Webb’s chest. Also the Ox touching Suarez and him rolling round in the penalty area. Our manager was right on that one. Also Gerrard’s final foul that did not get a yellow card. So thanks for the fuller report, Walter, otherwise I would not have known about the first foul Gerrard got off with, or the regular fouling of Sanogo. Kind of cowardly, to pick on the new man on the pitch. Glad he stood up to it.
Anyway, very pleased with the victory.
@Jambug,
Your last paragraph provides the perfect example of the paranoid follower (so-called) of our great Club…….
“They’ve all got it in for us”.
Can’t remember if this has been posted on here before, but explains some of the behaviour we’ve been seeing here for so.long;
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/online-trolls-are-psychopaths-and-sadists-psychologists-claim-9134396.html
nicky
“They’ve all got it in for us”
Who said that?
Snippet from above link on trolling;
‘The researchers defined online trolling as “the practice of behaving in a deceptive, destructive, or disruptive manner in a social setting on the Internet” for no purpose other than their pleasure…..
“It was sadism, however, that had the most robust associations with trolling of any of the personality measures,” said psychologists from the University of Manitoba…..
It went on to claim that trolls are “agents of chaos” that exploit “hot-button issues” to inflame and exploit users’ emotions,
“If an unfortunate person falls into their trap, trolling intensifies for further, merciless amusement. This is why novice Internet users are routinely admonished, ‘Do not feed the trolls!’,” the study warned.’
I’m never feeding any trolls again, ever.
@AL
I posted probably the same link, from TheRegister a few days ago. I don’t know if your link points to the scientific paper, TheRegister does point to it. I didn’t see a solution to the trolls on UA.
nicky
If you are saying you think I’m paranoid because I think there is a media agenda against us that’s up to you.
Personally I think you are blind if you cannot see it but that is also up to you.
How do you explain the utterly biased way the media have focused on one decision against Liverpool, whilst totally ignoring other decisions that went against us?
I asked you earlier to explain why our biggest sports radio station has for the last few years had a DAILY article specifically aimed at besmirching Arsene Wenger, our fans, and all things Arsenal?
You didn’t answer.
Let me tell you a couple of other things Durham said in recent history.
Accused Arsenal of withdrawing Theo from an England match to protect him for Arsenal. calling it a disgrace. He subsequently missed 2 more Arsenal games.
Accused Arsenal of withdrawing the ox from an England match to protect him for Arsenal. He too subsequently missed 2 more Arsenal games.
Accused Arsenal of planning to get Flamini a ‘deliberate’ Yellow in order to be back for a big game. He said ‘I want to put the football World on alert as to what cheating arsenal are getting up to’
Rather than just keep accusing me if being paranoid explain to me how that is fair and not an ‘AGENDA’ and I may be more inclined to agree with you.
@AL
There isn’t any problem from my point of view. It is good knowledge to have.
The general rule in presenting things, is to tell people what you are going to tell them, tell them, and tell them that you told them. So, the audience gets it 3 times. So far, we are only at 2 (you and me).
Here is why feeding the trolls is at best unwise, at worse suicidal:
1)Trolls need and seek to be admonished, it is their 15 minutes of ¨fame¨ and the abuse they crave comes in droves, as well as the consequent attention they desperately need. You might notice that the more you ignore them the more irrational they become until they fade away….this phenomena is called behaviour extinction in psychology.
2)Trolls have serious self-confidence issues so that ANY feedback, positive or negative, is the same to them. The worse thing you can do to a troll is ignore them, the second worse is to shame them by identifying who they really are and what they really want.the third is to bait them with the promise of ongoing pleasure and then taking it away at the last second.
3)Since they are sadists, there is also a possible element of masochism in their dialogue, which in actual fact is usually a monologue thinly disguised as a ¨debating ¨point. Thus many a troll will start out with the 8 years trophyless meme and go on from there. It is the bait that too many Gooners snap at. These trolls then whip their prey with this ¨fact¨ until they bleed or retire….sadism in it’s essence.
Having any conversation with them is a serious miscalculation. There are very skilful neuro-linguistic programming strategies that a trained mental health professional like myself can use to destroy these poor souls or at least deeply wound them but, to do so would be the equivalent of engaging them in a battle of wits with them being unarmed, and entirely unethical. My advice to those who want to have some fun, but NOT hurt anyone, is to tweek these trolls tails by alternately agreeing and then suddenly disagreeing with them or vice versa….it confuses the hell out of them because they can’t figure out from which angle they can attack…it pulls the psychological rug from under their cognitive feet so to speak. As an example: agreeing that we have gone 8 years trophyless would be followed by disagreeing that we have won nothing and then agreeing we need to win every trophy this season, and subsequently stating that we will have a very successful season if we finish in the CL places, etc.
TJ I take that back about mob he rants well though loll
Omgarsenal I’ve offered several hugs to the trolls but why do they no embrace me? 🙁
Va Cong, you might have a point there.
Love your enemies. It’ll drive them crazy.
@ OMGArsenal , guys ,I sometimes wander why many take the trolls’ bait .Just ignore them and pay no heed .
Or in my case confuse (and occassionally) humilate and tie them up with wit and humour(but this often confuses our regulars too!).
I like to think of myself as a very good master baiter too- ta, very much !
Was Giroud getting in shape for Brazil 2014 with some extra ‘training’ on the side ?
I didn’t know that the Olympics were so much fun !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhKuqGyFqh8
CHEERS !
How the ‘pros’ do it .
https://www.youtube.com/embed/0QmKHfYfovk?rel=0
Olympic History
A slave call girl from Sardinia named Gedophamee (Phonetically: Get Off a me?) was attending a great but as yet unnamed athletic festival 2500 years ago in Greece ..
In those days, believe it or not, the athletes performed naked.
To prevent unwanted arousal while competing, the men imbibed freely on a drink containing saltpeter before and throughout the variety of events.
At the opening ceremonial parade, Gedophamee observed the first wave of naked magnificent males marching toward her and she exclaimed:
“OH!! Limp pricks!”
Over the next two and a half millenniums that morphed into” Olympics”.
Just thought I’d share this new found knowledge with you.
You reap what you sow –
Believe It Or Not, a true story.
At the 1994 annual awards dinner given for Forensic Science, AAFS President, Dr. Don Harper Mills astounded his audience with the legal complications of a bizarre death. Here is the story:
On March 23, 1994…The medical examiner viewed the body of Ronald Opus, and concluded that he died from a shotgun wound to the head.
Mr Opus had jumped from the top of a ten-story building intending to commit
suicide.
He left a note to that effect indicating his despondency. As he fell past
the ninth floor, his life was interrupted by a shotgun blast passing through a window, which killed him instantly.
Neither the shooter nor the deceased was aware that a safety net had been
installed just below the eighth floor level to protect some building workers and that Ronald Opus would not have been able to complete his suicide the way he had planned..
The room on the ninth floor, where the shotgun blast emanated, was occupied
by an elderly man and his wife. They were arguing vigorously and he was
threatening her with a shotgun! The man was so upset that when he pulled the trigger, he completely missed his wife, and the pellets went through the
window, striking Mr Opus.
When one intends to kill subject ‘A’, but kills subject ‘B’ instead, one is
guilty of the murder of subject ‘B.’
When confronted with the murder charge, the old man and his wife were both adamant, and both said they thought the shotgun was not loaded.
The old man said it was a long-standing habit to threaten his wife with the unloaded shotgun. He had no intention to murder her.
Therefore, the killing of Mr Opus appeared to be an accident, assuming the
gun had been accidentally loaded.
The continuing investigation turned up a witness who saw the old couple’s son loading the shotgun about six weeks prior to the fatal accident. It
transpired that the old lady had cut off her son’s financial support, and
the son, knowing the propensity of his father to use the shotgun
threateningly, loaded the gun with the expectation that his father would
shoot his mother. Since the loader of the gun was aware of this, he was
guilty of the murder even though he didn’t actually pull the trigger.
The case now becomes one of murder on the part of the son for the death of
Ronald Opus.
Now comes the exquisite twist…
Further investigation revealed that the son was, in fact, Ronald Opus.
He had become increasingly despondent over the failure of his attempt to engineer his mother’s murder. This led him to jump off the ten-story building on March 23rd, only to be killed by a shotgun blast passing through the ninth story window.
The son, Ronald Opus, had actually murdered himself.
So the medical examiner closed the case as a suicide.
A true story from Associated Press.
@Jambug,
You still don’t understand.
The paranoid obsession you have with those who dare to malign our great Club is slowly taking over your total thinking. Instead of ignoring our critics and concentrating on the good things we have at Arsenal FC, you prefer to take a morose view of life.
My advice is to lighten up and stop trying to change what you cannot change.
For instance, think more about our game tomorrow against Bayern Munich and how we will defeat them….
…rather than thinking about what our critics will say about us on Thursday morning.
Your right brickfields I think some thought I was a troll and got ignored… Lol
Your right florian. Imagine your enemy always smug smiling at you. Calm collective sigh of relief constantly giving you the eyes I am better than you. Look at my punch face haha still it’s moe loveable than yours! Man I just made myself sick…
Nicky
Nicky!
Nicky!!!
spot on…shame on them their prodical sons arent up for it,in arsene we trust…victoria concordia crescit
nicky.
Please stop saying I don’t understand and lighten up. I know exactly what you’re saying. I just disagree with you.
It’s a debate nicky. No more no less. That’s what sites are about. We are having a debate.
I do get annoyed with what I think are Trolls. I don’t think you are anything of the sort. I can tell you love Arsenal as do I.
We just happen to differ greatly on this.
I think there is a media agenda against us and it seriously affects us in a negative way on the pitch. If I didn’t think that then I would ignore it as harmless media tittle tattle, alas I truly believe it affects how we are refereed. That’s my opinion.
I don’t think you deny there is negativity in the media,(or you would of contested what I said about Talksports/Durhams attitude towards us) you just don’t see it as either agenda driven, or, as having any adverse effect on us on the pitch. That’s your opinion.
I suppose we’ll have to agree to disagree.
nicky,
I am not trying to pour petrol into the fire between you and jambug but I see no reason why you should be trying to shut jambug up from expressing his ire at the media for always being against our darling club. I know you don’t like criticising the media. I can recall vividly the ‘battle’ you had with Tony when he dared to criticise BT Sport for their ineptitude in covering the Emirates Cup back in August.
I understand where you are coming from in that regard because I am not a big fan of the referee reviews myself. Where we differ though is that I let those who want to expose biased officiating against Arsenal carry on with it without calling them “paranoid”. I happen to be firmly on jambug’s side on this matter (please this is not a gang up BTW) but even if I wasn’t, unlike you, I wouldn’t be calling him “paranoid” unless I have evidence to rebut his claims.
You want us to believe that there is no media agenda against Arsenal but in a game in which Skrtel almost break Cazorla’s foot inside Liverpool’s penalty box how come the only penalty denial that the whole world know about his the one from collision between the Ox and Suarez? The Cazorla/Skrtel incident is not even considered worthy of being included in the ITV highlights for the nuetral fans (who aren’t likely to have seen the match live) to see and make up their own minds? There is an evidence of an agenda for you. Many believe today that Liverpool were robbed of at least a draw because the media want them to believe that. They could have edited their highlights and report on the game in such a way that Liverpool were seen as wasteful and only lucky to have escaped with a 1 goal margin loss, had they harped on about Arsenal’s ungiven penalties rather than Liverpool’s.
I think you have an absolute right to only want to believe that the media has no agenda against and are always fair to Arsenal but what you cannot do is try to muzzle those who have a different bent on the matter.
I rarely ever disagree with you but on this one, I hope we can without rancour.
@Bootoomee,
There is no rancour between us.
I have always accepted that the media is largely anti-Arsenal.
My irritation is with those folk (like Jambug) who spend so much time and energy uselessly attacking, with the written word, those who oppose us, when there is so much good about our Club.
The anti-Arsenal lot will never change so why get paranoid about their brick wall which we supporters can never breach.
@Jambug,
Let me make my position perfectly clear. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if my distaste for the anti-Arsenal lot is greater than yours.
My only beef is over the time and space being wasted arguing with the moronic opposition.
They will never change and my original view was merely to express an
opinion that the situation appears to be getting out of hand.
There was another penalty incident that Webb ignored/didn’t see involving Skrtel in the build up to Arsenal’s opening goal. Skrtel led with his arm to slightly deflect the incoming cross which Sanogo controlled with his chest. Fortunately for Arsenal the ball still fell at Sanogo’s feet and he was able to get a hard shot on goal which was blocked by Gerrard, and then Oxlade-Chamberlain put the rebound into the net.
Nobody seems to be bothered about Webb missing this penalty and possible red card for Skrtel because Arsenal scored about 5 seconds after the infraction. Nonetheless, Webb missed the call, and had Arsenal not scored afterwards, I’m sure a lot of people would have been complaining about it.
Moreover, I’m convinced Suarez dived for both of his penalty shouts, one which was given, the other was not. And in fact the Brazilian announcer on ESPN Brasil said he didn’t the second one was a penalty.
nicky.
You asked me to look up ‘Paranoid’
I already had but just for you here it is again.
Paranoia: Abnormal tendency to mistrust others.
My ‘beef’ is with the media. I contest that it is not ‘Abnormal’ to mistrust the media so how I am paranoid? It is actually ‘Abnormal’ if you do trust the media.
I think it is important to highlight the medias agenda (you don’t believe there is one but that’s up to you) against us because it affects us adversely on the pitch.
You can ignore it and let them piss all over our football club at every opportunity if you like. Me personally I want to highlight there bias, vindictive, malevolent, undermining of our Club each and every day until something is done to address it.
Even you don’t deny it’s existence, it’s just something you wish to ignore.
Just because I don’t doesn’t make me paranoid.
I could say that your acceptance of it is apathetic, and tantamount to an endorsement of there machinations. You should be as angry as me about it. You should want to do something about it.
I’m obsessed. You’re apathetic. So be it.
I do on the other hand agree that arguing with the Trolls is a fruitless task and I probably shouldn’t waste my breath, but if they want to come on here and stink the place out with there crap then sometimes I just cant resist the urge to tell them what a bunch of pricks they are.
As you say, an absolute waste of breath but it makes me feel better.
I can see where you are coming from with respect to repetition. But as this is a pro-Arsenal site, we must allow pro-Arsenal sentiments to be expressed without trying to censure those who hold them. I have had a few battles with those who repeat the “buy buy buy” mantra or impugn our players or manager but I don’t think going on about the media’s anti-Arsenal agenda falls under the same category. I understand that it is not something that you enjoy but not enjoying it is no reason to stop others who like to continuously shine the spotlight on their agenda.
In other word, why not just scroll past jambug’s anti-media posts in future? We can always respond to each other on issues that we agree on.
nicky,
I have only just posted (after having the composition on for a long time) to see your response to jambug and his back to you. I’m not piling on. Apologies if I come across as such.
You guys are gentlemen; I’am sure you’ll be fine without me escalating matter.
All the best to our boys tomorrow.
Bootoomee.
As you say, just scroll past.
We don’t agree so we may as well.
I will continue my battle with the media.
nicky will continue to not be troubled by them.
Simple as that really.
Intel Corporation dictum:
“Only the paranoid survive”
“Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they aren’t after you”
― Joseph Heller
From the telegraph today on Howard Webb.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/premier-league/10644977/The-stats-that-prove-Howard-Webb-bottles-big-decisions.html
Was suprised to see the amount of detail????
In the interests of fairness, I do wonder whether all referees at arsenal matches will be scrutinised like this if they fail to give arsenal a penalty – shock, media bias.
LOL Jameso… 🙂 🙂
Thought it was similar to some of the referee reviews found here. (More a reader of posts than a poster) may have stole your figures…
i was at the match, Webb’s referring was appalling,very poor. either deliberate or just very poor
Funny though how the author goes to great lengths to cover himself:
“One thing we didn’t find was any evidence of club bias.”
Translate that Mr. Reporter:)
There is definitely an agenda in the piece though. Most obviously arsenal as it is ‘the media’. But I think Webb has annoyed someone (some group) enough to get this amount of negative coverage also. For instance, the Tottenham penalty Man Utd is mentioned. It seemingly can’t be forgiven.
Jameso
I saw that article, thought it sounded very familiar like Untold’s work, and came here with the intention to bring it up to find you had already posted the link and also questioned the similarities. I don’t know, but I’ve only seen these kinds of figures here. Looks like someone is guilty of plagiarism.
And I agree that should their figures be original, then this is a first, and surely to go to these lengths after a single incident perceived to be a pro Arsenal bias is shocking. Perhaps this is the conclusive proof, if ever we needed it, that it’s the media’s fault.
If a ref makes mistakes that are against Arsenal resulting in us dropping points, we are told we should have played better and take our chances. We are told that “it all evens out in the end” (damn, I hate that line). But if a ref erred in favour of Arsenal, he gets criticised to death.
We lost 2 points away to WBA because of an unawarded penalty – No outrage from the media
We lost 2 points at home to Chelsea because of an unawarded penalty – No outrage from the media
We won against Liverpool when one of their 2 penalty incidents was unawarded while none of our 2 were – All hell breaks loose and all of a sudden the referee’s record is under scrutiny.
This, in case anyone is in doubt, is why we seldom ever get anything from the refs. All referees can now see that if they are going to screw up in a game involving Arsenal, they better screw Arsenal and not their opponents. Where was this Telegraph journo when Arsenal was getting screwed by the officials in other matches?
Bad officiating in England is perpetuated by the media through their biased and agenda driven outrage.
@Bootoomee
Well said.
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/feb/11/manuel-pellegrini-jose-mourinho-manchester-city-chelsea
http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11945/9173069/champions-league-manuel-pellegrini-feels-officials-cost-man-city-against-barcelona
what a difference a result makes.
The manager who said managers shouldn’t comment and FA and referees should do their job when he received favorable treatment says referee cost his side and the appointment is a mistake when his team loses
comon city.. u may be a big fish in england.. barca is a bigger fish in europe , they will get decisions their way. live with it.
@Jameso – that Telegraph article says they found no evidence of bias by Howard Webb favouring a team, saying that Webb has given penalties for MAN Utd at Old Trafford and given penalties against.
What kind of yellow journalism is that?
The following article from a year or so ago shows how biased Howard Webb has been in favour of Man United in particular and also by the way biased against Arsenal:
http://basstunedtored.com/2012/10/03/howard-webb-penalties-and-manchester-united/
@Gianna. Had never seen this. Remarkable really.