FA charges Adam, Riley phones Wenger… or did he?

Posted on by WalterBroeckx

By Walter Broeckx

After a few days off I still hadn’t found the time to write any further about the Stoke – Arsenal match. And this morning when back at work I found the perfect angle to start with.

[OK Walter, so what’s it worth not to tell your employer about this misuse of work time? – Billy “the Dog” McGraw]

So the FA has decided to take action against Charlie Adam for his actions in the match against Arsenal. This was decided after the panel that has been installed this season has looked at the stamp Adam made on Giroud in the second half.

As can be found on the FA website about this panel: ‘Under a new pilot project in Premier League matches this season, if an incident has not been seen by the match officials, a three-man panel of former elite referees will be asked by The FA to review it and advise what, if any action, they believe the match referee should have taken had it been witnessed at the time. For an FA charge to follow, all three panel members must agree it is a sending-off offence. In this instance, the panel were of the unanimous decision that it was an act of violent conduct.’

So 3 former elite-referees have looked upon the incident and came to the only conclusion that can be reached: this doesn’t belong on a football field. So when we look at it from just football in general point we can only applaud it. And as I lost a bit of faith in this panel after letting Yaya Toure off the hook for a stamp in the back of a Norwich player a few weeks ago they seem to have found their common sense again.

Such actions like stamping on a player who is on the floor don’t belong on a football field. And in this game Adam did it twice in fact. And the first time referee (?) Jones even gave the foul against Giroud. Which was silly but then again… he made more mistakes in this game.  And in his career but we don’t want to go on to the beach ball incident for ever of course.

Back to the match Stoke-Arsenal. In a way the thing I feared most was that one of our players would end up on a stretcher once again. And it was only down to having a lot of luck that we seem to have survived the assaults allowed by Jones. The Adam stamp for which the FA will charge him now is one that could have finished Giroud’s season. The first one also in fact.

If you look back at the images what I also find so annoying is the way that Adam is wondering what is wrong with Giroud and why Giroud is holding his leg. I know football players would be great actors if they were not footballers, and would get Oscar after Oscar for their acting but don’t they mind being seen as idiots.  Or are they just idiots?

So Adam probably will get a 3 match ban (rightfully so) but the problem is that because of the ref being completely biased in favour of Stoke it will not help Arsenal at all. Stoke should have been down to 10 man and nobody knows how the match might have turned.  If only the ref had done his job in a proper way.

Now I’m not saying we would have gone on to win the match even against 10 Stoke players.  But the chance of us losing that match would have been a bit lower. And even 1 point could make a big difference at the end of the season.  So once again a dreadful referee performance made sure we lost a match. This was Taylor and Aston Villa all over again.

And once again I can only congratulate all the people who have helped me during the Untold referee reviews. Our finding of Jones before the match (and can be found on this site even years ago) was that Jones is a home referee. One of the biggest home referees even. Another finding is that Stoke is a team that is getting most decisions their way for some reason. They are close rivals to Manchester United when it comes to that.

So doing 1+1 we knew that we would face a hard task. A ref that has problems with discipline, a home team that likes to kick, a ref that is a home ref. We all predicted it and expected it. We hoped that we would overcome it on the day but that didn’t happen unfortunately.

The question we can ask is if our friend Mike Riley also expected it to happen? Or hoped for it to happen. He knows a bit about letting one team kick the shit out of another unpunished. And he knows a bit about giving soft penalties to a kicking team to make sure they win. Make no mistake, Jones certainly learned from the headmaster who is now the head of the PGMOL.

I somehow doubt Riley will have taken up his phone and called Wenger to apologise for the bad referee he sent for this match. In fact sending such a ref to this match was nothing short of being careless and might have resulted in another broken leg by an Arsenal player. Time that Riley and his acolytes start to realise that they could ruin the careers of players by they weakness and irresponsible behaviour. Do they know that?

But what I know is that our reviews have been spot on in identifying the weaknesses of referees, in identifying their bias, in knowing when and what they will do or not do.  Give me Jones any day of the week in a home match and I don’t fear him. Give him an away game against a footballing team and I don’t fear him. Give him in an away game against a kick the shit team and expect the worst.  Remember this for the future. I will remind you when we see him again of course.

And once again bad decisions have cost us points. Just as happened against Aston Villa, WBA, Chelsea, … The fact that referees on the field keep letting our opponents getting away with assaults (as in the matches mentioned) and only after the match measures are taken (and then again not always) is criminal behaviour. It will go wrong one day. Be it with an Arsenal player on the floor holding what is left of his leg once again. Or by an Arsenal player who has had enough of it and takes justice in his own hands.

There is only one person responsible then. What about you Mike?

PS: And now we are waiting in fear for the referee appointments for the FA cup. No Dean, no Probert, …but hey we still could get Mason….

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59 Replies to “FA charges Adam, Riley phones Wenger… or did he?”

  2. I watched part of the game on the net with French commentary. It was obvious that the commentators were shocked at the referee. The incident where Giroud was on the floor and stamped on (in clear sight of the referee who later saw a handball from a greater distance) was given as a foul against Giroud. I was so angry. My whole attitude towards PGMOL and its officials has become venomous. They are the crudest biased evil in sport. The organisations that commit crimes by suicide bear a similarity, except these PGMOL devils do it openly without fear of any authority stopping them. The Sports Arbitration Courts might have a view providing some body brings a case against PGMOL and their employers the FA.

  3. In my opinion the ref allowed Stoke to commit GBH against Arsenal and then added insult to injury by giving Giroud Adam’s yellow card. There were no ‘honest’ mistakes or errors just plain old corruption with a lot of malice thrown in for good measure and the media’s response to this revealed the obvious collusion that exists in British football.

  6. Walter
    One thing worth mentioning about the disciplinary panel that found Adam guilty but let Toure off , is that those three former referees give their opinions independently of one another and without knowing what the other two recommended . Only when it’s an unanimous decision they know they were in an agreement . A two votes guilty to one not guilty results in a not guilty decision . Also I believe these are not the same three referees all the time so two identical or at least similar incidents can be ruled differently on by three refs with different ideas what a violent conduct is.

  7. Walter
    Also , this was as shocking a ref performance as I can ever remember. We had Mike Jones in the middle and Taylor on the touchline.
    Two of the worst refs in PL . It would’ve been comical if it wasn’t so tragic to see Wenger complaining to Taylor about calls Jones was ‘blowing ‘ left and right on the pitch. Judging from Taylor’s infantile like smile during Wenger’s voicing his complaints, either he is retarded or was embarrassed for his inept colleague.

    The only thing worst than the officiating crew was Arsenal team performance but that was never in danger of braking any limbs but perhaps hearts.

  8. I think Adam was the one that kicked Arteta in the thigh in the first half, when he ran in ostensibly to challenge for a ball in the air, but clearly all he cared about was kicking our club vice-captain. This clearly was a yellow-card offence at the least.

    The other stamp on Giroud in the first half referred to in the article was by Walters I think, while simultaneously some other Stoke Neanderthal slide in and kicked him on the shins, another red-card offence.

    And the penalty that wasn’t. I thought the rule was that it’s handling only if the offending player could, within reason, get his arm out of the way of the ball. But Koscielny’s arm was in the air when the ball was struck from about a yard out on to his arm. So it was entirely unavoidable.

  9. This Liverpool supporting ref was biased / bent / following orders at the weekend, but has also demonstrated remarkable incompetence in other games. He should not be employed at this level.
    Yes, Stoke do seem to benefit – maybe refs from northern industrial towns admire their grit against not only southern softies…but French southern softies. Or maybe its because Stokes owner owns BET365 and there is something else going on.
    Can anyone tell me how Nzonzi escaped a disrepute charge over boasting about kicking Arsenal? Where in footballs rules is kicking permitted. Walter, think you are right about one of our players taking the law into his own hands, presumably why Flam was kept out of this

  10. Mandy Dodd
    According to the plundits on the Manchester Gruniad podcast such hacking, although banned over a century ago, is perfectly acceptable. A normal part to the game. Their answers helpfully highlight and explain to us why Flamini was sent off for his relatively clean, devoid of a run up, two footed lunge which was, without any need for a debate, infinitely less reckless then the non-carded flying kick on Arteta.

    All’s fair…?

    The message from Riley and the PGMOB in Taylor’s opening Performance of the season was unambiguous. We all knew we’d be chasing the oilers. In spite of the earlier injuries the squad were doing better then any expected. But we also knew that they would not be allowed to compete. The official selections and performances around the turn of the year were also revealing but not surprising.

    “Special Circumstances” as AW said. I’m not sure if he was also referring to the sci-fi espionage agency known by the same name, invented by the late Iain Banks.

  11. I have just had a look at last year’s game at Stoke, Lee Mason in charge on 26/08/2012. Different referee but similar outcome. Stoke should have two players sent off, arsenal denied two clear penalties. The only difference was that last year Gibbs push on Pennant wasn’t called a penalty. Stoke haven’t improved with a change of manager.

  12. I think these kinds of attack will continue until either the player involved or the Club bring a private prosecution against both opposition player and the officials in charge of the game.

  13. When I read the report of Nzozi saying trash about their being rugged intentionally, thats when I believed that the whole footballing principle of fairness is gone. I can’t believe a man could be proud of being so cruel to his opponents after all WWIII has not yet begun.

  14. Very good article walter. level of refs in epl is way below footballing class these days. sadly i am still more annoyed by our pathetic performance than beeing obv robbed by refs once again.

  15. An incident that happened right in front of him and his assistant refree, he claimed that he did not see it, how come the same refree saw a slight handball from that distance he was. I have said it that, all English refrees are always against Arsenal, reasons best known to them. There was an incident that happened between Giroud and Vidic in the second leg premier league this season, when it was glaring that vidic rested his hand and pushed Giroud in penalty area, nothing happened, if it were to be Arsenal player that did tha, it would have been a penalty. How many penalties has gone in favour of Arsenal and how many has gone against them this season so far.

  16. Just watched a part of football related program. And nothing about stamp on Giroud. Instead they go on to praise Nzonzi. Am I shocked to hear all that Arsenal lack character, physical presence, will power………….not one bit.

  17. “Stoke haven’t improved with a change of manager.”
    Andrew Crawshaw,
    Yes, then there is something institutionalized (chronic and permanent, until uprooted) about what Stoke does. Therein lies the problem.

  18. soglorious,
    Nzonzi – the man of the match – is demonstrating the callous win at any cost attitude and behaviour that is clinically diagnosed as psychopathy. The root of the problem, however, is that the psychopathy is institutionalized inside Stoke and the sphere of influence within which it functions. Walter hints as much in this article and the statistics prove it’s being protected to the same level as Manure had been. Common sense something is rotten in the septic isle.

  19. @Arsenal 13

    Is this the same N’zonzi who drove into a cyclist and drove off refusing to give details etc. as required by law? it’s not just on the football pitch they get away with it.

  21. ARSENAL 13,
    It’s one thing for Nzonzi and Adam and Hughes to know where their bread is buttered and to act on it. That said, it would be interesting to know about the media enablers who abet and cover for this behavior. That said: What program was it? What station? Who is promoting this point of view and covering for this behavior?

  22. “presumably why Flam was kept out of this”
    Mandy Dodd,
    I think this is spot on. We are really in a serious bind: kicked when we don’t fight back; kicked because one of the few who would openly fight back cannot be risked to defend his side, because we’d then lose him for at least 3-4 games, which would open us to more kicking.

  23. Was wondering, whats the scale of punishment under UK law for physical assault……And why is it not applicable for the unlawful acts in the football pitch.

    If Adams has been found guilty for violent conduct on the pitch, then can’t Giroud file a case of physical assault???….

    The first challenge on Giroud when he was tackled by Walters from the side and Whelan from behind, it could have ended up in a Ramseyesque situation……..

  24. The idea to write a full article on Inzonzi praising rough tactics is shocking to say the least. This is the media rewarding the thugs for a job well done. lets see if Stoke will get so much media coverage again after kicking another team which isn’t Arsenal. Its sickening that we could have had two or three players with broken limbs after this match, but all we hear is of how Arsenal can’t handle the rough and tumble at sides like Stoke. Why should we be able to handle that? This isn’t WWE, its football for ffs.

    Menace
    My mate who watched the match that had French commentary also said the commentators seemed bemused by most of the decisions and kept replaying the Giroud/Adam and Giroud/Whelan incidents.

  26. Walter and Tom
    Sorry to keep going over this because i dont understand how this 3 man elite referee panel could not agree on that Yaya Toures kick in the back of Van Wolfwinkle was malicous or not surely a kick in the back is a kick in the back as we all know he got off scott free

  27. ARSENAL 13,
    And let’s not forget the assault on Rosicky that Broke His Nose, and cost us weeks of his valuable playing time. Let’s have a long memory on this – this year we have Rosicky and Giroud. Who else, anyone? And ffs, why isn’t someone (AFC) considering filing assault charges? In the National Hockey League, for example, there have been arrests made with sentencing for assaults in the past. Even if it’s just an arrest and no conviction, a message would be sent. If we’re going to be continually pillaged by the institutionalized thuggery, then we might as well file charges now so that we’ll be able to pave the way for something better in the future, and it will bring unity (not disunity) among our players, because the club has stuck up for them. My two cents plain.

  28. Steve Vallins,
    If they call it “elite”, then consider the source. There’s nothing elite about it; just available and willing to cooperate for the good of the er, ah, mmm, well, mind the gap…

  29. Rantetta, Arsenal 13,
    As you (Rantetta) had earlier pointed out, though it’s a bit less clear, I forgot to mention Theo – that he was raked and stepped on prior to his a bit later, same game leg injury. So, that’s Giroud, Rosicky and possibly Theo. Any more this season?

  30. AL,
    It is WWE. That is the business model. A controlled pitch which makes and breaks its own rules for the good of its own coffers.

  31. Bob
    I understand a stamp is worse than a kick but worst of all is a 1 finger salute or an Anelka gesture

  32. Who was it that planted their studs on Arteta earlier in the match? Also Charlie Adam?
    I noted Arteta showing the ref the impact marks – but there was no response from Jones.

    Re the Yaya Toure assault on Giroud, mentioned above – a potential leg breaker – this attack also went unpunished on the field and retrospectively. Yaya has had a charmed life with the refs & FA. I wonder why.

  33. bjtgooner
    Agree with you regarding Yaya Toure charmed life re punishment could you imagine an Arsenal player doing anything like what he did and the consequences plus media coverage

  34. bob
    True, looks and feels like WWE, and the outcome is fixed too.

    bjtgooner
    Yes, it was Adam that planted his studs into Arteta well before the assault on Giroud began. Jones could easily have sent him off twice, with straight reds too.

  35. Steve Vallins,
    And Steve, let’s not forget the powers’ well-publicised generousity in NOT booking the injured Theo Walcott for the crime of responding by making a “2-0” sign at the Spud coin throwers. Yep, there is truly justice in the land, Steve, so better zip it. 🙂

  36. @Al

    Thanks for that info. I wonder will the three retired elites get to view the assault on Arteta before the Adam hearing – somehow I doubt it.

  37. @bob: It’s true. The irony of it all is truly shameful. Coz if you think of it, they probably werent far away from doing it. Reminds me of when AW got sent to the stands after he kicked a water bottle into the air.

  38. @bob 6:35

    Reminds me of Vieira’s first few years with the club. He ran up a few red cards until he had earned a reputation as a hot head. However, he was able to tone it down and still intimidate/protect the smaller players as the Invincibles took form. We may be in a similar cycle right now that is to say, we will have to kick back and get the red cards until other teams realize they will have sore shins, too. Don’t get me wrong, I would much rather this thuggery be removed from the game but the pragmatic side of me says we need at least two skilled midfielders who gives as good as they receive. Bergkamp had some sharp elbows if memory serves and our back 4 were not known as ballerinas.

  39. GGG,
    Fully agree on the need for two such MF’s (MF’s who are also mf’s – like Flamini, Song, Veira….), otherwise we’re always unfair game for the orcs.

  41. How on earth did this media outlet get away with such a commentary? Didn’t get the memo, I guess.

    Isn’t Eurosport operated out of France? Seems to concentrate on the less pricy sports (Handball, etc.?).

  42. For those asking why Arsenal or the players affected arent going to the police. Well they cant. Once you enter into a football match (or rugby/boxing etc) you in effect enter into an agreement that you are a willing participant in the event. You need an independent individual to step forward and state that they witnessed an assault i.e someone that was at the event and was not involved with it. So it cannot be a manager/player/official

    And no as someone watching it on TV, you arent a witness.

    I will at this point stress that I am not a lawyer. So you would need to get one (or a police officer) to confirm this all for you.

    However, it would be interesting to see what would happen if someone took a player injury to the HSE as in effect the Ref is responsible for all the actions on a football pitch. I wonder if an individual Ref could be prosecuted for failing to ensure a player’s wellbeing?

    It was interesting reading Eurosport http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news/premier-league-match-facts-stoke-city-v-arsenal-060150016–sow.html comments on this match (its the same as AI’s link but from “eu” Eurosport).

  43. About not being able to go to court I know that in Belgium this can and has been done. But not yet in the top division as far as I know. Or it did happen in the case Desloovere – Lozana when the latter suffered a double open fracture and went to court. In amateur football this has happened before and players have been found guilty and sentenced for being reckless.

    About the professional case I thought that in the highest appeal possible the player that caused the fracture was not convicted in the end. But I will that up to be 100% sure.

  44. Hope Flamini and Diaby starts playing together regularly next season and repay in kind to every team that kick us.

  47. How to deal with showoffs ..

    Friendly Competition .
    From…

    http://www.ba-bamail.com/Content.aspx?emailid=8751&source=moremails#.UxaSqM66ETE

    An F-111 was flying escort with a B-52 and generally making a nuisance of himself by flying rolls around the lumbering old bomber.

    The message for the B-52 crew was, “Anything you can do, I can do better.”
    Not to be outdone, the bomber pilot announced that he would rise to the challenge.
    The B-52 continued its flight, straight and level, however.
    Perplexed, the fighter pilot asked, “So? What did you do?”
    “We just shut down two engines.”

  48. Take some time to read this article .I’ve chosen a few which may be relevant.
    From..
    http://www.ba-bamail.com/Content.aspx?emailid=8701&memberid=763708#.UxaXGc66ETE

    Robin Sharma: Lessons for Success.
    1. You can really Lead Without a Title.

    2. Knowing what to do and not doing it is the same as not knowing what to do.

    3. Give away what you most wish to receive.

    7.The bigger the dream, the more important to the team.

    8. Visionaries see the “impossible” as the inevitable.

    9. All great thinkers are initially ridiculed – and eventually revered.

    16. The fears you run from run to you.

    17. The most dangerous place is in your safety zone.

    18. The more you go to your limits, the more your limits will expand.

    20. Be so good at what you do that no one else in the world can do what you do.

    21. You’ll never go wrong in doing what is right.

    22. It generally takes about 10 years to become an overnight sensation.

    23. Never leave the site of a strong idea without doing something to execute around it.

    25. Never miss a moment to encourage someone you work with.

    27. The secret of passion is purpose.

    30. Go where no one’s gone and leave a trail of excellence behind you.

    32. Accept your teammates for what they are and inspire them to become all they can be.

    36. Change is hardest at the beginning, messiest in the middle and best at the end.

    38. Understand the acute difference between the cost of something and the value of something.

    40. The best leaders blend courage with compassion.

    42. You’ll never go wrong in doing what’s right.

    46. The value of getting to your goals lives not in reaching the goal but what the talents/strengths/capabilities the journey reveals to you.

    50. Small daily – seemingly insignificant – improvements and innovations lead to staggering achievements over time.

    64. Understand that a problem is only a problem if you choose to view it as a problem (vs. an opportunity).

    67. Lucky is where skill meets persistence.

    72. Education is the beginning of transformation. Dedicate yourself to daily learning via books/audios/seminars and coaching.

  49. Can someone come out with a similar idea so that the negative comments of the AAAA here are ‘hidden’ with a smiley or funny face or graphics ,so as not to piss off the AKBs ?
    If you wish ,you can put animals faces or caricatures as well ,and have a laugh at them ,while not having to read their moronic comments.
    Funny and high pitched Voices are optional .
    Think about it.

    http://www.upworthy.com/this-is-not-a-joke-you-may-laugh-but-you-shouldn-t-it-s-quite-horrifying?g=2

  50. By charging Adams with violent conduct, FA has recognized that Adams has acted unlawfully. It was established that there was an ‘intent’ to injure a downed player. This can be used as an evidence. Also we have TV footage for evidence which clearly shows the assault. As for eye-witness, we had 1000+ gooners at the away end.

  51. Just put the refs on our payroll. We can afford it now!

    Expect more of the same when we play the Chavs, they kick too only they’re not as brazen, boasting about it too the press like that Orc player.

  53. @Brickfields

    #22 10 years

    The BBC recently ran a story about whether it was true that 10,000 hours of study would make someone an expert. In the pursuit of 10,000 hours, it is generally found that one accumulates about 1000 hours of study in 1 year, making 10,000 hours about the same as 10 years.

    Personally, I seem to have squeezed a bit more than 1000 hours in per year (1100 or so).

  54. Mick

    We’d better not tell them the BBC is located in Manchester. Or mention that thing known as the internet.

    –

    Stoke City chief executive Tony Scholes told his club’s website.
    “However, I am not surprised because clubs like ours very rarely succeed in appeals to the FA.
    “We put together a strong defence based upon the facts, which were that Charlie needed to plant his foot, and in changing direction his eyes followed the ball at all times.
    “How can anybody other than Charlie say what intent was there? How can the FA possibly justify this decision in the light of recent incidents which were far worse at other clubs, which have gone unpunished

    I guess the Bet365 employee missed the kick or the second stamp. Well, he has lots of staff, statisticians, compiling stats for him. I’m sure he’ll work it out. Eventually.

  55. @ Gord – I wish that I had put in more effort ( hours) when I was in Medical College – I would have been some sort of a perfect specialist by now !
    Instead I’m still practising my craft with no end in sight !
    Then again practice makes perfect !

  56. @Brickfields

    In some circumstances, there is an honourary degree called Doctor of Laws. I think you are due, Doctor of Guffaws.

  57. Thanks , Gord , brought a tear to me eyes ,that did. Here’s a survey of 500 questions that I think you’d ace !

    Survey for nerds
    http://www.ahajokes.com/f004.html

    Tell me your score when you’re done . Me ? I failed miserably !

  58. What are they teaching kids in school nowadays ?

    http://www.ahajokes.com/f006.html

    L.A. Math test
    City of Los Angeles
    High School Math Proficiency Exam

    Name:____________________
    Gang:________________________

    1. Duane has an AK47 with a 30 round clip. If he misses 6 out of 10 shots and shoots 13 times at each drive by shooting, how many drive by shootings can he attempt before he has to reload?

    2. If Jose has two ounces of cocaine and he sells an 8 ball to Jackson for $320 and 2 grams to Billy for $85 per gram, what is the street value of the balance of the cocaine if he doesn’t cut it?

    3. Rufus is pimping for three girls. If the price is $65 for each trick, how many tricks will each girl have to turn so Rufus can pay for his $800 per day crack habit?

    4. Jarome wants to cut his 1/2 pound of Heroin to make 20% more profit. How many ounces of cut will he need?

    5. Willie gets $200 for stealing a BMW, $50 for a Chevy and $100 for a 4×4. If he has stolen 2 BMW’s and 3 4×4’s, how many Chevy’s will he have to steal to make $800?

    6. Raoul is in prison for 6 years for murder. He got $10,000 for the hit. If his common law wife is spending $100 per month, how much money will he have left when he gets out of prison and how many years will he get for killing her since she spent his money?

    7. If the average spray paint can covers 22 square feet and the average letter is 3 square feet, how many letters can a tagger spray with 3 cans of paint?

    8. Hector knocked up six girls in his gang. There are 27 girls in the gang. What percentage of the girls in the gang has Hector knocked up?

  59. The BBC is reporting that a Vietnamese international has received a 28 game ban for breaking the leg of an opponent.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/26464186

    —–

    @Brickfields

    The explanation for the score at the end doesn’t make sense. (If there are 500 questions, how can a person yes to 10,000 question in order to get a score of 20?)

    I answered yes to 221 questions.

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