Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur 27 September 2014 – The Match Officials
by Andrew Crawshaw
Firstly, Here is the updated wrong decisions table, I have included Walter’s review of the Aston Villa game (1 not awarded red card for the challenge by Clark on Podolski in Minute 83 but no change to the points awarded to either team).
| Wrong Important Decisions | Favouring Arsenal | Favouring Opponents |
| 2nd Yellow Cards | 0 | 3 |
| Red Cards | 1 | 2 |
| Penalties | 1 | 3 |
| Goals | 0 | 1 |
| Total | 2 | 9 |
| Possible Cost in Points | 2 | 6 |
Secondly, there are disruptions in train services from South London to London Bridge and there is no Overground Service south of New Cross Gate so if you normally use those routes, please check before travelling.
Thirdly, following his appearance in our Capital One Cup Game on Tuesday, Keith Stroud gets his first Premier League game since 2008 when he takes charge of Crystal Palace v Leicester City.
For Saturday we have
- Referee – Michael Oliver
- Assistants – S Burt and J Brooks
- Fourth Official – C Pawson
Michael Oliver was born in 1985 and became the youngest referee in Premier League history when he was in charge of the Birmingham City v Blackburn Rovers at 25 years old. His home county FA is Northumberland. His rapid rise through the ranks was confirmed in 2012 when he was elevated to the FIFA list so he has obviously impressed the ‘right people’.
2013-14 Season – he was one of the busiest referees with 27 games in total (11 with Mr Burt and 2 with Mr Brooks, none with both). Of these 13 were home wins, 7 draws and 7 away wins.
Arsenal v Spurs 1 Sep 2013 (1-0). Walter’s post game piece – Arsenal v £100.000.000: 1-0 didn’t mention the referee so must have been OK
Man United v Arsenal 10 November 2013 (1-0). Walter’s post game piece – Lost a battle, the war is still in our hands. A number of ‘phantom’ fouls called against Arsenal to allow United to regroup when under pressure. We bossed possession and matched United in the other stats but made one defensive error from which they scored.
Liverpool v Arsenal 8 Feb 2014 (5-1). We played in a suicidal fashion and were hammered. Walter’s post game piece Disastrous start leaves us empty handed covers it excellently. The referee played no part in our loss, he didn’t need to as we shot ourselves by simply not turning up in the first half.
One win and two losses, not great but not really the fault of Mr Oliver – he favoured United but not with big decisions.
Spurs games other than the Arsenal game above
- Spurs v Hull 27 October 2013 (1-0)
- Spurs v Palace 11 Jan 2014 (2-0)
- Chelsea v Spurs 8 Mar 2014 (4-0)
Three home games, two to Spurs so overall two wins and two losses , hardly showing massive bias, as all four results were in line with expectations based on the finishing positions of the teams involved.
2012-13 Season There are 11 full referee reviews of his games in 2012/13 in them he made 18 wrong Important decisions (second yellow, red cards penalties and goals) not a terribly good performance. In individual games he scored below 70% on three occasions, 80-9-% on three occasions with the remaining five games between 70 & 80% again not setting the world on fire and well below the standard we should expect from a FIFA referee. Unusually his overall bias seemed to favour the away teams, Four home teams against 6 away teams with only one game neutral. Of these reviewed games, one featured Arsenal and two featured Spurs
| Match Review: Michael Oliver – Everton Vs Arsenal (1 – 1) [28/11/2012] |
overall weighted score 70%, bias against 21/79 but no wrong Important Decisions. A total of 20 wrong decisions out of 147, four against Everton and 16 against Arsenal, so a rather one sided performance but probably not enough to change the course of the game.
| Match Review: Michael Oliver – Manchester City Vs Tottenham Hotspur (2 – 1) [11/11/2012] |
overall weighted score 75%, bias against 68/32 and four wrong Important decisions – Minute 19 Spurs should have been given a penalty, Min 20 Spurs score from incorrectly given free kick, Min 23 Man City should have a penalty for Gallas handball, Min 32 Man City should have a penalty for foul by Huddlestone. A total of 15 wrong decisions out of 162, 10 against City and 5 against Spurs. The two wrong important decisions involving Spurs kind of cancel out (not given penalty and wrongly awarded goal), the two for City were both non given penalties so they should perhaps have won by a greater margin.
Match Review: Michael Oliver – Liverpool Vs Tottenham Hotspur (3 – 2) [10/03/2013] overall weighted score 79%, bias against 73/27 and two wrong Important Decisions – Min 77 Vertongen fouled Sturridge in penalty area – not given, Min 86 Vertongen fouls Johnson in penalty area – not given. Eleven wrong decisions out of 136, 8 against Liverpool and 3 against Spurs. A similar story to the City game with two not given penalties against Spurs.
The balance of decisions going against Arsenal in their one game under Mr Oliver, contrasting with the balance of decisions being in favour of Spurs in their two. Of more importance was the ignoring of four penalty decisions that should have been awarded against Spurs. Honestly four in two games that’s a trifle extreme.
2011/12 Season There were eight games reviewed and his overall numbers were above average, particularly in the routine decisions, he was not that good though on yellow cards and penalty decisions which were both roughly 50/50 (but based on low overall numbers). His bias against Arsenal was not excessive and he was roughly neutral for Spurs. His main bias was in favour of United.
In Summary
- Despite being a FIFA Accredited Referee Mr Oliver really isn’t that good, he was ranked 14 out of 17 for 2012/13 based on the full game referee reviews.
- There seems to be a particular problem with him knowing when to award a penalty. Spurs got away with 4 in the two games reviewed in 2012/13.
- He seems to have a positive bias for Spurs and a negative one against Arsenal
- He doesn’t seem to be a ‘home’ team, his reviewed games having a bias in favour of the away team more often than the home team.
- The crowd need to let him know we are watching his decision making.
- Don’t expect Arsenal to be given a penalty when it might make a difference to the result of a game. A consolation penalty when we are five goals down doesn’t really count.
- In a game that is likely to be tight and with two fully committed teams both teams need a referee who is on top of the game and will deal fairly with infringements from both sides. I am not convinced that My Oliver is that man – come on prove me wrong!
COYG
And don’t forget we’ve got the live Arsenal Tottenham coverage coming up.
And the regular look back in time. Today it is “Tottenham in September”
And if that’s not enough there are today’s anniversaries and latest posts listed on the home page
Thanks Andrew, will be keeping an eye on this guy, and as you say, hope the crowd let him have it if they need to .
Guess we won’t be getting any favours here
What a load of bore locks.
Only you lot can come up with a set of stats to make a ref look bias against you. You’ve had more help from scudamore and the FA than any other club in the league. You only got to look at your home starts to the season to see that.
Arsenals entire style of football is dependant on win the ball or commit a foul when tackling and going to ground when you loose the ball. Arsenal hassle the ref more than any other club.
You cheat so much you even lie about your attendance figure to cheat your commercial support intoaying more.
LOL @ Bazza
So based on which studies did you come to that conclusion my dear friend Bazza?
Bazza, I laugh at you in my language as you exposed your lack of intelligence. Someone came up with a set of stats to prove a point and all you could show for your argument is “we should look at our home games bla bla bla…” I believe you only the label of your television set or you will realise that your submissions are all wrong.
1. You’ve had more help from
scudamore and the FA than
any other club in the
league.
Reply: We are not Man Utd.
2. Arsenals entire style of
football is dependant on
win the ball (you are right) or commit a
foul when tackling ( always remember we are not Chelsea, Stoke, A.Villa) and
going to ground when you
loose the ball (you see, that’s what a good referee should call out as a foul).
3. Arsenal
hassle the ref more than
any other club.(guy, how many times must I remind u that this is not Barcelona u are talking about)
4. You cheat so much you
even lie about your
attendance figure to cheat
your commercial support
into paying more (I give up, now I realise that inability to understand between “total numbers of tickets sold for a match” and “the actual people who get to attend the game” is your undoing).
***….I believe you only watch the label of your television…***
Thanks for the preview. Good luck at the game!
Jagielka taking some inspiration from Clyne there, 1-1 in the early derby.
“You only got to look at your home starts to the season to see that”
Ooops
here are those home starts:
Palace
City
Southampton (cup)
And you can add a tie against Besiktas too.
And Balotelli dived the whole 90min.
Even Liverpool goal came from a foul in which he dived. Does Roger order his players to dive whenever possible?
This is disgusting!
Hope the friendship between our illustrious AW and spuds new manager(i will not name him for he may be gone tomorrow) will not bring us a draw today.
In fact our managers being friends puts us in a quandry eh?
Ramsey Dany Dany oooo
so good ol oliver…
nothing for anythig to tiny totts..
and two yellow to arsenal
Go go go go
if this is not a pen…
what is….
Ooohh Jacky boy
Ooooo per
Ox ox ox ox
Ramsey?? Noooooooo
Ok now please someone define me a penalty, cause it seems one of us, me or Oliver, dont know what a penalty is!
How was that foul on jack not a peno?
And what the fuck w the injuriies?!
And Arteta, Ramsey? Two subs down? Anymore bad luck? Both players would not be substituted had they not been injured, we lost them, Ozil, Cmaberlain and Welbeck will get tired and we have only one sub.
Ramsey taken from behind. Carry on.
Rose stamped on 2 players, Ox, then Wilshere. No problem. Certainly no 2 penalties, according to beachball lad.
There’s no home ref today. Indeed, he’s taking up the mike Dean role nicely.
nightmare on the injuries front,I hope Jacks alright…bet the ox is naffed at that card..
COYG! This games for the taking…
COYG! aha and Amen!
Well that was a depressing half. Very very poor from us all over the pitch and two more injuries (both of which look like a causing Ramsey and Arteta to miss matches). Rather than getting better our injury record is getting worse.
This is going to end badly unless the players wake up and start putting in more effort. Way too slow and we do not appear to be doing anything to stop the counter. Easy for Spurs and they should be winning. The fact that they are not is the only silver lining from that half.
Yeah this is getting ridiculous in regards to PL refs. Looking at the NBC match stats,
Arsenal 4 fouls committed (2 yellow cards)
Spurs – 8 fouls committed, 1 yellow card.
And to make it worse Lee Dixon saying how good Spurs are playing, and highlighting Arsenal’s “defensive problem”. Wonder why all these former Arsenal players just toe the company line in bashing Arsenal.
Looked at live coverage across the web. The consensus is that Wilshere twisted his ankle on the turf. The replay during the match shows definitive contact, but they all ignore it. No replay during the half, wonder why? He gets kicked in the ankle, strait penalty. They can’t show a mistake that obvious by the ref. It would make the PMGO look bad.
Dive dive dive
yes yes yes
Come on Gunners
flam flam… so obvious mistake
Wrong move Szczesny
Ooooooooo per
so that is replay …
ball was moving … but they show first touch
Alex, I was thinking the same thing. Great “showing” off the replay
and … funny part
stats
10 Dribbles 3
13 Tackles 14
89% Pass Success 76%
64% Aerial Success 36%
68% Possession 32%
but one mistake from flamini….
kaboul is just good…
but handball much better
Oooooooooooooooo
Oxoooooooo
chambers is great… and young….and… he plays for arsenal!
get in there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Lets have another!!!!
Chambo chambo chambo
YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Stampie comes on.
Crap commentary. Just crap…
They say Welbeck attempt to score and missing it is a dummy???…
Hahahahahahahaha
chambers overrun lennon…..wow!
We need these points urgently to be on mourinioass.
Hmmmm…..
One wrong decision from Szczesny….
Any way. Go gunners.
OK, maybe we will pick dem up from mourinioass.
one stupid mistake…
and pretty good game from arsenal…
chambers just great…
koscielny is MOM.
hope aaron and mikel is ok
Better second half – after they scored. We didn’t really create enough though with our possession. Disappointing result.
Should have won it.Bloody chickens holding up the game after the equaliser.Ref was a total fool.The two injuries totally changed the game, and Jacks ankle too.Well done Jack in the second half though fighting on and driving forward.
Even if the scores are equal the stats still show: A cannon is always better than a chicken.
COYG! Aha and Amen!
No this has to stop, that was over the line, and they showed tge replay before when Loris touched it. TTHAT IS CALLED CHEATING AND IT SHALL NOT BE ACCEPTED, we are not dumb, they cant think we are such dumbs.
And whata about all those penalty calls? And why not replaying them?
Two points taken away by ref,where is Bazza now?
And just to demonstrate the bias the ref cause, I Will recall two situations:
1- yellow card on Lamela not given, later another yellow given, this should be his second.
2- Yellow card on wilshere given (it was roght after lamela not given yellew). The goal they scored could have been stopped by wilshere with a foul he not been yellow carded.
No bias my A**
And whats with the time wasting? Every throw takes ages to be played! OH AM FRUSTRATED! They desereved nothing.
String of weak yellows and then allowing play on after fouls leading to your equaliser and you think the ref was against you.
Sogloriarse. HOME STARTS. the most important game of the season the 1st one. Much better to start at home. Look it up pal, you’ve had so many it can only be cheating.
How much you spent? Worse team than last year.
Shame that…..getting too many draws, the early injuries did us, another time wasting sympathetic ref did not help…..await the ref review with interest.
Still well done to the boys for coming back……and putiting them under enough pressure whereby we really should have won that game
Feed not the trolls
More to the point…how in the blue blazes was Mason not sent off for his mid-shin studs-up tackle on Ozil? That was a potential leg-breaker if I ever saw one. So Arsenal should have had at least one penalty (there were a couple more incidents I would have liked to see replays of) and a two-man advantage for a significant part of the match.
There was one point in the pub when the ManU supporter next to me was sure the Tottenham right back was going to be booked for clearing out Gibbs, and then was baffled that the Spuds got the foul instead of Arsenal. At the same time the bloke was maintaining that the English officials are the best in the world…which I reckon is an opinion.
Well played to the lads though. A draw against 14 isn’t too bad.
BTW, what happened to Arteta? No replays there, either…
And also, Ozil. What a genius.
Ox was fantastic
But we lost 2 points because of tactical imbalance
We made this game hard, should have finished them in the first half
I can’t understand Wenger decision on putting wilshere and Ramsey together on the pitch
Persian – exactly.
The ref was atrocious but until Rambos injury we had two players occupying the same space plus Ozil was not as good as
He was in the middle.
Shit result. Spurs are one of the weakest teams we played.
Like i said, good point for both teams.
Both managers will be happy they did not lose.
I got a little worried with all the yellow cards.
Seems like the attack is 1: yellow cards, 2: consistent fouling (causing loss of player for some time) and of course the refs, who are trying to make it look “fair” most of the time.
Come on Arsenal, we know the enemy, it’s time to adjust our play accordingly. Stop the silly tackles, those that are not needed, and try to stay focussed.
Andrew,
I think our referee preview was spot on on points 2, 3, 4, 6 and 7!
Another great Preview!
Yep another good prediction of how the ref would behave.
Lots of decisions went against us but to summarise:
Mertesacker goal not given and a huge cover up on the replays to avoid scrutiny
Penalty to Wilshere not given
Penalty to Welbeck not given
Crazy and dangerous tackle on Ozil not punished with the red it deserved
Clear and undeniable and unmissable professional foul committed by Lennon when already on a yellow – no second yellow
Five really obvious and massive decisions went against us.
I was at the game behind the goal and saw the ball(BFGs header) go behind the line past Loris and couldn’t understand why the ‘goal line technology’ didn’t pick it up. There was no replay on the big screen. There is something unsavoury going on.
The red card tackles that were missed defy belief. How Jack’s leg was kicked in the box (leading to ankle twist) and no penalty is also unbelievable.
The PGMOL cheats just get away with their corrupt decision making.
Its time for the highest (in authority) officials of our club, to INSTIGATE an INQUIRY into all these injustices. NOT DOING so will set an irreversible precedence for ongoing injustice!!