By Walter Broeckx
A few not so pleasant surprises at the start of the match with the absence of Per in particular one I didn’t want. So we got a starting line up with Cech, Bellerin, Koscielny, Monreal, Kolasinac, Coquelin, Xhaka, Ramsey, Özil, Iwobi, Alexis.
Both teams attack in the opening minutes. City with a break after an Arsenal corner but Ageuro fires wide. At the other end Iwobi has a shot from 16 meters but it goes over. Sane then gets away but Sterling can’t finish the shot-cross. But the pressure from City building up and after Cech first pushed away a first shot from De Bruyne the latter got the ball back and finished it off with a low shot from his left foot. 1-0 to City after 19 minutes.
The City dominates the match with some half chances but the goalkeepers not really having to make impressive saves. It took almost to minute 38 before Cech really had to make a big save to smother an effort from Aguero.
At the start of the second half Oliver as we know him. Arsenal win the ball and Alexis is one on one with the last City defender and Oliver… stops play for …. yeah for what? City take the free kick and Sterling is send away and with Monreal next to him goes down and of course Oliver gives what he always does when he does an Arsenal match in the last years: give a penalty against Arsenal. Another 50/50 going 100% against Arsenal. As we have predicted. And a penalty we only see given against Arsenal. I wonder if Sterling wasn’t 2 cm offside but the TV companies didn’t look close enough this time as they did with Lacazette. The flag then staying down a bit later when Sterling was meters offside and instead of a free kick Arsenal have to take a throw and is put under pressure by the non offside decision.
Iwobi then at the other end with a shot that is spilled by the City keeper but he can pick up the ball in front of the line and then Ramsey pushes him over the line but rightfully no goal is given. After minutes Lacazette comes on for Coquelin. Lacazette with a first pass to Ramsey but the keeper was first on the ball and could smother the danger.
Lacazette then pulls down a City player and gets a yellow card. Again the assistant waits hours before to raise the flag for a clear City offside.
Arsenal playing better now and Ramsey with a ball to Lacazette and he fires it home with a low shot. GOAL 2-1 after 65 minutes. .
Koscielny takes a yellow card for stopping City to counter after an Arsenal corner. Cech with an amazing stop when Jesus had a shot from close range after a City corner. The assistant then signals a foul on Lacazette but the ref gave an advantage that almost turned in to a City counter at the other end. Otamendu gets a yellow card.
City is then allowed to go further after a clear offside and Jesus can push the ball over the line. A typical Man City-Arsenal match with offside goals being given to City as usual. Why do we even bother to turn up….. 3-1 after 75 minutes. Xhaka gets a yellow card for protest and a bit later Alexis for a foul.
After 77 minutes Iwobi and Xhaka go off and Giroud and Wilshere enter the (tilted) field. But the officials have finished the match with the third offside goal. Özil gets a yellow card.
And I really wonder if the $$ signs work their way with the refs at the Etihad. Too many times we have seen offside goals given against Arsenal and non-offside goals being ruled out against Arsenal. Last year City was given an offside goal that turned the match on his head. Now again when Arsenal was coming closer to City. To be honest I am having enough of it. The offside goal clearly broke our resilience. How many bad decisions can you take as a player? So I wonder if it really has nothing to do with the incompetente of the officials we cannot win in a top match?
A divey penalty, then a diabolical offside goal – why is it so obvious, yet nothing ever changes?
Speaking away from Arsenal for the moment, the levels of shady business and signs of corruption in English football are beyond reach. If only there was a sting operation/investigation like Calciopoli or Panama Leaks by someone outside of English football (because I think all the major people in England are complicit), it would football to its knees.
Sane’s goal last season was offside too.
Xhaka looked too furious after the offside goal. Oezil might reconsider renewing his contract. if it was a decision on his table he might throw it off. its too common that Arsenal get robbed on the pitch and he may not take it in as commonly as its happening each week. Playing against a handicap each week is that bad. Forgive our players, they are human and see these things too.
Actually both City goals were offside last season…
Come on folks – you didn’t expect it to be honestly and impartially refereed did you?
Unclear penalty, obvious offside (even the pundits told that! That says all)… Alexis and Ozil fouled and fouled again. And 6 yellow to 1!!! A nightmare ref! What’s his name again? Oh, yes, Oliver. A shame.
@Usama
There is too much money in English football right now. The Calciopoli took place only after billionaires had thrown big spenders into the abyss (Fiorentina, Parma, Lazio) and two of them (Parma and Lazio) suffered due to problems of milk companies of their owners (Calisto Tanzi and Sergio Cragnotti). Italy had needed Calciopoli for over a decade when it finally happened.
Mind you, even the impact of Calciopoli was somehow…soft.
For instance, Juventus were given a kick to Serie C with the first-degree decision and -30 points to start with. After their appeal, they were relegated to “just” Serie B with -17 points.
Lazio were thrown to Serie B only to get back to Serie A with -8 because one of the witnesses was with the Italian delegation at World Cup 2006.
AC Milan were found guilty as well and given a small penalty but were allowed to play in Champions League (which they eventually WON!). As a result of that UEFA decision to allow AC Milan to participate in Champions League 2006-07, fans of Crvena Zvezda put a huge “UEFA MAFIOSI!” banner on their game at home v AC Milan in the Champions League qualifiers.
The only thing Arsenal can do is to sack Arsene and get someone who will be more acceptable to the hyenas that lead English and European football.
PIGMOB live up to their name. One day all this shit will come to roost and the crooks will get their just desserts.
We could and should have been more accurate and forward looking as per our passes.
I get very uncomfortable when we pass back . Their keeper was not really tested.
Was hoping for a draw , but then with a linesman turning a blind eye, we were truly shafted.
Something must ne donne this is toi much.. how as lacazzette offside against stoke n silva not ? Are de playing two différent games?…its time refs get investigated.
Yes am angry thas why i miss thé spelling.
Even allowing for the dodgy decisions, that was comfortable for a below par man city. We played ok in patches but really, there’s no way we deserved anything from that game.
Several things are clear:
1) A loss against Spurs- let’s be honest it’s highly likely- and Arsenal are already out of contention for the PL. I don’t think many people gave us much of a chance this season but that’s not the point. To be out of it so early is unacceptable for Arsenal football club.
2) Sanchez and Ozil are not committed to arsenal and are unsurprisingly playing at only about 60%. It was madness not to sell them.
3) Being the second lowest net spenders in the PL is a disgrace for arsenal and an insult to the fans who pay the highest ticket prices in football. The club actually posted an £18 million profit this summer. Even Huddersfield spent more than us (£38 million). We could have spent that £18 million and got someone a hell of a lot better than Coquelin and still broken even. Not that we have to of course.
4) Whether Untold likes it or not, Arsenal fans are very very angry, and justifiably so. The appalling attitude shown by Kroenke, Gazidis, Keswick and the rest of that awful bunch at the AGM has incensed fans. A defeat against Spurs will be the watershed. Expect empty seats, protests and boycotts.
About bloody time as well.
@Josif
Have to agree. I think the majority of the first hand influence on English football is through broadcasting companies and betting firms. Sky and BT (+ all the dodgy betting firms) have established a monopolistic authority.
@alexanerhenry “A loss against Spurs- let’s be honest it’s highly likely”
Clear. With the kind of support you’re showing, that’s not going to be an easy task to beat the Spuds
“Arsenal fans are very very angry”. Remind me when fans (I mean the one you’re talking about) were very very happy?
Both city goals last season were offside. And think the season before too they got 2 offside goals when they bear is 5-3. Yeah, it might all just be a coincidence, but coincidence takes a lot of planning.
Usama,
Was saying the same thing on Twitter that for corruption in England to be exposed it’ll require external forces. Too many people are complicit, coupled with the “belief” that the English don’t do corruption means anyone trying to expose this will most certainly be stonewalled.
I love this club, but can’t blame Sanchez and Ozil should they refuse to sign new contracts. No player or athlete wants to lose their best years to being cheated and denied glory if they can do anything about it, after all they dream of success from when they’re young. Xhaka was clearly pissed off by what he witnessed on the pitch today, and it may not just be Ozil and Alexis we have to worry about. Even though I also blasted RvP, part of me felt he was going to utd for this very reason above.
..when they beat us 5-3..
Man City play great football, no one can deny that, but how many offside goals, and not just against us, have they been awarded so far this season. It’s beyond ridiculous, am I wrong but it seems to happen almost every match they play.
Al – I agree with your reasoning. Players might want to go to teams with less of a slope to play on.
What pisses me off is the so called fans who don’t have the sight of a mole. They cannot see the cheating that is continuously robbing us of success. It is time for our board & their contacts to make an issue of this destruction of a brad by corrupt means.
I think it is time for me to pull out of this ‘game’ as it is not improving my lifestyle. It is a total sham. Sport is nowhere near this game. It is just corruption in full view.
Usual refereeing robberies aside…
Arsenal don’t play well. We don’t press the opponents enough when they have possession. Xhaka is fairly limited player when we face a team that puts a strong pressure in the midfield. He turns too slowly when he receives the ball and his one-footedness gives opponents a chance to pick-pocket him and open a counter-attack.
Things won’t change for better as long as Stan Kroenke is the majority owner.
it is becoming unacceptable. first we had Refs Howard, Dien and now a certain Mike Oliver making the UNTOUCHABLES. If Wenger reacts now the FA will descend on him but these men continue to drag the beautiful game to disrepute. Whatever their mission they are not doing English football any good.
Wyy would referee change when all Arsenal fans are now blaming Wenger, Ozil, Sanchez, xhaka on social media….
Man what the hell are these people? And they call it a soft penalty ..its a damn shoulder on shoulder….
Yassine & Menace
It’s unbelievable how these so-called fans continue to attack our players in the face of such blatant thievery.
MickHazel
Yeah, that’s quite an interesting observation. Think in one match this season (v Watford?) they got 2 offside goals.
This us daylight robbery, its unacceptable, why is this happening every time In premiership, this is not good for the game.
i thought after getting blatantly robbed at stoke and robbed at watford that might be the end of it till Xmas , i was sadly mistakened i guess someone somewhere doesn’t want us in the champions league let alone competing for the pl title.
at the moment thinking why do i bother following an obviously fixed league.
Alexanderhenry
Try using the Arsenal Holdings Financial Report’s Post Balance Sheet Events!
Net spend on transfers was 2016 – £87.3 millions.
Net receipts from transfers 2017 is – £15.0 millions.
A net spend of £72.3 millions.
A bit more than Huddersfield?
I wonder when someone is going to explain to the referees in this country that when a player is on his way down before any contact, it is not a foul.
I saw a clear example of this in the game and a free kick was awarded to Man$ity.
I was not watching when the penalty happened, so cannot comment it until I see it, but the offside was so blatant and obvious, for Alan Smith to say that the attacker “got the benefit of the doubt”, I was gob-smacked. What doubt?
Was not a goal by Lacazette disallowed earlier this season when he was much closer to the last defender?
I thought that the team played well, in the face of Guardiola’s style of play, where they pass the ball around endlessly.
I also think that the first goal could have been avoided if the defenders who had tried to pass the ball out of defence a few seconds before had wellied it.
I think Czech should be very annoyed at himself for not saving it.
oh yeah football isn’t a thinking game i’m an arsenal fan that’s why
Well for Arsenal…the nerves we get into the game, forced by the fans ans media, is really killing our game. We started playing when we got 2 down, its when we played without overthinking. I think Xhaka is under huge pressure, he plays well but then makes a mistake which everyone starts yelling at.
I think from a tactical point of view, we should have started with Elnenny instead of Coq and played him in midfield, cause oir midfield was not stable defensivly.
All this said, had the ref been fair, we could have got a draw against one of the best teams in the world, and most on form team. In the first seasons at the emirates, we used to play the best football games ans most attacking ones, only to lose for a lucky goal, which then everyone said we should try to be more stable…and now they want that back…WTF do u want for god sake,?
Notoverthehill
I was referring to this last window, not the previous two windows.
We made a profit of £18 million and kept two players who clearly want to leave, and would have made us about 80 to 90 million. We could have spent that on other players who actually want to play for our club.
Alex Dieuzeide
Fans have a right to complain if they feel their club is under performing and under investing. They also have a right to moan, boo and hiss if they feel the manager or individual players are passed it or not 100% committed. This applies to all fans of all clubs.
Getting to the point where I wonder why I bother anymore … why spend all the money on a season ticket where I don’t believe the games are in any way a reflection of the players and all about match fixing again and again … to be honest it’s only the darts, cricket, NFL and F1 that stops me cancelling Sky Sports … I certainly don’t want it for football these days …
Wat is the hell going on ,it’s bad onough they have a good team they pay the ref Oliver …….. Don’t they understand that it’s killing the national football as well cheated cheated again and again I’m him fed up with it they haven’t got a clue , this is madness not fair you will always be rememberd for buying the league and the refs
Supporting AFC is definitely not for the faint hearted. COYG – life goes on. Type 111 match fixing at its best (worst?) today. How do you justify not being able to deliver the title after spending over £500m on players alone?
Arsenal should refuse to be offiated by this Oliver twist ref he gave 2 penalties n a red to kocenly vs avilla
Fans have a right to be angry at that ever they want, but I hope they include the officiating we get game after game, season after season as a source of their anger. even if it does help in agendas wo weaken the manager.
If Arsenal fans had used energy they have spent on bashing the manager & players in a more constructive way – like saying the refs and FA they are cheating cunts – we would have had much better situation.
Of course, that gold-digging Trump-lover with the ugliest moustaches ever won’t move his toe to stop all these robberies against the club which majority owner is.
Arsene should step down and spare himself from the stress. If PSG come for Arsene, I hope for his own sake he’ll accept.
When it comes to Riley, there is no cancer I haven’t wished him to get.
Josif, I think the flesh eating disease might be a better option for 😈 Mike Riley.
Taking a page from Troy Deeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeneeeeeeeeeey, I think it would be awfully nice if some top manager would develop the cojones to say after a game like this one, that they would like to replay the game with neutral officials. As his team did not to have the game handed to them on a silver platter by PGMO, EPL and The (sweet) FA.
Whilst seeing inept officiating game after game, (and not just against us), what I don’t get is why? People (and I include myself) have talked about betting companies owning the game as a reason for what sometimes appears to be blatant corruption by PGMOL officials. I’ve watched 3 games this weekend, starting with West Ham v Liverpool last night, our game today and the Chelsea v Man U this afternoon. The first two appeared to turn out the way that was required by somebody, I don’t know who. Both those games were highlighted by persistant poor decisions against the teams that LOST. I’m not sure what the instructions were for the Chavs game, although it appeared that. despite the best efforts of the officials, the result was not what was desired.
The really bad thing is, that those poor decisions last night, look like costing a manager his job. I think Bilic is a nice bloke, but he deserves better than the dross that turns up in the shape of officials. Even though Arsenal’s owner probably doesn’t give a toss, you would expect David Gold at least to be kicking up a stink.
So why doesn’t he?
Wenger spoke out after the game today, pointing out the history of poor decisions when we play Manchester City away. Rather than some high authority saying “OK we’ll look into it – and PGMOL” the only thing that will happen is that he will get a fine. Granit got yellow carded for correctly interpreting the wrong offside decision. In fact, he was so angry, that he got subbed. That is wrong!
Finally, the card cound was just disgraceful. Waych what our players got SIX cards for; then watch the City and Chelsea/Utd players doing exactly the same thing and NOTHING.
We were right back in the game at 2-1 we had them under pressure, then the Officials gift them the game.
Lets face it, English football is corrupt!
Oh,it’s corrupt alright ledge. Agents, illegal bookies, dark pool traders of some are to be believed, all involved,as are the media who report selectively and of course the PGMOL.
As you say, west hams owners should make a fuss, but so should Ivan Gazidis, just look at the committees he sits on.
Trouble is, Arsenal have nothing to do with any of what’s going on on the corruption , media arse licking front, and pay the consequences.
Josif, a lot of rumours PSG were indeed interested in Wenger last spring, but he chose Arsenal. But agree, wouldn’t blame him for getting out of this for his own health, mental and physical .
The fact is, we were pretty poor today, but how can you play properly when opposing players are consistently allowed to cheat , dive, and whatever else against them let’s see what spuds dive twins try in the next game, and no doubt a Swarbrick, Atkinson, Dean will be on hand to help them .
And when Wenger does go, I hope we get the most streetwise canny manager who can help create a level playing field, but who knows who the board will pick.
After reading all the 28 comments which I’ve read, I quite agree in toto on the observations made on this match by the UA commentters who in the observations have rightly denounced what I will call the malpractices committed against Arsenal by referee Michael Oliver and one the linesman in the game to tilt the outcome of the match in favour of Man City which of course they did with flagrant impunity.
But nonetheless, let us be calm over this latest robbery of Arsenal in the Premier League by the PGMO match officiating officials, and go back to the drawing board to proffer solution to this problem of preventing Arsenal from collecting points lawful in the Premier League by the PGMO referees and linesmen to guide against the reoccurrence of those inappropriate decisions being taken against Arsenal in the Premier League games by referees and linesmen.
Meanwhile, will Arsenal deem it fit to lodge a complain to the FA and demand restitution for the blatant cheating of Arsenal in wrong referring decision making and lack of flagging the flag when it should have been flagged for offsides by referee Michael Oliver and one of his match assistant which consequently cost Arsenal getting a result in their PL match against Man City today?
But anyway, let us be calm and wait till after the international break.
After reading all the 28 comments which I’ve read, I quite agree in toto with the observations made on this match by the UA commentters who in their observations have rightly denounced what I will call the malpractices committed against Arsenal by referee Michael Oliver and one linesman in the game to tilt the outcome of the match in favour of Man City which of course they did with flagrant impunity.
But nonetheless, let us be calm over this latest robbery of Arsenal in the Premier League by the PGMO match officiating officials, and go back to the drawing board to proffer solution to this problem of preventing Arsenal from collecting points lawful in the Premier League by the PGMO referees and linesmen to guide against the reoccurrence of those inappropriate decisions being taken against Arsenal in nearly always in the Premier League games by referees and linesmen.
Meanwhile, will Arsenal deem it fit to lodge a complain to the FA and demand restitution for the blatant cheating of Arsenal in wrong referring decision making and lack of flagging the flag when it should have been flagged for offsides by referee Michael Oliver and one of his match assistant which consequently cost Arsenal getting a valuable result in their PL match against Man City today?
But anyway, let us be calm and wait till after the international break.
Pardon me for reposting my comment again.
Refs have taken 6 points from us already. This is why I have cancelled my sky subscription and decided not to watch premier league live games anymore until VaR is introduced in the premier League
After the 3rd goal you could see Monreal looking at the screen where they show replays. Now players know that if there is no replay (or only a partial replay) that there has been made a mistake. So the players know all too well that they have been robbed again. Imagine how heartbreaking this must be if this happens every other game….
Honestly, I can’t even watch our PL games anymore, just sick of getting cheated. I try telling colleagues who support other teams about it, but they just don’t want to know. They all say the old adage of it all evens out. I hope VAR gets some/all of these ****head referees fired.
it seems from BBC sport that Guardiola’s response is that they do not want to “win that way” but also that we scored a handball goal to beat Burnley in the 96th minute.
That is not really an answer is it.
Now, if I recall correctly, the ball hit Kosielny’s hand, if at all, rather that he hit the ball, but, whatever, it is not an answer to the problem, that his team has won this game in reliance on a badly wrong decision.
Aw was also very forthright in saying that we all n=know that Sterling dives.
Indeed, as the linesman was in line with the man$ity player, how could he not see it was offside?
Walter, I fear it could very easily happen in our next game as well.
Is it Wenger,the owner, the club, or something else?
Those that wear the shirt on the face of all this and do their best have my full admiration.
Unfortunately, VAR will not solve all such blatant corruption and bias.
Players know if they dive in our area, they probably get a pen
OT: Rumours are that Squawka has gone bust
Now if only PGMO and The (sweet) FA would go bust.
Like a lot of contributors it’s getting increasingly more difficult to watch. And whoever mentioned Alexis and Ozil not wanting to stay with this treatment are correct. If you’re Alexis wouldn’t you like to be treated like a City player? What if Ozil played for United? He’d be the second coming of Giggs or Beckham.
The owner, chairman, etc. never say a word. I’ve never said this before but I’m starting to feel the whole lot are content to make a profit every year. the manager wants to win. I fear he’s alone in the ownership/management structure.
Gooner72, I have the same fears. Wenger is cited as a control freak who will not give up power, which may well be the case but I genuinely wonder how much he trusts some of the board for the clubs best interests. Ivan Gazidis is a very powerful man in the game, yet we put up with this shite, that no other big club would put up with. Apparently back in the day, David Dein was a real thorn in their side backing the club, almost to a fault. Seems it no longer happens.
I have a nasty feeling we are fairly soon to find out, I am not sure how long he can put up with this, and the shit that comes with it , does he really need it?
Chested again! Oliver again! Offside goals again!
No wonder the close ups of Oezil at the end showed the cynical look on his face. The players aren’t idiots.
Should be cheated again obviously.
That’s what happens when you type in a fury.
This was a sad day for the Arsenal team but what a depressing Day for English Football; to state the obvious, something seriously wrong with this Game and it Officials of every description.
Mandy Dodd
If they opened their collective mouths what could the EPL or FA do? Dock us points? Let them, they do that on a regular basis through their stooges in the PGMO. At least we supporters would feel as if the ownership/management love the Club as much as we do. I don’t know about anyone else on this site but I’m not feeling it. Perhaps I’ll never regain the feeling seeing the pitch at Highbury that first time but I feel I’m being denied an opportunity to watch the fortunes of the club rise and fall through its own, self-sustaining, merit. Frankly, I feel cheated.
SAA – it is also the likes of you who in one comment claim that Oliver is the font of all honesty & then you have the balls to say lets wait till after the International break!
Apologise for your stupidity & then bow to the truth that English football is corrupt, racist & unsporting.
Sam Sayyed – taken 6 points! They have raped our game every season following the FA appointing a monopoly PGMOL to supply officials for the game. Every season including the season where we went without defeat, PGMOL were busy tilting the pitch. Sometimes the slope is so steep even they fall off!
Well, it looks like it’s happening again. Refs doing strange decisions.
But, we were also not that sharp, not closing down like Manc did, (City were not letting us have time on the ball,) which we should have done to them too.
So equal points to ref and the team for losing the game.
Still those decisions from ref and the linesman….
Why don’t we do something as fans? We need to, this is getting worse and worse.. moaning about it on these boards is fine but will have little impact. This season we’ve already been robbed by dubious offsides at Stoke, Watford and now etihad. And it’s not even halfway through the season.
How about hiring a plane with a banner that’ll fly over the Ems at our next home match, with a message saying something like “all we ask is fair officiating” or something like that. Those planes don’t cost much, (£500/hr?) and I would gladly contribute towards that.
At least such an action will draw attention to and put this in the spotlight and force people to talk about it. At the moment the pgmob goons are happy to continue as they know no focus is or will be put on this.
It is even more insulting to hear the commentators justifying that David Silva was not offside. So pathetic the level of officiating.
I would contribute towards a banner that proclaims that the EPL is fixed ; PIGMOB , and the rest are all crooked as well.
Bet no one will take notice of that – another blind eye!
Anyone has an appropriate slogan?
Alexis was rotationally fouled and no card was given to the Shitty players and each foul by Arsenal players was punished with a card. Smh. Michael Oliver did all that was within and without the laws of the game to ensure that Shitty won.
And what does one make of the gift of the referee to Aguero when he was substituted? Is it quite normal for the referee to openly show his admiration for a player especially when the game was still on and a questionable penalty had just been awarded against the opposition?
A great deal of emotion and frustration here. I understand only too well; However, IMO we were second best, we were not allowed to create many opportunities to score. Our build up is unfortunately unvaried,laboured and easy to read and thus fully exploited by the opposition.I admit I would have been happy and proud to walk away with a 2-1 loss.
City is a well oiled machine and we did very well to stifle a great deal of their opportunities.
The Ref was without doubt incompetent, his linesman also and it produced a third undeserved goal for City.
Our guys may be disappointed at the ref’s poor decisions,but I think they know that they could have played a little less wastefully than they did.
I would really like to see whether Tim could do an analysis on our team’s completed passes. COYG
According to that great refereeing expert clattenberg in the times today it was a penalty. He then goes on to say that sterling cleverly slowed down so that monreal bumped into him. Why is that a foul?
If he slows down deliberately knowing that by doing so the defender will bump into him then he us the cause if incident and not the defender.
At least even he could recognise that the 3rd goal was clearly offside.
The reporter in the times also clearly shows his partiality both in his report which seems to have been of a different game that I saw and in the ridiculously low marks he gave our players.
He also seems not to have seen or noticed the regular hacking down of Sanchez.
I will contribute for a banner. Maybe “Better Referee Standand Is All We Ask”.
Dom,
Agree on your team analysis, but imagine that we could have got a point if the ref was fair.
We were the better team at stoke, and they won the game… Everybody blamed Arsenal for being wasteful, so I think only goals should be considered and we still got a chance until the ref started his show.
‘Stop the rape of football by the FA & PGMOL’ is probably a more provocative banner. It would make people wonder what was going on. The media would have no excuse to ignore it.
Menace aka walter.
Just out of curiosity have you EVER watched Arsenal get beaten by a team and think it was the players and managers fault and not the referee???
The penalty was 50-50 but you see as many given as not in the premier league.The offside was clear but you have to hold your hands up and say that this team is nowhere near where it should be and 6th place in the league is probably a fair reflection of where we are at the moment.We are certainly no where near the likes of City Utd and spurs sadly.
And as for blaming the fans that go to the games for their emotions is plain wrong ,especially from where most of the posters on here sit, which is behind a pc in a far away land watching on dodgy streams!!
Lewis,
Why was it a penalty? Since when a shoulder on shoulder is a penalty?
Or do you want our players to be softer?
Point is we didn’t get the rub of the green on decisions and throughout history rarely haven’t . However it does not excuse the fact that as a team yesterday we were second best from the moment we entered the pitch and apart from a brief spell when Lacazette came on to the end of the match.We can blame any nunber of things but until we start to blame ourselves nothing will happen.
As a team and a club we have gone stale. We are predictable and need to change direction should we wish to go back to the prime purpose of winning the league.
Agree Porter, yesterday we were second best, and it was mental am sure, cause the spell you are talking about started at 2-0 down, when our players knew they already lost the game, so their minds were free to play their game…this should be solved by our club, why do we enter the game with a losing mindset. But you know what you missed, the spell ended when they scores the third goal.
I think even at 2-1 we still got a chance to draw. And even if we were totally second best, no excuse for thw ref to interfere… Or they should have done so in the stock game, when they were second best, or other games last season.
Lewis – I have seen Arsenal spanked when the officiating was fair (before the PGMOL shit happened) and was not bothered because I knew we were bad. However, since the advent of the PGMOL and the 3 scumbags of the early 2000s Wiley,Riley & Bennet, football has been gradually been molested & is being raped by this corrupt band of cheats.
If you cannot see the unfair nature of the officiating, then you must have no knowledge of the game. I am the same age as Wenger & I have seen football on 3 continents at varying levels. I have never seen such blatant cheating (by officials) as that we currently have in the EPL. It was common to see cheating in lower leagues & youth football as a ‘select’ band of parents officiated their kids into position of victory.
Some of the so called supporters believe that Arsenal, Wenger & the players are at fault. They are blind & wrong. Arsenal under Wenger play a beautiful version of the game using the ball to beat opponents by passing & creating positions of advantage. We showed it at City & despite the cheats officiating scored one accepted goal & one that was chalked off for what was a possible foul after the ball had crossed the line. The technology used by the officials is not broadcast live so nobody can hear their conversations nor can we see the goal line technology until they choose to. Corruption always hides truth. In Rugby the referees mike is broadcast but in football it is private. Why? The bastards know that they will lose control of their cheating.
Monreals contact which resulted in the penalty wasn’t a penalty, as it was shoulder to shoulder which is deemed a fair charge (provided excessive force wasn’t used)as per the last sentence of the law.
The law says;
“A player may shield the ball by taking a position between an opponent and the ball if the ball is within playing distance and the opponent is not held off with the arms or body. If the ball is within playing distance, the player may be fairly charged by an opponent.”
Here; http://www.thefa.com/football-rules-governance/lawsandrules/laws/football-11-11/law-12—fouls-and-misconduct
1. I would like to know why Lacazette didn’t start. He doesn’t need ‘easing in’ to the PL because he’s only scored one less goal than Lukaku with a lot less game time. He’s ready, you paid 50m for him, so why the hell isn’t he starting big games?
2. Arsenal didn’t move the ball quick enough and their collective play was weak. Big gaps between the midfield and forward line during offensive moves. Tactically we weren’t at the races and City just looked how they have done all season: sharp, stylish and pulsing with energy. We can moan about the referee all day long but also have to concede they’re a better team.
3. Did Sterling go down to easily? Who cares? This is world we live in now. I’ve mentioned before how refereeing standards in this country are being modelled more and more on continental standards, particularly those evident in the Champions League where just brushing past an opponent gets you a yellow. Monreal went in shoulder first and knocked him over at speed; doesn’t matter if you remember the old days when studs were flying and punching someone didn’t even warrant a card – this is where we’re at now and whining about it won’t change a thing.
4. Somebody mentioned the money City have spent. It’s not just that. Guardiola is the darling of European football’s top brass, a Golden Child who delivered the greatest club side of all time; a glittering monument to football excellence that may, or may not, have been assisted along the way by some of the most obviously corrupt officiating in the history of the game.
See where I’m going here?
Guardiola is pure class, the ultimate professional: a winner in football and in life. For him and his associates, titles are expected, not earned. They are the logical conclusion to simply turning up for work every day and to go without would simply be unfathomable. To win the Premier League is Pep’s birth right simply by deign of him choosing to grace us with his presence. Missing out on the title in his first season was merely an inconvenience, to fail twice in a row is inconceivable. Guardiola winning your title lends that league, and indeed your entire game, a legitimacy that cannot be found elsewhere in football. It is the ultimate rubber-stamp of authenticity, a patronage of almost biblical proportions.
I also think City’s owners are rather used to getting what they want…
We have now been done by the officials away at Stoke,Watford and Man City.Good to see Arsene standing up to these clowns yet the media and the aaa still love to stick the boot in..
Menace you might be the same age as Wenger but it doesnt mean that you know what you are talking about . i would go so far as to say you are clueless about the game of football as your posts demonstrate.
You stated-“They are blind & wrong. Arsenal under Wenger play a beautiful version of the game using the ball to beat opponents by passing & creating positions of advantage. We showed it at City”….LOL I rest my case,you are clueless Walter (menace)Broexx.
Beautiful, now the breakaway group is formed. The head to heads for them!
Cue racism and exonophobia v Arab Money!
The first recycle by De Britney was near perfect he ranged in with the first he should have scored and bam; he’d signed into the match!
Alexis was poor again, but as always I question the motivation behind a selection of back 3 consisting of a LB and CDM, especially if it’s going up against 2 3 line mobile units, it seems diabolical in terms of strategem.
Francis game was off but it’s a rush job, come on soldier, now break a back 3 or build one! The creation of an enforcer!
Mustarfi is a big miss, but I can only lament on why the board wouldn’t have heeded the seemingly obvious plea from the manager! Comte I feel you!
Iwobi looks a little lost atm, again Nelson would have made the cut.
I would have certainly started Andrei, and shifted system! It got the cards dealt, he was too rigid, adapt to each game Gaffer, he needs to consider Bould I think.
Ozil wasn’t really alive and the team missed a focal point without A CF which the boss admitted. I understand what he tried to do, but the team didn’t seem to get the stay compact and retain the ball thing he meant And he asked Alexis a question Ozil was quiet but effective.
I still believe we are better suited to a back 4 and the circumstances in which we currently find ourselves seems to underscore that fact. But it does give us another window and Alexis the freedom to rest. With Hector and Seaf and several others Ramsey included not detwrminetsl to their international team at present.
Spurs and Arsenal will likely be a little cold by the time they face up which may give us a slight edge, with time to forget another City debacle and Oliver and co surely up for further scrutiny.
Eurgh Chelsea fans, but City look likely to suffer a number of setbacks, may the run continue, its only 49 or 27 either how you look at it, could be 38. 🙂
All I know is that most Chelsea fans are c****s!
All in all it wasn’t a complete shambles even if they could have scored 7 they didn’t and Czech was at it. There are green shoots in Nov, the run coming is must win, starting with Spurs. City exposed us and that lack of cohesion and cover in that DM zone is atrocious.
I’m looking at a team all out of sorts and I hope he picks the quick fix option. If even go flat 4 with Alexis off, nobody is covering zones, Seas had to step up for that eventual penalty. Iwobi was not the choice. We could have won it, just like all our other loses or draws this season, we need Jan and we need to look at what can be bought, you can pick the team.
Surprise gone!
@Flares, why Lacazette didn’t start and Alexis played striker is anyone’s guess, but I have suspicions it could be an attempt to showcase Alexis to City either 1. If Alexis played poorly than it could reduce City interest in Alexis 2. If Alexis played well then it could increase City offer for Alexis or 3. To test Alexis to see if he is still commited to playing for Arsenal, if not he will be sold in January. This feel similar to The Ox situation before he moved on.
I perceive there is a gang up against Arsene because he is not English and has stayed long. the fans can send a strong message by giving them empty stadia for up to 10 matches and that may wake whoever up
I am reading a book at the moment called Soccernomics in which the authors analyze every aspect of how football clubs are ran and what are the common denominators that amount to a successful club. Very very suspect is the fact that they ignore one of the most important aspect of what often decides a match and that is the referee decisions. For a book that was touted as “ the most intelligent book on soccer” to ignore this fact it makes it clear that not only are the foodbal governing bodies corrupted but our media, who should have the role of uncovering this corruption, is complicit and clearly in bed with the perpetrators.
Arsenal has been robbed for years while at the same time Man U under Ferguson was always blatantly helped. This was the reason Man U won titles while Arsenal didn’t no matter how much the media try to brainwash the fans with the narrative of the team lacking leadership, cojones etc you name it. Time for mass protests at every game against the corrupt referees as it is the only way to keep the thieves under the spotlight and the only way to ensure that the playing field becomes level.
Sounds very similar to “The Numbers Game” by Anderson and Sally. That was highly promoted by the media, possibly because of the gigantic hole in the argument – as you say above.