by Andrew Crawshaw
Here courtesy of premierleague.com are this weekend’s matches. Please note kickoff times are 15:00 unless stated otherwise:-
Saturday 19 January
12:30 Wolves v Leicester
Referee: Chris Kavanagh
Assistants: Daniel Cook, Sian Massey-Ellis
Fourth official: Roger East
AFC Bournemouth v West Ham
Referee: Simon Hooper
Assistants: Adrian Holmes, Derek Eaton
Fourth official: Kevin Friend
Liverpool v Crystal Palace
Referee: Jonathan Moss (pictured)
Assistants: Marc Perry, Andy Halliday
Fourth official: Andre Marriner
Man Utd v Brighton
Referee: Paul Tierney
Assistants: Simon Beck, Mick McDonough
Fourth official: Lee Mason
Newcastle v Cardiff
Referee: Stuart Attwell
Assistants: Stephen Child, Neil Davies
Fourth official: Martin Atkinson
Southampton v Everton
Referee: Graham Scott
Assistants: Harry Lennard, Andy Garratt
Fourth official: Lee Probert
Watford v Burnley
Referee: Michael Oliver
Assistants: Stuart Burt, Simon Bennett
Fourth official: Tim Robinson
17:30 Arsenal v Chelsea
Referee: Anthony Taylor
Assistants: Gary Beswick, Adam Nunn
Fourth official: Craig Pawson
Sunday 20 January
13:30 Huddersfield v Man City
Referee: Andre Marriner
Assistants: Simon Long, Richard West
Fourth official: Paul Tierney
16:00 Fulham v Spurs
Referee: Craig Pawson
Assistants: Ian Hussin, Eddie Smart
Fourth official: Lee Probert
We have Anthony Taylor for the fourth time this season. Four times too many I hear you say. We haven’t had any other referee more than twice so why should we have him four times? Here is a table showing which teams have had whom on three or more occasions this season:-
| Team | No of different referees | Three times visits | Four times visits | % of matches by serial referees |
| Arsenal | 13 | Anthony Taylor | 17% | |
| Bournemouth | 14 | Lee Mason
Lee Probert |
26% | |
| Brighton | 14 | Anthony Taylor | Kevin Friend
Chris Kavanagh |
48% |
| Burnley | 15 | Martin Atkinson | 13% | |
| Cardiff | 15 | Michael Oliver
Kevin Friend |
26% | |
| Chelsea | 13 | Martin Atkinson
Jonathan Moss |
Craig Pawson | 43% |
| Crystal Palace | 13 | Anthony Taylor | Michael Oliver | 30% |
| Everton | 16 | 0% | ||
| Fulham | 13 | Martin Atkinson | 13% | |
| Huddersfield | 14 | Michael Oliver
Chris Kavanagh |
26% | |
| Leicester | 12 | Michael Oliver
Mike Dean Chris Kavanagh |
39% | |
| Liverpool | 12 | Paul Tierney | Michael Oliver | 30% |
| Man City | 11 | Michael Oliver | Andre Marriner | 30% |
| Man United | 11 | Andre Marriner
Mike Dean Jonathan Moss Kevin Friend |
52% | |
| Newcastle | 14 | Anthony Taylor
Andre Marriner |
26% | |
| Southampton | 13 | Jonathan Moss | 13% | |
| Spurs | 12 | Martin Atkinson | Mike Dean
Craig Pawson |
48% |
| Watford | 15 | Jonathan Moss
Paul Tierney |
26% | |
| West Ham | 16 | Chris Kavanagh | 13% | |
| Wolves | 13 | Andre Marriner
Mike Dean Craig Pawson Stuart Attwell |
52% |
Clearly we can see that for four clubs roughly half of their matches (between 48 and 52%) have been refereed by officials who have visited the club on three or more occasions. This is a dangerously unhealthy situation and one that is clearly open to external manipulation of results.
Everton and West Ham have seen the most different referees with 16 and Everton are the only team so far not to have had a referee three times – this should be the normal situation not the exception.
The two Manchester clubs have had the fewest number of different referees with 11, again this is a very unhealthy situation.
Bournemouth have been visited by the two Lees on three occasions each. Between them Mssrs. Mason and Probert have only refereed in 21 games – why are nearly a third of them involving Bournemouth?
On to our match on Saturday afternoon against Chelsea. Surprisingly this is only the first time he has been in charge of a Chelsea Match this season.
So far this season we have been called for 126 fouls at home leading to 22 yellow cards (one every 5.7 fouls). When away from home, Chelsea have been called for 87 fouls leading to 15 cards(an average of 5.8 fouls per card). We have played a total of 989 minutes under caution, Chelsea at 453 just under half as long so we both get carded more frequently and earlier in the game.
Our previous matches with Mr Atkinson this season have been:-
- Cardiff v Arsenal 2 – 3 Matchweek 4 – we were called for 14 fouls and 4 yellow cards (160 minutes under caution); Cardiff 12 fouls and 3 cards (33 minutes under caution)
- Arsenal v Watford 2 – 0 Matchweek 7 – we were called for 11 fouls and 2 yellow cards (73 minutes under caution), Watford for 17 fouls and 2 yellow cards (70 minutes under caution)
- Brighton v Arsenal 1 – 1 Matchweek 19 – we were called for just 4 fouls and 1 yellow card (9 minutes under caution), Brighton for 10 fouls and 2 yellow cards (77 minutes under caution)
Last season we had him four times, winning at home against Bournemouth and drawing 2 – 2 at home to Chelsea in the equivalent fixture. We lost away at Spurs 1 – 0 and Newcastle 2 – 1.
Well experienced in the ‘dark arts’ of refereeing, we should not expect a level playing field. We are likely to have players cautioned early in the match and for less than Chelsea. We should also look out for ‘phantom fouls’, inappropriate advantages and Chelsea being granted every 40/60 decision let alone those that are 50/50.
Our best hope is to start in the same lively fashion as the U23s did on Monday, two goals in the first 10 minutes should ensure Mr Taylor has no room for any manipulation of the necessary decisions.
Further reviews of matches this weekend will appear on the Predictions website.
COYG
Off topic but good news. Our U18s overcame Spurs in the FA Youth Cup this evening. Spurs twice took the lead with us equalising during normal time. Three unanswered goals in extra time saw us win by 5 goals to 2.
Well done lads!
Does Pochetino usually manage the spud U23 as well? I think F.L with their coverage of 3/4 of the game said that. My interpretation of the scribbling, is that they think we should have lost. Certainly they didn’t want to see extra time.
It has not come to me as a surprise after all when I saw that referee Anthony Taylor, one of the 5 senior referees at the Pgmol who also is one of those 5 senior referees that are the staunch anti-Arsenal match referees refereeing in the PL against Arsenal is appointed the centre referee for the Arsenal vs Chelsea match in the PL that is taking place at the Ems on Saturday. For, what would us Gooners have expected to see the Pgmol do in appointing the match referee for this match other than to appoint one of their 5 senior anti-Arsenal match referees as usually the case in the PL. And this time is referee Anthony Taylor who got node to referee the match. But must this adherent work at the Pgmol in appointing staunch anti-Arsenal match referee to referee in big games involving Arsenal with the intention to sway the result of the match to the opposition team playing against Arsenal continue unabated? But when us start seeing the opposite in match referee appointment for Arsenal match in the big games different from the status quo happens at the Pgmo, then us Gooners will know that the Pgmol under the leadership of Mike Riley must have repented from their anti-Arsenal match refereeing SIN committing posture against Arsenal FC in the PL, in the Cup matches and particularly in the big games generally. And have come to start embracing doing justice and fairness to Arsenal in match refereeing in the PL, Cup matches and in the big games. But this repentance from evil doing against Arsenal has Mike Riley, the head at the Pgmol has looked to have sworn he’ll never repent from doing it against Arsenal but uphold doing the anti-Arsenal match refereeing agenda in the PL at the Pgmol perpetrated against Arsenal as long as he remained the head at the Pgmol must sooner than latter be put to a stop to rest permanently from continuing.
Ahead of their hosting Chelsea at the Ems in the PL on Saturday, I’m imploring Arsenal to fully prepared themselves physically, mentally and tactically very well reading themselves for the match, so as to not be at the receiving end in the game during the playing of the match. But be in the driving seat in it driving to victory at the end of the match when referee Anthony Taylor blows the final whistle ending the match at fulltime.
My 4 tips to the Gunners for the match are:
(1). Let the Arsenal defenders be very stout in defending in the game employing positional and zonal marking method during the match and be agile in their markings to not concede any goal to Chelsea. In fact, the match being a home PL big game for Arsenal which they have to win to avoid getting more embarrassed in the table than they’ve been embarrassed already so far, all Gunners should turn to defending and attacking enmasse in the match when it has become necessary for them to play that way so as to curtail and block any game playing excesses by Chelsea that could potentially be damaging or injurious to Arsenal in the match.
(2). Let the Gunners a tune themselves to become mentally strong in the match withstanding any game playing tactics and anti- Arsenal match refereeing punishments in the match that could be inflicted on them by Chelsea and the match referee during the match, but withstand them all and reverse the same antics to the doers successfully in the match and come out of it clean and heartily.
(3). And also, let the Gunners be tactically astute in the game above the tactics that Chelsea will have on offer against them in the match.
And (4). Let all Gunners forbid and forsake committing any kind of profigancy in front of the Chelsea goalmouth but put the ball into their back of the net unfailingly whenever the chance to convert half or full chance falls to any Gunner to bury it during the match.
It has not come to me as a surprise after all when I saw that referee Anthony Taylor, one of the 5 senior referees at the Pgmol who also is one of those 5 senior referees that are the staunch anti-Arsenal match referees refereeing in the PL against Arsenal is appointed the centre referee for the Arsenal vs Chelsea match in the PL that is taking place at the Ems on Saturday. For, what would us Gooners have expected to see the Pgmol do in appointing the match referee for this match other than to appoint one of their 5 senior anti-Arsenal match referees as usually the case in the PL. And this time is referee Anthony Taylor who got the node to referee the match. But must this adherent work at the Pgmol in appointing staunch anti-Arsenal match referee to referee in big games involving Arsenal with the intention to sway the result of the match to the opposition team playing against Arsenal continue unabated? But when us Gooners start seeing the opposite in match referee appointment for Arsenal match in the big games different from the status quo happens at the Pgmol, then us Gooners will know that the Pgmol under the leadership of Mike Riley must have repented from their anti-Arsenal match refereeing SIN committing posture against Arsenal FC in the PL, in the Cup matches and particularly in the big games generally. And have come to start embracing doing justice and fairness to Arsenal in match refereeing in the PL, Cup matches and in the big games. But this repentance from evil doing against Arsenal has Mike Riley, the head at the Pgmol is looking to have sworn he’ll never repent from doing it against Arsenal but uphold doing the anti-Arsenal match refereeing agenda in the PL at the Pgmol perpetrated against Arsenal as long as he remained the head at the Pgmol must sooner than latter be put to a stop to rest permanently from continuing.
Ahead of their hosting Chelsea at the Ems in the PL on Saturday, I’m imploring Arsenal to fully prepared themselves physically, mentally and tactically very well readying themselves for the match, so as to not be at the receiving end in the game during the playing of the match. But be in the driving seat in it driving to victory at the end of the match when referee Anthony Taylor blows the final whistle ending the match at fulltime.
My 4 tips to the Gunners for the match are:
(1). Let the Arsenal defenders be very stout in defending in the game employing positional and zonal marking method during the match and be agile in their markings to not concede any goal to Chelsea. In fact, the match being a home PL big game for Arsenal which they have to win to avoid getting more embarrassed in the table than they’ve been embarrassed already so far, all Gunners should turn to defending and attacking enmasse in the match when it has become necessary for them to play that way so as to curtail and block any game playing excesses by Chelsea that could potentially be damaging or injurious to Arsenal in the match.
(2). Let the Gunners a tune themselves to become mentally strong in the match withstanding any game playing tactics and anti- Arsenal match refereeing punishments in the match that could be inflicted on them by Chelsea and the match referee during the match, but withstand them all and reverse the same antics to the doers successfully in the match and come out of it clean and heartily.
(3). And also, let the Gunners be tactically astute in the game above the tactics that Chelsea will have on offer against them in the match.
And (4). Let all Gunners forbid and forsake committing any kind of profigancy in front of the Chelsea goalmouth but put the ball into their back of the net unfailingly whenever the chance to convert half or full chance falls to any Gunner to bury it during the match.
Sorry, spud U18.
I see in other reports, he did not. Matt Wells was the spud manager for the U18s.
The sad thing is that because of the way the pigmob operates you are always questioning the validity of the result of any match in the premier league.
Surely there should be no reason for a referee to have already looked after 4 matches for a team at this stage of the season unless…
Arsenal (1610:32:-20) v Chel$ea (948:15:-15) under Anthony Taylor 3rd:34 (13:21 17:27 2:3).
Perhaps a slight bias to the away team on number of treatments, and how long that team plays short-handed because of treatments. But, Chle$ea are the second lowest team on the Caution league, so they are seldom playing with the handbrake on. Arsenal are third highest. Not only does PGMO issue fouls and cards against Arsenal, they also allow opposition to kick with impunity as we are second highest in the treatments at 32. Chel$ea are 5th lowest at 15. Arsenal are near the middle of the pack in terms of inflicting treatments, Chel$ea are second lowest at 15.
One would hope that Chel$ea continue to not kick away this game, we don’t need to pick up more injuries. But will Taylor alter his man management in order to get Chel$ea out kicking? We are probably going to see a lot of cards and fouls called on us.
Liverpool (726:18:-23) v CPalace (1187:11:-25) under Jonathon Moss 7th:26 (9:17 18:34 1:5)
Liverpool seldom get cards or penalties issued against them, and Moss has a bias against the visiting team, so CPalace will probably pick up caution. Liverpool doesn’t inflict a lot of treatments, so I don’t see CPalace picking up injuries or needing a lot of substitutions.
ManU (1810:14:-28) v Brighton (1539:26:-21) under Paul Tierney 8th:25 (12:13 16:17 4:4)
ManU has picked up a LOT of caution this season, mostly under Moaninho. ManU has inflicted a lot of treatments on opposition, so perhaps the players are getting used to kicking opposition, and Brighton will get kicked. And if so, it seems Tierney will hand out cards to ManU.
Man$ity away, has a slightly higher chance of getting closer to their share of cards, and Marriner does tend to be harder on away teams.
Spuds away. Spuds inflict more treatments on opposition than any other team, and Pawson is slightly biased against away teams. Spuds have not been picking up caution, so I doubt they will get carded much. But a forced substitution or two might be in order.