Arsenal v Brentford at 3pm
- Arsenal v Brentford: the way history changes
- Arsenal have the ref who doesn’t like home teams. So what else is new?
- Arsenal v Brentford: Brentford get the same referee for the 16th time
- Arsenal v Brentford: the psychological challenge
By Bulldog Drummond
For the last match Arsenal’s line up was
Ramsdale
Gabriel, Saliba, White, Zinchenko
Xhaka Partey
Saka, Odegaard, Martinelli
Nketiah
- Jorginho came on for Thomas Partey
- Leandro Trossard for Gabriel Martinelli
- Fabio Vieira for Martin Odegaard
- Takehiro Tomiyasu for Ben White.
The negativity in the media is of course rampant. Arsenal are no longer five points clear at the top of the league with a game in hand but instead “Seeking to avoid a third successive defeat”
In terms of injuries however the media can be more helpful as Sports Mole also says
“Arsenal’s number nine Gabriel Jesus has now returned to the London Colney training centre as he steps up his recovery from a knee injury, but he will not be available for a few weeks yet, while Mohamed Elneny is expected to miss the rest of the season after going under the knife.
“Emile Smith Rowe has suffered a cruel setback with a thigh niggle and is out for this one alongside Reiss Nelson, who is now back in training but needs time to build his match fitness after a hamstring problem.”
However despite all that about Jesus they then put him in the line up…
Ramsdale;
White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko;
Xhaka, Partey;
Saka, Odegaard, Martinelli;
Jesus
Ramsdale
Tomiyasu, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko
Partey, Odegaard, Xhaka
Saka, Nketiah, Trossard
So no Martinelli
Ramsdale;
Tomiyasu, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko;
Partey, Jorginho;
Saka, Odegaard, Martinelli;
Nketiah
So I think we will probably get a line up something along those lines.
Meanwhile just to help pass the time here’s a video of Arsenal v Brentford
Well, I guess this is the kind of game we are going to see most of the rest of the season…parking the bus….
Controversial goal and time wasting seems like these games will be happening till the end of season
Surely the Brentford player who crossed the ball for the Brentford goal was just offside. Why didn’t VAR pick it up. I’m baffled.
Was it Lee Mason on VAR? If so, he repeatedly picks anything up , looked offside to me , very soft free kick leading to it as well. Then, the time wasting.
But, as already posted, this team are going to have to learn to deal with such tactics, the officials seem to reward them against Arsenal
I saw 2 offside on the Brentford goal. Still, should be able to beat them. If Toney is so hard to handle, what about Haaland on Wednesday? When the opposition double teams the wide players Arsenal haven’t responded. Either White on the right or Zinchenko on the left are open. Let’s find a way to exploit that before season’s end.
Saliba & Toney were both holding equally, but Brentford got the free kick. Should have just played on, and the VAR seemed to be looking at the wrong offside.
The time wasting didn’t help Brentford much as the game went to 98 minutes.
Let’s just smash city next week. Aston Villa will draw with them tomorrow.
Maybe swap our wingers over like Callaghan and Heighway used to back in the day. It unsettles the pattern of defending . We know and they know that both Martinelli and Saka want to come inside so it’s easy for a defence to block them off and stay compact in the middle .
If they swapped and started to go outside they would make more room in the box for the midfield and striker to utilise.
Reports Lee Mason forgot to check the lines on on the second offside with Toneys goal, he panicked having spent too long trying to justify allowing the first Brentford player offside to have no affect on Brentford’s “ goal”
All over the papers now, and MOTD saying Brentford’s goal should not have stood. Arch Arsenal critic, Danny Murphy said the VAR decision was “ horrendous”
The second time greater Manchester referee Lee Mason has cost us points this season, the first disallowing our first goal at OT, a decision the PGMOL later admitted was wrong.
He should have no further input in Arsenal games, but we know the PGMOL won’t be too upset at decisions against Arsenal.
Bad day for refereeing EPL games
Regardless of any imperfections in Arsenal performances, nearly every dropped point has been the result of wrong decisions. Disallowed goal and denied penalties at OT, denied penalties against Newcastle, wrongly awarded corner and denied penalties at Everton, plus today’s VAR outrage.
Against Southampton, the draw possibly the result of team error.
Therefore only one genuinely dropped point?.
Which Manchester based referee has got our next match?
I am told it’s Anthony Taylor Wednesday It was Mason who denied Newcastle a goal against Palace.His punishment a week off. Through utter incompetence he should be removed from the VAR list.
It’s that de ju vu feeling of when Arsenal get close to the title. Maybe it’s the corrupt money getting paid to Mason. Better ask Pep. Lol
First, the free-kick to Brentford was a wrong decision. Toney actually grabbed Saliba and dragged him to the ground. Then the foul on Gabriel when the free-kick was taken. Then the catalogue of off-sides which were missed.
As an aside, BBC editing suggested that Brentford had 85% possession.
Look forward to Wednesday fixture against a Manchester team, with a Manchester referee in charge.
I find it interesting to see that the VAR non-decision is being openly discussed on TV…. some things do change.
John L
Southampton could (should?) have had 3 red cards for Caleta-Can, Lyanco and Walcott plus 3 Arsenal penalties
Vickrant Dogra,
I assumed that there would be such incidents, but they are so common and numerous that I couldn’t remember the specifics.
Thank you for the reminder