- Aston Villa v Arsenal: Referee upheavals and Arsenal’s team
- With Simon Hooper as referee, Arsenal have no chance at all today
- Aston Villa v Arsenal: there is something seriously amiss with the refereeing.
- Aston Villa v Arsenal: how to tackle without conceding free kicks – the Villa way
- Aston Villa v Arsenal: the Unai Emery factor
By Tony Attwood
We suggested that Arsenal could not win the game against Villa because this referee never oversaw away wins. And we were almost right, but the twists and turns of outrageous whatnots meant that the referee’s perfect record of never ever allowing the away team to win all season, was finally broken.
Martinez has not been one of my favourite people since he started breaking covid regulations right, left, centre, upside and downside. For it was he along with Emiliano Buendia also of Villa and two Tottenham players of whom one would expect little better, were eventualy sanctioned by Fifa for rejecting Covid 19 regulations by flying to South America for an international.
They smuggled themselves into Brazil for a game in Sao Paulo, which then after a short while was called off after Brazilian health officials came onto the pitch and stopped the game because the Argentine players had lied on their documentation. Irony upon irony.
Anyway, the crazy man plays for Aston Villa and we predicted because the referee has not allowed a single away team to win any game he has controlled all season, that pattern would continue. And he nearly got his wish. But then Jorginho’s shot hit the cross-bar, bounced back, and Martinez headed the ball back into the net off the back of his head and lay on the ground. Oh what joy to see him get his comeuppance.
And if that were not enough Aston Villa went charging down the other end, and got a corner in the seventh minute of time added on. Up comes the wild, whacky and totally bonkers Martinez, probably aware that this referee does not allow the away team to win (see our preview With Simon Hooper as referee, Arsenal have no chance at all today).
But the ball is cleared, Martinelli on as a sub runs up field and pops it into the empty net. 4-2 to Arsenal. Martinez is a total idiot, Martinelli might get a lot of his confidence and bravado back, and Arsenal were top of the league (until Man C scored). OK our prediction about the result was wrong, but he really did everything he could to stop Arsenal winning, and nearly managed it.
And what a day for loonies it is. As media after media suggested that people actually do use supercomputers, what with Opta claiming they actually do have one (which of course they don’t). Supercomputers cost around £79m each, and there is a shortage of them, so a newspaper suggesting they have one and are running football predictions on it, is just yet another lie on top of all the other lies they propagate.
“Our supercomputer gave both Arsenal and Manchester City a 50% chance to win the Premier League before their midweek match. After City’s win on Wednesday, the probabilities have drastically swung in their favour.” That’s what the Mirror said
The Sun claimed followed suit. And GiveMeSport which really ought to be renamed Give Me Sprouts. Supercomputers are not available to newspaper journalists for playing games on. Honest. Just go and look it up. It is a load of lies told by the media.
Anyway, Untold admits we got it wrong when we said Arsenal could not win against this referee, but it was a very close run thing. We got there, and that’s great.
As things stand as I write this (half time for the 3pm kick offs) the league table at the top reads
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manchester City | 24 | 17 | 3 | 4 | 60 | 23 | 37 | 54 |
| 2 | Arsenal | 23 | 17 | 3 | 3 | 51 | 23 | 28 | 54 |
| 3 | Manchester United | 23 | 14 | 4 | 5 | 38 | 28 | 10 | 46 |
| 4 | Newcastle United | 22 | 10 | 11 | 1 | 35 | 13 | 22 | 41 |
| 5 | Tottenham Hotspur | 23 | 12 | 3 | 8 | 42 | 35 | 7 | 39 |
| 6 | Brighton and Hove Albion | 22 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 39 | 28 | 11 | 36 |
Equal on points with a game in hand. That will do, given what we feared would happen today with that ref doing his thing. And it wasn’t just that Arsenal won, it was that it was so amazingly funny. Oh, how that referee wanted to help the home team at least get a draw, to protect his record of no away wins in his game this season. And oh how Villa screwed it up.
It will live long in the memory.
What a wonderful result. Great guts.
But who I am so pleased for is Vieira.
He’s obviously got immense talent, but he is slight and as such is finding it hard to impose. That being said I’m still hopeful.
But I absolutely loved seeing him drop to his knees in joy when he put Martinelli through for our fourth. He knew, we all knew, that was it. He could of got it
wrong. He got it right.
So pleased for him.
Oh Happy day…. City held… things do tend to go our way more often then in the past seasons….
Back on top of the table after Forest get a late equaliser against City. Two points ahead, still with a game in hand. COYG
@Nitram,
Fully agree with you. Vieira is I think integrating much more and getting a better feel/understanding of how Arsenal are playing in the PL and how th opposition does. I was surprised by the Odegard/Vieira pairing and felt it was promising.
And as you say, Vieira seeing his perfect pass go through was so excatic for the team…. just great to see. They are there together. That said the pass was millimeter and speedy perfect, proving the guy knows how to do that.
This season ain’t over yet and to me for this young Gunners team, the sky is the limit. This second half was just great and the way we’ve seen them play earlier games. Like they found their mojo back.
Jorginho is settling in as well.
And then City with a draw, Chelsea losing yet another game, Newcastle having to play most of the game with 10 men… there are week-ends that go our way. let’s see who else loses points… !
In contrast to all those cheap gadgets my very own supercomputer which I keep next to my heart predicted this wonderful Arsenal win , well, well done to all those computer wreckers from Highbury a very proud and very pleased supporter here .
NORTH LONDON FOREVER.
1. Hate Premiership for deciding to play AFC the first ‘morning’ game on Saturday, after a game vs MCity on Wednesday. In Europe if the team plays on Wen. it can’t play play on Sat.
2. Hate PGMOb for robbing Arsenal multiple points this season => According neutral calculations, AFC should have a 12 points lead … but today is only 3 points !
3. Hate referee Simon Hooper for tilting today the game in allowing permanent rotational fouling on our players, especially on Saka … who got booked!
Plus allowing time wasting unpunished.
4. Hate ex- Arsenal goalkeeper Martinez, a complete dick, for the same reason.
5. Love Arsenal scoring 2 goals in extra time!
6. Love to see Martinez, a complete dick bis, scoring own goal!
7. Love to see Martinez, a complete dick ter, leaving his goal in the last minute and allowing Martinelli to score in the empty net (;-) !
COYG !! Nekuhan
I am sure Martinez carries the bal out of the penalty area when he clears the ball upfield, If I and others have noticed it I wonder why the linesmen have not picked it up – obviously not looking for it. Hooper was brave finally cautioning Martinez for timewasting. He regularly held the ball for 20 seconds and the longest was 27. I believe the 6 second rule still applies, Ironically it was his timewasting that gave us the fourth goal. I can see now why he was sold – a loose cannon
@Mick,
I did notice that. His last step goes over the line pretty much every time. Considering the fact that Hooper stopped a counter offensive under the argument that the ball did not top moving before the freekick was taken, the only explanation I have for such a stickler to detail no awarding a freekick on Martinez when he oversteps the line is that he is a selective stickler or an incompetent. As for Martinez’ time wasting…same remark. He did give a yellow to Luiz I believe. But then it came as no danger to Aston Villa.
Then again, when competent people are not, well they are incompetent, are they not ?
And yes, I concurr, Martinez may be gifted, but character wise, he has an issue.
I have always been opposed to the practice of keepers going up for corners. There have been very few cases of such a tactic being successful. It was particularly gratifying to see the double embarrassment for Martine yesterday, in view of the manner of his leaving Arsenal and the disrespect he continues to show to the club which made his career and supported him through countless setbacks and mistakes. Probably a wider group of people will remember his poor behaviour in the Argentina team and draw satisfaction from him getting his just desserts in this game.
Unai Emery was visibly angry with Martinez, so he may now be in for a difficult time at Villa. I wonder if there are any previous issues between them from their time together at Arsenal. I have a vague notion of Martinez being ungracious when Emery left, but my memory is not clear and I may be mistaken.
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