Thursday, February 23rd, 2012 « Untold Arsenal: Arsenal News. Supporting the Lord Wenger; coach of the decade

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By Abdulaziz Alfarhoud “@azizalfarhoud”

            We started this season with ambition to win trophies after 6 season trophy-less.  But as we all know last summer we lost two important players in Cesc & Nasri along with Jack Wilshere the best AFC players last season. That made it tough enough to compete this year, but I believe there has been another factor at work.  For while it is true that football league matches without ref faults lack somewhat in entertainment value for the fans recently things have got out of hand.

Every team gets some faulty decisions from referees but on the other hand losing 1 point could force you to be outside the competition.  One point can make all the difference.

Last year, Arsenal fans know that refs decision costs Arsenal more than 10 points – for example there were the Newcastle penalties in the away game, Sunderland away when the ref add 1 extra minute and their player used his hand for ball before Glichy passed it to Bent, Sunderland at home – the onside goal for Arshavin was not given because ref was thinking its offside & Arshavin deserved a penalty after the Bramble push, and so on.

 I know Arsenal didn’t play goo on some matches but let us count some points that refs are to be blamed for, because it is getting bigger every season and now each year the referees seem to be costing us more than 10 points.   If  they dealt with Arsenal like others we would be competing for 1^st place not the 4^th.

Let me show you the matches:

Day 1: Newcastle away game

Sending off Gervhino & Barton who started the fight but Barton only got a yellow card, Arsene said “Ref should give them either red or yellow cards”. FA suspended Alex Song after stepping on Barton leg the same as Yaya Toure did for Mata when he slapped him and FA didn’t stop him playing against Arsenal.

Day2: Liverpool home game

The Ref  didn’t give Arsenal a penalty after one of their defender tackled Ramsey , they scored their 1^st goal on the last 10 minutes and it was an offside goal & it affected the game.

After the 3^rd match with Man United, AFC had got 3 red cards.

Day5: Blackburn Away game

It’s unlucky for the team to score 2 own goals, but let’s remember that their 3rd goal by Yakubu who change the game was from offside. On the 1^st half, the ref gave Arsenal a free kick which it should be a penalty because their player talked Arteta inside the penalty area. Arsenal deserved a penalty in the last minute after their goalkeeper mistake with Wallcott.

Day7 Tottenham Away game

 VDV used his hand to prepare the ball before he scored the goal and he had a yellow card & after that he went to hug his team fans which normally deserve a 2nd yellow card & ref didn’t sent him away.

 Their 2^nd goals by Walker was from distance but if we see it again Adebayor was offside and he didn’t let see Walker decision.  It was the same last year v Aston Villa goal when John Carew blocked Fabianski way so that they could score their 1^st goal.

Day 16 Manchester City away game:

After the first 5 minute refs gave Alex Song a yellow cards from his first tackle and it affected  how he performed this game.   RVP scored onside goals and the ref which by the way was Phil Dowd – who said both were offside goals.

 The ref didn’t give Arsenal their two real Penalties: one when Kolo Toure tackled Ramsey for which he deserved a red card & the second from Micah Richards.

Day18: Wolves home game

 Arsenal deserved a penalty after their defender used his hand to block Arsenal’s cross & Vermaelen went to ref to tell him he saw it and he gave a free yellow card.

Day20: Fulham away game

 Arsenal should have had two Penalties, one when their defender used his leg to knock Gervinho & other on the 2^nd half when Senderos pushed RVP.

 There was also a harsh decision when the ref sent off Djourou for just 2 tackle “2 yellow card” & the reply showed that the 2^nd yellow should be a foul for Arsenal not against them.

Day21: Swansea Away game

Even though Arsenal didn’t play well the ref helped them: he gave them a penalty after Dyar stepped on Ramsey legs and dived to get a fake penalty.

Faults on games Arsenal win

Even when Arsenal won matches the opposition scored goals helped by the refs as when Lukaku knocked down Santos, Morrison of Norwich used his hand to push Mertisaker before scoring, Stoke’s foul wasn’t really a foul that let Crouch score  because he dived to get it. Arsenal were also denied a penalty against Sunderland in away game.

 I know some readers will tell me any team gets a fault decision from refs, and I agree, but Arsenal is the team that gets these bad decisions more than others – as the Untold Refs statistics show. If we want to count these mistakes it will be 16 points refs took it from Arsenal & Arsenal would be on the 2^nd place compete with the two Manchester side for EPL this season.

Most of Arsenal competitors get some advantages from refs even if they faced bad decisions on some matches from them, but Arsenal didn’t get any advantages from them that we could say ref helped us this season.

This issue takes into consideration that the 4 own goals + many injured players from Arsenal + ref decision and we get a new trophy less season.

If anyone wants some photo evidence to back up any of this just follow me @azizalfarhoud and ask me for it.

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Referees:

Referees mistakes all even out in the end don’t they?   Well actually, no they don’t

Our latest Untold Ref Review is… Manchester City 3 Fulham 0

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Football finance: the AST’s report on Arsenal’s finances analysed:

Part one: The Summer that was: transfer fees, wages and the “best” approach to the market.