tl:dr
- Referees, man, are they out to get us?
- Sokratis is cool!
- Auba missing stuff
- Emery getting it right
- Feelings, so many feelings, why???
- Ramsey goal
Damn you Arsenal for making me feel things! And damn you referees for robbing me of those feelings!
I know that I couch this blog as being super rational all the time and that I try to present arguments based in “fact” but sometimes, I wonder if there isn’t an actual conspiracy against Arsenal.
Tottenham were given a penalty when Harry Kane reprised his role from “Harry Kane’s Dive Into Russia Tour” with a double gainer that the judges awarded with all 10s.
I know that Mustafi is a nincompoop and that he whispered something in Kane’s ear which is now grounds for falling over. I also know that Harry Kane is a god and that it is illegal to even look at him much less touch him in the back. And I also know that the laws of the game say some nonsense about a player being offside, unless they aren’t actively going for the ball or they are fouled. But I’ll be damned if that wasn’t the worst penalty call of the season.
I don’t actually care about the laws of the game. They are obviously nonsense. There is no logic to the laws of the game and there are no hard and fast rules in them. 99% of the laws of the game are about intent. So don’t @ me with some screen grab from the FA web site about a player being offside unless he’s fouled.
Kane was offside. Kane fell over after a slight touch. If we are to judge “intent” I think it’s clear that his intent was to cheat his way to a goal. Just like he did all summer at the World Cup. Kane is a small-club chump who will spend his career at Tottenham because he’s afraid of success. He can’t win big games with talent, so he needs the referees to help him. Simple.
Remember when I was accused of “bias” against Unai Emery? Just as an FYI for future discussions: when I have bias, I display it quite clearly. I can’t stand Kane.
And while we are on the topic of referees, how does that absolute disgrace of a footballer, Danny Rose (who is so bad that I wouldn’t even pick him for my five-a-side team), how does this garbage human get away with a studs to the chest challenge on Leno and then draw a red card for Torreira whe he (Rose) tries to kick Torreira’s innocent foot???
By the way, I am not interested in arguing these points in the comments section. Do not address me or this argument. As far as I’m concerned, it is unassailable fact that they are cheats, the laws of the game are broken, the referees seem to have a bias against Arsenal, and I’m not even remotely sorry for this position nor am I willing to budge. You do you. This is me.
Anyway. Here are some things that you can talk to me about:
How much do you love Sokratis? On a scale of 9 to 10 is he a 10 or a 9? But man, the kid (he’s 18 years my younger) has speed, strength, smarts, and shithousery. The four S’s of Senter backS. The only thing I regret arguing this season was that Sokratis was a bad signing. I was wrong! In my defense, I watched him last season at Borussia Dortmund and thought he was on his way down. Actually, come to think of it, dont argue with me about this either. He’s a 10/10 there’s only one score.
Another thing you can argue with me about is whether or not you are like me: can you tell when a player is going to miss a penalty? I can. With 100% accuracy. When we won the penalty, which was a 100% correct call, I paced the living room. The I looked up to see Aubameyang taking the penalty and he had this look on his face like “oh no, I should have studied for this test”.
One day I might keep a penalty diary and test whether I am 100% accurate in predicting penalty missed. But for now, please do not argue with me in the comments. I am 100% accurate.
And lastly, I don’t want to argue with you about my feelings. I had some for a moment there where I felt like Arsenal might win this one. Then we missed the penalty and I stuffed them WAAAAY down in my tummy. And now I have none. I am back to expecting Arsenal to finish 6th this season.
Let’s see, what else can you argue with me about.. Uhh… let’s see… on a scale of 10 to 11 how much do you love Aaron Ramsey? What a fucking goal. He’s going to be so good for Arsenal next season.
Also, go ahead and argue with me about how Emery got this one right with his tactics. He sort of did and sort of didn’t. I mean, we really should have won that and you know what else? We are better than Tottenham.
Even if the stats show that Arsenal aren’t much better this season than last, the absolutely irrefutable fact that we are better than Tottenham is a huge improvement. The last few seasons we have been letting them batter us and hanging on for a draw or some crap. That has been awful. This is new. This is good.
Sorry if this post is bad. I watched Julie and Julia and it inspired me (to be an awful blogger).
Oh, hell yeah on Sokratis!
He was the influence that was transforming Rob Holding from a near-loanee-to-Fulham-type CB to a bigger, faster, bad-asser version of himself.
(Marcus Rashford and The Unemployed One can ESAD. This defense might have gelled by now with Papa & Rob had it not been for MU’s kick-Arsenal tactics back in early December).
Just after the signing on another comment board a Dortmund fan went on at length why we Arsenal fans were going to love Papa. That guy– was dead-on right.
I took it on faith from there. Haven’t seen anything except the occasional over-amped YC that might be worth a complaint.
I LOVE Sokratis! He’s a beast. Just pray he stays fit. Love Kos too. Just wish he was 5 years younger. And Nacho.
And I hate Kane. Our ‘England Captain’ gets away with murder. Thought Mustafi was naive but there you go.
Yeah. Predicting that PEN.
Paused the DVR/match just before Auba took it.
Watched the scoreboard online tick forward without a score change– and all the air went out of my desire to watch the rest. Still have not.
Personally? Have managed my expectations this season. Allow myself to get excited on match days. The (some very) early Sat/Sun mornings– hard to break that ritual. Yesterday was a tough one to take. Just not going to give over an investment in emotion until I see where the foundation is solid (set like concrete).
Mate really good piece, as always your writing totally mirrors my emotion throughout the game… but listen re Sokratis. I think too often we can all be soo critical of players and then later say “I am glad to be proved wrong”. The thing is mate players dont need us then, when they are playing liking Mess, Ronaldo, Ramsey, everyone jumps on the bandwagon. They need us when they are surrounded by hater-ation with everyone telling them how bad they are – everyone saying Sokratis is another ‘subpar defender Arsenal have signed”. They do not need their own fans to do that too. Let’s be on the positive side of objectivity when it comes to our players….
on that point
Leno – riduclously outstanding…
Xhaka – outstanding AGAIN
Final point, I promise
Auba and Laca getting so much love and support on Twitter and RIGHTLY so…
but we are so less supportive of other players when they make mistakes…equivalent mistakes by another player, who I love, mentioning no names.. would have MOTD/”sports shows” making a 15-minute expose about how Arsenal are still yet to replace Vieira……please….
Let’s be as chartiable with all our boys…
I appreciate your positivity, I really do. I have a difficult time being positive about certain players. I mean, Arsenal went from Vieira, to Cesc, to Arteta, to CAZORLA, to… Xhaka. I’m not sure any amount of hype is going to get him to stop being the kind of player who, rightly, should be sent off in almost every match.
I hate Kane but that tackle from behind was a nasty challenge and how he escaped a red is a huge mystery.
Good points.. You win..but Xhaka is not trying to be Vieira…Vieira is more Ramsey/Pogba..complete midfielder..
Xhaka is sublime passing /distribution…this is a special power that can turn a go team-mate into an unplayable/outstanding team-mate..
I didn’t see the tackle…
My bias is Xhaka…he can do no wrong in my eyes…
I disagree that Xhaka has sublime distribution. But let’s move on.
Mate, please don’t hate anybody. It is really bad for your health. Only love. I know you mean “hate”….in a “tongue in cheek” way.
Ah, Cazorla. *Tears up*
A magnificent player to watch. He was perhaps the most two-footed player I’ve seen. Tricky with the ball at his feet, an incisive passer, and impossible to dispossess. I miss that little magician.
Cracking post Tim. Reading it brought yesterdays frustrations and anger flooding back (especially regarding the officiating and Peter Beardsley’s diving son.)
However, you somehow managed to marinate it in enough humour to have me feeling like “It’s cool because all we have to do is smash ManYOO next week and all will be right”
Regarding the game, we played well. Very well. The frustration lies in bringing home a slice of bacon rather than the whole hog.
Aubameyang’s face scared me and his tame penalty shocked me. Then angered me. Then saddened me.
More personally, what the two league fixtures against the Spuds revealed to me is that my love and passion for The Arsenal still runs very strong for in those two matches i kicked every ball.
Just like i used to in the old days in every match.
I feel like we all saw that miss coming. All of us. So didn’t the players, too? In which case, perhaps our captain should have run over and given him a quick pep talk, a slap in face, whatever, just to get him focused and psyched. Alas.
Oh and Papa’s a 10.
Not sure about the substitutions. Thought we lost a bit of muscle taking off Laca even if he had screwed up on his shooting and I would’ve kept Ramsey on.
On another note, the encroachment for Auba’s pen was a joke. Vertonghen had a big advantage in blocking Auba’s follow up as he’d already moved forward. Watching the later game Westham v Newcastle, the ref pulled up the Newcastle players for encroaching. Wonder if he’d been watching our game on TV before his match.
Your worst work yet…not.
COYGs
Good post. Keep up the good work. That is all.
i didn’t want arsenal to sign sokratis but for a different reason than you. unlike you, i actually felt like sokratis was getting better last season but i felt he wasn’t quick enough for the bpl; i thought he would get a lot of cautions and sendings off. i’m glad to say that i got that one wrong. maturity matters and he’s a much more mature player. dortmund miss his leadership.
likewise, i felt aubameyang was going to miss that penalty. i thought he would miss the last one, too.
i also thought arsenal were good enough to win the game (better than tottenham). it all came down to whether emery was going to be bold enough to try and win the game or just play to not lose. in the end, he had a fantastic game plan but the game management (substitutions) piece left a bit to be desired.
lastly, you and i are on the same page regarding xhaka. he does something brainless or dangerous every single game and most of the time, there’s not even a serious threat where you can say, “okay, that was a good tactical foul”. it’s as arbitrary and directionless as anything i’ve ever seen. the sad thing is i’m willing to bet money that he’s an awesome team mate. i don’t know how he gets away with it so much.
Exactly right on Sokratis, Tim. I commented yesterday that I wish that we had 11 like him on the pitch… that the team was infused with his spirit from back to front. If the whole team had been, no way is our leading scorer taking a pattycake penalty.
I want Aubameyang to feel like s*** today, a full day after the match, for missing that penalty. Miss me, please, with all the social media love and “chin up, mate” business. Miss me also with him and Laca (who missed a sitter because apparently his left leg is purely for walking) overperforming xG, so it’s cool.
There are 3 penalties I can remember him taking this season. ALL of them — ALL — he pushed softly, slightly to the right of the keeper as to be almost central. Lloris saved it and although his upper arm wasnt even extended, it hit him closer to his elbow than his hand.. Lloris isnt the best goalkeeper in the prem, but he can press play on video. It was a terrible penalty, and Im declining to join his mates at AFTV in going easy on him. I want him to feel stung enough to turn up first at training tomorrow, to work with the coach on penalty taking.
Btw, how hypocritical are some of our fans, pillorying Mustafi while urging everyone to easy on Aubameyang?
As for British journalists rallying to Kane, anyone who lived in the time of Alan ‘Elbows’ Shearer has seen this movie before. The England captain and golden boy can do no wrong. Shearer, btw, did something Sam Wallace should have done. He consulted the professional referees body, and it confirmed that under VAR, the offside would have been given. End of debate.
The most amusing thing about some folks selectively citing the rules is the notion that Kane wasn’t going for the ball when fouled. Maybe he saw someone he knew in the crowd behind the goal, and was running over to say hello at the precise moment the ball was kicked.
Disappointed in Auba.
Still want Mustafi sold– last Summer.
If Mustafi doesn’t do– what he always seems to do, under no real pressure?
Auba is simply tacking one on to a 1-nil score.
Needless, stupid, avoidable penalties. Mustafi’s special talent.
Two-points Saturday. Two points same way at Palace in October.
Otherwise Arsenal are sitting with Sp*rs on 61pts (-2GD, likely).
I do see Auba through a different lens than The Shkarecrow.
Not noticeable during the game but my favourite moment of the afternoon was Aaron Ramsey going berserk after scoring.
“This is my f****** pitch. I belong here”, yelled Rambo, after his 4th goal at Wembley. Awesome, absolutely awesome. There’s a guy who get what this fixture means, and Arsenal will miss him.
I argued a few weeks ago that he isn’t an Arsenal legend. I take that back. He became one yesterday.
If you are caoable of kissing chances in 6 yard box, you are capable of missing penalty kicks.
If you are capable of kissing chances in 6 yard box, you are capable of missing penalty kicks.
Why didnt Xhaka tale the penalty? I am sure he is better at it.
Oh my, I thought I was the only one thinking, ‘Give it to Xhaka and let him hit it as hard as he can at the goal, no GK is saving it’. We don’t have a proper PK taker, and haven’t had one for some time now.
Great post by the way, as always.
About the result, what a frustrating draw with the Undrawables!
About predicting penalty miss, I was oddly disappointed it was Auba as he had that exact look Tim mentioned. I was muttering to myself that he shouldn’t attempt a meak one. While Lloris was stood slightly to one side, I was hoping Auba will take a strong one to the opp top corner.
BTW, not only penalty misses, I think I can predict with 70-80% accuracy when the shot is going to be placed by the penalty taker! I’m happy to be tested.
Xhaka missed a penalty for Switzerland in the last Euro’s which was one of the worst ever,I swear to god,almost hit the corner flag.
Auba was always going to miss that. Strange that everyone seems to think so. He doesn’t seem very convincing from the spot in general.
I love Aaron Ramsey. Horrible horrible decision to let him go.
A good team performance. I missed much of the game, and haven’t had the opportunity to watch again, but what I saw, I liked.
All the stats in the world won’t change my mind that it was Ozil who might end up saving our season. Since he’s come back into the team, we’re playing with much more joy.. It’s good to watch.
Mustafi can be so good, but he always has one crazy incident per game in him. This was stupid.
The refs are awful. Just terribly bad. It’s not going to get better any time soon.
Have you read the ESPN piece on former NBA referee Tim Donaghy?
He was actively ‘fixing’ games for over 4 years in the mid-00s.
To the tune of perhaps $200M in profit for a syndicate of gamblers.
http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/25980368/how-former-ref-tim-donaghy-conspired-fix-nba-games
Not completely jaded to the NBA now– as the league has apparently digitized their ability to catch anomalies (such as those Donaghy escaped notice from) almost immediately now.
So–when you have an opaque officiating body like PGMO– which has delayed adopting VAR with weak reasoning? It opens the door to consideration of improprieties as those that occurred in the NBA.
VAR won’t fix anything. It will just make things worse. I believe strongly that VAR is being used (or not used) in Italy in the service of corruption. Two decisions went the way of Juventus this weekend which were suspect at best.
IMO VAR will put officials ‘opinions’ on-record. Then make that useful.
It can be of assistance in tandem with creation of a system that promotes/demotes officials based on grading-out their calls.
One foot in front of the other.
Also, Donaghy is the reason I stopped watching the NBA. The laws of the game there are also super open to interpretation, not quite on the scale of football but the problem is that referees can and do throw games with very subtle “interpretations”.
Excepting that (my take) Donaghy didn’t throw games in terms of won/loss — but in keeping the spread high or low as required to payoff. Donaghy was paying off at a 70% clip on up to 82 games plus playoffs.
Football– with low scoring– fixing inherently seems based on a result ( W/D/L).
Ex.: Rockets +2 vs Celtics yesterday afternoon.
Watching the Rockets just club the Celtics– until the 3rdQ. Then Celtics are in the bonus 3 minutes in– and an inordinate number of fouls on the Rox occur; most are shooting fouls. Celtics climb back in shooting FTs until the final 2 minutes of the quarter when Rox match the Celtics tally.
Rockets held off the Celtics for a 115-104 win. No worries about the point spread.
But a dead-game at half (66-44) could be seen as manipulated to keep viewers tuned in, TV ratings higher, and ad rates static.
Same kind of jiggering within the game– except here the NBA takes the entire cut.
I remember the infamous Kings-Lakers series. Man I really wanted that Kings team to ‘Beat LA’.
I wasn’t surprised when those allegations came out. I’d lived through the cricket match fixing scandal, and I guess I expected this to happen in all sports. I think the NBA managed the fallout and kept some of the story under wraps. But I also think they have taken steps to make it more difficult for something like that to happen again. In any case, they are more open about their decision making. I hated the call that banned Draymond Green. Stepping over him was a deliberate provocation by James. But, despite disagreements like that, I’m generally not disillusioned by them.
Football though, especially the PL, seems to reject the existence of any problem. Which just means that I trust them to…..heh…. fix things.
The Spurs game proves that Ramsey’ skillset is of enormous value to the team. A hard-working and adaptable midfielder who scores you goals in big games. In those big games, your elite strikers can sometimes fail to register, so you need someone with the temperament and technique to get it done. And it’s not just goalscoring. His nullification of Jorginho in our home game against Chelsea was a big part if Emery’s tactical plan.
No player is above being sold if the price is right. Even Messi can be sold if the price and terms are right. The problem with the Ramsey decision — which you describe correctly — is that the price is zero, and we’d have paid him Mhki money for a player who is 3 years younger. Are we THAT poor? That is, of course, leaving aside the manner in which Arsenal acted.
Arsenal goal involvements for key players (all comps; goals + assists) are as follows…
Auba 19 + 4
Laca 14 + 7
Mhki 6 +4 (4 in the last 3 games)
Ramsey 4 +6
Ozil 5 +3
Last year Ramsey was the leading Arsenal player for goal involvements. These numbers are the very definition of “the squad.” A number of folks here argued that Ramsey or Ozil or X or Y doesn’t fit into Emery’s system, but the coach is smart enough to know that one system isnt going to work in all cases. So he needs different skillsets, and in those two players he has unique talents. Ramsey has been one of his most important go-to players for tactical switchups.
As for Ozil, the Arsenal attack looks a better oiled machine with him in it, and again Emery, for all his efforts to shove him out the door in January (he turned down a move to Paris) was smart enough to see that and change tack. The uptick in Mhki’s play and productivity in front of goal is PARTLY (👈🏽key word) down the influence of having a cerebral creative force.
We are going to need all our skillsets for the run to finish line. Emery almost pulled off superb result yesterday, and that’d down to him recognising this truism.
Quick Q… where do you stand on VAR, Shard? It’s the so much te refs who are bad as the assistants. The Spurs offside was a solid wall of white. Not one player.
I am in favour of VAR. Not because it will fix everything. It will also be abused by a corrupt organisation. But it makes it easier to see it happen. It removes an excuse of not having the option of seeing it again, and it creates a log of video decisions that hopefully in the future can be used to create a clearer standard.
The alternative is more of the same and that clearly isn’t working.
I must be one of the very few not terribly vexed about Taylor’s performance there.
Spurs are cheats because they have taken on Poch’s DNA – a former Argie defender who freely admits football is not fair and it never will be , whether with or without VAR.
And they get away with it because they are packed with England internationals so they get more protection from the system.
However, when you get awarded a soft pen in the 90th minute to win the game , any complaints afterwards about the outcome is kinda clutching at the straws.
People make a lot from the Vertonghen encroachment but has there even been one instance this season of a penalty retake for players doing that?
Sure , I get the whole “but by the letter of the law” thing but if VAR were in place for this game Arsenal probably would’ve had to play a man down for 77 minutes on account of Xhaka’s professional ( an oxymoron if I ever saw one) foul on Kane.
Arsenal were awarded two pens against Spurs in the PL this season by what most would probably call two of the least Arsenal friendly refs in Dean and Taylor.
The handball by Vertonghen given by Dean in reverse fixture gets easily ignored half the time and the Auba pen was every bit as soft as Mustafi’s push on Kane.
Fact is Auba took two extremely weak, identical penalties against the same keeper and he got lucky with one.