Dodgy Decisions In Our Favour

[SoccerHQ]

Anthony Taylor, I salute you. Never have I seen such a biased ref display in OUR favour in an away game. On a top 4 ground aswell.

Can we have him again on Wednesday?

[Olneythelonely]

Other than not sending their keeper off and booking Luna for getting two footed in his chest. I think he was shit for both teams. The only decisions he actually got right were the 2 pens.

[SoccerHQ]

I thought he gave a lot of 50/50s in our favour tbh which helped disrupt Arsenal and slow the game down when it was needed. Vlaar and Westwood both fouled when on a yellow so a petty ref e.g. Dowd or Halsley would've evened it up.

I was right behind the goal for the 2nd penalty (in with the Arsenal fans) and I honestly did not think of a penalty at all, thought Koscienly clearly got the ball so looking forward to seeing that one on the tv.

[Olneythelonely]

I thought he gave a lot of 50/50s in our favour tbh which helped disrupt Arsenal and slow the game down when it was needed. Vlaar and Westwood both fouled when on a yellow so a petty ref e.g. Dowd or Halsley would've evened it up.

I was right behind the goal for the 2nd penalty (in with the Arsenal fans) and I honestly did not think of a penalty at all, thought Koscienly clearly got the ball so looking forward to seeing that one on the tv.

He got half a stud on the ball. They should have been down to 10 men after about 25 minutes, but the actual sending off was harsh. I think it seemed like we were getting more than our fair share of 50/50 decisions, but I've just watched the game again and I think there were poor decisions for both teams.

[avfcpg]

We only had 3 pens all last season and now have two already...is that first bit right?
Ref made a few howlers but also got a lot right, including not bowing to that whinging little git Wilshire every time he bunged himself on the floor wailing..

[SoccerHQ]

Yeah Sczheney should've walked as no Arsenal player was behind him...but I suppose he allowed Weimann a free shot at goal anyway so maybe that was right for a yellow.

Love watching Wilshere as a player but yep he's always mouthing off whenever someone breathes on an Arsenal player so good to whack him sometimes which Gabby did right at the end.

[Dave]

I was right behind the goal for the 2nd penalty (in with the Arsenal fans) and I honestly did not think of a penalty at all, thought Koscienly clearly got the ball so looking forward to seeing that one on the tv.

When the replay is slowed down and zoomed in to it's closest there is evidence that his studs brush the ball.

Now even if we criticise the referee for not having telescopic vision, just because he has made the lightest contact with the ball doesn't mean that it can't be a foul. If he's only made the smallest possible contact on it, then it's clearly not going to have enough momentum to take the ball away and stop Gabby from smacking into the net if it weren't for the fact that his legs have just been swept from underneath him.

I thought it was a clean tackle when I first saw it but every replay vindicates the referee's decision.

[Dave Cooper please]

I was right behind the goal for the 2nd penalty (in with the Arsenal fans) and I honestly did not think of a penalty at all, thought Koscienly clearly got the ball so looking forward to seeing that one on the tv.

He had already taken out Gabby's leg with his knee before he touched the ball. Just because you touch the ball at some point in a tackle doesn't mean it's not a foul.

[supertom]

It's quite simple in a situation like that. The attacker is slightly ahead of you but off to the side of goal, running at pace. You just don't go to ground. He should have tried to shepherd him out, or force him to shoot on a tight angle. It's one of those challenges, because he's coming in from the side and a bit behind, that he has to get absolutely spot on, otherwise it's more than likely a penalty.
No question for me about that decision. Ref was well within his rights to give it. It wasn't as stone wall as the first, but it was still a penalty.

It was quite a niggly game today. Both teams were getting stuck in a bit. A lot of fouls on either side.