There’s really only one major talking point to take from the draw at Everton on Saturday. So that’s where I’ll start. And forgive me for another round of sour grapes, but this was yet another Arsenal fixture dominated by officiating ineptitude.
As if the massive number of injuries suffered by the squad this season hasn’t been enough to cope with, the number of points that incompetent - and I’m being kind here! - officiating has cost Arsenal this season really gets brought into focus when you see Liverpool’s season completely implode; as we have just further witnessed with defeat at Fulham. Plus, if I may digress further; Fulham were far more defensive against Arsenal in their previous match than against the would-be champions - plus should probably have had two penalties; one for the latest piece of gratuitous violence from Virgil Van Dijk.
Let’s add up just the obvious calls that have seen PGMOL ‘steal’ points from Arsenal so far this season. And we don’t have to dig too far before we’re right on Liverpool’s tails, Or even ahead of them:
- Rice sent off at home to Brighton. An unprecedented, unrepeatable call. Cost; two points
- Trossard sent off at Manchester City; who proceeded to equalise only in the 96th minute. Again, an unprecedented call. Two points
- Saliba sent off at Bournemouth; VAR re-refereeing an incident deemed only a yellow card by the referee. Call it a point
- Jesus’s injury time winner vs Liverpool chalked off for a non-foul by Kivior seconds earlier. Arsenal lose two points; Liverpool gain one
- Saliba penalised for a penalty at Brighton for an accidental clash of heads. Two points
- MLS sent off at Wolves for what was merely a yellow card offence. Fortunately, Arsenal collected all three points nonetheless
- And now this; MLS penalised for what was at best a very soft infringement when, for me, it was Harrison who had the defender’s arm pinned. Ludicrous, and two points
12 points, by my reckoning. Minimum. Without me really giving it too much thought. And that’s not even considering the number of times that Liverpool have had the rub of the green this season. Too numerous to mention; and we should then perhaps be considering the number of other times VVD has not been sanctioned for serious foul play; including one violent assault on Kai Havertz!
And when one considers the injury woes, suggestions that Arsenal are Bottlers FC are simply ludicrous. It’s remarkable, in fact, just how resilient this squad have been shown to be if you look at it in that context.
I’ll quickly run through the timeline of this game before we get on to next week. Arteta made many more changes than one would normally expect, but this was understandable with Real Madrid in mind. Ben White fit enough to start. Kivior in for Gabriel. Odegaard, Partey and Martinelli rested. Saka named on the bench as he continues his comeback. And even with all those changes, Arsenal would still, under normal circumstances, have had more than enough for this pedestrian Everton side.
As one would expect, Arsenal dominated the first half, and took a deserved lead when breaking following an Everton set-piece - their only potent weapon, frankly. Raheem Sterling drove into the home half and released Trossard, who fired home neatly.
For Everton, Beto looked to run at Kivior when he could, and the returning Ndiaye looked dangerous at times. But they frankly offered little, and the crowd was unaccustomedly subdued.
And so half-time came and went, and Arteta introduced his two first-choice wingers. But the game had barely restarted before a hopeful punt from Pickford saw MLS tussle with Harrison outside the penalty area. It looked to me like nothing more than each player trying to hold the other off as they jostled for the bouncing ball, with MLS’s arm actually held to Harrison’s chest by the forward. Having got into the box, Harrison threw himself to the ground in true Van Nistelrooy style. In any other game it’s ’play on’, but this is Arsenal, and the incompetent England took the chance to blow his whistle.
The unbiased football pundits and public almost unanimously agreed that this was beyond soft. But that doesn’t stop PGMOL, does it? Suddenly it was 1-1, the crowd were up, and Arsenal couldn’t stroll through the game as they looked likely to do at half time. Even so, Everton barely had another opportunity on goal.
England further distinguished himself by failing to spot a blatant infringement by O’Brien, one of Everton’s phalanx of gigantic hulking and clumsy defenders, who had already been booked for lashing out at Kivior at a corner. The referee wasn’t, in fact, even looking at play when it happened. And he completed his day by blowing for full time before time was up, and was then embarrassed into restarting the game for a further minute. Incompetent beyond belief.
Remember, this is a member of the organisation who had admitted that Tarkowski should have been sent off in midweek, but didn’t upgrade him to a red card retrospectively - thus leaving him free to face… Arsenal. Don’t tell me that there isn’t a conspiracy, because for me there’s no way the officials can be this bad!
But there’s nothing that can be done. Except for exposing the PGMOL agenda. I hope that Arsenal have a dossier to send to the Premier League at the end of the season. Bin PGMOL!
Enough of that nonsense. It’s too late now. PGMOL’s agenda has been in place all season, and they’ve done their job; for all that Liverpool are doing their best to capitulate. But UEFA-affiliated referees are cut from a different cloth (unless they’re English).
The only other action worthy of reporting were a) a mazy 60-yard run from MLS that saw Tarkowski flatten him on the edge of the area. No booking. Rice's dead ball effort was very well hit, but straight at Pickford. But a lovely dribble past 5 men there. And b) a fine cross shot late on from Martinelli that stung Pickford's palms.
There's really nothing else for me to add on that. And so we must move on… to Real Madrid.
This is a Real Madrid side in indifferent form. Having shipped 4 goals to Real Sociedad at home in midweek, they contrived to concede a last-minute winner at home to Valencia on Saturday; perhaps handing La Liga to Barcelona as a result. So there is hope.
Of course, they come alive in the Champions League. It’s almost their own private property. But they have injury and suspension issues, so you never know. I mean; you probably do. But it’s the hope that kills you.
There will be key battles all over the pitch. Literally everywhere. Provided Arsenal can win their fair share of those, and slow the supply line to Bellingham and the wingers, they’ll have a chance. It remains to be seen what Arteta decides to do with regards to Kivior and also Saka - his two main decisions. As far as the former is concerned, Mbappe may be good, but he's no Beto after all...
Either way, Tuesday sees the biggest match at Emirates Stadium for a long, long time. I personally can’t wait. Of course, it could be painful. But we at least get to see our boys play against an iconic name in world football, and some iconic players (plus Dani Ceballos). So COYG!!!
Before I go, I just wanted to wish you all a Happy St Totteringham's Day for last Thursday. Although frankly that's barely reportable; so bad are Tottenham Hotspur at the moment.
I’ll be back with you on Wednesday. And again on Sunday or Monday. Have a great week!
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