So let's just stick to The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where there were a number of controversial incidents:
- Should the Newcastle equaliser have been disallowed for handball by Joelinton in the buildup. Quite possibly; arm down by his side but his intervention led directly to the goal
- Should Burn have received a second yellow card for intentional handball? Or gone minutes later for another in a series of fouls? Probably
- Should Newcastle have been awarded a penalty when Kulusevski impeded Gordon, leading (it appeared) to breaking the latter's nose? Well, in the context of the penalty awarded to Brighton, definitely!
What is it with VAR in England? In the Champions League, there's little or no controversy at all. Surely it's down to the personnel involved? And the ‘we know best’ PGMOL tweaks.
And now on to the Arsenal game. And with the squad still suffering from illness there was no Havertz in the squad at all; and neither Odegaard nor Martinelli were deemed fit/well enough to start. With Timber suspended - some of the bookings that led to that were totally petty - Arteta was once more forced to move Partey to right back, with Jorginho coming in to anchor the midfield, and Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard (the home crowd booed his every touch) also returning. Ethan Nwaneri retained his starting spot. The bench consisted of Odegaard, Martinelli, a goalkeeper, two under 19s... and four left backs! Due to some fixture anomalies, this was the first time in 9 matches that Arsenal had left London and, amazingly, they've now got 5 successive home matches to add to that statistical madness.
Now, Brighton are a decent side. They hadn't actually won since late November, but most of the games had been drawn. They are possession-heavy, press well, and are extremely well organised. Arsenal or City Lite, one might say. And there was plenty of evidence of that during the game. However, Arsenal took the lead as early as the 16th minute when Nwaneri ran onto Merino's nicely clipped pass into acres of space from the right 8 position, cut in and hit a low shot underneath Verbruggen, who frankly should have done a lot better.
At that point Arsenal were in control, keeping a blunt-looking Brighton at arm's length with comfort. But they also weren't creating much; something hardly surprising given the loss of so many creative players. And any trouble they found themselves in was frankly self-inflicted, with Jorginho looking rusty and off the pace as Brighton targeted him in possession. The enforced loss of Partey in midfield was notable.
Up the other end, I can see the frustration that opposing supporters feel as Arsenal look to make an 'occasion' of every set piece. They're looking to create trepidation in the opposition ranks, but for me they've taken it a little too far. The home supporters booed at almost every throw in, and at every corner and free kick. It's up to referees to stamp down on that, and surely at some point Arteta and Jover will learn their lesson. Timber's 5 bookings included three for time-wasting, and Nwaneri received one as he stood for an eternity over a corner. This was the 9th time that an Arsenal player had been booked for time-wasting this season - yes, there's definitely an element of targeting the Gunners, but there's no smoke without fire.
At one corner, there was a coming together of Jesus, Merino and Partey as they all went for the same ball; leaving the first two on the floor. Perhaps it was that incident that took the eye of both referee and VAR, as a half-second beforehand Gabriel had been hauled to the ground by an arm around the neck from the combative O'Riley as he looked to find space. The sort of challenge that gets penalised in rugby and even American football (I think it's called a 'horse' collar in the latter sport), let alone in a sport in which free kicks are given for minimal contact. In the context of what transpired later, that's quite a talking-point.
Arsenal ended the first half on top, but I sat thinking that a one-goal lead against a team so good on the ball was tenuous to say the least. Yes, they looked blunt up top, but it only takes a moment; as time proved.
Nwaneri was replaced by Martinelli at half-time. At the time, we suspected it was down to the typically fussy piece of officiating from Anthony Taylor (who I once thought was a good referee - what was I thinking?), but as it turns out he was injured. Handy, that, with Arsenal playing again on Tuesday. That gives Arsenal cause for concern regarding Saka (out), Sterling (out), Nwaneri (almost certainly out), Odegaard (unwell), Martinelli (unwell), and Havertz (really very unwell). It never rains... Brighton made two changes, looking to become more aggressive in transition and to stretch Arsenal; which is exactly what they did. Yet still without creating anything big.
And the next chance fell to Arsenal. Perhaps inevitably from a set-piece, as Rice's clever low delivery was side-footed well wide by Merino. A difficult chance, but a chance nonetheless.
And then, on the hour, disaster struck as yet another unprecedented opportunity knocked for a referee to give a decision against Arsenal. Following some pinball in the Arsenal area, the ball appeared above Joao Pedro and William Saliba. The former got his head to the ball fractionally before the latter, who nonetheless got something on it before a clash of heads. Taylor, seizing his chance, awarded a penalty - for something completely accidental and, from my understanding of the Law, incorrect. He'd made contact with the ball before Pedro's head. Ergo not a deliberate foul, and therefore not a penalty.
Now, it's entirely possible that the VAR may have deemed Taylor to have made a mistake. Maybe a proper review of the challenge would suggest to Mr England in the booth that Taylor take a second look. Yet a VAR system that sometimes leave fans standing around for up to 4 minutes as they check a possible offside (what happened to semi-automatic offsides, by the way?) took all of THREE SECONDS to ratify the decision. Indefensible, and further sign of a conspiracy against Arsenal.
How many times this season have we seen Arsenal players punished for actions that were never penalised again for any other club? Rice's second yellow in the previous fixture against Brighton, for side-footing the ball a yard.
Trossard's second yellow at Manchester City, given for kicking the ball away 0.7 of a second after the whistle had blown (Michael Oliver; who last year had been defended by Howard Webb for not sending off Kovacic against Arsenal as he 'didn't want to unduly influence the game').
Saliba's sending off at Bournemouth; an incident remarkably similar to one later the very same day in which a Chelsea defender was merely booked for an almost identical, but arguably worse challenge.
The 9 bookings for time-wasting. And we shouldn’t forget Taylor’s scratching off of Arsenal’s late ‘winning’ goal against Liverpool earlier this season for a non-foul by Kivior in the build-up.
And now this; I've never seen it given before, and I doubt that I will again (actually, it's remarkably similar to the penalty Arsenal got at West Ham when Fabianski inadvertently landed a fist on Gabriel at a corner - I felt sorry for the keeper at the time as it was unintentional). But if it’s going to go one of two ways, it’s going to go AGAINST Arsenal.
Joao Pedro, who loves a dive and had hit the floor (sneaking a sly look at the referee, you may spot if you watch it again) as if there was a sniper on the stadium roof, miraculously recovered to take the spot kick, sending Raya the wrong way.
And from then on Arsenal could barely rouse themselves to take the game back to the home side; despite the introduction of (a clearly unfit) Odegaard. Brighton looked far more likely to pinch a winner, but are pretty toothless, for all their attractive football. Chances went begging; and thankfully the second goal didn't come. One move saw Arsenal in a real mess as the irritating Veltman lifted the ball over Merino and set Minteh away; only for the latter's cross to travel agonisingly across the goal with Arsenal outnumbered 5-4 in the move. In fact, Arsenal could have sealed the win if Thomas Partey had directed his header - from yet another Rice free kick - on target instead of three yards over the bar late on. And here's how I see it; without the intervention of Anthony Taylor and his mate Darren England, Arsenal win this match 1-0. The draw, however, changes the narrative around Arsenal's title challenge, with Liverpool streaking off into the distance - the only side showing real consistency.
This is all very disappointing; with an added pinch - yet again - of injustice. Arsenal must lick their wounds and go again on Tuesday (a massive 73 hours between matches as opposed to 72 for Brighton) in the first leg of their League Cup semi-final with in-form Newcastle. It's a case of 'if you're fit; you're in'. Just how many left backs can Arteta shoehorn into the side?
Still, at least we're at home. Let's get behind them. And with Manchester United holding Liverpool - in a terrific game of football, I’m sure you’ll agree - maybe it’s back on again?…
COYG!
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