Morning all.
After all the hype about Aston Villa, I thought we totally outplayed them yesterday. They did one thing better than us and that was to take one opportunity to score. For the rest of the match they barely troubled David Raya although there was one other strike from Ollie Watkins which Raya stopped just as the offside flag went up, however, had he not stopped it, I’m pretty sure VAR would have allowed the goal to stand.
Bukayo Saka had the first chance of the game but couldn’t get full control of a Gabriel Martinelli cross. Villa then scored. Gabriel Martinelli lobbed Martinez but his shot didn’t have the power to get over the line before Diego Carlos cleared it. Martin Odegaard probably had the best opportunities to score, but his first was saved by Martinez, the second, he put wide. Midway through the second half, Martinez fumbled a corner, the ball deflected off Watkins on to the post but Villa then cleared the danger. Saka thought he’d equalised but was deemed offside. In to stoppage time and Havertz equalised. However, Gillet blew his whistle for handball. How Gillet spotted a handball from where he was I don’t know. How he deemed it to be hand to ball rather than ball to hand was in my opinion, him guessing. VAR reviewed the incident and the goal was ruled out.
It’s a shame Gillet’s eyesight wasn’t as sharp when Eddie Nketiah was elbowed in the face or when Gabriel Jesus was fouled in the Villa box.
Mikel Arteta on the Douglas Luiz challenge and the VAR decision at the end:
Clear and obvious. Clear and obvious. That’s what I mean.
On the threshold of the rule:
That’s my opinion, that’s all I can say.
On dominating the game:
We had so many big opportunities, some of them we didn’t even finish when they were completely open. We had to pick the right player to shoot and when we did it two or three times it was an open goal almost and we didn’t manage to score, but there’s not much more that we can demand from the team to play every three days. To play the way they’ve done, I am really pleased, but disappointed because in the end we didn’t have the result that we wanted.
Earlier in the day, Roy Hodgson and his Crystal Palace side had fallen victims of shocking officiating during an undeserved defeat against Liverpool. Afterwards, Hodgson said:
I’ve been in football a long time and games like today make me realise that when the day comes to leave it behind, I won’t be missing anything. We’re talking too much about the referees, I am absolutely sick of the handball interpretations, the yellow cards for time-wasting. I’m not a great lover of VAR but what I really don’t understand is we’ve got a referee who gives a clear penalty for the first one and decides to change it and then gives no penalty and decides to change that. So who’s refereeing the game?
Pretty good question really, who is officiating football matches these days? Linesmen are advised to not flag for offside unless it’s clear and obvious so if a team scores, VAR can judge it to be ruled in or out so when a ball is pingponging around in the box, why doesn’t the same rule apply? How can Palace be awarded a penalty for something very similar to which a few hours later is deemed not a penalty? When was an elbow into the face of an opposing player deemed acceptable? When it’s an Arsenal player on the receiving end? I heard one of the Sky Sports commentators say Gillett made a ‘good spot’ for the Havertz handball but what rubbish, he didn’t see it in my opinion, he simply guessed.
But, let’s be honest here, Arsenal should have had the game won by the time Havertz did or didn’t score a legitimate goal in the final minutes of the match. We were by far the better team in but when it came to the final ball to finish a move off, we lacked a killer instinct. I think out attacking play lacks killer instinct in general really, especially against teams who defend well. It’s great to have a solid defence, although for Villa’s goal our left side looked out of sorts, but our attacking game looks slow and predictable. Was I the only one who thought with Villa’s high defensive line, just play a few balls over the top for Jesus, Martinelli or Saka to chase down? With minutes left in a game we’re still faffing around with the ball at the back expecting something, something which hasn’t brought success for 75/80 minutes, to suddenly come good. Where did the urgency in Arsenal’s game go yesterday?
Mikel Arteta on the result:
I’m very disappointed with the result, especially with the way we played, I think we deserved much more than what we had, I thought we were the better team, I haven’t seen a team do what we did to Villa today since we were here in February. It wasn’t enough to win it because we lacked the accuracy in the opponent’s box to put the ball in the back of the net with the amount of situations that we generated.
We were the better team by a country mile in my opinion but if a team doesn’t score goals, it won’t win. Yesterday was one of those days. It happens. It’s frustrating.
Next up is PSV away.
Catch up in the comments.
Morning Rico and all,
The way VAR makes it’s decision yet sees it a totally different way at another match makes me lose interest in the game.
Agreed!
The PL version of VAR is totally borked. I wacth a lot of Spanish football, and VAR decisions rarely take more than a minute an are rarely controversial. I believe that the VAR officials are specially train specialists who don’t referee, unlike our system of rotation, which I think is half of our problem. On the very rare occasion that a mistake happens, the VAR is immediately sacked. It works there, why not here?
Brian
Morning Geoff, all.
VAR, the money, cheating, so much about the game is wrong. I really can’t understand why consistency cannot be achieved. Make the rules more simple then those applying them might understand them. Either that or let technology make more decisions and remove the human error from the game.
Brian, perhaps because the PGMOL have favourites?
Good day Rico.
Thank you Manchester United! By producing probably the worst home performance since the retirement of Old Rednose, they attracted the great majority of the sportswriter’s venom leaving only a little to aim at Arsenal.
On reflection, I tend to agree with your take on the game Rico. Whilst we weren’t at our best we were infinitely better than the scoreline suggests. On another day we would have finished winners with the two goal margin I predicted.
I can’t in all fairness say I am happy with the outcome but, just like Potter, I won’t be slitting my wrists. There’s still a long way to go in the season and nothing seems to be off the cards.
Ps. Please Mr. Arteta and Mr. Edu could we have a decent striker for a new year present?
12.30 BBC 1 Arsenal vs Chelsea in the WSL, Should be a terrific game.
Afternoon Cicero, I won’t be throwing my toys out of the pram either. Reality is, if we could take our chances, we’d all be smiling this morning. Another day and Saka scores at least one, Odegaard two. I can 7 understand the Havertz goal being disallowed but what irks me is Gillett guessing. Had he not given the free kick, I think VAR would not have disallowed the goal.
Nothing 3 decent strikers and a goal scoring central midfielder wouldnt put right. Good luck with that 😂😂😂
Where will the money come from for a new striker though? We’d have to sell first surely.
Sorry BBC two.
I don’t understand how VAR come and the referee come up with the Havertz goal decision is weird, I have watched it several times and it seems to come off the arms of the players from both sides who were jumping around in so close position also why was Emi Martinez not sent off for head butting the Arsenal player who fell over him late in game ( forgot who our player was)
Good first half ladies. Now go and finish them off…
Chavs goal offside? Of course…
I think it was Rico, but I’m happy the game isn’t being interrupted by the endless Var deliberations taking the excitement out of Premiership matches.
Ditto Cicero, I’ve seen this ref before, she’s card happy..
James should be off for that..
Brilliant penalty.
Despite the best (worst) efforts of the referee a 4 – 1 victory over the WSL champions is something to be proud of. 🔔🔔🔔🔔
Absolutely, could have been double figures by the end…
This might be contentious but I reckon Ramsdale would have stoppedVilla’s goal yesterday. It aas a good height in the centre of the goal and Ramsdale being considerably bigger would not have dived under it .
Contentious? I don’t think so. Nothing will change my opinion that Ramsdale is the better of the two keepers.
I don’t normally watch the women’s matches, however congratulations to them for not only winning 4-1 but also for drawing the biggest crowed in women’s football 59,042
Thinking outside of the box,
I wonder if Arteta is thinking of Selling Ramsdale and sending Raya back then bringing in an unknown keeper from somewhere.
did anyone else see the handball that led up to man c scoring and both the ref and VAR let it go.
Interesting point about buying a brand new keeper in the summer.Last week for the first time I heard people on TV discussing that possibility.
At the moment Mikel appears to be 100% behind Raya,one thing about Mikel,he is totally ruthless when his mind is made up.Who could have predicted he would turn against Ramsdale.
As said we must surely sell first.
A report this morning suggests that Arteta has held talks with a certain Dutchman about returning to the club. Unfortunately not as the much needed striker but as an academy coach. Mind you perhaps 👑 Dennis Bergkamp👑 could give some of our first team players a pointer or two when it comes to scoring goals. 😉8
I’d love to see Bergkamp back at the club, I’d love Reading FC to be the League One club he buys too.
Morning all.
Why not just bring in a top keeper coach and improve Ramsdale and Hein?
I’m not sure Arteta really likes or trust Ramsdale after all the mistakes Raya makes, yet Ramsdale still can’t force his way back into the starting lineup.
I understand there is a difference between them but the way Ramsdale has been dropped is starting to remind me of how things played out with Ozil and Auba
Surprise surprise, ref watch didn’t even look at the Luiz elbow into Eddie’s face..
As long as he can offer something to the younger players I for one would be happy to see Bergkamp back
That’s his field I believe Geoff.
With so many knackered players I wonder if Ramsdale will be picked or Hein perhaps. Now that would be a statement, wouldn’t it!
I hope so Wavy. Or Raya plays and stubs his toe against the post. 😆
New post up