(Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Morning all.
We’re nearly there. Three days and Arsenal are back in action against Newcastle Utd on Sunday afternoon. Lee Mason has been appointed for this one and he’s far from being the best the PGMOL have to offer. Actually, none of them really stand out for their excellence. Only this morning the Mail Online have a article relating to a couple of referees who have failed their fitness tests to become members of the FIFA international list. I guess there’ll be no Euros for Andy Madley or David Coote then unless they pass on the second attempt which they’ve been given after blaming the effects of influenza for their poor performance. What poppycock. If either had a dose of the flu they wouldn’t have made it out of bed in the first place.
It’s not been a good time for the PGMOL, as Jon Moss has found himself in hot water over his alleged comments made to Bournemouth players during their 2-1 defeat to Sheffield Utd.
Talking after the game, Dan Gosling told the Daily Echo:
The ref didn’t help. Giving soft fouls away and little comments to two or three of the lads didn’t help as well really. I thought it was very disrespectful what he was saying. It was just the little niggly ones and then the little sarky comments. The officials talk about respect at the start of the season and there was zero respect from Jon Moss on Sunday.
I thought he was a disgrace. The comments that he made especially to me and one other player – talking about the relegation zone and ‘you’re still in the relegation zone’, ‘you’re having one’, ‘your team’s having one’, this and that and it was very, very disrespectful.
In my opinion, Jon Moss is up there with some of the worst referees in the Premier League, closely followed by the rest. They’re ‘managed’ by a guy who must be one of a few who hasn’t been able to oversee a successful implementation of VAR in England. A subject discussed many times, yet still it’s failing. Not because of technology in my opinion but because of it’s operators who appear to be ignoring the ‘clear and obvious’ rule.
Marc Clattenburg also found himself in a bit of trouble a few years ago for similar reasons to Moss. His comments were made to Adam Lallana who was then at Southampton. Clattenburg made some reference about the playing changing since he’d been called up for England which didn’t go down well. Clattenburg said his comments were made to diffuse a situation rather than wave his cards about for dissent. Moss was perhaps doing similar but even so, there’s a difference between the two. Mocking Bournemouth’s league position and struggles was in my opinion, unprofessional.
However, footballers can’t have it both ways. One doesn’t need to be a professional lipreader to work out what some of the players dish out to the officials so why are they surprised, upset even when they get a bit back? Two wrongs don’t make a right of course but if this is the start of something regular, there’ll be only one outcome. Zero tolerance both ways.
Rugby have got it right. There’s mutual respect between officials and players and when a referee speaks, the player listens. No first names are used during the game, just numbers and the shirt colour and as a result, seldom do problems materialise. The referees in football seem to want to be everyone’s mate, certainly in many cases anyway. I can recall Rooney always being referred to as Wayne by Mike Dean during our matches, yet it was surnames only for our guys.
Referees, linesmen and women are there to do a job and they need to be professional. Footballers are not their best friend, they’ve not their to have a laugh and a joke with either and the same goes for the officials too. If a player starts hurling abuse at the referee, book him. If he carries on, send him off. After all, it’s in the rules.
It sends a message to the kids growing up too, and their parents/guardians who bring them up playing sport. Getting it right at grass roots level will only make for a better future in all sport.
As for Jon Moss, well, he’s been cleared of any wrong doing which is no great surprise but it does raise the question about how this incident was investigated. If the complaint from Bournemouth was made official, someone other than Mike Riley should have investigated it. Sounds to me like a big broom has appeared and the nearest carpet lifted.
See you in the comments guys.
Excellent, Rico 👍 I had to laugh at the part saying a couple had failed their fitness tests….Moss??? 😂
I have to applaud Dan Gosling for speaking up, as that really was unprofessional of Moss… I mean who do these guys think they are?! I’m sure now though, Bournemouth’s card will be marked by Moss, just like ours is by Mike Dean. And I’m not at all surprised nothing has come from this! Does it ever???
Lee Mason… we’ve not had him in a while I don’t think… he looks like a young Phil Mitchell 😂 Roll on Sunday!
Do you follow the Arsenal women, Rico? They play Liverpool tonight… I’d love a win (& a mauling!!)
Thanks Sue.
A bit like us after Taylor fell out with Wenger… mind you, our card seems to be marked by all.
I do follow the women and watch when I can..
I thought I’d included their names, oops.
Premier League referees Andy Madley and David Coote are two who failed their fitness test.
Well I’m shocked it wasn’t Moss!! When you see them warming up just before the game, after running (well jogging) a lap of the pitch, he looks absolutely shattered!! Sweating like a good ‘un!!
Not sure if the women are on BT tonight.. if they are, I’ll have to flick between that and the premier league darts!!
BT Sport Sue, KO at 7pm.
Hi Rico and all I all ways said we should change the rules about refers and make the following ( 1 ) the referee to be miked during match and the clubs have 24 hours to lodge a complaint and to ask for the recording if they are not happy about some thing ( 2) only the team captain can approach the referee during a match ( 3 ) no touching the ref when players complaining ( 4 ) if any official complaints against the referee the officials come out and explain why no action taken was taken
There is no excuse for the way Moss spoke to players, but as you say, Rico, how do players speak to officials on a weekly basis and get away with it???
Players these days are just so bloody precious.
Rugby would penalise players very heavily if they’re dared approach a ref yelling and screaming, but we see it every week in football and nothing’s done.
In fact, if a club is NOT complaining and protesting to officials, they’re missing out.
FIFA have the power to clean the entire game up, yet do nothing.
Morning all.
Morning Rico. Old role-poly Moss is a sweating, wheezing lump of a man who lumbers around the centre circle guessing decisions and dreaming of meat pies. Mind you, he’s not alone in his ridiculous bias is he? As we’ve said before, perhaps the officials in the PL and their obvious allegiances will, one day, be exposed. I won’t hold my breath though as I expect Dean to take over from Riley quite soon, or perhaps that arbiter of fairness Atkinson will accede to the throne of gross partiality.
Hi Geoff, I’m with you re the refs wearing a mic, but that would suit Riley at all. Only when he goes will we perhaps see a better, fairer set of officials I think.
And meanwhile Scott, the kids and parents of today think it’s acceptable, the norm even. Football really doesn’t do itself any favours at all.
Morning Adam, Clattenburg was one of a few refs I quite liked, another was Halsey. Dirk in used to make me laugh..
I’d like to see Clattenburg replace Riley but you’re probably right, Dean is the most likely.
Great! Thanks, Rico 🙂
Rico, I thought Clattenburg was far and away the best in the League.
He was also one of very few to stand up to Fergie.
Yes, I’ve seen young kids argue with refs and it’s hard to criticise them for following in their “heroes” footsteps.
Monkey see…….
Hi Rico not sure what the rules are in junior soccer but in Australia if the parents show any aggressive behaviour to any player or the referees / umpires in soccer or aussie rules the parents get suspended from watching there children play and if the club is court not removing them during suspension period the club gets fined.
Rico. If we ever needed an apt description as to the refereeing standards in this country, saying that Clattenberg was the best is probably it.
I would describe him as being the least worst, despite it being a rather ugly use of the language.
Oh and you were right about the diving antics of Guendouzi in the last post too. Irritating.
Adam, it’s all relative, and
I never said he was a superb ref.
Some of them are truly dismal, some seemingly blatantly biased and others are hard to judge fairly, as the fact they even attempt to make a decision when 30 yards behind play is admirable Hahahahahaha
Stop talking about the diving bastards guys, even our own 🙂 🙂
Me too Scott. Oliver used to be ok but looks like he’s caught the Riley bug…
I don’t know them either Geoff.
Adam, either way it’s the same. Lol
I think we have a few who go to ground rather easily. Ozil certainly.
Morning Rico
Nothing will ever be allowed to sully The Greatest Show on Earth and the biggest money maker.
Our referees are as poor as I can ever remember, VAR hasn’t changed a thing, but tbf their were many inside the football industry and media who consistently clamoured for ‘consistency’ and now we have it, consistently in all it’s petty glory, offside is offside, even if it’s a toe an elbow or a thumb.
If you want the spirit of the game, the feel of the game, the immediacy of the game, you have to accept that there will be errors, you won’t get that with VAR not under Riley, he is a numbers man, the kind of guy who would have excelled working for HMRC or the planning dept at your local council.
As for a footballer moaning about a referee giving him ‘some back’ I had to laugh, what a namby pamby Dan Gosling comes across. Let’s see how it goes down the next time he mouths off at a linesman or a referee? If I was Dan I would seriously keep my gob shut for the duration…
Footballers ‘give it’ for 90 minutes, the smart ones do it behind your back but make sure you can hear them, whilst the linesman cops dogs abuse from both the crowd and the players.
Most players are so thick they forget that the linesman is also a referee and you can also get sent off for foul and abusive aimed at a Lino. Most linesmen suck it up to help the referee as the ref has enough on his hands controlling millionaires at the top level or idiots who don’t know the rules at the other end of the spectrum.
The implementation of VAR in this country has been a disaster because Riley is a control freak and couldn’t let go, therefore the referee is continuously undermined.
VAR should be a help to the ref, instead it has affected the whole game, I just wish that referees would have the conviction to go with their initial decision and not allow themselves to be continually over ruled. Never mind what Riley says, but I guess that would mean a suspension!
Morning Kev, or has Gosling been bold to expose these officials for what they are? Biased, poor and imo, cheats..
Is that what Gosling did Rico?
I thought he was just complaining because the referee had showed a lack of respect.
Or pretty much what footballers do all the time.
And coaches and managers…
Maybe referees should be carry a mic…?
Rico, if his actions bring about change, then he should be applauded.
He could end up on the wrong end of this, though.
Referees in the Premier league are a disgrace, mind you players behaviour towards them is too: Wayne Rooney infamously swore incessantly to Graham Poll in about 2004, with no punishment.
One of my favourite Refs too, was Mark Clattenburg, he was in charge of a Chelsea game, the players surrounded him, he waved them away saying he couldn’t give a monkeys about their protests. The players went berserk thinking he was racially abusing them – it was just his strong North East of England accent.
He didn’t call them cheats etc Kev but he did call into question the decision making by Moss.
Unless people talk about how rubbish the officials are instead of patting them on the back all the time, nothing will change. Same go for the idiot pundits who say ‘nothing in that’ after a player has just been crunched…
I bet he will Scott…
Poll and Webb were ok although the latter seemed to focus a bit too much on how he looked for the camera imo.
Rico, the same as pundits and fans defending divers.
“Oh there was contact there”…….contact that wouldn’t have broken the surface of custard lol
There’s a lot of dishonest and misleading opinions offered on the game.
From what I understand Rico, Moss made some comments to Gosling about their position in the league and the fact that they were in relegation trouble.
All that’s in isolation because we don’t know what the players had said to Moss, I don’t think he’s the worst referee and he certainly isn’t the best but if you want to dish it out don’t go whinging when you get a bit back and I’m sure that Moss said what he did in answer to what had been said to him.
The answer could be that there is no chat between players and officials and if a player swears at a ref or a lino he gets sent off.
Would love it if a mic is introduced….
I agree some players do go too far… but they end up with a yellow…what do the refs receive? A big fat nowt!!
Like I said change the rules and only allow the teams captain to complain / speak to the ref about a tackle or free kick and this could cut out any ref claiming he felt intimidated by all the players yelling and abusing him in to making a wrong decision lets face it VAR will never get it wright if the wrong people are using it
Totally agree Scott, again it all depends on who the pundit etc favours.
That’s true Kev, we don’t know how it started but Moss is the one with the whistle. If he was the victim of the first barrage of abuse, it’s up to him to set the tone isn’t it? Why not just book the respective player under the laws of the game. It’s the only way to try and stop the abuse imo.
As the post suggests, Adopt the rugby style of officiating and put an end to it all.
Sue, a handshake from Riley I suspect. After all, Bournemouth are a southern club.
I agree Rico, but you can’t book a player for swearing at you, that’s a red, but refs ignore it because the language is endemic and you’d end up with 7 a side and the media complaining about common sense refereeing etc.
I’m not defending referee’s here, they’re awful, but the player just comes across as a bit of a drama queen to me…
I understand why Kev, I really do.
If I was the ref, I’d send them off. 😂
Nice one Rico.
Under Sir Alex, Manshafter were ahead of their time in having their own Reffereeing Academy.
, we should have had one at Hale End starting them off young!
Maybe a good idea would be to have Deaf and Dumb Reffs, so they dont have to listen to the players or speak to them and just blow their whistle, use sign language and brandish cards, well lets face it we`ve had enough Blind ones!
Deaf ,dumb and blind ?
You could write a song about that.
Something to browse over and to prove that it`s a myth that Mike Dean does not favour us…………………we do well against Spuds when he Reffs and bad against Chavs overall!
https://www.worldfootball.net/referee_summary/mike-dean/arsenal-fc/4/
Thanks Lc.
The women are 1-0 down…
Urgh that wasn’t supposed to happen, Rico! They’re way down the table!! 😳
Still time for a Miedema brace!
Right on cue….. 👍
Yep, still early Sue…
Hey, Le Coq… I’m quite surprised at that chart of all our results…. be very interesting to see one of the penalties he’s awarded us.. wouldn’t take long to browse over 😉
I recall the one he awarded us against Palace before VAR overturned it. Same with the Sokratis goal at the end. Dean gave it, VAR went on the hunt and disallowed it.
Only one game lost in the first 8 years under Dean!…………………he probably got his knuckles rapped for being pro-Arsenal ! 😆
Good three points for the women. Losing streak comes to an end.
Now for the men to get a few goals on Sunday.
Night guys…
Goonerettes beat The Car Jackers 3-2!………………………………………now for Love Island……………….did you know Shaughna is a Gooner!………………nice bit of useless information!
😆
Well Rico, Miedema didn’t let us down, she got her brace! Back to winning ways…. darts has been good too, my man came back from 6-2 down to draw 6-6… so a great night!
Fallon Sherrock played some superb darts tonight, drawing 6-6 against Duzza! 👍
Girl power, Rico 😁
https://mobile.twitter.com/Arsenal/status/1228061297880817673
I think you’ll like this, Rico 🙂
Wish they could both finish as well as Wrighty Sue.
Morning all.
No new post this morning as I’ve a sack full of post to go through…… 😜
Bearing in mind the topic of this post, this is quite interesting I think.
During the Bundesliga winter break, German FA officials decided they had become fed up with dissent. The directive went out for refs to clamp down on it and take no lip.
Early in the second half of a game between RB Leipzig and Borussia Mönchengladbach, Alassane Plea angrily claimed he had been fouled by Marcel Sabitzer. Referee Tobias Stieler booked Plea and the Mönchengladbach striker responded by making a dismissive hand gesture.
Stieler sent him off.
Here the ref would have had to phone Stockley Park to ask which pocket the caed was in.
Haha a sack full of post!! Sounds like your postman is in the same poor state as mine hahaha!!
card …………………………….. wish there was an edit facility.
We only get post when it’s not raining , then it comes in sackfulls . Usually adverts and flysheets..
Still it saves on firelighters.
Morning all.
I had a lovely Valentine’s Day.
I worked, got home, wife went to work-bliss hahahahaha
Ha ha Potter.
Was it Oliver or Friend who sent off a Utd player for being ‘hands on’? I was surprised as it was against us. Not that long ago either.
Di Maria.
Rico. Did you get my Valentine’s card?
FA Cup I think Rico at Old Toilet…
Morning Rico & All, I don’t want any post thank you, it’s usually bills or parking tickets.
The Senegalese/French guy looks interesting, comparisons with Vieira look certain.
Only £5m fits in with our transfer policy, but the rumours of the Mancs and Scousers sniffing around Saka are worrying. We need to tie down our young players and pronto.
That means Saka, Guendouzi and Martinelli asap…
Might have done Adam, had so many. Wha5 was the picture? 😜
Morning Kev, that’s it and we won.
Guyre or however it’s spelt? Seems exactly the kind of player we might go for. He’s supposed to be pretty good, strong, fast and athletic. Who knows really..
Rico. It was a pic of Kev doing a dangerous U turn in Oxford St with some terrified Americans in the back.😃
And a heart of course.
Seen a few reports that Saka is so far refusing to sign a new contract – sign him up !
Just opened it Adam. 😆
Any reliable Limey? A bit of a concern if true.
It was the Mail online Rico, hopefully just his agent trying to get a pay rise.
Thanks Limey, the mail are mischief makers so probably rubbish.
From Mikel’s press conference. Neither of our new boys will get a look in on Sunday. Both have “issues” ( how I hate that word) and will not be ready for a week or so.
Apparently Kolasinac and Saka are fit for Sunday… Mikel to toss a coin?! 😄
The wind is picking up, storm Dennis is coming…hope our game won’t be postponed – we’ve waited long enough – plus I’ve just watched 5 of the best v Newcastle and am excited now! Could Dennis help blow the ball in the net a few times?!! Haha. Been a while since we scored more than 2 goals!!
Manchester City have been banned from the Champions League for two seasons. Due to serious breeches of FFP regulations. They have also been fined €30 million.
Does that mean top five is the new top four trophy?
Happy Valentines Day all and thanks Rico, Sue for the cards and Scott for the Roses!
😆
As you will all have probably guessed as the most virile man in Cornwall and being a direct descendant of Lord Flashheart I am the romantic type !………………………I think the wife was pleased with my present of some heart shaped Brillo pads, a heart shaped fairy liquid despencer and a broom which sang Whitney Houston`s “I will always love you” when in movement and giving off a mild electric shock when stationary.
The wife pulled out all the stops and got me a Mikel Arteta look-a-like impersonator…………best pressie ever!…………………….and to show my appreciation I had a shower!…………upon walking into my bedroom which is fully mirrored from floor to walls to ceiling I caught a brief glimpse of myself and thought …..wow!……………I could not resist and played kiss chase with myself, hysterically laughing as I knew what I was going to do when I caught myself!………eventually I calmed down and laid red and white roses all over the bed and floor, scattered Arsenal scarfs, pictures of Arsenals 1971 Double winning team on the mirrored walls with old Arsenal programmes on the bedside cabinets and laid naked on the bed with Arsenal rosettes piecing my nipples and as the door opened I whispered in a sexy foreign accent those 3 special words…………………………..Good Ebening Mikel !
You’re a weapon LC hahahahaha
😂😂 how did you know the card was from me??!!
I’ve finally stopped laughing after reading that and one thing that caught my eye was mirrors….. omg does that mean VCC has been in your bedroom?!! Hahaha!!!
Le Coq, a trailer for Stranger Things 4 dropped earlier – omg!! I can’t wait!!
Crikey, just seen that re City. I’m shocked..,
Sue, I can guarantee I never sent the bastard roses bahahahahahahahaha
Rico, FINALLY, FFP is being enforced properly, thought it remains to be seen if this action would be taken against the likes of Barca and Real 🙂
Guys, cross your fingers for me.
We have a greyhound racing in The final of Australia’s biggest maiden series tonight.
40k to the winner and she’s a live chance.
Not sure if any of you follow the dogs at all, but there’s a very strong English connection as the mother of our girl was a champion English bitch, purchased after she finished racing and brought to Oz for breeding.
I’ve been calm all week, but the nerves are kicking in now 🙂
Does that mean you’ll recover all that money you spent on those roses, Scott?? 😜😂
Scott, I can’t see why not if they breach FFP, not now.
Also, hopefully it’ll put an end to expectations of Kroenke investing his own money because he cant as things stand. Or at least that’s my interpretation.
Let’s hope we really go for it starting on Sunday then! What a lifeline!
There’s an appeal to come yet though Sue….
Sue……………………where did you see the Stranger Things 4 trailer ?……………….I need my fix !…………………….Did you ever see The Boys ?
I bet it’ll drag on for ages, Rico… there’s hope for the moment!
Only if she wins Sue 🙂
Rico, I hope you’re right and the fact UEFA took on City shows they’re pretty serious which is great.
Level playing field-I’m sure that’s all the majority want
Roses are Red
Violets are Blue
Scott wants a threesome
with me and a Kangeroo
😆
The City ban will be reduced to one year imo………….they (UEFA) always compromise.
Bloody hell Lc lol
It was trending earlier…if you google it or look on YouTube. Not all of it, I lost interest in it.. there’s a second season coming soon isn’t there?
It does amaze me how so many fans think that we will get CL if City are banned when there are when there are 5 teams in much better positions than us and 3 teams with the same points as us…………..obviously they will all choke and we will sail through with flying colours!
😆
Our best chance is still the winning the EL!
A second season I hope so.
Just see the ST trailer…………so Chief Hopper didn`t die!
It looks good!! He just had to be alive!
Yes, Le Coq the more I think about it, I shouldn’t have got carried away… it’s tight in the table… and if we end up drawing or worse on Sunday, then as you say, EL is our best bet.
I wonder if Pep will stay or go??!
I’d say he will leave.
He’ll become Mikel’s assistant 😉
That’s the only thing that eludes them… if they don’t win it this season, I’ll be surprised if he hangs around.
Good luck for later, btw Scott.
What are you smoking down there in Cornwall?
Man City will get off I reckon, the lawyers will have a field day…
Thanks Sue.
Kev, and they’ll make an absolute fortune 🙂
Hi Scott whats the name of your dog racing my neighbour had one but the stupid dog on his first race come out of the starting box and done a u turn back over the box then over the fence and took off never seen since
Arsenal luck must be changing can you Imagine if UEFA suspend the coach and assistant Arteta would be suspended I say Pep would be running out of the club with some top players not far behind
The Premier League can now intensify their investigation into Manchester City and they could be kicked out and made to play in League Two.
Geoff, it’s Frieda Las Vegas at Ipswich tonight.
Morning Rico. Interesting situation developing with Man City I think.
Morning Adam.
A precedence setter I hope. I just hope the powers that be don’t buckle under pressure because this over spending really needs to stop imo.
New post up by the way.