I'm not really a fan of blaming referees for defeats.
It's a trope that I find irritating and tiresome; some managers have made a career out of it (Neil Warnock, Steve Bruce, Rafa Benitez, Chris Coleman... the list goes on).
Wenger's tendency to blame referees has increased as Arsenal's trophy-less run has continued. Sometimes it's a desperate attempt to convince himself that he's just unlucky, sometimes it's a furious ploy to try and cover his own back. But sometimes, he gets it right.
Last night's travesty against Bayern Munich was partly Wenger's own fault. It's understandable that he would want to punish Giroud for his Double-D sized indiscretion, but to choose as his successor the raw, unpredictable Sanogo against the world's best club side was a gamble at best, suicide at worst. Wenger's determination to rebuff Podolski at every turn continues to baffle.
But even with that in mind, something must be said for the ridiculous nature of the decision that led to Szczesny leaving the field six minutes before the break. According to Law 12, there are seven contexts for a player to receive a red card. Was it serious foul play? No, the goalkeeper's studs were planted firmly into the ground. Violent conduct? Nope. Spitting? No, although Robben is alleged to have taken part in that particular vice himself, later in the game. Deliberate handball? Doesn't apply to a 'keeper in his own area. Second yellow? Negative. Offensive or abusive language or gestures? Not until a few minutes later.
An offence to prevent a clear goal-scoring opportunity? Well, let's consider that. When Robben poked the ball out of Szczesny's path, it was already heading six feet wide of goal, where it was collected by Bacary Sagna on the byline. So not only was Szczesny not the last man, the ball was already about to be collected by a defender. Was it a penalty and a yellow card? Of course, no doubt. But a red?
We've long known that Uefa has its favourites. For as long as they were playing sizzling attacking football, Barcelona held that title; their dominance over opponents was always compounded by a flurry of 22-man brawls, questionable red cards and laughable suspensions. Are Bayern slowly becoming the new teacher's pet?
Beyond Excuses.
posted on 20/2/14
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posted on 20/2/14
But then you just judge the severity of the foul accordingly.
Just because your chance of scoring isn't quite as good due to a foul shouldn't mean you should gain a man advantage in every case.
But that's the difficulty with it, and it makes the ref's job much easier if it's more black and white.
It was a 50/50 ball that the keeper went for yesterday and he caught the player. In that situation I think a pen and a yellow would suffice. The ref got it right because he followed the rules, so nobody can complain about that.
posted on 20/2/14
Sanogo played well, wasn't wrong to play him at all.
And he was clearly the last man. It might be a silly rule but it was a red.
posted on 20/2/14
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posted on 20/2/14
but if robben had not been fouled it is likely that he would have collected the ball before sagna. robben is miles ahead of sagna. obviously sanga collects the ball, but onlybecause robben has been fouled.
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Even if the keeper didn't touch Robben he has no chance of collecting the ball with those old legs you fool..
posted on 20/2/14
Yeah I like the idea of a sin bin.
There are grey areas where a red seems too harsh but there should be some sort of punishment and I think that would be a good alternative.
posted on 20/2/14
Summed up nicely on Arseblog - "Arsene Wenger accused Arjen Robben of making the most of the contact, which he most certainly did because that’s what Arjen Robben does. There’s no doubt he was caught by Szczesny, but he jumped up in the air – in the wrong direction from the way the contact would have sent him – and he stayed down as if he’d been poleaxed. The referee’s decision? He thought: last man, clear goalscoring opportunity = red card and a penalty.
For me, however, it’s a ridiculous rule and the punishment – for any team – is too harsh. Leaving aside the fact Robben pushed the ball away from goal and might not have got there, Szczesny didn’t deliberately foul him, he tried to make a save. And of course he’s the last man, he’s the goalkeeper, and shouldn’t he be entitled to do that?
If Robben had been hacked down from behind by Koscielny or pulled back to Mertesacker as he was shaping to shoot, then fair enough. That’s a good case for a red card, but punishing a goalkeeper for trying to make a save by sending him off then presenting the opposition with another clear cut goalscoring chance is too heavy a punishment and it ruined what should have been a fantastic game of football.
It wasn’t dangerous play, as some people would try and have you believe, but by the letter of the law the referee’s decision was correct. However, that doesn’t mean that particular law isn’t stupid and it’s something that the game’s authorities should really consider changing. And I say this for the benefit of the game itself, not just because it affected us last night. Even Bayern’s keeper said afterwards:
I know about the rules but this should not be a red card for the keeper. Arsenal was punished enough with the penalty.
In studio, Michael Ballack (hardly Arsenal biased) disagreed with the cretinous axis of Jamie, and said the same thing. The punishment does not fit the crime. Szczesny didn’t deliberately, professionally prevent the goalscoring chance; he was a keeper left exposed by his defence trying to make a last-ditch save and that he got it slightly wrong should mean the referee has the option to keep him on the pitch." (www.arseblog.com)
Personally, I don't think the touch was enough to bring him down, either. You could see Robben look at the ref before going down, just as the contact was made. I'm no expert, but if the contact isn't enough to make you go down then that shouldn't be a foul - a bit like the Suarez/Guzan penalty. Bit of a grey area, though, because how can you decide if the contact is enough to bring you down?
posted on 21/2/14
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posted on 21/2/14
Robben had his leg very high to get the ball. Could the ref given a foul on Szez instead? Not so sure.
posted on 21/2/14
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