Funny how the game can divide opinions so much.
Normally when people harp on about Steven Davis being an absolute world-beater I’m the one telling everyone to calm down, yet today, with a fair few people saying he was poor, I actually thought he had a really decent game.
I think Davis is one of those players you really miss when he isn’t there he is often the glue in midfield. I would like to see him more central I wasn’t too sure where he was playing he seemed to be on left a lot.
It feels like Davis, Tadic, Redmond all playing unfamiliar roles in team shape
So, only seen MOTD, but thought we looked pretty decent all in all. We’ve got two of our hard games out of way this season, and really we’ve only lost them due to dodgy refereeing decisions.
What we have to do is start taking our chances. But to me, the thought of having Boufal and Tadic in the same team is making me wet.
How do you solve a problem like Redmond? We play two proper strikers up front. I think you’ll be surprised in how much having a proper second striker to take away players helps (see the position Mane played in the last 10 games last season). 2 of JRod, Long and Austin, Boufal in behind, Tadic on the left, Hojberg on the right, Romeu holding.
It was clearly a foul - the bloke stood on Shane Long.
But the ref missed that, he allowed play to continue, he missed the head injury, he missed the offside, he missed the arm across the face by Giroud, he missed Fonte getting the ball…and then suddenly he came to life and became all observant.
If anyone wishes to defend that bit of refereeing, good luck…even GoonMaster General Ian Wright was embarrassed.
So, qualified refs or unqualified gobshites, help me out here.
What is the law relating to shirt holding/pulling?
My understanding was that you can’t grab another player’s shirt and if you do you risk giving away a foul/penalty, but that the ref has some leeway to decide if both players are at it then he can ignore the offence or punish the worst offending culprit.
My understanding is also that refs have been told to clamp down on shirt pulling inside the box this season. This has also been communicated to the players.
IF all of this is true, then the decision can be defended.
If not then I am a cunt that needs to go back to SWF (TSW presumably).
Isn’t Simmo a ref?
Simmo?
The prelude to that picture was Giroud pushing Fonte backwards and slapping across face with arm as you see on pic + holding short on collar area. 6 of one for me and a lot of refs might have given it our way
Long was fouled.
There was a head injury.
Giroud put his arm into Fonte’s face.
But thanks for posting a photo of something that happened after the important events.
The camera sometimes tells fibs.
Yeah, you see The RaleighBoy, you gotsta take de emotion out of the situation.
I agree with all that and made exactly those points and more in the thread during the match live, but I’m asking about the laws and whether Madley’s decision could be defended.
Oh, but thanks for helping me decide which of the qualified refs or unqualified gobshites camp you fit into.
That’s why I never pass to you on the pitch.
Just go, belch.
IF you ignored the previous 93 minutes, yes, there could have been a penalty given.
But if we are being sticklers for the laws - head injury, game stopped - debate over.
I think the problem is as Claude said. ‘It is easy to give penalties against us’
The result is 1. Arsenel win 2. pundits giggle 3. no mention from commentators re SL foul and head injury 4. no follow up in press 5. no action or pressure from Southampton. 6. buisness as usual
The problem for me is (and maybe I am just too fed up and angry at the moment) this type of thing will hold us back if we want to progress as a club. I hope it is different in the Europa
Originally posted by @Optimus-trousers
Sourced from London Evening Standard article
Arsenal shouldn’t have been awarded late penalty against Saints - Webb
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Former Premier League official Howard Webb believes Arsenal were fortunate to record their second win of the season against Southampton on Saturday.
The Gunners followed victory at Watford before the international break with a dramatic 2-1 win over Southampton at Emirates Stadium to move to within five points of leaders Manchester City.
But Arsene Wenger’s men, who fell behind to a Petr Cech own goal, looked set for just a point before Robert Madley pointed to the spot in stoppage time.
Webb, however, believes Madley was wrong to give the late penalty, which Santi Cazorla dispatched.
“I can say now I don’t think it’s a penalty,” Webb told BT Sport.
“Do I feel for Jose Fonte? Yes I do. Do I like him as a player? I do aswell, I’ve reffed him many time, I think he’s a decent guy on the pitch.”
Fonte was booked by the official following his tackle on Giroud, but Webb felt his reaction to the decision warranted further punishment and that the Portugal international was lucky to escape a red card.
Webb added: “He reacted in a way that I think deserved a stronger punishment if we’re serious about this clampdown on player behaviour.”
Go to the original article…
…irritably given breath to by Optimus trousers…beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!
Originally posted by @Optimus-trousers
Sourced from Daily Echo article
Fonte: When Giroud asks me who who gave the penalty away that says it all
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Jose Fonte has revealed that Olivier Giroud asked who conceded Arsenal’s match-winning penalty – after the Saints captain was penalised for fouling the French striker
Saints captain Fonte made the revelation on social media after the controversial decision - made while Laurent Koscielny was nursing a head injury - resulted in his side losing a game they deserved to draw.
“Just want to say thank you for the support and also for every fan that came to the game today,” Fonte wrote on his Instagram page.
"No one more then me feels hard done by and disappointed, you can feel the same but not more then me!
"When Giroud asks me who gave the penalty away that says it all, if you haven’t watched the game and come to criticise please save me that!
“We will keep our heads up and eager to turn this bad fortune around. Once again I appreciate the love.”
Nathan Redmond told the club’s website: "It’s devastating because of all the hard work we put into the game. To not come away with anything due to a controversial decision is devastating.”
“We had good spells with a good 30 minutes and we faded a little where we took our foot off the gas, but we were always in the game and looked like we were going to score.
“I think if Longy had put his chance in one-on-one then it’s a different game, but those situations and little moments in the game are what define them."
Oriol Romeu was outstanding at trhe heart of the Sainst defence and tweeted:
Go to the original article…
…breathlessly prepared by Optimus trousers…beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!
Did I miss anything?
Webb is an idiot if he thinks Fonte should have been sent off for his behaviour. No matter if you play 5 aside with some mates or Premier league, people get angry and passionate about the match and if a professional footballer cant get angry about a shit decision in the 94th minute of a match than means his team will lose, then referee’s (or Webb at least) have no idea what it means to be human. At least this Richard Madely character had the sense not to send Jose off.
But it is another person who is saying it wasnt a penalty. So thats current and former players, managers and referees who have all agreed - no penalty. So what do we get? Where’s our compo?
Look here, Bletch, I invested a lot of emotional energy listening to that match on Radio Solent, during which time I formed the Unshakeable Belief that a very poor refereeing decision denied us a well deserved point.
I shall embrace with unbridled enthusiasm any evidence that appears to confirm my belief, and totally disregard any evidence that does the opposite. I’m sure your don’t need me to tell you that 1) this is called Confirmation Bias, and 2) is a prerequisite for posting on this thread.
So, stop being an unbiased twat and ffs get yourself On Message:
THAT INCOMPETENT CHEATING CUNT OF A REFEREE COST US A FUCKING POINT!! 
Consortium11 got it right. as usual.
Still, no time for bedwetting. Bring on Sparta Prague…
Nearly. He cost us THREE points because we would have scored from the LONG-WAS-FUCKING-FOULED-YOU-BLIND-SHIT-ASSISTANT free kick and then there would have not been time for them to attack. 
It’s all swings and roundabouts -
Refs have cost us games and six point swings against Liverpool, Man Utd and Arsenal in recent years, but let’s not forget we did win a throw-in against Dagenham in 2011 which really should have been theirs.
