What a remarkable performance. Fighting the injustice of yet more abject referring this was a performance for the ages. The backbone and fight were so impressive. You have to love this team. The spirit and the fight. It does not get much better. Well, side from that last goal that is.
Chris Kavanaugh is one thing but Michael Oliver? I’ve always thought he was one of the best referees in the league. But this was one of the poorest referee’d games I’ve seen in a long time. This was more like Mike Dean. Right from the start Oliver got everything wrong.
Have-that and Rodri bumped into each other within two seconds and we had our first flash point. You could see Rodi stepping towards Have-that. I hate this rolling on the ground and playing dead. But Rodi would get his comeuppance later on. Oliver thereafter set the bar such that tough tackles and fouls were not given a yellow card. However Trossard picks up a yellow for a slight tug on the shirt – borderline but not too surprising.
We also saw Doku (I think) kick the ball away after a foul was awarded to us. No yellow. Then, the moment that defined the game and changed its’ entire complexion. Trossard charging out from their bundles over Bernardo and then kicks away the ball just as Oliver blows his whistle for a foul. And here we are again with the Van Persie moment against Barcelona all those years ago. Somehow Oliver deems this to be time wasting and sends him off. What is Trossard supposed to do here? His action to kick the ball is simultaneous to Oliver blowing the whistle – that’s assuming Trossard heard it. Either way it’s a ridiculous decision.
Why have referees – and by extension – the PGMOL decided these events now warrant a yellow card – especially when they are borderline and especially when they apply this rule so inconsistently (see Doku). There were other instances in the game where players blocked free kicks and yet no yellow card was awarded. And at the same time, real physical, tough challenges/fouls were not given yellows. I actually like the leeway on the physical nature of this game but it makes not sense to then have players sent off for these borderline technical issues that are so debatable and impactful. It’s was horrific referring by one of the best refs we have. It completely changed the nature of a game that Arsenal progressively looked comfortable in.
As a rule I don’t believe in conspiracy theories, but how do you explain the speed with which Oliver went for that second yellow. At least Kavanugh had the decency to apologize and play-act how he did not want to do this but considered that he had no choice. Oliver just went for it. And wrecked a fascinating game. It’s shockingly appalling. It destroys the game. A few years ago we barely saw this type of event and now we’ve seen two red cards for the same borderline, technical issue. How is this consistent and fair refing? And you know, in a few years, we won’t see any of these occurrences as the PGMOL decide to reset this bar. What a joke.
It was surprising to see two changes to the starting eleven. And to the backline as well. The one part of our team that has been so consistent and stable. The one area where we could rely on. The one area you never change unless you have to. Yet Arteta switched Timber and brought in Calafiori. So White, who, to be fair, had been below his best this season was dropped to the bench.
And what a up and down game Calafiori experienced. His aggression open up our defense when he overcommitted to tackling Savinho inside their half. This exposed our center backs and Savinho played the perfect ball through to the ugly Norwegian. At that point I feared the worst. Savinho looked very impressive and he was linking up so well with Silva. City started with more energy and purpose and we looked vulnerable.
Yet somehow we found our way back. Parteys quick free kick to Martinelli opened up space for an astonishing shot from Calafiori, atoning for his prior mistake. Ederson had no chance and we were level. To be honest though if I was a City fan I would have been livid with this. Not because, possibly, Partey took the free kick from a more advanced spot. No, it was that Oliver had summoned the two captains to him to try and calm the game down. The game that he had inflamed by his inconsistent decision making. And yet, he did not then allow Walker to get back in position thus allowing Partey to exploit the space with his free-kick. That is just insane. You summon the captain to you and then don’t give him time to get back in position? As great as a shot as that was by Calafiori, you can’t have refs doing that.
From that point on, with the scores level, we started to impose ourselves on the game. Of course, we were helped when Karma struck Rodri resulting in him being substituted. He really is more important to this team that KDM or Foden. There was one corner where Gabriel came close with City looking disorganized. I mean they had Doku marking Gabriel. So, for the next corner they swapped Walker to mark him. And even without White to block their goalie, Saka’s perfect cross enabled Gabriel to power in our second goal.
As an aside, as important as these goals are for us we really should be creating opportunities in open play and having our forwards score. But hopefully that will come as the season progresses.
Going into the end of that first half the game had entirely turned, We were in control and looked solid and confident. And then Oliver decided to leave his mark on the game. I still can’t believe that Trossard was sent off and he was the one making that decision. But by then he’d lost control of the game and I’ve never seen that before.
That second half performance though was a complete statement. Let’s start with Arteta. As incandescent with anger as he rightly was about the sending off from half-time onwards he remained calm and in control. He had to make a half time change now we were down to ten men. But who would have guessed he’d take off Saka – our captain? He brought back White and reverted to a back-five. And for more than 45 minutes we withstood the City onslaught. The backbone, organization combined with the physical effort was just so impressive. It made you proud to watch this team throw every body part on the line to defend this lead. They completed nuted City. City, with all the talent they had on display, just ran out of ideas. We just sat there and denied them any space.
It’s hard to know who on our team to praise more. Aside from the time the ugly Norwegian got between them, Saliba and Gabriel suffocated him. Blocked very shot and dominated our defense. Raya put in yet another outstanding display making numerous reflex saves and controlling his area for any crosses. Partey only made one or two errors – BTW why would anyone try to chest down the ball in the penalty area as he did? Luckily Raya made another refex save from Gvardiol.
You could see why Arteta swapped over Timber to the right in order to man mark the dangerous Doku. In that first half, with Rice playing on the right-side, they were able to recreate, with Saka, that triangle we used to see with Odegaard. We really are a better team with Timber.
Rice had to swap back to the left-hand side in the second half but in that first half he was so much more comfortable than he has been than in his other games this season. And in the second half he defended tirelessly. Then we have Have-that who defended like his life depended on it. Running himself into the ground. You have to love his spirit. But then you have to love everyones. Even Martinelli. He was left to mark Bernardo. Even though he seems unable to score goals he definitely knows how to defend.
At half-time I would have settled for a draw. Before the game I would have settled for a draw. But with 7 minutes of extra-time I wanted that win. And certainly with 1 minute left. But it’s hard to be too disappointed to only come away with a draw. Psychologically we got the victory. I know that does not count towards points in the table. The belief though this team showed, the effort, concentration and determination was not something we’ve seen from an Arsenal team since the best of the Wenger years. Today this team grew up. It moved to a different level.
As unjust as this game was – City did not deserve to draw; we did not deserve to play the entire half with 10 men – and even though they scored in the dying embers of the game, we saw today that we genuinely have a team that can compete with City. This team is ready. It can win the league. The unity they displayed along with the focus and teamwork made me realize we are ready this year. And the players we needed to bring on supported the team. In prior years we’d not have the players on the bench to cover for injuries and tiredness.
This team can win the league. We are good enough. It does not mean we will. If the appalling state of referring in this country is not addressed we will have many injustices to overcome. And note that in the entirety of the second half Arteta remained in control and calm on the sidelines. No histrionics. It was Pep who went and kicked his chair. It was Pep who was screaming at his bench and his players. Not Arteta. That move of White for Saka and moving to a back five saved us. His team is one we should be mighty proud of. Today Arsenal were the winners – I don’t care what the scoreline said. This is a team we can believe in. This is a team we can bet on. This is a team that reminded me of the old Arsenal. Resolute, dogged and tough to beat. The ghosts of Sol Campbell, Tony Adams, Patrick Vieira and Martin Keown were joined today by our backline and goalkeeper.
Was I disappointed in the end? Sure. But, more importantly, by the end I was mighty proud of this team. And saw enough to know we will only get better. That we will truly compete this year. And with that I can sleep soundly tonight. Unlike Michael Oliver who should be having nightmares for weeks are that embarrassing display.
-LB7