As someone who usually watches the game peacefully and then just looks online after, I’m extremely baffled about the way the game is being talked about online. I really finished that game with a sigh of relief, thinking “despite the ref, this team managed to pull through”, yet I come online and the discourse is all about how the ref favored Arsenal lmao, even Arsenal fans responding with “he was shit for both teams”, like did we all watch the same game?

People wanted Gabriel to get a red for trying to kick the ball and kicking Martinez’s head? That’s never a red, it’s not like he pulled a Mane and jump kicked him with his studs, and yes the ref missed it, just like everyone else did before seeing a replay. VAR doesn’t give yellows, so don’t really understand what the argument is even for. Gabriel didn’t commit another yellow card offense in the game so wouldn’t have meant anything.

The player who should have been sent off is Palmer lmao I’m shocked at the lack of discussion as he committed two clear yellow card offenses (losing the ball to MLS then kicking his foot and stopping the counter, then havertz on another counter for which he actually got a yellow for). Maybe he doesn’t commit that second foul if he’s on a yellow but then who knows how that counter ends up. That is literally the only huge decision I thought of from this game.

Rice should’ve gotten a yellow probably but again inconsequential and Rogers probably would’ve gotten booked anyway as didn’t seem like he cared whether the foul was called or not he was going for Rice either way to call him out. Arguably should’ve just been an advantage given that Palmer (again who shouldn’t have even been on the pitch) wasted the chance but again if it was the other way around I would’ve wanted that free kick and card for sure. And I know their goal came from a free kick but the reality is their set pieces looked much less threatening than ours.

And one free kick they should’ve had doesn’t compare to the amount of bs calls they were getting, including 2 (maybe 3?) blatant corners that were not given. Literally were a couple of steps of execution away from a couple of brilliant set piece goals so who knows how those corners would’ve ended up, as the boys looked really on it today.

Also want to mention the Tzolis yellow for doing the gesture once while sitting on the ground, not even in the ref’s face or anything. Good luck counting how many times this season a player does that against us and doesn’t get booked (bonus points if they’re already on a yellow). Given how Tzolis plays he is prone to losing the ball in dangerous positions and then getting a yellow while trying to recover, so this yellow card could be impactful in him missing a game in the future. I don’t really see the same outcome for Rogers to be honest.

I’m just saying, yes decisions going against your team is part of the game but if we didn’t win this game I imagine the discourse would be very different and rightly so. The team is just so good now that they can overcome all this bs that previously would really make all the difference. Don’t bend over because rival fans cry, that ref was NOT shit for both teams, and if you really feel that way, please watch the game again.

Edit: As I said I don’t put too much weight on this stuff I watch the games and have my own opinions, I just like to check what people are saying after I’m used to seeing rival fans cry. I’m used to the narratives being against the team on top and that’s us right now. What I’m more bothered about in this case is the fact that there are Arsenal fans that genuinely believe that the ref was equally bad for both teams.

Obviously, this is excluding any EFL Cup and FA Cup games.

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https://bsky.app/profile/markstatsbot.bsky.social/post/3muukgij6xw2t

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