For football to be adjudicated fairly, there must be consistent implementation of the rules and a standardized approach to the norms of the game.
It is clear that PGMOL refs/VARs have intentionally taken extreme interpretations of both concepts to shape games to their preference. It’s no longer a suspicion that Arsenal are officiated differently; it is now an objective fact that has undermined our title challenge and soiled what could have been a historic campaign between two great clubs.
They rigidly applied the letter of the law when sending off Declan Rice ("I have no choice") to harm Arsenal. They did it to Arsenal twice, then quietly agreed they wouldn't do it after blowback.
Conversely, they took a lenient view of Kovacic's challenge against City to preserve the integrity of a "big game."
This arbitrary extremism corrupts the game. It allows referees to take center stage, influencing outcomes with zero consequence or even scrutiny in the media. How many times does this decision making land on tone being the issue and 'mistakes happen.'
The Premier League needs to demonstrate leadership. It is beginning to look like they view this as a feature of the game rather than a disgusting bug that must be eradicated before it infects fans' love for football.
Michael Oliver should not be a Premier League referee after today, but he will be, and he'll be put back on Arsenal games despite his horrible record of terrible red cards (8 reds), and his freelance actions raising deeply disturbing questions over his judgement and integrity when it comes to how he refs other teams (City 0 red cards).
@ArsenalTherapy The fact that they played it off as there not being enough contact or force to make it a red.... we're at the stage where players have to leave the pitch with broken bones for a tackle to have "endangered their saftey"
Absolutely never a red card for me. Distance from goal and the fact evanilson does not have control of the ball should prove it's not an "obvious" opportunity
Hahahaha everyone tried to spin a narrative of us time wasting for the entire second half, just for Opta to come out and say the second half today had the ball in play for longer than ANY HALF OF FOOTBALL ALL SEASON. You love to see it.
My solution, make it like it is in hockey. If the ball hits a hand then you have something akin to a penalty corner, unless it is a red card handball offence, then it would be a penalty outright
I do love all these commentators and pundits claiming how shit this handball law is, okay, what's your fucking solution. Give a solution instead of saying the current format is shit. #GERDAN#EURO2024
Sky just talking about how city play first and win to put all the pressure on their rivals. That seems to happens every goddamn weekend, almost as if they being given every advantage possible
But is this not the point of it. If we bring in such serious punishment for cynical fouls and abusive language towards the officials, it acts as a deterrent to do it. Yes we may see a lot early on, but with time it'll be gone