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Lucky Arsenal?

spud

Well-Known Member
Sep 2, 2003
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8,794
Earlier today I watched most of the second half of Arsenal v Norwich.

When I started watching Norwich had just scored to take a 1-0 lead. The remainder of the game saw the goons huff and puff and have most of the posession while Norwich held their shape and restricted them to one chance of note, when Bunn did well to deflect a shot by Podolski on to the bar. The introduction of Walcott and Podolski added some urgency to the home team but didn't really alter the game. I had the same feeling that I often have when we are behind: for all the goons' effort they wouldn't score and the game would end 1-0.

Then, in the 85th minute, a penalty was awarded. There was a slight tug by Kamara on Giroud's shirt and it was a foul, which Giroud emphasised by falling backwards. The ref had a perfect view of something that happens at every set piece in every game and is rarely called. He ignored it, but as play continued he received word from his assistant that it should be a penalty. So he awarded Arsenal a penalty. The linesman was at least twice as far away from the incident and arguably had a worse angle on it, but the ref chose to ignore his own judgement and to award the spot kick. Bunn almost saved it but 1-1 was the outcome.

After a perfectly good second goal three mintes later - which probably wouldn't have happened if it was still 1-0 - Flappyhandski hoofed the ball out. The Arsenal forward (Giroud, I think) fouled the Norwich defender in the aerial challenge and nodded on to Walcott, who was just offside. The same eagle-eyed linesman who gave the penalty failed to notice either of these two infringements occurring right in front of him. The third Arsenal goal followed.

Were Arsenal lucky? Probably. Or perhaps they just received the little bit of help that they always seem to get during this part of the season.
 

matthew.absurdum

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
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10,120
Arsenal fans make me sick, look like they are celebrating a 8-0 win against norwich and has won the league without the help of referee and linesman
 

lol

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2008
6,651
6,082
yes.....and no. yes that they get the penalties that goes their way. but at the same time the reason why they get those decisions is because of their relentless attack when they are down. the sense of urgency, pushing the ball fast, running at defender in the last 15min is EXTREMELY crucial, and more often or not, when you have the momentum to swing your way during this period, you score goals.

teams like manc, manu, chelsea, arsenal are DOES have a history of winning, and they KNOW they can score when they turn it up. that unrelenting pressure will make weaker teams crumble eventually. we, sadly, is on the other side. we seem to always crumble towards the end ESP during the HR era but we ARE improving, etc the last minute EL freekick, dembele's goal. we still have shit moments like the everton games but if we ever harness the composure and confidence to pillage the opponents with attack towards the end, we will truly become a force in the league.
 

Syn_13

Fly On, Little Wing
Jul 17, 2008
14,851
20,659
Earlier today I watched most of the second half of Arsenal v Norwich.

When I started watching Norwich had just scored to take a 1-0 lead. The remainder of the game saw the goons huff and puff and have most of the posession while Norwich held their shape and restricted them to one chance of note, when Bunn did well to deflect a shot by Podolski on to the bar. The introduction of Walcott and Podolski added some urgency to the home team but didn't really alter the game. I had the same feeling that I often have when we are behind: for all the goons' effort they wouldn't score and the game would end 1-0.

Then, in the 85th minute, a penalty was awarded. There was a slight tug by Kamara on Giroud's shirt and it was a foul, which Giroud emphasised by falling backwards. The ref had a perfect view of something that happens at every set piece in every game and is rarely called. He ignored it, but as play continued he received word from his assistant that it should be a penalty. So he awarded Arsenal a penalty. The linesman was at least twice as far away from the incident and arguably had a worse angle on it, but the ref chose to ignore his own judgement and to award the spot kick. Bunn almost saved it but 1-1 was the outcome.

After a perfectly good second goal three mintes later - which probably wouldn't have happened if it was still 1-0 - Flappyhandski hoofed the ball out. The Arsenal forward (Giroud, I think) fouled the Norwich defender in the aerial challenge and nodded on to Walcott, who was just offside. The same eagle-eyed linesman who gave the penalty failed to notice either of these two infringements occurring right in front of him. The third Arsenal goal followed.

Were Arsenal lucky? Probably. Or perhaps they just received the little bit of help that they always seem to get during this part of the season.

The Illuminati are to blame. They clearly support Arsenal.

If this post gets deleted I'll know I'm right. :cautious:
 

3Dnata

Well-Known Member
Oct 5, 2008
5,879
1,345
Chris Hughton has said that the decisions against Norwich were almost criminal.
He can expect trouble from the powers that be but itś good to see this match meant a lot to him and he won take it lying down.
 

spud

Well-Known Member
Sep 2, 2003
5,850
8,794
yes.....and no. yes that they get the penalties that goes their way. but at the same time the reason why they get those decisions is because of their relentless attack when they are down. the sense of urgency, pushing the ball fast, running at defender in the last 15min is EXTREMELY crucial, and more often or not, when you have the momentum to swing your way during this period, you score goals.
Your point is obviously valid, but it doesn't fit what happened today. They had a lot of the ball but their play was pedestrian and unimaginative. There was little urgency and the passing was laboured. We can never know, but without the penalty I am convinced that we would have been looking at a Norwich win.
 

dontcallme

SC Supporter
Mar 18, 2005
33,986
81,918
Depends on what was said between the ref and his linesman. Refs need more help from the linesmen and on this occasion he listened. Shame as I don't think it was a pen.

Not surprised are celebrating this win. They very nearly lost 3 valuable points and are now in the driving. If it was Spurs I'd be doing the same.
 

nightgoat

Well-Known Member
Sep 12, 2005
24,604
21,898
According to Le Tiss on Sky the corner Arse were given the penalty from should have been a goal kick in the first place. Typical. But hey, these things even themselves out over the season, so in one of their remaining fixtures Arsenal will be in front with five minutes left only to be utterly shafted by the officials and end up losing.


Stop laughing at the back.
 

talkshowhost86

Mod-Moose
Staff
Oct 2, 2004
48,105
47,061
Whilst I hate it when decisions go for our rivals, I'm sure we've had things go for us this season.

If we don't finish above Arsenal this season it'll be because they've been better than us.
 

matthew.absurdum

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
3,732
10,120
Whilst I hate it when decisions go for our rivals, I'm sure we've had things go for us this season.

If we don't finish above Arsenal this season it'll be because they've been better than us.

As long as I hate Arsenal, I genuinely believe that Wenger is a extraordinary manager. He may not be a tactical genius, but he is doing an excellent job in club and team management. If the manager is not Wenger, Arsenal would be a Liverpool now.

I believe we would finally on the top of Arsenal, but it wll happens after Wenger leave
 

TriXed

Well-Known Member
Aug 19, 2011
489
637
The cynic in me is screaming fix, just like last year with Fulop who decided to leave the country after his (big payoff) last game...
 

Danners9

Available on a Free Transfer
Mar 30, 2004
13,998
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Whilst I hate it when decisions go for our rivals, I'm sure we've had things go for us this season.

If we don't finish above Arsenal this season it'll be because they've been better than us.
Arsenal have had 5 penalties (hopefully that includes yesterday), Spurs have had 0 this season.

It may be that Spurs aren't in the positions to win or 'win' penalties. Arsenal have definitely benefited from some very soft decisions, whichever way you want to justify it.. the decisions are soft.

Yesterday was a joke. That linesman was on their side for whatever reason. The ball goes out in the build up, the touch is after the ball has gone out and Ramsey claims a corner. The right decision was a goal kick. Linesman can't see, through 2 players, down to his right, but gives a corner. Corner comes in, ref gives nothing as Giroud falls after the play, but that same linesman from across the field, through a crowd, can see this time and awards a penalty. Of course he can. Makes the wrong decision from 2 yards but makes the right decision from 25? sure.

The 3rd was offside, too. Walcott receives the ball, in front of the same linesman again, and is offside.

Same referee that gave them 2 penalties vs WBA in December. One of them, if you remember, was a giant dive by Cazorla.

Of course 'we have ourselves to blame'. It's a 38 game season, there are moments when the team drops points and they shouldn't, but this Arsenal team have been given a helping hand to get back into games they were going nowhere in. Norwich were holding on at 0-1, Arsenal were pushing but not really testing Bunn in goal (A Podolski shot pushed onto the bar..). Clear the corner, no penalty, and the chances are this game ends 0-1.

Not really saying it's fixed, although would anyone be surprised. Just that there are some teams that are luckier than others when it comes to decisions. Perhaps 'rigged' is better than fixed. Weighted in favour of some clubs over others. No doubt we get decisions over others, but when you watch games like this you seriously wonder about the integrity of the game.

Lineker and Neil Warnock said some things about the penalty yesterday, the quotes appeared on the BBC site (can't find them now!). Lineker said how it was a controversial penalty from a corner that shouldn't have been, and Warnock said it's the sort of decision that benefits some teams and would not have been given at the other end.
 
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