There's always a lot of talk after games about big decisions, with everyone seeming to think they go against their team. Of course, if we are looking on with no rose coloured specs, this poll will show a nice even result, with as many going for as against. Of course, in reality... If you feel the decisions always go against your team, do you accept that there might be some bias on your part or are you truly convinced that your team are victimised? For example, Arsenal fans - Do any of you actually realise that you have 3 red cards that have been correct decisions this season?
The anger is not at the decision itself but the lack of consistency around the application of said rules. We've had 3 legit sending offs this season, well I think the Trossard one is utter bollocks personally, but 3 nonetheless. In the same game as Rice's sending off, a Brighton player does the same thing and gets no punishment. In the same game as Trossard's sending off, a Man City player does the same thing and gets no punishment. In the same weekend as Saliba's sending off, a near identical situation occurs in a match the next day and there's no VAR refferal and red card. It's that lack of consistency that drives people up the wall. There's no victimisation because that would imply that it's a concious effort to **** us over which is a deeply damaging accusation to make. I think at worst, referees are swayed by the reputation/narrative a team may have around them but no more than that. I think a grown up probably doesn't send off Rice or Trossard but our refs get this same little bee in their bonnet every season where they want to enforce new directives sternly before having to tone it down. No one asked for this ultra harsh attitude to 'delaying the restart'. The correct tool to deal with it has always been there, adding on additional time.
With respect, I think there were differences which made the decisions correct, although I can't remember the man city one you say was the same Rice's red card was 100% correct, but something to remember is that you do not get a yellow card just for kicking the ball away. It's the reason for kicking the ball away that will result in the card. There are three main reasons... The first one is to delay a restart. This is what Rice was penalised for. The second, you can be penalised for descent, if you kick a ball away because of a decision you disagree with, which is why Trossard was carded and to be far, having been booked, he should have had a second yellow for the actual foul, grabbing the shirt and pulling the guy back to prevent a break. The third that springs to mind is time wasting… i.e. you’re a goal up in the second half and you boot the ball into the stand in a single ball game In neither case (Rice or Trossard) is kicking the ball away the actual offense. It is the action they take, but the offenses are stopping a restart and decent. In the Brighton game, Joao Pedro chased a ball, failed to get there and kicked the ball away in frustration. It’s not an offense to be frustrated with yourself. No one was attempting to re-start, so he wasn’t preventing that, he wasn’t showing any descent at the officials and he wasn’t wasting time – It was the first half, 0-0 in a multi-ball game, where the was a ball right next to him to be used for the throw The Saliba red was because he denied a clear goalscoring chance. The ball was over the top, towards the goal, never going through to the goalie. Had he not committed the foul, it was clear that the only guy getting to the ball was Evanilson. When Tossin brought down Jota the next day, there was a fundamental difference – The ball was NOT going towards the goal. It was curling out towards the touchline. In addition, Levi Colwill was a couple of yards back, but the ball was curling into his path, so it was not certain that Jota would have been first to the ball. Therefore, although the actual foul was almost identical, this one did not prevent an obvious goalscoring opportunity Arsenal need to look at themselves! All 3 red cards were correct. If Arsenal are serious about a title, they need to be better disciplined! They have no one to blame but themselves. Hugging red carded players as they leave the field gives the players the wrong message. They are letting their team mates down!
