Mikel Arteta says talks with the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) will take place soon with the Spaniard still seeking answers for the way Arsenal’s matches have been officiated this season.
The Spaniard made clear his intentions for a showdown with the group following last Thursday’s win over Wolves; a game that saw attacked Gabriel Martinelli red-carded in unusual circumstances for two fouls committed in the space of a few seconds without play being stopped in between.
Arteta has previously expressed his exasperation about the incoherent use of VAR and the way opponents have kicked 12 shades of sh*t out of his players without being punished.
“Not yet,” he replied when asked if he’d had a meeting with PGMOL general manager Mike Riley.
“That’s happening soon but obviously we have reported the opinion and the lack of understanding on the [Martinelli] decision.”
Having had a few days to reflect on the Martinelli sending off, he was asked if his view on the incident had changed.
“I’ve had so many videos that people have sent me over the years with different actions and how [decisions] have happened,” he replied.
“I gave my opinion at the end of the match and there’s nothing we can do about it right now.”
Arteta also joked that he’s given up telling his players not to get sent off as his warnings to date have made no difference.
“Probably, I don’t talk about it no more,” he said. “The more we talk about it, the worse we are making it.”
Asked if his players are unfairly targeted by the officials, he said: “I don’t want to think like that. There have been various reasons, very different ones for how we’ve picked up red cards.
“Somehow we have to stop it because it’s going to affect performances and results, for sure. That has to be our aim and our focus.
“Don’t try to blame the refs, we have to believe the referees are going to do what they have to do and we have to do what we have to do.”
Start with Mcarthy, Palace at home, volleying Saka in the back of the leg & Mike Dean being a prick as usual. Then Everton away, Godfrey stamping on Tommy’s face! Joke!!
7 times this season opposition should have been sent off against us but typically nothing happened,,
https://twitter.com/edwardavern/status/1493629499912687627?s=20&t=u5HLvPgc_KYLCG7hVoxJGg
Our record of fouls versus red cards says that there is something happening against us – see the graphics above.
Arteta should be taking this to the PGMOL for explanation (if possible for them).
The fouls per cards thing well and truly predates Arteta’s time as manager. Hopefully I’m wrong but I don’t see this as being a fruitful discussion. The PGMOL seem like an unaccountable bunch and a law unto themselves. It seems like a case of we own the rules and only our interpretations of them are correct. A real ‘appeal to authority’. Who knows what will be said behind closed doors but I don’t see them publicly admitting to a bunch of wrong / inconsistent decisions.
Also I’m an ex referee
Ah so we now know why not any more
Just kidding
COYG
Maybe ask the clown Riley why there is not one of the so called top refs come from South of the Midlands and why do we get Oliver every third game.
Trying to be objective: Oliver was certainly England’s best referee a couple of years ago. He is always well-positioned and he is the referee least likely to be influenced by a home crowd. A bit laissez-faire on physical challenges (like Atkinson, who used to be good but is now so inconsistent that he is quite bad), but willing to show a red card. I think Oliver has gone overboard on this (for example, in the Euros, when he sent someone off early and ruined the match and, obviously, Martinelli) to such an extent that it calls his judgment into question.… Read more »
Better than the rest but still couldn’t determine that two fouls happened on a throw in while the ball was off the pitch. One, Martinelli intentionally obstructed the thrower and tried to stop the “restart” of play. And two, the player being fouled commits a foul throw in for good measure. Any referee that has ever studied the laws of the game knows that you can’t call an advantage to stopped play, lol. The ball is out, therefore play is stopped. So it can’t be one “passage” of play. And furthermore, if a player commits a foul, and another player… Read more »
Th PGMOL is headed by a man who infamously gave one of the most inept refereeing performances of the Premier League era, so I don’t hold out much hope of these talks being in any way constructive
Would that be our 50th game at Old Trafford where the last defender (Ferdinand) takes out Freddie and it is not even a foul? Even when Martin Tyler and Andy Gray were astounded.
Today, with a decent ref, Utd would’ve finishen that game with 8 men.
Inept, is too kind, but I understand the point. Riley’s performance that day was premeditated and cynical. He did all he could to fix a match.
We’re due a red card by the other team at some point. My goodness you think it will start evening out eventually.
Are we not appealing the Martinelli red card? Can we since it’s two yellows?
Can’t appeal 2 yellows unfortunately unless, I think but could be wrong, one was a case of mistaken identity
They really need to bring in a ranking/league table for refs, where their match performances are reviewed which is also viewable by the public… pretty sure then some of these so called untouchable top refs would up their game
Let us start with , Palace at home, stump on Saka in the back of his leg & Mike Dean being a problem as usual, Mcarthy, Everton away, Godfrey stamping on Tommy’s face! But all this nothing was done the team. Maybe this time Refs gona change!! Uncle_F
Arteta is trying to be a diplomat with the last paragraph.
If calling them biased, cheating cunts would do any good, then we wouldn’t be where we are now.
Problem dates from before Arteta’s time with arsenal. Before his ludicrous sending off for fouling Marouane Chamahk on the halfway line, deemed DOGSO then and only then, never before or since. He knows!