According to the Evening Standard, Arsenal will not be charged for the exuberant celebrations that followed Reiss Nelson’s stoppage-time winner against Bournemouth.
In his post-game report, referee Chris Kavanagh noted that a number of players and staff entered the field of play to mob the winger while manager Mikel Arteta was caught on camera racing down the touchline pumping his fists in the air.
The joyous scenes were unlike anything witnessed before at Emirates Stadium but they also technically contravened IFAB rule 1.9 which states team officials, substitutes and substituted players “must behave in a responsible manner” and “must remain within the technical area except in special circumstances”.
Within 24 hours, word filtered out that the FA were reviewing the footage and, given our recent history with them, it felt inevitable we’d receive another slap on the wrist and a further fine.
Thankfully, on this occasion, it looks like Vinai won’t have to get the chequebook out.
Given what happened was a tremendous advert for the Premier League, it would have been very petty to be charged, so we’re pleased to see common sense prevail.
Common fucking sense prevails!
They couldn’t see the several handballs, so decided not to see this too. A surprise given past fines for Arsenal…
The premier league machine will use that Nelson goal as a marketing tool to show how awesome their league is but also attempt to punish the celebrations. We get brilliant goals disallowed. A player yellow carded twice in one action. Zero penalties. Officials forgetting to draw lines. A fine whenever we go near a ref. And all the while our lads get lumps kicked out of them, heads stamped on and blatantly assaulted on the field and then we are called pussies for bringing it up. Whatever happens at the end of this season, the FA need to work out… Read more »
“must remain within the technical area except in special circumstances” What circumstance is more special than a 97th min winner??
REASON WILL PREVAIL!!
Pickles will prevail!
The fact that this is even news is crazy. Is there a team in the world at any level who wouldn’t have celebrated like that under these circumstances?
At least nobody is complaining that we celebrated as if we had won the league. Or if they are… who cares.
I think we’re at a point now that “Arsenal NOT charged” in and of itself is a headline worthy story. That or “VAR decision goes Arsenal’s way”.
Still waiting for that with respect to VAR. But a man can dream, can’t he?
Disgusting ! I’m not having any team I support enjoying themselves celebrating a last gasp winner from a passionate home grown lad just back from injury fighting for a new contract !!! What’s the world coming becoming ? Fine us FA we’re an utter disgrace !!! Wait a minute VAR check coming ? He’s gone to the video screen ? It’s given we can celebrate its official we can be happy again !!! Nurse fetch me pills !!!
“Nurse fetch me pills”
“Happy flowers”, you mean?
Wow. The FA are really dropping their standards. What ever next? Actually using VAR with competence?
I think they realized that Chris was truly incompetent so rather than having his performance exposed they let is slide. Expediency
More likely they looked at media responses to the celebrations and decided for once that it was in their interest to have the celebratory footage used in adverts for their league.
Celebration police must be on vacation.
They’re busy fuming at Gary Lineker
another wrong decision on the part of the angry
In the referee’s defence he added extra extra time to penalise Bournemouth keeper in particular for time wasting. I thought he refereed pretty well. Those handballs are really down to VAR and probably one should have been a pen.
Reiss-on has prevailed. I’ll get my coat now
Can we have our 2 points back, while common sense is around?
It’s more like 6 points mate. The VARs for the Man U & Southampton away games should have been sacked before Lee Mason.
What wonderful news, we are so fortunate. Thank the kind and loving FA overlords for showing mercy on us for our sins. They are so forgiving and merciful and we are truly blessed to be part of their magnificant organisation. However, we must learn to celebrate in a truly righteous way that honours our FA overlords, as I fear they may not be as forgiving and merciful in future
The fa has learned about sarcasm and has fined you £10k
Who’d have thought Friday 10 March would be one of the strangest days in the history of football.
‘So there’s the final decision, and it’s gone Arsenal’s way for a change, they’ll be delighted! But wait, what’s that? There’s a VAR review going on as we speak, they’re checking whether a clear and obvious error had been made. Mr Mason has checked the rule book and decided to overrule the original decision under rule 80085 which states that unless undeniably irrefutable (and sometimes even in that case), Arsenal and its players are to be found guilty. They are to be fined 10x Stan Kroenke’s total wealth, and the first born sons of all the backroom staff are to… Read more »
I should fucking think so too.
Sensible decision.
It was a HUGE moment in a title race, a last minute winner, the kind of moment you’d think the league would like to promote.
The celebrations were genuine, they weren’t disrespectful towards Bournemouth (didn’t see any taunting or similar), and given the context of the title race, they weren’t inappropriate.
FA find themselves for making sensible decision
Charging the team would be foolish after VAR took away two points from us about a month ago. We were due some form of compensation anyway.
Punished for showing passion?
World’s gone soft
“The joyous scenes were unlike anything witnessed before at Emirates Stadium but they also technically contravened IFAB rule 1.9 which states team officials, substitutes and substituted players “must behave in a responsible manner” and “must remain within the technical area except in special circumstances”.”
Certainly seems like “special circumstances” to me.
The ref is a nasty little man who loves the power he has.
Well, in Stafforshire they say – that Debbie Hewitt’s small heart grew three sizes that day.
I guess it got through to them that a last gasp winner like that qualifies as special circumstance