Declan Rice’s first Premier League red card proved to be the turning point as Arsenal settled for a hard-earned point against Brighton.
Here’s what the managers, players, pundits and stattos made of an eventful afternoon at Emirates Stadium.
Mikel Arteta on his side’s performance after Declan Rice’s red card…
We were on top of the match, we started the second half really well and, in that moment, the referee makes a decision that obviously changes the course of the game for us. And then still like this, the team reacted amazingly, the crowd reacted amazingly, and we should have won the game.
Source: Arsenal.com
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Fabian Hürzeler on Brighton’s performance…
The goal from Arsenal happened out of nowhere. We have to be honest; it was bad defending from our side. It was just a long ball. We didn’t win the second ball, so that was bad. And then the second half changed because of the red card. We dominated the game completely from that moment. We created chances. We made one-v-ones and we had chances for the second goal, but on the other side we also have to be honest that that we could concede a second goal to Arsenal because we were not consistent in our counter-pressing and not consistent enough in the rest defence. So in the end it feels a little bit like a disappointment because of course we wanted to win the game. I think we should be satisfied with the point because it’s a fair result.
Source: brightonandhovealbion.com
Arsenal (2.23) 1-1 (2.24) Brighton
— The xG Philosophy (@xGPhilosophy) August 31, 2024
Saka on a battling point…
Of course it’s something I can be proud of, but it’s a bit hard to be happy with this especially when we don’t get the win. I thought we had the game in our hands,” he added, “then a big decision turned the game completely and we had to fight and dig until the end. We got a point in the end but it’s still a bit disappointing at the same time.
Source: Arsenal.com
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Arteta on Declan Rice’s red card…
I was amazed. Amazed, amazed, amazed because of how inconsistent decisions can be. In the first half, there were two incidents and nothing happened. Then, in a non-critical area, the ball hits Declan, he turns around, doesn’t see the player coming and touches the ball. By law, he can make that call, but by law then he needs to make the next call which is a red card. So we play 10 against 11. This amazed me, at this level.
Source: Arsenal.com
1 – In his 245th Premier League appearance, Declan Rice has been shown a red card in the competition for the first time. Bizarre. #ARSBHA pic.twitter.com/3zGy3erdxJ
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 31, 2024
Arteta on Arsenal’s five yellows and a red card and Brighton’s one yellow…
I was amazed with the inconsistency because, as you said, the Brighton players kicked the ball away and no yellow card. And a player on a yellow card in an area that is not critical where the ball is bouncing against his heel. He [the referee] makes a call, okay, but if you make that call [by the letter of the] law, then you have to send their man [Veltman] off because it’s a red card.
Source: Viaplay Fotball
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Saka on having to regroup after the red card…
Yeah, it’s not easy because Brighton are a good team, even with 11 men against them it’s tough, with 10 it’s tougher, but we gave it our all. I don’t like to put the whole game on the referee but, but we just want some consistency, you know? In the first half Joao Pedro kicked it out, far away, and didn’t get anything for it and Dec has done the littlest touch and he’s got a second yellow for it. It’s a bit harsh for me but it is what it is. It’s a long season, we know that, we’ve been ahead and lost it, it’s a long season, I’m not too worried.
Source: TNT Sports
Kai Havertz overtook Mesut Ozil to become the second highest goalscorer in the Premier League today 🇩🇪📈 pic.twitter.com/glDEOdUjST
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) August 31, 2024
Arteta on whether Timber has an injury…
No, he was I think cramping. He got a kick in the first half and was cramping so we had to take him off.
Source: Post-game press conference
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Arteta on whether Odegaard is injured…
He’s fine. He’s fine.
Source: Viaplay Fotball
Kai Havertz's opener against Brighton was his 34th Premier League goal overall (Arsenal & Chelsea combined) but his first from outside of the box. pic.twitter.com/xSLJxLw9Oc
— Harvey Downes (@HarveyDownes92) August 31, 2024
Martin Keown on Declan Rice’s red card…
I know Declan knocks the ball away but why is Veltman knocking the ball into Rice’s path and where’s he supposed to go by the way? It’s almost like a free punt, I’ll do somebody at the same time, so the referee, I know the principle of this new law, they want to move people away from the ball, but there’s also a responsibility to keep both sets of 11 players on the pitch. I don’t really feel that that is a sending off offence.
Source: TNT Sports
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Peter Crouch on Rice’s red…
I don’t think there’s anyone in football that will tell you that he (Veltman) has genuinely tried to play a pass there. He’s tried to put the ball there [in Rice’s path] in the hope that he kicks it away and then he’s bringing it to the referee’s attention that he has kicked the ball away. And then he’s been sent off.
Source: TNT Sports
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Ally McCoist on the Rice incident…
I don’t know what Declan Rice is meant to do. It looked like it was a kick-out at him! I think Joel Veltman is lucky to stay on the pitch with his kick out.
Source: TNT Sports
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Ian Wright on the flow of the game…
After the first half you could see that Arsenal were in control. In the second half, after the sending off, Brighton made some very good substitutions because they’ve got the players to do it. They went for the game.
Source: premierleague.com
Arsenal 1-1 Brighton FT
Only two 100% Premier League records remain (for Liverpool and Man City) after Brighton hold 10-man Arsenal to a draw at the Emirates.
Both sides had chances to win it, but they take a point home each.https://t.co/zF5Iy8BY9B#ARSBHA pic.twitter.com/IeUti2HY1Q
— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) August 31, 2024
Bukayo Saka on Sterling joining Arsenal…
Great signing for us, I am really happy to have him here. I am sure he will do amazing for us.
Source: BBC Match of the Day
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Arteta on getting Raheem Sterling up to speed…
Yes, we’ll have to see and speak to him on what he’s been doing and how he’s feeling about it. We have to try to find quick wins to get him up to speed as quick as possible and him understanding what we are looking for from him and the dynamics of the team. We will use this time to do that and as soon as possible, get him involved.
Source: Post-game press conference
Fucking fuming at Veltman!!!
What a prick
Should have been a red card for Veltman, terrible late tackle after that ball had gone.
It’s not a tackle that was assault!!!
He really should consider UFC with those types of leg kicks.
The only good thing about today is the ability to identify the genuine morons among us who defend the red card.
I wish there was a solution to clean up the game. I’d love to tap every member of PGMOLs phones and emails and I am quite sure you’d find extraordinary evidence (against a lot of clubs). Of course If you did that and released it after several years of collecting tangible evidence you’d have to front up to be considered a legitimate source and you’d be prosecuted. Your life and your family’s life would be destroyed by rich and powerful people with a vested interest to protect their morally broken shield. Powerful lawyers would find every loophole to sweep the… Read more »
No matter who Arsenal brought into squad they will always be behind City because they cannot afford to by the referees.
This post is borderline unhinged. People need to have a word with themselves.
Veltman played Rice and the ref. I felt more angry with the Newcastle away have last season. This one, although the ref was shite all game, I think Rice is way off the pace. It was terrible decision to go for first tackle that resulted in yellow and once on a yellow don’t give a cxxt of a ref a decision to make. Rice knows he’s way off and is trying to hard. He cost us big time today. We would have won today. Gabriel was terrible for their goal, he was there, make the tackle. Odegarrd has to hit… Read more »
I dont care about Veltman at all. PGMOL is the problem. Fume at them.
There are seriously too many pricks in the modern game…Kean, Caicedo, Shawcross, Diego Costa and now newly minted Veltman
Arteta should have taken Rice off at the half time. He was more on an orange card rather than a yellow after the 1st offence. Some would say it’s easier to say this in the hindsight but I genuinely felt that way.
Did you know that was the first ever premier league red card for Declan Rice? Chap knows how to play on a yellow.
Based on today, he doesn’t. It’s like coasting through a stop sign when the cop is watching. No point in complaining when you get a ticket. The ref was a prick but why give him any reason to whip out the second yellow.
Because Rice barely moved a rolling ball that, had Veltman kicked it, would have meant the FK should be retaken. It also would have been taken from an incorrect place on the field since the foul happened several yards farther back toward the corner flag and so should have been retaken for that reason, too. Or, because we’ll see our freekicks delayed or interfered with in every other match this season by opponents who touch a ball they have no need to touch and they won’t all be given a card. Cavanaugh saw an opportunity to send off Rice and… Read more »
“If I were captain, we never would have hit that iceberg”
Referee looking for headlines for all the wrong reasons. Veltman gained advantage by throwing the ball further forward than the free kick should have been. Then it’s ok to just boot Rice off his feet without punishment. Prick. If Rice kicked him back then maybe the VAR would have sent them both off for violent conduct. Lack of intelligence from the referee who will no doubt be more lenient to Arsenal next time he officiates a game.
If Rice slammed him down in a choke hold that would’ve been ok though, presumably
Or poked him in the anus with his finger (Jesus). Or hacked him in the air whilst preparing to kick the ball (Saka), or smashing him into the side hoardings after the ball is gone (Leno) or any of the litany of unpunished offences which have gone against us in the last years.
Jesus did not get finger-poked in the anus. Gross hyperbole does not serve the argument here that Arsenal gets biased refereeing going back to the Wenger years (at least).
The ref will get a week off, a week in the championship, and then back in the prem. It’s a vacation for being incompetent for that Mr bean clone from manchester
Doubt it…as far as I can recall I have never liked his performance whenever he officiated our games in the past…He is amongst the few from the PGMOL I continued to be wary of.
What’s the point in PGMOL forcing Lee Mason to retire only to have other younger fuckers do the same incompetent job? Have they been cloning idiots from Mike Dean’s DNA?
A pensioner can be made thsle scapegoat and it looks like the problem has been solved- this is typical when management of a corporation changes hands- allows the new guy to look decisive without actually doing or changing anything.
yes but a mutation in one of the genes has somehow made the clones even stupider
Put that in the pantheon of once in a lifetime calls that go against Arsenal, up there with the Martinelli double yellow and the Tomiyasu second yellow for a throw in offense. As bad as those were this is the most angry I’ve been about a call possibly since the van Persie red card at the Bernabeau. It felt like the same sort of petty, vindictive, agenda driven decision. Makes me sick.
You’ve nailed it, spot on. You won’t see another decision like that all season
I wonder if we casually estimated how often an opponent has delayed a restart against Arsenal in the past year or two what would you guess? At least over 100 times. How often have they been booked? Has it ever resulted in a red before in any competition? Inquiring minds want to know.
A Wolves player was sent off last season for two minor offences within 30 seconds, the latter being too close to the free kick he’d just caused in midfield. But Rice’s slight touch on the ball was not really damage to play. But hey, Arsenal have different rule settings, right?
Still completely bonkers.
Pretty sure I remember wolves fans being apoplectic last season too with some of the calls which went against them
Yeah, they were screwed over so many times last season they wanted the league to scrap VAR altogether.
Which shows the incompetence of many of the referees and their lack of understanding of the game they are officiating. It does not show a grand conspiracy against Wolves. It does not even show individual bias against Wolves. I am sure, though, than many Wolves fans think it’s a plot by bent PGMOL to get them. So, look in the mirror.
Wake up, man. Nobody gives a flying fuck about Wolves enough for there to be a conspiracy against them. They aren’t good enough for a conspiracy to be worth the effort. That doesn’t mean there is not a bias against Arsenal, or that PGMOL referees are not biased for ManCity.
And refs can be both incompetent, the PGMOL unfit for purpose, AND biased against Arsenal.
Dunno, why does it feel like as an Arsenal fan those once in a lifetime calls always happen four times a season…
The disallowed Chambers winner vs Palace, when he was the player being fouled….after VAR review. The mind boggles.
I.m about ready to stop watching
Yeah that was outrageous
Inconsistent of the referee, cause Arsenal the maximum 3 points
While I like to maintain a respectful tone with all my fellow Gooners on this site, I feel it would be remiss to let this one go. After watching many, many replays of the sending off, and sitting on my thoughts for several hours I have come to the following conclusion. Anyone fan who comes on here and says “ Rice invited the second card/ was at fault” needs to find another sport or team to follow, as they clearly know fuck all. They can fuck off with that twat Andy Townsend who I had to listen to on the… Read more »
Wind up merchants and attention seekers.
In my view, there are two ridiculous ideas being repeated. One is “the letter of the law” brigade and “Rice should have known,” etc. It was very bad, stupid decision by a referee who–like many others–doesn’t understand the game of football. The second is the “PGMOL is a bent organization that is out to screw Arsenal.” The fans of pretty much every team can point to the same sort of egregious mistakes, inconsistent rulings–often very consequential, including in relegation battles–and stupid errors/omissions by VAR.
Fuck that ref.
We need to start a rival refereeing association which has transparency and stops refs from exercising power with no consequences and no right for appeal or consequence.
Then give the PL and FA a decision to make. We can’t keep having these issues every season and let them get away Scott free, The longer it goes on, the longer it will attract the wrong types.
This will be another game that will be discussed when Man City wins the title once again.
Correct decision or not Rice’s dismissal cost us that game.
I expect more from him to be honest.
I’m tired of blaming the referee or the opposition when our players should know better..
I’m tired of seeing football fans, especially our own fans, making excuses for piss poor bent referees who week in week out ruin the game for everyone.
So far this season we have seen an attempted choking, a sexual assault, and now this farce. Pgmol have no standards and are incapable or unwilling to do any self reflection or internal corrective action. Independent regulator needs to have some oversight here as well.
I’m getting more and more confused this season with what constitutes a foul and what constitutes a booking. One minute it’s ok to clutter into the player and decision will be play on, the next minute a smallest contact is considered s foul. There’s more contact in basketball allowed with some of these soft faults today in football. This was another good game ruined by inconsistent ref decisions. It’s getting rather pathetic that players don’t get to decide outcomes of the games nearly as much as ref decisions do.
They’re going to suspend saka for the nld aren’t they
Good. Suspend the whole team and the manager. Then the crowd can come on the pitch and deliver consequences to whatever corrupt hack pgmol choose to ‘officiate’ the game. Maybe a poke in the bum, or a kick in the air, or a shove into the hoardings, or anything that mirrors the heinous actions our opponents have been allowed to inflict on us unpunished. Sure, we’ll get a hefty fine and a points deduction and be made to play behind closed doors but this would all be worth it. I’m joking of course…kind of
Forget Citeh, we have referees to contend with. Fucking pricks! All decision went against us and every foul was a yellow on our part and Brighton kicked us all over the pitch especially in the first half.
Surely once Veltman kicked the ball in Rices feet after placing down the ball, the free was taken so why was Rice penalise for touching the ball, ball was surely in play and he could intercept.
Fuck that ref!
I think we have every ground to appeal this… It’s very unfair