A fine strike by substitute Riccardo Calafiori earned Arsenal a 1-0 win against Wolves on an afternoon overshadowed by a scarcely believable red card for youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly.
The visiting players and staff were furious by referee Michael Oliver’s decision to send the full-back to the stands for a cynical foul on Matt Doherty, but the Gunners kept their heads before the referee levelled the playing field after the break by correctly sending off Joao Gomes for two bookable offences.
Here’s what the managers, players, pundits and stattos made of the action…
Mikel Arteta on the way his side dug out the win…
I’m extremely proud of the players. You can talk about courage, you can talk about spirit, but as well about intelligence. The way they managed emotionally the game, it was unbelievable, especially with what we have to face and how they felt about it, all of them just faced the situation, the challenge. We went to the second half, the only message was to go out there to win the game. That’s it. If somebody doesn’t feel it, don’t go. They certainly did it in a really convincing way to themselves to win the game.
Source: Post-game press conference
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Vitor Pereira on Joao Gomes’ red card…
Joao Gomes is a player that gave to us and a lot to the club. It seems that he gave me signs that: I have emotional balance, no problem. I will control myself. But in the end, it’s football. Football is emotion, and he got the second yellow card. It’s a pity, but that’s what he did.
Source: Post-game press conference
𝐖𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝟎-𝟏 𝐀𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐥
Another red card for Arsenal but after Wolves also lost a player, the Gunners took advantage thanks to Riccardo Calafiori’s strike.
Arsenal have had more Premier League goals scored by defenders this season than any other side (8).
#WOLARS
— Opta Analyst (@optaanalyst.optajoe.com) January 25, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Riccardo Calafiori on Myles Lewis-Skelly’s red card:
From the bench, it was clearly not a red card. I saw him at half-time and he was so disappointed for the team. But in the end we won, so nothing happened. He is a good footballer and a good guy, so we help him a lot.
Source: Sky Sports
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Arteta on whether Arsenal will appeal Lewis-Skelly’s red card…
Well, hopefully we don’t need to. If we have to, it happened and it’s a really good precedent what happened with [Manchester United’s] Bruno [Fernandes following his tackle on Sp*rs’ James Maddison] this season as well. OK, we were in a position that we shouldn’t be in, at least let’s be in a position that we should be in for the next few weeks and allow our players to continue to do their job.
Source: Post-game press conference
The red card shown to Myles Lewis-Skelly was the fourth for an Arsenal player this season, more than any other team in the Premier League. 🟥😬
— Opta Analyst (@optaanalyst.optajoe.com) January 25, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Wolves keeper Jose Sa on defeat…
It was a tough game. We had a good opportunity to win from this game, if we then take our opportunities. In the end, we lose and we are sad about that. We didn’t surrender but yes, maybe win more confidence after that [Wolves’ red card] and maybe it was a crucial decision.
Source: Premier League Productions
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Calafiori on his goal…
I said to my team-mates. I was laughing with them because I can only score goals like this. I must focus on easier things. It’s my job, you know.
Source: Sky Sports
1998 – In Myles Lewis-Skelly (18) and Ethan Nwaneri (17), Arsenal are starting two English players aged 18 or younger in a Premier League game for the first time since February 1998 against Crystal Palace (Matt Upson and Paolo Vernazza). Future.
— OptaJoe (@optajoe.com) January 25, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Arteta on Calafiori’s goal…
Ricky can produce these magic moments and he’s done it today again, it really helped the team so really glad that whoever comes in on the pitch he has that spirit to make things happen.
Source: Post-game press conference
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Jurrien Timber on the strength of character his teammates show…
It’s reacting to that adversity you know, I think the character of this group can bring us really far. Also, we have amazing players, a lot of belief in this group that we can achieve amazing things, just have to keep going, still a long way to go and I have a lot of trust in them and today we showed again why we are this good.
Source: Arsenal.com
18 – Aged 18 years and 121 days, Myles Lewis-Skelly is the third-youngest player to receive a red card in the Premier League, older only than Wayne Rooney v Birmingham in 2002 (17y 63d) and Michael Owen v Man Utd in 1998 (18y 117d). Detention.
— OptaJoe (@optajoe.com) January 25, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Alan Shearer on Lewis-Skelly’s red card…
As a referee you can get it wrong on the pitch, you might see something which is incorrect. How on earth Darren England, the VAR, thinks that the referee has got that right and there is no need to send him to the screen. One of the worst decisions that I’ve seen in a long time. I just cannot see and work out what VAR is thinking going along with Michael Oliver’s decision. No wonder it gets criticised by so many people.
Source: BBC Radio 5 Live
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Pat Nevin on Lewis-Skelly’s red card…
I have never seen that in my life life. I am stunned by a red card.
Source: BBC Radio 5 Live
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Ex-Ref Mike Dean on Arsenal appealing Lewis-Skelly’s red…
I think they’ve got grounds for an appeal, it’s when the panel sit and review it, ex-managers, ex-players, which way will they go? I would think if they appeal, the way managers and players look at it, none of the players will think it’s a red card so I think they may well win the appeal.
Source: Sky Sports Soccer Saturday
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You know you fucked up when even Mike Dean says this on Sky Sports:
Arteta on coping with setbacks…
A lot of things happened. Today some more things happened. Yesterday, we lost Mikel [Merino] and today we lost Martin [Odegaard]. But we still keep going. That’s what I love about this team.
Source: Sky Sports
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Arteta on his half-time teamtalk…
I wanted to win the game. Regardless of what happened, that is what I wanted. To be on the front foot, to play with a lot of courage with the ball, to use certain spaces that were going to be available and to keep believing until the last minute that we can do it.
Source: Arsenal.com
Wouldn’t have expected Mike Dean to show any support for an appeal at all based on his last record against us.
the day Alan Shearer and Mike Dean are taking our side you know things have really crossed a line…
With that kind of performance, I wouldn’t buy Cunha. Find someone else
Certainly not worth anything over the £45 Wolves paid for him. Wouldn’t improve us and would lock us into a contract we would regret.
He hasn’t, he’s said only because there are ex players on the panel we ‘might’ win an appeal
that’s just diplomatic ex-referee-speak for “THIS WAS OBVIOUSLY A MASSIVE SCREW UP BY OLIVER”
He said he saw a still and could understand why it was given
Dein is showing the PGMOL
Attitude to all of this. Sure , fans, players and managers don’t see that as a red. But referees have a different understanding of the game. A moral and intellectually superior position.
The fans sing “it’s not about you “ for a reason.
Here we go!
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/jan/26/pgmol-appalled-by-abuse-of-referee-michael-oliver-after-arsenal-red-card
He isn’t supporting us. He’s trying to sell the impression that Arsenal have a chance to appeal, which we don’t, only so the PGMOL can shoot it down in flames and further cement the narrative that Arteta is a moaner who needs to be fined. The media and rival fans will gobble it up.
The PGMOL are corrupt cunts and there’s nothing we or anyone can do about it. They’ll continue to poison the great game. And Mike Dean is a cunt.
I tried to read the have your say section on the bbc, but every comment was a troll saying “blatant red card, entitled Arsenal fans etc”. The narrative being set is frustrating, but I am pleased that it is no longer “you’ll bottle it” as we won 18 out of our last 20 games last season; “you’re soft” because we are not; “you can’t beat the big teams” because we have the best record going against top 6 teams in last couple of years. The trolls now have to resort to low hanging fruit such as “time wasters”, “entitled” and… Read more »
I hear that loud and clear. HYS is full of trolls and wind up merchants. They may not even have seen the tackle at all and still post “Blatant red, all day long. Arteta, blah, dark arts, blah blah”. It’s banter at the pub with 3-4 mates, but when it’s 2,000 messages against maybe ~200 it feels very different.
Either drop HYS, or read so much of it that it stops bothering you. Just my 2p.
To be fair, when it’s the misfortune of other teams on HYS, I may or may not occasionally endorse a post that is clearly aimed at incensing rival fans… Rival fans know how much an injustice stings, so finding ways to inflate that sense of injustice is a recipe to aggravate – and we have experienced our fair share of injustice this season (we have also had ridiculous amounts of injuries – so needless to say the narrative is that we have never had an injury and whoever we are playing has a squad that resembles the killing fields). With… Read more »
You’re right about how the narrative has changed since we became challengers to the title. No matter what we do now it’s wrong and I agree it’s frustrating. The way to handle that is to keep winning I guess. Not that that is as straight forward as it should be with a bent and biased officiating body.
Piss off Mike Dean. I appreciate that what you’re saying on this occasion isn’t inherently negative, but piss off out of our lives all the same
Seeing him taught me a lesson. Never have grey hair on the scrotum, it will act as a repellent.
I can smell his balls from a mile away. Fucking repulsive.
They’re still not as unsavoury as his refereeing.
Dont think he has any balls to speak of..
This must be Arteta’s most challenging season as manager so far. We were worse when he took over but expectations weren’t as high and it was understood the squad needed to be rebuilt basically from the ground up. Now after two back to back title challenges there are expectations. Although I don’t hold much hope of a league title, in the face of an injury ravaged squad and some unreal refereeing decisions I think Arteta is navigating the season beautifully. We’re still second, still fighting and there’s a spirit about this team we haven’t seen from Arsenal for a long… Read more »
Especially when away from the PL (and its refs) we are thriving.
Really well said, thank you!
Well said, there are sensible gooners around after all. Legohair is the man for us. That’s super Mick Arteta!!
You mean he shouldn’t be fired?
Could not agree more. With all the shit that has happened to the club, and Lpool on the rocketship Salah travelling to the moon, to have the team second is nigh on amazing.
Back in the Mustafitimes, I remember thinking I just want the club to be competently run and well coached, and for us to matter. Winning a title? That would be amazing, but it so dependent on luck. I’ve got what I wanted.
Like honestly what else can happen? (I’ve jinxed it)
Not sure to up or down vote. Agree but worry about the jinxing.
Blogs needs to remove this post asap. It is offensive to powerful forces we cannot possibly imagine!
Hear, hear.
he must be proud of the way people are talking about him and the club nowadays. 2nd in the premier league, 3rd in the champions league in a phase with 30 teams. and people are saying: this is not enough. he truly raised the bar. we won’t be happy with anything other than winning. he’s made us have winner’s mentality and i truly think he’s in better position than anybody else to make us actual winners. i just hope fans keep supporting him while he learns from his mistakes, he deserves it
I know it’s not in our hands and unlikely, but winning the league this year given the “adversity” the team has faced would be huge for them. I could see this being the foundation for an unstoppable group of mentality monsters.
The league is at this point still a possibility but a remote one, but we’re in a very good place in the Champions League and could still turn around the Carabao Cup deficit at Newcastle if we show the same spirit we showed today. COYG.
We have the spirit but do we have the legs.
The spirit is willing, but the flesh is spongy and bruised
Optimistic. Players are human like the rest of us, and I’m a little fed up with it. If I’m a player, do I realistically think I can win anything when faced with this unrelenting bollocks.
some people rise to challenges like this more.
they will want to win to spite those holding them back.
We have 1% of the title. This window will decide probably
Absolutely damning stats (link to Bluesky) of when Oliver refs Arsenal games vs others.
Corrupt.
I get Oliver’s incompetency and bias. Why isn’t anyone talking about Darren England? I want to see his stat against arsenal whether a ref or on VAR. I watched the game on Peacock in the US, there was a moment when one of their defenders badge into Martinelli in the box. The commentators said, VAR said “Good Tackle” right away without even checking. Darren England and Mike Oliver combo is a disaster for Arsenal.
I get Oliver’s criticism. Why isn’t anyone talking about Darren England? I want to see his stat against arsenal whether a ref or on VAR. I watched the game on Peacock in the US, there was a moment when one of their defenders badge into Martinelli in the box. The commentators said, VAR said “Good Tackle” right away without even checking. Those two don’t like arsenal
It’s red cards AND penalties too.
From the chart on Bluesky:
Liverpool: 64 matches, 1 Liverpool player sent off, (second yellow) 5 opponents sent off, (4 straight reds.) 17 penalties awarded to Liverpool, 7 to their opponents.
Man City: 60 matches, 1 players sent off, 2 opponents sent off. 11 penalties awarded to MC, 8 for their opponents.
Arsenal: 61 matches, 7 Arsenal players sent off (3 straight reds) 5 opponents sent off (2 straight reds.) 5 penalties awarded to Arsenal, 14 penalties awarded to opponents.
What a complete joke.
By the way, if we appeal, is it just about 3 vs 1 match ban or can they scrap the red altogether?
We can appeal for wrongful dismissal, which would scrap the red card entirely.
I’ve seen a lot of referees act like a d*ick, but Michael Oliver is different. He is a d*ck that acts like a referee!
Nicely put sir.
Michael Oliver belongs to that rare hybrid of dick and cunt.
Calafiori with such nice words about the 18 year old kid who came out of nowhere to take his place in the first 11. Yet another proof of how little ego or selfishness there is in this team. 💜
Just really feels that before anything else our player’s have each others backs
He didn’t take his place though. Calafiori was only injured.
FUCK MICHAEL OLIVER
No thanks! I’d rather Michael Oliver go fuck himself in the mouth.
You know its bad when Pat Nevin has never seen it in his Life Life.
Agreed. That little bollix has seen everything.
Appreciate the Bluesky link
I am not an inherent conspiracy theorist, and I don’t really think this is any sort of organized conspiracy, but the refereeing makes it not fun. As I am from the US, although I have been a fan since 1998 (Bergkamp and Wenger got me onboard), it is not something that is a part of my DNA. I support the team because it brings me joy. When it isn’t fun, I don’t HAVE to keep watching by proximity or family or culture. Escaped this one with a win, but I think if the refereeing was fair this season we would… Read more »
Sounds like Arsenal is in your DNA to me.
I felt this too. I was so furious about the red that I didn’t enjoy the win as much I should have.
I really hope our luck changes soon and we stick it to the refs and their enablers
I have a similar story to yours in a lot of ways, started following Arsenal in 96-97 as we were scrapping with Utd for the title but it was first more because I hated Utd, but then I fell in love with Bergkamp and Vieira and Wenger and the way we played, and slowly with the club as a whole too. But I wasn’t anywhere near the UK, and almost no one I knew was an Arsenal fan, so like you you could say it’s not at all “part of my DNA”. But later I went traveling and forgot about… Read more »
Great post – interesting story that in many parts I can very much relate to (mid to late wenger era malaise particularly – I finally got to the front of the season ticket list in 2013 and turned it down because I felt a level of detachment by that point and I didn’t think I’d use it enough – kicking myself now!)
Thanks mate. And fuck, I definitely feel your pain there! Was waiting for the whole decade I was in London too for the silver membership, eventually got offered it a year or two after I moved to Germany. Which at that point did little more than to remind me I needed to cancel my red membership, ha (though it did make me think for a sec about back and forth flights to watch matches)
though I have to say I would never be able to justify to myself the expense of a season ticket, or really ever more than 3-4 matches a season, the cost is just insane for the experience you get in that stadium compared to watching at home. I love Arsenal deeply and passionately but the Emirates, not so much. I was almost always underwhelmed by the experience there. It looks nice from the outside but inside there’s a bit of an empty, soulless feeling about it, you’re usually freezing (though that part is even worse in Germany), and unless you… Read more »
I have supported Arsenal since the age of 10 (early 90s Ian wright wright wright). From the age of 12 – 17 I was a season ticket holder at my local team Hereford Utd. If you have ever been a regular at lower league games, you’ll appreciate the Emirates experience. I remember when I was about 13 I was at the front of the queue at the snack bar at a Hereford game, and the massive shutter above the counter snapped and it deano down and nearly knocked me out (no one even noticed let alone apologised). My late mum… Read more »
lol fair enough. Guess I was there in a period where the atmosphere mostly wasn’t that great. I think it also matters a lot who you go with, if you have that family/community feeling around it I bet it feels completely different to go through those annoying parts of it like the queuing and the freezing and the crowded snail’s pace walk to Highbury & Islington station. I usually just went with one of two friends, no pre-drinks or anything of that sort.
I don’t think it’s an organised conspiracy, I think it’s a manifestation of general attitudes towards multicultural, rich, liberal London (of which Arsenal are seen as the poster boys) that many people hold in the parts of the UK that our referees are almost exclusively from.
Interesting take, amigo. I also do not think that it is an organised conspiracy, but there is definitely something very odd happening.
I think it’s both of those things. I’m not sure why so many supporters automatically discount corruption when there is so much money in the game that City cheats, Barca buys referees, the head of a country assassinates a journalist and the govt helps him get his “fit and proper” designation to buy the Magpies. What would really be surprising if there wasn’t corruption of poorly trained and underpaid referees in a system where there was no one holding them accountable except for Howard Webb. That would be very surprising.
Dont think howard webb is the epitome of enforcing accountability.
I don’t buy into conspiracy theory in regards to refs – but I do buy into human nature. There will be bias without a shadow of a doubt. There reason why I can say this with such confidence is that there is evidence of this happening in other sports. There is a good Netflix documentary that is part of the ‘untold’ series, which is about corruption in NBA officiation and is called “operation flagrant foul”. It is about an NBA ref who got caught up in a betting scandal. He wasn’t giving tips per se of fixing games – he… Read more »
I think they do some of this shit to show off. Like an Lawyer making new case law. Probably gets a standing ovation at the next pgmol meeting. They’ll all be patting him on the back, two yellows in the same phase of play and now endangering an opponent. You’re a genius Oliver.
Love the link to Bluesky. Drop Facebook. Love the Gunners
Was glad to see we didn’t set back hoping for a tie after the red card as we’ve done in previous matches with first half red cards.
Mike fucking dean you red faced bald fraud. “The ex players won’t think it’s a red card?” Then why on Earth do you refs and ex refs seem to think it was? Incompetent to the very core. Why the fuck are we giving him air time and money for spouting shit on tv?
All four red cards this season are things we won’t see for another team. Add to that the bizarre Martinelli double yellow and even Martinelli’s goal at Old Trafford that got dragged back to an incident on the halfway line.
We seem dogged by one-time only incidents going against Arsenal.
That was a weird red card no doubt but buckle in lads we play Man city B on wendesday night before taking on A team the weekend , who the feck ever seen likes of it before .
Anyways that’s hell of a morale booster if we can score 2 or 3 midweek be great , rest few of the lads and get game time into other’s.
Probably rest Salibs, play MLS, Jorgi, ethan and Merino unless he’s badly injured
Ideal situation would be that City A receive the mental blow of being eliminated during midweek. In addition it will be very interesting to see how “City B” go into that game, normally it would be logical that they rest alot of players, being eliminated already from that competition. (And don’t tell me they need to fight for the price money for 1 or 3 more points, they are “City B” ffs.) But let’s see what the plan of “city group” will be. Dubious constellation indeed, but be very sure, if city A and B ever play against each other… Read more »
Good old Deaney. Always loved that guy!
Just watched alien Romulus, I swear I saw a Micheal Oliver cameo !!!
Hope oliver will piss in his pants the next time he comes to the Arsenal.
I’d much rather he never sets foot in our stadium again
Oliver has sent an Arsenal player off in 21% – yes that’s 21% – of away games that he has been the referee (the other 2 were in home games, just 8%).
He has also awarded penalties against us in 28% of those away games (stat is 12% against Liverpool and just 8% against Citeh in their away games).
He has been ref in almost as many Liverpool games in total and issued just the one red card against them, none against Citeh.
Arsenal should use these figures to discuss with PL (not worth discussion with PGMOL).
I agree 100 % with Shearer and his statement. Well, not totally 100 %, because I believe that Oliver did it deliberately, but maybe even Shearer thinks that, he just can’t say it on TV. With deliberatlely I mean that Oliver is generally waiting for the smallest potential chance to show a red to Arsenal and boom, there it was. “Unfortunately” in this case, the whole world seems to think that there wasn’t even the smallest chance for a red, so he has been exposed as the corrupt b4stard that he is. I am very much pro VAR, but they… Read more »
Four red cards. Three of them literally unprecedented and absurd, the other soft.
I think Arsenal fans around the world should crowd fund an investigation into Michael Oliver and the rest of the PGMOB cronies. A thorough investigation that would establish their true allegiances, their other paid work including the junkets to the Middle East, and a forensic examination of their lifestyles and finances. Its time these untouchable and unaccountable cretins were put on the back foot.
Not the worst idea, certainly.
Here’s another telling stat – we have played 25 matches in either the Europa or Champions Leagues since qualifying for Europe in 22/23 without incurring a red card. Contrast that with this season in the Premier League in which we’ve racked up four in 23 matches. Also, it’s interesting, or perhaps coincidental, that the questionable/unprecedented red cards this season, dodgy penalty (Brighton) and disallowed late goal (Liverpool) follow Arteta’s ‘desgracia’ rant at Newcastle a year or so ago.
A player gets sent off and whether it was right or wrong I can only ask myself: Does it really mean anything that an ex referree and footballer think there has been some injustice? We are back into the realms of the credibility of pundits and whether what they really think matters or should matter to Arsenal fans? Never mind the mind highly paid biased has been loser pundits what do you lot think? I get the impression that watchers of SKY can’t be bothered to form an opinion so they take what the has been pundits say . GET… Read more »