The FA have fined Arsenal £65,000 after Mikel Arteta’s players surrounded Michael Oliver following Myles Lewis-Skelly’s red card at Wolves.
While the sending-off in the 43rd minute of the Gunners’ 1-0 win at Molineux was later rescinded by an independent panel, the fact nine out of ten outfield players, led by Gabriel Magalhaes, took umbrage with the referee was a breach of the rules that Arsenal accepted.
Rather than appeal, the Gunners sent a letter stating their “emotional” players “justifiably wanted to speak to the referee and for him to reconsider his decision”. The letter also points out that “they were not gesticulating or accusatory” and “did not behave in a way which was offensive, violent, threatening, abusive, indecent, insulting or provocative.”
In their response, the FA, who reviewed video footage of the incident as well as leaning on the referee’s report, said: “The red card issued to Myles Lewis-Skelly, being overturned on appeal does not justify the reaction of AFC’s players surrounding the Match Referee and affords no mitigation.”
They added: “Competing at the top end of the Premier League table does not mitigate the behaviour. Players representing a high-profile club, competing at the top of the Premier League, in a fixture screened live across the world bear a responsibility to conduct themselves properly.”
A minimum £80,000 fine was recommended, however, a £65,000 settlement was decided upon “taking into consideration all the aggravating and mitigating factors
of the case.”
And so a line is drawn under a completely ridiculous turn of events.
Can’t they create a handbook called “How We Referee Arsenal” so at least we can understand the rules….?
Would have to be a living document to allow for new and inventive ways to officiate situations, never seen before and never to be seen again.
Yeah, it’d be like one of those ‘choose your own story’ books.
An Arsenal player is angry with a decision. Do you…
a) Give him two separate yellow cards? (Turn to pg 40)
b) Give the whole team a yellow card? (Turn to pg 56)
c) Fine the club, ban the manager, award a penalty and ignore the VAR lines? (Turn to pg…. Oh wait, you completed the quest, well done!)
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I refuse to believe this has worked even once, and if it has, humanity is a huge disappointment to me.
I was wondering regarding the Konate incident. His second foul is much talked about and we have gotten second yellows for less. BUT his first foul (as clear a yellow as can be) was immediately followed by him kicking the ball away. If the Arsenal rules are applied (see Martinelli vs. Wolves) he should have gotten a yellow for the foul as well as a yellow for kicking the ball away. But of course the Arsenal rule book doesn’t apply when we aren’t playing.
You can tell Liverpool don’t realise how lucky they are when they kicked off over a very marginal call against Everton.
We wouldn’t even bother disputing something so minor, such is the array of cluster fucks that we have to put up with on the reg…
Liverpool are in dreamland. Anything controversial and the David Coote corruption is shared all over the web. I wish Coote called klopp a cunt
*arteta
Tell me about it 😒
Agree, let’s just pay the fine and move on.. no point in looking back, hopefully Villa can do us a favour and Man c..
Konate’s yellow was for persistant fouling, as indicated by the referee’s pointing to three different spots on the pitch. Should he have gotten a second? Not in my opinion. It’s too big a punishment for the level Of the infraction. Should he have gotten a second yellow if he committed another foul? Yup, as Slot realized. None of this has anything whatever to do with the Lewis/Skelly red or the players’ reaction, or the FA’s fine. Mixing everything together makes us look like loony conspiracy theorists. Refs are often crap; refereeing standards are maddeningly inconsistent; the FA (not the Prem… Read more »
By your own words officiating is maddeningly inconsistent. That’s what this is ALL about. So yes, in that context the Liverpool situation does relate. Inconsistent refereeing across clubs.
We wouldn’t be looking for fire if there weren’t so goddamn much smoke.
Referees are inconsistent, but none of them assess fines. If the FA fail to fine Everton and Liverpool for their teams’ behaviour at the end of their match (in fact, unless the fines are higher than the fine Arsenal must pay, since the offense was clearly more serious), then you can say the FA (not the referees, not the league) are inconsistent. But it would still have nothing to do with the inconsistency–the low standard–of refereeing.
I don’t think anyone thinks Konate should have been sent off. What I am convinced of though is that if he played for Arsenal, he would have been. Our players are given 2nd yellows the moment there is even the smallest opportunity to do it.
Our X2y is very high
It would just say .. ‘ask yourself .. what would Arne Slot want me to do?’
Arsenal referring handbook: 1) Did a Saudi prince, Sheikh or Chinese betting consortium pay us a bribe? if YES, go to point 2. 2) Did an arsenal player conduct an action which, if punished, could significantly impact the result in their game? IF YES, issue a red card or penalty to the opposition (or both) IF NO, go to point 3. 3) Did the Arsenal player conduct an action which might fall into a grey area, or under the ‘letter of the allow’ allow PGMOL to apply a punishment which could significantly impact the result in their game? IF YES,… Read more »
65K down the drain
Oliver’s a big wank stain
But if they create this handbook then they will lose out on all the fines (profits).
Kick the ball: red
Head the ball: red
Minor foul near own area: red
Yellow card offence: believe it or not, red
Nice
Surely the same goes for the match referee, Michael Oliver?! Are the FA going to charge the PGMOL over their lack of proper conduct?
Screened live across the world – oh wait, except for in the UK!
They also fucked their own product up by hamstringing us with 4 red cards that have never been seen again. Could have been a very exciting end to the season.
Oliver is a trouble maker whose name features too often where there is controversy. The FA needs to deal with this thug.
How much will Liverpool and Everton be fined for the conduct of their players last week? That was FAR worse than anything any Arsenal player did.
I mean…two match for Slot and assistant very likely incoming as they were both sent off – I don’t see them wrangling themselves out of it to be honest – if what the lip readers said is on the button, Slot’s comments in particular were markedly more serious than Arteta’s post Newcastle away press conference comments. They were put to the referee’s assistant at full-time so likely would have been fucked up on his mic. Also “both clubs failed to ensure their players and/or technical area occupants did not behave in an improper and/or provocative way following the final whistle.”.… Read more »
Don’t know what Slot said to Michael Oliver but it was very likely justified. Slot has expressed his frustration with the refs before and who can blame him? All the managers should come out with a joint statement against the appalling refereeing standards of the PL. They should demand the dismantling of PGMOL and the banning for life of anyone associated with it.
💯% agree, this is starting to get to crisis point, if we are not already there. Its at “super league” level in my eyes. But i worry that tribalism amongst supporters will be a huge barrier and once again, money will somehow ‘cancer out’ the whole situation
*amongst supporters and their clubs
Bit of a poser that one. I mean, if Slot called Oliver an incompetent cunt, what are they going to do? Fine everyone in the world?
Apparently the refs in the EPL are the best in Europe judging by all decisions given in all games, it does make you wonder of the old saying of the grass being stronger on the other side, I wouldn’t want to see CL ref’s in our game every week, our ref’s are as good as any in Europe, Yes Saliba/Dec/Tross were all disappointing reds but they were all iffy at the same time, we lost points in all of these games which grated, yet with Lewis one we won the game, we’ve got more issues to resolve and respond with… Read more »
The PL refs are a bunch of thugs bringing the biggest football league in the world into disrepute. They’ve become a law unto themselves and they need to be dealt with.
PGMOL look like absolute dorks over this. Other teams don’t surround the ref? Do one
I agree with the sentiment. However the body issuing the fine is the FA. The PGMOL is a separate entity that doesn’t have the authority to issue fines to clubs or footballers. Of course the two work closely together but they are separate. The FA could break ties with PGMOL and hire its own referees if it chose to do so. Maybe one day they will. For now it’s clear that they are hitched together.
“hitched together? …. that is the scary part….. the Father, the Son and the Holy dosh 🤑 ££$$
At this point it’s just a fucking joke.
Howard Webb and his cabal of incompetents will eventually get found out but until then we have to just deal with these c@nts
You just can argue with stupid.! They will always have the last word thinking they won the battle. Fucking bunch of narcissists!
Need the best foreign officials from around the world, not this bunch of failed traffic wardens from NW England.
Hahah
Agreed.
How the prem is not internationally officiated doesn’t make any sense. It’s 2025 and the prem is completely multi national in all aspects. Apart from the northern bobby’s on the beat. It’s an absolute joke and needs to be upgraded and changed asap!
G Nev can do one as well.
That will not work with the hostile environment policy.
I read the other day that Lee Mason is in charge of coaching at the PGMOL…about sums it up!
I’d pop down the FA headquarters with 6.8 million pennies, calmly dump them out on the floor in the lobby and walk out giving them the two finger salute.
I like the way you think Jeremy. I’d join you for that. Of course, then the FA would undoubtedly levee an additional fine to Arsenal, for littering
Hmmm. Good point chepetin. What if we kept it in a bag, but the bag was also full of animal excrement? We’re not littering, they have to take the money because it’s legitimate currency but they also have to dig through shit to access the 6.8 million pennies. Pretty sure there aren’t any rules saying you can’t do that (maybe health and safety)
Just to be pedantic – legal tender rules limit payment in small coins to just 20p, anything more can be refused (with or without excrement)
Pathetic
17.02.2025 at 18:21
8 comments
0 thumbs down
70 thumbs up
Didn’t expect this to unite us xD
COYG
Get in touch with FatGooner, he loves the thumbs down.
…gave me a chuckle. 😏
Thanks
Curious how much Liverpool will be fined for their behavior at Goodison park. Oh wait.
To$$€rs
How do the FA justify £65,000 fine for actions that has caused no more damage than a parking fine! Surely the fine if any should be about £12.00? Unless they spat at him or something worst than being in his so called space. Where exactly does the money(fines) go, and into who’s pocket. Are the FAs accounts clear for all to review regarding money in and out and the wages, bonuses, expenditure etc.. who looks at this, and how do they come to a certain figure that’s justified as a fine. I mean £65,000 for doing what, surrounding a referee!,… Read more »
Pedantic response – fines go into FA coffers and, as a non-profit organisation, will claim it goes into the general well-being fund for all levels of Football.
Now, how much officials at FA get paid and on what targets is a different issue!
Sure, i’d like to see how they grade penalties and fines and for certain actions and set precedents and what not. A bit of transparency, all cards on the table.
Will the scousers fine be equal, more, why? Will next season be the same for the same actions?
If say, Declan Rice does a Suarez manouvre and has a nibble on Michael Oliver, will his sentence be the same?
The all together are trying to play the ‘ master of puppets ‘
They could claim to donate it to mentally disabled persons and thus it could plausibly all go to Michael Oliver himself.
👏 perfect, i dont think anyone can word the truth better. Cheers D
Laughable on the same day that idiot Gallagher did his usual above and beyond for the official not sending off the Liverpool centre half and having the brass when compared to Rice sending off to say Rice was really really unlucky blah blah blah, you couldn’t make it up, wasn’t saying that earlier in the year.
I detest sky the three jokers on the Monday panel, Webb and his PGMOL.
Bit shouldn’t the referee be fined also? Double standards…
Again, it’s all about consistency and this strikes me as somewhat punitive.
Having said that, what players from EVERY team can and do get away with each match is shocking. No other sport has/allows this kind of dynamic between officials and players. Not that they seem to have any interest in being proactive about it.
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Can’t wait for the FA to charge Lpool for the end of the Everton game. Mmhmm.
Nice to see Liverpool got away with no fines after that Everton game no comments from Jamie or Gary on them scenes either, had that been Arsenal I could only imagine the reports and fines
I hope every arsenal player and staff wipe their arse with a 50£ bill and send this in a big smelly flea infested bag.
I assume Liverpool will be getting a 500k fine for their protestations at goodisoon…..cough cough
Cunts
Well…the players wouldn’t have surrounded the referee if he wouldn’t have wrongly issued a red card…oh wait, they said it was wrongly issued so basically the players wouldn’t have surrounded the referee if the decision was the correct one 🤣. What a gathering of losers..
Everton and Liverpool should both be deducted points, then. As well as a fine. Could have turned nasty at a lesser stadium. The FAs excuses are just shite!
They’re just sticking up for Oliver – who’s a total Arsenal hating twat!
“The red card issued to Myles Lewis-Skelly, being overturned on appeal does not justify the reaction of AFC’s players surrounding the Match Referee and affords no mitigation.”
It’s completely justified!
Can’t wait to see the FA’s excuses when a team who ISN’T Arsenal gets away with similar.
“… and affords no mitigation.”
And yet, in pretty much the next sentence, they say they reduced the fine from 80K to 65K because of “ALL THE AGGRAVATING AND MITIGATING FACTORS OF THE CASE”.
Fucking cretins can’t even get their excuses consistent.
Liverpool and Everton are about to receive 100k fine. Anything less is fucking corruption and should see us sue for complete and utter bias.
At least after this incident and the Merseyside fiasco where Oliver totally lost control, nobody is saying ‘He is the best referee in the country’.
Were Michael Oliver and the morons in VAR also fined?
Ah would u ever fuck off
Wait, so what were the mitigating factors that reduced the fine, if not for the things they previously stated were not mitigating factors?
So they fucked it all up and it’s still Arsenal’s fault even though they straight up said they are reducing the fine because they players had every right to be mad due to the circumstances. I’m sure the fines are incoming for every other team that surrounds the ref any second now…
As the referee’s action was deemed unjust that would make the reaction taken by the players to be justified.. how is this fine applicable? Were the players expected to open their grievance against an incorrect decision in a polite and cordial manner? In the heat of the moment? In the middle of a title fight, where the frustration is high following previous examples of similar poor referee decision making and its negative impact when margins are so tight?
A terrible oliver decision won’t be forgotten along with their piss poor attempts to justify it!
What a bunch of self serving vankers.
Looking forward to Liverpool being placed into administration after their reaction following the draw at Goodison Park where a player, assistant coach, and the manager were all sent off- in addition to their players surround the ref- and that’s before we get to the alleged racial abuse of the everton goalscorer.
“Competing at the top end of the Premier League table does not mitigate the behaviour. Players representing a high-profile club, competing at the top of the Premier League, in a fixture screened live across the world bear a responsibility to conduct themselves properly.”
Really. What about officials chosen to officiate the same high profiles matches broadcast to millions all over the world having the decency to be forthright and competent.
Another contribution for the overpriced Wembley. Constructors saw the FA coming and made a killing. All teams have been paying ever since.
£7bn for that and seven years over due.
Emirates, Tottenahm and Everton stadiums have not cost that collectively.
We get a fine and other teams get a fruit basket.
It all goes back to Newcastle last season and they have not forgotten Arteta’s criticism.
Careful, they’ll be on here reading our comments.
Seriously though, what is going on? Do they actually hate us?
Arseblog fans fine, from the FA, incoming….because, well, Arsenal FC and reasons and stuff.
Oh no! This will keep me up at night!
No punishment for Wolves surrounding the ref to get him sent off then. I think the authorities were determined to get a win at some point with this one.
True, although Wolves have had ref problems. Their guy got punched in the head by Onana last season and it wasn’t a penalty.
OUR guy got punched in the head by Onana and it wasn’t a penalty!
This win is just the cancer spreading
“Competing at the top end of the Premier League table does not mitigate the behaviour. Players representing a high-profile club, competing at the top of the Premier League … bear a responsibility to conduct themselves properly.”
So Spuds and Man U are okay to surround the referee.
“So Spuds and Man U are okay to surround the referee.”
Certainly sounds like it, because they are doing a lot of things, but certainly not competing at the top of the Premier League table.
The FA need to look very carefully at the behaviour of every team when it comes to surrounding the referee. The club should be sending evidence of this behaviour by others to the FA and asking why it didn’t apply on all other occasions.
Arsenal would simply asking for justice, instead there’s a case to put that preferential treatment is granted to other teams in these instances.
They don’t deal in consistency. Just look at how they’ve dropped the delaying the restart rule after punishing us to the max. The PGMOL have more impact on the League table than many teams.
Nice little addition to pgmol budget. It’s all business these days and their accountants are all happy 🤔
And now that the charge has been admitted and the fine has been paid … now, only now, does Coward Webb come out and say “Oliver got it wrong”.