ARSENAL ROBBED? | Manchester City 2-2 Arsenal | Match Analysis

[@AndrewDyer10]

I agree with your point about the red card simplifying the game plan for Arsenal with them being 2-1 up at the time. It was the consolation I took from it. However I disagree that he deserved to be sent off. I think there's enough ambiguity in Trossard kicking the ball that Oliver should give him the benefit of the doubt. I am aware he kicks the ball after the whistle but I believe and I think it's quite clear that he is planning on clearing the ball in that direction before the whistle and in the heat of the moment does not have time to adjust and simply follows through on his plan, and I think the shock in his face is genuine surprise that he's been booked for it. Although I haven't heard an interview with him so he may say something completely different. But as you say, we don't want to focus on referees after these games, I enjoyed watching this one and thought it's the clearest sign yet of Arsenal's defensive stability and strength.

[@FrontalLobeFootball]

@@AndrewDyer10 We definitely have different interpretations of the Trossard incident then, mate. I don’t believe that he didn’t have enough time to adjust after the whistle had been blown. He’s an elite footballer and had .84 seconds to make a decision - plenty of time. I think that argument’s a non-starter to be honest. He did not need to put his foot through the ball after barging Bernardo Silva to the ground and having already been booked. Michael Oliver screwed Arsenal over in this fixture last season and he has worrying links to the UAE, but Trossard needs to take responsibility for this one in my opinion. Every week we see players look genuinely shocked and surprised after receiving a deserved card from the referee. Was there enough ambiguity that Michael Oliver could have given him the benefit of the doubt? I think so, especially after refusing to send off Kovacic against Arsenal last year because it would “spoil the game.” I never want to see a player sent off for that and the referees do not help themselves by applying it inconsistently. Dominik Szoboszlai did the same thing against Nottingham Forest last week and it went unpunished. If he was sent off, he could not have complained. Arsenal were brilliant and unfortunate not to get all 3 points. What is worrying though, is the consistency of high-profile decisions that go in Manchester City’s favor in these big games.

[@AndrewDyer10]

@@FrontalLobeFootball I take your point on board. Perhaps "does not have time to adjust" is not the best way to describe it. However, there are multiple interpretations that would justify not giving a 2nd yellow in that instance. And perhaps a better description would be that he is about to either clear it or pass into Martinelli's path and upon hearing the whistle rather than stopping dead, relaxes slightly and eases off on the power of the kick (I think the replay shows this). I do not believe he is consciously/deliberately delaying a restart there, I think he wants the ball away from his box while the ball is in play, and I think continuing a planned action 0.84 seconds after a whistle like this should not be a bookable offence. Either way, this is not a clear-cut, blasting of the ball in frustration, it is ambiguous enough for the ref to not alter the game massively with a 2nd yellow. You referenced inconsistency and other examples where it is not punished, that is central to my frustration. If these types of incidents were all punished equally (although, from my previous sentences you'll know I do not think this should have been punished), I would have less frustration. In my view both the Rice and Trossard 2nd yellows are harsh and a ref could very easily justify not giving them. Compare this to several other examples that have happened in between the two incidents (like the Szoboszlai one you mentioned) that are arguably more clear-cut. I must say I am very surprised by the collective agreement amongst pundits, commentators, and fans that Oliver acted correctly here.

[@FrontalLobeFootball]

@@AndrewDyer10 There are multiple interpretations that would justify not giving Trossard a second yellow card, but there are equally multiple interpretations that would support the referee’s decision here as well. You mentioned that you were surprised by the collective agreement amongst pundits, commentators and fans that Michael Oliver acted correctly in this instance, and honestly, all of my non-Arsenal supporting friends and teammates thought this was a fair second yellow card, but I’m equally surprised by the lack of criticism of Trossard. Don’t give these incompetent referees the chance to send you off in the biggest game of the season.

[@66meikou]

All I can say mate is, Citeh get a jammy equaliser. I'm a Liverpool supporter so I've seen enough of their highjinx. Arsenal deserved the win but c'est la vie.

[@FrontalLobeFootball]

@@66meikou I’m a Liverpool supporter too mate and I could spend all day speaking about the huge decisions that have gone City’s way over the years; Kovacic escaping a red card against Arsenal last October springs to mind, Liverpool being denied a penalty for Doku’s high boot on Alexis Mac Allistar in March, Rodri’s blatant handball against Everton in 2022… huge calls that had a big say on where the Premier League title went. I think Arsenal deserved to win today as well, I just don’t have as much sympathy for Leandro Trossard as many others do.

[@66meikou]

@@FrontalLobeFootball thiumbs up !