Do Arsenal fans agree that Coquelin got off lightly? Or is Wenger right?

There are always interesting subplots to every game – an altercation between players or an interesting back-heel or a wonderful thru ball. Not surprisingly, the Arsenal win against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park came with one such incident.

Francis Coquelin was replaced by Arsene Wenger just after the hour. That was not the interesting part. It was the fact that he avoided a second booking for a foul on James McArthur. For some, it was a decision that could have been a lot worse for the Gunners. Wenger immediately hauled him off the pitch and blamed the local fans for his decision.

The Eagles are considered to be one of the noisiest fans around the country. The decibel levels generally go up, irrespective of the state of the match – whether the home side is winning, losing or playing bad. Wenger felt that his midfielder could become a victim of the mob mentality of the Palace fans.

“I felt that he was not fortunate,” Wenger said. “I would like to see all that again, but in the end the pressure created by the crowd was so big that I took him off after 60 minutes.”

Interestingly, looking from the other end of the action, the Palace manager Alan Pardew claimed that the referee Lee Mason had lacked the “bravery” to send off the Arsenal midfielder even earlier.

And, refuting the claims of Wenger, Arsenal legend Thierry Henry indicated that Coquelin was lucky not to be sent off during the match. For a player who was already on a yellow card, the way Coquelin thrust himself into the game was slightly perplexing.

Henry believes that the player should learn to be smarter and understand the situation than just run around. He may have a point here because in a fast pace game, it is vital for the players to stay up and make on-the-run decisions.
So, which side of the coin did Coquelin end up? Was he fortunate not to have received a second yellow? Or was Wenger right in saying that the local fans riled him up and could have got him sent off?

It’s hard not to be judgmental around situations like this but it looks like Coquelin got a very lucky let-off from referee Lee Mason. Do you agree or do you think Wenger was right?

Sridhar

Tags Coquelin Pardew Wenger

53 Comments

  1. ozil in his first season recorded 9goals and
    14assists and English media called him a
    flop,but cazorla scored 7(including
    5penalties) and recorded 13 assists,and they
    were like her had an awesome season…(no
    doubt cazorla is a fantastic playa)…and wat
    of coutinho?last season:4goals 4assist-
    appeared in the team of the year,,,, ozil
    with 5goals and 9assists despite missing
    3mnths was still labelled a flop..I don’t
    understand the way they see the game.

      1. Yes, Coquelin should definitely have been sent off….

        Happy? Not much discussion is going to come from asking such a question, it’s a blog….let the fan say what he likes.

    1. Is it about fOotball? Does it involve Arsenal? Then go ahead and post it here. WTF??? Who made u guys moderators? U don’t like a comment, then scroll away. We can’t all hate the same thing and like the same thing…

    2. Just a thought but they likely don’t live and die by stats, even though I don’t agree with the PFA choices most of the time (particularly the Liverpool infatuation).

      Ozil’s had a good game and now people like you will come along and try and suggest that this unequivocally means he’s next level. He still doesn’t justify 42.5mil, he doesn’t score enough, isn’t influential enough in big games, is not at all consistent in his performance level, and his contribution without the ball is polar opposite to Alexis’.

      Ozil wouldn’t make a Guardiola/Mourinho team because of this, but he can skate by with intermittent matches of brilliance under Wenger and people like you lap it up. Funny how you never hear a peep out of you when Ozil is MIA, but he plays 1 game to the standard of a 40mil player and you’re shouting from the rooftops.

      For the record: Cazorla got 12 goals and 11 assists his debut season as our CAM compared to Ozils 5 goals and 9 assists. One cost 16 mil and the other 42.5. Also, simply comparing the 2 last year by spewing goal/assist numbers doesn’t exactly provide the context that one (Ozil) was our primary attacking midfielder playing behind the ST, whilst the other (cazorla) was playing deep alongside our defensive midfielder. Pretty ignorant stuff.

      1. You are right my friend. While i do believe Ozil is a world class player, his overall performance at Arsenal has not been so good. I still remember him when he was playing for werder bremen & madrid, he was a beast back then. But now, ozil is only known for his passing which is really sad. Based on performance, i believe we have many players who play the no10 role better than Ozil (wilshere, ox, cazorla, rosicky, sanchez). Unfortunately, none of them will get that opportunity coz of ozil’s transfer fee.

      2. ok..
        Wenger ‘lapping it up’ but the mighty Mourinho wouldn’t touch him in his team? Are you f@#king kidding me? Three years at Real Madrid under him but you’re just going to blindly ignore that? wow…
        ‘ignorant stuff’ no doubt…

        1. Remains to be seen if Wenger sees Coquelin as his #1, Giroud is still our #1 but safe bet is that won’t last. Let’s review when all transfers are done ay before quoting what Wenger thinks in all of this.

          Wouldn’t be JustArsenal without you running your mouth would it Josh? tell me how 3 years in La Liga compares to the premier league and Bundesliga (where the respective managers I mentioned are). La Liga has plenty of luxury players who need no work ethic. Even still remind me how often Ozil finished a game for Mourinho in Madrid…

          I’ll repeat. Mourinho and Guardiola wouldn’t entertain Ozil in their respective first XI’s purely because he doesn’t offer all the necessary attributes required of a top level playmaker. His game is inconsistent and undeniably lacking in key areas. If you argue that it’s denial at its finest.

          1. Mourinho –
            ‘There is no copy of him – not even a bad one. He is the best number 10 in the world. He makes things very easy for me and for his team-mates with his football vision and the decisions he makes.’
            Call me crazy… But the coach you’re talking about labelled him the BEST IN THE WORLD in the position in question while Ozil was playing under him.
            Now……………… For some reason, you think those qualities, that i’ll repeat, working with first-hand he believed was the BEST IN THE WORLD!!!! He ‘wouldn’t entertain him in his respective first XI?’

            And I’m the one in denial??…

            1. Jesus christ you’re dim as they come, do you base all your knowledge on newspaper clippings? Mourinho was diplomatic when questioned about a former player….earth shattering news.

              I’ll repeat what literally happened….Mourinho subbed Ozil every game after an hour in Madrid, so you seriously think he’d a player like that in his Chelsea team? Clueless.

              1. Ok.. So because Ozil wasn’t in Mourinho’s plan B, you’re going to gloss over the fact that he was in his starting XI and primary tactic for three years?? In one of the biggest clubs in the world??
                In 11/12 and 12/13 he made 52 starts for Real Madrid each season. 20 of which were in the Champions League. He is well known as a player who doesn’t have the greatest engine. Is the notion that maybe he was man managing a key component of his squad, keeping him fresh for the weeks he’d need him 2-3 games per week completely foreign?? Surely with the funds and allure of Madrid available he would’ve replaced him if someone could do better??
                You’re aware it’s not just Mourinho’s prior squad?? He’s a core piece of the Germany national squad as well which just won the world-cup. The fact that he completed more passes in the final third than any other player and was equal second to Messi in the world-cup to me sounds a lot more than a ‘luxury player’ as he’s often referred to by the parrots. It really seems a lot more like a player with an ability to heavily influence the game.
                But screw that, tackles are what you really need from your number 10 anyway.

                1. The way you have this condescending tone in thinking you see things others don’t.. It.. It really winds me up.
                  I’ll repeat, Mourinho, Joachim Lowe and Wenger with all the talents in the world, with Germany’s plethora of talent, or with 42.5million dollars!
                  Literally three top, top managers have made him key components in their systems on every world stage and you have the arrogance to say with 100% confidence, and act as if anyone who disagrees with you is ‘in denial’ or ‘clueless’ that Mourinho or Pep wouldn’t want him at Chelsea or Bayern??
                  I’m done, this argument is a joke mate.

                2. Champagne charlie, nobody seems to agree with your opinions. Ozil is world class, the trophies are coming in since he joined and he is a valuable asset to the team.

  2. Un garçon très chanceux !
    (A very lucky boy)

    Always irritates me when managers defend the indefensible or “don’t see” what happened.

    Does it change the result ? Does it fool anyone ?
    Anyway hopefully the player will learn.

  3. Coq should have been off..
    Cmon. Give it a second thought, had he playing for any team against us, what would be our opinion then?

    We were lucky, haha weird. Arsenal were lucky.

  4. He didn’t deserve a yellow in the first place but after being booked;was lucky not to have been shown a second yellow because other refs might have sent him off.

  5. I don’t even think his yellow should of been a booking !

    Was lucky by today’s standards , but he didn’t hurt anyone , what’s the problem ? …

    But in all honestly … Who cares ?

    We’ve had our fair share of bad luck … Swings and roundabouts !

    …. More worrying though is how wenger didn’t put arteta (his back up holding mid) on immediately , did he trust him ? … He only got a look in after Ramsey was placed there but continuously found himself in offensive positions !

    Yet again there was that moment when I , wenger and I imagine every other arsenal fan was thinking ” who did we put in for coq now ?” … Trust me this will happen again too !

    We need a centre forward and a holding mid for giroud and coq to play second fiddle to , just my opinion.

    1. I think one was available, oh yeah SCHNEIDERLIN !
      But wenger thought, better to save the 25million and just keep subbing him off every game he recieves a yellow card. That would literally mean EVERY GAME.

  6. Yes, he was lucky but that’s just because the crowd always thinks that the next foul after a yellow must result in yet another yellow. The two fouls after weren’t deserving a yellow but I don’t believe anyone cares. We are used to ask for a yellow for any foul a booked player is committing. Palace must have also had Wickham booked twice if these rules applied equally. And why wasn’t Souare booked for the foul against Ozil? That is the real life. Sometimes you are lucky (see Liverpool today) sometimes you are not so lucky.

    1. A lot of wringing hands over this. I don’t know why. We have seen Coquelin be this aggressive before. And what’s worse is that McArther went down way too easily. Certainly wasn’t bookable. Giroud was arguing that it was a dive, and I would agree.
      Whatever. Close call and a learning moment for Coquelin.
      Next.

  7. Le coq i have to admit was indeed a lucky boy, he lived a charmed life while on the pitch and was fortunate not to get his marching orders!

  8. Should have probably received the second yellow, although I agree the first was kind of harsh. He should have realized he had a yellow already and made better decisions. its scary when you realize he does not have a direct replacement yet, and it changes things quite a bit when he is out. Points out the need for a good DM signing.

  9. Yes he probably should have been sent off due to the accumulation of fouls yet one of them I thought warranted a yellow card after his from earlier on in the game

  10. Yes, he deserved a second booking which is a redcard,but never got it.
    Yes,he never deserved the first yellow card,but he got it anyway.
    Yes, Pardew was right,so was Wenger.

    But why am answering you admin? Does it matter? He never got a Red card and we won, Crystal Palace think he deserved it but they lost, anyway.

    Liverpool just scored an offside goal and won the game, Bournemouth think it’s an offside goal,but they lost anyway.

    Simply put, what matters is the football pitch is what the ref thinks.

  11. Coq’s challenges were not bad. And it is not uncommon that the refs give the benefit of the doubt to the player for a 2nd yellow, particularly if the 1st one was not bad.

    The refs decisions were reasonable. And Wenger’s decision to pull Coq was reasonable also. I don’t see the problem here except the Palace manager and fans were looking for any help they could get because they were losing – nothing more.

  12. Coquelin was very lucky not to be sent off. The red did us a favour in that respect. But I don’t really see that as the ref winning the game for us. You want to see a ref effectively decide which team wins a game then look no further than that Liverpool vs Bournemouth game. Disallowed a perfectly acceptable Bournemouth goal to keep it 0-0 and then gave Liverpool a goal that was clearly offside, and Liverpool won the game 1-0. Bournemouth should’ve won that game, they were the better team for my money.

  13. I saw many Palace players making cynical fouls and nothing being awarded. For example when Ozil was wrestled to the ground. All Coq’s tackles were with the aim of getting the ball and maybe mistimed. The press as they do are making a big deal of this. The referee was wrong with the first yellow card, so he made up for it later.

    Referee’s aren’t perfect – demonstrated by tonight when Bournemouth would’ve beaten LFC on video technology and ended up losing, but if we’d had video technology Coq wouldn’t have had the first card so correct decision made in the end.

  14. Yes, he was lucky. We’ve seen softer red cards being given. I think inevitably, we’ll have to do without Coquelin due to suspension at some point in the season.

  15. LPool get an undeserved win. The goal should have been disallowed for a player who was clearly offside and interfering with play under the new rule (making an attempt to play the ball from an offside position is deemed interfering with play).

    The goal was a classic example of a situation when the new rule would be applied, but the refs missed it already.

  16. He was lucky, sorry arsenal were lucky, sorry Arsene was lucky! One of the most combative positions on the pitch that is likely to pick up cards and wenger hangs his hat on coquekin alone. Too much unfair pressure on the player, it took per gesturing to wenger for him to finally make the change. Wenger wake up abd buy another dm player. Krychowiak will do nicely.

  17. Acc to deluded AKB’s Wenger is always right. Coq is flop. We need big strong and better passer than him. I dont undertsand why u call him the best DM. Its just laghable. Sign someone top class DM and sign top striker.

  18. If we cant get a top striker like Benzema, Lewandowski, Cavani and Ibra. we should target players like Lukaku, Morata, Alcacer, Griezmann and Reus.

    1. Giroud has scored more goals than Lukaku in fewer matches the last two seasons. Look at the stats:
      PL 2013-3014
      Lukaku: 15 goals in 31 matches
      Giroud:

      Giroud is better than Lukaku

      1. Giroud is the better player, the difference is that Lukaku will still progress to his full potential which overall I think will be higher than Giroud in his prime. There is no doubt OG is a good player but we need to be looking at exceptional talent to lead the line.

        That’s where you want your flagship to be.

      2. Sorry my computer is acting up. Didn’t finish
        Total PL Goals last two sseasons
        Giroud: 30 goals from 63 matches
        Lukaku: 25 goals from 67 matches

        Total Goals
        Lukaku: 36 goals from 81 matches
        Giroud: 41 goals from 87 matches

        Giroud may not be better but How can you defend replacing Giroud with Lukaku. Totally Absurd. Giroud has scored 60 goals for us the last three years. He may not be WC BUT HOW CAN YOU SAY HE IS $HIT. What is your definition of $hit in football. If Giroud is $hit then Costa must be average and Suarez must be slightly above average

        1. Giroud is definitely a good striker, he is at the same level as a Dzeko and a LLorente, and these players are subs in very good teams.
          Giroud would be an excellent sub for Arsenal, the fact that he has been our sole out and out striker for the last three years shows our lack of ambition.

        2. Giroud, 28 years old at his peak playing for Arsenal.
          Lukaku, 22 years old developing at Everton.

          The 5 goal difference is genuinely reason enough to be so unequivocal?

          With that logic Benteke is without question a better player than Giroud I assume…or does it get twisted when the ‘system’ of comparison reflects badly against Giroud?

    2. We should have gotten Griezmann before Atletico Madrid did last year instead of Welbeck. Nothing against Danny boy and I appreciate his goal that led us back to the FA Cup but it’s clear to me who the better player is and would have been.

  19. After getting the first yellow he should have been careful and technically should have gone but looking at it as a sensible football fan, at no time did he make a dangerous tackle or put the other player in jeopardy of a serious injury so does the premier league need players been sent off for commitment and honesty? The biggest story for me was Wenger once again leaving Theo on the bench and the Ox and playing ramsey out wide. Play your best players in their best positions! I think this team has got the potential but too often we play square pegs in round holes

  20. As the transfer window is coming to an end our hopes of signing top striker and DM is also becoming a dream. I blame one man Wengerout.

  21. I don’t think either of the first 2 fouls deserve a card individually but he would have still be carded for the accumulation of the 2. The third one is a card, no doubt so overall he was a lucky boy.

    Not long to go till the window closes, I think someone’s coming.

  22. Wenger, it is too late in the window, we are already two games in, who ever you are planning to buy should have arrived a month ago like Sanchez did last year. As far as DM’s there is no excuse half a dozen decent DMs already changed clubs. I agree that a striker is a harder matter in this transfer window, and we might have to wait for something to happen.
    This is what i think Arsene is happy with Coq,Arteta and Flamini as our DM cover.
    He also seems happy with our attacking options. If we win next week he is not buying anyone.

    1. You may be right. still have a feeling that there will be one more. Probably a bit anonymous, like Gabriel was.

  23. Its difficult really. He didnt really go into any tackles dangerously or hurt anyone. It was just a series of little niggly fouls. I dont think he should of been sent off but he was definately lucky. Says more about the state of the game than anything. Not ever foul has to be a card even if you are already booked. People seem to have this attitude where if you are booked the next foul you should be off but in general players get away with a number of fouldls before being yellow carded so it should be the same for the sexond yellow. Doesnt seem to be the case very oftern though.

    1. its more than just dangerous tackles he did some strategic fouls to break up their counter-attack a couple times. these deserve yellow cards. he was really lucky.

  24. It is almost obvious that our main need is another dm . Arteta does an amazing job (I know I ll get thumbs down for this) but he is aging and even though he is in shape (and has great hair…ok thumbs up for this) he can’t possibly be a full time.
    I wish that pole whose name I can’t write ( I ll learn if he joins) joined us. He really seems good

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