Mikel Arteta was delighted to see Arsenal emerge from the Stadium of Light with another three Premier League points, but one incident during the dramatic 2-0 win over Sunderland clearly left the Gunners boss furious.
With the game still goalless early in the second half, Sunderland were awarded a penalty after Ezri Konsa was adjudged to have fouled Dan Ballard as the pair challenged at a corner.
It came at a particularly dangerous moment for Arsenal. As we discussed in our match report, Sunderland had come flying out after the interval and were putting Arteta’s side under considerable pressure.
David Raya ultimately came to Arsenal’s rescue by saving Enzo Le Fée’s spot-kick, before Bruno Guimarães scored his first goal for the Gunners just two minutes later.
Arteta, however, was in no mood to simply forget how close the decision had come to changing the match.
Arteta adamant Sunderland should not have had a penalty
Speaking after the game, Arteta strongly criticised the award and argued that Ballard had actually been responsible for bringing Konsa down.
As reported by The Guardian, the Arsenal boss described the situation as “unacceptable at this level” and insisted: “This can never be a penalty.”
Arteta went even further when explaining how he saw the incident:
“It’s a judo roll from the opponent. Ezri does nothing.”
The Spaniard’s concern appeared to go beyond frustration about one decision. He argued that incidents such as this need to be dealt with properly in order to protect the game and suggested Arsenal could easily have lost both the match and their early-season momentum as a consequence.
Raya ensured the controversy did not cost Arsenal
Fortunately for the Gunners, Raya made the argument academic as far as the result was concerned.
It was a massive save at a time when Sunderland had Arsenal on the ropes. BBC readers gave the Spaniard an outstanding average score player rating of 8.9!
Bruno’s spectacular opener almost immediately afterwards completely changed the momentum of the contest, before Bukayo Saka eventually made the victory safe from Arsenal’s own penalty deep into stoppage time.
Arsenal therefore escaped the Stadium of Light with their 100% Premier League record intact, but it is understandable why Arteta remains concerned.
Had Le Fée converted, Arsenal would have been 1-0 down in an extremely hostile stadium with Sunderland enjoying their best spell of the game.
Those are the moments upon which matches, and potentially points in a title race, can turn.
Arteta clearly believes Arsenal were very fortunate that Raya ensured this particular refereeing decision did not prove decisive.
What did you make of Sunderland’s penalty, Gooners? Do you agree with Arteta that Konsa did nothing wrong, or did the referee make the correct call? Let us know in the comments.
I think the footage of the incident speaks for itself..
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Attwell should be sacked for not seeing foul on Konsa.
Brooks was the ref you mean Attwell the VAR?
Attwell as VAR didn’t at all intervene when Brooks gave the pen. He didn’t return from half time coffee break
It wasn’t “unacceptable” there was grapling in the box and the ref saw it as a penalty. It wasn’t a clear and obvious error, so it the decision was not over turned. It was soft, it was unfortunate, it was stupid, it was naive but every player was warned before the season. If you grapple and pull in the area, you could get a penalty against you. There was grappling and we got stung for it. LEARN!!!!! It didn’t do us any harm yesterday, in fact I believe ultimately it sparked us.
Reggie,
And yet they continue to do it, and wonder why they get penalised. The message just never gets through.
Fortunately, Raya saved the day.
Reggie this is objectively wrong if you watch the replay. Ballard is pulling Konsa with both his hands and pulls Konsa to the ground and then play acts like he is being fouled. This is very clear. I agree we are too aggressive in the box at times, but the ref needs to actually get the call right and cannot just punish us due to our reputation. Do you also agree with the Gabriel booking where he did absolutely nothing during that scramble and was in fact diffusing the situation and dragging Konsa away?
The penalty against Arsenal was clearly a poor decision. If you review the guidance and the incident it’s difficult to see how that was an appropriate decision and allowed to stand.
To claim that the Arsenal player was being “stupid and naive” when he was clearly being held and pulled by Ballard just indicates that certain people have lost all sense of perspective.
The Gabriel yellow card also reflected rather poor refereeing.
Just two words Reggie.
Spec.
Savers.
I will give you the address, if you want it?
Fine. I’ll pass it on to Pro Ref. 🙂
The ref not seeing that Ballard was committing the foul and the primary reason both players hit the ground is one thing, the VAR not sending Brooks to the monitor is a whole other story and should be looked upon very seriously instead of glossed over in any way.
They were both fouling, Ballard used it to his favour.
He was allowed to use Brooks and VAR to his favour.
Exactly. See my post at the bottom. Pro Ref new policy, in reaction to VAR goes on for ever killing football, is a VAR process designed to make the quickest and wrongest calls it possible can. It’s not honest VAR errors we are getting aplenty, it’s a Pro Ref policy decision to bodge VAR, leading to awful errors aplenty.
Pro Ref want to speed VAR up and not be adding 10+ minutes to every match this season. But Pro Ref can’t continue doing what they want when it’s leading to too many horrendous mistakes, with wrong form of VAR not delivering what it was designed for in the first place. They need to reset to how it was last season – a thousand 10+ minute extra time is much much better than the one horrendous refereeing weekend we just had.
I think they should do, for VAR, stop the match clock and get it right, do VAR proper at the very least.
The problem is,
Arsenal didn’t start this pulling and grabbing in the box , yet we are the ones that is being punished, a Sunderland player did same to calafiori in their box but wasn’t found guilty.
Now I don’t have a problem with the ref awarding a penalty or calling a foul for this, where I question Thier sincerity is if it was an arsenal player held and judo rolled like that would a pen have been given ?
On another note, i wonder if the Sunderland player who physically grabbed and tried to manhandle Guimares off the pitch as he lay injured by the touchline will be hounded by the press and media – just as Martinelli was when he did exactly the same to the Liverpool player not too long ago…..?
Something tells me that nothing will be said whatsoever.
I remember what you’re referring to. Certainly does seem to be a double standard here. Maybe an iteration of class envy by non-gooners.
It’s been a truly horrendous weekend for Referees and VAR.
It’s like, when they thought out new rules and where they want to take it this season, they just didn’t think through real world examples and how easy to police and implement the new rules and idea’s in the importantly consistent way. Refereeing without consistency feels like botched games of football.
Specifically, more weight to the on field officials, VAR to do what it can “not to challenge them”. VAR only works if it’s going to say “with our pause for second looks, you need to rethink it.”
We’ve been there before. Brighton player getting Rice sent off – Ref said by letter of the law I had to. The letter of that law didn’t exist the following weekend. It wasn’t producing consistent and fair refereeing.
Bring back Mike Dean for consistency and adherence to the rule book 😂😂😂😂😂
He’ll sort it out in his own indomitable way.
Spuds need all the help they can get Ken. 🤣
See what I mean Ken1945,
Regards my point in a previous post regarding this constant apologizing by the games governing bodies.
Yesterdays cock-up, shouldn’t have happened. And their latest apologie is a case of same old, same old. Their apologie means absolutely nothing, saying sorry now doesn’t help United does it.
And just a note on the Foden incident, although he shouldn’t have kicked out, when are the powers that be start punishing the provocateur, in this case that little weasel Fernandez.
It’s always the one that reacts who Copts it, never the one who provoked it.
You’re thoughts would be welcome.
Derek, here’s a question I have regarding the Haaland offside goal. Why did Pro Ref so quickly come out to make a statement that the VAR was wrong; whereas, no other apparently atrocious calls that I’m aware of from the weekend (of which there are multiple to choose from) including the Ballard penalty, have been addressed by the body yet?
Morning Bruised Banana,
Sadly I can’t answer you’re question regards the speed in which they’ve answered the wrong VAR call.
They might just stick a pin on the sheet of complaint’s regarding said error, and say lets go for this one. A lucky dip in effect.
I’m just waiting for the usual Webb dross to surface.
Bruised Banana & Derek.
Probably due to the continuing fuss the TV crowd were making about it during the match.
Please see my reply to Durand below Derek.
I agree with you 100% by the way.
Add in the Manchester Derby, to underline the weekend Pro Ref died as a credible organisation.
Lifting studs of both feet into someone’s torso in retaliation can be a red card offence for sure, but after committing the foul, with the ball a yard away, Fernandez kicked Foden in the small of his back, what some call the Cossacks I think. That reckless kick designed to inflame an opponent did not happen accidentally, yet received no punishment from the officials.
And then the offside goal. Toe to toe Haarland onside? Haarlands head and chest was closer to goal than his toe. But it doesn’t matter anyway, Utd defence and keeper were watching and trying to tackle the way offside Enzo the ball was played to who tried to score with his head. And that is clearly interfering with play. It was the reason the on field official put flag up.
The on field officials got it right, how could var overrule them, not even use monitor and chat Fernandez offside and interfering through? It’s because they are trying to cut down on VAR decisions going on for long time, and when you add in time wasting, injuries, subs and goal celebrations to a couple of minutes here and there for VAR, the only way to be fair to the integrity of football is add on 10+ minutes at the end which they don’t want to do – they added on a scandalous mere 5 mins just to prove my point what the Pro Ref intent is. They are going to have to have to start stopping the game clock for VAR, if they continue to refuse to add the VAR time on, as it was scandalous to not add the VAR time on today, as they intend not to and clearly didn’t.
Pro Ref, as a controlling, redefining the natural flow of a football match, body, constantly redefining the formula of football refereeing, has to be scrapped. There is nothing “football fair and natural” about implementation of what they want , if its clearly leading to inconsistency and messy football matches we are seasons this season – wrong results and the ridiculous “VAR got it wrong in the winning goal” admissions that shred faith in professional refereeing. It’s the the most basic simple error – live at the time, every football fan watching was “err, Enzo massively offside and clearly interfering with play trying to score – why is the Pro Ref VAR team ignoring the rules of football?”
Just let VAR do its job to the letter of the offside rule, without rushing them or pouring crap into referees heads so they are over thinking things.
Completely agree, the rules of VAR clearly state that interfering with play in an offside position means no goal. Martinez focused on the diving header. Not even just a header. A diving header. And apparently that doesnt count as interference. Pro Ref later released a statement that it was an error of judgement but it was too little too late.
Not to mention the fact that when Ballard went down, you can clearly see that he PULLS Konsa down with him, as Arteta said, it was like a judo roll. Konsa had no way of preventing this and while it may seem like he dived on top of Ballard, if they had actually seen the slow mo replay they probably wouldve seen it!
It was never a pen. It was a premeditated action by refs to deny Arsenal one of its lethal weapons.
Ballard himself was surprised by the decision.
Now because Arsenal won we could lighten the issue but imagine if we had lost due to that decision. Will Arsenal get a pen for similar action? I seriously doubt their consistency
Arteta has every right to be furious, as does Carrick. TWO clear VAR mistakes easily preventable.
“deny Arsenal one of its lethal weapons”.
I’m not suggesting that Konsa and by default Arsenal weren’t very cleverly tricked by Ballard into earning his team a penalty, but which weapon was that amba?😕
I’m of the opinion that the most recent rules are anti Arsenal. Intended just to dampen the physicality and aerial prowess of Arsenal. In a tough physical league the rules can’t be too soft. Some even call it the ‘dark arts’ of Arsenal bla bla. The other day we read Alonso was ordering his team to train with rugby like materials just to give bad tag to Arsenal
Amba. These are worldwide rules, which you’re suggesting were introduced just for Arsenal?
C’mon now!!!
…and if you’re being specific about the holding rules at set pieces, I’m glad to see them introduced, but am disappointed that the refs don’t enforce them well enough. Did you see how effective it was at the World Cup?
Rules are esp introduced or implemented after Arsenal are getting too many goals from corners or when some opposing coaches added fuel on the fire esp Slot and the Brighton coach.
Saturday Sunderland were taking longer time than Arsenal in throw ins but it was Arsenal instead who were punished. We remember how Rice was given red and not others for similar so called infringements.
Ah! Right, now I get it. New rules just to stop Arsenal scoring, without consideration for the effect that these rules will have on the rest of all football clubs throughout the UK. Or are they only to be applied in our games?🤣🤣🤣
Amba,
Come on now, I enjoy our conversations but I have to say you’re off the mark on this one. The grappling at corners has been going on for year’s. And it’s high time that something was done to stop it.
I tell you how I know it’s been going on years, a few years ago I watched a champions league game between Juventus and Celtic, at every corner the Juventus players were bordering on assault regards their grappling with the Celtic players.
So this is really not a new thing Amba.
Derek, I liked the way that Chelsea combatted this when they played us, by leaving players up near the halfway line, ensuring that we’d put players up with them to prevent a break, and emptying the penalty area of six or more.
Back to Zonal Marking!!!
Jax,
For me I would still have risked it and left the Chelsea players up the field, risky I know. But if the corner is accurate, we outnumber them.
And just consider, if we had left our defenders apart from one in the box, they might of thought better about leaving so many forward.
DEREK,
Even for Chelsea’s ‘innovative’ method to counter act Arsenal’s corners the likes of Jover eventually comes up with a devastating solution. Clubs nowadays are employing specialists to that effect
It’s simple, play a short corner.
Moon Girl,
Good thinking. 👍
Moon Girl,
Actually the more I think about it the more I think you’ve hit on something.
If we had kept all but one defender in their box, then having taken a short corner, them being outnumbered would need the ones staying up to come back pretty sharpish. 👍
Yeah DEREK. What prompted the ref officials to revisit or reinforce the rules? Arsenal’s aerial dominance, 1-0 set piece wins, former players turned pundits calling for acton, inability of opposite coaches to contend with (if you stop Magalhaes the others even Timber scores) culminating in Arsenal winning the league. Period! They’ve taken it as a ‘new’ threat to the league though as you correctly said it had been here for years.
Jax,
I’m 100% sure Brooks wouldn’t give a pen if Ballard did it against Konsa. There certainly is obsession with Arsenal’s aerial domination. The club have to clear stuffs with the EPL before damages occur. Arteta is right crying after the Sunderland game.
Rules are rushed after that aerial domination persisted. Even this obsession is transcending to UEFA games where PSG capitalised on the final
amba. Ballard DID do it against Konsa. He cleverly tricked him and earned his team a penalty. Perhaps he learned that when he was in our academy.
Thank you Jax. Haha… had he learnt that well Mosquera wouldn’t have come in. Don’t forget Xhaka tells them everything about Arteta not only Ballard’s
Has anyone had the same thought as me regards City’s win with a clearly off-side goal.
That thought being, if City go on to win the League by 1, 2, or 3 points, there’s going to be a very large fall-out from it.
Derek, especially so, as the review panel had also decided that we were denied a penalty against Villa. We’ll have to watch to see how this evens out, with wrong match changing decisions going in our favour, if in fact any do.
I’d have been really pleased if an Arsenal player had pulled that same trick as Ballard did; it was so clever, and Konsa walked right into it.
I see that the VAR officials from Sunday’s Manchester Derby have been stood down from next weekend’s games.
Getting the weekend off, OH that’s showing them.🤦♂️
Ha! But, they don’t get paid.😏
Jax,
You mean they get all these decisions wrong for nothing. 😂🤣
Derek, purportedly