Mikel Arteta claimed that he was going to request talks after a spate of red cards for Arsenal, and former referee Keith Hackett believes that he should.
The Gunners have picked up four red cards from their last six matches in all competitions, and it could well have a major impact on how their finish the season if they do not rectify the current issues.
On Thursday, Gabriel Martinelli picked up the strangest red card, with the Brazilian actually getting two yellow cards for two separate incidents during the one play, and manager Mikel Arteta said at full-time that he would be requested to talk with those in charge.
Former PL ref Hackett insists that he should in fact open up a dialogue with the board of officials.
“He said he was unhappy. I have previously suggested that Arteta should have a meeting with the PGMOL anyway,” Hackett told the Football Insider.
“When a club has a rising disciplinary record, there needs to be a meeting in order to clarify what was going on.
“Managers and referees do need to get together, I think, to ensure these kinds of things don’t happen in the future.
“Arteta is well within his rights to request a meeting if he feels that is necessary and the PGMOL should have no problem with it.
“I’m sure they will want to sort out Arsenal’s poor record as much as Arsenal do.”
We are still currently on course for a spot in the top-four, and it would be extremely frustrating if we narrowly missed out whilst dropping points because of our torrid disciplinary record. We may have been able to survive against Wolves at the weekend, but it would be naive to believe that we can continue to fight like that, and we don’t exactly have the largest squad to deal with all these absences either.
Does Arteta need to act sooner, rather than later in order to stop this from undoing our positive work this season?
Patrick
The sooner the better!!!!!
The sooner the better! The English Referee association needs a shake up from the top to bottom. The standard of refereeing in the EPL. is killing the game! They are inconsistent, yellow card for soft tackles, vicious tackle on players ankles etc no yellow card! Players diving, and faking injury, and the ref’s are still gullible! Half the referees should be retired, they can’t keep up with game. Where are the young referees?
Thats it, if Arsenal has the attitude you have, we will never stop the rot. Bury our head in the sand and carry on being wreckless and we will suffer. Look at our own failings and we will get better. The standard of refereeing, is what it is and that is another question, it is the same for all. Our standard can be greatly improved, thats what we need to do, or suffer.
Seems like a reasonable thing to try, anything that might us with our remaining games
What’s happened before has happened but on closer scrutiny our card related discipline’s not as bad as I initially thought, particularly in League games compared with other teams
Yes a discussion is necessary but Martinelli is out for just one game so it’s not a disaster sending off. He will be replaced with either ESR or Pepé so I’m not worried at all.
Agreed
I guess ESR just needed to wait for another red card to actually secure more playing time
We should together make that a statement instead of a question! (Forever Gooners)
Arteta should appeal against the red card given to Martinelli
It’s extremely necessary for Arteta to try seat down with those incharge and point out his angle of frustration and unfairness going on that might help to certain extent change the trajectory of current situation especially if Arsenal aiming to finish in top 4.
My views are firmly against many on here who consider that refs and the refs association are intent on”cheating” us! I say that is nonsense and paranoia.
HOWEVER, I FIRMLY DO BELIEVE that the general standard of refs in our PREM is far lower than I can ever remember and I put a substantial amount of that down to the fact that we have VAR.
I have been ALMOST a voice in the wilderness in calling for the complete abolitionof what I see as a disastrously wrong headed decision to intrduce VAR at all, in thr first place and esp before it was ready to do its job PROPERLY!
My main , though far from only objection to its existence, is that it nmassively undermines and undercuts the natural authority that refs OUGHT to have and which they NEED, in order to maintain control.
Refs are IMO now actively afraid of VAR and of being overruled. This is the MAIN,though not only,reason why go to look at the replay video, they almost NEVER maintain their original and often correct decision.
VAR IS LARGELY A SUBJECTIVE AND THUS NOT A DEFINITIVE DECISION.
To go deeper on this matter, I’d add this: IF AND WHEN technology has advanced so far that ALL VAR decisions can be instantly sent DIRECTLY TO THE REF, thus avoiding a public screen seen by millions worldwide and undercutting the refs authority- just as goal line tech now works and works superbly well – then and ONLY THEN, I would say VAR would be viable and sensible. NO PUBLIC MARKING OF THE REFS HOMEWORK!!!
The real problem is that it was introduced BEFORE it could do its job properly, SEAMLESSLY and harmlessly.
In doing so, it has massively reduced the all limportant instant explosion of joy when a goal is “scored” and thus has set our game back .
All things in life have a time and a place and to bringinsomething half cooked and half cocked, BEFORE it was ready and thus able to do its work seamlessly and efficiently, was extremely foolish and worse still was divisive. Refs and fans HAVE MUCH SUFFERED AS A RESULT OF THIS PREMATURE FOOLHARDINESS.
Given my way,I would halt it at the end of this season and ONLY bringit back, if and when what I outline -along with my reasons- has come to pass And NOT otherwise at all!
VAR NEVER overrules a ref! The ref maintains full authority in decision-making inspite of any view from VAR.
While I don’t think the refs are “out to get” Arsenal, there have been enough anomalies over two seasons now and inconsistencies to warrant a meeting.
But Arteta also has work to do with the players on managing the mental game, the emotional game, which is sometimes more important than tactics. Martinelli should have kept his cool on that throw-in and then there would have been no issue.
Correct and thats the point some are missing, or dont want to see.
I hate to admit that Arsenal players are their own worst enemies. Which of the red cards was a soft one this season, Xhaka at Man City or Liverpool, Gabriel at Man City, Marinelli getting frustrated that he has of late failed to score since the opponents read his game, and pushing a guy during a throw in then within a split second racking the other person down, it’s reckless guys. Jet lagged partey partying on opponents twice within 10 mins. None of the red cards were too harsh and none were too soft. They meet the minimum criterion of bookable offense either in the red spectrum or yellow. That is the problem with a narrow squad, Xhaka knows that he will March back into the first eleven, he doesn’t care since there is no competition. Players need to be disciplined that’s all.
But Reffers are contributing to see arsenal in loose