One way of looking at the way things have been going for Arsenal this season with referees is that our luck is evening itself out, as the old adage says will happen. Except that it is supposed to work over the course of the season and Arsenal have had, in my opinion, the wrong end of decisions for years so hopefully it will take a couple more years of good decisions to balance out. Yeah right!
I never believed that saying anyway, as Man United under Fergie got away with murder for years and there is a big case for the smaller clubs´ claims that they get the short end of the stick more often than not.
The officials are really under the spotlight this season, though, and once again yesterday a lot of the talk was about penalties not given, the wrong player being sent off and bad calls from them in general.
They are under more pressure than ever so I have to assume that they appreciate the sort of support that Arsene Wenger has been giving them. The Frenchman once again this week called for more respect for the referees and for players and managers, including himself, to make a real effort to make their jobs easier.
Jose Mourinho has had no joy whatsoever in his obvious attempt to influence the officials in the favour of Chelsea this season, quite the opposite in fact, whereas I think the Gunners have been treated a lot more fairly. The ref for our game yesterday had a good game in general and resisted the ferocious home crowd´s calls for a penalty when he could have given it against us.
Only he will know whether Wenger´s approach had any influence. Perhaps they just feel under less pressure with Wenger than they do with some ranting loon waiting on the touchline to harangue them for every little mistake. Less pressure means they are more likely to get the calls right.
Hopefully round about now Mourinho will be seething about some decision that has not gone his way and hopefully he will keep harassing the officials for the rest of the season, because I think it will only help Arsenal.