Even though Arsene Wenger was right in his opinion that Arsenal were the dominant team in the latter stages of the Community Shield yesterday, even before the referee decided to show the Chelsea and Spain international forward Pedro a red card for his challenge on Mohamed Elneny, you cannot get away from the fact that the Blues were ahead at that point or that our equalising goal came straight after the sending off, so were Arsenal lucky?
The Chelsea manager certainly seems to think so, with Metro reporting the claims of Antonio Conte after the game about not just the red card but the decision to book Willian for diving earlier in the game and the Italian went on to suggest that the sending off of Moses in our FA cup final win back in May was also controversial, suggesting that we have been helped by the officials.
Conte said, ‘For sure there is disappointment for us to finish for the second time with ten men against Arsenal.
‘First in the FA Cup final, now in the Community Shield. Honestly, I didn’t see images [replays] of the tackle or the yellow card for Willian [but] a lot of people have told me that it was a penalty.
‘For sure there is a bit of frustration but we have to respect the referee’s decision. Sometimes the decision make you a bit angry.
‘He tried to explain to me why he had made this decision but there wasn’t time.
‘I wanted to ask him why there wasn’t a penalty and the yellow card for Willian but we would be speaking until 9 o’clock.
‘We must accept his decisions but for the second time there’s a controversial decision against us.’
I would say that a lot of people were surprised when the man in the middle brandished a red rather than a yellow to Pedro, but in a way that is because you do not often see it in this sort of ‘semi-competitive’ match. However, it was from behind, studs up, late and dangerous, so in that sense the Spaniard can have no complaints.
As for the so-called penalty, I am not having that. If there was a touch from Bellerin it was not enough to knock over a domino never mind a professional athlete, and the dive from Moses in the FA cup final was even more blatant, so maybe Conte needs to work on his players and get them to stop cheating rather than moaning about the consequences.
In a way we were a bit lucky, though, as the Chelsea side lost their focus after the red card and that allowed us to score, but you could also say the same of their goal when Arsenal heads still seemed to be in the dressing room. What do you think, Gooners, were we lucky?
Bob.
Nothing unlucky in that match .we played better 1st half they shaded it second ,overall it was a good solid performance .and very good pen kicks .chlsea looked like they were missing something not sure what but they didn’t look like last years winning pl side .
Hazard
Yea was goer put that but I meant as a whole
Maybe no costa as well
We won .. who carea if lucky or not ! Every successful team is lucky… with injuries (or lack of ) penalties (for not against) and refereeing decisions… lets hope it is a good omen !
Yes, Arsenal was lucky. Because set-pieces goals are always created by luck, the penalties could go to the opposite way and I don’t think Pedro deliberately tried to break Elneny’s leg.
In the last ten years, Arsenal always has difficulties in creating goals from open play. Especially last season, a lot of goals came from set pieces, luck, penalties and controversies (Burnley matches).
This is because Arsenal’s system still needs a lot of improvement. Most of Arsenal’s players do not have the skills to possess the ball longer under opponent’s heavy pressure and rely too much on their physical attributes.
Arsenal should sell all underperformers and get better midfielders as soon as possible. Otherwise they will struggle to score from open play again.
Arsenal struggle to create chances and rely on their physical attributes? Are u sure it’s football u re watching ? Completely out of tune…
I still wonder what Spuds, Chelski, Manure and even Liverfool supporters are doing on “Just Arsenal”. Is it that there group platforms aren’t as exciting or they are just “scums” with no sense of identity.
Just passing by and thinking aloud
First off, I don’t believe in luck.
Secondly, Pedro’s motives are irrelevant. Studs up from behind is a straight red per the rule book. It was a sh&$@t move and the ref was correct.
Again, JMHO
I respect Conte, however suggesting that Victor Moses was wrongly sent off is a joke. He tried to blatantly cheat and was caught. Conte has to realise that, some of his players have played under Jose. They are well acquainted with cheating.
Remember that Ramirez guy? I could never understand how he got away with so many fouls against us.
WE WERE LUCKY IN SO MUCH AS THE REFEREES IN BOTH FA CUP AND CS GAMES WHERE ALERT HAVING IDENTIFIED CHELSKI’ DIVING CON ARTISTS AND AWFUL HIGH STUD FOWL ON ELNENY.
*IN BOTH CASES THE OFFENDERS MOSES AND PEDRO WERE PUNISHED CORRECTLY. IN BOTH EXAMPLES FOOTBALL THE SPORT WAS THE REAL WINNER.
CFC DIVER > FAC = MOSES
CFC DIVER > CS = WILLIAN
Although we must accept that different people have different opinions but there are often things that are a bit obvious. Fake news or prejudiced opinions often spoil football, but Arsenal’s 54% possession suggests they were on top and I think the majority would accept that Arsenal played a better quality game. Statistics measure quantity, but quality is a much different thing. In terms of quality Arsenal, with Chamberlain, Lacazette, Xhaka, Sead Kosalniac, and Iwobi looked way in front of Chelsea for whom only Fabregas, Cahill and Willian looked to show any quality whatsoever. On the day Arsenal were unquestionably the better team. BUT if Wenger does not buy at least two more top players they will have no chance of winning the Premier League. That is as clear as anything.
I think we have a chance now, it can be improved with quality signings but we have a chance, it can also improve if our players step up to the challenge.
Ideally I would like a couple signings and for players like ElNeny to improve that little bit needed to dominate 😛
I want my cake and to eat it XD lol
Not only did we play better we played without Koscielny, Alexis, Ozil, Cazorla, Ramsey, Coquelin, Mustafi. I was very impressed with our win
Conte sounds like Wenger with his excuse. Just be a gracious loser.
Kev are you on a vacation ?
if only u think arsenal is not worth it that is when u will think we were lucky to boss Chelsea… and if u think so then u need to move it Fanship to another club.. I told u before the match that am I was not scared of Chelsea most importantly enough of in unconducive atmosphere
Mr.Conte,your honey moon is over.You are just no match for Prof. Wenger. You teach your players to dive and win games unfairly.No more,watch this space.
why is it that when we beat top teams we were lucky or they had injuries and we played a weak team due to theirinjuries
We was a bit lucky that the ref called the right decisions, I have seen refs miss things like that before and it is nice to see it picked up.
Chelsea might struggle this year, not only are they not looking like champions but they also have UCL football to contend with, wonder how they will do.
Beside the “lucky” part, I agree.
If Xhaka had done that to a Chelscum player, I’d say the red was warranted.
Blatant foul,and dangerous to boot. It wasn’t like he missed the timing, Pedro was chasing from behind the whole bit. Taylor was 5 meters away
Watched match again-
Arsenal were very dominant in 1st half up until Mertesacker head injury. That’s the point they came into the match. And they edged rest of the half
They got the early 2nd half goal but otherwise for me teams were even up until 70mins when Arsenal really dominated
Sending off and goal was 10 mins later
Yes I’m a biased Arsenal fan, but that was never a penalty, and raking someones achilles is a definite red card.
No luck involved, just good refereeing!
100% Agree
OT: I STILL BELIEVE KEV/RESOURCE REPRESENTS LEMAR IS ON HIS WAY TO ARSENAL
No lucky win,we played better and most important ref was spot on.van dijk available.Arsenal should make bid.
Conte has. Just began his own way of finding excuses. He is just a year old in Chelsea, and Wenger has trashed him T-H-R-I-C-E-. Pls tell him this is England.
He’s letting off steam as you’d expect wenget to do if it was the other way around. He knows that you win some you lose some. Bt sports clatternberg agreed with the decisions good enough for me 🙂
This year we can’t underestimate the effect of bringing in the rhino that is kolasinac!
Arsenal get bullied often and with xhaka and send I already feel like we have more muscle in this side.
Lining up next to this guy in the tunnel would make me think ‘oh sh*t’! 🙂
If we could just sign say carvalho who’s also a huge a guy would have increased the physicality we need to go with out technical play/style.
Come on arsene sign Lemar and one other and get selling. But please not Ox as again I’m hearing rumors of him to Liverpool 🙁
A win is a win, History is always writen by the victor Any latest transfer news everyone?
I posted a comment and is no where to be found.why? I need an answer to this question admin
The answer is 7
I don’t think it’s lucky when the referee makes the correct decisions. Yes, the game changed when Chelsea got the red card but would it have been Pedro marking our player when he scored, I don’t think so. Every manager who loses thinks the other team were lucky to win. I couldn’t care less if we were lucky ( which I don’t think we were ).
Anyway lucky or not both team are given the second chance on the 5 penalty kicks, and that will determine the winner.
Their goalkeeper should focus before taking the shot. Instead he gave a blunder by taking the shot like kicking a goal kick.
COYG. We can do it.