Will Arsenal pay the price for ban appeal?

Arsenal have appealed the decision to give Eddie Nketiah a red card against Leicester City on Tuesday night, putting ourselves at risk of the ban being extended.

The forward was dismissed only four minutes after entering the pitch as a substitute for Alexandre Lacazette, but the decision has caused a stir amongst fans and the club alike.

Nketiah was initially given a yellow card for the incident before VAR was called into play, and after the referee had seen the footage pitchside, he decided to change his initial decision to a red.

The young Englishman is now in line for a three-match ban, but with us having lodged an appeal against the decision, we could well be see his ban extended by up to 100%.

I know a number of people believe that the decision was wrong, I believe I amongst the minority of Gunners fans who believe that the red card was warranted, but the appeal may well come down to the inconsistencies in officiating, with Leicester and Burnley getting away with equally dangerous tackles.

A decision is expected from the appeal before the weekend’s clash with noisy neighbours Tottenham, and we could well face the prospect of playing against Manchester City and Liverpool without our young forward next week also, while he would miss the rest of the campaign should the ban be doubled.

The red card may or may not have already cost our side dearly, given that we failed to hold onto our lead after the man disadvantage, but we will now need a panel of our peers to vote in our favour and overturn the decision.

Do we stand a chance of overturning the ban? Are we more at risk of losing Eddie for longer? Will Aubameyang find himself filling in centrally if Nketiah is ruled out for the next three matches?

Patrick

Tags appeal Eddie Nketiah

64 Comments

  1. I believe that, because it was originally a yellow card, the ban can’t be increased.
    Also the decisions made in the game at Burnley and Vardy’s awful assault on Mustafi’s head, will not be a factor in the decision of the tribunal – to do that would be an admission of bad refereeing and Riley would not let that happen.
    With that in mind, I think we will see the ban upheld.

    By the way, does anyone know who was in control of the VAR when the decision was made?

    1. KEN DO YOU HONESTLY BELIEVE that Vardy hurt Mustafi intentionally, as your post says? I find that a typical fan bias TBH and not your usual measured words. To me there was obviously no intention and nor do I share your view, also much held by Kenny Roache and Sue, that the refs association led by Riley is crooked. Incompetant, certainly, but not crooked and accusations of cheating, however cleverly phrased, should not be used without overwhelming evidence.
      I say your Riley comments are just typical fan bias and I THINK YOU ARE BETTER AND FAR WISER THAN THAT. I REALLY DO. I do however think Vardys goal was just offside and was dismayed it was allowed. But incompetance, not cheating, was the reason.

      1. Players often employ those shenanegans in kicking their fouler or any other opposition player when they are falling down. For me, yes he did not intentionally want to kick Mustafi in the face, but he actually intended to kick him somehow.

      2. I think the argument being made, Jon, is that neither Nketiah’s nor Vardy’s challenges had any malintent, but were both reckless. Vardy swung blindly with his foot knowing a man was close by.

        That said, I have to admit that even after a replay, I thought Vardy could’ve been booked but not sent off. When I saw Nketiah’s, it seemed like a pretty clear-cut red. I struggle to articulate why. The latter just seemed much more dangerous.

      3. Jon, don’t know whether you’ve noticed lately but I’ve been leaving the word crooked out because I now how much it upsets you and others on this site. I’d like to reiterate, again, that I’ve never once said that money has changed hands in brown envelopes as you’ve suggested in the past. But if you can’t see the bias that’s involved then I can only assume that your naivety is worst than I thought. Just look at the figures involving United and Arsenal further down on this article and tell me there’s no bias involved. Maybe you think it’s just ANOTHER coincidence

      4. Thanks Sue and Dan…I would have gone apes**t if it had been Dean!!!!!

        Jon, I would refer you to Kenny further down this article for your starting reference point regarding my views on Riley’s set of unprofessional, biased ridden joke of officials – they have more protection than the police forces in the USA, as they are answerable to absolutely no-one but Mike Riley…who has ensured the FA, the media and managers/coaches/players are threatened with retaliation if they say one word out of place.
        We see these decisions caught on camera by the world’s media and yet no-one questions them. Why?
        Because Riley ( it wasn’t this way before he became head of this rotten organisation) has ensured it is so and boasts that his merry men get 98% of decisions right…that was before VAR as well!!!

        At the very least Jon, this encourages a system of zero tolerance should this band of incompetent officials be questioned by anyone.
        What checks are made on them?
        Why are they never questioned?
        Why do they not appear after a game to answer questions regarding decisions made?

        It is a clique of people who never have to worry about explaining their actions, so they carry on carte blanche and if you can’t see the overwhelming evidence from the Leicester game Jon, I don’t have an answer for you.

        The Arsenal: Ten fouls – one yellow and one red:
        Leicester: fourteen fouls – no yellow and no red

        Mustafi inches away from losing his eye and right in front of the referee, who took no action and neither did Atkinson and the VAR system.

        Watch Vardy again Jon, there was no need or reason for him to swing his boot round and into Mustafi’s face…there was no momentum that would have caused such an injury, unless it was intentional – look again Jon, you can see the stud marks from a player who had been dispossessed and was falling down and away from Mustafi.
        Now let’s see the injuries caused by Nketiah’s challenge, that VAR spent ages looking at and couldn’t make a decision, only for the referee to decide in approx, ten seconds that it was not a yellow but a red, despite giving the former in real time play.

        That is not fan bias, it is ref bias and why you cannot see it I fail to understand.
        Finally, I would ask you to listen to what Mikel Arteta had to say – someone you and I believe is as straight as a dye in everything he does – do you not believe him when he says that what’s good for the goose is good for the gander?
        My “intelligence” ( whatever that amounts too) has been stretched to breaking point over many, many years of watching such biased decisions…to the point that I really do believe there is corruption, therefore cheating, regarding Riley’s band of lapdogs with regards to The Arsenal.
        Please tell me of one other organization that doesn’t have to report to another independant body within football Jon and I’ll show you corruption being rife…FIFA under Blatter being the perfect example.

        1. Jon has been telling me for the last 3 years the refs are not bias but incompetent. Well if they’re as bad as he makes out then why are they not fired. It’s Rileys job to hire and fire, so why doesn’t he fire them. It’s because 90% live within 15-30 minutes drive from Riley in West Yorkshire and are obviously all pals. It’s a disgrace

      5. Tell me how Man-Utd get more penalties than any other team in the EPL When Riley he refereed at Man Utd 7 times and 7 times they got a penalty that not cheating that’s bad eyesight on his behalf

        1. Actually 11 penalties in 11 games towny254. Ive still got the article in my season ticket book when Arsene Wenger was fined by the FA for saying Riley was worth a goal start to United

  2. Frankly, even though it looks as if he was trying to avoid contact at the last moment, it looks like a red to me. If a similar challenge was made on an Arsenal player I wouldn’t be happy.

    1. The final contact was really bad but it is clear it wasn’t intentional. Watch the video in real time and you’ll see the two players went 50/50 for the ball before one person suddenly withdrew just before contact.
      The red card was to spite Arsenal seing that the player had hardly come into the match, and was actually giving a deserved yellow from the real life observation of the ref.

  3. VAR couldnt make a decision if it was a red or yellow, there was no intent to harm the player and it wasnt serious foul play, the ball was there to be won and he clipped his knee, a yellow was teh correct decision imo.
    the ref was trash end of

    1. also as it was a yellow initially, if teh ban is upheld he would gain 1 game extra on the ban which would mean he misses all but 1 game in teh remainder of the season

  4. The only ever time we’ve won an appeal is when the wrong player was sent off and the most red cards rescinded have when the opposition has been Arsenal. Chaired by Mike Riley, totally bias, I wouldn’t bother.

  5. The ref only looked at 2 runnings of VAR footage, both of them from behind Nketiah, which did look a bit dodgy.
    However the views when facing Nketiah told a completely different story.
    They show that Nketiah did his best to avoid contact with the opponent with his foot, and that his foot was on the pitch, not on the opponent, when the two made contact.
    Perhaps because of this the VAR official had found it difficult to come to a decision and so quite a lot of time had passed as he weighed up his decision.
    This caused the ref to impatiently call for the pitchside monitor view and he made his decision in a very short time – almost as if to say to the VAR guy, ‘look how simple that was – what took you so long?’. If he’d taken the trouble to look at all the views of the incident he may have come to a different decision.
    All of which I hope points to the VAR official, Stuart Atwell, being likely to be on the side of Nketiah, or rather, against the match referee who arrogantly seemed eager to show him up.
    Well that’s how I see it.

  6. So Mike Riley has finally changed his decision of not using the monitor. Had to be when Arsenal was involved.

    1. It seems a different rule applies when Arsenal is involved (lol).
      I want to see when the side monitor will be consulted again.

    2. False, was used in a FA Cup game and a Newcastle Premier League game previously. So much disinformation.

      1. Ok twice, good for you Martin, in the hundreds and hundreds of VAR decisions made since it’s inception.

        1. No Kenny, since the rules were changed in January. Not hard to do some research.

          1. What Rule? European refs were going to the monitor from day one. This was a FIFA ruling.

  7. It is now that I realize that we are left we only two strikers – Auba and Lacca with Martinelli out injured.
    Trust Saka, he may have to deputize as a striker at one point.

  8. I cant see how or why it will be overturned but miracles sometimes happen. The way that VAR asked ref to look at it again, feels pretty damming.

  9. Sorry to go off topic, but thought this should be seen.:
    Man Utd in the Premier League this season,
    0 red cards
    59 yellow cards
    2 penalties conceded

    Arsenal
    5 red cards
    78 yellow cards
    7 penalties conceded

    Man Utd have conceded 370 fouls this season
    Arsenal have conceded 358 fouls this season

    Don’t ever tell me the Premier League is not corrupt

    1. Just as an aside, usually the lower down the league you are the more penalties against, yellow cards and red cards are amassed. Usually the opposite the higher up the league you are. Just saying.

    2. It simply shows that Arsenal players commit the most dangerous of fouls But that is not true. It is corruption as you pointed out.

    3. Kenny, it seems that my friend Jon Fox, even with those damning figures, believes that it is not corrupt, but referees making general mistakes – the only conclusion if that is the case is that:
      When referees officiate our games, for some unknown reason, they make their”genuine” mistakes against our club.
      Why do they not make these mistakes against United?

      Come on Jon, try and explain this set of figures that Kenny has supplied and how do you also explain why the referee did not even stop the game from a head injury when Vardy, with intent as the force of the boot into Mustafi’s face shows, swung his boot just feet from his position?

      1. Incredible Ken, I just don’t know what it’s going to take to convince Jon, with all the information and proof I’ve given him over the years, so naive it’s beyond me

      1. Kenny, I wonder if Mustafi thinks it is dishonest (corrupt) that Vardy was not even penalised for his boot in the face that took place right in front of the referee.
        The referee was absolutely dishonest in not following the rules as laid out – dangerous play is a red card, play should be halted and action taken – plus this was a head injury, so along with the VAR ineptitude, it makes an even more dishonest piece of decision making look dishonest (corrupt).

        The fact that neither he, Attwell or Riley can be directly questioned on this decision, means that no further action is deemed necessary by the powers that be…namely the referees association itself – it also means that further dishonest actions and decisions can be swept under the carpet in order to protect the referees association.

        Not corrupt? Not dishonest? Not worthy of being challenged and overturned?
        Why should their actions not be questioned in order that everyone understands decisions made just for clarity and/or motive, along with the VAR referee in this decision?

        Until the referees association allows scrutiny of it’s actions, then just like FIFA under Blatter, the undercurrent of corruption will pervade, simply because they are answerable to no one.
        Just what are they scared of?????

        1. Mustafi responded to a snap of his injury on Instagram. He commented “VAR still checking”

          1. That sums it up nicely Sue – even the injured party can’t fathom out what was going on…but of course it wasn’t dishonest (corrupt), just officials deciding how to ensure Vardy got away with it!!

            I’ve watched it so many times it is unreal, but just watch the panic on Vardy’s face when he realises what he has done.

        2. The it’s incredible how the referee left Mustafi on the floor knowing it was a head injury and just played on. I’m not the only one that’s ’ complained about this inept organisation. Google PGMOL and get the run down how leading journalists have tried to infiltrate the PGMOLand see what they say about them. They’re untouchable, they answer to no one, impossible to get an interview with them. The most corrupt organisation in English football

    4. Kenny – why do you think they are universally hated?

      The joke I put on my FB page when clubs were letting go of players a few months ago was on the lines of:

      ‘Financial considerations force Man Utd to make cuts!

      Man Utd have sent notices to the 18 premier league referees they control that they will have to let them go due to the loss of earnings caused by the corona virus’ 🙂

      1. Love it GunnerJack, heard it already but you ask a good question. It’s all about money, Sky sell their product world wide. If Manchester United are involved in a Cup Final they sell to three as many counties if it was Brighton v Watford and money is Sky’s guvnor. Sky even tried to buy them back in the 90’s, a move that was stopped by the FA

  10. The Vardy incident will not be mentioned when our appeal is considered.To me Nketiah is a victim of an association which tends to make examples of young players who have not yet learned the dark arts but who are penalized for being at worst over enthusiastic.Young players have always been an easy touch for referees who like to teach them a lesson when a yellow card and a quiet word in the ear is appropriate.There was nothing malicious in Nketiahs challenge which was simply mistimed, and I can only imagine the outcome if such an attempt to win the ball was made by the England captain , Mr Kane..I can absolutely guarantee he would not have received a red card.

    1. Grandad, your views on the Vardy incident would be really appreciated as well as the referee and VAR involvement – I see it as a dereliction of duty.

      I should add that the young United players never seem to have been targeted by referees, but your overall assessment is sound in my opinion.

      1. The it’s incredible how the referee left Mustafi on the floor knowing it was a head injury and just played on. I’m not the only one that’s ’ complained about this inept organisation. Google PGMOL and get the run down how leading journalists have tried to infiltrate the PGMOLand see what they say about them. They’re untouchable, they answer to no one, impossible to get an interview with them. The most corrupt organisation in English football

  11. It was a red card and I think we all need to get over it. Whether he meant it or not, he went in with studs up, so red card. Regarding Vardy, even though I think he’s an evil little chap, I do think it was accidental. My biggest issue is with the dickheads in the VAR room, 20 looks at 5 different angles taking 3 minutes and can’t make a decision but the ref gets 2 looks from the 1 worst angle and makes a decision.

    1. Declan, he had already made his decision, that is what makes it more galling, as it was the VAR team that drew his attention to it and then couldn’t decide what to do!!!
      A complete and utter shambles that reeks of dishonesty and bias against our club.

    1. Thanks for coming back, Grandad and pleased that you agree with my interpretation of the events.

      He most certainly got away with GBH against Mustafi, simply because of dishonest refereeing on two levels.
      Even if one of the decisions was a “genuine mistake”, the other one cannot be so easily explained away and to think we are told these kind of decisions even themselves up over a season!!!
      Not in my lifetime so far, following our club.

  12. Sorry Ken, with regard to the ref and VAR , prior to the incident I actually thought he had a good game .The trouble with the VAR system is that in the last analysis,decisions on eg fouls will always be subjective.Really VAR has gone too far.In my humble opinion it should be restricted to goal line evidence and off side decisions.The rest we should leave to the refs in which case Nketiah would have rightly been given a yellow card.As it is, given the limited status of our young player, I suspect our appeal will fail.

    1. Grandad, just read your follow up post.

      I believe Mourhino made an excellent point, when he said the referee is not on the pitch these days, but rather, miles away from the action, intensity and what is happening on the pitch.

      A a low level referee, I was aware of what was being said, individuals with a vendetta and so much more during a game and that should be what a referee on the ground must be able to interpret.
      VAR is just a machine that has none of these attributes and should only be used as you say.

      This is why the two incidents against Leicester are causing so much controvesy in my opinion.

      With regards to Nketiah, the referee had already made his decision and issued a yellow card, only to be told by VAR that he had made a wrong interpretation. There then followed a lengthy delay, VAR unable to make a decision on its own interpretation, resulting in the referee changing his mind and issuing a red card.

      With regards to Vardy, both the referee and VAR saw the incident, deemed it ok and, despite the horrific injury, saw no reason to review the incident, while the game was halted.

      This is an example of how not to referee a game and the most disgraceful example of biased refereeing I have witnessed since…the last incident involving our club and such unfair decisions.

      No wonder there are some fans who describe it as a corrupt organization, what other interpretation could there be?

  13. If a man will not be query or question about his decision, then the man will exhibit absolute power, and l may bold to say, absolute power corrupt absolutely. Referees in England are biased, most especially to our club. Take it or leave it.

  14. What I find impossible to rationally explain, without using the word “bias”, is how Arsenal ends up with relatively so many yellow and red cards, when opposition teams have tried to kick Arsenal off season after season?

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