Arsenal are still top of the Premier League but not scoring a lot of goals. Is that part of the Mikel Arteta process?<\/p>\n
We also have mails on Man Utd, referees and more; send your views to theeditor@football365.com<\/p>\n
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Man Utd fan gets riled after a rare win<\/p>\n
Good one by Yiembe<\/a> but there are some pretty f***ing obvious reasons, even for a neutral (I\u2019m not one however).<\/p>\n \u2013 Arsenal played that game with their best possible 11. United were missing their best 3 attackers, CBs, other important players, lost Mount at HT, etc.<\/p>\n \u2013 Arsenal got battered that game when going into it we were told it was \u2018their year\u2019 and legopep was the GOAT manager\u2026 United are shite and have been for a while so the expectations aren\u2019t remotely close.<\/p>\n \u2013 look at the stats, Arsenal f***ing stunk and gave away an obvious penalty and I can\u2019t even remember the goal but assuming it was Bayandir\u2019s fault and a yawnsome thrown in or some shit.<\/p>\n \u2013 By \u2018shots rained down on goal\u2019 you would be referring to the 3 shots on goal by Newcastle? That\u2019s one every 32ish mins\u2026 not even a spit my friend. Even shite United over doubled that vs Arsenal and over doubled the total shots Arsenal had.<\/p>\n \u2013 Now if you\u2019d said Newcastle rained crosses to no one, you would have been correct. Moyes didn\u2019t get credit for raining them on Fulham all those years ago and this was pretty similar.<\/p>\n \u2013 Everyone expected United to concede the other day because of United and how we usually always concede, not because of Newcastle.<\/p>\n Hope that helps Yiembe. \u00a0<\/p>\n Sixteen minutes later\u2026<\/p>\n Jesus what a day for the mailbox<\/a>, a United victory still has the power to blast sand right up the vagina huh.<\/p>\n \u2013 Eddie doesn\u2019t need to get on his knees but he could start by not getting caught on camera right at the beginning of the game telling his players to FAKE INJURY to stop the game so he could figure sh*t out. Literal first primary go-to tactic, \u2018fake injury boys, I haven\u2019t got a f***ing clue what\u2019s going on\u2019.<\/p>\n \u2013 Dorgu got poked in the eyes repeatedly. No concussion protocol for that laddo.<\/p>\n \u2013 Tonali\u2019s yellow was pretty standard. Given or not, not sure it\u2019s worth getting the tinfoil out.<\/p>\n Nice email mate, send it to the PGMOL. You were sh*t against a patched up, mostly B-team of one of the worst United teams ever. Get over it. \u00a0<\/p>\n Newcastle were blatantly cheating<\/p>\n The cheek of Chris C (Toon Army) complaining<\/a> about Dorgu going down too many times with head injuries. Eddie Howe literally told one of his players to get Ramsdale to go down injured so he could have a first half conflab with his players, after Ruby sprung a surprise formation change. They even had the cheek to ask Pope to warm up!! Good to see them getting their comeuppance for such blatant cheating.<\/p>\n As for Yiembe, the Arsenal fan bemoaning why his team gets treated differently than Utd. You are league challengers who finished second last season, and have been building a team under the same manager for years. We finished 15th!! My god man.<\/p>\n Slightly concerned Wolves are looking better and can\u2019t possibly keep losing all season, plus we are missing half our team. Yikes. Although to be fair, Liverpool can make anyone look good this season. \u00a0<\/p>\n Aston Villa on Cloud 9<\/p>\n 9 wins in a row in the Premier League. 11 in all competitions.<\/p>\n It doesn\u2019t matter if Villa lose a couple in the coming weeks. It doesn\u2019t matter if Chris Sutton thinks this run is unsustainable or if Paul Merson think we lack squad depth. It doesn\u2019t matter if \u2018StatsGuru529\u2019 on Twitter (it\u2019s Twitter!) is concerned about our xG over performance.<\/p>\n It\u2019s an historic run whatever happens from now on. No one can burst our bubble or take it away. It\u2019s been a truly incredible run. If you can\u2019t let a fan of their club enjoy that, then I\u2019m not sure how I can help you. READ: Aston Villa\u2019s most ridiculous turnaround yet keeps them firmly in Premier League title contention<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Arsenal under instruction to be boring\u2026<\/p>\n I\u2019d like to add some rationalism in amidst the usual surface level analyses saying that \u201cArsenal are boring and slowing down\u201d.<\/p>\n I think it\u2019s possible that Arteta is trying to manage the team\u2019s fitness and fatigue at this busy period in the season by advising the players not to play too hard and fast. Considering the revolving door of injuries we continuously have and the absences of key players in previous seasons during the crunch period it makes sense to get the players to slow down and simply achieve managed victories.<\/p>\n The plan is probably something like this:<\/p>\n 1. Play with a moderate level of energy in the first 60 mins and try to get a goal.<\/p>\n 2. Conserve energy and counter with speedy wide players like Martinellli when we\u2019re a goal up. Avoid stretching yourselves too much to reach every ball and make every possible run.<\/p>\n 3. Rely on the sturdy, versatile players like Saka and Rice to pull us out of trouble and maintain order.<\/p>\n 4. Throw yourselves in the way of the other teams\u2019 shots and narrow the shooting lanes.<\/p>\n The goal is to lower risks to player fitness and grind out the 3 points. This doesn\u2019t necessarily make for great viewing but the league is a marathon and fitness has almost always been our biggest issue. I\u2019m really worried that Saka will get injured, I just wish Arteta had pulled him off earlier for a rest. READ: Man City 4 Arsenal 3 in Premier League XI of season so far<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Time for adults to run PGMOL<\/p>\n As I previously mentioned and as Hesh (LFC) referenced<\/a>, the PGMOL\u2019s VAR circus invites bias \u2013 conscious or not \u2013 by shielding on-field refs. Ex referees have ex-whistlers admitted they have altered the decision outcome to protect their chums on field.<\/p>\n Worse, though, is that referees are reneging on decisions, punting to VAR\u2019s background check\u2026 which then shrugs without an egregious gaffe. Circular logic at its finest, leaving fans fuming.<\/p>\n Compare to the adult way Rugby union uses video. After watching a few Rugby Union International and Prem games, the difference is stark. The on field referee is in charge, officials behave like grown-ups, not a protected species. The Ref states an \u201con-field decision\u201d, then asks the TMO to find a reason not to give the decision, openly chatting with TMO over replays \u2013 audible to stadium and TV. No hidden whispers; just \u201cwhat am I seeing?\u201d and clear evidence to flip or stick. Linesmen and the TMO can flag the referee if something serious is spotted. They work as a single team.<\/p>\n It\u2019s so refreshing.<\/p>\n Why can\u2019t we adapt it for the EPL, elongating the match-long snoozes: ref leads reviews for goals\/pens\/reds\/identity (tack on blatant shirt-tugs), VAR does proactive real-time sweeps but flags only slam-dunks, live audio kills bias whiffs (Ref Cam\u2019s already testing it.)<\/p>\n Rugby\u2019s model owns accountability without the boys own club bias. Time for the PGMOL to grow up \u2013 fans deserve it.<\/p>\n However, having listened to so many PGMOL refs it\u2019s clear the bar is not set high in terms of clarity of thought. It\u2019s one thing to \u2018know the rules\u2019 and apply them, another to manage the process. Not hopeful. \u00a0<\/p>\n Spirit of goodwill to all referees<\/p>\n Easy to whine about refs. Deservedly rare to give them a little love\u2026but it is the season.<\/p>\n Another weekend of various players obviously diving, rolling around and expecting a free kick, to being assiduously ignored by the refs who are allowing the games to continue to flow. Miraculously in every case, said diver has then gotten up and on with it.<\/p>\n Likewise some \u201cnothing\u201d challenges where cards might have been given, are just being given a \u201ccarry-on!\u201d wave. It\u2019s a pleasant surprise. Kudos to the Refs association for returning English football back to more of its natural flowing best. \u00a0<\/p>\n Does\u00a0RHT\/TS deserve a Stewie warning?<\/p>\n
Moses<\/p>\n
Moses<\/p>\n
Garey Vance, MUFC<\/p>\n
Gary AVFC, nearing Sydney (Would probably take a draw tomorrow)<\/p>\n
Vish (AFC), Melbourne<\/p>\n
Paul McDevitt<\/p>\n
Paul Chipperton, Englehart, Canada<\/p>\n