The Arsenal – Michael Oliver – Manchester City by Ken 1945
Many things have been written and said regarding the above. Conspiracy theories, Arab influence, PGMOL turning a blind eye, player reactions, etc, etc, but I want to concentrate on the three names in the title and how they are inexplicably intertwined.
Let’s begin with the referee Mr Oliver – touted as the best in the country by many, but a person who seems to ignore the rules when he referees the games between The Arsenal and City.
Let’s start with last season and his decision not to penalise Kovacic for a ankle high and dangerous tackle from behind on Martin Odegaard.
He was up with play when the incident occurred. He waved play on and it later emerged that he decided not to take any action, as he didn’t want to spoil the spectacle (or words to that effect).
Now, despite me scouring through the rule book, I can find no mention of any official having the right to make such a decision, but the PGMOL took no further action against either the player or the referee.
So one must assume the PGMOL were OK with the referee making that decision.
Fast forward to our match against City at the Etihad stadium and with seconds left of an absolutely brilliant encounter, Trossard kicked the ball away, after Mr Oliver had blown for a free kick.
It was a stupid thing to do by Trossard, but no other player was involved and no injury resulted from this action. Now, bearing in mind how Mr Oliver didn’t want to spoil the spectacle last season, by sending off a player, one would have expected the same level of consistency in this game.
But no, out came the yellow card in an instant, thus doing the complete opposite of what he did last season.
Why would that be?
Unfortunately, we will never know, because the PGMOL refuse to let their officials be interviewed after games, or at any other time, with regards to decisions made on the field of play.
Only Howard Webb, who leads the PGMOL, is allowed to be interviewed, in what can only be described as a friendly little get together, with Michael Owen.
Every single entity that has policed itself has been found to be corrupt and every one of them had individuals who were allowed to corrupt without any kind of punishment given out.
It’s been well documented that Mr Oliver has been invited out to the Arab Emirates and officiated in one of the countries league matches, receiving a reported £20,000 for doing so.
The links between the owners of City and the country itself, along with their FA is well documented, and Mr Oliver seems to have profited very well indeed, considering the reported £20,000 for one game, is about a quarter of what he reportedly earns a season in the PL.
There has to be something fundamentally wrong, when the PGMOL allows one of its officials to go out to the country that, basically, owns a football club in the PL and earn that kind of money for one match, to then appoint said official to referee two games between City and it’s closest rival for two seasons, where the decisions of said referee favour City enormously on both occasions.
Where is the accountability and why does the PGMOL not allow referees like Mr Oliver to explain his 360 degree turnaround on the issues above?
Just one further point on the neutrality of Mr Oliver and The Arsenal. Remember the double yellow booking he dished out to Martinelli?
Never been done before and never been done since.
Now on to City115 – my personal description of a club who I once admired and always wanted to become the team for Manchester. They used to have brilliant, honest and loyal fans, who suffered under Ferguson’s United.
But the club and it’s fans are nothing like the City of old, in fact, they’ve become an even more arrogant copy of Fergie’s United.
The behaviour of Haaland on Sunday was a disgrace and yet, no card was shown to the player, even though he threw the ball into the back of Gabriel’s head… and here’s the shocker – it was recorded by VAR and Mr Oliver and his team decided no further action was necessary!!
Let’s see what happens when other players start to do the same thing – I’m sure the same rule won’t apply then!!
Those 115 charges should be cleared up immediately and, if found guilty, City should be punished, using the criteria that saw Everton and Forest deducted points.
Lastly, The Arsenal: When will our players learn to think clearly?
We had the Brighton game in our pocket, until Rice gave the referee the chance to send him off. OK, whether one agreed with it or not, it should have been a lesson learnt.
Arteta should have drilled it into their heads that no player should let it happen again and he probably did… at least I hope so.
Did Trossard not hear the whistle, did he not have time to stop his action??
Who knows, but it gave Mr Oliver the opportunity he, in my opinion, had been waiting for.
We have taken enormous positive strides in the last two seasons, witnessed by the relief of every city115 players, manager and fans reaction to getting a 2-2 draw against a ten man opposition for over 55 minutes!! Just become even more professional and we, the fans, know your on the cusp of something incredible.
Just my take on The Arsenal – Mr Oliver – Manchester City saga.
What’s yours?
ken1945
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