Picture disproves claims Trossard delayed restart as Arsenal robbed of win v Man Metropolis

Arsenal have been denied a long-awaited victory on the Etihad Stadium, as one other controversial refereeing resolution overshadowed an unimaginable efficiency by the Gunners of their 2-2 draw in opposition to Manchester City.

Leandro Trossard‘s contentious sending-off for an alleged delay of the restart performed a pivotal function in Arsenal being robbed of a win, with the picture additional down this web page serves as damning proof that Michael Oliver’s resolution was unjust.

The sport noticed Arsenal come agonisingly near securing their first victory on the Etihad since 2015, with Mikel Arteta’s males battling valiantly with 10 gamers for the whole second half.

Erling Haaland had handed Metropolis an early lead within the ninth minute, however Arsenal responded impressively. Riccardo Calafiori’s gorgeous Pireseqsue end on his full debut levelled the rating, after which Gabriel rose highest from a nook to provide the Gunners a 2-1 benefit, humiliating Kyle Walker alongside the way in which.

Nevertheless, the turning level got here within the ultimate second of the primary half, when Trossard was proven a second yellow card for supposedly delaying the restart of play.

This resolution left Arsenal with a numerical drawback for the whole second half, a state of affairs that proved to be essential in permitting Metropolis to mount relentless strain.

John Stones’ injury-time equaliser denied the Gunners what would have been a memorable and hard-fought win.

Trossard’s dismissal: a questionable name

The picture above paints a transparent image of the controversy. As seen, Trossard is within the movement of kicking the ball when referee Michael Oliver blew his whistle for a foul.

The Manchester Metropolis participant was nonetheless mendacity on the bottom clutching his again, and there was no imminent restart in sight that Trossard might have probably delayed.

It was not a case of cynical time-wasting, as Oliver advised, however reasonably an unlucky timing concern that resulted in a second yellow card for the Belgian. Suppose van Persie on the Nou Camp, in order for you yet one more instance of Arsenal being handled in another way, and we now all have an concept of what was behind that decision.

In distinction, only a week earlier, Michael Oliver selected to not ship off Liverpool‘s Dominik Szoboszlai for kicking the ball away whereas already on a yellow card, regardless of the identical obvious offence.

On that event, the reasoning given was that it didn’t delay the restart. Kicking the ball away, in itself, shouldn’t be the offence; it’s solely punishable when it’s a deliberate act to waste time, which Trossard’s motion clearly was not.

Arsenal followers will after all bear in mind Declan Rice being dismissed beneath related circumstances in opposition to Brighton just a few weeks in the past, however since then, there have been numerous cases in different matches the place such acts have gone unpunished.

Trossard’s dismissal was inconsistent, to place it mildly, with how related incidents have been officiated throughout the league (and on this match) and questions have to be requested as to why.

Michael Oliver’s historical past with Arsenal

Michael Oliver’s historical past with Arsenal paints a worrying image.

In 60 Arsenal video games he’s officiated, Oliver has despatched off seven Arsenal gamers whereas awarding the Gunners simply 5 penalties.

In contrast, he has refereed 57 Manchester Metropolis video games, sending off just one Metropolis participant whereas awarding them 11 penalties.

The disparity is much more obtrusive when wanting solely at Premier League matches: in 47 video games involving Manchester Metropolis, Oliver has by no means proven a Metropolis participant a crimson card however has awarded them 10 penalties.

For Arsenal, he has despatched off six gamers in 52 Premier League matches, awarding them 5 penalties.

Let’s not neglect that it was additionally Oliver who despatched off Gabriel Martinelli for 2 yellow playing cards in the identical section of play with out warning him that he was going to be booked for the primary as he performed benefit.

This inconsistency raises considerations about unconscious bias or, on the very least, a scarcity of impartiality in decision-making, particularly when you think about the Metropolis proprietor paid Oliver £20,000 to referee a single game in Abu Dhabi. It might not be corruption however it’s, at greatest, a foul look.

For Arsenal followers, the choice to ship off Trossard felt like one other chapter in an extended historical past of contentious calls by Oliver in opposition to their membership and yet one more that went in Man Metropolis’s favour beneath the official.

Comparisons with previous incidents

As if that isn’t sufficient, Manchester Metropolis’s (and the media’s) accusations of time-wasting by Arsenal are introduced into query by the truth that Oliver added seven minutes of stoppage time on the finish of the match (and performed 9), despite the fact that the ball had been in play for 35 minutes – the best quantity for any match within the Premier League this season.

You’ll not see one other match this season the place nearly precisely 45 minutes are performed in a half. It raises questions on what precisely constitutes time-wasting and why such a extreme punishment was meted out to Trossard and solely Trossard.

Furthermore, recollections of Oliver’s leniency in the direction of Metropolis in earlier matches stay recent. Final season, the identical referee opted to not dismiss Mateo Kovacic regardless of two horrendous challenges in a match at The Emirates.

Howard Webb later justified the choice by claiming they didn’t need to have a “adverse influence on the sport.” That logic was evidently absent when deciding Trossard’s destiny.

The inconsistency in Oliver’s choices was infuriating. Haaland’s repeated tough challenges and his deliberate throw of the ball at Gabriel went unpunished, regardless of being clear examples of dissent and aggression.

Moreover, Metropolis gamers surrounded the referee continuously, with Ruben Dias at one level sprinting 50 metres to confront Oliver – behaviour that’s usually penalised for different groups.

Then, you had Doku kicking the ball away however not getting booked whereas three Arsenal gamers (Trossard, Declan Rice, Gabriel Jesus) have been booked for the offence that will or might not be an offence, relying on who’s being refereed.

The narrative shift

For years, Arsenal have been labelled as “naïve” in massive video games, usually criticised for not having the expertise or the physicality to compete with prime sides like Manchester Metropolis, Liverpool, Chelsea, and Manchester United.

Now, as they display their skill to carry their very own, break goal-scoring data, and present resilience in matches like this, they’re unfairly punished and branded as “time-wasters” and “soiled”.

Arteta’s tactical evolution of the staff has usually been met with a adverse portrayal, with comparisons to extra defensive managers likeTony Pulis, an unfair characterisation that doesn’t replicate Arsenal’s attacking and disciplined fashion.

Conclusion: a hard-fought level or a stolen victory?

Whereas Arsenal can take satisfaction of their resilience and defensive energy, managing to carry off Manchester Metropolis for 45 minutes with simply 10 males, the fact is that they have been robbed of the win.

The picture of Trossard within the movement of kicking the ball simply as Oliver blew his whistle serves as indeniable proof that Arsenal have been wronged on the day.

As a substitute of celebrating their first win on the Etihad in practically a decade, they have been compelled to accept a draw, with the sense of injustice palpable amongst gamers and followers alike, anger barely dissipating in a single day.

If the Premier League is to take care of what’s left of its integrity, it wants consistency in refereeing choices.

Arsenal’s efficiency warranted three factors, however a questionable resolution robbed them of the chance to assert a well-known victory, leaving a bitter style within the mouths of all related to the membership.

Because the season progresses, Arsenal will hope that future choices are made primarily based on equity and accuracy reasonably than inconsistency and perceived bias.

They know they gained’t be. However they’ll hope, nonetheless.