Thank you. I think it’s clear from this angle that the contact is made with the outside of his foot to the shin. And not “a studs up” contact which it appeared from one still…
Serious foul play.
A tackle or challenge that endangers the safety of an opponent or uses excessive force or brutality must be sanctioned as serious foul play.
Any player who lunges at an opponent in challenging for the ball from the front, from the side or from behind using one or both legs, with excessive force or endangers the safety of an opponent is guilty of serious foul play.
IFAB
I think the thing on this that makes me so sure this isn’t a red is that he clearly is trying to trip him and nothing more. He doesn’t even bring his leg down hard with force, just leaves it there to trip him.
I still think he gave it for DOGSO because he wanted to give a red so bad, then realized it wouldn't hold up to VAR so he changed it to SFP. I just don't think you can see that in real time and think it was so dangerous it deserved a straight red.
There is no precedent for it; nothing in the rules of the game has this as red card.
The man has made a game-changing decision that negatively impacts Arsenal, and not for the first time.
What, other than pure corruption is behind it?
I’m not sure there’s any justification for that as a red card when others in the Premier League have been doing their best Stan Hansen impressions this year with zero penalty
Nothing will convince me that the initial decision wasn’t a DOGSO. The excessive force / violent conduct thing is merely Oliver’s VAR mates trying to muddy the waters
Even today, in the same game, Hwang threw an elbow into Martinelli's kidney, off the ball. Again, an actual assault with nothing to do with a football action. Again, not even a free-kick awarded for it.
Remember also that the "independent" panel said that all 5 thought Kai should have been sent off that game but only 3/5 thought this elbow warranted a red.
Has DJ oiled up the Gaslight Express yet? I’m sure he’ll consider this to be about as nailed on red as you can get, up there with Dyer/Bowyer, Cantona, Zidane, Luiz against Wolves.
I think the fact VAR failed to overturn that might be worse than the actual decision. How on earth can you watch that back and deem it excessive force.
Ever since those comments from Arteta against Newcastle they’ve been out to make an example of us and they aren’t even trying to hide it anymore.
I agree with this. Micheal Oliver is a useless twat, this is a given. The fact that VAR backed it up is baffling. They are either useless too, or corrupt. It's one or the other.
Comments
A tackle or challenge that endangers the safety of an opponent or uses excessive force or brutality must be sanctioned as serious foul play.
IFAB
The man has made a game-changing decision that negatively impacts Arsenal, and not for the first time.
What, other than pure corruption is behind it?
https://youtu.be/o18HucZx6as
An *actual* assault having nothing to do with a football action.
First I’ve heard of it and first I’ve seen it enforced so strictly.
It’s also not what happened in this instance.
Not that it matters whether it actually had, it’s been treated as discretionary and ignore-able for months.
That's 33 percent of Arsenal's red cards despite the fact that he's only officiated about 12.5 percent of Arsenal's EPL games in that time.
Ever since those comments from Arteta against Newcastle they’ve been out to make an example of us and they aren’t even trying to hide it anymore.