I find it difficult to believe that Arsenal has taken this action. To be honest, when I initially came across it on social media last Sunday, I thought it might be a joke. However, it’s indeed a real development. Arsenal has issued an official statement in response to their loss against Newcastle United. While I understand the importance of supporting your manager and other club staff when possible, there are limits to how far you should go.
Arsenal’s unwavering backing of Mikel Arteta, despite his overly dramatic comments, is truly astonishing. It’s disappointing to see them take this stance. They lost a match in which they didn’t even manage a single proper shot on Newcastle United’s goal, with only one attempt on target, which was a straightforward Martinelli shot straight into Pope’s hands. The match was intense, with both teams fully committed, and decisions went both for and against them, as is typical in any match.
The most contentious decision was Havertz not receiving a red card for a challenge that appeared to be a deliberate attempt to seriously injure Sean Longstaff. So, is Arsenal going to release official statements every time they don’t get the result they desire, claiming it’s unfair? I may not have a fondness for Liverpool, but it was at least reasonable when they and Klopp demanded a replay of the Tottenham match due to a VAR and referee mix-up that cost them a goal.
However, Saturday’s match at St James’ Park was nothing like that. It was the usual matter of differing opinions, such as whether Havertz should have been sent off or if Joelinton’s action led to the goal. These are normal aspects of any match. And we can be certain that if the roles were reversed, Arsenal and Mikel Arteta would have had no issues with the goal and would have called for a red card. Their official statement appears to be a desperate and shameless move, and they should remove it immediately and issue an apology.
In contrast, Arsenal Football Club wholeheartedly supports Mikel Arteta’s post-match comments, standing by him in the face of what they consider to be unacceptable refereeing and VAR errors on Saturday evening. They also recognize the tremendous effort and performance of their players and their traveling supporters at St James’ Park. They assert that the Premier League, being the best league in the world, deserves better officiating, and they urge the PGMOL to address the standard of officiating urgently. They express their support for Chief Refereeing Officer Howard Webb’s ongoing efforts and express their willingness to collaborate in achieving world-class officiating standards for the league.
