Ten Hag just needs more time because Manchester United had as many shots on target as Liverpool

Editor F365 02 Sep 2024 2:35 PM

Liverpool forward Mo Salah and Manchester United midfielder Casemiro

Leave Casemiro alone

Manchester United will be fine once Luke Shaw is back, Joshua Zirkzee improves his finishing and Erik ten Hag is given more time. And Liverpool will slip.

Send your thoughts to theeditor@football365.com.

Ten Hag out
When Postecoglou took over at Spurs, he took absolutely no time in giving an identity. Changed the name way they attack, changed their approach. Every coach does this, Unai Emery at Villa or the 31 year old Fabian at Brighton. All except Eric Ten Hag.

2 full seasons and more than half a billion dollars later, nothing has changed. We attack like crap, our midfield is crap and our defending is crap. We haven’t dominated a single team in a game convincingly since ETH took over. His excuses are getting flimsical with each defeat. His signings have failed, his strategies have failed. Not a single player on the pitch yesterday looked like he wanted to be on the pitch. They all seem super demotivated and genuinely not interested in winning, or even performing.

Should have got rid of him before or during the summer. At least get him out now. This baldie is done.
Kay, United Fan

A defeat in his image
Another season begins, and once more Man Utd’s league campaign is over by the start of September. Sending a big well done to all the fans that demanded this continuity. It is certainly consistent.

Some thoughts on the general shambles of a club:

– ETH saved his job by stumbling his way through an embarrassing cup campaign (Newport, Forest, and Coventry were all shockers), then totally changed tactics and won a one-off game. So he’s been judged worthy on tactics he has refused to use before or since. Absurd.

– Individual errors cost goals again. Could it possibly be that other teams have players that make errors, but they have a structure around them to protect against conceding from them? It is moronic to continuously leave the 2 central defenders totally exposed should one midfielder, fullback, or winger make any sort of mistake.

– Conversely, somehow having both the fullbacks high up the pitch doesn’t often translate to more goals for Utd. Instead the most common outcome is for them, and everyone else, to be constantly sprinting back towards goal to try and sort out the mess that has occured behind them. Then try to get back in position high up the pitch, rinse and repeat.

– And might there be any possible connection to this continuous 100min back and forth sprinting chaos and the atrocious amount of injuries the team gets or why they always look much more knackered than the opposition?

– How, considering every other team has players at international tournaments, can Utd consistently start the season looking nowhere near fit or with any functioning tactical identity? It must be getting close to the point where they have to just bin off those useless pre-season tours and actually just work on the bloody training.

– How have Utd ended up with two strikers that have struggled to ever get into double figures for league goals? Maybe that’s partially because the most dangerous position (Haaland aside) has often shifted from the CF to the wide forwards, and as there are more right footers, the inside left position is one of the most rich for attacking talent in football. But we currently have maybe the 6th choice player, just for his country alone, in that position. Something has to change with Rashford as he can’t keep having 2 years off for every good 6 months. On form, there are far too many better options out there to justify persevering with such inconsistency.

– I’m expecting Sancho to now get above him in that queue. Because as much as a car crash as Chelsea have been, they still somehow got Utd to pay £55m (let’s be honest, those £5m in easy add ons are looking optimistic) for the perma-crocked Mount, in the final year of year of his contract, after a crap season. Then contrive to loan them Sancho for free and not even covering his full wages, and a buy fee of as up to £25m. If you’re getting out-negotiated by the Boehly clown show then your club is in massive trouble.

– Finally, if ETH trots out the lie that we’ve been factually the 2nd best team in England over the last two years, he should be sacked on the spot. We finished 8th, our worst position since the 80s, with negative goal difference, and humiliated ourselves in the Champions League, finishing bottom of an easy group after another shockingly bad start to a season. Half the top teams consider the domestic cups as an opportunistic bonus to their main goals. For a Man Utd manager to be boasting and making absurd claims about what it means to win the League Cup….makes me sick motherlover, how far we done fell.
Ernie (Casemiro is just too obvious to even waste time discussing)

MORE ON MANCHESTER UNITED 0-3 LIVERPOOL
👉 ‘Tory MP’ Ten Hag slammed with Tuchel, Southgate in frame as ‘new Martinez’ thrives for Liverpool
👉 Old Trafford was ‘almost embarrassingly silent’ but Sky insist on selling Man Utd v Liverpool as must-watch
👉 16 Conclusions on Man Utd 0-3 Liverpool: Ten Hag sack, great Gravenberch, Casemiro done, ‘unprofessional’ Szob

He needs more time
Wow. So much to unpack there. Mr. Stead, who hurt you? Did the love of your life leave you for a Man United supporter or Ten Hag himself? The spice in your writing could flavor every single Indians dinner for the rest of 2024 and still leave a burn.

Ten Hag should not play Casemiro but also it’s a hilarious waste if he doesn’t play? LFC were so dominant but you take 5 conclusions to even mention them in this game? LFC were so good that it took 3 midfield mistakes to score? Martinez doing a hard tackle in such a game is a “gimmick” – Have you ever watched this rivalry before?

I understand there was a collective mindf**k that Ten Hag stayed despite the medias collective efforts, and I get it’s very hard to comprehend a manager being allowed to stay on for winning a second consecutive trophy, despite an unprecedented injury crisis. Erik wasn’t going to do a Joe Biden because he and those who know more than us all decided he didn’t need to. (2 long conclusions on just that, maybe seek therapy, serious case of the MUDS).

Ten Hag can have no excuses, and neither can Man United. Fergie leaving with an aged squad is exactly the same as Klopp leaving with a rejuvenated one. Slot taking over a settled LFC team who were hunting for a quadruple is exactly the same as a half baked, half fit United team. Ten Hag might have to play an entirely new team every game due to injuries, but that’s not an excuse for consistency, as well all know: consistency is born in constant chopping & change.

When 16 conclusions eventually got to the game, it was to state Slots clear influence is in Gravenberch. Notice how a Ten Hag Alumni is treated when it’s not under Ten Hag? The mask is slipping. All Antony needed after all was to be at Anfield.

For all LFC’s might and Slots apparent quality, it took 3 mistakes and 1 Mo Salah to make a difference. Just like Bobby Martinez rode on the coaching of Moyes’ defense, I reckon Slot will be riding on the muscle memory of Klopps machine. And just like DeZerbi learned, once people know how you play, things change.

Diaz took both his goals extremely well, as did Salah. They were the difference today. Their team overall seemed to run harder, which must be credited. Salah admitted he most likely won’t be here this time next year, and for all his quality and historical input, admitted nobody has started new contract talks- ouch.

Liverpool were more stable at the back, more mature in midfield and more clinical upfront. I get United have spent money rejuvenating their team, but as Gravenberch showed today, new players to new leagues need time, and with half their defense, one third of their attack and two thirds of their midfield still PL rookies, patience should be allowed.

I did enjoy how Slot “worked around” his midfield issue by using what he has, but Ten Hag using what he has is derided. Almost as if each is using different tools in different scenarios but also being judged with different standards? Ten Hag must not play Casemiro, but if he plays his only viable alternative in Collyer, that’s to be critiqued, and the new executive team not signing Ugarte sooner should be too? A trifecta of unavoidable blame.

The game itself was not as bad as the 3-0 scoreline suggested. Minus two Casemiro mistakes and add two better Zirkzee finishes, and it’s a whole different game. Both teams ended with 3 shots on target. I will gladly admit LFC were the sharper of the two, and deserving of their win. United looked and clearly were rusty after a massive summer transition filled with tournaments. This was a hard boiled LFC against not quite poached Man Utd.

Ten Hag admitted before the season began it will take a few weeks to get up to speed, and understandably so given many of our key players came back just 3-4 weeks ago and some are injured still.

On positive notes, I liked what I saw from our new signings. Zirkzee looks raw but found dangerous positions, and both defensive additions played well. Mazraoui was not positioned right for the opener, but that seemed more tactical than personal. Rashford looked sharper but still bereft of confidence. The team looked more solid with Collyer – who looks good – which bodes well for Ugarte. Amad was again bright, and should have started. Garnacho is electric, but clearly rusty, and could have done well against tiring legs.

Luke Shaw is clearly vital to this team and Rashford. He cannot return soon enough. I was disappointed with Bruno and Casemiro- 2/3 of our highest earners. Not happy that it’s still not sunk in that maybe Mo Salah should be marked tightly in such games and they may never have a chance to do so.

Onto Casemiro, has there ever been a pro as decorated as Casemiro this brutally abused? Yes, I get he is not what he once was, and yes, I see he has made errors, but this is one of the history of footballs most decorated CDM’s and you have Jamie Carraghers’ acting as if they need to teach him how to play football? Cas has literally had individual seasons more successful than Jamie’s entire career but the stink of smug disdain can be seen from the television screen.

I wonder if Liverpool’s lack of signings this year was in preparation for next year. With Mo having no contract talks, Trent seemingly on his way to Real and VVD in one or both boats, that’s 3 massive stars to replace. I also think their team will suffer massively when missing any of them this or next season.

I’ve seen United play four games this season, culminating in 3 losses and 1 win. All three defeats features back post goals conceded and a general rustiness about them. Some better finishing and a Luke Shaw, and I reckon things would and will become different. LFC did well, but Slot is yet to face a major challenge other than missing out on key positions being reinforced, and I suspect those two will coincide, and then we can pass judgement. Ange opened with similar fanfare last year, but once the wheels came off, the cart was never as sturdy. Jury’s still out for both teams.
Calvino (Get ready for another 12 months of “Ten Hag out” from the media fellow fans)

The 16 conclusions used to be an analytical piece. Reading the last one, it feels more like a bile fuelled axe-grinding exercise from a bitter keyboard warrior. It would appear that young Matt has been holding onto a lot of hate for a while. Ferguson retired in 2013 and the piece can’t seem to get over what happened 11 years ago, to the very last line.

The football was a sh*t show, so let’s not even debate that. Criticisms of ETH at this point are very hard to argue against. I do have a problem with the broadside at the club which seems to conflate fantasy football make-believe tactics with actually running or changing large organisations.

The manager hunt was actually exactly how any large organisation under new ownership would conduct a search for a position that they felt was under scrutiny. They would inform the incumbent in the post that they were looking at options and that he was one of them. They would conduct a series of interviews with various candidates and make up their mind over a defined period of time. All involved parties would be transparently made aware of the approach. Decisions would be communicated as soon as they were arrived at. This is not some monstrosity concocted by Ineos. This is how jobs work in the real world. Somebody tell Mr Stead.

And while we’re about it, when you replace an entire management team there’s usually a lag before the results become obvious. United haven’t just ‘hired Berrada, Ashworth, and Casemiro and shoved them together’ – even by the standards of this piece, it’s chronologically incorrect and far too reductive. It takes time, it’s normal, and no amount of foaming-at-the-mouth internet criticism will change that. It’s undeniable that the talent that’s been brought in, in in the last transfer window was a step change in terms of prices, deal structures, and also the balance of outgoing vs incoming players.

We need to have a chat about the football itself produced by United – about the lack of bite up front, lack of passing patterns, the poor through balls, the dawdling on the ball, the far too many attempted dribbles by Garnacho, Zirkzee’s inability to really come to terms with the pace and sharpness of the game, and all of that is before we get to Casemiro. But that’s a whole other email.
Ved Sen, MUFC (still focused on the big picture)

The longer-term view
It is easy and tempting after yet another brutal defeat to try and extrapolate consistent failings of the last 10 years at United onto the current situation, but personally I don’t think that’s fair. Up front: the Glazers are among the worst owners in football history, and the management team they chose appear to have known less about football than Fred the Red. From Moyes to Mourinho to Antony to Phil Jones they have failed countless times. But they are gone.
The new structure has been in place at most a matter of weeks. And it has done several things of note. Firstly, delivered, for me, the best transfer window in memory, in terms of sensible incomings at reasonable prices in key positions and absolutely slashing the Glazer-created wage bill.

Secondly, after being unable to identify a ‘perfect’ new manager, they’ve set up in a medium-term situation they can’t lose. A lot of fans liked ETH in his first season, could see the broken, injured debacle of a first XI each week and so wanted to give him a shot with actual fit footballers this year. Firing him after the FA cup would have been unpopular with particularly match-going fans. But, he now has a full preseason, a good window and so it’s all on Eric. And so far, the midfield donut remains, goals are being conceded in the same manner and the mentality is still awful.

Thirdly, let’s put this nice, young successful manager in the dugout next to ETH who is also adored by the United faithful, just in case we MIGHT need a caretaker.

Finally, this was never an easy fix. United’s success over 2 decades was built on one man’s ability. There was no structure there without that – MBA courses could be written on the utter failure of succession planning. It’s now been over a decade of incompetent leaders doing incompetent things. For me, as someone who has supported this club for many decades, I can take a more lengthy view. It will take INEOS at least 2 years to fix this. The reason Slot can step in and comfortably play better football is because LFC have XI players that have had one of the greatest coaches in history coaching them, and can still perform the same thing because really nothing has changed. Excellent structure, brilliant pressing and incredible decision-making in key moments. United have none of that, and it’s going to take a while.
Ryan, Bermuda (Unless it’s Southgate, in which case, INEOS know nothing)

Sourpuss
Wow. John Nicholson. Just wow. How negative can one be.

I’ve never written into the mailbox before (I’m on a very boring Zoom lecture right now) but that has to be one of the most negative articles I’ve ever read. For a person who writes about football for a living, you sure do dislike it a lot. It must be torture to endure. I mean there’s having a moan and then there’s whatever that was. I almost convinced myself you were either an Everton or Utd fan for a moment.

Try navigating your website if you think being bombarded with ads and hyping things up to something they aren’t (Ie: clickbaiting us into some decent journalism) is a problem. And don’t Sky own 365?

Whilst I myself prefer the ‘good old days’ (old man yells at cloud) compared to the billionaire, gambling, feigning injury, social media age of football and the hysteria that surrounds every tiny detail; unfortunately that’s just the world we live in now.

Overall; an odd article with some relevant points about the state of modern football, however this kind of whining is best left to the YouTube comments sections. I wonder wether the article would have been different had there been a repeat of the 4-3 from the FA Cup? Maybe there’s a reason the comments sections has disappeared to allow you to freely piss on everyone’s chips. Oh what fools we are for using the only platform available to watch our favourite football team. should we rebel and get dodgy Firesticks?

Bet you think Oasis are shit too but tried for tickets.

Boo hoo John. Boo hoo.

I’m just playing dog, you know I love you.
LJ (Liverpool fan. Was having a decent morning)

Has Johnny Nic been given a weekly column to call the Premier League (F365’s primary source of content) boring and overhyped?

Seems counter-intuitive! (And also quite tedious in and of itself, even if he has a point.)
-Finbar

The comedy roadshow
No one should be surprised at what happened at OT on Sunday.

It was lunacy to keep Ten Hag just for winning the FA Cup against a rare off colour Man City.

This summer, they’ve signed two Bayern cast offs in defence (who stank the place out yesterday), paid daft money for Ugarte and Yoro (both scouted by other big clubs, who passed, probably with good reason) and Zirkee, who quite frankly makes Hoijlund look like Haaland.

They can hype up that window as much as they like. It’s just more tripe.

There is no reboot. There is no rebirth. It’s just more of the same.

But hey, at least Jim stopped all that working from home nonsense, eh? Good old Jimbob. He knows what he’s doing.
Andy, Swansea.

Happy with Arne
The first few games of the season create an incentive to overextrapolate based on limited information, but why should that stop anyone…

The powers that be at Liverpool have been given a lot of grief for not signing players. However, by far the most important decision this summer was the replacement of Klopp, and it looks like they got it spot on. The consequence of not getting the big managerial call right was sat in the other dugout, looking like he was hoping that Jim Ratcliffe’s euroscepticism extends to Champions League qualification.

It’s very early and nobody should get carried away, but Slot is extremely impressive both in the calmness with how he talks to the press and seeming to be a genuinely insightful coach. He knows he’s not Jurgen and that trying to be would be stupid. Their style of play isn’t as different as every commentator and analyst is so pained to try to make out, but he has brought a new energy.

On the lack of signings….if you put together a youtube highlights reel of Diaz in the first three games in the season all the twitter warriors would be asking to sign him for $60 million. Yes we need a few more high quality signings but yesterday’s game demonstrated that culture and coaching eats throwaway spending for breakfast.

Finally, I feel bad for Casemiro, the same thing happened with Fabinho – and when defensive midfielders reach the end it’s like the Hemingway quote about going broke: “it happens slowly and then all at once”.
R Harris, NY

I recall when Arne Slot was first announced as being the next Liverpool manager, there was talk amongst fans of rival clubs, that he would just be another Ten Hag, but not as good due to his record in Holland not being as good. It seemed to just be based on the simple fact he is bald and Dutch. Very lazy stereotyping.

To be honest, as a Liverpool fan I wasn’t sure what to expect this season as I didn’t know much about Arne apart from his very good work at Feyenoord.

So far I must say i’m impressed. He has gone about his work quietly and effectively, and when he does speak, he makes sense and speaks with authority and calmness . Basically the complete opposite of Ten Hag.

His start has been better than expected. Three wins out of three, no goals conceded and a 3-0 away win at Man Utd is a good way to introduce yourself.

Early days, and our not signing a defensive midfielder may come back to bite us eventually, but Ryan Gravenberch is currently looking a different player under Slot. He is young, and may eventually have a tricky period, but for now, looks very good.

As for Ten Hag. He looks on borrowed time, and he has done since last season. Not sure a club as big as Man Utd can operate, and live under the constant cloud of the manager being under this level of scrutiny. He seems to be saying more bizarre things in his interviews and press conferences, almost like he knows his time is up. It’s a bit of a shame for him, as despite his recent comments, he is clearly a talented manager.

I am now actually disappointed there is an international break, as I hope Liverpool can pick up this early momentum when the Premier League resumes.

Regards
Kevin

Absolutely delighted. A fantastic performance against the 2nd most successful side of the last few years.

However, the situation with fans needs sorted. The two biggest, and most atmospheric, games in the Scottish and English games respectively have been ruined today because of not letting Rangers or Man Utd fans into the ground.

All together now, “Ten Hag’s at the wheel, at the wheel, Ten Hag’s at the wheel!”
Gareth (LFC)

PS – the bit where Neville praised Mainoo for his control, just as he was pick pocketed for the 3rd, was exquisite timing 👌

Every silver lining
As a Liverpool fan, I’m obviously mainly pleased today. But there’s more than a tinge of disappointment about the Trent/Salah/Van Dijk contract situations. We hire this revered new layer of people to manage the football side and, at least as far you can tell from the outside, they’ve made no progress at all on securing the futures of three of our very best players.

I get that Salah and Van Dijk are towards the end of their careers, and clubs are cautious about committing to big contracts at 30+. But neither is showing any sign of decline. Sure Salah had a slow period after his injury last season, but he’s come back better, and has evolved his own game to become less reliant on pace. Surely giving him another two years, even with the risk that his performance declines during that period, is better than losing him for nothing. You also hear the argument that giving big contracts to older players sets a difficult precedent. Personally I wouldn’t mind setting a precedent that 32-year-old players who have been consistently the best in their position in the league over five years, and who have shown no sign of decline, should get a new contract. For older players who don’t meet that insane standard, Liverpool would have every justification in taking a different approach.

The Trent situation is even more ridiculous. Why on earth wasn’t he offered new terms in summer 2023? And, having failed to do it then, why did they apparently do nothing this summer? I don’t know whether the rumours of Barca and Real reaching out are true, but surely there are several big clubs interested enough in signing one of the world’s best right backs on a free, and at least one of them must have made contact. Liverpool’s negotiating position must be weakened by that.

I’m really not concerned by the lack of big signings this summer. Chiesa’s signing ensures we have two good players in every position. With Gravenberch, Jones, Mac Allister and Endo, we’re nothing like as weak at 6 as people like to make out. And we have a good pipeline of young players, and a manager with a stellar reputation for making players better. But I’m definitely concerned about the contract situation. Fingers crossed it’s all being tied up in secret and there’ll be a big reveal of the masterplan sometime soon.
Tom, LFC

City’s real challengers
There’s something not right about Liverpool this season.

The legend Klopp is no longer at the helm, sure, we have a new manager but who he?, no new signings, players rejecting us for a hike, big players like Salah, Trent and van Dijk not wanting to sign contracts.

Premier League came and we played 2 relatively poor teams, the real big test is the game with Man Utd at Old Trafford.

Then last night happened. The controlled destruction of a legacy Premier League team with a lot of fucking trophies is a magnificent sight to behold. Man Utd were making passes to the sidelines, to Liverpool players, a 3-on-2 overload would end with them passing backwards, – even I was going, “How the heck did Man Utd screw up that?” We did that. The beautiful goals? We did that.

Last season,. we always start with a goal down. Now, we are the last team in the PL with a clean sheet. And our attacking play are just as exciting.

It’s early days, and last I heard them 3 players are still leaving, but the more I see Slotball, the more I feel it will be us challenging City this season, not Arsenal.
Vinnie Pee

Bournemouth squad depth
There has been a lot said about Everton’s capitulation at the weekend and also how brilliant they were for 87 minutes before this. I’m not quite sure that is the full story.

There is no doubt Everton were the better team, especially in the first 25 minutes of the second half, where they had Bournemouth under the cosh. They could easily have scored 3 or 4 in this period alone. But they didn’t and it was ‘only’ 2-0 – albeit that looked more than enough against a Bournemouth team that were putting in their worst performance since, well, Goodison Park in October of 2023. If you are an Everton Season Ticket holder, I would imagine you think Bournemouth are probably the worst Premier League team you have seen over the course of the last 12 months – twice!

However, the Bournemouth under Iraola is a different animal now since that game last Autumn, and has a depth of squad that has never before been seen at Dean Court. Whilst Everton floundered after taking off Ndiaye (who was outstanding) and Calvert-Lewin, Bournemouth flourished by bringing on Alex Scott, Sinisterra, Outtara, Huijsen and Smith. Not only are these players all very good footballers, the coach was able to change the dynamic of the game by bringing them on. Scott was able to pick up the ball, move forward and pick his passes (his pass down the right wing in the lead up to the second goal was insanely good); Sinisterra contributed a goal and an assist; Outtara an assist and being an all round menace; Smith with additional energy on the right; and Huijsen dictating play from centre back at a time when Everton had completely dropped off and their legs were gone (watch this lad, he won’t be on the South Coast for long).

I’m not sure Dyche has the tactical nous of Iraola, nor the quality on his bench to effect positive change. I mean, Ashley Young seemed to be the only other ‘viable’ attacking option for Everton! The game is as fast and physical as it ever has been. Matches are now often 100 minutes. Subs are more important than ever. You need quality on the bench, but you also need a coach who knows when and how to use that quality. On Saturday, Iraola got his changes spot on and made the most of his resources.

These are exciting times to be a Bournemouth fan. It will be tough to match last season, especially having lost a 19 goal a season striker and focal point for the team, but performances against Newcastle and West Ham, along with 10 minutes against Everton where we really could have scored 5, show that things are once again moving in the right direction. Solid and sensible recruitment is at the core of those performances, along with a manager who is providing entertaining and attacking football.

Having said all that, not sure my trip back from Anfield in three weeks will be as fun as the trip back last Saturday – Slot seems to have his charges playing some very decent stuff that will likely prove a little too much for Iraola’s charges, no matter what subs he makes!

On another note, I was sad that this will likely be my final trip to Goodison Park. A proper football stadium, with a proper fan base that provides a recipe for a great atmosphere. Hoping that will continue at Bramley Moore.
Robbie Sargent (exiled Cherry in Milton Keynes)

The Arsenal conspiracy
Rich AFC had a number of emails about PGMOL reviewing second yellows last season and, broadly speaking, got not mailbox traction with it. That prompted him to write in on behalf of other clubs, and VAR reviewing their second yellows (Wolves I think it was). Again, he was met with silence. After he finally got the point that no sensible person outside of the AFC echo chamber agreed with him, I knew he’d write in after the weekend but was genuinely curious as to the angle he’d chose.

Seems he’s now, beyond just saying all referees are in fact idiots and don’t understand the game as well as him, jumping on the ‘referees are born outside london’ argument. Now, I’m not sure how that infers a bias against Arsenal, but unfortunately Rich doesn’t clarify. Subconscious bias is of course a thing, but Rich (and Arsenal fans) are seemingly of the view that actual conscious biases like regional rivalry aren’t a thing? Presumably because in London regional rivalries mean something, like where a post code flips over, unlike in the north where everyone is black-clad, as we go about our business of keeping watch from the wall, chewing coal, and mass breeding whippets.

It’s categorically not a problem though, to weirdly conspire that there are too many refs residing in the north west of England, rather than enquire why no-one from the south east is on the ladder to become one. It may be, I don’t know, because Arsenal fans have for several years now, and following the path from Chelsea fans before them, orchestrated mass pile-ons to refs in an environment where they get the crap beaten out of them in car parks. That it is the Spanish version of ‘disgrace’ when you apply the laws of the game? When you make blanket statements about their intelligence, acumen and understanding of the game, I’m sure that would make absolutely no bearing on anyone in your echo chamber + location actually exploring if they wanted to try reffing….?

In summary, if arsenal could hit a barn bloody door when on top, they wouldn’t be so impacted by refereeing calls that every bloody side gets, or injuries that every bloody side gets, or wind, or beach balls, or tapping up of star strikers and/or coaches, by migraines or miscarriages; By parents getting kidnapped in South America or Afcon, or all the other madness that can impact a season. With every goal you score you are more empowered to control your own destiny. Instead Arteta has at great expense signed a striker who was invisible for a good portion of last year, alongside an injury prone Jesus, a deteriorating Martinelli, Saka who does occasionally blow cold. Critically analyse yourself first. Is it more likely that Arsenal dropped points because of a lengthy highlights reel of missed chances, or a ref giving your opposition an extra man for 30 minutes when that extra man is a nervy 20 year Ayari, playing away from home?

LFC alone had three players sent off last year that were ruled to be inaccurate decisions, and that doesn’t count Curtis Jones who had a yellow uplifted for a challenge many LFC players received without even a caution getting given. And that’s not even counting headscratchingly bonkers calls refs gave against LFC, like odd Arsenal basketball decisions eh. That’s not right, is it Daz. So I’m happy to join any argument that is ‘how can we help make this better’ but in framing the argument ‘these refs are so sh*t’ you have lost me as a follower or advocate, because fundamentally I see you as more of a problem to football than I see them.
Tom G

It’s only 3 games in and already we have some Arsenal fans going down the conspiracy route that a group of Northern men don’t want Arsenal to win the league for reasons that are not entirely obvious. We now get articles written about 5 flaws in the sending off! With one of those being it wasn’t a legal free kick as the ball was moving. Well the ball was moving as Rice had kicked it which is entirely why he was booked.

The Rice sending off is not the worst decision ever seen and can probably be put in the category of an offence that will be punished early season but gradually ignored as the season goes on. Much the same as during a match a referee is regularly seen dishing out yellow cards towards the end of a match for similar offences seen at the start of a match. Arteta, and then of course it has to be peddled by the fans, screams for consistency yet is entirely inconsistent himself. Like all managers he wants an opposing player punished or sent off for an offence to gain an advantage but at the same time wants all of his players to avoid sanctions as it might ruin the match.

The suggestion by Keown that referees have a duty to keep all 22 players on the pitch is ridiculous and is something only said by a fan of a team they feel has been wronged. How about the players take some responsibility rather than having Rice’s laughable reaction as if he’s no idea why he’s been booked having rolled around on the floor trying to get another player sent off for violent conduct.
J

Dear Editor,

Whatever your thoughts on the rights and wrongs of the Rice sending off, Declan has not only embarrassed himself there by rolling around and squirming on the floor play acting as if he has been shot but he has shown he has very poor game management skills. He knows the rules and he deliberately kicked the ball away. Without his actions there would be no sending off.

Arsenal fans can moan all they like about inconsistencies (god they are a different breed) but the real person at fault here is Declan Rice. What a pudding.
Rosie Poppins

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