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Morning.
Let’s start right now with a report from John Cross that Thomas Partey has undergone a ‘specialist process’ for a thigh damage, and is more likely to be sidelined for the remainder of 2023. I’ve to confess I used to be anxious when Mikel Arteta mentioned ‘weeks’ about his damage when it first occurred, as a result of he’s, as everyone knows, essentially the most circumspect man on this planet relating to releasing that type of data.
It’s clearly a blow for the participant, and for the staff, not least as a result of this damage got here throughout a coaching session when Arsenal had tried to be cautious with him. They resisted the temptation to convey him in after the Interlull the place he’d performed in two video games for Ghana (which is okay by me, btw – he wanted minutes having been out of motion for the reason that finish of August). The plan was to begin him in Sevilla however a coaching floor knock put paid to that. We frequently fear concerning the load carried by sure gamers, however this demonstrates this stuff can occur at any time.
I’ve written earlier than about Partey, and whereas he isn’t the one damage susceptible participant we’ve had, he’s definitely had his justifiable share of issues since his arrival from Atletico Madrid. Some may argue that the reemergence of Takehiro Tomiyasu, who has health points himself, reveals you shouldn’t write gamers off. The distinction for me is that Partey can be 31 in the summertime, with only a 12 months left on his contract. Tomi is mid-20s, and has his greatest years forward of him, and his accidents weren’t repetitive muscular strains in roughly the identical space.
I strongly suspect, after all of the discuss of him going final summer season, Arsenal have plans in place to exchange Partey subsequent summer season. How concrete they’re I don’t know, however there have to be names on the shortlist, and an understanding that between his age, contractual state of affairs and damage report, it’s time to maneuver on. Sadly, we would want to try this in January. He may return faster, he may be out for longer. He may be slot in January, however then referred to as up for AFCON which begins halfway by way of that month.
A lot will rely on availability, in fact. I’ve seen the identify of Douglas Luiz bandied round already, however think about what it will take to purchase him from Aston Villa in January once they’re having fun with such a superb season. Particularly whenever you recall how vigorously they rebuffed affords final time round. I believe that’s one you possibly can mainly rule out. After that, who is aware of? Perhaps somebody from South America, the place Edu ought to have loads of contacts, however we’ll have to attend and see.
Because it stands, our central midfield roster of Declan Rice, Jorginho, and Mohamed Elneny feels very gentle, and if we’re going to compete throughout three fronts from January onwards, with Premier League, Champions League, and FA Cup, we have to add one thing there. And the apparent reply ‘Effectively, Partey can be again in January’ isn’t one which fills me with an excessive amount of confidence, as a result of his health isn’t one thing I’d stick a fiver on, not to mention a title problem or a European push.
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In the meantime, the Unbiased Key Match Incidents Panel which evaluate Premier League video games have reported their findings on our recreation in opposition to Newcastle final weekend. On the objective, they said:
… though Joelinton does have his palms on Gabriel, there isn’t sufficient to award a foul as Gabriel had made an motion to play the ball earlier than any contact,” whereas additionally upholding the view there wasn’t sufficient proof to cancel the objective on the 2 factual offences.
Fairly what the relevance of the motion to play the ball factor is, I simply don’t know, and the ‘though Joelinton does have his palms on Gabriel’ bit is performing some very heavy lifting there. They didn’t say there was no foul, simply that they didn’t deem the contact adequate to rule the objective out. Which appears mad to me, as two palms within the again is a free kick each time. I’m satisfied this can be a resolution made based mostly on the post-game narrative round this incident – not least the extensively unfold opinions of pundits who’re very clearly backing the PGMOL – and never the legal guidelines of the sport. I count on this resolution additionally opens the door for a advantageous, on the very least, for Mikel Arteta.
As unhealthy as that’s although, it will get worse. Right here’s what they mentioned concerning the Kai Havertz and Bruno Guimaraes incidents:
Nonetheless, the panel was unanimous that Kai Havertz ought to have been despatched off for Arsenal within the thirty sixth minute for his problem on Sean Longstaff because it was “a really harmful problem and the kind of deal with that must be eradicated” — a choice which might have altered the course of the sport.
Bruno Guimaraes’ arm to the pinnacle of Arsenal’s Jorginho within the forty fifth minute was additionally a missed pink card, however on a break up 3-2 resolution for the VAR to get entangled.
On reflection, if Havertz is issued a pink card, I believe it’s one you need to settle for, however given the contact was so minimal, I do suppose there’s a real gray space there. There is no such thing as a such gray space with the Bruno forearm on Jorginho although. As others have identified, in rugby that’s a pink card. It’s a transfer that’s prohibited in boxing, the place hitting folks within the head is your complete level of the game. It’s, as I’ve talked about earlier than, the very definition of violent conduct.
So, how on earth are we imagined to have any religion within the selections that this panel come to once they unanimously suppose Havertz is a pink card, however two them someway don’t see the Bruno one for what it’s? The identical panel, by the best way, felt that the yellow card for Udogie within the recreation the opposite evening wasn’t a transparent and apparent error regardless of the actual fact he jumped in dangerously with two ft – one other stonewall pink card.
How are they making these selections? Definitely not by making use of the legal guidelines of the sport as we all know and perceive them, so what’s the considering? It’s absurd. As Arteta mentioned the opposite day about respecting referees:
I absolutely agree that we’ve to respect and that is what we attempt to do. We’ve got to have respect, you need to have good belief and the capability to have a dialog and opinions. That’s when respect is constructed.
How can anybody, Arsenal fan or in any other case, belief the choices of this panel based mostly on this abject nonsense? Rival followers will say ‘Haha, suck it up’, which is fully their proper, however it’ll come for them too sooner or later, and it received’t be so humorous. I assure you the response can be completely different. Let’s see how matey some managers are in the event that they’re denied factors by officers moderately than the thuggery of their very own gamers.
The ultimate factor I’ll say on this (for now anyway!), is that Declan Rice was requested what the gamers considered Arteta’s feedback after the Newcastle recreation, and mentioned:
Yeah, we adore it. I believe you see how passionate he’s. I believe he generally will get criticised for the way he’s on the sidelines, however, you recognize, he’s residing the sport by way of us. He’s so energetic and the best way he speaks, he’s like a trainer within the altering room and that basically fires us up for the sport and I believe that’s what he’s actually actually good at.
That’s the silver-lining in all this from our perspective. A way of injustice may be highly effective gas, so let’s hope we will present that this weekend once we face Burnley.
Okay, that’s it for now. We’ll cowl Arteta’s presser on Arseblog News later, and we’ll have our Premier League preview podcast on Patreon for you later this afternoon.
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