Are Arsenal making a mistake?
Posted by Cathal Breathnach on March 22, 2010 | 34 Comments
It has been announced this evening that Arsenal will make an appeal against the red card Thomas Vermaelen was shown during his side’s 2-0 win over West Ham on Saturday.
Arsene Wenger was clearly upset at the decision and he made his feelings known to Martin Atkinson as the two side’s left the field at half-time at the Emirates.
Vermaelen has been, without doubt, one of the Gunners top performers this season and although I understand Wenger wanting his best players available for every game, I actually think Arsenal are making a mistake by deciding to appeal.
We have seen on numerous occasions this season when a club has decided to appeal a red card, the FA have not only dismissed the appeal but they have also added games to bans.
With just a handful of games to go in this Premier League season, there is absolutely no doubt that Arsenal are in with a great chance of lifting their first title in 6 years, however I don’t believe Arsenal should have taken this unnecessary risk of losing Vermaelen for an extra game.
Having seen the incident a few times now, I personally believe Vermaelen did deserve to be sent off and I for one think we could be seeing that familiar sight flashing across the bottom of Sky Sports News tomorrow evening : ” …. has had his ban extended after FA deem appeal to be ‘frivolous’.”
I’m keen to hear what you have to say on this one. Please leave your comments below.
Tags: Arsenal > Arsene Wenger > Premier League > Thomas Vermaelen > West Ham
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34 Responses to “Are Arsenal making a mistake?”
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March 22nd, 2010 @ 10:30 PM
if his ONE match ban gets extended it will be to TWO matches, where do you get FOUR from?
It would be pretty amazing if the F.A decided to quadruple his ban.
Please don’t bother posting if you don’t understand what you are talking about.
March 22nd, 2010 @ 10:31 PM
Not a penalty, the italian dives.
March 22nd, 2010 @ 10:34 PM
Well we’ll know tomorrow I guess. I think there is enough contention for it not to be deemed a ‘frivolous’ appeal.
Initially I thought that we’d done it so that he would be able to play against Birmingham while the appeal was considered; facing his ban (if not overturned) against Wolves.
Or maybe he is willing to risk anything to avoid having to play Silvestre and Song in central defence (assuming he’ll have to rest Sol for Barca).
It’s a tough call, there are merits to both courses of action.
I hope the gamble pays off!
March 22nd, 2010 @ 10:34 PM
Even though FA decides to reject the appeal, Vermaelen will only get 1 match ban, i.e. the Birmingham game.
Only players who are sent off due to violent conduct risk of getting 4 match ban.
March 22nd, 2010 @ 10:35 PM
Yeah, I corrected that Sanjay and Chris. My bad
March 22nd, 2010 @ 10:38 PM
Vermaelen did collide with the little italian, but it wasnt an intential bring down.
But when you see the replays, it looks like he stopping a goal scoring opportunity so arsenal shouldnt of appealed and took the one game ban, As its more than likely he will get 2 now.
March 22nd, 2010 @ 10:38 PM
Though I still believe it wasn’t a red card nor a penalty (or at the very least the softest penalty you’ll see), the thought of an extra ban did strike me as I read the news.
However, he will surely not be banned for four games. If the ban’s not overturned, it will be the one game plus the potential for one extra game if the FA find the appeal frivolous. So at worst, he’ll be out for two games (barring some appalling FA ruling, which granted is not beyond the cunts). Wenger seems willing to take that chance.
March 22nd, 2010 @ 10:39 PM
Allready corrected, I see.
March 22nd, 2010 @ 10:42 PM
I didn’t know that Sanjay, are you absolutely sure?
I don’t think it was a penalty, and even if it was, Franco didn’t have full control over the ball and therefore a red card was ridiculous. BUT if the ban could be extended, he would miss the visit of Wolves on top of the St. Andrews match. So the advantage of him playing against Birmingham are far greater than what we lose if he doesn’t play in the easiest game we have left against Wolves.
March 22nd, 2010 @ 10:42 PM
Hahaha Le_Bob, I agree with you that it did look a fairly soft penalty but I wasn’t surprised at all to see Atkinson pull the red card out.
March 22nd, 2010 @ 11:00 PM
i saw a more obvious foul outside the area and much easier to give and award a red card commited by samba on anelka on sunday and that dopey ref just waved it away
March 22nd, 2010 @ 11:00 PM
lol..you blog and you do not even know the game and the rules..funny…bet your one of those who like having a go at players and managers when things go wrong too….let me explain…if we appeal and the appeal is not heard before our next game then TV5 can play, once he has played if the appeal fails then the ban is extended as the FA will view it as us looking to bend the rules- If UTD appealed Rio’s ban he would have been able to play the CC final but if found guilty at the hearing then ban is extended. In our case the hearing is before our next game and there for there will not be no added bans even if we fail with the appeal….AW is not as stupid as some of us are
March 22nd, 2010 @ 11:01 PM
At worst, one extra game is possible, but any reasonable person can see that there was next to no contact. If they start giving fouls for that Stoke wont ever get a game!
Oh – I forgot the FA aren’t really reasonable???
March 22nd, 2010 @ 11:09 PM
lets hope the ban gets extended as to allow the verminator a rest before messi arrives.
theres only one aaron ramsey
March 22nd, 2010 @ 11:16 PM
No matter it’s a loss for the Birmingham match, we have about two tricky ties left and thats both Birmingham away and Spuds away. So losing him for one of those matches is tough enough, but if we keep our heads in the match and don’t let it get away from us we will be fine…I think Chelski is gonna crumble in the end, they are to full of themselves, Utd. is gonna be the ones that take us to the limit, they are solid all through the pitch and I hate it. It’s time we stand up and take the title from those Manc froot-loops, its damn time…. It is Arsenal’s time to hoist the Prem trophy, and we have 8 matches left to do it, come on Arsenal!!
March 22nd, 2010 @ 11:55 PM
It cannot be extended because there is no midweek game, so it cannot be considered frivolous(United appealed on the day of the Manc derby). Also, it only gets extended when the red card is for violent conduct
March 22nd, 2010 @ 11:57 PM
Thanks for that information Stan.
Let’s hope you’re right.
I can see the following 4 results.
Birmingham away: we lose
Barcelona at home: we win
Wolves at home: we win
Barcelona away: we lose
March 23rd, 2010 @ 12:03 AM
Spurs away, Man City at home and Blackburn away will all be tough.
If we win every single league game to the end of the season it will be amazing. In truth we will probably drop some points along the way but we have to hope Utd and Chelsea drop more.
March 23rd, 2010 @ 12:23 AM
I confess not knowing that much about the rules relating to offence and appeal process. if sanjay is right, then it’s a gamble worth taking as we’ve got nothing more to lose but if chris is and the panels are anti-arsenal or pro MU or Chelsea then wenger might live to regret it.
March 23rd, 2010 @ 12:50 AM
! or 2 matches are fine, it gives the guy a break. He has played the entire season. This ban is an ideal rest period for him. Better this than an injury. Birmingham and Wolves can be beaten without him.
March 23rd, 2010 @ 1:53 AM
I think it’s a calculated risk. Worst case is an added match which is Wolves at home which Arsenal can probably win with Campbell and Song in the back. Le Boss needs Vermaelen at Birmingham. They’ve held both Chelsea and United to draws at their home. So, win the appeal and Vermaelen plays…lose and they’re really no worse off.
March 23rd, 2010 @ 3:30 AM
He’s not Italian. He’s Mexican, dammit!
March 23rd, 2010 @ 5:00 AM
wat about the fact thet franco was miles offside,
March 23rd, 2010 @ 7:56 AM
Lol to say d fact atkinson make a big wrong mistake by givin varminator red;i belief ban won’t be increase tho FA are doin such this season but varminator would be favourable 4 us,up gunnerz.
March 23rd, 2010 @ 7:59 AM
Vermaelin did nt deserve to be red carded at all..
March 23rd, 2010 @ 8:14 AM
If you have a look at it, it was a long ball and both were chasing it, Franco never even touched the ball, much less had it under control. Therefore the only conclusion is that it wasn’t a goal scoring opportunity and so it shouldn’t be a red card.
March 23rd, 2010 @ 12:01 PM
Arsene would’t do this if he didn’t have a case
March 23rd, 2010 @ 12:27 PM
If you think that was a red card or/and a penalty then you clearly know little about football. It was no foul, it was a clear dive! Watch the replays before you post something stupid like this!
March 23rd, 2010 @ 12:46 PM
If the appeal gets turned down, he will only be suspended for Birmingham game and not four.
Next time get your facts right before commenting.
March 23rd, 2010 @ 12:59 PM
All those giving me abuse are clearly Arsenal fans. You are saying that it wasn’t a penalty because you are biased.
March 23rd, 2010 @ 4:03 PM
i don’t think it was a foul but the Fa are inconsistent (ie; ferdinand & gerrard elbows) and so we shouldn’t appeal at the risk of extra ban. just take it on the chin and be thankfull that we still collected 3 points and a clean sheet against the hammers.
March 23rd, 2010 @ 4:04 PM
utter rubbish! tv5 only had his hands touching his back, the idiot – is mexican iternational but might be italian- dived when he saw the ball going the other direction.same idiotic thing he used to do when we played villareal. tv5 only had his palms following his back and as a pro there was no way he pulled him. i was upset and no we neva deserved a red nor a penalty. i actually thot the diver got the red and i was glad cos it was so clear only to find out it was us….man
March 23rd, 2010 @ 4:14 PM
rio ferdinand had extra game ban cos the only reason they appealed his 3 match ban was so he could play against man city in league cup semi. so that was frivelous, and disrespectful. this isnt so no reason to increase ban. you can still appeal. ban rejected anyway.
March 23rd, 2010 @ 7:15 PM
AW must appeal as a matter of principle. The FA are bringing the game into disrepute no one else. They are an absolute disgrace they allow referees to get away with poor decisions every week and when managers whose jobs depends on the results of their teams comment on how bad the referee was, they are asked by the FA to explain there comments – How about asking the referees to explain there incompetence