Will the clubs blithely accept this, though?

I’ve just now seen the FA has finally decided to charge Arteta for his post-Newcastle comments from almost 2 weeks ago. (I know it’s old news already.)

What’s interesting to me is how they waited until after Howard Webb went on the PGMOL propaganda show to do it. Cowards.

I’m sorry, but I’ve said it. It’s out there now.

Happy cake day.

I have to get this off my chest. Phil Foden gives me the creeps.

Erased long ago.

PGMOL has warned Arsenal that dialogue from their sole league defeat so far this season will be released on Tuesday during ‘Match Officials: Mic’d Up’

“Warned.”

3 clean sheets in a row, then.

So I came across what I think is the embargoed section of Arteta’s prematch presser. It’s interesting. In the beginning he talks about ‘the match starting with the press conference’ and some coaching tidbits. Worth a listen.

Then, at about 3:08, he’s asked about his postmatch yellow card (in the Chelsea match?). He handles it openly and with good humour, but then the journo just keeps going on about his touchline behavior like a schoolmarm, and he doesn’t let it go for another 4+ minutes.

What is this ongoing obsession with Arteta’s behavior on the touchline? I can’t figure it out. Why is what Arteta does considered particularly ill-disciplined, punishment worthy, in need of reform? It’s so weird. He’s even dialed back his energy since the PL decided they needed to police the technical area. I don’t recall any of this when Klopp moved to Liverpool. Pep? Tuchel? Conte? (I’m sure there’s more. Those just come immediately to mind.)

Adingra + Bowen
OR
Mitoma + Soucek

e: could go Mitoma + Gordon as well, but I really love both Brighton and West Ham’s fixtures.

Lovely to see Nazio getting trounced.

Force them to adjudicate the Man City and Everton cases in chronological order.

I feel like I’ve missed something. Did PGMOL issue us an apology I’ve not seen?

I guess we will just have to agree to disagree on likelihood and wisdom of Arsenal signing Toney. I’m fine with that.

I can’t speak for others, but I don’t think it’s that he’s simply too old, period. It’s the the money Brentford will want for him combined with the fact people see him as a back up/Eddie replacement/plan B signing on top of his age. It seems like a bad use of the money.

Yes, we are the Arsenal. And Toney is no Auba.

We also shifted Giroud, Coquelin, Theo and Alexis that window to do it.

Yes, he’s a different profile. I don’t think we plan to sign a “plan B” CF for Toney money. I also don’t think Arteta wants to change the way we play to start Toney over Jesus. (He’s already signed someone who can change our physical profile in the box for particular situations when we might need it: Havertz.)

It’s hard for me to see Toney as competition for Jesus–which is what you’d want–but it’s comparison I think people should be making.

I’ve never believed we were seriously interested in Toney. It’s always felt like all the smoke has come from the player’s camp, so I find it funny there’s been constant talk about it.

I don’t think it will really matter whether Toney’s better than Eddie. It’s not the right comparison, in my opinion. For the money, we should be asking if he’s better than Jesus–or if he is on the cusp of being better.

We’ve spent a lot of money recently, and we’ve needed to, but we’re Arsenal not Manchester United or Man City or Chelsea. I can’t imagine we’re spending Toney money on a 28yo striker in the summer, much less in the January window.

I’m really not interested in hearing live VAR during matches at all. Announce their decision, sure, and maybe briefly the why of it at the end of reviews. Perhaps have a ref cover the big calls in postmatch interview or publish a brief match report. Whatever.

What’s most important to me is improvement in refereeing standards–competency, consistency within games and throughout the season, and improved VAR process. Not perfection, but reasonable consistency.

I’m far more interested in how Webb is to change the training and recruitment process to produce a higher quality of refereeing. I’ve not even heard if he thinks it’s a problem.
Similarly, what does he think of how basic interpretations and directives randomly change throughout the season? Is that what he wants going forward, and if so will they be transparent about that prior to the shifts in policy? (Surely the changing directives make life harder for referees on the pitch and in Stockley Park.)

I’m not really hearing anything from Webb about what his goals are in that regard. He’s just trying to put out fires and do some softball PR interviews.