Man.United vs Arsenal 2009-2010

[dinho]

Some observations:-

2. Whether the Arshavin call was a PK or not is debatable (as there is the possibility that Fletcher got the ball then the man based on the replays). He scored almost right away anyway so - worked out well for Arsenal in the end. Arshavin can blame Eduardo for refs possibly not giving Arsenal the benefit of the doubt on such calls for the rest of the season.

To make a statement like that tells me you are probably being saturated with too much post game analysis and slow motion replays, and not paying attention to the incident itself in the context of the game..

Whatever ball Fletcher got in that tackle was inconsequential contact from his flailing body, while he took out Arshavin.. If anything that tackle was 95% man and 5% ball.. Contact with the ball does not negate a foul.

And for good measure, hear it from the horse's mouth.....


I was due some luck - Fletcher

http://msn.foxsports.com/soccer/story/10001548/I-was-due-some-luck---Fletcher

Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher makes no apology for getting away with his challenge on Arsenal's Andrey Arshavin on Saturday.

Fletcher must live forever with the red card he picked up at the Emirates Stadium in May which stopped him appearing in the Champions League final.

The Scot has taken his disappointment manfully, refusing to be crushed by such a blow.

But after suffering such a setback, he is not going to start worrying about the ones he gets away with.

"I went for the challenge and felt I got the ball," Fletcher said.

"Maybe I am due a bit of luck after what happened in the Champions League semi-final last season.

"These things happen in football. I know I played a bit of the ball and a bit of the man but in the heat of the moment you are not 100% sure."

Fletcher again put in a performance that confirmed his growing reputation as one of the most influential midfield players in the Premier League.

Arsene Wenger was probably singling out the Dalkeith-born star when he declared "someone had committed 20 fouls and didn't even get booked," but the fact remains when United needed solidity in their midfield, Fletcher provided it. When they required drive, they got that too.

"I enjoy the challenge of playing against Arsenal," he said. "I did my usual thing. I got about people and tried to raise the tempo of the game.

"I put tackles in and tried to get the guys playing a little bit. It is no different to what I do in other games but it sometimes gets noticed more in big games."

[xixgon]

That's why I said the decision was debatable - I wouldn't say I'm 100% sure about it either way. And like I pointed out - Arshavin scored almost immediately anyway - so the fact that it wasn't given didn't end up affecting Arsenal anyway.

The article you linked doesn't have Fletcher admitting fault. He's saying he's lucky the ref didn't interpret it as a foul and call a penalty - not lucky that he got away with an actual foul. If anything he said he wasn't sure if it was a infringement or not - but that at the time he thought he got the ball.

But like I say this is all a moot point - because it didn't end up affecting the outcome of the game as far as I'm concerned.

The Rooney penalty (which wasn't a penalty for me) is a far more contentious point - because that DID in fact obviously change the result of the match.

But like I say - the dives by Eduardo against Celtic (and Eboue in this game) are just going to make the refs that much more wary about giving Arsenal the benefit of the doubt - which is their own fault to an extent. But given the choice, Refs will usually err on the side of caution - especially in games on such magnitude.